The Schoolmarm

By Greta

Rated PG-13

Chapter One

Eagle Station, Nevada Territory, 1850

"Well, it took the town council long enough but we finally have a new school teacher!" Margaret Greene said as she waited for the stage couch to arrive from St. Louis.

Shelby nodded in agreement and added, "I know it took the council a long time to do this but we all know how hard it was after Marie Cartwright died. And I don't mean to blame Ben for all of this! And Jack was a problem, too! Both Jack and Ben wanted to have Adam teach those children! I'm glad that you and Eli as well as I outvoted them on the town council!"

Ruth nodded as well and spoke of Marie. She added, 'Marie was the true love of Ben..."

"True love? Hell, no she wasn't! She was more like Ben's true obsession..." Shelby didn't mind using a profanity, and the other women who knew Shelby didn't mind that Shelby spoke the truth!

"May the poor woman rest in peace!" Ruth said, in a much quieter tone of voice. All three women nodded at Ruth's statement as Tess joined them.

"Is everything ready for the new school teacher's reception?" Margaret asked Tess as the young woman joined the ladies.

Tess nodded and then said, "Yes, everything is ready but you just wouldn't believe the nerves there at the new town hall, and I really thought it was just us women that got nervous whenever a new school teacher came in to town!"

"Who's really nervous?" Shelby asked.

"Mr. Cartwright seems to be all right considering that it's been fifteen months since Marie died, but the boys are another matter altogether! And Jack seemed a little strange as well. When he asked me who the new schoolteacher was, I told him that Lydia Weiss was the one who answered our written plea, and he said that was absolutely impossible. Now, I believe I got her name right, ma?"

"Yes, that's right!" Margaret said, "And if I remember correctly, she was actually born in Frankfort."

"Frankfort an der Oder? Then she would know about Poland!" Ruth exclaimed.

"No, I don't think so. I think she said it was Frankfort am Main. Just what this town needs is another Papist..." Margaret added, the last comment was said in a lower tone of voice.

"There are a lot of Lutherans and Reformed Christians, as well as Jews like Eli and myself," Ruth added, with her eyebrows lifted up in indignation at Margaret's impertinent remark.

Shelby nodded and said, "I could care less what religion she is. All I want to know is if she can handle livin' out here in the west and putting up with little Joe's pranks, among other things!" As if to emphasize her point, she took a long puff of her cigar, and exhaled it just as the stage came down the dusty street.

As the stagecoach stopped, the driver came down from his seat on the top of the coach and opened the door to let the single passenger out. As the single woman exited the stage, Margaret greeted her by saying, "Welcome to Eagle Station! I'm Margaret Greene, and I'd like to introduce the others as well. This is Shelby and Ruth, and I don't think I have missed anybody else. I won't ask how your trip was from St. Louis and I apologize for all this dust! Spring had been exceptionally dry this year..."

"And just think it could be a lot worse. Last spring we actually could have flooded out!" Shelby said as she puffed on her cigar.

Lydia looked at Shelby and then at the other ladies. Finally, she said, "And it doesn't bother anyone that you wear trousers instead of skirts?" She really didn't mind that she was so outspoken at all, but then of course, she was just as plain as day, too!

Shelby shook her head and said, "I may indeed like skirts but those corsets are another matter altogether. I could never understand why anyone would want to narrow the waists God gave us in the first place!"

"You did at the dance the town held to celebrate the building of the new town hall!" Tess said, and then added, "I'm Tess Greene, Margaret's daughter."

Lydia then turned to look at Tess and said, "You look like you'd make a very good schoolmarm. Why don't you teach?"

"I'm afraid I would have too many school pets and not enough students," Tess replied. Tess was just like her mother. She liked dealing with women that were just as direct as her mother did.

"Like?" Lydia asked, not really minding that she was acting more like a gossip that the schoolteacher she actually was.

"Little Joe Cartwright for one. His older brother Hoss and I..."

"Hope to get hitched someday, ain't that right?" Shelby asked.

"Not too soon, I hope!" Margaret added and then said to the driver, "Is that all of her belongings?" She really didn't want to discuss that fact that her daughter wanted to get married to the largest of Ben's sons.

"All of these five bags. They're quite heavy!" he replied, as he reached over to get one of them.

"One for each of us!" Ruth exclaimed, as the driver handed her one of the bags. Ruth nearly fell over when she took the bag. "Perhaps I should have had Eli and the rest of the men help us out!"

"We'll get them and Lydia over to the boardin' house where she can freshen up after her long stage coach trip, and then we'll have our reception for her at our new town hall!" Shelby said as she, too, took a bag.

"I DO hope the reception won't be too long. It's been a long day already!" Lydia said as she took a third bag from the driver. Tess and Margaret took the other bags as well, and all five of the women went to the boarding house.

"I thought you'd wear what you had on earlier!" Shelby said as Lydia descended the stairs.

"Navy blue is fine for traveling but my dress is just too dusty for the reception, so I thought this would be better!" Lydia said as she finished coming down the stairs.

"A brown and green check? Is that on wool or cotton?" Shelby asked.

"It's a brown and green check on wool. After all, it's nearly September!" Lydia replied.

"Good! It's wool after all!" Margaret said and then added, "This town has an escaped slave from the Deep South who spent many summers harvesting cotton for his abusive master..."

"Whose dear departed wife not only taught him to read but was killed by that same master. Forgive us for gossiping about our townspeople..." Ruth said.

"But there ain't that much to do around here!" Shelby added.

"But you all have businesses to run!" Lydia replied.

"We do THAT too, although you'd never know it!" Shelby said in return.

"I think it's time we showed up at the reception at the new town hall!" Margaret said, and then added, "I didn't realize that our new school teacher has a pair of spectacles."

"Normally I wear them all of the time but coming here to Eagle Station on the coach with all that dust made me put them in one of my bags. I need the spectacles for I am quite near-sighted!"

"But you look so..."Shelby said, more in surprise at her now plain appearance than anything else did.

"Plain and uninteresting! Well, you said that the town was looking for a middle-aged schoolmarm and that is what the town is getting! It is getting a middle-aged, plain and uninterested looking, square-faced schoolmarm!" Lydia replied, more in defiance than in anger.

Shelby then looked at Tess and said, "With an attitude like that, I don't think she'll have any problem whatsoever with little Joe!" Shelby then took another puff of her cigar as the five women mad their way to the town hall.

The women entered the town hall, which was filled with everyone that lived in the area.

The women entered the town hall, which was filled with everyone that lived around Eagle Station. Mr. McGregor turned to Margaret and then to Lydia and said in his native Scottish brogue "Well, it looks like our new school teacher is here! How do you do? I'm McGregor and this here is my daughter Martha! You'll not be mistaken her for another student-not with her carrot-red hair!"

Lydia smiled and after turning to Martha said, "I think you have lovely red hair, don't you? The red hair means that you are really a Celt after all! Now are you as taciturn as the rest of the Celts as well?" The young lady shook her head as well and said, "I'm just as talkative as my father is, but I hope I don't have his same temper!"

As the young girl was talking, her father kicked her slightly in her shin, and still addressing Lydia, he asked, "Will you be teaching now this next week?"

"Actually, I will be testing all of my students to see how much they remember. I understand that their previous teacher died and they haven't been in school for at least a year," Lydia replied. She hoped that her students would like learning from this German woman.

"That's a fine idea. And will you be giving out any certificates if they are more advanced?" Mr. McGreger asked.

Lydia turned to Margaret and asked, "Does Nevada territory give out any eighth grade certificates? It seems like it should!"

Margaret said, "You know, I really don't know about that. I'll go over and get Ben Cartwright and ask him. Will you excuse me, please!"

There was a line forming right behind McGreger. The next person in line was Mr. Trag with his children. He greeted Lydia as well and said, "McGreger's right. I'd like to know as well. Some of my children are young enough to be taught here at the school but my oldest son isn't. I'd like to see him get his certificate as well."

"I'll do what I can to help him. So far, that's at least two children that need their certificates," Lydia replied.

Mr. Trag then left the line to get some punch and then Samuel Newborn was next in line. Lydia said, "And you're the escaped slave! Where were you from, sir?"

Mr. Newborn replied, "I'm from Arkansas. My former master owned more than a thousand acres of land where he had us Negroes farm his corn and cotton as well as alfalfa for our, or should I say, his draft and race horses. Whatever money he made with his cotton, his lost with his races!"

"That is a shame, and I'm sorry about your wife. Ruth told me about her just before we came to the reception. It is a real tragedy!" Lydia replied, shaking her head in genuine sorrow.

"Thank you, ma'am. Most of the townspeople feel the same way you do. That is, all except Mr. Wolf, who doesn't share in my sorrow!" Mr. Newborn replied. "Is it Jack Wolf that you're talking about?' Lydia asked, and after he nodded, Lydia did the same and said,

"Jack Wolf doesn't feel any sorrow but what directly concerns him I'm afraid! I have had the distinct displeasure of meeting him and getting to know him, much to my sorrow as well!" Lydia said.

"Perhaps I have spoken too soon, ma'am. Jack Wolf is over there next to the door!" Mr. Newborn said.

"Is that rascal comin' or goin'?" Shelby asked, glad to have her say in the matter.

Lydia looked over to the man and said softly, "I hope he is going back to where he was at in the first place. I really don't want to say anything to him at this point!"

Shelby looks at him as he left the reception and said, "I think you're right! He's gone for the evenin'"

"If you don't mind, ma'am, I will go over to the punch bowl and get some punch. Would you like anything, ma'am?" Mr. Newborn asked.

Lydia smiled and said, "I think that is the first time you have asked any white person if you could wait on them! Thank you, but no, I don't need anything at this time. And as Mr. Newborn went over to the punchbowl, Hoss and Little Joe Cartwright came up to greet Lydia, after having avoided a lot of people that were trying to get in line to meet the teacher. "Good evening, ma'am, I'm Eric Cartwright, but most people call me Hoss, and this is my younger brother..." Hoss said.

"I'm Joseph Cartwright, and this is my older brother. My other brother is over there with my pa," Joe said.

Lydia nodded as she greeted the two young men. After looking at them both, she said, "You don't look like you're related at all. Your hair color is very different. You, Hoss, are Tess' intended and I've heard a lot about you, Little Joe." Of course, Lydia had no idea that Ben had been married three times. Nor did she know that each wife gave him a son. And she didn't realize that all of Ben's wives had died.

"All good, I hope!" Joe said.

Trying to be serious for a moment, Lydia said, "Not at all, young man! On the contrary, and if you think you can get away with bad behavior in my classroom, you can think again! I've had very difficult students like you before and so do you really like to know what I do with them?"

Little Joe looked innocent for once, and said, "Not really! But I suppose you'll tell me anyway!"

Lydia nodded as well and said, "I don't know how your last teacher handled disciplinary problems, but when a male student misbehaves for me, I make him sit on the other side of my classroom with the girls. And if he misbehaves some more, I place him in the corner but facing me, and if he STILL misbehaves for me, I have a talk with his parents!"

"She can't do that! I don't have a ma!" Joe replied, as he looked up to his much taller brother.

"Oh, yes she can, little brother! Besides, after all the work you do at home at the Ponderosa, and with your dog, Scout and all the things he gets into, I think going to school would be a break for you!" Hoss replied to his much younger brother.

At that point, Jack Wolf got back into the room and joined the reception. He got around Ben and Adam, who were next to Hoss and Joe in line to great Lydia. He took off his hat and said to Lydia, "We meet again, Ms. Weiss!"

Trying to keep from leaving the reception, or even worse, striking Mr. Wolf, Lydia kept her temper and said, "And so you are here after all, Mr. Wolf! Tell me how you've been since you left St. Louis."

"I've be doing confoundedly well, thank you, and I would be doing even better if..." he said.

"If I had not come here to Eagle Station! Well, at least I am comforted in the fact that you haven't broken any more engagements since I saw you last, now have you?" Lydia said. She was glad that she finally had the courage to confront this villain!

Trying hard not to lose his temper as well, Jack merely muttered, "Good night, my dear!" And seeing his old archenemy behind him, Jack said, "I'll be leaving this reception, Ben!" The man who many saw as the town's enemy left the town hall.

Seeing that Jack Wolf was quite angry with the new schoolmarm, Ben felt it was his duty to try and smooth things over. "You are our new school teacher, Miss Weiss." Seeing that she had somehow regained her composure, Ben got a little more nervous and said; "It is said that...well..."

"I thing you look a lot like Hoss' late mother and my step-mother Inger. Pa and I were talking about this earlier right after you walked in to the reception," Adam said.

Looking at Ben carefully, Lydia found herself flustered for a moment, and then said, "Was she from Germany? You all act as if she was!"

Feeling flustered as well, Ben managed to say, "No, actually she and her entire family came over from Sweden and settled in Illinois, where I met both her and her brother Gunnar Of course, that was a long time ago when Adam and I were in Illinois trying to make our way west. I was quite a few years younger then and Adam was only three."

"And he was four when I was born out on the Great Plains," Hoss replied, glad to get in a word at this moment.

Intrigued with the way the conversation was going, Lydia exclaimed, "Really? So you were born exactly where, Hoss?"

"Near Fort Chadron, right next to the Platte river. You know that river? It is said it's too thick to drink and too thin to plow!" And then seeing he had the full attention of Lydia, he said, "My ma died just before we got to Fort Laramie, and that's when pa said he had seen the elephant, and so we went back to New Orleans. That's where pa married Marie and had little Joe, and we came out here about four years ago!" At this point, Ben kicked Hoss in the shin as if to say his middle son had told the schoolteacher just too much for Ben's comfort.

"Miss Weiss, would you like some punch?" Ben asked as he gave his middle son the infamous glare all fathers give their sons when their sons say a little too much.

"Actually, no, Mr. Cartwright. Like Mr. Wolf, I think I would like to go and retire early this evening. We stopped at four stagecoach stations before coming here to Eagle Station, and I am very...tired. If the ladies don't mind, I'll go back to my room at the boarding house."

Ben looked at his sons before saying, "The stage coaches are moving pretty danged fast nowadays, but I think Miss Weiss is correct. It's been a long day for all of us. But tell me, will you have dinner with my family on Sunday?"

Before Lydia could answer, Margaret spoke up and said, "I was hoping that she would have dinner with Tess and I this Sunday instead. Of course, you and the boys are welcome as well!"

"And I was hoping that she would have dinner with us?" Ruth spoke up as her husband Eli came to join with the small group.

"Don't be silly, Ruth! We're open for business on Sunday, just like we always are, but Lydia is more than welcome to have Sabbath dinner with us on Saturday," he said as he took his beloved wife's hand.

Seeing that she had won her latest round, Margaret said, "Well, then! It's all settled! Lydia can have dinner with the Orowitz' on Saturday and Tess and I on Sunday!"

"But what about meals at the boarding house?" Lydia asked.

"The landlady there ain't no cook and so your only other options are cookin' your own meals, puttin' up with my cookin' at my saloon or payin' for meals at Jack Wolf's HOTEL. And do you realize that he charges a whole dollar for a bowl of stew?" Shelby said.

"Well, so do you Shelby?" Daniel said as he overheard the others talking. Coming over to round out the group, he introduced himself by saying, "I'm known around here as Big Dan, and you can say that for the time bein', I work for Shelby."

"I hope you'll stay on around here. I have no love for Jack at all, and for Jack and his...prices, I charge a whole dollar for a bowl of fresh salad greens, a bowl of stew, some pie and coffee or tea or whatever wets your whistle. Now, that makes a square meal, don't it!" Shelby said to Dan.

Seeing that Shelby was arguing in a good-natured manner with Dan, Lydia felt she had finally come home after being on the road for several weeks. "Well, it's always nice to be liked around here, in spite of Mr. Wolf, and yes, I'll take you up on your offer of meals but I'm not quite sure how the other townspeople will feel when they see me in Shelby's saloon. I know exactly how and what the townspeople would say and do with me in St. Louis!" she said.

"That real ladies don't go to saloons?" Little Joe asked.

"That proper ladies don't put up with the swearing that you hear in saloons, little brother!" Adam said.

"We may have asked too much of you this evening, Miss Weiss. We'll take you back to the boarding house right now," Margaret said as Lydia turned a little paler than she was previously.

Trying to keep her from falling, Lydia could only say, "Is there a chair around here? I really need something to sit down on right now!" Seeing that she was about to fall, Adam quickly got the nearest chair that no one was seated in and placed it next to the poor woman, who sat down rather suddenly. "Thank you for the chair, Adam, and thank you all for thinking of me right now. After a good night's rest, I will feel more like myself. I would like to come back here tomorrow and get things ready for school next week. I know I won't need any McGuffy readers or any other textbooks right now but I will need to get out the slates and pieces of chalk. Also, I would like to ask how many students I will be having in the classroom!"

"About fifteen," Hoss said, obviously very concerned about the new teacher.

"But there are more of you in this reception than that!" Lydia replied as Ben went over to get some punch for her, defying orders from Lydia.

"About fifteen of the students are in eighth grade or less. Adam and I are older than that!" Hoss said as he took the cup of punch from his father and then handed it over to Lydia.

She took a small sip from the cup and then said, "Do you have your eight grade certificates, and indeed, is there any way you can get them?" Lydia asked, as she saw Ben who had made his way back to his sons.

"I have written to the territory in Salt Lake City to ask if it will give any out. So far, I haven't heard anything from them," Ben said.

"Adam, are you interested in getting an eighth grade certificate? You seem like you would want to go to college," Lydia said as she drank from her cup of punch.

"I will if I can find the time to fill out an application and mail it in!" Adam said.

"But that's only IF the mail goes through, Adam. I know that you've seen letters to Isabella down in Mexico but she hasn't written in return!" Joe exclaimed.

"She HAS written to me. I got three letters from her last week, and I know that she had received all of mine. You're just too young to know what real love is, Little Joe!" Adam replied more in a joking matter.

"And so Isabella is your intended as well. Her parents must be very proud to have a son-in-law, as is your father!" Lydia said feeling better that she had been all evening.

"Her parents as well as her brother are dead as is my ma..." Adam said, and then seeing that Ben was glaring at him as well as Hoss, he only added, "My pa thinks I'm too young yet to even think of marrying, although he was younger than me when he got married and had me!"

Seeing that it was getting late for everyone, including Lydia, Ben could only manage to say, "I think Miss Weiss is correct. It's getting late for us so we might as well go home."

"I think we'll be taking Lydia to the boarding house right now and then Tess and I will go home as well," Margaret said as she got her shawl. Lydia got up from her chair and the three women made their way to the boarding house. Maggie was a little gleeful. She didn't want Ben to court this schoolteacher, and besides, it was her idea to get a proper schoolmarm from St. Louis. Shelby was glad as well. It turned out that this new schoolteacher was just as homely as ever. So, now maybe Ben would pay more attention to Shelby instead of Margaret. Lydia was very happy that she had gone west in the first place. Maybe she would be cured of her consumption after all!

Chapter Two

Early the next morning, Lydia went to Shelby's saloon. "I was right. Your landlady just ain't no cook! What would you like to have for breakfast?" Shelby said as she puffed on her first cigar of the day.

Lydia only nodded and replied, "I thought she would at least be able to make a good pot of coffee but it seems that she would only give me tea for the day and I really need something just a little stronger than tea, as in a good cup of coffee. I'm afraid that anything stronger than that this early in the morning would be too much." Seeing that Shelby was pouring her a small glass of whiskey, she said, "Don't you think that whiskey is just a little too strong this early in the morning?" I'm interfering, just like I always do, Lydia thought to herself.

'Not at all this early in the mornin'. Besides, I distill it myself, and I always say, if you can't drink your own whiskey..."Shelby then drank the glass in her typical way, with one gulp, and then added, "You didn't exactly say what you wanted for breakfast." I hope that you don't mind me indulging in one of my favorite habits! Margaret thinks that I drink too much, and I don't need to have you tell me to stop drinking too! Shelby thought.

"Only a cup of coffee, but nothing else, if you don't mind," Lydia said, still a little amazed! All of this was new to her! What would her brothers think of Lydia coming out west in the first place! And then, she was inside of a saloon, which was not what proper ladies did in the Old West!

"Only coffee this mornin'? Do you want some bread to eat as well? I just took a loaf of some fresh bread from my oven before you came in this mornin'. You want some butter and jelly with that bread as well as some cream and sugar for your coffee? It'll be a dollar for the meal!" Shelby said as she comes around the bar to go to the kitchen to bring the meal out to her dining room.

"A dollar?" Lydia asked, amazed that even a breakfast on her modest standards would cost as much as lunch or supper. I should really start to cook for myself. If only I can get some flour and maybe some yeast from Mrs. Orowitz, or some other housewife. I want to make some coffeecake, or even some of my kuchen that my brothers always liked so well.

"Yeah, I have to roast and grind my own coffee beans, and coffee is a real luxury here in the west. Normally, I just serve tea with my meals. The tea comes from China and I'm able to get all the tea I need here at the saloon as well as everything else I really need when I go to San Francisco. I only go to San Francisco once a year for my supplies. That's also where I picked up my Chinaman, Hop Sing, who now works for Ben Cartwright."

"Hop Sing doesn't work for you?" Lydia asked, for in her work experience, one never left one's job, not even if one had a good reason for doing so. Of course, she had no idea that Shelby treated her Chinese cook much like a slave!

"Go on and get yourself a table here in the saloon. I'll be right back with your meal!" Shelby said, glad that she had an excuse for getting out of the conversation. She liked to talk with the schoolmarm, but she had to wait on her, too. In a few minutes, she returned with a tray that had a mug of coffee. She also had a plate full of bread slices, a small dish of freshly churned butter and a even smaller dish of gooseberry jelly along with a knife for the butter and a spoon in the dish of jelly.

Appreciative of everything Shelby had put on the tray, and in a few moments, put on the table in front of her, Lydia said, "Things aren't all that primitive here in Eagle Station. You have fresh churned butter and...what is in the small bowl?"

"That's gooseberry jelly I got from Mr. Trag. I think you met him last night at the reception after McGregor and his daughter. Trag can't always pay his bills with me with money, so he often trades things to get his whiskey. This time, he traded some churned butter and some gooseberry jelly," Shelby explained, and then added, "We do that all the time when times are pretty tough, and right now, we're going through some tough times with the Mexican war bein' over! Times are always like that, right after a war ends!"

"Do a lot of people do business this way? I always thought that they paid their bills with money!" Lydia replied, amazed that the shopkeepers would trade with people, even in the 1850s.

"They will when they have the cash with them. People like Margaret often charges for things. I know Margaret does whenever she goes over to the Orowitz' as does Ben. Cartwright. But not everyone has the cash to do so. Trag and McGreger and others will pay with cash but more often, they trade for what they need," Shelby explained, and then added, "Don't they do that in St. Louis?"

As she tried to drink from her cup of coffee, Lydia said, "Not at all. I must admit that I find it very strange that people still live as if this was when the American Revolution was being fought and the people were afraid that the British would stop all of this, or even worse, that the people living out here are really no better than the Indians!"

"I think that we're a little better than redskins!" Shelby said, and then added, "Or even Mexicans! You will probably have to get used to our ways!"

"Forgive me, I'm still a little new around here and I really want to make Eagle Station my new home," Lydia said, immediately ashamed that she may have offended Shelby and probably many of the other townspeople as well.

Seeing that the school teacher was uncomfortable, Shelby said, "No harm was done. You'll get used to us soon enough!"

Lydia than realized that she was supposed to pay for her meal and said, "I may indeed be backwards but..." She then leaned over to her right and pulled a silver dollar out of her small pocket of her skirt and said, "Here is what I owe you for today's breakfast. After I finish eating, I will go on over to the town hall and get things ready for class next week!"

"Good! Then I can expect to see you back here at noon for lunch!" Shelby said as she took the coin from Lydia. And then noticing that Lydia had not put any cream or sugars into her cup of coffee, she asked, "You don't like cream and sugar with your coffee?"

"Normally I do but the first thing I need on a cool day like today is drinking my coffee black!" Lydia explained.

Wearing her underwear under her clothes, Shelby said, "I don't really think it's that cool this morning! It's only late August!"

"I do!" Lydia said as she drank from her coffee mug until it was almost dry, and then asked, "May I have some more coffee, please?"

"Of course," Shelby replied as she went to get the coffeepot. After she brought it back to the table and refilled the mug, she said, "You don't like the cold?" She then decided that she would sit down at the table with Lydia, for she sensed that she was going to get a good story from the schoolmarm.

Drinking from her refilled mug and then putting it down, Lydia said, "Not since I had rheumatic fever when I was only a child in Germany. We were only poor peasants that lived near Frankfort am Main and my father was able to get a doctor to see me. My father had some savings and it took nearly everything he had saved to be seen by the doctor, and the prognosis was much grimmer that my father had expected! In fact, the doctor recommended that my parents take me to America, for he felt that the weather in this country would help me. And so, my father sold everything he had in order to pay for passage of our whole family to come here, and while we were on board the ship, my sister came down with a fever of some sort and died right there on the ship. The five of us continued on our journey and ended up settling down in St. Louis, where my parents and later on, myself, got jobs. I was a servant and learned the English language, and, even managed to teach school. I have been teaching school for the past twenty years."

"But you never married!" Shelby said. She then got up and went to the bar to pour herself another glass of whiskey. Then she asked, "You taught school for over twenty years and never even thought of marryin' nobody?"

Shaking her hear in a sad manner, Lydia said, "Only your Jack Wolf showed any interest in me." Seeing that Shelby would probably repeat everything she would be hearing from herself, Lydia decided not to say anything more, and merely said in as even tone of voice that she could manage, "But, I'm afraid that he is another story altogether!"

Surprised that she would hear no more from the schoolteacher, Shelby said, "That's all you're goin' to tell me!"

Lydia nodded her head and said, "For the time being, I'm afraid so! Your Jack Wolf and I...well, lets just say that if I had known he was here, I never would have come to Eagle Station!"

After taking a puff of her cigar, Shelby said, "Well, Jack Wolf ain't the only man around here that's takin' a likin' to you! I don't think I've ever seen Ben Cartwright as flustered as he was last night at the reception."

Nodding her head, Lydia could only manage to say, "Mr. Cartwright is a very kind person, especially to a newcomer such as myself. But, isn't he the man who lost his wife last year?"

"Yeah, he is! His poor wife died in an explosion at the Orowitz' that we think was caused by a man named Pritchard! Couldn't prove it though but Pritchard still went to the territorial prison anyway for holding a knife to Adam that was completely unrelated to the bombin' at all! He escaped from prison and it seems Ben killed the bastard in self-defense."

"It seems that this is truly the lawless west I have heard and read about in St. Louis. But doesn't this fine town have a sheriff?" Lydia asked, not really minding that Shelby was actually swearing in the saloon instead of watching her language. Then she realized that Shelby might be in the matchmaking mood, Lydia returned to the original topic of conversation by saying, "I think that Margaret and Ben would make a lovely couple."

"Maybe!" Shelby said as she poured herself another drink. "But then again, maybe not! If Margaret DOES manage to marry Ben, I think it would be a damned incestuous union, and that's because Hoss wants to be married to Margaret's daughter Tess, and, for a time, Margaret was a really good foster mother to Isabella. Ben knows this and that's why I don't think he'll marry Margaret."

"But aren't you interested in him as well?" Lydia asked.

"I like Ben well enough, but I only know how to run saloons and Ben's no drinker at all. Never was one ever since I've known him. No, what he needs is someone else besides Margaret and that someone should be a person as knowledgeable in books as he is...like you for instance! You're good in book learnin', ain't you?" Shelby asked.

Realizing that Shelby was not going to give up on matchmaking with her favorite male, Lydia decided to say, "I think Ben should decide about getting married again, but he should consider how his boys feel about yet another step-mother. They may not like sharing their father with any one else at this point. Besides, it's time I got to the town hall to get things ready for school next week!" She then got up and left the saloon. Lydia liked Ben, even though she had just met him the previous evening. But, she had a broken heart as well! Besides, she was still a little bitter at meeting, and nearly marrying Jack Wolf! And then, Edward would never consent to letting Lydia go into a convent at all! It seems that I'm just too plain to get a man anyway! Edward should have given his permission to let me enter the nearest Carmelite convent, Lydia thought as she walked over to the town hall.

Lydia had decided to get things done as quickly as she could. She had decided to clean the shelves that her books would go on as well as sweep and mop the entire hall. She began to work furiously, hoping that she could forget her pain at discovering that the villain in her life, Jack Wolf, now lived in Eagle Station. After she got the shelves cleaned, she swept and then mopped the floor. Taking a small break, she sat down on a chair and in a few minutes, she heard the door open and a familiar and unwelcome voice said, "Still teachin' at your age?"

Recognizing the smooth Southern accent, Lydia turned around and said, "What do you mean 'at my age'?"

Holding on to his large bouquet of pink roses, Jack said, "I thought you would have retired from teaching by now!"

Summoning up all the anger she could, Lydia replied, "Retire? With WHAT may I ask! You not only left me at the altar of the cathedral but you took my life savings with you as well! You even said that I would retire a rich woman! And with WHAT? Living off of some poor tart's wages that she hands over to you in YOUR brothel! HOW DARE YOU, SIR!"

'She earns what she makes, my dear!" Jack replied, trying very hard not to lose his temper as well.

"And I DON'T! At least I don't have to worry about getting some venereal decease like those tarts of yours do! You can leave now and never come back to this school while I'm teaching. And take those roses with you as well!" Lydia exclaimed as she walked over to the door and opened it for him.

Still holding his roses, Jack walked over to the door as well but before he left, e said in a more menacing manner, "Still haven't changed, have you, Lydia, and you're still SO sympathetic to that nigar friend of yours, just like al those damned nigars in St. Louis."

"Mr. Newborn is a valued member of Eagle Station from what I understand, and not all of the Negroes are as bad as you claim they are. Besides, he has nothing to do with my dispute with you. You know I should tell Shelby just how bad you treated me in St. Louis. Now, GET OUT!" Lydia said as she motioned for Jack to leave the town hall. After he left, Lydia decided to sit down in a chair to recover from her altercation with Jack.

A few minutes after he left, she heard knocking at the door. Rising from her chair, she went over to the door and standing near it, she asked, "Who is there?"

"Only me, ma'am. I'm Daniel," the voice replied. Relived that Jack was not on the other side of the door, Lydia opened the door. "Mornin', ma'am. Shelby thought you would need some lunch, especially since you didn't have much of a breakfast this morning. She said that she's serving your lunch at the saloon."

Taking a look at the watch she had hung on her bosom, Lydia said, "I'm surprised that it's nearly noon. Where did my morning go? Thank you, and are you going to be my escort as we go to the saloon?"

Daniel being only a little embarrassed, said, "Yeah, I think that's what I'll be for now. But I saw Jack come in here not too long ago. What happened to him?"

Seeing that she could trust Daniel, Lydia replied, "I wouldn't have anything to do with that Schweinhund if I can."

"Schweinhund? Is that what you call that rascal? I think I'd call him something else!" Daniel replied, and then said, "Do you have your shawl with you? It looks like it'll be raining before too long!"

"Yes, I do have my shawl with me. Let me get it and I'll walk to the saloon with you. Do you speak German, Daniel? You act as if you do?"

"I know some of the words but I really don't know the language as such. I learned some German when we went to rescue the Donner party there in the Sierra Nevadas in 1846. That was the year Marie lost her child in a miscarriage. Ben was with me at the time. The Donner party needed us more that Marie did. Besides, her stepsons were there with her. Ben never forgave himself though, but we just knew that we were needed in the mountains. It's a real damned shame about Marie and an even bigger shame with Ben!" Daniel knew that he should watch his language because Lydia winced at his cuss word.

"But you DO speak German? Do you speak any other languages?" Lydia asked, curious to see if what she had read about mountain men was really true. I shoud remind Daniel that he needs to watch his language around me, Lydia thought.

"I know some of the Indian languages but I mostly use sign languages whenever I communicate with them. There's so many languages and most of the Indians don't speak much English," Daniel said, and as the two people came up to the saloon, he said, "We're here now."

"I'm glad we got here. Shelby is correct. I haven't eaten yet today and I am a little more hungry that I thought," Lydia said as the two entered the saloon.

Smoking yet another cigar, Shelby said, "Are you in the mood to eat something now?"

Lydia nodded and said, "Yes, I am. Whenever I need to do something, I often forget to eat."

"Well, it's about time," Shelby replied and then added, "We're havin' salad greens, chicken pot pie, cherry pie with coffee."

"I'll get my dollar to pay for all of this," Lydia said as she reached into her pocket to retrieve yet another dollar.

As she struggled to get her coin out of her pocket, Ben entered the saloon and said, "I'll pay for your meal."

Flustered and more than a little surprised, Lydia managed to look up at Ben and say, "Thank you but I have my money to pay for this meal."

"I don't care who pays me. I just want to get paid!" Shelby said in a joking way to Ben.

"Here's your money, Shelby!" Ben said as he paid the silver dollars to her. Then he added, "Would you get me some chicken pot pie as well, please?"

"And while you're at it, could I have some too, please?" Daniel said, and then added, "There's no sense that Shelby should make three trips to feed us!"

"Shelby, do you have enough to feed all of us?" Lydia asked. Lydia was used to teaching, but she had absolutely no idea that Shelby had enough chicken pot pies to feed almost the entire town of Eagle Station!

"Don't you worry none. I made so much chicken potpie it ain't even funny! With the drought we've had all summer long, I'm really surprised that we were even able to find any chickens that laid eggs!" Shelby said. She then turned to go to her kitchen to get four meals.

"But now we're getting some much needed rain. Maybe we'll even get our first snowstorm!" Daniel said.

"Indeed we will, but I hope it not like the winter of 1846!" Ben said, and then added, "We should all sit down at a table and have our conversation!"

Grateful that she would not have to explain her behavior to others, Lydia breathed a sigh of relief, and then said, "Yes, that winter was bad for us in St. Louis as well!"

"But it wasn't like that winter! The Donner party was stranded for over a month and there were others in great need as well," Daniel said.

Remembering how he should have been with Marie, Ben said, "Yes, it was very terrible, but I would like to talk about something else!"

"Yeah, like Jack Wolf for example. Ms. Lydia says that he's a real Schweinhund!" Daniel said.

This time it was Lydia who only grunted a bit and then said, "I don't think we should be gossiping about someone behind that person's back."

"Don't let that stop you. It won't stop me! I think that Dummscheis is another word I would use for Jack!" Daniel said.

At the word Dummscheis, Ben immediately hung his head, but not in time for Lydia to notice that the rancher had a smile on his face. "Mr. Cartwright, do you speak German?" she asked. Lydia was amazed that others seemed to know her native language as well!

This time, Ben raised his head and replied, "Yes, I do. I learned it many years ago while I was first mate on my first father-in-law's ship."

"Did you ever make it down to Frankfort am Main or Bonn?" Lydia asked, genuinely interested in what this elder of the town would say.

"No, I learned it when we made port in Hamburg. I'm afraid that I only learned the local dialect, and not High German proper," Ben replied, relieved that for the moment; no one was trying to match him up with the schoolteacher.

Shelby returned with the meals for Ben and Lydia, and then returned to the kitchen for the other two meals. "For once, I think Shelby's actually goin' to make a profit, no thanks to her competition," Daniel said as he took his meal and sat down next to Lydia. And then, looking at Ben, he said, "So, you served on a ship!"

Ben nodded and said, "Yes, but THAT was a long time ago! I never think about those years any more!"

"Not with your boys, you don't!" Daniel said, and then turning to Lydia, he said, "I've said this before but our Ben may have his faults but raisin' those boys of his, especially without a ma, ain't one of them!"

Lydia nodded ad said, "I have always enjoyed seeing a devoted father!" When Shelby came back to the table with the other meals, Lydia realized that lunch was served. She then quickly made a sign of the cross and said grace silently to herself, then crossed herself and began to eat.

Shelby then said, "Margaret was right. You ARE a Papist!"

Lydia, then said in reply, "Yes, I'm Catholic and I'm sorry that Mrs. Greene doesn't approve of my religion. Unfortunely, she isn't alone, no thanks to that Maria Monk and her outrageous claims of some unfortunate Catholic priest. I can only hope the poor woman is quite mad!"

"That ain't the only reason you're a Catholic?" Shelby asked.

"Not at all! My father was asked by others as to why he wouldn't at least consider the fact that Catholics really weren't as welcome as they would be if they became Protestants, and my father said, if these people would at least apologize to the Catholics for mistreating them during the Thirty Years' War and apologize for the way the Swedes and the Dutch and the French Calvinists treated the Catholics that lived in the Palatinate, he would at least consider becoming Protestant himself. Unfortunately those people never did apologize any more than the people here in the frontier are trying to apologize to the Indians for taking their land!" Lydia replied, and then added, "I'm sorry for being so tough on many Protestants like Mrs. Greene, but I won't change my mind about my beliefs!" Feeling that she had made her statement, Lydia than continued to try and eat, but was quite aware that she had made Shelby feel uncomfortable. Then, giving up on her meal, she simply pushed the plate from her and said, "If you all don't mind, I'll just go back to the town hall! Please excuse me!" She then gathered her shawl around her and left the saloon.

After she had left the saloon, Shelby said, "She is almost as opinionated as Margaret. I should never have said anythin'!"

"Shelby, when are you ever goin' to learn not to talk so much!" Daniel said.

"Perhaps I should go to her! Please excuse me!" Ben said, as he too rose from the table.

"Don't go alone, Ben! Please take her meal to her! She hasn't eaten all day!" Shelby said, as she got up from the table herself to get a small pail for the meal she had prepared. After getting the pail, she put the meal into it, trying hard not to spill any of it onto the floor, and then handed it to Ben, who took it and then made his way to the town hall.

Ben made it to the town hall, which now served as the town's only school. He knocked on the door, and said, "Lydia, please open the door for me!"

Walking up to the door, Lydia said, "I'm really not that hungry after all!"

Thinking of his sister-in-law, Jeannette and even worse, his own late wife Inger, Ben hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I'm sure Shelby didn't mean exactly what you think she said! Sometimes she disappoints us all, but she is allowed to have her own opinion, as are you! Please allow me to come in and give you your lunch! Shelby says that you haven't eaten all day!"

Lydia hesitated for a moment longer and than said, "I guess it would be all right for you to come in. I'm afraid my morning hasn't gone as well as I'd like it to! And, as you can see, I have a terrible temper, but I try not to loose it if front of the children! Please, forgive me, Mr. Cartwright!"

Ben then entered the town hall and said, "You have done a good job of cleaning up this place. Here is your meal, and now, I think you should go ahead and eat it. I think Shelby is right! You look like you haven't eaten in several days!"

"I have eaten some but probably not enough to please Shelby!" Lydia said as she went back to the chair in front of her desk. Taking his pail, she then said, "I think you can go now!" Fortunately, Shelby had also sent a fork and a knife, so that the schoolmarm could eat the potpie.

"Nonsense, Lydia," Ben replied, and then said, "I'll not go back to the saloon until I have seen you actually eat Shelby's chicken pot pie. I'm afraid that it isn't quite as good as Hop Sing's pie, but then again, my boys and I are spoiled by his cooking!"

Seeing that Ben was not going to give up on the schoolmarm, Lydia then said, "Thank you!" and started eating her meal. Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Ben added, "I'd like to apologize for my actions last night. My boys tend to get nervous at times and sometimes they say and do things that are disappointing."

"Including embarrassing you?" Lydia asked as she continued to each her meal.

Realizing that she was talking about Ben gently kicking Hoss in the shin, as well as glaring at both of his two other sons, Ben only nodded and said, "Yes."

Feeling a little more comfortable, Lydia said, "When boys are young, they often find it's their duty to embarrass their elders. I call it 'the grandparents revenge'! Of course, it really helps if there are any grandparents around to see their grandchildren embarrass their parents!"

Ben laughed at her comment and said, "I'll have to remember that comment, especially if I live long enough to be a grandpa!"

"So your two oldest sons are intended, are they not?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, they consider themselves to be engaged, but they are SO young. Adam is twenty-two and Hoss is eighteen, and little Joe is only twelve. And it was very difficult for me as a young father when Adam was born and I lost Elizabeth."

Lydia looked up at Ben and said, "Your Elizabeth died?"

Ben only nodded and said, "Yes, she died in childbirth. There was nothing I could do to save her from her fate."

"And Inger?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, she died too, a the hands of the Indians out on the Great Plains, just before we got to Fort Laramie! This was the first time that we came out west!" Ben replied, still hurting from the memories of events that had happened about eighteen years ago. Then, he looked around and saw that Lydia had done a good job with the classroom, considering that there were no textbooks on the library shelves. Ben asked, "Where are the books that the children need?"

"I have them in my room at the boarding house. I'll go and get them after I finish my meal. I notice that Shelby only put the pie in the lunch pail. I'm glad for that, for I'm not as hungry as I was back in St. Louis. In fact, I'm not very hungry at all!" Lydia said, and then added, "Jack came over to the school this morning, and he was someone that I just didn't really want to see!"

"I'm sorry that seeing Jack..." Ben replied. He had wanted to ask about Lydia's health as well, for he noticed that she looked even paler than she had the previous evening.

"Ben..." Lydia said, and then stopped saying anything for the moment. Feeling that she could not quite trust him just yet, she continued, "Jack and I go back quite a ways, and the only think I can say is that if I had known he was settled in Eagle Station, I never would have come out here. I must admit that my doctor wanted me to go west for my health. I had rheumatic fever when I was quite small. You wouldn't know it because like most peasant women from Germany, I have gained a lot of weight in the past few years." Lydia decided not to say anything more about her own poor health for fear that Ben and the rest of the town council would send her back to St. Louis. She added, "I should go over to the boarding house and get the books I'll need for school next week," "I should take the lunch pail over to the saloon as well."

"You know Margaret beat me to the punch. I had really wanted you to have dinner with us on Sunday but would you consider have dinner with my family and I next Sunday?" Ben asked.

"We'll see after I have dinner with the Orowitz' on Friday, or is it Saturday. I'm not really quite sure when the Jews have their Sabbath meal. I'll have to ask them on my way to the boarding house," Lydia replied as she gathered her shawl around her once again and went to the door of the town hall. Then she added, "I'll get the lunch pail that I have on the teacher's desk."

Ben said, "Let me get the pail and take it back to Shelby's while you stop by Ruth and Eli's trading post. Now that you mention it, I think they wanted you to have dinner with them on Saturday."

"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. That will save me a trip. I've always felt that a woman should never be caught in a saloon. I realize that this is the frontier but that doesn't excuse the fact that I was brought up quite differently," Lydia said as she then left the town hall.

Lydia then made it to the trading post only to find that she would have to spend a few minutes waiting in line behind some customers that were being waited on by Ruth. Finally Ruth caught sight of the schoolmarm and said, "How are you this morning, Lydia?"

"I am quite well, thank you. Ruth, did you invite me to have dinner with you on Friday or Saturday?" Lydia asked.

"I think we invited you to have dinner with us on Saturday," Ruth replied.

Seeing that there were more customers lined up in back of her, Lydia then said, "I was wondering if I could have some lye soap, a small towel, about five pounds of flour, some beans and some coffee. How much does that come our to?"

Adding it up on a small piece of paper, Ruth said, "How many pounds of beans do you want? I think that will be about six dollars and ninety-five cents. Coffee is quite expensive here in the Nevada territory, so I think we can sell about a pound of coffee for about five dollars, and then the rest comes out to about a dollar nine-five. Even the lye soap is costly. Are you sure that you want coffee? Tea is much more reasonable. I can sell a pound of tea to you for about a dollar."

"Thank you, but no, I want coffee instead. I think I have the money I need," Lydia answered as she then pulled out six silver dollars out from her pocket. Then she added, "This is all money I have left from my trip out west, but I think it's worth it. I get paid in about a month and I'll be able to get more groceries then. And as for beans, I think I'll be needing about five pounds of beans." She thought about getting some yeast as well, so she could make her favorite treat, raised coffee cake, or even some kugen, made with some canned peaches or even some hazelnuts. But she also realized that good yeast was made at home, with lots of flour and sugar, so she would have to ask one of the housewives to give her some of their yeast.

Adding up the beans and yeast, Ruth said, "Then that will be about seven dollars even. I'll take your six dollars and let you charge the rest of the things on your list."

Grimacing at the amount she would have to charge, Lydia then said, "Then I'll have to get tea then."

"What's the matter? Ain't Shelby feedin' you enough?" Daniel asked as he came into the trading post.

Turning to face the tall man, Lydia said, "Yes she is but due to my frugal nature, I think I can manage to cook my own meals myself. Now I wish I had not eaten in her saloon this morning and just have the tea served to me in the boarding house." Then turning back to Ruth, she asked, "How much will all of that be?"

"About five dollars, Lydia. Did you want to take this over to the boarding house right now?" Ruth replied.

"Yes, I will take this all over to my room," Lydia said as she then tried to get everything that Ruth brought out to her as well as trying to give the five dollars that she owed Ruth.

"Hear, I'll help you with all of this!" Daniel said as he took the beans and flour. Lydia than grabbed the tea, yeast, lye soap and towel and the two of them made it over to the boarding house, and of course leaving the remaining dollar behind in the trading post.

Chapter Three

Lydia woke when the sun came up Saturday morning. After thanking God for allowing her to live yet another day, and saying her morning prayers and offerings in her native German language, she rose from the mattress filled with goosedown, which was quite typical of mattresses found in mid-nineteenth century America. Then, after going to the bathroom on the chamber pot, she was very careful not to touch the pine framed bed, as she went downstairs to heat her water for her weekly bath. Her landlady was in the kitchen and was already brewing tea for herself, and as it turned out, for everyone else who wanted tea that day as well. "Good morning, Miss Weiss. Would you like some tea this morning?"

"Yes, I would. And I would also like to ask if I could have my bath this early in the morning," Lydia replied.

The landlady hesitated for a moment before she replied, "Yes, I suppose you can have your bath this early in the morning. Normally I don't allow people to take their baths quite THIS early. I wait until later, when they can take their baths-you know the Saturday evening bath and all that. But why take it so early?"

"I'm having dinner with the Orowitz' later on today, so I thought I'd like to be a little cleaner than I am right now!" Lydia said.

"Of course. I'll get the number three washtub out and fill it so you can have your bath right here in the kitchen," the landlady replied.

After she took her bath and washed her long, straight and quite fine dark blond tresses, Lydia went upstairs to change into her outfit for the day. She called her landlady into her small room to see if she could help her into her corset. Putting on the contraption was not a problem but lacing it from the back was a challenge to say the least! Finding out that she had lost even more weight, Lydia asked her landlady to tighten the lace on her corset.

"You lost some weight coming out here to the Nevada territory, didn't you?" the landlady asked as she pulled the drawstring to the corset even tighter.

Trying to avoid her stares, Lydia said, "Well, with all of the traveling on Haskell's FINE stagecoaches...no, they weren't like the one that I rode into town. These stagecoaches didn't even have box springs on them. Not even fine leather springs on them like the ones you see coming into town...and I found it quite hard not to get tossed around like the luggage. And then coming this Far West with absolutely no breaks between changing coaches...I feel that I left my appetite back in St. Louis." Then she added, "Should I then gather my skirts of my dresses even more so I don't look like I've lost even more weight? I feel so scrawny!" She was proud of the fact that she had mastered the art of American slang, but realized that she shouldn't say such things in front of her students. She wanted to teach the children proper English. She remembered how bad things were when her family had come in from Germany, and how the other children laughed at her for her broken English. And, she knew that her least favorite schoolmarm did the same! But those were yesterday's memories. Now, she was in Eagle Station!

"Yes, I think that would be fine. I have some pins to help you with your mending, as well as for your other dresses. You didn't bring many clothes with you when you came out here to Eagle Station," the landlady said. What a pity that I can't help you to dress in nicer clothes, Mrs. Jones thought as she knotted the drawstring on Lydia's corset.

Realizing that the landlady was also interested in Lydia as well, Lydia only decided to say, "I really decided that I had to get the money I would need to come out west, so I sold almost all of my dresses to do this." She decided not to add that she had begun to lose weight even before she had received her letter from Margaret Greene that had asked her to come to Eagle Station, and therefore she would not even BEGIN to fit into her large dresses. Now, Lydia would have to save her money and get some more material at the trading post.

After putting on her socks and shoes and her pinafores, Lydia sat down at her table in her room. Then she got the first of her dresses and gathered the waistline of the first dress. She then took it and began to pull the gathering threads. It was difficult to do, but she managed to pull out all of the gathering threads. Then she sewed the gathers with a large needle and some white thread, which unfortunately did not really match her indigo blue traveling dress or her green and brown checked dress. But then again, she was used to doing without the things that she really needed. The thread would have to do for the moment! After all, no one who looked at the dress from the outside would realize that she had repaired the dress. Then she did the same thing to the checked dress and put the both of the dresses in her wardrobe. Then she then looked into the mirror and began to comb out her long dark blond tresses. She looked more closely into the mirror and noticed that she had some gray hair near her temples. "Finally, after losing what was my inheritance as well as all of my life savings to Jack as well as losing weight because of overworking in the classroom, I finally have some gray hair. I now REALLY LOOK like a schoolmarm!" she said softly to herself, and then added in an even quieter tone of voice, "I wonder when I'll continue with the coughing fits, and even start coughing up blood yet once again? Consumption is such a LARGE cross, my Lord!"

Satisfied that she had combed out all of her tangles of her hair, she began to plait her hair into two large, long braids. She wound one around the top of her head and after pinning it with a hairpin, she did the same with the other braid. She looked into the mirror, and while she liked the idea of looking at her hair which with was now on top of her head, she did not like the idea of seeing her hair parted in the middle of her head. Having her hair parted in the middle of her small head simply made the middle-aged woman look much older than her forty-two years. Unhappy with her look, she unpinned her hair and undid the braids. Starting again with her hair, she combed it out again, starting at the forehead, and found that it had not dried in the least. Still struggling with her hair, she heard a knock at her door. "Miss Weiss, there's a gentleman that wants to see you. I told him you'd see him downstairs," the landlady said.

"Thank you," Lydia said. She knew that she had to do something with her hair. But what could she do with these long locks of hers? After she put on her blue dress, she quickly combed her hair back from her forehead and put her long locks into a bun at the nape of her neck, secured the ends with a few hairpins and went downstairs, hoping that she would not meet her worst enemy.

Unfortunately, she did! "Good mornin' Ms. Weiss. It's nice to know that you still keep your...habits of rising quite early!" Jack Wolf said, and then added, "Since you don't like my roses, I thought you'd like some coffee beans instead!"

Realizing that she had left her one remaining dollar at the trading post and that Jack had finally found another use for money that was not his, Lydia hesitated for only a moment before saying softly but quite firmly, "So, you found where my last dollar was, didn't you?" Moving to the door of the boarding house, she opened it and said in a firmer voice, "You can leave this boarding house and take those coffee beans with you!"

"And what about you, my dear?" Jack asked as he moved towards the door. Lydia coughed a little, so he added, "My dear, you're looking even more sallow than you used to. Are you quite SURE you feel up to teachin' the young snots that are out here in Eagle Station!"

Lydia coughed a little more and then replied in even firmer voice, "Still trying to bait me, aren't you Mr. Wolf! Well, I'll have none of you this morning or any other morning at all, thank you very much! NOW LEAVE!"

"As you wish, my dear, but remember one thing! I can always get you out of town at any time, BELIEVE ME!" he replied as he left the boarding house. Lydia was still coughing into her handkerchief as he did so, and fortunately for her, the handkerchief was free from blood.

Realizing that Shelby was not going to be the only anti-Catholic in town, Lydia decided to say grace quietly in her room before she went over to the trading post for Saturday Sabbath dinner. While she was in her room, she decided to tie the rope mattress of her bed as well. Tying the rope mattress was something she had done as the youngest child in her family for if the ropes were not very tightly tied; one did not sleep well. It was the old sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite scenario that was as part of her as well as her German heritage.

As she entered the trading post, she saw Hoss sweeping the store. "Good morning, ma'am," he said as he continued to sweep.

"You're working here today? Oh, that's right-it's the Sabbath for the Orowitz'!" Lydia said, and then added, "Are there any synagogues around here?"

Hoss shook his head and said, "No, I don't think so. Mrs. Orowitz is writing to a friend in Poland to see if a rabbi would come to this part of America. I hope she has some luck in doing so. So far, we can't even find a good minister for the rest of Eagle Station. It doesn't help that there are so many denominations to be found in a small town such as this. What denomination are you, Miss Weiss?"

"I am Catholic, Mr. Cartwright. Surely there are some priests around here!" Lydia said.

"Just like our Carlos, ma'am. As far as a good priest is concerned, there's one over in Hangtown. He's Mexican, but he did a wonderful funeral...service for Carlos when he died, trying to save Tess and I from some...bandits!" Hoss said as he stopped sweeping and stood looking at Lydia.

"It was probably the poor man's funeral Mass, Mr. Cartwright. Is that the young man that Adam told me about at the reception?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, ma'am, he was. We all miss the man that Adam wanted to call his brother-in-law. The Orowitz' are in the back of the trading post. I think that they will want to know that you are here. Excuse me for a moment and I'll tell them that you are here," Hoss said as he put his broom into a corner and then left the room.

Dinner at the Orowitz' was exceptional. Ruth had even managed to memorize the prayers for God's blessing in Hebrew, which pleased Eli almost as much as being served a strictly kosher meal prepared by Ruth. Having company for the meal was even more pleasing as well. As Eli passed the oven-roasted brisket of beef that he had sliced quite thinly before the meal even began over to Ruth and Lydia, he said, "We got the beef from Ben Cartwright. This is the second year in a row that he has provided such meat for Ruth and I. I think that the cattle have been feeding quite well in the higher country of his ranch, the Ponderosa."

"Does he have any problems with the cattle on his ranch?" Lydia asked as she took the smallest of the sliced roast beef from its' serving plate and placed it on hers.

"There are no diseases as far as his cattle are concerned," Eli said, and then added, "But as far as rustling goes, that's another problem altogether," Eli replied as he passed Ruth's homemade noodles in a large bowl to Lydia.

"It's not the Indians, I hope!" Ruth exclaimed, and then added in a lower tone of voice, "Lydia, you should help yourself to my noodles! Eli likes them quite well!" She saw that Lydia looked ver pale, and thought that the schoolmarm needed to eat more food! Unfortunately, Ruth was wrong!

Eli nodded and said, "If I eat any more noodles that Ruth makes, I wouldn't be able to put my apron on again! And as for the Indians, no, I don't think they are the problem. The Mexican bandits we had a while back may be the problem. Or, there may be a problem with some gold miners in this area. These...miners think that there is gold around here. I don't think there are any precious medals around here but the land is getting to be quite rich with the lumber and the lumber mills as well as cattle. I hear that several ranchers in this area having a problem with losing their cattle to rustlers. These are men who are unemployed at the moment and they are looking for a free meal for themselves as well as their families."

Lydia took a small portion of the noodles from the large bowl they were in more to please Ruth than anything else. As she passed the bowl back to Ruth, she said, "But Eagle Station doesn't have a sheriff!" She began to cut her slice of roast beef into small slices, and then began to eat, using her right hand instead of her left.

"You don't use your left hand, Lydia?" Ruth asked. She was used to seeing Maurice eat with his left hand, so she assumed that Lydia would do the same.

"Oh, no, Mrs. Orowitz. I'm eating like I normally do, using my right hand instead of my left. We were peasants on the farm in Germany; not exactly the rich Junkers that were in charge of running the politics in the Frankfort area and we always ate our meals using our right hand instead of our left hand. Not only does our food get to its destination without interruption, but I am free to partake in any discussions without having to clean myself up at some point," Lydia explained.

"The town council isn't ready as yet to appoint a sheriff. Besides, the Nevada territory doesn't have any counties right now, so there's no need at this point to even get an election right now," Eli said, and then he noticed that both he and the women needed to have more wine. He then poured out some wine from the wine bottle that was on the table. He continued, "Yes, Ben has given us some fine beef. We should ask him if he has some more of this brisket so we can have a nice kosher meal for Rosh Hashanah! It's one of our Jewish holidays."

"Yes, I'll make another brisket, and make some honey cake as well," Ruth replied. She was a very good cook, but like most women, who worked outside of the home, she found it rather difficult to take the time to make a good meal. And it was even more difficult to stay away from pork and bacon, which were in ample supply in the frontier. She managed somehow, just like all housewives do.

Seeing that he wasn't interested in getting a real sheriff, Lydia decided to drop the subject for the time being and then asked, "So Ben has butchered some beef. Does that mean that the rest of the ranchers will do the same?"

Ruth nodded and said, "Yes, autumn is right around the corner, so I would imagine that many will be butchering their livestock in the next few weeks."

"So that means that I should hold off starting school for a week?" Lydia asked, knowing full well that butchering would take at least a week if not more.

Eli nodded and said, "Perhaps another week would be all right, I believe. What will you do while the youngsters are helping their parents with harvesting and butchering?"

"I would like to test the children to see where they are at academically. If many of them were quite advanced, I would like to see if I could issue them an eighth-grade certificate. If that is not possible, I will write a letter to Salt Lake City and see if they will issue the eighth-grade certificates," Lydia said.

"That is quite good of you, Lydia, but perhaps I should have asked what you are planning to do in the next few days," Eli asked.

"Today is Saturday, so tomorrow is my Sabbath. Are there any Catholic priests around here so I can go to Mass?" she asked.

"Yes, there is a priest in Hangtown. Ruth and I will not be able to take you over there tomorrow but perhaps you could get Big Dan to take you there or oven hire a carriage from Jack Wolf in order to go there for Mass," Eli said.

Not willing to ask her worst enemy to help her with anything, Lydia only replied, "Where can I find Daniel? I don't need him right now but I will ask him to take me over to Hangtown tomorrow morning for Mass. Do you know when the Mass is scheduled?" Lydia asked.

"I believe that our late Carlos said that Mass was scheduled for ten o'clock, but it will take you about two hours to get to Hangtown and another two hours to get back. Will that give you enough time to get over to the Greene ranch?" Ruth asked.

"I think so. I hope that Mrs. Greene will allow me enough time to worship before I join her and her family for dinner," Lydia replied.

Ruth nodded in reply but decided not to say anything more to Lydia. Why make things worse for the new schoolteacher than by saying that her patron, Margaret Greene was a virulent anti-Catholic. Eli, sensing that Ruth would not say anything more, looked to his wife and asked, "Will you serve us some dessert?"

"Of course, Eli. I'll get some of the raisin babka," Ruth replied and then left the table to get the dessert. After she left the room to go to the kitchen, Eli said, "We were unable to have any more children after our two children died coming out here to the frontier. We were hoping to adopt but that idea didn't work either. Therefore I think that Ruth and I are very interested in how you will be with our youngsters here in Eagle Station."

"I have the reputation of being quite strict, Mr. Orowitz. I am hopeful that the children here are better behaved than the ones I taught back in St. Louis. I hope that I can teach them quite well for this next year," Lydia replied, and then added, "Why do you ask me this at this time?"

"Your landlady came in yesterday and said that she felt that you were perhaps a little...sickly," Eli replied, feeling that he had probably said the wrong thing. He did!

"I am quite sure that while my landlady is concerned for my health, I think that she is wrong to say anything about it!" Lydia replied, hoping that her landlady had not heard her coughing through the night. In fact, ever since she had come out to the Nevada territory, she had not coughed nearly as much as she had back in Missouri. She had noticed that while she still coughed a lot, there was absolutely no blood whatsoever to be found in her handkerchiefs, unlike the many times that she had found her handkerchiefs soaked with blood. But this was again, back in St. Louis. "I think that while the trip out here was quite rough at times, I have found that my health has greatly improved!" Lydia added.

Ruth returned to the room with a large plate filled with her famous babka. "It's an old family recipe," she exclaimed as she placed the plate on the table. She then added, "I have some small dessert plates here on the table. I know that this makes a lot of work for me, but Eli wants to have us have a kosher household. So, please help yourself, Lydia."

Lydia nodded and then Ruth reached for the dessert plates, and then placed a small piece of babka on the plate in front of her and handled it to Lydia. She did the same for Eli as well as herself, and the three people finished their meal.

After she dined with the Orowitz', Lydia then decided to go over to Shelby's saloon and ask Daniel if he would kindly take her over to Hangtown the next morning for Mass. She found Daniel talking with Ben, Adam and little Joe. "Speak of the devil, ma'am!" Daniel said as he saw the schoolmarm come into the saloon. "We meet again, Miss Weiss," he continued.

"As do we," Adam said. His father was again too flustered to say anything more.

"So what brings you all here?" Lydia asked.

"We're waiting for Hoss to finish working for Mr. Orowitz," Joe replied, and then added, "We're having some birch beer, so would you like to join us?"

"Birch beer sounds quite wonderful. I'd really like to join you. Will you be joining us, Daniel?" Lydia asked.

"Yeah, I guess so, but what I'd really like to drink is some of Shelby's whiskey instead of bitch beer!" Daniel said. He thought nothing of drinking and then riding his horse, but Lydia was appalled, to say the least! I hope that Daniel isn't like most drunks that I have seen! So many of them are thrown off their mounts! Lydia thought as she sat down at Ben's table.

"And what will you have, Ben?" Lydia asked.

Finding that for once he would be included, Ben said, "I think birch beer sounds very good. Shelby can brew that stuff up just as well as she can distill her own whiskey," Ben said, and then added, "I am sorry, Miss Weiss. Sometimes I find it quite difficult to talk with you!"

"That ain't all he finds difficult, Miss Weiss. If'n I didn't know better, I'd say old Ben's quite in love with you!" Daniel said.

Ben found out that he could give Daniel the same kind of glare that he gave his own sons, which Adam and little Joe found quite amusing. Unfortunately, the boys could not stop laughing at their own father, which gave Ben even more reason to give his two sons the same glare.

"Sorry, pa!" Joe said, as he received his father's disapproving look.

"Just think, pa. Hoss will finish with his work when the sun goes down," Adam said.

"I can hardly wait!" Ben said as they waited for their drinks. Daniel went over to the bar to get some whiskey, well as four servings of bitch beer for the rest of the party.

When he returned with the drinks, Lydia decided that she would ask the old trapper, "Daniel, could you come with me to Hangtown tomorrow? I'd like to go to Mass at the Catholic Church."

"Yeah, Ill take you tomorrow. What time is the Mass?"

"About ten o'clock," Lydia replied, and then added, "I should get there a little earlier than that. I should also ask if asking you would be any trouble at all."

"I'll say it will be. I need Big Dan tomorrow!" Shelby replied as she stood behind the bar smoking yet another of her cigars.

"I see. Then perhaps I should ask if I can get directions to Hangtown as well as asking to rent a horse," Lydia replied, trying hard not to get angry at Shelby for upsetting her plans, and then she told Shelby, "I thought that the saloon would be closed on Sundays!"

Shelby shook her head and said, "I can't afford to close on Sundays with Jack Wolf in town--he took half of my business as it is! And that don't include those LADIES that he has workin' for him! Besides, the town council don't exactly say that the saloons should be closed on Sundays, and I believe that rule also extends to the trandin' post, right Ben?"

Ben nodded and said, "Shelby's right! But you sound like you'll be needing a horse, Lydia?"

"Yes, I do! I would really like to go over to Hangtown for Mass. And then I'll join you at Margaret's for dinner," Lydia replied, and then added, "I'm disappointed that you can't help me at all, Daniel!"

Daniel saw that she was looking at him, so he said, "Don't look at me! I worked for that...sorry person until he decided to overcharge the folks that were goin' out to California. I decided to quit, rather that overcharge them! Besides, what's wrong with askin' Jack?"

"I'LL NEVER ASK TO HAVE HIM HELP ME EVER AGAIN!" Lydia exclaimed, trying hard not to raise her voice, but failed in the process.

"And why not?" little Joe asked.

Trying not to lose her temper again, she replied, "I have my reasons!"

"Which are?" the young man asked. Lydia remained quiet for the moment. She had been angry with Jack, and didn't want to make young Joseph or his father angry as well!

"Joseph!" Ben exclaimed, hoping that his young son would not anger the schoolmarm even more.

"But she's our new school teacher! And you always have said that there's no such a thing as a stupid question!" little Joe said in his own defense.

Lydia took off her spectacles for a moment. Ben then realized that the schoolmarm looked almost exactly like his late second wife Inger. Both he and his oldest son Adam gasped, as Lydia then put the spectacles back on her square face and said, "You're right, Mr. Joseph Cartwright. There's no such a thing as a stupid question! Mr. Wolf and I go quite a long ways back-all the way back...we were engaged to be married at one point...and I was stupid enough to give him what was left of my inheritance as well as my entire life savings! He...disappeared on the day of our wedding-fortunately, he left me before we had taken our vows! Thank God for the SMALL FAVOR Mr. Wolf granted me! At any rate, we were to be married at the cathedral of St. Louis, but he left me at the altar! My oldest brother is a Jesuit priest who was also charmed by THAT MAN, and he was scheduled to concelebrate our wedding Mass. My brother was the one who convinced me that marriage was my only option. He earnestly believed that I should be the one to get married since both he and the brother that is next to him in age are priests. My other brother is a Capuchin priest who also was the one who tried to get me to join a Franciscan order or a Carmelite order or even helping me to apply to become a Sister of Mercy. I have always tried to follow my brothers' wishes but this time...I wasn't able to do anything! I got a sheriff and we both followed Mr. Wolf to St. Joseph, Missouri, where THAT MAN claimed that I had given him all of that money! He was right! But I was unable to get any justice at all! How can the law mend a broken heart?" Lydia said, and then continued, "God knows I really tried to please my oldest brother Edward, but all I got was a broken heart! Now since Mr. Wolf came here to Eagle Station, hasn't he been paying his bills with cash?" Both Adam and Daniel nodded their heads, so she continued, "And you didn't ask him exactly how he just happened to have enough cash to pay his bills in the first place?"

Both men shook their heads as Ben spoke up and said, "I always thought it was strange that he had so much cash on him in the first place. I always thought that he earned his money!"

"It depends on what you call earning his money, Mr. Cartwright! I don't think that braking a poor middle-aged woman 's heart is really a good way of earning that money, do you?" Lydia asked.

"No, I don't!" Adam replied, and was even more sorry that he had worked for Jack Wolf even after he had made his way into Eagle Station.

"Well, better you learned your lesson that way, my son, instead of making a complete fool of yourself," Ben said.

"And aren't you the one who has an intended, Mr. Adam Cartwright?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, she's down in Mexico right now. I'm hoping that we can get married some day," Adam said.

"Yeah, both he and Hoss want to get married, but I don't have anybody just yet!" little Joe said. The young man was jealous that he didn't have anybody to have as his girlfriend.

"There's plenty of time for you, Joseph!" Ben said. He remembering how he had fallen passionately in love with the young man's mother, Marie. And just how much he would miss her. The boy clearly showed that he could fall in love just a quickly as his father had done as well as his oldest brothers had done as well. Then, remembering his original question, he asked Lydia, "You said that you needed a horse to get over to Hangtown?"

"Yes," Lydia replied, relieved that she finally had her question answered. She was also relieved that she would not have to ask her enemy, Jack, for any help.

"Pa, we can take her over to Hangtown so she can go to Mass, can't we?, little Joe asked.

"But we're not Catholic!" Adam said.

"No, we're not but I for one am willing to go to the only Catholic church that's between St. Louis and Sacramento," Ben said, and then added, "Marie was a good Catholic, and so I think we should accompany Lydia to that same Catholic church."

"And so did she have a Catholic funeral?" Lydia asked. She hoped that the late mother of little Joe would have not only a Catholic funeral but that the whole town would turn out for it. Unfortunately she was completely wrong on both of those points!

Ben shook his head, so Adam decided to reply, "No, she didn't! She died so quickly and it took us all...well, we were stunned when she died and no one even thought of bringing the priest from Hangtown to conduct the funeral Mass."

"So, did you have her grave blessed?" Lydia asked. She was trying not to get annoyed at the fact that a fellow Catholic would by lying in unhallowed ground.

Ben then nodded and said, "Isabella had learned that we didn't even try to get the priest from Hangtown to do her funeral. I don't speak any Spanish at all, so before she went down to Mexico, she took me over to the priest at Hangtown and asked him to come over to the Ponderosa and bless her grave. He was kind enough to do so. I don't know any Latin at all either, but he and Isabella assured me that our Marie was now lying in hallowed ground."

Lydia only nodded but did not express her own humble opinion that Ben couldn't even find a priest that would hear the poor lady's last confession or even conduct her final Mass. She was afraid that she would antagonize yet another of her patrons. It was bad enough that she had antagonized Shelby and possibly Margaret. Why antagonize Ben Cartwright?

"At any rate, we'll take you over to Hangtown tomorrow. Marie always wanted to go to the church but I felt that we needed to..." Ben said and then finished, "I'm not a Catholic, and my own parents weren't all that interested in going to church on Sunday. They wanted me to make up my own mind about such things. I suppose that's quite unusual for those of us who are from New England...but my parents also taught me to read the Bible. That is quite a book that had brought me great comfort since Marie..."

"The Ten Commandments along with the acts of mercy, found in both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament have brought me comfort a well," Lydia said and then added, "I'll be out in front of the boarding house by seven-thirty. I'll see you then.' She then rose from the table just as Hoss entered the saloon. As the young man walked over to the table where the rest of the Cartwrights were seated, Lydia said, "Hello and good-bye. I'll be seeing you all tomorrow morning."

"Yes, ma'am," Hoss replied. After she left the saloon, he said to the rest of them at the table, "Are we seeing her tomorrow?"

"Yes we all will," Adam said and then said to his father, "You know, it's been a long time since you've known some happiness, pa. Maybe Daniel's right. It's now your turn to know some love..."

"I hope he doesn't fall in love with the new school teacher. I don't want another step-mother!" little Joe said.

"For once, I agree with you, little Joe. Marie was my only obsession. No one! Not even the new schoolmarm can do that for me! Besides, don't you remember what Hop Sing did when your Aunt Jeanette came over from New Orleans. He gave me his notice to quit the Ponderosa!" Ben said.

"Yeah, but he came back to us!" Hoss said, and then added, "I don't really think that Aunt Jeanette was all that bad for us. I just think that she was still in mourning for her late husband."

"But she took Frenchy with her when she went back to New Orleans!" Daniel said and then added, "I really miss that man. God knows he's a lot better that Jack Wolf!" Everyone agreed with Dan! Maurice may have been an irritable person to be around, but he was much better than Jack Wolf!

"Ain't that the truth!" Shelby said and then said, "I don't even think that even HE would burden us with those LADIES of the evenin'!"

"No, indeed he wouldn't. Well, since we have to get an early start tomorrow, I would suggest that we get home now, so that we can pick up Lydia tomorrow," Ben replied. Then the Cartwrights left Shelby's saloon.

The Cartwrights were at the boarding house at seven-thirty on Sunday. Lydia was standing in front of the boarding house saying the last of her prayers in her native German when she saw the wagon come through the thick fog.

"Well, we're here now!" little Joe said as hie father pulled the wagon a little closer to the boarding house.

"Can you drive the wagon through the fog all the way to Hangtown?" Lydia asked as she moved a little closer to the boarding house.

"Of course pa can. The fog will be burned off even before we get to the church!" Hoss said.

"He's right of course. We've only been out here four years. The fog here isn't at all like the fog in San Francisco or even New Orleans or even New York City. Because of our altitude, the sun actually...I don't know...bakes it off!" Ben said and then added, "Let me get down and help you onto the wagon."

"Thank you," Lydia said as she walked over to the large wagon. Looking up at it, she then added, "Your wagon is quite large!"

"Yes it is. We're hoping pa will get a real carriage for us-just like the one Margaret Greene has!" Hoss said.

"And I remember telling you, Hoss, that what the family needs and what the family wants are two different things!" Ben said, and as he helped Lydia onto the wagon seat, he said, "You are much lighter than you..."

"I've lost some weight ever since I got out here to the Nevada territory," Lydia said as she placed one foot onto the wooden wheel and then, holding onto the wagon seat, helped herself up. She then found herself sitting next to Hoss. "Will there be enough room for the three of us on this bench seat?" she then asked.

Hoss said, "Probably not. I think I'll join Adam and little Joe where they are seated. Then he got up and made his way back to his brothers as his father mounted the wagon from the other side. Then Ben drove the wagon away from the boarding house onto the only dirt road to be found in Eagle Station, which by now had become a muddy road, and then drove the wagon out of town and then onto Hangtown.

"It's too bad we don't have any horses to race like we did more than a year ago!" Adam said.

"Just as well you don't. Besides, we may actually get into some rain. The weather here is quite tricky!" Ben said and the added, "I hope you have a shawl with you. We may actually get into quite a storm!"

"I do, but look! The sun is picking out from the clouds. Hoss may be right after all. We may indeed get some sun after all!" Lydia said.

"Yeah, pa. I think Hoss may be right after all!" little Joe said.

"The sun feels good to me right now, but I must admit, I'll miss it when the winter storms come!" Lydia said.

"Indeed! We'll see soon enough! I hope you brought some more dresses with you!" Ben said.

"I have some dresses..." Lydia said.

"And if she doesn't, she can borrow some of ma's dresses, just like Isabella did!" little Joe said.

"Am I mistaken or is little Joe trying to butter me up?" Lydia asked.

Ben laughed and said, "That's my youngest. He always tries to be helpful. Sometimes his ideas work and sometimes they don't!" Ben said and then added, "My son seems to think that you can actually fit into my Marie's dresses but I think that you are actually too tall for even trying to do that."

"Actually I would feel like I would be intruding on her things. I really don't like wearing other people's clothing!" Lydia said.

"Do you hear that, little Joe? Now, no more trying to help her!" Adam said.

"But she really needs to have something other that that checked dress she always wears!" little Joe said.

"When I get my first paycheck, little Joe, I will get some more material at the trading post and find someone to make me another dress!" Lydia said.

"Now don't say anything more!" Hoss told his younger brother.

"Did your siblings pick on you like my brothers are picking on me?" little Joe asked.

"No, they didn't. My oldest brother always dreamed of joining the Jesuits and my other brother always dreamed of joining the Franciscans. And later on, the Capuchins! Those are priests that have beards, and wear sandals. In fact, he tried to get me into a convent as well! I'm thinking that since I am too old to enter a convent, maybe he can find a way for me to join a third order of Franciscans," Lydia said.

"What's a Third Order?" little Joe asked.

Ben was interested in her remark. "But age isn't the only reason that you can join them, is it?" Ben asked.

Joe asked his father, "But, what is a Third Order?"

"I am simply too old to enter any convent. Age makes quite a difference. And advanced age makes it difficult to join a convent. So, that's why I might try joining with other women instead. Third Orders are very good for people to get closer to God, Joseph. I hope that answers your question about Third Orders." Lydia said, hoping that no one in the wagon would bring up the question of her failing health, which was the actual reason she had finally decided not to even try and enter a convent.

Before she even knew it, the wagon reached the only Catholic Church. Lydia looked at her watch that was pinned on her dress and said, "It looks like we got here on time. Let me out here and I'll go in."

"We'll all go in," Hoss said as his father drove the wagon as close to the church as he could. Lydia got out and went inside the church only to find that it was nearly packed with worshippers. As she found a seat and kneeled down before her precious Lord, the priest came out and said, "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti."

"Amen!" the entire congregation intoned back, as the Mass began.

Margaret paced back and forth. "It's now past one o'clock, so where are the Cartwrights?"

"Ma, they'll be here any minute!" Tess said.

"And I'll bet that you're as worried as I am!" Margaret said as she heard a large wagon pull up in front of her luxurious ranch, which had formerly belonged to Isabella's family. "Well, it seems that they finally got here!" Margaret said as she went out to meet the Cartwrights. "What took you so long to get here! You're over an hour late getting here!"

"Pa promised that we would take Lydia over to Hangtown to go to Mass!" Hoss said.

"Mass? You never said that you were a Papist!" Margaret said.

"The Cartwrights said that I could go to Mass with them. Besides, you never said that you were prejudiced against Catholics, only that you really needed a teacher here in Eagle Station!" Lydia replied.

"Well, I never...No, you won't be welcomed in MY HOUSE!" Margaret said.

"Ma!" Tess said.

"Margaret! If I remember reading the letter that you sent to the newspapers back east, you never even mentioned that you were looking for a Protestant to be the school teacher!" Ben said.

"Well, it makes no difference. We all know that Catholics will never fit in here or anywhere in America! They should all go back to Europe where they'll be more...acceptable than they will be over on THIS SIDE OF THE POND!" Margaret said.

Realizing that Margaret would never change her mind, Lydia then said, "Perhaps you're right! Since you feel this way, I'll just pack my bags and take all of my books and go back to St. Louis, but I will also say that the people of Eagle Station really need to stop being so prejudiced against the Catholics. Besides, I think that we who follow Christ in a different manner will be even more Americanized than you think!" Then turning to Ben, she said, "Perhaps you should take me back to town! I'll take the next stage that goes back to St. Louis!"

Ben realized that Lydia was just as hungry for a good meal as he and his sons, he said, "I'll take you to our ranch and give you a good meal prepared by Hop Sing. Margaret, will you please excuse us!"

Margaret Greene was still outraged at the schoolmarm's suggestion that she take all of her books and leave Eagle Station. "Well, I never..." she replied, as she made her way into her house.

Lydia was also angry as well. "Perhaps you should take me back to town!" she said.

"No, I won't. Instead, I'll take you to our ranch, and make sure that you are fed. No doubt, you are just as hungry as my sons are!" Ben replied. He then took his wagon and the whole family made their way over to the Ponderosa ranch. Ben was just as angry as Lydia but he would not tell her or the boys just how disappointed he was with Maggie's behavior.

Chapter Four

Ben cut slices of roasted chicken placed on a large serving plate and then passed it to his son Hoss. "The drought that we're in has really hurt our chickens," he said.

"Pa, is this the third or fourth chicken that we've eaten in this last month?" little Joe asked as he handed the large plate of homemade rolls over to his father. Hop Sing didn't have a wood stove at the moment, but he knew how to cook in the Dutch oven. Almost all of the cooks of that time did! But he missed cooking on a wood stove, anyway. He hoped that since Ben had made some money this year, with both his cattle as well as trading horses, his boss would go to the trading post and order a stove from one of the companies that made them.

"I don't know! Who cares? I'm hoping that we can butcher some beef real soon-I'm plum tired of chicken!" Hoss said as he passed a bowl of cornbread stuffing over to Adam.

"You'll be butchering beef as well?" Lydia asked as she took some of Hop Sing's beans from the large bowl they were in, and then passed it to Hop Sing.

Seeing that she had not taken enough of the beans that Su Li had sent him, Hop Sing said, "You should have more of my beans. I wanted to grow enough beans to feed my family through the winter!"

"And so you did, Hop Sing! I helped you plant the second crop of Su Li's beans," Hoss said and then turning to Lydia, he added, "Su Li sent him some beans last year, so he saved up some of his crop last year, and planted some of them this year. And he saved some seeds to plant next year!."

He passed the chicken over to his brother Adam, when little Joe said, "And I thought I'd never harvested so many beans in my life!" And then he added, "I thought I'd have some help with doing all of this!"

"You know that you promised pa you'd help with the garden, especially after Scout got into it yet once again this year!" Adam said.

"So Scout is the name of that creature?" Lydia asked, as the poor dog tried to lick her leg. Scout was very affectionate with strangers, but wasn't any good at guarding Ben's ranch!

"He's a crazy dog!" Hop Sing said sourly. Some watchdog Scout is! He thought.

"I take it that you're not a dog person, Mr. Sing?" Lydia asked.

"No, but at least Mr. Cartwright won't have him in this house!" Hop Sing said, just as sourly as before.

"Only when it's nice outside! When the snow comes, he'll let my dog come inside at night!" little Joe replied.

"Thank God, he'll stay in your room!" Ben said sternly, and then added in a more gentle tone of voice, "Hop Sing's right! Little Joe got Scout from the Indians, who are also saying that that danged dog is crazy!"

"Well, at least you're not saying that damned dog like you've been doing!" little Joe replied. Lydia laughed at his comment as Ben, yet once again, gave his infamous glare to his youngest son.

Hop Sing, seeing that his family had relaxed, said, "There's never a dull moment around here!" That comment made Lydia laugh even louder. Seeing that the schoolmarm saw the lighter side of things, everybody else laughed as well.

"That was good!" Hoss said, after the laugher had died down a bit.

"Are you complimenting me on my latest comment or my meal?" Hop Sing asked.

"Both!" Ben and Hoss said at the same time, causing everybody to start laughing again.

Again, after the laughter had died down a bit, Hop Sing said, "Mr. Cartwright, it's a good thing that I decided to kill that one chicken. It just wouldn't lay any eggs at all! Perhaps it's because of the drought! At any rate, we're feasting on her now!"

Just as Ben started to reply to his cook, they all heard a carriage drive close to the ranch. "I'll see who it is!" Hoss said as he rose from the table and went to the front door. After he opened it, he said in surprise, "Tess, what are you doing here?"

"Ma and I had another fight-AS USUAL. I think that she needs to apologize to Miss Weiss. I told her to do it before our new schoolteacher leaves Eagle Station, but you know ma! She's just being stubborn-AS USUAL! I can't make her apologize but I can bring some apple pie which is right here on the seat next to me!"

"That's real nice of you, Tess! Come on inside and you can talk to Miss Weiss," Hoss replied.

"All right, then. Please take my pie while I get out of this carriage," the young woman replied. She tried to get out of the carriage but Hoss stopped her by saying, "Stay there just a minute while I give this pie to little Joe, and then I'll help you get out of your carriage." He gave the pie to his brother little Joe as Tess said. Hoss had been reading some of the books that could be found in the trading post, and decided that he would be a gentleman to all of the ladies in Eagle Station.

"Thank you, Hoss!" Then, after Hoss helped her out of the carriage, she entered the house, and said, "Lydia, please accept my apologizes. I don't think Ma really means what she says!"

"That's quite all right, Miss Greene, but I think that she does mean what she says. As for me, I guess that it will be up the school board to decide my fate! Am I correct in thinking so, Mr. Cartwright?" Lydia replied.

"For right now, we actually don't have a school board as such-our town council serves as the school board," Ben said. He regretted that he had failed to start a school board as well. But then again, he had enough to do serving on the town council! Not to mention that he had to run his ranch as well!

"Then I guess my fate is sealed after all. Margaret, Shelby and Jack are all against me staying here as it is!" Lydia said. And possibly Eli, too, she thought. He now thinks that I am too ill to be a teacher at all! Then, she regretted that she had not thought of coming west last year! Maybe the clear mountain air might have stopped her consumption from getting worse.

"Oh, I don't know exactly, Miss Weiss. Shelby seemed to regret her comments she made the day before yesterday. Besides, she hasn't seen you in the classroom at all! For that matter, neither have I! I trust that you will teach the children everything we as the town council want them to learn!" Ben said. He hoped that Lydia would be much more patient with the children. He now knew that she had no patience with Maggie! But then again, he thought that Maggie should stop being so anti-Catholic in the first place. After all, Catholics would make good citizens as well as other immigrants, he thought.

"That is very kind of you, Mr. Cartwright! Right now, it seems that I need all the support I can get!" Lydia said.

"I really don't care about if Miss Weiss can stay or not-I just want to eat the apple pie that Tess brought over from the Greene ranch!" little Joe said, in anticipation of eating his favorite dessert.

Ben divided the pie into equal portions and they all ate the pie. Afterwards, it was the turn of little Joe and Hoss to wash and dry the dishes. Everybody else then sat in front of the fireplace while Ben lit the evening fire. "It gets quite cool in the evenings here in the mountains!" Ben said. Then, he added, "There's more wood for the fire as well!" He had chopped a lot of wood for the winter, but was there enough wood to get the family through this winter?

"I for one am glad that Ruth and the other women of Eagle Station have made quilts. We aren't able to make them!" Adam said. He regretted that Marie had died so suddenly.

"But didn't Marie make some?" Tess asked. She knew that Marie was working on one, just before she died. It was a real pity that she didn't live long enough to enjoy living on a ranch, she thought.

"She made some quilts but we have them in her trunk along with her clothes!" Adam said, and then added, "Lydia, do you make quilts too?"

"I have made several but I sold them along with everything else in order to come out here to Eagle Station!" Lydia said.

"But were they as fine as ma's?" little Joe asked as he stood in front of the large number three washtub washing the dishes.

"I'll bet they were!" Hoss said as he rinsed and dried the dishes.

"But you haven't seen any of them, have you!" little Joe said.

"Of course I haven't, but I guess I'm right, Miss Weiss?" Hoss said.

"Thank you! My older brother, the one that is a Capuchin, liked the quilt very much, and wanted to raffle it off, so as to raise money for the orphanage that his order runs. It's near the Mississippi River, by the way!. It's one of many that can be found in St. Louis!" Lydia said. She was very proud of her older brothers, Otto, in particular. He was fond of children, so he asked his abbot if their chapter could open another orphanage! The abbot agreed, so now there were a lot of orphanages in St. Louis! But, then again, there were quite a few accidents with the steam-ships on the Mississippi River! And, there were quite a few illegitimate children that were born. Of course, at that time, no respectable woman kept her illegitimate child at all. Instead, she gave the child to an orphanage to be raised.

"What are the Capuchins?" Tess asked. Like all Protestants, she had no idea about Catholics, or their orders of priests, monks and nuns.

Ben spoke up and explained, "Capuchins are an order of Franciscans, who wear beards, and wear sandals instead of shoes, even in cold weather, do they not?" He knew a lot about the order. There wasn't much else to do, so he read a lot in his spare time! That is, to say, when Ben actually had time to read. Running a ranch took a lot of one's time!

"Yes, they do! My brother Otto is one of those men, and my oldest brother, Edward is a Jesuit priest. I am very proud of them and I wanted to become a sister as well, but Edward didn't approve at all!" she replied. Lydia was proud of the fact that she wasn't the only one who knew about Catholic orders, and appreciated the fact that Ben seemed to know about them as well!

"But that's wonderful! I'm an only child but I guess my ma always wanted to have a clergyman if she had had a son," Tess replied.

"Perhaps you should try marriage after all! My guess is that your ma's looking to have grandchildren, right, pa?" Hoss said.

"Always trying to match us up, ain't you, Hoss!" Tess said, in reply to her intended.

"But then, the grandchildren would be Ben's as well! Are you ready to have Tess as your daughter-in-law?" Lydia asked.

Ben only shrugged his response. Adam, on the other hand, said, "I hope that he wants Isabella to be his daughter-in-law, as well!"

Ben only shrugged his response as well. After a few minutes, he said, "I was only a boy of twenty when I married Elizabeth, and I was hoping that my sons would find their true loves but that they would wait until they were older first. Besides, other than working for me, they have no other income whatsoever, and right now, I find that I don't think that they can support their families on this poor ranch!"

Seeing that the subject had changed quite a bit, Lydia then said, "Perhaps I should go back to town. It's been a long day for all of us!"

"Yes, it has been a long day for us! I will drive you back to town in my carriage!" Tess said.

"Thank you, Tess. Could we leave now?" Lydia asked.

"That will be fine with me!" Tess said.

"I'll get my shawl," Lydia said. As she got her shawl, she added, "It has been quite a long day for all of us, so I will bid you a good evening!" The two ladies then left the Ponderosa and made their way back to Eagle Station.

The dream started AGAIN! Only this time, Marie wasn't around to comfort Ben like she had been on previous occasions. Ben was known for sleeping through the night, but sometimes, he thought of his second wife, Inger! As for Marie, she had died fifteen months previously. Ben knew all of this in his unconscious state, and it was his worst nightmare! Only it was all too real! The dream started out pretty well. He was driving a covered wagon with his son Adam, and they had driven through most of the small town in Illinois. They had reached a spot next to a general store, where, being the protective father he was, he leaned over to touch his son's small forehead, and said softly, "You're burning up with fever, Adam! I'll get us some food at this store and then put you to bed."

"Where, pa?" the small boy asked, and then added, "My throat's real sore, too."

"I'll put you to bed in the wagon, Adam! Right now, I can't afford to put us up in the town's hotel, or the nearest boarding house! In fact, I barely have enough money to buy us some bread and milk!" Ben said softly as he braked the covered wagon. Then he added, "Stay there, Adam, while I go into the store and get what we need!"

Just then, across the street from the general store came a loud thump as a drunk staggered out from the saloon. He was followed by a large fellow who said in a loud voice, "AND DON'T COME BACK HERE AGAIN, GUNNAR! DON'T COME BACK HERE UNTIL YOU PAY THE BARKEEP WHAT YOU'VE BEEN OWING HIM FOR MONTHS!"

"Ya, sure!" the drunk mumbled.

"What's that you say?" the large man asked. Obviously he had had a chance to calm down, but THAT LARGE SWEDE could make a preacher swear!

"Ya, sure I'll do as you say!" the drunk answered back.

"What's that again? Turn around and face me when you're talkin' to me!" the large man exclaimed, as he whipped off the sweat from his forehead. He had blond hair, as well. The blond hair was also covered in sweat!

The drunk turned around and said, "Ya, sure I'll do what you want me to!"

Satisfied, the large man returned to his tavern. Just then, a young woman came out of the general store and said, "What did you do to us this time, Gunnar?"

"Ya, I owe the saloon some money, Inger!" the drunk said, slurring his words as he spoke. Then he completed his conversation with the young woman in his native Swedish language.

Disgusted with the young drunk, the young woman grabbed him by his arm and said, "Gunnar, you should go home and sleep this off! God only knows that you've humiliated me yet once again!" Gunnar tried to explain his situation in his native Swedish but the young woman would hear no more from the drunk! "Gunnar, I can NEVER count on you when I need you! NOW GO HOME!" Then she caught sight of the two travelers that were nearly on the steps of the general store. Trying to be friendly to the two, Inger asked, "May I help you?"

The boy remained silent but Ben spoke up and asked, "Do you own this general store?" The woman nodded, so he added, "Right now, I need to buy some bread and some milk!"

Feeling sorry for the two people, Inger asked, "Is that boy your son?"

Feeling like he could trust someone so far away from his native New England, the young man said, "Yes, he is. His name is Adam and I'm Benjamin." Then he decided to add his last name as well. "Cartwright," he finished.

The woman merely nodded, for she was quite pleased to make their acquaintances. Then she walked over to the covered wagon and beckoned to the young boy to come down from the large wagon seat he was seated on. The boy, sick as he was, refused the kind woman's request! Ben spoke up and said, "My son is quite shy around strangers!" Then he added, "It's all right, Adam. I don't think she means to harm you any!"

Inger winced a little as she reached up to Adam. Helping the lad down from the wagon wasn't as hard on her back as she thought it would be. She stopped after she got him down on the firm ground and felt his forehead, and then said, "Your forehead feels like you have a fever. Is your throat sore as well?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Adam said but his voice was quite weak, no doubt to his illness but also because he couldn't believe that women got to be as tall as the woman who bend over him.

"And I forgot to ask you something. Do you have a headache as well?" Inger asked.

"Yes ma'am!" Adam answered. Noticing that the woman was walking towards his beloved father, the poor lad noticed that the woman was wearing boots with tall heels, which gave the illusion that she was nearly as tall as his father, who was certainly no shrimp after all!

She beckoned to the two travelers to follow her into her store. They did so. She stopped at the counter to pour some milk into a pail and said, "Let me pour you some milk into this pail." She did so, and then added, "But now I've got to get some herbs for you". She reached up at the beam above her and brought down some dried herbs and added, "Here is some feverfew herbs for you. If you put them in some boiling water-about a quart of water I would say, and let it brew for about ten minutes, the brew will help calm Adam's headache. But now I need something else!" She went over to the large jar of candy that was right next to her books and said, "Here is some horehound pellets for Adam. They will ease his sore throat, but you said you needed to have some bread as well." She went over to a small shelf that held some baked goods and brought over a loaf of wheat bread as well, and said, "Normally, I would give the boy some white bread, but I find that whole wheat bread is much better for people like us. It has more fiber and can fill a person better than white bread!" She put everything in a large basket and handed it over to Ben and said, "This will all be for twenty-five cents, even."

Surprised that the entire amount would cost so little, Ben said, "Does that include the medicine as well?"

"That's just for the bread and milk. Your son needs the feverfew herbs and the horehound candy. If you make the tea, as I asked and then give Adam the candy, as well as putting cold compresses on his forehead and chest, he should be feeling better in a few days," Inger replied.

"But I still owe you for this medicine!" Ben asked. He was being persistent. In fact, he felt that he had not paid for the medicine as well as the groceries.

Inger paused for a moment before answering. Ben and his son were probably flat broke, she reasoned but yet...

"Inger, you should charge him for all of this! We run a store, not a charity!" Gunnar replied, as he stood in the doorway of the store.

Coming out from behind the counter where she had stood for only a moment, Inger walked over to her much larger brother, a man who both outweighed and was quite a bit taller than Ben and said in a loud voice, "GO HOME RIGHT NOW!" Seeing that her brother stood just as firmly in the doorway, she added in a calmer voice, "You are never around when I need you! You weren't around two weeks ago when I fell off the ladder when I--not you, was stocking the large shelves over the counter. You were in the tavern again, gambling and drinking, just like you always do. Now, if you weren't around in this store two weeks ago, just why do you think I really need you now? Do you want more money for gambling again, just like you did back then? NOW, GO HOME AND SLEEP OFF THIS...DRINKING BINGE YOU'RE ON!"

Awed at the strength in his younger sister had in her voice, the large man left, still slurring his Swedish words.

Gunnar wasn't the only man awed at the woman's strength at the hands of the Swedish immigrant for Ben was too! "He makes for a very...intimidating husband!" Ben said.

Inger laughed and said, "You think that Gunner is my husband?" She laughed again and said, "Do you know that that man is actually my older brother, and the only thing that's intimidating is his thirst for whiskey! Now, if he can just stop his drinking and make himself useful, then he would not be the laughing stock of this town!" She was humiliated with his drinking! Besides, wasn't their grandfather the town drunk back in Sweden?

Ben understood just what the Swedish immigrant was going through, for he had felt the same way himself. If it was not for his young son, Ben would be is some tavern, drinking whiskey or ale. But he decided not to drink anything, not only for setting a good example for his son, but he had another reason as well. He had lost his first wife in childbirth, and there was no one else who could care for his son. "So...what about the medication for Adam?"

Inger, realizing that the man's pride would be hurt but also realizing that he could ill afford the medicines that she had just added only said, "No! Make the feverfew tea, using only a quart of water, and keep his forehead and chest cool and give him the candy as he needs it--it will be enough payment for me as it is! But am I correct in guessing...that you...really need to find work?"

Ben, exhausted from the long wagon ride, only nodded and said, "Yes, I do need to find work!"

"Well, when Gunnar sobers up, he can always help me here at the store but the saloon owner needs to have a swamper to clean up the place. He's very difficult to work for-always demanding that his workers remain loyal to him, and the pay isn't very good at all, but it's something to tide you over a bit! Why don't you go over to the saloon and ask him for a job? The man who owns the tavern is named MacQuarter!"

"Thank you, ma'am! What is your last name?" Ben said.

"It's Miss Borgstrom, sir," Inger replied.

"Thank you, Miss Borgstrom! Thank you very much!" Ben then left the general store along with his young son Adam.

A few weeks later, Ben found himself cleaning the tavern again. Feeling a lot better about himself, he swept the floor and was getting a bucket out to mop the floor when Inger and Adam came into the saloon. "What are you two doing here?" he asked. He was very surprised to find the two of them standing inside the tavern, and he remembered that he had told Adam not to bother him at work. Besides, he thought that Inger was needed over at her store!

"Pa, since it's Sunday and Miss Borgstrom has her day off, she offered to take me on a picnic. Do you want to join us as well?"

Looking around the dimly lit saloon, Ben tried to find his boss. He finally found the owner sitting in a corner, playing a round of cards with some of the other patrons of the place. "So that's your son-the little one standing next to Inger Borgstrom!" he asked, as he saw Ben come up to him.

Feeling a bit proud of his son and at the same time, ashamed that he would actually come into the saloon, Ben answered, "Yes it is!"

"So what does that young man want?" the owner asked.

"He's been invited to a picnic and has invited me to come along as well!" Ben answered.

"Well, I see no harm in that. I really don't need you once you get the floor mopped. But you might want to say something to that no-good brother of Inger's. He's sleeping it off in the other corner," the owner answered, and than pointed to the other corner of his place that was opposite from when he and his friends played cards.

"Thank you, sir! I'll get the floor mopped right now!" Ben answered. He then went over to the bucket and said to the two people, "Let me finish the floor and tell Gunnar that we're going on a picnic. You might want to wait for me outside!"

"Thanks, pa!" Adam said.

"It would stand to reason that Gunnar is wasting his time sleeping it off!" Inger said as she escorted the young man out of the saloon.

Ben had the entire floor mopped in five minutes, and after finding Gunnar asleep, only leaned down to tell him of his plans. Then he left the saloon and after finding his son and Inger standing in front of the saloon, they left for their picnic.

Finding a place near a stream, the young people sat down to enjoy the meal Inger had prepared. It consisted of some fried chicken, some potato salad, and some salad greens as well as some fresh strawberries. Inger had actually managed to pack some lemonade in a small pail and packed that along with everything else she had into a large basket. "Pass me some of that potato salad, Miss Borgstrom," Ben managed to say as they sat down to eat. "It's Inger, Mr. Cartwright," Inger said as she passed him some potato salad. "And it's Ben," Ben said. And they had just finished their meal when Gunnar came over to them and said, "So you're not just having these poor people as customers but are entertaining them as well?"

Pausing for a few minutes, Inger then rose from where she had been seated on the ground and said, "So you have nothing better to do than to scold me for going on a picnic? A picnic that I have had planned for the last few days! Which is worse, Gunnar? Humiliating me in our store or humiliating me right here and now! Speaking of which, you didn't even get up in time to go to church with me this morning!" She tried to be a good Lutheran, and went to Sunday services, but her brother was another story!

"You're nothing but a scold, Inger! Besides, no one ever even told me that you would be out here!" Gunnar said.

"That's not true, Gunnar! I DID tell you that we would be here having our picnic!" Ben said as he rose from the ground.

"Who in the hell cares about you, Benjamin Cartwright?" Gunnar said.

"Well, I care, Gunnar. So say you're sorry!" Inger said. She was outraged that her brother would cuss like a common sailor, instead of treating the widower with some respect.

"I won't do that at all! In fact, I think it is time to come back with me!" Gunnar exclaimed.

Ben stepped between Gunnar and Inger, but she stopped him from doing anything more for the moment. "I'll do what my DEAR brother wants, Ben!" Inger could see that Gunnar was going to strike Ben. She didn't really want the two men to throw punches at each other!

"I don't mean for you to go right now!" Ben said, and then added, "But as for you, Gunnar! I'm about ready to..." Inger came between the two men, and shook her head!

"It's quite all right! Gunnar has the knack for embarrassing me, don't you Gunnar?" Inger said as she gathered her things and left the picnic spot where she and the Cartwrights had had so much fun.

After the two had left, Adam asked, "Is Miss Borgstrom going to be my new ma?"

Ben shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not, Adam! I haven't quite recovered yet from your ma's death, and that Gunnar really likes to embarrass Miss Borgstrom quite a bit!"

"So are we leaving town just yet?" Adam asked.

"Why? Has the wandering bug bit you once again?" Ben asked.

"Not really! I kind of like it here!" Adam said.

"I do too, Adam!" Ben said and then added as he and his young son made their way back into town, "I like it too!"

The next day was quite unlike Sunday after all. It was raining as Ben quietly worked. He had just finished mopping the floor and was now cleaning the last of the glasses and mugs. Gunnar was in his usual table and was very drunk. After taking yet another small glass of whiskey from the bottle he had bought earlier in the day, he had finally put his head down on the table. Seeing the tall extremely blond man who was now fast asleep really filled Ben with disgust. "I should wake him up for I'm sure Inger will be missing him soon enough!" he said as his boss descended the stairs.

"Leave him be!" the boss said.

Shrugging his shoulders, Ben answered, "All right...but if Inger comes and sees him asleep like this..."

"That'll be his problem, not yours! Now did you finish mopping the floor?" his boss asked.

"Yes, and I have just finished cleaning these glasses!" Ben said as he put the last of the glasses on the shelf behind the bar.

Just then, Inger came into the saloon and found her brother, nearly passed out at his table. Shaking her head, she said in a disgusted manner, "Drunk as usual, Gunnar! You're like an animal with your whiskey!"

Seeing like he was coming to, he lifted his head from where it had lay for the last several minutes. He said, "Leave me alone! I dreaming!" He slurred his words, for he was very drunk at that moment.

Leaning over her brother, with her light blond hair gleaming in the dim candlelight, she said softly, "Dreaming of that black ship you always see in the distant ocean?"

Gunnar rose from his chair and said very loudly, "What's it to you?" And then he slapped her quite hard across her face.

Before he even knew what he was doing, Ben went over to Gunnar's table and hit him with his right fist. He hit him so hard that the blond man was knocked down.

Taking only a minute to gain his senses, Gunnar decided that he wasn't going to be deprived of his drinking or of having a little fun at all! He rose from where he had landed and said in a menacing voice, "So this is your KINDLY American protector, huh, Inger? Well, I'll take care of him right now!" He rose and then lunged towards Ben. From where he stood, Ben leaned over to his right to avoid Gunnar's punch, and then, finding that he could put his boxing experiences to work yet once again, he punched the tall blond man in his abdomen. "So, you t'ink" dat one punch can hurt me, ja?" Gunnar said and then broke his whiskey bottle and, holding it a club, lunged at Ben. Trying to avoid the broken glass on the floor as well as the broken bottle Gunnar held in his hand, Ben took of his apron and wrapped it around his left hand. He stepped away from the table. Gunnar, feeling like he had actually won this battle, tried lunging at Ben in order to drive him out of the tavern!

"Stop it now, both of you!" Inger said as she stepped between the two fighting men.

"Get away from me! I have him on the run!" Gunnar said. Then he slashed Inger with his bottle. He had cut her arm, and being so drunk, he was unconcerned with the thought of hurting his sister! He tried to do the same to Ben! Ben, who by this time had become absolutely outraged at Gunnar's behavior, made his way around his blond opponent, pulled on his long blond hair. Gunnar, aware of Ben, turned around and tried to slash Ben, too. Ben hit the man with a right hook, later on to be known as Hoss' mulekick, which sent the poor Swede into the back wall of the saloon. Regretting his behavior, Ben went over to Gunnar, who by this time was unconscious.

"Leave him alone!" MacQuarter said as he looked at the damage in his tavern. Then he looked at Ben and asked, "Are you all right?"

Ben nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm all right, but I think that he is too!" He pointed to the man who had passed out and lay next to the wall. "But as for Inger?" Ben went over to the young woman who was seated at the table where he brother had sat, just before he fought with Ben. She had torn her petticoat to make a makeshift bandage for her arm. Gunnar had managed to cut one of her veins, and there was blood all around the table and the floor!

"I'm all right!" she said, in a rather weak voice. Gunnar had cut her left arm, and she was trying very hard not to let Ben know just how much her brother had hurt her! She was used to his drinking binges, as well as his gambling. He had not really recovered from their mother's sudden death, or even their father's death as well. Both of the elder Swedes had died in their sleep, leaving Gunnar and Inger to run the general store. Papa, where are you now! I need you so much! Inger thought to herself as she tried to stanch the flow of blood from her arm!

Feeling her forehead, Ben said, "Your voice sounds rather weak, and what about the cut on your arm?"

Looking over at Inger, Mr. MacQuarter felt that she was doing fine. He really didn't want Ben to look after her, for he felt a little jealous of this new suitor. He said, "Now, didn't I tell you to leave Gunnar alone?"

"I WILL NEVER EVER leave someone who abuses women alone!" Ben said firmly.

Trying to defend her brother, Inger said, "He's only my brother after all!"

"Inger, please...I'll take you home right now!" Ben said, and then added, "I will feel like I'm actually doing something useful!"

"But what about Gunnar?" she asked.

"He can stay here until he comes to! I'll take care of him!" Mr. MacQuarter said.

Feeling like the situation was now under control, Ben said, "All right then, it's settled--I'll take Inger home and then I'll come back to clean up this...mess Gunnar and I have made of your place!"

He nodded his head as Inger said to Ben "It's all right. I'll show you how to get to our house. It's in back of the store." The house that the Borgstoms lived in wasn't really a house at all! It was a small cabin with three rooms. The largest of the three served as a living room and dining room. There was a table that also served as a desk. And there was a large fireplace. There were miniature drawings on the fireplace. Inger had insisted on hiring some artist to make the drawings of her as well as Gunnar. Both of them were made when the two were confirmed in their Lutheran church. Both of them had very blond hair! And both young people had very square faces as well. The elder Mrs. Borgstom was very proud that her children were just like their American neighbors! Ben took a quick peak at them, and then decided to look after Inger!

"You're still bleeding a little bit, Inger! Do you have some bandages around here?" Ben asked.

Carefully unwrapping her makeshift bandage, Inger leaned back in her chair and sighed a little. Then, she leaned forward a little bit and said, "There are some more bandages over in my bedroom to the left-Gunnar has the bedroom on the right. I have the bandages on my dresser which is opposite from my bed."

"I'll get them for you and I'll be needing some water as well!" Ben said as he went to the adjoining room. He came out with several bandages, and then went over to the bucket that was on the almost bare fireplace. It was half full of water, so he brought it over to Inger. He dipped one bandage into the water to get it wet enough to clean Inger's wound. He cleaned it and then wrapped it in a long, white bandage. Then, he added, "I think you should eat something right now. I don't think that you've eaten anything since you came over to the saloon, and I'll bet that you're thirsty as well."

"I am! I think I've got some leftover lemonade, and I've got some bread that I made..." she said.

"Good! I'll get them for you!" Ben said. He hunted around and found the breadbox as well as the small pail of lemonade. He brought the pail over to her and then got the breadbox and gave it to her as well. There was only one slice of bread left in it, so she ate it along with drinking the lemonade.

Ben decided to stand next to the fireplace. He noticed that there were two colored drawings on the mantle-one of them was Inger's and the other one was of Gunnar. Both had been made several years before. Ben was trying to calm down from his anger. Who could possibly abuse the woman who was sitting in the rocking chair? While she also had a temper, she was also a woman a man could get comfortable with! Finally, he asked, "Does Gunnar act like this all of the time?"

Sighing for a moment, Inger decided to say what was on her mind. "Yes, he does! He's been like this for almost two years-and it's been two years since my mother died! I don't think he's ever accepted her death! Or of my father's as well!"

Ben started to pace back and forth. Then, he felt he could say what had been on his mind since the previous day. "Two years? You should leave this place and..."

Almost reading his poor mind, Inger interrupted him by saying, "Get married?" She laughed and then said, "And just WHO would want me? Not with that brother of mine!" That foolish older brother of mine! She thought to herself. She didn't want to tell Ben what she thought, though!

Ben decided to interrupt Inger by saying, "Marriage isn't really a bad idea, Inger! You just have to be a little cautious about who you marry! You should marry...me! I think that I've proven that I can handle Gunnar as well as or even better than you!"

"And what about you? I don't think that you've gotten over your late wife's death yet! And there's always Adam! How would he feel about you remarrying just now!" Inger replied with a stronger voice. Then she added, "And have you really proposed to me out of my weakness or because you're lonely!"

"That's unfair, Inger! I..." Ben replied, getting somewhat angry. Feeling like he needed to stop a minute to find the right argument, he was interrupted with a knocking at the door.

"Who is it?" Inger asked as she rose from her rocking chair.

"It's me!" the voice on the other side of the door answered. Then he continued, "I have your brother with me!" Inger went over to the door and opened it, only to find that Gunnar was leaning on both MacQuarter, as well as the regular barkeep.

Alarmed at what she saw, she finally blurted out the words, "Bring him inside and put him on the bed-that's the bedroom on your right!" Then seeing that Gunnar had even more bruises on his face, especially around his eyes, she added, "Where did he get those bruises?" Then she looked at Ben and furiously said, "If my brother dies because of his...fight with you, I'll see that you hang for it!"

Looking at the poor man who was by now completely helpless, Ben said in his own defense, "I didn't leave all of these bruises! He looked much better in the saloon than he does right now!"

Trying to keep what was left of her temper, Inger said, "I think you can leave right now!" Trying to figure out just what he was furious at-either Inger with thinking that he could put her brother in such a state or furious for not even considering his, by now-serious proposal of marriage, Ben left the small cabin. As for her part, Inger stayed in her brother's room, carefully sponging off his face and placing cold compresses on the bruises. She stayed in the room almost until the break of the next day, sleeping as well as nursing her brother.

He awoke at dawn the next day, and said softly, "I really need a drink right now!"

Inger, who had fallen asleep hours before, woke up at hearing those words from her brother. She sat up in the chair she was seated in and replied, "I'll get you some water!" She left the bedroom for a few minutes and then returned with a pitcher of water and a small glass. She poured some water into the glass and gave it to him.

He sat up and than sat on the edge of his bed then he drank the water and then said, "Thank you."

Still furious at Ben's behavior, Inger asked, "Did Ben do all of this to you?"

Shaking his head, Gunnar said, "He didn't do all of this damage. MacQuarter did most of this! Now, he says that I owe him for all the damage that I did in his tavern, as well as all of the gambling debts!"

Inger found that she was getting angrier by the minute! Her own bother had managed to make the two of them owe more money that they could repay! And for what? Guilt over losing their parents in a short amount of time, or guilt because MacQuarter wanted to court Inger. She didn't like the man who was the most powerful man in the small town that she lived in, and she now felt that she should consider Ben's proposal of marriage. She never even thought of hating the town that she lived in, but the behavior of both Gunnar and MacQuarter changed her mind!

Shaking his head, Gunnar replied, "Do you have anything that's stronger than just plain water?"

Seeing that the alcoholism was getting the better of her brother, Inger furiously exclaimed, "Gunnar, you've drunk too much whiskey as it is! You really don't need to drink any more! Now, answer my question-how much do you owe MacQuarter?"

As he put more compresses on his bruises, Gunnar said, "We don't have enough money to pay him off! And we won't be able to do so at all! The only way I can pay off my debts is to sell the store to him. You know, he wants it!"

Inger went beyond her anger and was therefore quite shocked at her own brother. She stopped pacing back and forth and said, "He wants to do what? What makes him think that I'll leave our store! Besides, what's he going to do what with you...and with me, too?"

"I...guess he wants me to stay on with the store-you know selling the merchandise and keeping the books...and as for you, I think he talked of marrying you. After all, he can then really own the store!" And, you'll stay in this small town as a prisoner of MacQuarter, and of mine, too! Gunnar thought to himself. He liked living in Illinois, and really didn't want to leave his hometown at all!

"And you agreed to all of this? Isn't this why our parents left their native Sweden so as to avoid arranged marriages! Gunnar..." she exclaimed and then she left the cabin. She was furious that her own brother would stoop so low as to arrange her life-one that she thought she actually had control. She thought of going to her store and then open it for the day, but she was simply too upset to even think of selling anything, let alone doing the ever-lasting bookwork. Instead, she went to the stream where she and the Cartwrights had had their picnic. She sat down onto the bank and began to cry. Ben found her there as he was walking from his covered wagon. Ben had decided to leave that small town. After all, Inger didn't seem like she would marry the poor widower, and there was no reason for staying on! And, he didn't want to go back to his older brother's house in Ohio. He didn't want to take care of Will, the only son of his brother at all! So, he thought about going further west!

Seeing that the tall, blond woman was very upset, Ben went over to her and asked, "Inger?"

She looked up at the strong, blond man, as more tears fell from her lovely blue eyes. Then he asked, "Will you please stop crying and tell me what's wrong!" She continued to cry, so he held her very close for some time, trying to comfort her. Finally he asked, "Is your brother all right?"

She nodded and said, "He woke up this morning...but what he told me..." she began to cry again.

Relieved that Gunnar was going to live, Ben said, "That is great news, but now what?" Inger kept on crying again, so he asked in his own gentle way, "I'm very happy that Gunnar is going to be all right, but you don't look all that happy at all! Now did he say something..."

Inger nodded and said, "We have to sell the store because Gunnar has so many gambling debts to pay! I wish that he had never tried to gamble in the first place!"

Inger kept on crying, so Ben finally asked, "But since Gunnar will be all right, what else could be making you so unhappy?"

"He has decided to marry me to MacQuarter! I don't want to marry him! He isn't the man that I can love at all!" She continued to cry, for she thought that Ben would leave town. And she didn't even have the courage to tell him that she loved Ben, and had no use for MacQuarter at all!

"Have you thought of marrying me then?" Ben asked. He wasn't all that surprised that Gunnar would actually arrange his own sister's wedding. After all, didn't most Swedes do the same? After all, it was like the Germans that he had met when he worked as a first mate for his first father-in-law. These people always said Lieber kompt Spater! Love always comes later!"

"I have thought of your proposal of marriage, but I'm afraid that I will never love you like your late wife did! Besides, what would Adam think?" Inger asked. She liked the youngster as well! But, she also knew that Adam mourned for his mother, too!

"He'll like having a step-mother, Inger, and you're right! I have always needed a woman to be around me-most men would agree with that! After all, I can't even make a decent biscuit! All of them turn out to be much heavier than regular biscuits!" Seeing that he now had a great sense of humor, which was always directed at his own cooking Inger smiled. She had a most engaging smile at that!

She said, "Yes, I'll marry you, and I promise that my biscuits will be better than yours!"

They were married three weeks later, with little Adam watching them get married in the Lutheran church in that small town in Illinois. When they went west, it was a fulfillment of their dreams-starting over in a new place, very far away from Ben's heartache after losing Elizabeth in New England. When they went west, the Cartwrights took everything with them, including the miniature portraits that were on the fireplace mantle. Inger even got Gunnar to join them, for as far as she was concerned, alcoholism or not, the young man was still her brother. It took her almost two weeks to convince Gunnar that he should go west with the whole family, and not stay in Illinois. Both of the Swedes sold their store to MacQuarter. Inger had no regrets in doing so, but her brother was still upset that he would have to go on another adventure.

About six weeks into the journey west, Inger got up at dawn in order to fix breakfast, but found herself getting sick at the very sight of preparing food. She almost made it to the stream to throw up what little she had eaten, when she found that Ben was there, washing his arms and hands., as well as his neck and face. Ben hated to be dirty, and there were no hotels around at all. "My stomach's a little queasy this morning from the wagon ride we had yesterday," she explained as she made her way to the stream.

"But you felt like this yesterday as well!" Ben exclaimed and then he remembered just how badly Elizabeth had felt when she carried Adam in her womb. He then said, "Have you been feeling a little light-headed?" She nodded, so he continued, even as he watched her vomit right near the stream. He locked away for a moment and then he added another thought. "Didn't you snap at Adam yesterday for not taking off the horse harness, just as I asked him to do? And you really can't eat anything either?"

"I can eat some soup but not much else..." Inger said. She reached over to the stream to wash her face. She also hated to be dirty, even now!

"My Love, there's nothing wrong with you at all-at least nothing that wouldn't be solved in seven months! You're with child, my dear! You're with my child!" He hugged his wife, and said, "I'm glad Adam isn't right here! I think he'll be a little jealous of the new one. Now, do you think you can stand riding in the wagon, or would you prefer to walk along side the wagon?" Elizabeth had been very weak as she carried Adam, and he was afraid that she would miscarry. But Inger came from much more hardy stock. With any luck, she would give Ben another son!

"I think I'll walk until I get tired and then I'll ride in the wagon a bit! I never even thought I was...this way at all!" Inger said as she smiled once more. Then she laughed at her own state. She had a most intriguing laugh as well as a really pretty smile, which made Ben love her even more than he had loved Elizabeth!

A few days later, as they made camp for the evening, the guide for the camp announced that he would be leaving at Council Bluffs, and told them that they would be getting a new guide. "So, who's the new guide supposed to be?" Gunnar said.

"I think the new guide will be an old trapper friend of mine!" the guide said.

"And if we don't really like him, then what will happen to us?" Gunnar asked.

Feeling that his brother-in-law was getting a bit too touchy with his feelings, Ben said, "I know that Gunnar doesn't really like going west at all! Do you have anything else to tell us about?"

"I really don't think so. If you take my advice, you'll get a smaller wagon at Council Bluffs. The Conestoga wagons will be too heavy if you're going by way of the Platte. If you can, get as many things as you'll need for the trip to California and put them in smaller wagons. Also, get some mules or some oxen-the Indians won't steal them like they will if you use draft horses, and make sure you have some extra parts for your wagons like axles, and lots of nuts and bolts as well as a couple of wheels. I don't know how many people I've lead out west that have to turn back..."

"You mean, like they saw the elephant?" one of the members of the wagon train asked.

The guide nodded and said, "That's exactly right! If they had planned their great adventure by coming out here to the west a lot better, you'd see more of them settling, but as it is..."

"So there aren't that many Americans out here, are there?" Inger asked.

"No, and I'm really worried about you, Mrs. Cartwright! I don't know anything about birthing no babies at all. I'm hoping that you can reach Fort Chadron before your due date comes along," he replied.

"So, why didn't you tell me just little sooner that you were with child by THAT MAN!" Gunnar exclaimed.

"That man is my husband, Gunnar, and besides, I don't think I have to tell you everything that goes on between us!" she replied.

Ben kept his head low so that Gunnar would not see the smile that came across his face. Seeing that he wouldn't get any sympathy from Ben, Gunnar left to go on the watch for the early evening. After he left, Ben said, "You really need to watch your sense of humor for I'm afraid that Gunnar is really upset with us both!"

They finally reached Council Bluffs in a few days time. Council Bluffs was just a tent city at that time, but there was some construction in the town. There seemed to be sawdust everywhere! The old trail guide introduced the new trail guide, saying, "This here is Daniel Larson, he's an old trapper friend of mine and he'll be taking you to California."

"So you're another Swede like the rest of us, ja?" Gunnar asked.

"I ain't no Swede--my folks came from Norway!" the new guide replied. He was a young man, with a huge blond beard and mustache, as well as long blond locks. He looked like the typical mountain man. Inger had read about many of the guidebooks that she sold in her store in Illinois.

"So, another Viking, yes?" Inger asked.

"I hope I'm a little more honest that THOSE people. I've always said that us trappers are a little better than those raiders!" Daniel replied.

"Indeed, when they weren't trading, they were pillaging the monasteries and raiding places like Dublin and Normandy!" Ben replied.

"But we are descended from those people, ja?" Gunnar said.

"The only thing that you have in common with them is your love of whiskey!" Inger said.

"The drinks ain't so bad, ja?" Gunnar replied.

Trying to make peace with the trapper, Ben asked, "Do we need to trade our wagon in on something smaller?"'

"Yeah, there are some smaller wagons over there next to the Missouri river, and there are some oxen as well, and don't forget to get some axles and a large tool box in order to hold everything you'll need to fix the wagon. And, above all, don't forget to get an extra wagon wheel and some more nuts and bolts! You never know just how much you'll need them! Also, there's something else I should say. We'll follow the Platte until we get to Fort Chadron, and while we are on the trail, we should do like the Sioux! We should use dried buffalo chips. God only knows just how plentiful they are!"

"But, what about using driftwood?" Inger asked. Using buffalo dung wasn't exactly her idea of the ideal fuel.

"If the Sioux can use it, why can't you? Besides, when the chips are burned, you can't even smell them!" Daniel asked. He was a young trapper, who was glad to lead people on the way west. He didn't really understand that the white people didn't like living like Indians. "Oh, and one more thing! Watch out for the rattlesnakes! They like to drink from the Platte as well! I saw one that bit the wife of one of the settlers. It struck her right in the throat, and it took nearly a whole day before she died!" All of the women in the wagon train just shivered at his words! Oh, my God! Ben thought to himself, and then knew that Inger would have a rough time going to sleep that night! She was terrified of all snakes!

"And Gunnar, try to stay away from the saloons-we really don't need to see you drunk!" Ben said. He tried not to be hard on his brother-in-law, but Gunnar still liked to drink. That wouldn't be so bad, but then Ben always had to haul him out of the nearest tavern. Gunnar just wouldn't leave the rotgut whiskey alone at all!

"Ja, sure!" Gunnar said.

Inger shook her head so Ben said in a low voice, "You said you wanted him to join us, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did...and I still do but I want to get him away from the liquor. He gets into such trouble when he drinks-you should know all of this. By the way, I thank you for coming to my rescue when he...cut my arm!"

"He slashed the damned thing! I'm surprised that you can still use it!" Ben replied, somewhat sourly. Ben tried to watch his language around his wife. He knew that she didn't like to hear any swearing, but sometimes, Gunnar would make even a preacher swear!

"I'll have to use it! We're expecting in a few months time!" Inger said as she rose from her seat on the ground. Then she added, "I need to get some sleep. It will be a long day, tomorrow!"

"And, try not to get so excited with Daniel's words," Ben replied. But he knew that Inger would still have a bad time sleeping this evening.

The whole wagon train got the new wagons as well as several oxen and mules and resumed their journey. A few days short of reaching their destination at Fort Chadron, Inger finally went into labor one evening just as the entire wagon train had turned to sing folk songs as they sat by the large fire they had made, right in the middle of the circled wagons. Right in the middle of the folk song, 'Shenandoah', she sat down on the hard ground and said, "Ben?" Then, in a few more minutes, she cried out, "Ben?" Ben was leaning over his wife when she then said, "Ben! I think it's time..."

Feeling that she was indeed going into labor, Ben stated "That's impossible! You're not due for another two months!"

"I think that I'm going to have the baby..." she exclaimed.

Ben, realizing that there were several women in the wagon train, went over to the next wagon and pleaded for help. One of the women in the wagon said, "I really don't think that she's this far along!"

"But, she's in labor!" Ben exclaimed.

"All right! I'll talk with her, but I really think that she is just starting to feel her labor pains!" the woman said. She went over to Ben's wagon and talked with Inger and then said to Ben, "Yes, she's had these pains almost since we got up this morning!"

"Well, can't you do something?" Ben asked. He was frantic with worry over Inger! What if she died during childbirth, like Elizabeth did? Who would take care of his children?

The woman paused for a moment and then said, "You should boil up some water. That should keep you busy for a while, and I'll stay with her!"

Feeling that Ben, the love of Inger's life was going away and not returning, Inger cried out his name again and exclaimed, "My back is hurting something awful!"

"Message her lower back! Sometimes, women with child have back pains as well as pains in their stomachs!"

Feeling helpless by seeing Inger in such pain, Ben messaged her lower back for several hours. Finally, just after midnight, Inger, who was actually lying on the ground next to their wagon, strongly felt the urge to push. The woman that was next to her urged her to do so, and in a few minutes, Ben saw his second son's head come out of Inger's womb. "Is he born yet?" Inger asked weakly as she lay on the bare ground with only a blanket under her entire body, keeping her from feeling the hard clay!

"Just a few more seconds...there, that's it. You now have a son, but my God, look how big he is!" the woman who was now acting as the midwife exclaimed.

Inger brought her head up and said, "My brother was awfully large when he was born, so I would imagine that my son is, too!"

She laid her head down as the midwife brought her son to her and placed him on her chest. Cutting his umbilical cord, the child screamed his displeasure as Inger said in a soft voice, trying to keep her son from crying out in pain as well as to Ben, "There! Now I've been able to give you a son, too!"

Ben, who was so proud at that moment, said, "Yes, you did. But I'd like to name him after my father. Joseph Cartwright is a good name!"

"But I always wanted to call my first son Eric. That was my father's name. Eric has been a fine family name for us Borgstoms!"

Feeling like he would never win this argument, Ben said, "So Eric is his name! We're only a few days from Fort Chadron, so maybe we can rest up a bit. I'd like to put you and our new son into our wagon but I'm afraid you'd find yourself on top of our bag of flour."

"I think that's a fine idea, Mr. Cartwright! I'll burn these blankets, now! It's not good to keep them around. God only knows how the Indians or even the wild animals would react to seeing these things!" Ben reached over and asked if Inger could stand. She was only able to get up for a moment and he carefully had her get up into the wagon. She handed her baby him while she stood up and them made her way to the wagon. Ben helped her into the wagon, where she found a place on top of the largest bag of flour. Then he placed their new son on top of her breast so she could nurse Eric. Then, he went out of the wagon and found that his son had fallen asleep a little ways away from the wagon. He woke him up as well and then carefully placed him next to Inger. Then, getting another blanket for himself, he lay on the ground and fell asleep.

They were able to get to Fort Chadron in a few days, and he had them all rest up. He really didn't know who exactly needed the rest more, he or Inger, but he was also concerned with Gunnar! His brother-in-law had changed quite a bit following the birth of Eric. In fact, the tall blond felt left out of Inger's life, so he snapped at her more than usual. Ben felt that it was all he could do to try to bring peace between his wife and his brother-in-law. Inger, for her part, was a dedicated mother and stepmother. She helped Adam hold his half-brother in the correct manner while she helped to drive the wagon westward. She frequently breast-fed Eric, and the little one just seemed to keep growing! Ben was concerned that he would soon outgrow his swaddling clothes and that Inger would be unable to breast-feed him. As for Gunnar, he found that he could keep on drinking the rot gut whiskey that he found in Fort Chadron. Ben found out that soon enough, Gunnar had run afoul of the strict rules at the fort and had found himself in the makeshift jail for getting drunk and started a fight between himself and a soldier, with Ben finishing the fight that the two were in! Ben only had a few dollars left to pay Gunnar's fine. When he gave his last few dollars to the jail commander, he said, "Speaking of your brother-in-law, you should get him a job right here. I need some help with the trappers as well as the Indians and half-breeds around here!"

"Thank you. Are you sure you really want him?" Ben replied, thankful that he would finally get rid of his troublesome brother-in-law, as well as being thankful that he would soon have the last of his bruises healed by Inger. Then he added, "I don't really think that my wife would want her brother to stay here. She's afraid that she wouldn't be around to help him any at all!"

"Does she really want to help him or is she just enabling that poor young men to keep on drinking?" the commander asked. Ben shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "If it were up to me, I'd say that she's better off without him than with him! Sometimes these men just won't grow up!"

"I guess you're right! My wife wants him to stop drinking and get along without his beloved whiskey! She knows that I've had to do so, and so she thinks he can, too!" It's bad enough that I'm broke! I won't start drinking as well, he thought, as he stood in front of the military officer.

"Tell her that as the commander of this fort, I am in favor of giving that poor man a job, but, while I can't exactly order to let him take my offer, I can only encourage her to do so!"

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" Ben asked. He somehow knew that the officer had more to tell him. He was right, once again!

"Yes, there is! The Pawnee and the Sioux Indians are on the warpath again! Some trapper by the name of Jack Wolf has gotten those tribes riled up something awful, and I'm afraid of another massacre! We have tried to make peace with them but we have failed! So be extra careful out there when you go west to Fort Laramie! Don't do anything to get them angry with you whatsoever!" he exclaimed.

Seeing how things had really changed in the two months since he had gotten his family to Fort Chadron, Ben nodded. They had to stay for almost two months. Inger needed her rest, and Ben needed to make some more money so they could homestead in California! They set out early this next day, right after the dawn had broken in the now seemingly unending prairie. Inger was burping her son when she said, "Eric is getting old enough that I should probably start feeding him some mashed beans and some oatmeal! I don't think I can breast-feed him any longer!"

"And exactly when did you want to do this? He's only a couple of months old!" Ben said, and then explained, "I don't think the nursemaid to Adam felt that he was ready for real food until he was about four months old!"

Trying to defend her son Eric but also trying to defend Adam, Inger said, "Sometimes children are different. Adam wasn't ready for solid food but Eric is!"

Feeling like he couldn't argue with her on that one point, Ben said, "Well, do as you wish, Love!"

The wagon train got into trouble with the Indians about a day's ride east of Fort Laramie. The Pawnee and the Sioux attacked the wagon train. "God Almighty, would you look at those warriors!" Daniel exclaimed at the Indians attacked the train!

"But, how could they do this? Aren't there some Cheyenne and some Arapaho Indians along with the Pawnee and the Sioux!" one of the men exclaimed. Normally, the Arapaho and the Pawnee were enemies, but then again, when the White people came onto their land, and damaged it with their livestock, something had to be done! And these warrior Indians thought that they should do the job of getting rid of the White people!

Daniel nodded, and said, "Those warriors are blood brothers, and they'll attack all of the Whites that they can find! Besides, they think that WE are the ones trespassin' on THEIR LAND! So, they're just tryin' to keep their territory, just as we would if we walked in their moccasins!"

Inger, who was standing defending their wagon, had her back pierced with a long Pawnee spear. As she lay dying, Ben leaned over her body and said, "We're not that far away from the fort. Stay here with me, Love...stay here with me!"

Inger shook her head and said, "Now it is my turn for the day of Glory! Don't give up on our dream, Ben! Go west after I'm gone and tell Eric how his mother lived and now has died in your arms..." Ben, who had held Inger's head on his arms realized that she had died. He cried that day as he carried her lifeless body in his wagon all the way to Fort Laramie. As he buried her, he kept on crying out. Word had gotten out that their wagon train had been attacked. Gunnar made his way west to Fort Laramie and was there when Ben buried his second wife Inger. Daniel, who was also there at her funeral, said, "What are you going to do now, Ben?"

Ben, still crying, and holding little Adam's hand with his right hand and holding his new son Eric on his left shoulder, shook his head and said, "I can't go on to California right now! It's just too painful. As those who have turned back always say-I've seen the elephant! It's time for me and my boys to go back east...We just can't go west again...I'm sorry Inger..."

"So, you'll go with me to Santa Fe?" Gunnar asked. He had heard of the town that was now in northern Mexico. And, he had heard of another drink that he wanted to try that was called Taos Lightning, made with a whole bottle of brandy, twelve egg yolks, and cream. It was another drink that he hoped would wet his alcoholic nature!

"But where will you go?" Daniel asked.

Shaking his head, Ben said through his tears, "I always thought of going to New Orleans. I was in port there one time and it seems to be a good city to live, and there are places for Adam and Eric to stay...while I make a living doing God knows what..."

Ben was waking up at this point and managed to say in a small voice, "Marie!" He passed his arm to the space next to him and called out a little louder, "Marie!" He awoke fully and as he passed his arm to his right, he felt nothing but the sheet and blankets. He missed Marie as well! He realized that Marie had died, too. And, he couldn't do anything about her early death! Not really wishing to relive her death as well, he arose and quietly dressed and went out to face the new dawn of the morning. And he tried very hard not to sob, as he fed the horses in the corral. It wasn't fair at all, but at least, this time, Ben didn't drink to end his sorrows!

Chapter Five

Lydia had not tested Tess just yet. Instead, she was waiting for Tess at the boarding house, for Tess had agreed to take the teacher to the families around Eagle Station. After Tess arrived at the boarding house, they agreed to take Lydia to visit all of the families, and that included the McGregor and Trag families as well as the Cartwrights. She tested all of the families and found that all of the children in the McGregor family, Martha was the most intelligent of all. She reported her results to McGregor who was quite pleased that his youngest daughter would go into the seventh grade. The Trag children were also advanced so much that the oldest son of the Trag family would be receiving his eighth grade certificate before the year was out. Lydia was relieved! She knew that at least two students would complete the eighth grade. She had just sent out the letter to Salt Lake City, asking if she could give out the eighth grade certificates. She had not heard any reply to her letter, but then, she didn't expect to get any replies for she had mailed the letter the previous week. Tess, who had picked up Lydia at her boarding house and then taken her to the two families, asked Lydia if there was any other place that she would like to visit. Lydia nodded and said, "I'd like to go over to the Cartwright ranch to test Joseph and Hoss. And I'd like to test you on your academic skills as well."

"That would be very nice but ma keeps me really busy with running the ranch. She's had to ever since Jorge...well..."

Remembering that she might have heard this story before, Lydia asked, "Was Jorge the one that kidnapped you and Hoss?" Shelby had told her that the foreman of the Greene ranch had turned against Maggie, and had kidnapped both Tess and Hoss. Lydia now knew much more about the younger people of Eagle Station!

"Yes...he and Manuel felt that they needed hostages to hold for ransom!" Tess explained as she kept on driving the carriage.

"I am truly sorry to hear about that but I would really like to test you on your reading skills. Now just how much do you read?" Lydia asked.

"Probably not as much as you would like me to read. Besides, ma wants me to supervise our hired hands," Tess replied.

"And are these hired hands Mexican or American?" Lydia asked.

"Most of them are Mexican," Tess replied.

"And do you speak English with them or do you speak Spanish with them?" Lydia asked.

"I speak Spanish with them when my ma isn't around to correct me. Otherwise, when she is around, I speak in English," Tess replied. Tess wanted to watch her language as well. She felt that Lydia didn't like to her to use words like ain't. Anything to get ma off of my back, Tess thought as she carefully drove the family carriage. But, then again, Margaret didn't like to here Tess use the wrong words either!

"Then, you're bilingual. That means that you can speak two different languages!" Lydia exclaimed.

Tess nodded and then said, "Sometimes I wish that everyone around here spoke Spanish, but then again, maybe not! Ma really hated to listen to Spanish!" Tess knew that Margaret didn't like the fact that Nevada once belonged to Mexico, and therefore Americans had actually invaded the peaceful nation of Mexico!

"If you can spare the time, go ahead and read as much as you can. Do you keep a diary as well?" Lydia asked. Tess nodded, so she continued, "Write as much as you can. I won't read your diary, but if you can, write me letters as well. I've never been on any ranches at all, so this would be a new experience for me. You can send them into town whenever you or your hired help can come into Eagle Station. I'll read the letters, correct any errors I find, and then sent them back to you. You can read my corrections, and maybe, if you'd like to, you can test again in about six months. I'm hoping that we will actually have a graduating class this next spring. As for your mathematics skills, I think that they are quite good. Does your mother have you do her bookwork as well?" Tess nodded and so Lydia continued. "Those scores should be quite good as well. And, I'm hoping that you will do quite well in Civics as well. We women don't have the right to vote outside of Eagle Station...at least not yet at any rate, but you can still get involved with the activities right here in town."

They then went over to the Ponderosa ranch to test both Hoss and little Joe after they left the Trag ranch. Hoss was out in the corral, cleaning up the horse manure on the ground and little Joe had just tied up Scout at the nearest tree that was near the garden, and was heading toward the chicken coop to gather the freshly laid eggs. Tess had stopped the draft horses pulling her carriage when Hoss noticed them. "Hello, Tess, Miss Weiss. What are you doing here this early in the morning?"

"Miss Weiss needs to test Hoss and little Joe. As for myself, well...let's just say that Miss Weiss needs a way to get out here and test the other children in this area, but she wants to do that WITHOUT asking Jack to help her out," Tess said.

"I absolutely refuse to ask Mr. Wolf for any help whatsoever. I know I should ask him to help me, but I refuse to ask him! Otherwise, I would have gotten out here to your ranch a bit sooner. Since you are here, is Joseph around here as well? I want to test you two young men as soon as possible," Lydia said.

"I just finished cleaning up after the horses and little Joe is getting eggs for Hop Sing. We've already had breakfast this morning but I'm sure that you can take some time out for some tea," he explained.

"What are the eggs for?" Tess asked.

"Hop Sing feels that we need the eggs for a cake he's baking for pa's birthday. As for pa, he and Adam and Hop Song are out butchering our lone steer for the winter. We were hoping that we would have more beef to sell to get us through the winter months, but the drought made us sell some of our herd, already. Pa doesn't want to sell any more of our beef cattle. He says that they are our factory. Also, we had some trouble with the cougars getting some of our Texas Longhorns. I always thought those critters were a little big for those cats, and besides, pa also wants to get more wild mustangs to gentle. He says that if we get more wild horses to gentle, we'll get through this next winter as well as we did this last one-maybe even better. That way, we don't have to ask your ma for another loan, like we did last winter," he said.

"So ma isn't going to have to lend you any more money! I know that she thought she'd have to. You made out pretty well this last winter..." Tess explained. She hoped that her mother would lend the Cartwright family more money, but Ben was just as stubborn as her mother! He didn't like asking for help at all! Why not? Tess thought.

"We make out pretty well considering the fact the pa gave up my...or should I say, his winnings in the boxing match that we both had last year. Pa doesn't like the idea of men earning money in boxing matches, like they do back east," Hoss explained, and then added, "Of course, pa earned some money doing boxing when he was a bit younger, but he doesn't like to tell of his experiences in the boxing ring."

Lydia nodded and then said, "With age comes experience. I'm sure that Mr. Cartwright feels that there are better things in life to do besides boxing. For example, there's ranching! It takes quite a bit of work but I'm sure that the returns are much more pleasant. And so what do you think of your intended boxing a...I presume...a professional boxer, Tess?"

"I don't really want to talk of us two just now. We're both so young, and I'd really like to see the world first before I marry," Tess explained.

"I think that you are right to not get married at this point, but are you sure that seeing the entire world is what you want to do first?" Lydia asked. And then added, "I always thought I would see the world myself but other things got in the way..."

"Things like Mr. Jack Wolf?" Tess asked. She was not in the least embarrassed that she now sounded like a common gossip.

"Yes, and there were other things as well," Lydia replied. Why go into the fact that she had wanted to go to India or to China as a missionary? Most of the people that she had met so far would have thought her to be absolutely mad for even thinking of such thoughts. Then, she saw little Joe and said, "This is one young man I had hoped to see! Joseph, I would like to test your skills this afternoon!"

Looking up at the ladies in the carriage, little Joe started to go to the house when Hoss said, "I think that Miss Weiss wants to speak with you, little Joe."

Seeing that he could not avoid his contact with the schoolteacher, little Joe turned around and said, "Do you want to test me right now?"

Lydia looked at the now nervous student and said in a very calm voice, "Yes, I would. I can come down from this carriage and test you. Do you want to be tested out here on your porch or would you rather I test you at your dinner table?"

"I guess that you could test me inside at our table. Just how long is this test supposed to take?" little Joe asked.

"It shouldn't take very long at all, Joseph. Let me get my books and the slate from my bag and I'll join you," Lydia said. Hoss decided to help Lydia out of the carriage and she than went over and entered the small ranch house. In a few minutes, she had everything unpacked from her bag and was testing little Joe with the skills that she felt that he needed in order to succeed in life. She had just finished testing Joe with his mathematics skills when Hoss walked in. Finding that she was occupied with Joe, he left the building to get more firewood. He returned a few minutes later with his arms full of wood. After he placed them next to the fireplace, he left the room again. In a few minutes, Joe left the ranch house and soon found himself seated on the front porch. Lydia remained behind for a few moments and graded his tests. Then, she decided to join everybody else out on the porch. "Joseph Cartwright, you did very well on your reading skills. Just what are your favorite books?"

Little Joe shrugged his shoulders and said, "I really don't know. Pa makes us read the Bible a lot, and Adam has been borrowing books from the Orowitz', books like Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, and some Shakespeare as well. I really don't care for Shakespeare at all, but Adam likes him quite well, and I think Hoss does, too."

"Yes, I see. Hoss, do you read to Joseph a lot?" Lydia asked.

"I've read some of Sir Walter Scott to him as well as my favorite plays by the Bard," Hoss replied, and then added, "I like 'The Midsummer's Night Dream' of all of his works. His other comedies are quite good as well. I also like 'King Lear' as well. I think that is one of his best dramas."

"And now it's your turn, Hoss Cartwright. I'd like to test you as well, so let's test you right now," Lydia said. She went into the ranch house along with the young man. She finished testing Hoss in about a half an hour. He then went out onto the porch and waited while Lydia went over the results of her test.

"How did you do, Hoss?" Tess asked.

He paced for a few moments and then said, "I don't really know."

While everybody was waiting for Lydia to finish her work, Adam, Ben and Hop Sing come out from behind the barn. "Why is everybody standing on the porch?" Ben asked.

Hoss stopped his pacing and explained, "I am waiting for Miss Weiss to come out. She tested me on my academic skills just now, and I hope she comes out real soon."

"Hop Sing, would you please go inside and see if Miss Weiss wants to have some tea?" Ben asked his cook. Ben was quite glad that Lydia had come out all this way in order to test his sons, and he felt that he simply could not let her go without offering her something in return for her trouble.

"Of course, Mr. Cartwright," Hop Sing said as he entered the ranch house. He entered the ranch house only to find the schoolteacher grading Hoss' replies on the slate he had left. "Would you like some tea, Miss Weiss?" he asked.

Lydia shook her head as she went over Hoss' answers that he had written on his slate. She coughed a little into her handkerchief, so Hop Sing said, "I have some herbs for that cough of yours."

Lydia cleared her throat and said, "Thank you but I'm sure that I won't be needing them."

She coughed a little more loudly, so Hop Sing said, "These herbs are quite strong."

"Thank you, but no, I won't need them at all. I don't really have a cold, nor am I chilled in any way. I don't have pneumonia either, so that leaves only one other ailment for me," Lydia said.

"Consumption?" Hop Sing asked. He felt foolish to say what he feared the most, for even the Chinese didn't have any cures for that dreaded disease.

Lydia nodded and said, "I'm afraid so. You sound like you're a doctor, but I'm afraid that you are a bit too late! There is no cure for this...disease at all. Please don't tell anyone about my affliction. I would rather pass what time I have left right here in the west rather than make my way back east."

"I understand, but aren't you afraid that the other students will get what you have?" he asked.

Lydia shook her head and said, "It is my understanding that overwork and a lack of food will do more damage to the lungs than the healthy lifestyle that the folks get out here. From what I've seen, the younger people get all the sunshine and exercise they need in order to keep themselves quite healthy."

"They do indeed. The young boys in my new family are all in good heath, as are the other people in this town. I'll do as you ask, but if Mr. Cartwright asks about your health, I think I should tell him that you have consumption," Hop Sing replied.

Lydia shook her head and said, "Please don't tell your employer anything! I am very afraid that he will be the first person to get me right back on the stagecoach and tell me that I should go back east! While that might seem to be a good idea, there's nothing left for me at all in St. Louis. My other brothers are all involved in their lifestyles, and there would really be no room for me at all." Otto was very busy with the orphanage that he ran, and Edward was involved with running his parish. There was no room for Lydia at all!

"If that is what you want me to do, I will do it, but I still have some very strong herbs for that cough of yours. My father was a doctor, and he left me his entire writings. I brought them over here when I came to America. Let me look at them and see what his writings say about combating consumption," he replied.

"Thank you. Since I have finished grading Hoss' tests, I should go out to the porch and let him know what he got on these tests," Lydia said. She rose from her chair, and looked at her handkerchief to see if she had any more blood on it. It was clean, without any blood on it whatsoever, so she gave a small sigh of relief before she then went out onto the porch to tell the Cartwrights the results of Hoss' tests. As she entered the porch, she announced, "Well, young Mr. Cartwright, you have done quite well. I think that you will receive your eighth grade certificate this spring like the young Mr. Trag as well. Mr. Adam Cartwright, I think that you'll join your younger brother as well. As for young Joseph Cartwright, I think that he will move on up to the eighth grade level. So far, I will have at least three people that will receive their certificates, and if I'm not mistaken, Miss Tess Greene, I think that you'll join the Cartwrights as well. Now, if I can talk with your mother..."

Tess said, "Thank you, but as for talking with my mother, I am not exactly sure that you should. She isn't happy that you will be the new school teacher after all, and..."

"She may not be happy, but I can assure Miss Weiss that I am indeed happy. This has been the best news for me all year, ever since..." Ben said, to the people that were on his porch.

"Isabella had her birthday party last year," Adam said, and then added, "I have some letters for her that need to be mailed. Are you going back to town just now?"

"I still have to test some other children, and then we'll go back to town," Lydia said, and then looked at Tess to say, "If that would be all right with you, Miss Greene."

"Yes, that is fine with me. Perhaps we should go right now?" Tess said.

"Please don't go just yet," Ben said. Noticing that Hop Sing was now standing at the front door of the porch, he added, "Hop Sing, can Miss Weiss have her tea before she leaves?"

"I'll get it right now. I also have some herbs for Miss Weiss, that I think she can use," he replied.

"Thank you, If you will go inside, please. As for the rest of us, I think that we should wash up before we go inside. I don't think that we need to get our steer's blood over the furniture and the floor," Ben explained.

After they had washed up and then entered the ranch house, Ben made sure that there was tea for everybody. That also included Lydia, who, so far, didn't really want any tea whatsoever.

"Is the steer of yours the only one that you'll be butchering this autumn?" Tess asked, as she slowly sipped at the piping hot tea.

Ben nodded his head and said, "We've had a bad year, so far. There's been the drought, that has made me sell some of my best steers, and we've been having some trouble with rustlers this year as well, as well as the cougars. We have all been going around in the high country looking for them, but none of us can make out their trails. Now that's just the rustlers-that doesn't include the cougars. Maybe, if Big Dan will give me some help, we can trap them, and find out just where the rustlers are at up in the high country and maybe one of your men can help us out as well. Right now, I think that we need all the help we can get."

"I'll ask ma if she can get someone to help you out. If Jorge just hadn't helped his friends out, instead of going bad on us..."

Ben nodded his head again, remembering just how he and his boys had been brought in front of Margaret Greene for trespassing on her land, by none other than Jorge himself, and he also remembered just how cruel Jorge had been when he had shot both Isabella and Carlos. He also slowly sipped at his tea as well.

Hoss spoke up after sipping his tea, and said, "I'd like to go along with one of Margaret Greene's boys. I'd like to learn to track these fellows that like to steal from us, as well as to trap those critters. Normally, I really like the wildlife, but not those cougars."

"I think that would be a good idea, Hoss. Adam, maybe you should do the same thing. Take Tess and Miss Weiss back to the Greene ranch. I'll get back to butchering the beef along with Hop Sing, and maybe by tomorrow I can try to join you, when one of Margaret's boys can join us," Ben said.

"Should I say anything to Eli and Ruth about your problems?" Tess asked.

Ben shook his head and said, "No-don't say anything at all. Right now, I am not so sure that I can trust anyone in town-including Jack Wolf! I am now finding out that I can say almost nothing without him finding out just what is going wrong on our Ponderosa." And that bastard wants our land as well! I'll be damned if I will sell out to him! Ben thought.

"I'll not say anything as well. I should have known that I can never trust Mr. Wolf for anything!" Lydia said, and then added, "If I would have known just how he was much earlier in my life..." Deciding that she had had enough of her despair over her feelings for Jack Wolf, she continued on another thought. "Then again, Miss Greene, I think that we should be off. There are still more students that I have to test with their skills. I hope that I can finish testing them before next week. Am I mistaken or will the butchering be done by then?"

"We certainly hope so. Hop Sing has agreed that he will make candles and soap from the tallow, as well as butchering the beef as well," Ben said, and then added, "Are you sure that you don't want any more tea at all, Miss Weiss?"

"No thank you! We should go out to your ranch, Miss Greene. If you will excuse us, we should leave right now!" Lydia said as she grabbed her shawl, which she had taken off, for the fire that warmed the room and heated the hot water to brew the tea, had warmed the teacher considerably. The women left the Ponderosa ranch right after they had finished their tea, and then decided to have their lunch at the Greene ranch. Tess told Lydia that in spite of her mother's opinions about the new school teacher, that as far as Tess was concerned, Lydia would always feel welcome at the Greene ranch, and that she would tell her mother to welcome this new person that now resided in Eagle Station.

Lydia had come back to the boarding house just as the sun was going down. She had driven the Greene's carriage all of the way back into Eagle Station. Margaret had realized that Lydia would need a way to get around the area, and she would not be able to spare Tess from doing all of the driving. She needed her daughter to help with the butchering, even though she had plenty of hands to help her out. It was unfortunate that Margaret was unwilling to speak Spanish to her help, and it was even more unfortunate that the hands were unable or at least unwilling to speak in English. Margaret explained that as far as she was concerned, her people just weren't able to overcome their disgust with the Americans who were now moving out to the Nevada territory in record numbers. As for Lydia, she had decided to have as many people in her class as possible, and that included all of the Mexicans that really wanted to learn about their new neighbors. Lydia felt that Margaret and possibly Jack would be unwilling to share the new school teacher with those that had originally lived in the area, but she also felt that the only one who would be in sympathy with her would be Ben Cartwright. She decided that she would go over to the Ponderosa on the morrow to ask him if he would possibly help her out in getting the Mexicans and possibly the Indians to come over to the classroom. Lydia was also very tired from the day's work. She didn't realize it but she had been up long before dawn, and now she was quite tired.

"You put in a long day's work, didn't you?" her landlady replied as she entered the boarding house.

"Yes, I probably did. What time is it right now?"

"It's about seven-thirty right now! Would you like to have some tea and maybe some sandwiches?" she asked.

"I would rather have some tea, but nothing else right now! I think that I need to get to bed after I finish the tea," Lydia explained. She went upstairs, but before the landlady came up to give her the tea, she had fallen asleep on her bed, wearing the clothes that she had on. She also had the letters that Adam had given her that were now in her bag.

The next morning, she awoke just as the sun was now coming up. After saying her prayers in her native German, she looked at her watch and realized that she must get to the trading post to mail Adam's letters. She quickly smoothed out her dress that she wore, and made her way downstairs. She wanted to leave the boarding house as quietly as possible, for she didn't want to wake her landlady.. As she quickly and silently went into the trading post, Jack Wolf said, "I'm glad that you showed up on this early, and should I say, this foggy morning as well!"

Ignoring him, she quickly gave the letters to Ruth and said quietly, "I think that Adam wants these mailed as soon as possible!"

"Did you hear me, lady! I want you to pay attention..."Jack said.

Wheeling around, Lydia said, "And I thought that I told you that I wanted you to leave me alone! Go away, Mr. Wolf! I have nothing to say to you!"

Jack looked at the letters and then said, "You shouldn't be mailin' those letters to Isabella."

"And why shouldn't she?" Ruth asked.

"Because I have to mail some of my letters to her!" Jack replied.

"And here I thought that Isabella always considered herself to be engaged to Adam?" she replied.

"Oh, she's very young, and in my opinion, she needs a man for her-not some boy!" he replied.

And what makes you think that she will go with you instead of Adam?" Ruth and Lydia said.

Looking at both of the now outraged women, Jack only managed to say, "Well, it looks like I'm outnumbered! If you will excuse me, I think that I'm needed back at my hotel!" He then left the trading post with both women looking daggers at him.

"And to think that I thought he was actually a good man!" Eli said as he left their place. There were no customers in the trading post, which was quite unusual. At this time of the morning, both he and Ruth would have more than enough customers. Instead, Eli found himself listening in on Ruth and Lydia's exchange with Jack.

"I was hoping that you would see him as I saw him!" Ruth said in reply, and then added, "I'll make sure that Big Dan takes these letters over to Hangtown, and I'll also say tell him to tell Adam that he now has some competition with Jack Wolf now showing his interests."

"Thank you. Now that I have done as Adam asked, I'll tell him this as well. He acted towards Isabella the same way that he acted towards me. Of course, I was a little younger then, too! If Isabella is smart, she won't lead Mr. Jack Wolf around-she'll tell him the same thing that I ended up telling him. It's really too bad that I didn't know of his behavior a lot sooner than I did! At any rate, I'll be going back to the boarding house," Lydia said.

After she drove the carriage back to the Greene ranch, she spotted Adam, on his horse and was on his way over to Eagle Station. "Mr. Adam Cartwright? I must talk with you for a moment," Lydia called out.

Leading his horse towards Lydia, Adam replied, 'What is it, Miss Weiss?"

Sighing for a moment, she then said, "I had Ruth send over your letters to Hangtown, but I may have some bad news for you. It seems that Jack Wolf is also very interested in writing to your Isabella, and..."

Feeling quite jealous himself, Adam said, "I knew that he seemed to be interested in Isabella, but even I didn't think that he would do this sort of thing. I must talk with pa right now, so if you'll excuse me..." He then turned his horse around and headed back to the ranch house where his father was cleaning himself up after finishing his butchering of their steer. Lydia decided that she should stay in town. She had done her duty, and had informed Adam that Jack had interests in Isabella as well. But, she feared the worse! Would Adam give up on his dream to go to college, and marry Isabella? Or, would he do the impossible! Would he marry his love and go to college as well?

"Pa?" Adam asked, as he quickly rode over to their ranch. He dismounted, and then said, "I need to talk to you, pa!"

"What is it, Adam?" Ben called out as he rinsed his now bloody arms and hands in the tub that Hop Sing had put out on the porch.

"We need to talk right now! Miss Weiss has told me that Jack Wolf is writing letters to Isabella, and..." Adam said in an angry manner.

"And now you're jealous?" Ben asked, knowing that he, too, had felt jealousy at knowing that Marie, the love of his life, was considered to be attractive to other men as well!

Adam nodded his head and then said, "I want to marry Isabella as soon as I can."

"And what about college for you? You told me that you wanted to apply to Harvard or Yale this year," Ben said, puzzled as to just why Adam was doing this not only to him but also to Isabella as well. He wiped his wet arms and then listened to his son.

"When we talked about this earlier, you said that men could marry even before they finished their education, and so now, I want to do this! I can trust that Isabella will be true to me, but God knows I sure as hell can't trust Jack Wolf..." Adam said, just jealous as before. Ben wasn't surprised at his behavior, for he had been jealous of Marie as well!

"Adam, you take me by surprise! I always thought that you wanted to continue your education, and now you want to get married, too!" Ben replied.

"I want to do that, pa, but now it really seems that I need to marry Isabella, too. I know that she'll probably be true to me, but I can't trust Jack Wolf any more than I can trust the man in the moon. You know that if he ever has his way with her! I'm afraid that she'll get one of his social diseases! And, besides, he has an awful reputation with women around here! I don't want her to be as bitter about him as Lydia!"

Ben sighed for a moment, and then said, "And if I don't give my blessings on this match of yours, what will you do?"

"Pa, when you married my ma, you had grandpa's blessings, and when you married Inger, you had Gunnar's blessings, and when you married Marie, you got the blessings of the Catholic Church. Now, don't you think that I need your blessings on my match as well?" Adam replied.

"I had all of their blessings, but what are you going to do with Isabella? Are you going to take her back east with you, or are you going to leave her here at the Ponderosa, or even at the Greene ranch," Ben answered.

"I haven't thought of that. I would really like to take her back east with me. I know that this territory is her home, but I think that she'll find that her true home is with me," Adam said.

"That's good enough for me, but are you going to write to her to tell her of your plans?" Ben asked.

"No, I don't think that would be a good idea. I'll take the stage going south into Mexico! I know that she's there, and she's still single. Bertito died right after she got to his ranch, and she not only misses him, but she misses me, too!" Adam replied.

Ben sighed again and then said, "You now have my blessings on your marriage to Isabella, but just when are you planning to leave?"

"As soon as I can, pa. I know that we're a little short on cash right now, but I still have my money from working for Jack and I have some money that I have saved up when we gentled those mustangs about a month ago. I think that it'll be enough to pay for my tickets for the trip to Mexico as well as the ticket for Isabella to come back here as well. I know that we don't have any more money than that, so I'm hoping that we can get some more cash to pay for my ticket to go back east. Maybe there'll be more mustangs that we can gentle, or maybe I can work at some of the other ranches around here in order to pay for my college, for this year at least," Adam said. He was relieved that his father had finally given his blessings on his marriage and so he added. "I suppose that Isabella will want to get married right there in Mexico, so I hope to bring my new bride up here, after we get married."

Ben nodded his head and said, "I was always hoping that I could be there at your wedding, and so I was, and still am, reluctant to give you my blessings, but I know that Isabella wants to do this exactly right. I am sure that if Carlos had lived, he would be very proud to call you his brother-in-law, especially since you are want to do the things that would give honor to his family!"

The next day was bright and sunny, and quite a contrast to the previous day which was cold and foggy. "It looks like we're in for an Indian Summer," Ben exclaimed as he and Adam packed his trunk onto the buckboard wagon. Then he added, "Son, is this what you want to do?"

Adam nodded his head and said, "Yes, it is! Sometimes I really miss Isabella so very much! I'll bet it was like that for you, pa, right after ma died and Inger too! Not to mention that you felt this way right after Marie died, too!"

"Yes, it is, son! But the good part is that you'll be reunited with Isabella!" Ben said, and then added, in a more positive tone of voice, "When you get to Isabella's place, please tell her that I'm very sorry that I couldn't be there to see you two get married. My place is right here for right now. I think that we'll find out just who' been rustling our cattle, not to mention the fact that we'll get those cougars yet! I just hope that it won't be before winter sets in! And I hope you're back before the snow flies! You remember how it was the winter of '46, don't you?"

"Yes, pa, I remember! With any luck, we'll be back before the first snowstorm hits the mountains!" Adam replied.

"Do you have all of your things, Adam?" Hoss asked.

"Yes, that's everything I need for right now! I have some of Marie's dresses as well. I even included Marie's wedding dress! I know that Isabella cried when she first saw the dress, but maybe I can talk her into wearing it for our wedding! Little Joe, I think that you had a great idea in showing her the dress, and I know that your ma would be very proud to have Isabella wear it at our wedding!" Adam answered, and then continued, "Are all of you going to see me off when the stage coach leaves Eagle Station?"

"Yes, we'll all be there, Adam. Are you coming back after your wedding?" Hoss asked.

"Yes, I'd like to stop back here, and then we'll leave after I hear from Yale. I sent them an application and they said that they would be writing me a letter that should be here any day! I also wrote to Harvard as well, so either way, I'll be going to college. I also wrote to grandpa Stoddard as well, so I'm sure that I'll have a place to stay while I'm in school. I didn't write to him about Isabella, but I'm sure that he has some room for her as well." Adam replied.

"Well, hurry up then, and we'll all go!" Hop Sing said as he got onto the wagon. Like the other members of his family, he was excited that Adam was finally going to be off to college, but he knew that he would miss this young man. It was Adam who had comforted him the most during the cholera epidemic. That epidemic was a terrible thing to go through, and he had failed to save the life of Jack Roberts, but he had managed to save the lives of Margaret Greene as well as his new boss, Ben Cartwright. He was grateful that little Joe and Hoss were around right now. Now the house would seem a little less lively since Adam was now going to get married and then going off to college, but then again, after Adam and his family returned home, it would seem like it would be old times. And maybe Adam would have some children of his own. That would be very good, especially since Marie had miscarried a few years before her untimely death. Besides, Ben Cartwright was not the young man he was when he had first come out to Eagle Station. The loss of his third wife and raising three young men had aged him quite a bit. The Chinese cook noticed that Ben was getting more gray hair every day.

The whole family made it into Eagle Station and was there when the southbound stage arrived. Mr. Haskell had managed to get a line that stretched from St. Louis to San Francisco and also a southbound line that stretched all of the way to Mexico City. Adam wasn't going quite that far into Mexico. Instead, he hoped that he would go to the village where he hoped to find Isabella. And then what? Propose to her, and hope that she would marry him. He was only a poor young man, but he hoped that he would eventually make enough money that he could support a family. He had high hopes for both himself and Isabella!

The Ponderosa

The Schoolmarm

Chapter Six

School started on the first Monday in September. The day was like all days of the Indian Summer, for there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temperature of the day was quite high. Lydia thought that it was nearly ninety degrees in the full sun, and only a little cooler in the shade. Since there was a bell for her to ring, she rang in quite loudly. The students came into the classroom, but like all children of that time, they were quite loud! She got them to quiet themselves, and then placed the girls on the right side of the classroom and the boys on the left. She also had the older students sit in the back of the classroom and had the younger students sit up front. She hoped that this would not be such a burden on the younger students. Before the class began, she opened one of the windows to let in some fresh air. She then had them sing a stanza of Yankee Doodle for the patriotic song of the day. She had a clear mezzo-soprano voice that carried quite well in the classroom, though it didn't really help that she had to sing acappella. The town council didn't think that she really needed to have an instrument to accompany her singing. It also helped that she sang on key. She could remember just how bad it was for her on her first day of school. She had been a little older that the other students, for her folks had not gotten her registered along with the other students. Her folks just wanted to work after they immigrated to St. Louis, so she wasn't really a student until she was nearly ten. Her first teacher not only sang off key, but she felt that this new German girl simply couldn't learn English fast enough to please this really old schoolmarm. Lydia, for her part simply decided that she was going to learn English a lot faster than this old woman thought that she would. It also helped that Lydia's first boss felt that she would be a good companion to his daughter, and his daughter felt the same way. Lydia not only learned English quite a bit faster that her schoolmarm wanted, but she learned it quite well, with only a hint of a German accent. Her parents were quite proud of their only daughter, for they still spoke their plattdeutsch. They eventually learned to speak American English, but like most immigrants, they had very heavy German accents. And even her brothers learned English as well, but their accents were more pronounced than her own accent. All in all, her immigrant folks were very proud of their children! Besides, both of her brothers had religious vocations. Lydia really wanted to become a nun, but her folks said that they wanted her to take care of them instead. Caring for the elderly was going to be her vocation after all, it seemed! But Lydia still wanted to be like her brothers, and enter a convent.

Little Joe was very excited to start school that day! With Adam leaving for Mexico, he had the unpleasant job of getting water from the well, as well as making sure that Hoss had chopped enough wood to keep the fire in the fireplace burning all day long. Pa really liked to have his morning tea piping hot, and the whole family liked to have a good hot breakfast. And little Joe had to make sure that he had gathered enough eggs from their chickens before he could get to school. Those were just the chores that he had to do before he went to school. That didn't include cleaning out the corrals or making sure that the fences were mended and that the horses were brushed as well as fed. If he didn't do those things, pa would be very unhappy with him! Hoss had been right! Little Joe looked forward to going to school, for this would be a little break in his routine of doing chores almost the entire day!

And the young man really liked to see his old friends! So much so that all of the young men didn't seem to stop talking! Lydia found it very difficult to make them stop talking and get to their schoolwork. After her third attempt to make little Joe be quiet, Lydia had him sit with the girls while she attempted to teach the next class, which just so happened to be mathematics! Little Joe seemed to know most of the answers, but there was a problem with that! Martha seemed to know the answers as well. Little Joe was sitting behind the redheaded girl and he noticed that there was a well of black ink on his desk, so he decided to ask a question. "Is the black ink that is here in our inkwells really India ink?"

"Of course!" Lydia answered. She was momentarily distracted by his question, for she had been quizzing the children on their mathematics skills, Little Joe then got the idea that he had wanted. He slowly but surely took one of Martha's braids and dipped the end of it into his inkwell, and thus stained the end of her long carrot-red hair a deep, dark ink color. As he leaned over to get her other braid, Martha turned around and grabbed his hand, and squeezed it. So far, she had not discovered that the end of her left braid was black instead of its carrot-red color.

"Ouch!" little Joe screamed out.

Lydia then moved over to the two people in the back of the girl's side of the classroom and said in a loud voice, "Now just what is going on back here between you and Miss Martha?"

Still holding his right hand, little Joe said, "Nothing, ma'am!"

Looking at the two people, Lydia said, "What about you, Miss McGreger?"

"I'm fine, I guess, Miss Weiss! Fine... except that Joseph grabbed my hair!" Martha said.

Looking at little Joe, Lydia said, "And what about you, Mr. Cartwright?"

Still holding his right hand, he answered, "I'm fine except that my hand still hurts!"

"And now what did you do to disserve this?" Lydia asked.

Not wanting to share his prank with the schoolmarm, little Joe said nothing more. He knew that his pa wouldn't be happy at all, not to mention the fact that McGregor would also be upset at what he had done to Martha's hair! As for himself, he knew that he was no longer bored with school at all. It was too bad that he had not thought to do this prank when his mother had taught school. He knew that if he had done this and his pa had found out about it, he would be doing more chores than he could imagine. Ben had his way of dealing with his sons, he believed in giving them plenty of work to do. The Ponderosa ranch always needed to have more work done! He also knew that his pa might even punish him further, with even more work to do! The neighbors needed to have work done on their ranches, too! As it was, he hoped that Martha wouldn't discover her now stained hair until she got home. Besides, this was now his revenge at having a mere girl outdo him in mathematics! He always felt that women should never let it be known that some of them were just as good, if not better in their academic pursuits! Little Joe then sat back and smiled a little, feeling fully satisfied that he had, so far at least, gotten away with his deed! Lydia, for her part, did not see the damage that little Joe had done.

She had no idea that he had done anything until the next day when Mr. McGregor came to her classroom, along with his daughter, Martha. "Good mornin', Miss Weiss!" he said in his Scottish brogue.

"Good morning, Mr. McGregor, and also to you, Miss Martha. What can I do for you this morning?" Lydia asked as she turned around from the blackboard. She had written the new assignments for the children.

McGreger sighed for a moment, more in anger and frustration than anything else. Then her said to his daughter, "Would you show this poor lass your hair?" Martha pushed her braids forward so Lydia could see them. They were quite a bit shorter than they had been the day before. Lydia gasped, and so McGreger continued, "Aye, you see, ma'am, just what my wife had to do to my poor darlin's hair last night!"

Lydia nodded and said, "Why is your hair so much shorter today than it was yesterday?"

Martha looked up to her father, but said nothing. Her father, seeing that she was even angrier than he, said in a loud voice, "Now, I'm pretty angry about all of this! I have never even thought that my daughter would have to have her hair cut by my wife for any reason! Martha is like my wife-she doesn't believe in cutting her hair for any reason, whatsoever! But we DID have a reason to do this! Martha came home yesterday with the end of her left braid died a dark black color! The only way that she could have had her hair end up like that would be if someone had dipped her braid in an inkwell! So now I need to have an answer to this question! Who would be stupid enough to do this to her hair?"

Seeing that the two people were very mad at the thought of this prank! Lydia only nodded and then said, "You were sitting in front of Joseph Cartwright yesterday, weren't you?" Martha nodded, so Lydia continued, "I always thought the Joseph would do something like this! It seems that your daughter, Mr. McGreger is even more intelligent in mathematics than I had even dreamed of, but, it seems that she should learn to keep her mouth shut whenever she's in class! It seems that some of our young...men find that it's quite offensive that women should be just as smart in mathematics as they are!" Then, leaning towards the angry young girl, Lydia continued to say, "I had to learn this small lesson myself when I was your age, and if I remember correctly, I had my braids dipped in ink, too! It was quite a shock to see the tips of my lovely blond braids died black! My father was just as irate as yours is today! Now, does that make you feel any better!"

Seeing that the schoolteacher was just as upset as she was, Martha merely said, "Aye, ma'am!" Then she looked at her father and said, "Thank you! Miss Weiss is about as upset as we are!"

"Yes, I am, Miss McGreger! I remember when that young...scoundrel of a young man put my braids into his inkwell! I also remember that the schoolteacher that I had just laughed at what he had done, instead of punishing him, like both my parents and myself wanted her to do! Like many of the Americans, she didn't think that a lowly German such as myself really needed to be taught in schools, but that we should immediately go into the work force! I'm sure that you experienced the same thing, Mr. McGregor, especially since the English took you from your homes in Scotland. I believe that the English called their program the Highland Clearances!" Lydia said.

"Aye, ma'am! Those English and their wantin' to make the Highlands of my beloved Scotland, nothing but a large game preserve!" McGreger bitterly said, "And now, that young queen of those...English, wants to have a home in Scotland! That's why we left Scotland...my bonnie, bonnie Scotland!" He stood there for a moment, angry that the English had done this deed to his beloved Scotland! Then he asked in a more even tone of voice, "But do you now miss your home in Germany?"

Lydia shook her head and said, "Not at all, Mr. McGregor! My father always said that America was and remains the land of opportunity! I agree with my late father, but I will punish Joseph Cartwright. I will have him sit up here next to me, by my desk, and then I'll talk with his father after school lets out today! I am sure that his father will punish him quite enough! Mr. Cartwright has been giving my assurances that he will do so! Thank you for stopping by and telling me about this...little problem of yours!"

"And what did I tell you? I said that she would see to it that Joseph Cartwright is punished! That's what I heard her say at the reception!" McGregor said, and then added, "I'll expect to see you home after school, Martha! Your ma and I will expect to see you do your chores!"

"Aye, pa. Thank you for coming here with me! I like Miss Weiss, for she is both fair with me and little Joe!" Martha said.

After McGreger left the town hall, Lydia decided to tell Martha one of her secrets. "Martha, whenever there is a boy that wants to tell me the answer to one of my questions, always let him speak first! If he gives me the wrong answer, you can then answer my question, but don't let on right away that you actually know what the answer is! Certainly, not right away! Many young men don't like the fact that women actually know the answers, too!"

"But, isn't that unfair?" Martha asked.

"Yes, it is! But like I said, some men don't really like the fact that women know the answers, too! You should always do this! Some...men let their egos get in the way of their reasoning!" Lydia said, and then added, "I know that this isn't exactly fair, but this is the truth!"

"And if I don't do as you say, what happens to me?" Martha asked.

"I fear that the young men around here wouldn't even think of marrying you. Not everyone is destined to be a schoolteacher! Most of us women are destined to be nothing more than housewives and mothers! It is very important to see this, for otherwise, where would we women be but single and for the most part, largely unhappy!" Lydia said. She was still grieving that she had not been smart enough to see this trait within herself at an earlier age. Otherwise, she would be a cloistered nun!

After her class was over for the day, Lydia actually decided to get over her fear of horses, and mounted an old mare, and went over to the Ponderosa. She went over to the livery stable and got Big Dan to rent her one of his older horses. She told him of her fear of horses, and so he found one horse that was quite gentle in her disposition, and he even saddled the mare for her. "Thank you, Daniel. Now just where is the Ponderosa?" she asked.

"It's about five miles west of here. Keep going straight on the dirt road and you'll find his place easy enough," Daniel answered, and then added, "You might want to give that old nag plenty of rein. She might get a little jumpy if you don't do that!"

"Thank you, and thank you again for helping me up on top of this horse! Is Sally her name?" Lydia asked.

"That it is! By the way, what has gotten into you? You always gave me the idea that you were terrified of horses!" Daniel asked.

"I was and I suppose I always will be, but right now, I am more angry at what little Joe did yesterday in my class, than I am frightened of horses," she replied.

"What did that little scamp do?" Daniel asked.

"He dipped one of Martha McGreger's braids into his inkwell, and her father came over to the classroom this morning and was almost besides himself with anger, and I don't blame the poor man!" Lydia replied.

Daniel laughed out loud and said, "I always knew that he was headed for trouble, and he didn't disappoint me!" Seeing that Lydia remained quite serious, he stopped laughing, and then added, "Well, I hope that Ben can be just as serious as you are! Frankly, I find this absolutely funny!"

"Thank you for telling me how to get to the Ponderosa, and I hope that Ben will take this seriously, and at least keep from laughing until after I have told him about this! I suppose that he'll laugh anyway, but I hope that he doesn't do this in front of Joseph!" she replied, as she mounted the mare. She coaxed her aged mare into walking to the Ponderosa, where she hoped to find Ben.

As she made her way to Ben's place, she made sure that she gave Sally plenty of rein, and thought about what she should say to Ben. She wanted to make sure that Joseph was punished, but not too severely. After all, the damage could have been much worse! Little Joe could have dyed Martha's hair completely black, or he could have taken her books and destroyed them.

She thought back to her time in St. Louis, and while she had never received such treatment from her classmates, one of her students, a poor girl not exactly noted for her strong intelligence did! The girl was considered quite slow by her classmates-so slow that one of her classmates, another girl, actually destroyed all of her schoolbooks! The girl was unable to pay for these schoolbooks, and left her class shortly after the incident! When Lydia went to the parents of the bully and told them of her behavior, the parents of the bully said that the victim needed to leave school, and that they backed up what their daughter had done. Lydia protested at their attitude, and said that the victim wasn't quite as slow as their daughter had said. But they refused to listen to Lydia or even the victim's parents! This was yet another one of Lydia's reasons for leaving her beloved St. Louis. Lydia asked her brother, a Capuchin about all of this! Her brother, who was now known by his religious name of Brother Otto, said that he found that this attitude was all too common. He also added that some folks would never accept people that were different! Lydia would never accept that fact, and she feared that Eagle Station would become such a place, especially with people like Jack Wolf, who had charmed his way onto the town council.

She noticed that she was now on the Ponderosa ranch, and she could barely see two people in the distance. The larger of the two was chopping more firewood, and the smaller one was sitting at his sharpening wheel, and no doubt he was sharpening some knives or even an ax. She had heard the folks, and even the children in town, talking about the upcoming winter. They all seemed to agree that this coming winter was coming early and would be a long winter, so maybe the Cartwrights felt that way as well! As she rode along on her horse, she didn't see anybody else, so she urged her horse to walk at a faster walk. Even though she was at a distance from the ranch house, she could still see some of what was going on in front of it. It was times like this that she really hated being so myopic! She didn't want her horse to go any faster than a walk. She was completely unfamiliar with how to control the horse, especially if her mare went a lot faster than she really wanted her to. Returning to her thoughts, she hoped for the children's sake that they would have a snowy winter, and she herself thought she could stand a snowy winter as well! She felt better that she had in months, and she realized that her doctor had been correct in urging her to go west for her consumption. She hoped that what the folks said about their snow would be correct. She liked the idea of merely sweeping off the snow that fell on the steps of the town hall with a strong broom. It was better than with a large shovel, and the dry air was also good for her illness, for she was sleeping a lot better and wasn't being awakened with her chronic cough, and she wasn't having any more bloody handkerchiefs like she had back in St. Louis. She was relieved of that thought, and hoped that she would actually improve on her fragile health. She also prayed a short prayer that she would actually live long enough to finish this year's class! Of course, she had no idea that the consumption was getting much worse. Nor did she realize that she would have good days and bad days with this malady!

She felt that she was now close enough to call out her greeting. She was close enough now to make out Ben and Hoss in the distance. "Hello, Mr. Cartwright!" she called out.

Ben looked up from his sharpening wheel and noticed the schoolteacher sitting precariously on her horse. He stood up and called back, "Good afternoon, Miss Weiss! What brings you all of the way out here?"

Lydia urged her horse a few yards further, and when she was by the fence of the corral, she then dismounted and said, "I really need to speak with you! It's about little Joe and what he did in school yesterday."

Ben was very interested in what the schoolmarm had to say. He went over to her and said, "What did my boy do?"

Lydia sighed for a moment, and then said, "Your Joseph played one of his pranks in class yesterday! It seems that he thought that Martha McGreger looked very good with the end of her braid dyed in ink. While you...and perhaps I can laugh at his antics, I can assure you that McGregor doesn't feel that way at all!"

Ben lowered his head to stop his laughter, but he was unsuccessful! Trying to keep from laughing herself, Lydia said, "Now, Mr. Cartwright! Please! McGreger takes this all so seriously! Besides, what would you do if you had a daughter that you loved as much as you love your sons?"

Ben raised his head, but was still smiling. Then he said, "I think that this is one prank of his that I find absolutely hilarious! I am sure that McGregor is very serious about what he did to his daughter, but it could have been much worse!"

"I agree with you, Mr. Cartwright, but could you see that you can punish him as well?" Lydia asked.

"So what would you have me do?" Ben asked, and then added, "Since little Joe has done this to Martha, what could he do to make things up between those young people?"

Lydia paused for a moment. What could little Joe do? Then she had an idea. "He should go over to the McGreger place and work for Mr. McGreger for a few days! Surely that man can find something that Joseph could do!" Lydia suggested.

"That is a fine idea, Miss Weiss!" Ben answered, and then said, "Now that Adam has gone down to Mexico, we'll be a little short of help for a while, and now what little Joe did, makes us even more short of help. I'll talk with McGreger and tell him of our plans to keep little Joe busy for a few days!"

"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. Now I can go back to town, and feel like I have obtained justice for Martha. If you'll excuse me..." Lydia said, as she made her way to her horse.

Just then, a sudden gust of wind came up. And like all mountain winds, it was cold! Ben was glad that Hop Sing had finished washing and drying the laundry, and had taken the clean clothes inside, where he hoped to have the shirts starched. Tomorrow, he hoped that Hop Sing could have them ironed. Lydia, for her part, pulled her shawl closer around her. Ben then asked, "Would you like to stay for supper with us?" He was a little ashamed that the laundry was inside, but perhaps, Hop Sing would take the laundry into his bedroom and close the door! After all, short cuts for housekeeping would have to be made whenever guests were at his ranch!

Lydia looked at her watch that hung on a pin, and said, "No, I don't think so! I should be getting back to town. We don't have any clouds as yet, and the sun hasn't gone down, so I think I'll make it back to the boarding house before it gets really dark! Thank you for listening to me! Good-bye, Mr. Cartwright." She then mounted her horse and went back to town.

She then rode her horse all of the way back to town and to the livery. Daniel had just put away a saddle, and was right there when Lydia came back, still sitting precariously on her saddle. She tried to cover her exposed legs, but to no avail! So she hoped that the trapper would please ignore her legs. She was thankful that her thighs weren't exposed! It was bad enough that her ankles and shins were exposed! As she entered the livery, she saw that there was a sidesaddle sitting on the wall. Evidently, Daniel had neglected to mention the fact that he had some sidesaddles to offer the schoolteacher, although she wouldn't admit that she would then have to learn to ride sidesaddle instead of riding like any man would do. Evidently, Margaret, of all people, would have to teach this teacher just how to ride the way that women of this period rode. But she was unwilling to break down her own pride to teach this German woman how to ride, and Lydia would never even dream of asking the most prosperous woman rancher to do this! After all, Lydia had her pride, too! And asking Shelby to help her ride sidesaddle was also out of the question, for Shelby always rode her horses the same way that the men did! Tess could help her out, too, but then again, Lydia had her own pride to consider! As she dismounted, Daniel thought to mention, "I didn't realize this, ma'am, but I have a sidesaddle right here that you could have used instead of the regular saddle that I gave you!"

She then raised her head to look and to see it hung on the stall. Then nodded her head and said, "Thank you, but I'm afraid that I am just learning how to ride like a man, and I'm afraid that I'll just have to ask Mrs. Greene to help me out here! Now, does she actually ride sidesaddle or does she ride the same way that you do!"

"No, come to think of it, she rides the same way we men do! I guess that she isn't as...upset about showing her legs, like you are, ma'am," he replied. He realized that she was siting so precariously not only because she was afraid of horses, but she also did this in order to avoid having more of her legs showing as much as she did. So, the new schoolteacher was modest at heart! He found that attitude of Lydia's quite touching, for none of the other women in town were quite as modest!

"And you are right as well, Daniel. I am very upset at showing my poor large legs, but I am sure that Mrs. Greene would be completely unwilling to teach me just how to ride in the correct manner! Thank you for being here at this late hour! I need to bring my horse back, as well as to get to bed quite early. Class begins at the same hour tomorrow! Good night, Daniel," Lydia said as she left the livery and made her way to the boarding house.

"Good night, Miss Weiss," he replied. He was correct in figuring out that Ben Cartwright was interested in Lydia, but he now realized that he was, too! But now, how could he actually court the new schoolteacher? She was about the same age as he was, but she actually was better educated than this old trapper. He always thanked Marie Cartwright for teaching him how to read and write, before her untimely death, and he now knew just how badly Ben actually missed his last wife. He, himself, regretted at never marrying, or even thinking of getting married! It was probably too late for him, anyway! That was something else that he thought of as he closed down the livery for the evening. He was also grateful that he had not seen Jack Wolf at all that entire day, or evening! He wasn't exactly sure just how he would react to seeing this con artist get his way around this poor town that he was trying to rob! After all, there were more thorough ways of robbing towns besides holding up the bank or conning people out of their live savings. He was also grateful that Samuel Newborn had seen fit to repay the money that he, himself, had conned out of the trapper. He, then, put the money Lydia had given him into Jack Wolf's register, before making his way to Shelby's saloon to help her out at her restaurant! Even with Jack opening up his hotel, there were still a lot of people that liked eating at Shelby's saloon!

Adam had just made his way down to Mexico, and had found where Isabella was now residing. She had been right! The stage went both north and south! He managed to ask around, and then found Bertito's place. He slowly knocked on the large oak door, and then asked the servant if he could enter the hacienda, and then asked if Isabella would please come down the long staircase. "Adam! What are you doing here?" Isabella asked as she descended the stairs.

Looking up at her, Adam decided that she was the right person to marry. "Good evening, Isabella. I'm glad that I find you..."

Isabella took his hand, and then said to the donna who was near her, "Senora, this is Adam Cartwright. I was hoping that I could introduce you to him, but I must admit, Adam, that I didn't think that you would actually come all the way here to Mexico to..."

Adam said, "I understand, Isabella. I heard that Jack Wolf was sending you letters, and I was afraid that if he found out that I was coming down here, that he would take steps to stop me in my journey! Now, he has been writing to you, hasn't he?"

"Yes, he has, but I've told him several times in my one letter that I sent him, that I am promised to you! He has written several letters, but I have only written him one letter, and I thought that's all I needed to write!" Isabella replied.

Adam smiled, for he had been right, too! Isabella was true to him, and wouldn't take any more letters from that man! "Thank you! Now, if you'll excuse this proposal, I'll get down on my knees and make this official! Donna, if you'll excuse me!" He than got down on his knees and said, "Isabella de Reviere, will you marry me?"

He kept on kneeling and prayed a very short prayer that Isabella would answer his proposal of marriage. Adam, himself went back and forth between atheism and Unitarianism. At this point, he wasn't exactly sure what or even Who he believed in! Isabella felt confused as well. She wanted to marry Adam, but he had told her many times, that he wanted to get a college education BEFORE he got married. And she was so young as well. She was barely sixteen-a full year younger than Tess. She missed Tess very much, for she could share her thoughts with the young girl. They had spent most of their evenings at the Greene ranch, telling each other about their loves of the young Cartwright men, and Isabella hoped that Tess would actually marry Hoss. But like Adam, the girls were young, too! But Isabella had at least one more objection! For example, she felt that she was much too young to be making an important decision. And besides, she had another example. Was Adam actually asking to marry her because he loved her, or was there another reason? "So, are you asking me to be your wife out of love for me...or are you jealous of Jack Wolf?" she asked.

Her donna shook her head, for she was charmed by the actions of Adam! She said, in a scolding manner, "Don't be rude, senorita de Reviere! I always thought that your...young man is being quite the romantic!"

Isabella turned to her donna and said, "Yes, he is being romantic, but I deserve to have an answer to my question!" Then, seeing that Adam was probably uncomfortable kneeling on the hard tile floor, she turned back to him and said, "Adam, I think that you should rise from your knees!"

Adam rose from his knees, but he was also becoming quite angry. Trying to keep from spitting out his words, he carefully replied, "You're being unfair to me, Isabella! I know that you'll remain true to me, but I can also see that Jack Wolf is...well, you know exactly who and what he is!" Then, he addressed her donna by saying, "You know how is was in the recent war? The war of...Aggression against your beloved Mexico? You saw how much damage that the Americans did to your ranches, your towns and villages? How many people that were killed...or even crippled? How many women were...violated?" Then he took a quick breath before adding his conclusion. "I cannot defend all of the women of Mexico against Americans, but I can protect one of them, and that young woman is Isabella! I can protect and defend her as much as I can protect my country...and my Constitution!" Then turning to look at Isabella, he said, "I mean to protect you against Jack Wolf! As far as I'm concerned, he's just like that..." Isabella was so moved by his words that she kept him from saying anything more by kissing him on his lips. She knew that it was quite forward of her, and her donna probably would mind her actions by quite a bit! Isabella's only regret was that she hadn't have met Adam before her arduous trek from Mexico City to the Greene ranch, that really was slightly over a year before!

They finished kissing, and then Isabella said, "Senora, Adam is..."

"Yes, I understand. Mr. Cartwright, do you have a place to stay while you are here in Mexico?" the older woman asked.

"Not yet, ma'am," he replied.

"Then, if you would, please stay with us! I lost my...Bertito. He's been gone now...about a year. Isabella saw him before he...died. I'm sure that she wrote to you about how my son. He tried to live, sick as he was, and she has stayed with me ever since he died! You can stay in his room while you are here at my rancho!" she said, and then added, "Isabella, would you please show him around my rancho. I'll get one of our servants to make Bertito's room more pleasant for you!" She then rang a small servant's bell, and a young woman came from the kitchen. Then Adam and Isabella left the ranch house with Bertito's mother following behind. She tried to keep her distance, but like all chaperones, she was there to make Adam and Isabella behaved way that all Mexican couples behaved! Sometimes, she wished that her son would have lived to make Isabella his wife, and right now, she wished that Carlos had lived as well! Would he have lived to tell this poor woman that Adam was a good man, in spite of the fact that he was a gringo? Gringo or not, would he be better than this Jack Wolf who had written to Isabella! She was in favor of a match between Isabella and this Jack Wolf for older men also made wonderful husbands to young women like Isabella, who was in need of someone much older than her. But Isabella seemed to hate that man! Adam, however was different! Isabella never seemed to stop talking about this young man of hers, and hoped that she could indeed become this young man's wife! Maybe Isabella was correct after all! Maybe, Adam was a bueno hombre after all, even if he wanted to get a college education! Those gringos were a funny lot! She followed the young people closely, and observed that Adam, while speaking softly to Isabella, seemed to be a charming romantic, too!

As he escorted Isabella around the rancho, he whispered, "You cut me off before I could finish my sentence!"

Isabella whispered back, "I know what you're thinking! You're thinking about that...American Army officer who..."

"We'll speak no more of this, Isabella! I know that you were ashamed to even tell your story in court! You may have shamed Carlos, but you told the truth! Now, you don't want to tell...that woman about that, and I don't blame you at all! I think you'll find me trying to defend and protect you at always! I don't trust Jack Wolf at all, and I told pa about my feelings before I left to come down here! I saved up my money to come down here, and I have enough money to get us back to the Ponderosa! He paused for a moment before adding another thought. If, I have to, we can stay at the Ponderosa while I earn the money for college. Pa can't pay my tuition right now! He's had a lot of trouble with rustlers as well as cougars! Then, I'd like to take you back east with me, and we'll stay with my grandfather Stoddard's while I go through school!" Adam whispered back.

Isabella stopped walking for a moment to absorb what Adam had just said. "I can't stay here in Mexico, or even stay at the Ponderosa?" she whispered back.

Adam stopped to whisper back, "No, you can't!" He turned around to see the donna following them. Then he whispered softly, "I don't trust Jack Wolf any more than your donna trusts me! If I let you stay here, bandits could attack you! Or Jack Wolf himself! He knows his way out west, and I wouldn't be surprised if he knew his way around Mexico, too! And if I let you stay at the Ponderosa, Jack Wolf would still be around! But, if I take you back east with me..."

"It'll be that much harder for him to find me! Did you tell Mr. Cartwright about this...little plan of yours?" Isabella whispered back.

Adam nodded his head and whispered, "Yes, and he approved of this plan of mine!" Then he decided to add, "But, you never really answered my proposal to you!"

"Yes, I'll marry you! I didn't think that you would actually come down here to Mexico at all! But you have come right here to the rancho!" Isabella whispered back. She thought of kissing Adam on his cheek, but decided with the donna following them, that she shouldn't do that at all! She had already been so forward as it was, and she knew that the poor woman would be shocked even more. Instead, she took Adam's hand and squeezed it

Adam was absolutely touched by her gesture, and then said, "We should get married as soon as possible! Pa really wanted to come down here to see us get married, but he still has the Ponderosa to run! Cougars killed some of our Texas Longhorns, and we have a problem with rustlers, too! Pa wants to catch them before we lose our herd of cattle! I wish Carlos had lived! He knew how to handle these matters in his typical fashion! Now then, to the matter at hand, will you marry me?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid that we could get married in about three weeks! The priest has to give a three-week notice of our intentions, and besides, I have a large wedding to plan! I can speak with him tomorrow morning! You came too late today to speak with him!" she replied, and then added, "We can tell Betito's mother of our plans right now, and then, I'll plan our wedding with her!" she replied.

"That sounds very good to me! About how many of your family can make it to our wedding?" Adam asked.

Isabella shook her head and said, "I lost most of my family in this latest war, and it seems that this entire village has lost so many people, too! If you would like, maybe we can invite the entire village to our wedding? The parish church is large enough to have our wedding Mass..."

"Yes, that sound fine with me! I also brought Marie's wedding dress with me! You know that little Joe thought it would look very good on you, and besides, if she had lived, my stepmother would be very proud to see you in it!" he replied.

The young couple was married three weeks later, with the entire village in attendance, and the reception that followed was just as joyous as the wedding. Isabella looked very good in Marie's white wedding dress, even though the style was a little out of date. Then, they took the stage that went north, and as they neared the Mexico border, they were stopped by a bunch of bandits! As Adam looked out of the stage window, he noticed that there was a familiar face. He then said, "Joaquin!"

"Buenos diaz, senor Cartwright! Fancy seeing you here! Right here in Mexico! Now, if you will, please get off this stagecoach! And please take the other passenger out along with you!"

Isabella looked at her husband and incredulously asked, "Do you know this man?"

"Yes, I do! I met him a little bit before I met you! He was in trouble with the white settlers, and after he recovered from his wounds, he taught me how to use his pistol, much to pa's surprise and shock! And then, he took my advice and came down here to Mexico!" Adam replied, and then he looked at the well-armed man and asked, "It's always nice to see you, but I must admit that I would like to see you in better conditions than this!"

"I agree, senor Adam! Now, if you will give me your money, I'll send you on your way del norte!" Joaquin replied.

Adam and Isabella got out of the stagecoach and after he took his leather wallet out of his jacket pocket and handed it over to the thief, he said, "My wife and I don't have that much money to give to you and your fellow thieves!"

"And so you are married to this little one?" Joaquin replied, and then added, "I give you my congratulations! You were single as I remember, and now you are married! I can see that you made a good choice! Now, if you will..." He stopped talking as one of his fellow thieves took him aside and said something to him. Isabella and Adam could only see the two thieves conversing, but they could not hear what they said. Then Joaquin came back and said, "One of my companions says that we now must go on to our hiding place. Normally I would let you go, but I think that you should see something else before I free you! Please, would the two of you come with us?" Joaquin made sure that he mounted the two people on his extra horses, and after the four people went away from the road for a few miles, Joaquin had them look at some Texas Longhorns. Normally they had seen all the cattle that they had wanted to, but these cattle were different! Joaquin motioned for Adam to dismount, and then look at these creatures. Then he said, "Do these...cattle look familiar to you?"

Adam looked at them, and looked at their brands that were on their hips and said in an incredulous manner, "Now, just how did our cattle get all of the way down here to Mexico?"

"Indeed! I thought that you would find them interesting! As for how they got down here, who knows? One of my men saw them, and so you see, robbing you of your hard-earned money wasn't the only reason I stopped your stagecoach!" Joaquin replied, and then added, "I think that you should take these Texas Longhorns back to your rancho! I'm sure that you'll need them soon enough! We have a couple of horses that you can use, and I'll send two of my best hombres to come with you! They'll make sure that you get back to your Ponderosa safe enough! But I will make sure that they are armed, but that you and your...lovely bride won't be! Kidnapping you was not one thing that I wanted to do at all, but I want to make sure that you reach home safely!" he replied.

"Thank you! Pa will be glad to get these cattle back, and he'll be glad to see us as well! Thank you for the cattle as well! We've had a hard year, so far! Last year, the cougars came after the cattle on the Greene ranch, and this year, they came on our place. These cattle will help us get through this year!" Adam said. He was quite relieved that Joaquin had given them the cattle, even though he robbed them of what little money that he had!

Adam and Isabella arrived at the Ponderosa almost a week after they had planned. Bringing the cattle slowed them down considerably. Ben, Daniel and Hoss had just saddled their horses and were ready to go look for them when the two young, but exhausted people came onto the ranch., along with their armed escorts. "Well, it's about time you got here!" Daniel called out.

Ben heard Daniel speak, so he came out of the barn without his horse. Adam dismounted from his horse and hugged his father. Isabella did the same, and after Ben hugged his daughter-in-law, he said, "We were expecting you to come last week! What happened?"

Adam said, "We were delayed for a while! Look at what I brought home with me!"

Ben looked and then said, "Hoss, come out here for a minute!" After the young son of Ben's had left the barn, Ben said, "You can see these cattle? We have a job to do!" All of the men then put the cattle into the corral. Then Ben said, "Now just how did you get these cattle?"

"It's been a long story!" Isabella replied.

"But to make it short, pa! Do you remember Joaquin?" Adam asked.

"Joaquin?" Ben asked, and then remembering the man who thought that he was the Mexican Robin Hood, said, "Yes, I do!" Then Adam told him of his adventure in Mexico after he married Isabella. After he finished talking, Ben said, "Well, now! I feel like I need to celebrate! Now that we have our cattle back, we should go to town, to Shelby's saloon, or maybe the Greene ranch! I'm sure that Maggie and Tess won't mind seeing you again, Isabella!""

"I would like to do this very much, but I'm afraid that I am very tired from our journey, and I think that Adam is too. Could we please rest and go to town tomorrow?" Isabella asked.

"Pa, I think that Isabella is right! We've finished a long trip from Mexico, and she is actually more tired than I am," Adam said. Then, he turned to their escorts, and then added, "You can go back to Joaquin, now and tell him that we made it all of the way back to the Ponderosa! Adios!" The two men then left the ranch.

Seeing that the two young people were quite fatigued, Ben said, "Yes, I think that you are right. I'll have Hop Sing draw some bath water for you two, and then we'll feed you and have you two rest, and then eat some supper. You can have my room for the night, and then we'll discuss adding on to this ranch tomorrow. Daniel, you are welcome to have supper with us, as well."

"Thanks, Ben, but I think that I'll go back to town. Shelby needs to know that Isabella is back in town. But you know that Jack Wolf will find out that she's here, too! I hope that he doesn't mind that she's now a married woman!" Daniel said, as he mounted his horse. Then he said to Adam, "I'd keep a good watch on Isabella, if I was you! God only knows just how Jack will take Isabella bein' married!"

"I'll do that, Daniel. You're right! After the way he acted at her birthday party..." Adam replied.

After Daniel left the ranch, the Cartwrights went inside. Hop Sing and little Joe were setting the table. Hop Sing prepared a bath for the two, and the whole family had a joyous supper.

The next day, Isabella rose earlier than she had in quite a while and made her way to the outhouse. She was pregnant, and had told Adam that they could expect their child to be born in May of the following year. She had not told Ben that he was to be a grandfather. She had hoped that she could say something before the whole family went over to the Greene ranch. As she made her way back to the ranch house, she heard Adam come out. "Good morning, Adam!" she said.

"Good morning! And now how is the mother-to-be this early in the morning?" Adam replied. He kissed Isabella on her cheek, and the two then went into the house. Little Joe had gotten the water from the well the previous night, so Hop Sing was able to get Ben's tea brewing. Then the youngest brother came in with some freshly laid eggs and gave the entire basket of eggs to Hop Sing so he could have a good breakfast for the whole family. As the family started to have their breakfast, Adam rose from his seat and said, "I think I have an announcement to make." Just then, Isabella felt like she had to go to the outhouse as quickly as possible. She looked at Adam before shaking her head, and then left.

"What's the announcement?" little Joe asked.

Adam stood there for a moment and then said, "I guess this will have to wait. Right now, Isabella is a little ill!"

"Is everything all right?" Ben asked. He didn't know for sure, but Isabella looked very much like his late wife Marie did, when she was pregnant with little Joe. He also remembered his previous wives and how they looked when they were with child.

"I'm not exactly sure, pa. I think that Isabella wants to wait on this announcement until later on," Adam said. He was upset because he looked forward to telling his father the good news, but Isabella wanted to wait for a while. Besides, he wanted to go over the plans that his father had in adding on to the ranch house.

Just then, Isabella returned. She then said, "Adam, I think I should lie down for a while. I'll eat something later on." She then went into Ben's bedroom to lay down for a while.

"She sure looks pale to me!" little Joe said.

"And to me, pa," Hoss said.

"Will she be all right?" Hop Sing asked.

"Yes, but if you could, please make her some soup later on. I'm sure that she'll be needing it!" Adam said.

Ben asked, "Are you sure she'll be all right? Little Joe and Hoss are right! She looks almost as pale as..."

"Miss Weiss does! But I'll bet that she has a good reason for being this way!" Hoss said.

"Speaking of whom! How is the new school teacher?" Adam asked.

"I think that she's absolutely terrible!" little Joe said in a bitter manner.

"That's only because you played a prank on that Martha that's in your class! Miss Weiss here. She told us of your prank of dipping Martha's braid into the inkwell! McGregor wasn't all that pleased with your behavior!" Ben replied, and then added in his stern matter, "You know that we had you work over at his place for a bit, in order to do something nice to that family!"

"You did WHAT to that young girl?" Adam asked.

"Well, it was her own fault! How dare she act like she knows all of the answers to Miss Weiss' questions!" little Joe said in a defiant tone of voice.

"That's enough out of you, Joseph!" Ben said, in his stern way. He never called his youngest son Joseph for any reason, unless he was particularly angry! Ben was usually very good about his sons' behaviors, but little Joe had actually managed to make his father angry. It was over a stupid thing, and little Joe knew this, and yet, he still managed to make his father angry. Little Joe now knew that he had to stop doing this. It was pranks that made his brothers call him little in the first place!

Adam started to ask yet once again. "Now how is the school teacher doing? Besides getting angry at little Joe, I mean,"

"I think that she's doing just fine. Outside of coming over here last month, she's been doing just fine. Hop Sing, you've been giving her some of your herbs, so you would be in a better position to tell us just how she is doing!" Ben said.

"Yes, she's doing fine. I should go to town to give her some more of my herbs!" he said.

"But you won't tell us why she uses them!" Ben said.

"She still needs them for her cough, but I must say, I think that they are working out very well!" Hop Sing said, and then added, "I'll take some more out today, and give them to her at the school."

"But she won't say why she needs them?" Adam asked.

"No, she won't say why. I just know that she needs them! After I do the dishes, I will take some of these herbs to town with me!" he said. He then rose from the table, and started clearing the table of the dirty dishes. Then, after he finished washing and drying the dishes, he gathered some of his herbs, saddled a horse and went to town, carrying the herbs in a large saddlebag., but before he left, he made sure that he had some soup on hand, just in case Isabella would like to have it. So far, she hadn't eaten anything at all that day. Hop Sing was worried. Normally, no one would be able to turn down his cooking at all, unless that person was sick. He hoped that whatever was make Isabella ill was not contagious.

When Hop Sing arrived in town, school was still in session. He quietly, but firmly, went into the classroom, and stood close to the door while Lydia finished the final lesson of the day. It was time for lunch, so she the excused her class. The children went outside to eat their lunches. Lydia then went over to Ben's cook and said, "Thank you for coming here! Do you have my herbs?"

"Yes, I do. And I must say, I think that they are working in controlling your cough! My father also said that he thought sleeping out in the dry weather would help consumption as well! I haven't read anything else about this...disease at all! Even Ben doesn't have anything about this remedy for consumption in his large medical textbook! Adam likes reading from it as well, but I have kept my promise! I haven't tool anyone about your secret at all!" he replied.

"Thank you, Hop Sing! I don't think that I will need you for anything else right now! How are things back at the Ponderosa?" Lydia asked as she got her lunch.

"Everything is fine so far! Isabella has come back and in now married to Adam. He plans to work for a bit before going back east to go to college. He finally received his letter from Yale right after he left for Mexico, and now he is writing to that college in order to enter next year's classes. I am glad for him, because it seems that he wants to take Isabella back east with him as well!" Hop Sing answered.

"And his father approves of his plans?" she asked.

"Yes, he does! Now, if she will get well first..." he replied.

"She's sick?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, she felt quite poorly this morning. Between you and me, I think that she's with child, but I don't know for sure. I won't know until I get back," he replied.

"Then, you should be back right now. Thank you again for these herbs!" Lydia said. She gathered them together, and the two left the classroom. Lydia went over to the boarding house, while Hop Sing went back to the Ponderosa ranch.

Hop Sing returned to the Ponderosa, where he found Ben and Adam at the dining room table discussing their plans to add on to the house.

"We should add the rooms at the back of the house. I don't think that we dug a deep enough foundation, in order to add another story," Adam said.

"No we didn't! I never even thought of adding on that way. We were burned out, and I was so eager to get another house built that I didn't even think of doing it that way at all. I had no idea that you would get married so soon..." Ben said, and then he noticed that Hop Sing had returned, so he added, "I think that Isabella is still lying down."

"I'll go in right away!" he replied. He entered Ben's bedroom where he found that Isabella was still asleep. She woke up just then and sat up. He said, "No, please don't get up just yet! How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a little better now. I must have fallen asleep right after I lay down. It must be nearly noon!" she said. She then rose from the bed. She was wearing one of Marie's gowns that could be found in the late woman's trunk. She had a pair of shoes that she brought from her native Mexico, so she put them on.

Hop Sing made his way near to hear. He decided to put his hand on her forehead and said, "You don't have a fever at all."

Isabella shook her head and said, "I'm fine for right now. You must have guessed that I'm with child. I never thought that a pregnancy would be so hard on me!"

"That is correct. However, you were shot by that...Jorge, of yours. And I'm afraid that you can have this child, but it will be a little rough on you right now! As far as going back east is concerned, I think that you should have your child first before even trying to make this trip. Now, does anyone else know of this?" Hop Sing asked.

"No...not at all. Adam wanted to tell everyone about this, this morning, but I felt so ill that he agreed to put off our announcement until later! Perhaps we can tell everyone at lunch!" Isabella said.

"I think that would be a good idea. Now, do you want some soup, or would you rather wait until I serve lunch?" Hop Sing said. He was relieved that Isabella was only pregnant. He was terrified that she had come down with a fever of some kind, even cholera. He remembered just how badly the last outbreak of that was. He only lost one patient, Shelby's lover, Jack Roberts, but the other victims were quite ill as well. Ben, Margaret, Eli and Isabella all recovered quite nicely!

Hop Sing made a large lunch for everyone that day. Hoss, as usual, ate quite a bit, for he ended up doing a lot of work, since Adam had stayed close to the ranch house, not only to plan on adding on to it, but also in case Isabella got even sicker yet. As the whole family sat down, Ben said, "I think that you wanted to make an announcement today!"

Adam rose from his seat and said, "I wanted to tell everyone this morning, but Isabella got so sick that I agreed to put it off until now. Isabella and I are going to have a child, and we hope that this...little one will be born this spring!"

Hoss rose from his seat to hug Adam and then Isabella and said, "This is great news! Now, I'll be called uncle Hoss, or Uncle Eric, if you want..."

Little Joe said, "And I won't be the littlest one around here! What are you going to call him?"

Isabella said, "My little one hasn't even been born yet, so I don't even want to think..." She stopped talking long enough to see that Ben hadn't said a word at all.

Ben sat there for a moment, and wondered what he should do next. His oldest child was now saying that he would be a grandfather, and yet he was the one who wanted to continue his education! Should he scold his son for being so irresponsible or should he join the others in congratulating the young couple on this great news. He then decided to leave the table and go outside to think. "Would you excuse me, please!" He rose and then went outside for a moment.

"What's wrong with pa?" little Joe asked. He hadn't seen his father so upset at all before. He wasn't this upset even when Zachary and his father arrived at their ranch! "Maybe I should go out there and..."

Hoss shook his head and said, "I've seen pa like this before. Just leave him alone for a while. He needs to be alone just now! You know, he had to leave me alone after Samson got killed, and..."

"Yes, I think he needs to be alone, too!" Adam said, and then added, "I think that we need to do the dishes. Isabella, would you mind if we do them instead of Hop Sing?"

"Not at all! I think that I'll be all right now! If not, I can always make it to the outhouse!" she said. Then, she gathered the dirty dishes, and took them over to the washtub that was right by the fireplace. She put in some hot water that was heated on the fire, and started washing the dishes.

Ben, for his part was trying to calm down. He really wasn't ready to be a grandfather just yet! After all, he was only forty-three, and he was quite sure that his own grandfather was a bit older than he. His own mother died when he was but a boy, and couldn't tell him much about his own family. Age wasn't the only reason that he decided to stop eating. He had such dreams for all of his children. He hoped that he would actually live long enough to be a grandfather, but he also wanted Adam to go to college and to get a better job than he did when he was the young man's age. He was first mate on his first father-in-law's ship. He earned enough to make a living, but not enough to support a family. He was a swamper in Illinois, but that wasn't enough to support a wife and two children. And as it was, he hoped to support his children on this ranch, but now, he was to be a grandfather as well? Now, how could Adam be so irresponsible in the first place?

Isabella came out a few minutes later to throw the dirty dishwater onto Hop Sing's garden. After she came back to the porch, she then said, "We hoped to make you happy, Mr. Cartwright!"

"You did that, Isabella. Now that you're family, you can call me Ben! As for making me unhappy, you haven't done that at all! I just hope that Adam can support you and this little one as well!"

Isabella said, "I think that Adam can provide for me and our child! After all, he has a good example with you, Ben!" Then, Ben hugged his daughter-in-law. He was at peace at last. His son would never let his family starve at all!

Chapter Seven

Isabella was feeling better as well. Her morning sickness had subsided a bit, and she was now able to sleep through the entire night. Hop Sing had told Adam, that as far as he could tell, she should not have any trouble at all with this pregnancy at all, but he did warn the father-to-be, that she should rest more frequently, and that she should avoid becoming excited so very much! He knew that Adam wasn't making much money at all, even though he decided to hire himself out at the other local ranches. Hop Sing knew all too well that pregnant women seemed to get themselves excited sometimes, even thought there wasn't anything to get themselves excited at all! He knew that this had happened to Marie, just a few years earlier. He was working for Shelby at the time, and had seen just how hard that godawful winter of 1846 had been for the Cartwright family. Marie knew that Ben was going to San Francisco for a business trip and that he was delayed in coming back. She also knew just how badly the mountain blizzards were, and so she imaged the most awful things! Adam remembered these things as well, and how he had tried to comfort his stepmother, and reassure her that his father would make it back to Eagle Station! And he remembered that when his father had returned and had learned that Marie had miscarried their second child, his father had become withdrawn for many weeks, and then seemed to lose his temper at the most trivial of things! Adam knew all of this as well as finding out that his father had also helped the stranded Donner party, and so he then gave his word to Hop Sing that he would never act like his father did at all! He would instead, take very good care of Isabella as well as their unborn child.

A week later, the entire Cartwright family went over to the Greene ranch. Isabella felt like she had rested enough, so she was anxious to meet with Margaret and Tess. There wasn't much room in the buckboard wagon at all, so Adam decided to ride his horse as he followed the wagon. Ben drove the wagon along with Hoss. Isabella, little Joe as well as Hop Sing sat in the back of the wagon. Both Margaret and Tess heard the wagon as it pulled up next to their ranch house, so they both went out to met it. Tess saw Isabella and cried out, "It's nice to see you Isabella!" Then she ran over to the wagon, right after Ben stopped it and put on the brake. As Isabella stepped down from it, Tess gave her a big hug, and asked, "Now! Are you going to stay with us..."

"Tess, that's enough out of you! You know that you are welcome to stay with us!" Margaret said as she then left the porch to greet Isabella.

"That won't be necessary! I'm going to stay at the Ponderosa!" Isabella said.

"You know that a young lady shouldn't stay with five fellows!" Margaret exclaimed.

"But if she's married to me, she can!" Adam said as he joined the group.

"Married? Now when did this all happen?" Margaret asked.

"A little more than a month ago! If I had my way, they would have gotten married right here in Eagle Station, but...my oldest son had other ideas!" Ben said. He tried not to be bitter, for he knew just how romantic he had been in his younger years. Even though none of his wives had lived, all of them had left him with sons! And like him, they all wanted to do things their own way.

Tess then asked, "You're married now! I always thought that..."

"Yes, I am! If I could have, I would have asked that you be my maid of honor. But I think that Adam was right in getting married so soon!" Isabella replied.

Just then, a cold gust of wind came up! Both Isabella and Margaret pulled their shawls around themselves. Margaret then said, "I think that we should all go inside! I'll bet we will be getting some rain out of this cold front!" After they all went inside the Greene ranch house, Tess asked, "What's it like to be married? Ma always says that men never stop being romantic at all!"

"I really don't know about all men, but I will say that Adam has never stopped being the romantic at all!" Isabella said, and then added, "I need to go to the privy right now!"

Margaret said, "Yes! You know where it is!" After she left, Margaret then asked, "Is everything all right with Isabella? She looks so pale!"

"She'll be all right!" Ben replied. He was reluctant to say that he was now going to be a grandfather.

"Especially after the baby's been born!" little Joe said.

"Baby? What baby?" Margaret asked, and then exclaimed in a loud voice, "Now, Ben!"

Ben then gave his youngest son his infamous glare and said, "Yes! It seems that ALL of my sons are just full of surprises!"

Tess then said, "This is really great!"

Hoss then asked, "Now that Adam is married, pa..."

"Don't you be trying to get married, too! It's been bad enough that Adam has gotten married, and can barely support his family! I don't want to loose you, too!" Ben said. He decided to give his middle-born son his infamous glare as well!

"Yes, pa!" Hoss said. He was really hoping that Ben would let him marry Tess, but for now, that seemed quite impossible! And he knew that his father was correct in holding that opinion! Hoss actually did have some money saved up, but it seemed to be impossible that he could support a family as well. And he knew that Isabella knew of his husband's finances as well! And, to make matters even worse, so did Tess! And he now knew just exactly why all good men should really keep news of their finances secret! And he knew that the women in his life should stop asking questions about finances! After all, as long as men earned decent days' wages, who really gave a flip about men's finances!

Dinner at the Greene ranch was a fine affair! Isabella actually managed to eat everything on her plate. Eating for her was not at all as difficult as it had been when she learned that she was now carrying Adam's child. She seemed to be able to eat everything on her plate, and then found that she needed to go to the outhouse! Adam was sure that his wife would now be able to eat quite well! Of course, now that she was with Tess, she was able to converse with her! And for him, things seemed like they were getting back to normal! As usual, Hoss seemed to eat as much as, if not more than anyone else does at the table! Ben was sure, too! He hoped that with Adam being back from Mexico, things would get straightened out as well! Margaret felt that she should now say that there was going to be a harvest festival at the end of October.

"You mean, now that it's Halloween, that we can have a party?" little Joe asked.

"The Day of the Dead! Yes, I think that I should put some flowers on Carlos' grave, as well as pulling up the grass that had now grown around the headstone." Isabella said, as she sat down again. So far, she had managed to hold in all of her meal, but this time, she noticed that her bladder wasn't able to hold as much urine as it had been able to do before she got pregnant. And there was still the morning sickness that she suffered from, even after she finished eating lunch and now, supper!

"I really don't like the idea of Halloween at all! I prefer that we call it a harvest festival!" Margaret said. She didn't mean to sound severe in her tone of voice, but she knew that both Isabella and Tess would think that she was being severe! Margaret was a good Episcopalian and she was grateful that God had given her strength to both get through her late husband Luther's death, as well as getting through Jorge's untimely demise, as well as getting through the previous year's loses, and now gains! She tried not to be prejudice against Catholics at all! After all, she had even managed to take in Isabella right after she had testified in court, for her own defense. But, she was against Lydia teaching in their school, and she didn't want to honor the Catholics by calling the day before All Saint's Day, Halloween!

While Ben didn't share his neighbor's convictions about her beliefs, he knew that other neighbors did! Therefore, he said, "Yes, I think that you're right, Maggie! I think that the name of Harvest Festival is a good name! Now, what's all this about a party?"

"There are those of us who are on the town council that think that we should have a dance! You know, something like what we did when we celebrated getting the town hall built!" she replied, as her maid brought in some coffee for the guests.

"But can we women actually ask the men if they want to take us to the dance?" Tess asked. She held out her cup, and looked to her mother to see if she could partake of such a treat as evening coffee. Her mother nodded, as if to say that she approved of her daughter drinking coffee.

"No, I don't think so! We did this the last time that we had a dance! I think that it's the men's turn to ask us!" Margaret replied. She nodded to the maid to put coffee into the cups of her guests.

"Well, that's simple enough. Isabella will go with me!" Adam said. While he liked his coffee, he decided that he should not have anything more to drink. After all, Isabella might have to get up during the night, and he wanted to be able to help her. Besides, he was working on the McGregor ranch, and knew that Mr. McGregor liked to get up even earlier than his father always did, which meant that Adam would have to go to bed a bit earlier than usual!

"And I can ask somebody! Tess, would you like to go to the dance with me?" Hoss asked. He liked to have some evening coffee as well, so he held out his cup for the maid, who filled it as well.

"Yes, I will!" Tess replied. She wasn't exactly sure just why she did so! She was aware that she had hurt Hoss' feelings towards her, and now wanted to make amends. Also, she had been forced to turn down Hoss' proposal of marriage, when he first asked for her hand in marriage, mainly because she felt that she was much too young to make that kind of lifetime commitment. But, she knew that Hoss, even though he was young, would make a great man someday, and that he would do anything to defend her! Then, she asked her mother if she could please have a cube of sugar from the bowl that was on the table.

"And, I will play the fiddle while everybody else is dancing" Ben said, and then added, "I still feel like I am unable to go to any parties at all! I've felt this way ever since Marie..." He shook his head as the maid offered to fill his cup full of coffee. He always awoke whenever Adam left the house for his job, and therefore, really didn't need to have any coffee whatsoever.

"Pa, what about me?" little Joe asked. He held out his cup, but he saw that his father shook his head in order to tell him that he was much too young to start drinking coffee.

"You can keep Isabella company, little Joe!" Adam said, and the added, "Now, I expect that you'll do that, won't you?"

"I suppose so, Adam!" little Joe answered. He wasn't really ready as yet to ask any girl to any dance at all. Ben was pleased, for he had a least one son that wasn't anxious as yet to go courting any girl at all!

Margaret was at least a little pleased that she had the courage to tell the Cartwrights about this party. But she was a little disappointed as well. She had hoped that Ben would stop mourning the death of Marie, and get on with his life! She had to do the same about fifteen months earlier! She still missed Luther, especially when she helped with roundups! She managed to get though this roundup all right! She managed to get some good hands, as well as having help from the neighbors! Ben, for his part, only had a few heads of cattle to round up, and then, he managed to get his boys to heard them over to Hangtown, and actually made some money in doing so! She was surprised that he did manage to actually make a profit! It was a good thing that Adam and Isabella actually found his missing cattle! Ben had told them the story of how his oldest son and daughter-in-law had come across the herd on the way up from Mexico. After Isabella returned to the table after finding out the she had to use the outhouse once again, all of the Cartwrights decided to leave and return to their ranch.

Ben went to town a few days later, and decided to step into the classroom while Lydia was teaching. Ben was very concerned about the schoolmarm. Lydia had quite a temper, and so Ben wanted to find out just how she would be with the children! Would she loose her temper if the children misbehaved? Or would she be good to these children? He quietly entered the classroom and stood by the door as Lydia finished giving the homework assignments. He was amazed that she seemed to be so patient with the children! After she dismissed the class, Ben went over to talk with the schoolteacher. "I see that you really enjoy the students, Lydia," he said in a kindly manner.

"Thank you. But something tells me that you aren't just here to give me complements, Mr. Cartwright!" she replied, as she closed her books. She had finished teaching for the day, and wanted to get the erasers cleaned before making her lesson plans for the following day. Besides the upcoming chore, she felt that she had to be direct with one of her patrons. However, she did not want to be rude to him, and hoped that he would know that he would realize this.

"No, I'm not here to do that!" he said. Then he added, "We would like to use your classroom this Saturday evening for our harvest festival!"

"I see! I'll make sure that I will have the desks put over to the side of the room. I'll make sure that they aren't in your way at all!" Lydia replied. She liked the idea of having an autumn festival, somewhat like her native Octoberfest, which ironically enough, was a wedding celebration and not a celebration of the autumn season at all. It was from the nearby country of Bavaria. But she didn't like the idea of moving her own desks at all! And she knew that she should do what the town council wanted her to do. And, like all public servants, she would do as the council wished!

"Eli, Daniel and I will move the desks over to the store room for the evening, and then we'll bring them back," Ben said.

"Of course. That will be just fine!" Lydia said, as she started to clean the erasers.

"I think that I should help you in cleaning those things!" Ben said. He quickly grabbed one of the dirtiest erasers and then took it outside to clean it thoroughly. Lydia took another of the dirty erasers and did the same thing. Seeing that she had the eraser cleaned, Ben decided to add, "I'm sorry if I have put you into a bad spot!"

"You mean, cleaning the erasers, or something else!" Lydia said. She then took all of the erasers inside, and then placed them on a shelf next to the large blackboard.

Ben felt extremely uncomfortable at that moment. He knew that he always felt this way around the schoolteacher. It wasn't like she wasn't a good teacher. In fact, he thought that she taught the children very much like his late wife Marie had done. It was memories like that that made him miss Marie very much. Then he decided to say, "I think that our idea of having the harvest festival right here in your classroom has probably made you a little...put out!"

Lydia sighed a bit before she spoke. Then she said, "Yes, I am a little angry at all of this! However, it is my understanding that this...building is at the town's disposal at all times. So, therefore, I shouldn't be angry in the least! However, I have really tried to make...these children of Eagle Station behave themselves. So far, they are able to mind me quite well! In fact, they are looking forward to going to this...festival very much! I just hope that they will continue to behave themselves, even after it is finished!"

"I'm very sure that they will continue to behave themselves..." Ben answered. He still felt that Lydia was still uncomfortable with the town's new school, so he added, "I'm quite sure that little Joe is behaving himself..."

"Yes, he is! But I must admit that his behavior isn't bothering me in the least. I am more concerned for the behavior of Mr. Wolf and the other adults!" Lydia said.

"I'm afraid I don't understand..." Ben said.

"I am sure that your new daughter-in-law will come to the harvest festival, isn't she?" Lydia asked. She had heard the news about Adam and Isabella getting married in Mexico from both Ruth and Shelby, and she rejoiced the young Adam had finally gotten married.

"Yes, she is, but why..." Ben asked.

"I feel that she may not exactly enjoy this reunion here in Eagle Station. Forgive me for saying this, but I overheard the children talk, and one thing that the children have said is that Mr. Wolf is absolutely outraged that Isabella decided to marry Adam instead of marrying him!" she replied. Lydia hated to gossip at all! She had been the object of gossip right after Jack had abandoned her, and so she knew the pain of gossip!

"But weren't you just a little upset when you came here to Eagle Station!" Ben replied.

"Upset, yes! I was truly upset, but not enough to do any damage to anyone here in town. I don't think I can say that Mr. Wolf feels the same way!" Lydia said. There! It was now in the open! Lydia had indeed overheard the children talk among themselves, and then decided to ask Shelby and Ruth to find out exactly how Jack Wolf truly felt about losing his latest woman. It was exactly what she had feared the most! And to make things even worse, she now knew that Mr. Wolf had absolutely no qualms whatsoever about abandoning her back in St. Louis! So much for THAT man in her life! And then, she decided to thank God that he had never actually married her in the first place!

Seeing the Lydia was still upset, Ben decided to leave the schoolroom. After all, just what could he possibly say that would calm the woman down! As for her part, Lydia decided to finish cleaning the schoolroom before going back to the boarding house. She now needed some time to calm down before making out her lesson plans.

Saturday evening came, and for once Lydia was glad that the festival was now here! The younger children of Eagle Station did not disappoint the schoolmarm at all! In fact, little Joe even surprised Lydia by finally asking Martha out onto the dance floor while his father played a fast polka. Lydia was resigned to the fact that she was probably too plain to even invite an invitation to dance at all. While she was sitting and was watching the people dance a slow waltz when Daniel came up and asked her to dance. Surprised that the middle-aged trapper thought that she could even dance, she then to take him up on his offer to dance with her. While they were dancing, she asked, "I didn't even think that you even knew how to dance a German waltz at all, Mr. Larson."

"I didn't know that even the late Marie Cartwright would think that even I should know how to do any dancing, either!" Daniel exclaimed. Then he added, "I practiced with Shelby and even Ruth and Margaret, too, just a few days ago."

The two people danced a little while longer until the music stopped. After he finished dancing, he offered to get Lydia some punch. As he made his way over to the punch bowl, Isabella noticed that Lydia was alone and so decided to introduce herself to the schoolteacher. As she made her way over to the table when Lydia was seated, Jack Wolf came up to her and said, "And so I hear that you are married?"

Isabella turned around to face Jack and said, "Yes, I am! Adam married me a about a month ago!"

As she tried to make her way around the rather drunken Jack, he mumbled something and tried to pull Isabella towards him. Adam, who had made his way over to the punch bowl, noticed what Jack was doing and quickly made his way over to Isabella and said in a loud voice, "Now leave my wife..."

Jack, seeing his rival, saw his opportunity and punched the young man squarely in the face, and the said, "This is what happens when you take my woman away from me!"

Isabella, feeling even more faint than usual, grabbed her stomach and said, "Oh, mio Dios!" Then, she tried to hold onto the table, but was unable to grab the edge of it and collapsed. Adam, seeing Isabella collapse, found his bearings and then tried to hit Jack. Ben saw all of this and then put his fiddle down and rushed over to Isabella. Hoss, little Joe and Daniel were right behind him. Seeing that Isabella had all of the support of the men, Hoss went over to Adam and kept him from hitting Jack. Hoss was enjoying himself and didn't really want the evening to end in an outright fight at all!

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked as he turned towards his younger brother. He was furious that his own brother would actually stop him from defending himself!

Ben looked at his daughter-in-law, leaned over and asked in a quiet voice, "Isabella, can you hear me?"

Isabella looked up at Ben and weakly said, "Yes, I'll be all right but now my baby..."

"I'll take you home right now, Isabella!" Ben said, and then turning to Adam, said, "I think that you should join us!"

Adam looked at his brother Hoss, and then to his father and said in a loud voice, "Now why should I join you when Jack tried to..."

Ben looked at his oldest son and sternly said, "Adam!"

Seeing that his father was now irritable, Adam said in a quieter tone of voice, "I haven't finished with you just yet...Jack!" All of the Cartwrights then decided to go home for the evening, which cut the entire harvest festival short. Now, no one actually had the heart to spend time at this party at all!

As the rest of the party members left the town hall, Shelby said, "I was hopin' that this would be a good evenin' but it looks like Jack didn't!"

Ruth turned to her husband Eli and said, "I was hoping that Jack would have to good sense to leave Isabella alone! You know that she was going to have a baby, and now, I fear..."

"Well, I think that she should get over this ungodly mess that Jack had put her through! I got over losin' my baby, and I'm sure she will, too!" Shelby said, and then took another puff from one of her cigars.

Daniel escorted Lydia back to the boarding house, and said, "Jack sure knows how to end a good party! What got into that rascal in the first place? If'n I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was three sheets to the wind!"

"But there was no alcohol served at this harvest festival at all!" Lydia exclaimed.

Daniel shook his head and said, "No! That punch was pretty danged weak! I think that Ruth made a lot of it, but it tasted very good! That is, if'n you really like her homemade punch! As for me, I'd like to have some whiskey but after tonight..."

"Thank you for a lovely evening, Mr. Larson. I was actually having a good time! That is, until Jack started to..." she replied.

"I think that you should start calling me by my first name, Miss Weiss. It's Daniel, you know," he replied.

"Thank you, Daniel. I should go in right now," Lydia replied, and then added, "I think that you should call me, Lydia. Good night, Daniel."

"Good night, ma'am," Daniel replied. He sat sorry to leave the schoolteacher by the front door of the boarding house, but he knew that since this was Saturday evening, she would have to get up early the next day in order to get to Mass at Hangtown. If only she wasn't such a good Catholic, he thought as he made his way over to Shelby's saloon.

After the Cartwright family returned home, Isabella decided to go to bed. Her stomach still hurt very much. As she undressed, Adam silently came into his father's bedroom and closed the door. She then said, "I honestly thought that I was over this morning sickness but now..."

"Isabella, sit down with me on my pa's bed," Adam said. She did so, and then he continued, "I think that you'll be all right! What happened tonight wasn't really your fault at all. I don't think that you even provoked that drunken..."

Isabella put her finger on Adam's lips and said softly, "I just think that he is even more jealous than ever! Can you just imagine what kind of a father that he would make? I'm so very glad that you married me, even though your father doesn't exactly approve of our marriage!"

Adam took his wife's lips off of his and said, "Pa? No, he approves all right! What he doesn't approve of is having a child right away instead of us saving our money and going back east for me to go to college! I must admit that I'm pretty happy that we'll be having a child, but I am even more concerned about you! And now Jack...I really miss Carlos right now! I wonder what he would have said if he had made that unfortunate acquaintance of meeting Mr. Jack Wolf! As it is, I am in agreement with Lydia Weiss! No wonder that she is sorry that she actually met that..."

Isabella replied, "I really don't want to talk about him right now! What I do want is to sleep. Right now I think that I need to rest!"

"I'll let you rest now! I'll bow out this candle and go talk to pa before I turn in for the night!" Adam said. Isabella rose from the bed and put on Marie's nightgown before going back to bed. Adam then blew out the sole candle that stood on his father's nightstand and the carefully opened the door that led out into the rest of the ranch house. He then carefully closed it after him and then decided to talk to his father before he turned in for the night.

He quietly made his way over to the fireplace, and stirred the ashes with the small shovel. Ben looked up at him and put his Bible away and said, "I hope Isabella gets over Jack's behavior! And I hope you do, too!"

Adam decided to keep quiet for a moment and then, trying not to get angry again, he said, "I was ready to kill that..."

"Vengeance is Mine says the Lord! Vengeance is for the Lord to decide, not us men! You read the Bible just as much as I do! Besides, Marie wouldn't want you to take your anger out on the likes of him!" Ben said in a stern manner.

"Marie didn't want you to get your revenge against the likes of Pritchert as all! She wasn't like that at all! And you really didn't get it at all! He only fell on his own knife1 but Jack is different!" Adam replied, and then added, "Besides, Isabella is different!"

"Is she, Adam? I don't think that she needs to see you get into a fight with that poor soul at all! She absolutely hated the idea of me getting revenge against that blackmailer back in New Orleans! And I won't have you facing a murder charge right here in the Nevada territory!" Ben replied. He tried not to raise his voice at all, for he knew that Isabella was trying to get some rest after this terrible evening. Unfortunately, he failed in keeping his voice down. Isabella then left the bedroom and went out to hear what he husband and father-in-law were talking about.

As she made her way out to the main room of the house, she suddenly said, "Oh, my..." As she collapsed yet once again, both Adam and Ben came over to her. Adam lifted the young woman's head and said softly, "I'll take you back to bed!" He then lifted up her body and took it over to his father's bed and carefully placed her body on the bed.

"Hop Sing! Can you come out here for a minute?" Ben asked.

Hop Sing came out from the boy's bedroom and seeing that Isabella had become ill, went over to her and asked in a soft voice, "Isabella?"

She came to for a minute and said, "I think that something's wrong with my baby!"

Hop Sing then looked at the young woman and said, "I think that you'll be all right but..."

"No, I'll be all right, but my baby..." Isabella said

Hop Sing then looked at both Ben and Adam and said, "I think that she should rest a bit!"

Adam then said, "But is..."

Hop Sing then said in a quiet way, "I think that she'll be all right, but now I fear that she is right! She is more concerned about the baby that she is carrying than about herself!"

Adam then looked at his father and said, "I just knew that bastard wanted to do something to Isabella, and now he's succeeded in all of this! Pa, you should have let me beat him right there at that festival instead of letting Hoss hold me back!"

"And I say that I was right after all! I don't want you to face murder charges right here in town at all! I want to be proud of all of my sons, instead of having them be guilty of murder or even worse!" Ben exclaimed. Then he said to Hop Sing, "Can we do anything else for Isabella?"

Hop Sing then said, "No, I don't think so! Right now, she needs all of the rest that she can get! I'll stay with her a bit, but the rest of you should not bother her in the least!" Both of the men realized that Hop Sing was quite serious as to the state of Isabella, so they both decided to retire for the evening. Ben went into the boys' bedroom while Adam went to his father's bedroom.

A few days later, Lydia got some mail that she was expecting. One letter came from Salt Lake City and it said that since she was the only school teacher located in the small tow of Eagle Station, she would now have the authority to give out eighth grade certificates to those students who had actually passed the eighth grade tests given to her by the education association in Salt Lake City. The second letter was from her doctor in St. Louis. He had told her of his approval in going out to the Nevada territory, and then he added that she might want to sleep outdoors instead of sleeping inside. He felt that the open and quite dry air in the west, would be much better for her consumption. Lydia was puzzled as to what to do next. Did her doctor even mean for her to sleep outdoors, even during the coming winter months, or did he actually want her to sleep indoors, where she would be warm. As she was writing her reply to the letter, she was sitting close to the lone candle, while someone silently came inside the schoolhouse. He went over to the woman as she wrote her letter and put his hands in front of her eyes. She sat up a little straighter and asked softly, "Now who is there?" The man slowly took his hands off from her eyes so she could see who this man was. "Now how did you actually get here, Father Edward?" she asked.

"It really wasn't that difficult, Lydia. And it seems that I am not alone. One of the other Jesuits has come with me also!" the middle-aged Jesuit explained. Like Lydia, Edward had blond hair, too. But he also had much more gray in his hair than Lydia.

Lydia then said, "So who is this other man that has accompanied you. And here I thought you told me that you would never leave St. Louis at all!"

"If the choice was up to me, I wouldn't have left the confines of the big city to go to a hamlet such as this place," he replied, and the added, "But this choice wasn't up to me at all. My superiors wanted to have some members of their order to come west in order to serve some of the Catholics that have moved west."

Lydia shook her head and said, "Unfortunately, there aren't that many Catholics here in Eagle Station. The only ones I know of work for Mrs. Greene at her ranch, as well as myself. We all end up going over to Hangtown to go to Sunday mass."

"Hangtown? I thought that town is several miles from here," Edward replied.

"And so it is!" Lydia replied, and then added, "I have another very...unpleasant surprise for you. Mr. Jack Wolf is now a resident of Eagle Station as well!"

"Is he now?" Edward said, and then added, "Well, now...he must make your life very..."

"Stop it now, Edward! Knowing that I have to actually live in the same town as that man! I thought I told you that he was bad news for me! You should have listened to me in the first place! I should have become a cloistered sister rather than marry him at all!" Lydia bitterly said.

"You know that I really wanted to get married, rather than stay single all of your life, Lydia! I'm just so sorry that you were right about him after all, and as for becoming a sister, I don't think that you have a vocation to the cloister at all! You know I learned about all of this when I went to the seminary!" he replied.

"Seminaries can teach you a lot about theology, but those instructors can't teach you anything about a vocation at all! Besides, our brother Otto would disagree with you on that!" she replied.

"Ah, yes! Brother Otto is now involved as well! Well, you know what they say about us Germans-we can't get along even in our own families, let alone with the rest of the folks right here in town!" he replied, and then added, "Did you know that our brother Otto is now going to become a Capuchin priest?"

Lydia sat there for a moment and absorbed the news about their brother. Then she said, "I'm really glad to see that he wants to do something else, besides being a brother in the monastery! When did he decide to do this?"

"Actually, it wasn't him at all! It seems that his abbot wanted him to become a priest after all! And furthermore, he decided that...our brother should join us out here in the Nevada territory, and that he wanted him to complete his training in the seminary as soon as possible!" he replied.

"When will he finish his studies?" Lydia asked. She had hoped that her brother would complete them very soon, and join her and Edward in Eagle Station. It seemed that she could get along with Otto much better than she could with her brother Edward!

"Perhaps in a year or two. It seems that he had been reading about theology for quite some time, which is why, I suppose that his abbot recommended him for the priesthood in the first place!" Edward replied, and then he added, "So now, you're the teacher here in this small...village!"

"I wouldn't exactly say that Eagle Station is still a village at all! In fact, if the town council has any say in the matter, Eagle Station will soon become a city, and who knows! Maybe it will eventually become the capital of the Nevada territory!" she replied. She really didn't want to start yet another argument with her brother; but then again, everybody in town felt this way about their small town!

Edward shook his head again and said, "That's my sister for you! Always arguing about her feelings, even those the rest of us might disagree with her completely!"

Lydia looked outside the window for a moment and then said, "Rather than argue with you, perhaps you'd like to have a small tour of Eagle Station, and I'll show you that your little sister knows more about this place than you give her credit for in the first place! Why don't you come with me, and I'll show you around this town!"

"Agreed! Get your shawl and we'll see this...place!" Edward said.

In about an hour, both Lydia and her brother found themselves on the Ponderosa. "I never thought I'd ever see you riding a horse!" Edward said, as the two rode up to where the Cartwrights were working.

Lydia nodded her head, and said, "There's a lot more to me than you think!" Then, seeing that they were near the house, she decided to dismount. "Hello, Mr. Cartwright! I'd like to introduce my brother to you!"

Ben, who had been chopping wood almost all morning, looked up to find the school teacher and a middle-aged man in a cassock, looking at them from a short distance away. Ben was a little embarrassed, for he only had his long sleeved underwear on. He reached over to put on his shirt and then shook the man's hand and said, "Pleased to meet you, Mr..." Then he noticed that the man had wore a cassock and so he added, "I'm sorry! I should have said, Father"

"This is my brother, Edward. I'd like you to meet Father Weiss!" Lydia said, and then added, "I was showing my brother Eagle Station, and after meeting Shelby, Daniel, and the Orowitz', I decided to show him the other people of this town!"

Ben took his watch out of his pocket and then said, "It's getting rather late this afternoon to be showin' people around here! Won't you two stay with us for supper?"

Lydia looked at her watch which hung on her breast and then said, "Meinen Gutten...I didn't realize that it was so late! Father, it's up to you to decide whether or not we should eat with these people!"

Edward looked at Ben and then made his decision. "I really don't think we should put this poor soul and his entire family out any at all! Instead, I think that we should make our way back to town. Perhaps, we can come back here at another time? Besides, my sister has now convinced me that she really belongs out here in the west after all! I must say that I thought that I would never see her riding on a horse at all!"

": I think that you are right after all, Father! She does look like she can actually ride her horse after all!" Ben said, and then added, "I hope you come back here to our ranch later on this week, Lydia."

"We'll try to do so. So, how is Isabella feeling? She really, was quite ill the other night when..."

Rather than get into the discussion any further, Ben nodded and said, "I think that she be feeling better in a few days! Right now, she needs her rest!"

Lydia nodded her head as well and said, "I think that we should leave Mr. Cartwright right now and make our way back into town." She then remounted her horse, as did her brother, and the two then made their way back to Eagle Station.

Ben then made his way back to the ranch house, getting some seasoned wood to place in the fireplace. It seemed like he and his sons would never get enough wood to replenish their supplies at all, and the Indian Summer looked like it would end quite early. Isabella had risen earlier in the day and was now seated in front of the fireplace and was sipping some green tea. "How are you feeling now, Isabella?" Ben asked. He was very concerned, for Isabella had miscarried a few days earlier, and was now on the road to recovery.

"I'm feeling a little better, but I must admit that I haven't felt like this for a long time. The pain is almost like it was right after Jorge shot me, or even when I was so sick with Cholera! It was really a good thing that Hop Sing was around to cure all of us!" she replied.

Adam came in at that moment and said, "We're all glad that he decided to stay with us! I just wish that..."

Seeing that his oldest son was still upset with both himself as well as Jack Wolf, Ben said, "I don't really think that Isabella did anything wrong at all. Sometimes it's just what you told me at Marie's grave-sometimes some children are meant to live...We can discuss this at another time, Adam!"

Deciding to change the subject, Adam asked, "Wasn't that Lydia outside riding with..."

Ben said, "Yes, she came over to visit! The man that was with her was her brother Edward! He looks like a fine man, and a fine priest."

Isabella looks up from the fire and said, "She actually had a priest with her? It would be nice to meet both her and her brother..." She had been quite depressed for a few days. She had hoped to have her child before she and Adam went east to New England, but now, she had lost their baby!

Adam nodded to his wife and said, "Yes! And now this town has someone else that is new! I wanted to meet him too, but it seems that they decided to go back to town. Perhaps we can meet them on Saturday evening, pa?"

Hop Sing came in and said, "Supper will be ready shortly, so perhaps you would all like to get cleaned up!"

"Yes, I think that we should go and wash up, Adam!" Ben replied. He was anxious to eat, for he had worked almost all day to chop as much wood as possible before it started snowing.

Chapter Eight

By now, it was the first of November, and Eagle Station did not have any snow whatsoever! Like all of the ranchers in the area, Ben was very concerned. If Eagle Station did not get any snow at all this winter, would the area get any rain at all in the spring? And if it didn't rain at all, how would the ranchers feed their herds of cattle? And there were others concerned about the drought as well! Margaret Greene was one of them. She sold trees to the lumber companies in the area, as well as selling cattle, and if the area did not get any moisture as well, how would that affect the trees on her property. Jack Wolf was also concerned. At the monthly town council meeting, he talked about the drought, and said, "If worse comes to worse, we'll have to make plans to fight the forest fires!"

Blaming Jack for the loss of his eldest grandchild, Ben kept quiet for the moment. Eli, seeing that Ben was trying to keep his temper, said, "Yes, Jack, we're all concerned about this...lack of water in the area. Perhaps we could..."

Ben decided to say something. "Right now, I don't think that there is anything we can do!"

"Well, hell, Ben! You're right next to Lake Tahoe, so therefore you don't have any problems right now!" Jack exclaimed.

Still trying not to get angry with this younger man, Ben decided not to say anything more. Eli then said something that the others would not say at all. "Maybe we could hire us a rainmaker!"

Jack shook his head and said, "Eli! We don't have any time for such foolishness! Who ever heard of hiring a bunch of those cons to give us some rain!" It takes a con to know a con, and I wish I had run you out of town, Jack Wolf, Ben thought to himself.

Margaret decided to say something. "Jack! Some of those...people actually think that they can produce some rain!"

"I'll hire those people when Hell itself freezes over!" Jack replied. He saw the look that Ben had given him earlier and was now aware that Ben held him responsible for Isabella's miscarriage.

Shelby said, "I agree with Margaret! We're gettin' too dry around here

Margaret nodded her head, and said, "I think that Eli is right. Isabella once told me that her father and the local priest prayed night and day for some rain during that last drought, and their prayers worked!"

"And just how long ago was that? No, I don't think that prayers are what we need right now! Nope!" Jack replied.

Ben straightened up in his chair and said, "I'm not at all sure that we should even think of hiring a rainmaker at this point!"

Jack looked at him and said, "Now that's the first thing that you have said this afternoon that actually makes any sense at all! But there's still the problem with this here drought, and just what are we supposed to do about this?"

Ben was a man of faith, and said, "I suppose that since Isabella and the other women of this town have such faith in the Almighty, perhaps we should ask them to have a prayer meeting and ask for some moisture!"

Jack, who was not exactly known to believe in anything other than himself, actually rolled his eyes in disbelief and said, "Oh, come now! You mean that you actually want to ask...women to actually pray for more rain?"

Shelby shot Jack a look of disbelief! Margaret, who was a believer, decided to say, "I agree with Ben! I will get with Ruth and Tess, and even Isabella to do this!

"Include me with these ladies as well! Just because I run a saloon don't exactly mean that my prayers don't count!" Shelby said.

"That sounds fine to me! Perhaps we should schedule this...prayer meeting for tomorrow evening!" Margaret replied.

"That sounds just fine with me!" Shelby answered.

"Good! Now that we have discussed everything here at the board meeting, I think that we should move to close the meeting!" Margaret said. She, for once, was actually glad to see that this particular meeting to end. And it seemed that everyone else agreed as well!

Ben and Jack decided to put the room back into order for Lydia and her students.

"She really needs to make sure that her...students are learning, doesn't she?" Jack asked.

Just then, the schoolteacher entered her classroom, and said with some anger in her voice, "Yes! As a matter of fact, I do!"

Jack quickly turned around to find that he had once again angered the schoolmarm. Deciding that he had to say something, he quickly said, "I didn't mean to say anything to make you angry, Miss Weiss, but it seems that I have. If you'll please excuse me..." Jack left the building, and left Ben to deal with the angry schoolmarm.

Ben really did not want to deal with Lydia either, but rather than make a hasty retreat like Jack, he only said, "You'll have to excuse me for now. I have to get back to my ranch. There's always more work to be done," he replied. Then he though of something. "Is your brother still in town?"

Deciding that she would not have to deal with Jack for the moment, Lydia decided to stop being angry for the moment and replied to Ben, "Edward? Oh, no! He left yesterday morning on the stage to Sacramento. His superiors changed their minds and felt that he was needed there instead of staying here to start a new parish!" Lydia said.

"What a pity! Will he be coming back soon?" Ben asked.

"I'm afraid not, but he says that my other brother will be coming in from St. Louis! Unfortunately I'm not exactly sure when he will get here. Perhaps in a year or two! I was really hoping that he could make it before the next snowstorm comes!" Lydia said.

"What a pity! My daughter-in-law really wanted to talk with a priest, but now it looks like she'll have to visit the one in Hangtown," he replied. Now that the council meeting was over, he felt like talking with someone, and not necessarily with someone from the town council at all. Then he decided to say something else. "Are you planing to go horseback riding any time soon?"

"Yes, I hope to do so," she replied.

"Perhaps we can do this on Saturday?" he said.

"Yes, that would be fine with me," she replied.

"Good! I will pick you up at your boarding house at about eleven o'clock, and then, perhaps you will have lunch with us afterwards," he said. He felt like he needed to talk with someone other than Margaret, or Shelby.

Lydia realized that Daniel liked her as well, but since she was not engaged to be married, she really didn't think that anybody would really mind if she want horseback riding with anybody.

Saturday morning dawned, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Ben was right on time, and even brought another horse with him. Lydia quickly saddled her gelding, just the way the Big Dan taught her too, and then they left Eagle Station for the day. After awhile, Big Dan decided that he would also like to take the plain-looking schoolmarm on a horseback ride as well. He went over to the boarding horse when he thought that she was, and learned that she had gone out with Ben instead. He briefly thought of joining the pair, but decided not to at all. Instead, he decided to go for a drink of his favorite whiskey over at Shelby's saloon. Ben and Lydia enjoyed their little outing, but as for Daniel, it was completely different. He was sitting at the bar at Shelby's saloon and said in a bitter voice as he downed another one of Shelby's whiskeys, "That woman is the worst woman I have ever met in my entire life!"

"Which woman is that?" Shelby asked, a she lit another one of her cigars.

"Why that schoolmarm, that's who!" Daniel said, in a drunken manner.

"Lydia? Contrary? Are you sure about that?" Shelby asked, for it looked like Daniel had gotten drunk yet once again. Then she added, "You've been drinkin' out of that bottle for quite some time, so don't you think that you have had enough?"

"Hell, no! Pour me another drink!" Daniel asked.

Shelby decided to say, "I think that you have had enough of my whiskey for now! So go on back to your place and sleep this off!" Big Dan decided to take her advice, and went to his place to rest for the night.

Ben was very glad that he decided to take Lydia for a ride, and as for the schoolmarm, she was glad to have someone else to talk to for a change. She loved teaching the children, but she needed to talk with someone from her generation. "I see that you have lost your fear of horses!" Ben said as he rode along.

Lydia looked up to him and said, "Now how did you know that I was afraid of horses?"

"Please be careful with reining in that horse, Lydia! And as for knowing how you felt about these creatures, I think that everybody knows about that. Eagle Station is a very small town, and it seems that everybody knows that their neighbor does! And besides, you aren't the only woman around here that was afraid of horses at all! My late wife, Marie was absolutely terrified of horses! She was so afraid of them that she didn't want our son Joseph to even gentle his horse, Paint! But you know how these young people can be at times! They can be so persistent!"" Ben replied.

Lydia nodded her head as she listened to the middle-aged widower. Then she said, "I think that you miss her very much! I am sorry that she is gone!"

Ben was a little more sad, and then said, "You know, of course, that Marie was expected our second child. She had miscarried our second child about four years ago, and we were really hoping that she could have another child, but...those plans just didn't work out at all!" Ben's sadness changed into anger as he remembered that Marie had died in an explosion. He had lost his first wife in childbirth, and his second had lost her life in an Indian attack, and so he hoped that his third wife would live a good long life. Instead, her life had ended, and it just didn't seem fair that she would not live long enough to see her grandchildren.

"And now, how is Isabella feeling?" Lydia said, and then added, "My parents went through this mourning period after my sister Helene had died as we came over to this country! I miss my older sister too! Sometimes, I think that if she had lived, she would be the schoolteacher instead of me, and I would be in a convent right now! I am bitter, too, sir! If I had not met that...Jack Wolf, I would be in a Carmelite convent instead of coming out west!" And buried in that convent, too, Ben Cartwright! I wouldn't be out here in the Wild West, trying to teach children, nor would I be riding these creatures, but I must say that this gelding is very gentle, too! Lydia thought to herself, and then added another thought. I also would not have met Big Dan who thinks that I am, or could even be his wife! He is a very nice man, but there is no question, I can never marry! Ever!

Ben looked at the schoolmarm and said, "Carmelite? You?"

Lydia looked at him as said, "And why not? I tried to tell Edward that I really do have a vocation, but he won't listen at all!"

"But Carmelites are very strict order of contemplative nuns, aren't they?" Ben asked.

"Yes! They are very strict, in that, they don't allow many visitors to their convents at all! Saint Teresa of Avila was quite strict about that, when she reformed her entire order back in the sixteenth century. She wanted to make sure that her order was just like that of the order that was originally formed on the base of Mount Carmel in the Holy Land! And she was able to do that, even during the Reformation and the Counter Reformation!" Lydia replied, and then added, "I rather think that your Margaret Greene is another one of those women as well!"

Ben nodded and said, "Yes, she is one strong-willed woman at that, but she isn't as strong as she thinks! She lost her husband in the war, and now she has to raise her only child, a young lady..."

"Who is quite in love with your middle son, Hoss, is she not?" Lydia asked, and then said, "I rather think that he would make a fine husband to that young lady..."

"But not for now! I have just seen my oldest son get married, and I learned first hand just how difficult it can be for young people to get married! Besides, that really isn't the point at all! What I really want from you is this! If you could, please talk with that priest of yours in Hangtown as well as the parishioners..."

"You really want us to pray for more rain? Why?" Lydia asked.

Ben took a deep breath and said, "We really need the moisture around here, and I really don't care which church you go to..."

"So you really aren't against us Catholics at all, are you Mr. Cartwright?" Lydia asked, and then said, "Yes! Of course you're right! I'll see what I can do about this! I'll talk to the priest next Sunday, as see if we can do our part in ending this drought! But please tell me something, Mr. Cartwright! Mrs. Greene also has a prayer group going in order to pray for rain, does she not?"

Ben nodded and said, "Yes, she does! She has invited both Ruth and Shelby into her prayer group..."

"But not me, and I'll bet that she didn't even invite Isabella! That is really too bad, but yes, I think that I can get another prayer group started, and I will be the first to invite the younger Mrs. Cartwright as well!" Lydia replied and then she thought this whole area really needs some rain or even some snow, and Mrs. Greene is really too selective in inviting those who are not of her faith to pray for snow! But I'll not say even a word about this to Ben.

"Could you talk with...this priest as soon as possible?" Ben asked.

"Yes, I'll speak with him tomorrow right after Mass! Will Isabella come to Mass tomorrow?" Lydia replied.

"Yes, I hope so! She has been feeling a little under the weather, but I hope that she will be well enough to attend...services tomorrow!" Ben replied. His reply, of course answered the question that Lydia had asked in the first place. His New England accent could be heard. After all these years, and he still speaks as if he were still in Massachusetts instead of out here in the west. Well, at least he doesn't say the he can't understand me in spite of my heavy German accent. Papa, I am so grateful that you insisted that all of us speak English, heavily accent though is was instead of German. Now, if I can only get the Spanish-speaking children to speak in English, instead of their Mexican Spanish, and if only the Indians can do the same, Lydia thought to herself.

Ben and Lydia then went over to Marie's grave. Ben dismounted and walked over to it and quietly said, "This is her final resting place. Now that the ranch has made a second profit, I hope that I can finally order a proper headstone to mark her grave. I made this cross to put in front of it, but I feel that... she deserves more than a cross. Much more!" Ben hung his head for a moment, for he really didn't want to let Lydia know that he still had his moments full of tears. After all, most men didn't want to let other women know that they cried too. Lydia also dismounted, and made her way over to the grave. Even though she had never even known the poor woman from New Orleans, she mourned her death as well. She silently crossed herself. Ben thought of telling Lydia about his three wives, but decided not to say anything at all! He had told Carlos about losing all three of them. And then, he thought about losing Carlos as well. Carlos had been a friend of his and had helped him during the first year of owning the Ponderosa ranch.

Lydia knew that Ben was still in mourning over losing his wives, as well as Carlos. She kept quiet, and said nothing. Maybe Ben would say something about them. He finally did. "Marie was a good mother to little Joe and a good stepmother as well! Both of my older sons needed to have her around. Forgive me! I'm still in mourning, and whenever I come to Marie's grave..."

"Yes, of course," Lydia said. Now it was Lydia who was uncomfortable around Ben.

Ben looked at Lydia, and realized that she looked exactly like Inger, which made him even sadder than ever. Then, he said, "You are someone that I can converse with!"

Lydia nodded and then said, "But, I always thought that you would find that your neighbor Margaret is a good conversationalist too!"

"Yes, she is, but as for me, I haven't even recovered from Marie's death just yet, and Margaret..."

"Would really like you to propose to her, doesn't she?" Lydia asked. She knew just how lonely a person could get, and besides, her brother Edward really wanted to see that she married. But he doesn't even know that I have consumption right now, and I will never tell him that I got this disease from working many more hours that I needed too. "I know just how you feel! My brother Edward wants to see me get married, but I'm not interested at all! It's not like I'm not interested in men at all! I am, but there is something that is missing in my life, and I think that I should really try to..."

Ben looked up at Lydia, and decided that they should continue their conversation at the dinner table. "Hop Sing will have lunch ready for us, so I think that we should leave Marie's grave and go back to the house," Ben said as he went over mounted his horse.

"Agreed!" Lydia said, and did the same.

The next morning, Daniel woke up with a hangover. "My head feels so bad, it ain't even funny at all!" he moaned as he got up from his cot. He made his way over to Shelby's saloon, where he ordered some whiskey.

"A hair of the dog that bit you?" Shelby asked as she poured him a drink. Then she asked, "Now why in the world would you go off on a binge that that?"

"You know why!" Daniel exclaimed, and then added, "It's that damned schoolmarm, that's why!"

Just then, Lydia walked into the saloon. Shelby whispered, "Watch your language, Big Dan!" Then she said, "Good mornin' Lydia!"

Lydia replied, "Good morning, Shelby. And good morning to you, Mr. Larson!" Daniel raised his aching head, noticed that Lydia was talking to him. Then, he grunted, and quickly left the saloon.

Lydia was surprised at the behavior of Daniel. She waited until Daniel left, and then asked Shelby, "Now what have I done?"

Shelby said, "I think that Daniel got drunk last night, and now has a hangover for all of that drinkin' that he did!"

"I'm afraid that I don't understand at all!" Lydia replied.

Shelby lit her first cigar of the day and then replied, "Well, I think that Big Dan is sweet on you, and he was very upset that you weren't there at the boardin' house yesterday!"

"Well, I never..." Lydia replied, and then said, "I'll go over and explain to him!"

"I wouldn't do that Lydia!" Shelby said.

"But I must! Besides, I still have to rent a horse, so I can go to Mass this morning. If you'll excuse me!" Lydia left the saloon, and quickly caught up with Daniel just as he entered the livery stable. "Daniel, I think that we need to talk!" Lydia said.

"Talk? Talk about what?" Daniel said, as he started to clean one of the saddles that were on his workbench.

Lydia felt a little nervous and nearly left the stable, but she decided that she had to talk with this trapper. "Daniel, I never said that I would let you court me at all!"

"Well, why not? Or are you just waitin' for Ben Cartwright to court you!" Daniel replied, and then said, "I know that he is more educated than me..."

"Education doesn't make the man, Daniel. It's his character that counts!" Lydia said.

"And you don't think that I have any, now do you!" Daniel replied.

Lydia took a deep breath in order not to loose her temper. Then she said, "And so it seems that you are jealous too!" She looked at her watch and noticed the time. If I don't get a horse quickly, I'll be late to Mass. That makes at least three sins that I have committed in the last few weeks alone. I gossiped with the townspeople, and I have lost my temper, especially with Jack Wolf, and now with Daniel Larson as well

Daniel, realized that Lydia was right about him all along. He had fallen in love with this educated schoolmarm, and he was very jealous of anyone who even seemed interested with her. Then, after he saw that Lydia had looked at her watch, he replied, "So, you'll be late to Mass, again?"

Lydia nodded, and said, Yes, I will be late this time."

"I'll get the horses, and pay the rent to Jack Wolf. Besides, you are right! I am very jealous of you. I haven't felt like this at all," Daniel said. He was upset with himself for looking so foolish in the first place. He quickly saddled the two horses, and the two of them made their way to Hangtown.

Chapter Nine

Lydia and Daniel actually made it to Mass, before it began. Lydia had actually managed to talk Daniel into attending Mass with her. Afterward, Lydia talked with the pastor of the church and mentioned that she needed to talk with him. She told him that she wanted to get a prayer group started, and asked that he mention the fact that the area needed to have some rain or snow. The pastor agreed, and then the two people left, and made their way to the Ponderosa ranch. "You were right in getting me to that service." Daniel said, as the two rode their horses. Then, he added, "I haven't been to church for a long time. And that pastor of yours is a good speaker. I just wish some of the Protestant pastors can preach as good of a sermon as good as the Catholic priests!"

Lydia corrected him by saying, "It's a homily, Daniel. But that is fine with me. I like that. That is, if you liked to hear the pastor speak! It's quite a complement for the pastor of that parish!"

Lydia nodded, and then started coughing once again. "Are you all right?" Daniel asked. Lydia nodded. She got her handkerchief out from her pocket, and held it up to her mouth. She hoped that she wasn't coughing up some blood. Unfortunately, she did! She quickly looked at the handkerchief, and then put it back into her pocket, and hoped that Daniel wouldn't see the blood on it. It was the first time that she had seen blood on her handkerchief, and unfortunately, it would not be the last time. "Can I see that handkerchief?" Daniel asked.

Lydia was not willing that he should see it, so she shook her head, and said, "I am quite all right."

"I want to see it anyway!" Daniel exclaimed. He reached over to her pocket and got the handkerchief out of it, but dropped it. As it fell to the ground, he saw the blood. Trapper though he was, he now knew that Lydia was a very sick person. "Why didn't you tell me that you have consumption?" he asked. He dismounted, and got the handkerchief and gave it back to Lydia.

"I didn't want to let everybody know that I am sick with this thing!" Lydia said, and then added, "I want to stay out here in the west. I have felt better since I moved out here, and I hope that I can live long enough to finish teaching school for now anyway!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I still say that you should tell Ben and his boys!" Daniel said.

"And just what would he do with me? Probably send me back to St. Louis, no doubt! No! I don't want to go back there at all!" Lydia replied. She remembered that the entire town had gossiped about Jack and Lydia. Small town anyway, but I think that Eagle Station is even worse! She thought.

"No, I don't think so! Most of the people in this town really need a schoolmarm..." Daniel replied.

"Most of them, I'm sure! But what about Margaret Greene! If she knew that I was sick with this consumption, she would insist that I resign, and go back east!" she replied.

Daniel remounted his horse, and said, "I still think that you should tell Ben and his boys!" They decided to go to the Ponderosa, anyway. Daniel thought that it might be a little hard on Lydia, but she wanted to go there anyway. Sick women and their wills, he thought as they rode up to the house. Can't figure women out! He thought.

As the two people got close to the house, Daniel said, "I think that you should ask for some water, and then I'll take you back to the boardin' house. I don't know that much about doctorin' at all, but I'll bet that Hop Sing would insist that you rest for the remainder of the day!" Lydia agreed. They stopped for some water, and then decided to let their horses get some water as well. Ben was seated on the bench on his front porch, and noticed that the two were there.

"What brings you two out here?" he asked, as he rose from the bench.

"Good afternoon, Ben. Lydia and I want to water our horses, and can I ask if Lydia can get some water as well?"

Ben agreed, and then rose and made his way over to the horses and spoke in a soft voice to Daniel. "Isn't Lydia looking a bit peaked?"

Daniel nodded his head, and said, "Yep, she is! I told her to go back to the boardin' house and get some rest. I went to Mass with her this mornin' and now, she does look a little pale, don't she?"

"Yes, she does. Hop Sing and little Joe, would you please get the table set. It's now time for lunch!" Ben said as he went back to the house.

Hop Sing and Joe did as they were told. Just after the table was set, and everyone had gathered around it in order to say grace, Lydia collapsed. Ben then said, "I think that you should put her in the boys' room!" Hop Sing carried the now frail schoolmarm and put her on his cot, which was next to the boy's bunk beds. Daniel shook his head and said, "I thought that she should go back to Eagle Station, but she wanted to come out this way instead!"

Little Joe asked, "What's wrong with her? She looks kind of like ma did right after she miscarried!"

Daniel shook his head again and said, "Well, it looks like it's kinda my fault in the first place. I know that she needs to talk with you, Ben."

Ben asked, "Why?"

"Ben, I think that we should go out to the porch and talk!" Daniel said. Both men went out to the porch, and Daniel said, "Lydia has been a sick woman!"

"I know that she said that she had rheumatic fever when she was a child. She said that to Shelby and she told me the story, but she looks even worse than some of those people that have heart conditions," Ben replied.

Daniel shook his head again and said, "It ain't her heart that bothers her! She has consumption! We went to Mass today, and on the way back, she started coughin' so bad, that I saw some blood on her handkerchief! I managed to ask her about it and she said that she has..."

"Consumption! That's it, isn't it?" Adam said as he joined the two men.

For the first time, Daniel nodded his head, and said, "Yes, she does! Now, she's worried that no one will teach those kids anythin'!"

"We can fix this problem, can't we!" Ben said, and then added, "When she feels a little better, I'll talk with her, and see what I can do!"

"Agreed!" Daniel said, and the three men went back into the house. The family ate their lunch, and then both Isabella and Hop Sing took turns sitting with Lydia as she rested.

Finally, she awoke at about three in the afternoon. "Meinen Gutten!" she exclaimed, as she tried to get up from the cot.

Just then, Hop Sing came into the room, carrying a tray of hot tea, and a few of his biscuits. "Now, just what are you doing, Miss Weiss?" he asked as he put the tray onto little Joe's table.

"Just trying to get out of bed!" Lydia said, as she tried to get out of bed. Hop Sing said something in his native Mandarin accent, as Lydia tried, but failed to get out of bed. Finally, she realized that Hop Sing was quite upset with her, so she said, "May I, at least sit up in my bed?"

"Sit, yes, but you should not stand!" the Chinese cook replied, and then added, "I have brought you some tea to drink, as well as some biscuits to eat."

Ben, hearing that Hop Sing was speaking in Chinese, came into the room. "So, you are up!" He was relieved that Lydia was awake. He had heard horror stories of those that suffered from consumption, and he was afraid that she might be feeling worse than ever.

"Yes, I am, but I shouldn't have abused your hospitality at all!" Lydia replied.

"And you misunderstood your illness, too!" Ben replied, just as Daniel came into the room as well.

"Daniel?" she asked, and then added, "I really wanted to tell him myself, but instead, all I did was collapse!"

"Daniel didn't say anything more than he needed to," Ben said, and then added, "Since you are still too ill to teach, perhaps Adam can teach school as well. I always wanted him to teach school anyway, so now is his chance to do so!" Ben was angry that Margaret wanted to hire a schoolmarm. Adam can teach those children just as well as anybody else, he thought.

Adam came into the room, too and said, "I'll teach school for now. Maybe the town council can and will pay me better than old man McGregor! God only knows that he seems to be closer to his own money than he is to his children, anyway!" Adam lifted his eyebrow, and made it plain that he was being sarcastic!

Lydia laughed at that remark, and said, "Yes, it seems that Scotsmen and Germans are the only ones that are cheap around here!"

"Heck, they're about as cheap as old man Wolf is!" Daniel said. Daniel tried to watch his language in front of the schoolteacher. After all, most women of the west did not like to heat obscenities instead of proper language.

Ben nodded his head, and said, "We're in agreement, then! Adam can teach the children for a while. And I will write a letter to your brother in Sacramento, and tell him that you are just too ill at this point to even think about teaching school!" Besides, maybe I can talk him into coming back to Eagle Station and take care of his sick sister, Ben thought.

Lydia shook her head and said, "No doubt that Edward would agree with Mrs. Greene. I know that she wants to get rid of me!"" And so does Jack! she thought. Then, she asked, "So, what should I do? I don't really want to go back to St. Louis!"

Daniel said, "You won't have to! I'll make sure that you can stay at the boardin' house! I don't think that your landlady will mind if I pay your rent!"

"If Jack will allow it! I don't think that he wants me to stay here at all!" Lydia replied.

"And, I'll make sure that the children learn as well!" Adam replied. He was very glad that he would be hired to teach school. He loved children, and both he and Isabella knew that he had to earn more money at this time. Besides, maybe he could talk Isabella into helping with the slower students. No doubt, Lydia had some of them as well! And, it would be good for Isabella as well. She was so depressed after her miscarriage that she needed something to take her mind off of her loss!

"Good! Then it's settled! I'll write the letter and take it over to Eli's tomorrow morning! In the meantime, please stay here for the evening! Adam and I can take you to town tomorrow!" Ben replied. Then, all three men left the boy's room, and let Lydia rest.

Lydia really needed her rest! She stayed with the Cartwrights, and the next morning, she went with Adam and Ben to Eagle Station. Ben took her to the boarding house, while Adam went to the school. He introduced himself to the other children. "I will teach you for a few weeks. Miss Weiss is very ill at this moment! You can call me Mr. Cartwright!"

"Why?" Martha asked. She had decided to ignore Lydia's comment completely. Besides, little Joe wanted to ask something, and she decided to cut him off!

"I think that it's a good idea to call me Mr. Cartwright, instead of Adam!" he replied, and then added, "I will teach as well as Miss Weiss. So, now we will learn!" Adam got through that first day of teaching, and didn't seem to be nervous at all! The children knew this, and they behaved themselves. Somehow, they knew that Adam was very much like Lydia! He was direct with the children, and wouldn't let them misbehave at all! He acted like most Germans-he meant what he said and said what he meant!

When he left the building, Jack was there. "So, now you're teachin' school! Then he asked, "Why?"

Adam looked at him for a moment, and thought, I should have punched you at the dance, but pa's right! I won't waste my time dealing with a piece of scum like you! Then, trying to be patient, he said, "Miss Weiss is too sick at the moment, so I agreed to be the substitute teacher!"

"Substitute! Good God Almighty!" Jack exclaimed.

"And, she has another request from you, Jack! She wants you to watch your language, especially here in the classroom!" Adam replied. Then, he added, "I agree with her, Jack!"

"Why in the hell should I?" Jack exclaimed, and then added; "There will be another council meeting tomorrow evenin'! I want to talk with both you and your father!" He then went back to his hotel. Adam stood there for a moment, and then went back to the Ponderosa.

"Pa, did you know about the town council meeting tomorrow evening?" Adam asked as the whole family sat down to supper.

"No, I didn't!" Ben replied as he passed some more chicken to Hoss. The whole family agreed not to eat any of their beef, for a time! Besides, the beef needed to age! Ben had memories of eating beef after the steer had been butchered! His stomach had been upset for a few days!

"I thought that you would want to know that Jack wants to have another council meeting!" Adam replied.

"Why would he want to have yet another meeting?" Isabella asked, as she passed some streamed brown bread to little Joe.

"I told him that Lydia was too ill to teach!" Adam replied, and then added, "And now, he wants to do something about this problem that we have!"

"Like what?" little Joe asked, and then said, "You were good today, teachin' just like Miss Weiss!"

"That's teaching, not teachin' little Joe!" Adam said. He knew that his younger brother needed to learn English, and he was in a perfect position to teach little Joe.

"So Jack doesn't like to see you teach, does he?" Hoss commented. He agreed not to eat their beef, but he still missed it! He was very tired of eating chicken!

"Not at all! Besides, I didn't like him asking about why I was there in the first place!" Adam replied.

"But other than meeting up with Jack, I assume that you day want very well!" Ben said, and then added, "Now that Miss Weiss is pretty ill, maybe Jack is right! The whole council has to decide what we want to do now! As for me, I think that you should teach the children for the rest of the school year. And as for Miss Weiss, I wrote to her brother and implored him to come back to Eagle Station and stay. Maybe he can take her to Sacramento. Hop Sing, can she stand going out to Sacramento?"

Hop Sing shock his head and said, "I don't think that she should even try to leave town for the moment. Her consumption is very bad right now, and I'm afraid that she could die before she even reaches Hangtown!"

"Is she really that sick?" Hoss asked. He had no idea that when consumption goes on for too long, it really does consume the whole body! Lydia knew that she was dying, and now Ben knew it, too!

"Does Daniel know that she is dying?" Adam asked.

"No, I don't think so! But, he knows that she is very sick. I can bring some more of my herbs to help her!" Hop Sing said.

"And I would like to go to her as well. I don't even think that we were introduced. I wanted to do that at the harvest festival dance, but...Jack stopped me from even going over to her table!" Isabella said, and than added, "And, I don't even remember being introduced to her, as she lay in Hop Sing's cot!"

"No, that was my fault. I didn't even think of introducing you two. I just wanted her to rest!" Ben said.

"Then, it's agreed. We'll all go over to the boarding house tomorrow evening before the council meeting even starts. I'll let both you and Hop Sing tend to her, and I'll go with pa and tell them that I can teach school too!" Adam replied. He didn't even want to think of the evening that Isabella lost their child!

Everybody at the Ponderosa ate a quick meal before going into town. It seemed that the whole council was waiting for both Ben and Adam to show up! While Isabella and Hop Sing went to the boarding house, Ben and Adam went to the council meeting.

"Bout time you showed up!" Jack said as he sat down on one of the chairs.

"I think that it's time to call the meeting to order!" Margaret said.

Adam looked at his father, but after seeing the expression on his father's face, decided to say nothing at the time. After the meeting was called to order, Ben said, "I think that we all know why we are here!"

"We sure do! Why didn't you tell us that Lydia has consumption?" Shelby asked. She always hated not knowing what went on in Eagle Station.

Eli said, "Yes, I think that if we want to know how she is feeling, we should ask Ben!" He was curious as well. Just how sick was the schoolmarm?

"Lydia is a very sick woman! I won't deny that, but I think that we should let Adam be her substitute teacher!" Ben said, and that added, "Margaret, I know that you wanted the school to have a professional teacher teach our children, but I think that you should have listened to me! I think that Adam can teach them as well as anyone else can! Now, don't you agree with me?"

Before Margaret could answer Ben, Jack said, "Hell! There ain't nothin' wrong with her at all! If you ask me, I think that she's a little lazy..."

"Lazy? She was coughing up blood! I don't think that..." Ben tried to explain. Just then, Lydia entered the town hall.

"So you think that I'm lazy?" she asked. Then she started to cough again. There was blood on her handkerchief! She looked at it and then showed it to Jack. "Does this look like I'm being lazy?"

Margaret rose, and looked at it! "Why didn't you tell us that you have consumption?" she demanded. She was angry as well! How dare Lydia come out here with her consumption! The children might get that disease as well!

Lydia looked at her and said, "I have been ill for some time, but I can tell you that it was overwork that got me to this point!" Then she looked at Jack and said, "You abandoned me back in St. Louis! I went back to teaching, and wanted to save enough to retire on! If I had not listened to your...promises, I could have retired by now! Or enter a convent! Instead, I..." she stopped talking, and then coughed a lot. Then she continued, "You know that I warned you! I should tell everybody just how you abandoned me, and it seems that you have a good reason for it! You neglected to tell me that you have a wife in Richmond Virginia! It seems that you abandoned her as well! It's a good thing that both she and your son came out to St. Louis! It seems that they wanted to find you! Then I had to face all of those people that were in St. Louis and try to tell them that it was a good thing that you didn't marry me at all! You would have been a bigamist! You are a sorry man to be around!"

Both Margaret and Ben were in shock. Ben looked at Lydia, and then got a chair. She was absolutely exhausted! It took almost all of her strength to get out of bed and then make it to the council meeting. Then, she said, "As you all can see, I'm in no shape to teach at all! I should now resign from teaching!" Then, she looked at Ben and said, "No, I won't be needing a chair right now!"

Ben and Margaret both nodded their heads. Margaret then said, "I'll make out the papers for you to sign! But, I really think that..."

"I should go back east? I don't think so!" Lydia said.

"Why in the hell not?" Jack asked.

"And get out of your hair? I've exposed you, Jack Wolf! You have abandoned both your wife and son!" she exclaimed.

"My son! Hell, he's addled!" Jack exclaimed.

"All the more reason that you shouldn't have left him back in Virginia! I have no use for those that don't like folks that are different from themselves!" Lydia exclaimed. Then she added, "I think that I should go back to the boarding house!" She left the town hall, and somehow managed to make it to the boarding house.

The whole council stayed in the town hall. Margaret said, "Well, it seems that Ben is right once again! Adam, you can finish teaching the children for the year!" Then she looked at Jack and said, "I thought that I would never agree with Lydia on anything at all! But, it seems that she was right about you as well! Abandoning both your wife and son is outrageous! But, it's too bad that we can't have a special vote and tell everybody what you're hiding!"

Jack rose from his chair and said, "If you tell the folks around here about my past, I'll make you pay for this! BELIEVE ME I WILL!" He then left the building.

Margaret was in shock! No one, not even Jorge had treated her like this! Then, regaining her composer, she said, "I would like to adjourn this meeting!" Everyone agreed and then everybody left the town hall.

Ben and Adam went over to the boarding house. They wanted to go back to the Ponderosa. "You surprised us all, Lydia! I never expected to see you go to the town council at all!" Ben said in a quiet voice.

Lydia sat in her chair for a moment. She was feeling worse than ever! She had wanted to teach, but now it seemed that she wouldn't have the chance to do what she wanted. All this suffering for nothing! Jack and Margaret are right! I never should have come out west in the first place! Now what do I do? She thought.

Isabella said, "It was a very brave thing that you did! You told us about him after you came back here!"

Adam said, "I told you that she was a brave person! But I'll bet that Jack won't forget this evening! I won't forget it either!"

Lydia nodded her head and said, "I think that you should all beware of Jack! Right now, he's so angry that it isn't even funny! Beware of him, my friends!"

"I think that we should let you rest, Lydia! Good night!" He shook hands with her and then, the whole family left her room. As they got to the buckboard, he said, "If I don't hear from Edward in the next week, I'll see if Daniel and I can go to Sacramento and find him. It's very important that we reach him!"

"Do you think that she will die?" Isabella asked.

Ben said, "I don't really know, but she looked even more sallow that ever. Hop Sing, does she have any more of those herbs of yours?"

Hop Sing said, "She has some of them, but I feel the same way you do, Mr. Cartwright! I am not sure that she will last through this winter!"

Edward got the letter from Ben, and it took him almost three days to get to Eagle Station. He went to the boarding house, where he found Lydia. She was sitting a chair, but she was almost completely exhausted! "Why didn't you tell me that you were sick?" he asked.

She replied, "I didn't want you to know just how hard I have worked! Jack took everything that I had! What else could I do? I told you that he wasn't the man for me! You should have realized this when we found him in St. Joseph! We didn't have just an argument like he said! He...just took everything that I had, and then claimed that we argued!"

Edward looked at his sister. She was seated in the only chair in the room. "Are you still bitter with me for not letting you go into a convent?" Maybe Lydia was right after all. Edward always thought that Lydia was just too bitter of a person, and would never make a good nun at all!

Lydia shook her head and said, "What difference does that make? I'm too sick now of even trying to get into a convent!" I shouldn't be bitter at all! I've been blessed with living as long as I have! She thought.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked.

"I suppose so!" she replied.

Then Edward said, "I think that I should try to get you to Sacramento, but you don't look like you'll even make it that far!" Edward realized that Lydia looked paler than ever.

"Maybe you'll get me as far as Hangtown!" she replied.

Edward nodded, and then said, "Ben Cartwright wrote me and told me that you were sick! Maybe we can go over to his ranch!" Lydia agreed, but it wasn't an easy task to take her over to the livery stable. They rent a couple of horses, and Daniel agreed to take them went over to the Ponderosa.

"Nice to see you, Ben!" Daniel called out. All three of them left their horses near the corral.

"And, it's nice to see you! Lydia, how are you feeling?" Ben asked as he rose from the bench on his porch.

"I'm feeling a little better today. Both Edward and Daniel thought of taking me out to your ranch. It's a nice day today!" she replied, as she dismounted from her horse.

Daniel looked up to the sky and said, "I don't think that we'll get much snow at all this winter. Some of the trappers that have come to Shelby's have said that it's snowin' up north, but it looks like we won't get much snow at all! But, it's better than the winter of '46, when the Storm King came and stranded the Donner party!" He noticed that Lydia had dismounted from her horse, and then chastised himself for not even helping her in the first place!

Edward nodded and said, "Yes, we heard about those people that were trapped in a blizzard!" And those stories that were said about them! Looking at these people tell me that there were no exaggerations at all! He thought. He dismounted as well. If his sister could dismount and Daniel could dismount, so could he!

Ben said, "It's getting cold outside. Come inside and warm yourselves! I hope that Hop Sing has some tea for us!"

Lydia said, "This time, I think that we should go inside! We weren't able to do this the last time that we were here!" Edward and Daniel accepted Ben's offer. All three of them went inside. Hop Sing had some tea ready, as well as a yeast coffeecake. It was one of Lydia's recipes. She had given it to Hop Sing the previous week.

Isabella was at the table, and was helping Adam make his plans for the children. "I'm glad to help you with these children. Some of them are in the back of the room, and at least one of them seems to be deaf!" she commented.

Adam noticed that Ben was in the house, along with Lydia and Edward. "Are you Lydia's brother?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm Father Edward, SJ," Edward replied.

"You are a Jesuit, aren't you?" Isabella asked.

"Yes, I am. You are Adam's wife, Isabella," he said.

Ben went over to the fireplace, and got some tea from the pot. He placed it on the table, while Hop Sing sliced some coffeecake and placed the slices on a plate. Then, he put it on the table as well. "Well, we can have some tea!" he replied.

Both Edward and Lydia nodded their heads. I wish that we had some coffee to go with the coffeecake, but then, at least someone has decided to make one of Lydia's specialties, Edward thought.

"Thank you for making some tea for us, Hop Sing! I'm just a little sorry that I can't offer you some coffee. I was a sailor at one point in my life, and I had the opportunity to eat some coffeecake. I prefer tea, myself. Maybe next time that you come, I can offer coffee as well!" Ben said.

"Tea can warm me just as much as coffee. Thank you for your hospitality!" Lydia said, and then added, "Father, can we say grace first before eating something?"

"Of course!" Edward replied. Then, after saying grace, everybody sat down and enjoyed the meal.

They went back to town, and went to the livery. As Edward unsaddled, Daniel asked, "Lydia, I'm glad that you made it out to the Cartwrights!"

"As am I! Lydia, can you go to the boarding house? I need to talk with Daniel!" Edward said.

Lydia agreed, and as soon as she had left the livery, Edward said, "I think that you know that my sister is dying!"

Daniel grunted and wanted to use a profanity. But he didn't dare with a priest in his livery! Instead he said in a sad voice, "I knew that she was sick, but are you sure that she's dyin'?"

Edward said, "Yes, I'm sure. Even I didn't know just how sick that she was until I arrived earlier!"

"Maybe Hop Sing has some herbs that will help her!" Daniel said.

"I think that you are in denial, Daniel! She's dying, and I don't think that I can even get her as far as Hangtown! That's why I think that I will make sure the she can get as far as the boarding house! If you'll excuse me, please!" Edward left the livery stable.

Daniel shook his head and after he had finished grooming the horses and feeding them oats, he went over to Shelby's. The restaurant was packed with people, waiting to be served their supper. Daniel helped Shelby out with serving the meals. Then he said to Shelby, "I think that I should go to Sacramento. I don't exactly believe that Lydia is dyin'!"

"Dyin'? Now who said that?" Shelby asked.

"Her brother, that's who! Now I'll be back by the end of the week!" he exclaimed. He left Shelby, and went over to the livery stable. He got a horse, and left.

Before Isabella retired, she had a chance to talk with Adam. "I love working with these children. One of the girls seems to deaf, and another of the boys seems to be a little slow. I don't think that he's addled at all, or even a dull person. But I do have to repeat just about everything that you are teaching the other children." She said, and then added, "I think that I was a good idea of yours to get me out of this house and into the classroom!"

"I think that it was a good idea, too!" Adam replied. Then he looked at his antique watch and said, "I think that we should turn in for the evening."

Ben looked up from his Bible and said, "I agree with Adam. Good night, Isabella!" After she went into the bedroom, Ben said, "I think that was a good idea of yours. Isabella needs to forget her pain and move on with her life. And I'm glad that the town council agrees with me as well. Maggie is angry though. She had no idea that Lydia was simply too sick to teach, and she doesn't realize this, but you are teaching the children everything that they should know!"

"Do you think that Maggie will tell the town just how bad Jack Wolf is?" Adam asked, as he stirred the ashes in the fireplace.

Ben shook his head and said, "No, I don't think she'll say anything for now! Jack looked like he was going to kill her this afternoon! Now, you know why I told you not to mess with Jack in the first place!"

Adam nodded and said, "I know why you call him a piece of scum in the first place. But still, I want to punch him every time I look at him! But, you're right too! Vengeance is God's work, not ours!"

Edward stayed for almost a week! Lydia was very sick at this point, and it was getting harder for her to rise at sunrise. Edward got up at dawn, and prayed the Divine Office. Then, after he dressed, he went over to Lydia's room. Lydia was awake as well, but her consumption was even worse. As she lay in bed, Edward went over to her and asked, "How are you feeling this morning?"

"A little worse. I was up nearly all night, coughing! I hope that I didn't awake you!" she replied.

As she tried to rise, her brother stopped her, and said, "I think that you should stay in bed for now! It looks like a wonderful morning, but you should stay there! I'll bet that you would like to rest some more!"

"Can you pray for me right now?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied. They prayed the entire rosary for that day, and after Lydia went back to sleep, he left the room. He descended the stairs and went over to the dining room table. The landlady had some tea in a pot, as well as biscuits. He got a plate that was on the table, and started eating. Just then, he heard a knock on the door. He answered it. Daniel was there at the door, and he had a companion. He introduced him to the priest, by saying, "We just got back into town. This, here is Doctor Martin. I'd like him to take at look at Lydia!" Edward opened the door, and let the two men enter the boarding house. He then went back and drank some tea. Then he heard another knock at the door. He went over to the window and saw that Jack was there at the door. He went over to the door and opened it.

Jack said, "Well, it looks like Lydia has her brother right here in Eagle Station! So, how is she, anyway?"

Edward managed to hold his temper. He replied, "She's fine for now! She's resting upstairs!"

"In your bed, I suppose!" Jack said.

Daniel went downstairs and saw that Jack was there. He said, "Excuse me, Father, but I think that he insulted you! For your information, she's in her own bed, but as for you..." Daniel decided to punch Jack for being so disrespectful towards a Catholic priest, as well as being disrespectful towards a dying woman!

Jack was surprised at Daniel, but could do nothing at that moment. Daniel knew that he could land another punch! So he punched him once again! "Lydia had put up with you, and so has Edward! But I won't put up with you again! I think that you have gone too far!"

Just then, the landlady came down the stairs and said, "I think that you should take your fight out to the street! I mean both of you!"

The men left the boarding house, and then resumed their fight. "I always thought that priests should fight their own battles and not let trappers like you interfere at all!" Jack exclaimed.

"And I always thought that you had more respect for the dyin'!" Daniel replied, and then added, "Jesus had to fight with the Pharisees and I guess that I'll have to fight with you!" As he swung to hit Jack, Jack tripped him. He landed on his face, but rose anyway and resumed punching Jack!

Shelby had made her way into the street to watch the two men fight. Eli noticed that the two men were fighting and went over to her and asked, "Why don't you stop those two?"

"Hell, no! Why should I? Jack has been needin' this for a long time! He's being beat by our Big Dan!"

Eli shook his head and then returned to his store. Shelby cheered Dan on! She was sick of his attitude toward Lydia, and really didn't care that Dan was in pain from those bruises!

A horse came into town, and both the men stopped fighting long enough to see that Ben had come into town!

"Dan, what's going on?" he said as he dismounted from his horse.

"Lydia is more sick that I thought! I went over to Sacramento and got a real doctor to see her, but as for Jack! Well, I just thought that I'd teach him a lesson!" Dan tried to punch Jack once more, but Ben stopped him!

"Where's Lydia now?" he asked. He wanted to see that this fight stopped, and the only way that he could do this was to get Dan to stop hitting Jack!

"She's upstairs!" Daniel replied, and then added, "But, if you'll excuse me..." Dan started to hit Jack once again, but Ben decided to stop him.

"Don't even think of hitting him again!" Ben exclaimed.

"He has no respect for the dying, and then he accused Lydia of sleeping with her brother! I decided to hit him myself!" Dan replied.

Ben said, "Dan, I think that Jack is a better fighter than you! I'll take you over to Shelby's and clean you up! Besides, if Lydia sees you right now, she'll be asking a lot of questions!" Jack then went over to his hotel, while Dan and Ben went over to Shelby's saloon. Shelby decided that she go back to her saloon as well. As Ben got some water, she asked Daniel, "Why were you fightin'? Jack seems to be a better fighter than you!"

Ben gave him a cold compress. Daniel replied, "I had to do something! First, Jack accused her of sleeping with her brother, and then..."

Shelby looked at him and then said, "I hope that you knew what you were doin'! I think that Jack is out of line as it is, but then again, he's always been out of line! I just wish that it was Adam Cartwright that had hit him, instead of you! Adam doesn't like that snake as it is! After all, Jack caused Isabella to miscarry in the first place! Can't prove it though!"

"Well, I can prove one thing though! Lydia has overworked herself, and is now dyin'! I hate what Jack has done to her, and I thought that I should get into a fight with Jack! After all, priests aren't supposed to fight at all!" Then he looked at Ben and said, "I wish that Adam had hit him instead of me! That old bastard deserves to be taught a lesson! Damn him anyway!"

Ben shook his head and said, "I think that he won't be taught a lesson at all! And I do blame him for causing Isabella to lose her child! That child was going to be my first grandchild!"

Ben and Dan went over to the boarding house. As they entered the building, the doctor was descending the stairs. "How is she, doc?" Daniel asked.

"Not good, I'm afraid." he replied, and then added, "You got me here, but I think that I'm too late! She won't even make it through this week! It's very sad!"

Daniel said, "I just don't believe it!" Then, he went upstairs, and went to her room. He knocked on the door, and went into her room. She was asleep, but her breaths were labored. The landlady was there, but she made sure that Lydia was still sleeping.

Edward went in, and then left. Then, he came back. He had decided to give her Extreme Unction. As he anointed her head with oil, and prayed the prayers for the dying, Daniel looked on, and tried not to cry. He loved the homely schoolmarm with all of his heart, and really wasn't ready to let her see God at all! He heard the Death Rattle, and knew that it was time to let her go.

Chapter Ten

Daniel looked up from his tears and asked Edward, "Where are you goin ' to bury her?"

"Does Eagle Station have a Catholic cemetery?" Edward asked.

Daniel shook his head and said "Nope! I don't even think that the town council even thought of any cemetery!"

Edward nodded and said, "I think that I'll take her body over to Hangtown. Since it has a Catholic Church, maybe I can find a place for my sister to rest! Maybe some of her friends might want to be there at her funeral!"

They left the room. Ben was there, sitting on a chair. He looked at the two men and realized the Lydia had died. He wanted to comfort them in their grief. He told Daniel, "Don't brood, Daniel. Always keep a spot in your heart for her! My first father-in-law told me that! It was really rough for me after I lost Elizabeth! And then I lost Inger, too! And then, Marie! I always remember them, though!"

"Yeah! But then, you have to look after those sons of yours, too!" Daniel replied, sourly. He tried not to be bitter at all! He now knew what love was like! But he missed the homely schoolmarm!

"Time will heal you!" Ben said.

Edward said, "I'll have to rent a wagon and take her body over to Hangtown! I think that she should be buried there! I feel that she wouldn't be welcome resting in Eagle Station!"

"Are you sure that she wouldn't be welcome here?" Ben asked. He was now feeling the same grief that Daniel and Edward felt!

At that moment, Margaret came into the boarding house. She asked, "Is Lydia..."

Edward shook his head and said, "No, she passed away a few minutes ago! Why do you ask?" He was in shock! Besides, Maggie was the last person that he wanted to deal with! Lydia had written to him and told him just how Margaret Greene felt about nearly all Catholics!

Margaret replied, "I got really angry with her at the council meeting! I had no idea that she was so ill in the first place, and I wanted to apologize for my behavior! But now, it looks like I'm too late!"

"Margaret, there's something that you can do! Father Edward wants to take her body over to Hangtown and bury her! But, I think that I have some room for her grave! There's room for a grave right next to Jack Robert's grave! It won't be too much trouble for Father Edward to bury her there! Besides, it will be a way to make up for your feelings!" Ben replied. He always tried to be the peacemaker between warring factions!

Daniel nodded and said, "That way, I won't have to go all of the way to Hangtown to pay my respects to her grave! Hangtown is a nice place to do business, but I wouldn't want to be buried there!"

Both Margaret and Ben nodded their heads. Edward said, "But now I think that I'm imposing on you, Ben. It won't be that much trouble to take her over to Hangtown!"

"Nonsense! She can be buried right here on Ben's land. Besides, most of the people that are here can't take the time out to go to Hangtown for her funeral! And she was loved here! I really disagreed with her religious preferences but I know that she was really a brave person to come out here to the Nevada territory! And besides, she had to put up with Jack Wolf! I now understand how much he hated her to begin with! And how much she disliked Jack in the first place!" Maggie replied. Besides, this isn't the first time that I have had to eat crow! Ben has been very patient with me! Maggie thought.

"Good! Then my boys and I will make a coffin for her, and bury her out at our place!" Ben replied.

Daniel said, "I want to help with the coffin, too! Now I know just how you felt when Marie died!"

Lydia was buried the next day! If she could see the crowd of mourners, she would have been surprised! The only one missing from the crowd was Jack Wolf! After Edward blessed her grave, the citizens of Eagle Station paid their respects. Ruth said, "She was very respectful of our beliefs! I only wish that the Russians would be as respectful of them! I will miss her very much!"

Adam said, "I wish that she could see the students now! She would be very proud of them!"

Isabella said, "I agree with Adam! Even the slower ones are learning!"

Little Joe said, "I miss her too! Martha and I are still rivals! But, at least we get along!"

Ben said, "She was a great person, and I only wish that she and I could conversed more!" Now, it looks like she is with Marie, He thought!

"I'll miss you, Miss Weiss!" Hoss said.

"As will I!" Tess said.

"You were right all along! Jack should have been here! I'm sorry that we didn't run him out of town!" Margaret said.

"You weren't much of a drinker, but at least you didn't nag me!" Shelby said, and then added, "I won't give up my cigars, but I will start to wear dresses! It's mostly to honor you, Lydia!"

Hop Sing said, "I will make that yeast coffeecake more often! Even Ben likes it!"

Ben looked at Father Edward and said, "I understand that it's a German custom to have some coffee and some cake after the funeral. We can eat at our house!" Everyone left the grave and went over to Ben's house.

Daniel stayed behind for a few moments. He cried more tears and said, "I miss you, darlin'! I should have told you of my feelings for you! Your brother is right! I should pray more prayers! But, I won't convert at all! I believe in the same gods that the Indians do! Besides, Catholics ain't that welcome around here!" Then, he went to the house and joined the group.

After they had left, Jack showed up at her grave. He dismounted from his horse and went over to the newly dug plot. He said, "Well, now you're buried! At least you won't bother me any! It's nice to know that everybody misses you! But I won't! You were a thorn in my side, but now you're gone! Good riddance to you!" Jack then mounted his horse and rode back into town!

It was now close to Thanksgiving and there was still no snow at all! Ben looked out of his dining room window and said, "I wish that it would snow around here! Last year, we had snow drifts up to our thighs!"

Isabella looked out of the window, and then replied, "We are having yet another prayer meeting! I agree with you, Ben! We prayed for several weeks before we even saw any snow at all! Of course, that was several years ago!"

"Are you having the prayer meeting over at Maggie's?" Ben asked.

"Yes, we are! I asked Margaret if she would invite everybody to the prayer meeting! And now, she will even let me use my rosary! I never even thought that she would do this! Maybe she feels guilty about her behavior with Lydia!" Isabella replied.

"Maybe so! I'll take you over to her place! As for me, well I guess that this is a woman's prayer group! Should I pick you up in two hours?" Adam asked. He was taking a break from planning lessons for the students, and wanted to take his wife over to the Greene ranch.

"No, I can make it there and make my way back here!" Isabella replied. Adam went out to the barn and saddled her horse.

She saw nothing and heard nothing on her way to the Greene ranch! Jack Wolf was in the distance, watching her go over to the Greene place! He made sure that his horse was quiet as he watched Isabella enter the ranch house. He was still there when she left the ranch.

Isabella had not returned, and Adam was worried! "Pa, Isabella isn't back yet! I should go look for her!" he said.

"Don't go alone! The sun will go down in just an hour! I'll help you look for her!" Ben said. As they saddled their horses, Ben said, "You know, maybe the women got to talking, and they just didn't realize how late it was getting!"

Adam shook his head and said, "Pa, I've got a bad feeling about all of this! Besides, she could have sent a servant over here to tell us that she was going to be late getting home!"

Ben replied, "I just think that she's still there at Maggie's!"

They rode over to Margaret's ranch. Maggie was inside, so both men went in to talk to her. Adam asked, "Is Isabella here? She hasn't come home at all!"

"Why, no she's not here at all! She left here about two hours ago! We all had a lovely prayer service, but I think that I should have invited the men to come here as well!" Margaret replied.

Adam shook his head and said, "Pa, I think that we should look for her! I'm worried about her!"

"We'll help you look for her! I'll get some of my ranch hands to help you!" Maggie replied. She was now worried as well! This wasn't at all like Isabella! She always told people where she was going!

All of the men went and looked for Isabella. Ben was worried too! What if she had had an accident with her horse! Just as the sun set, Adam's horse was a little alarmed, and reared a little! Adam quieted him by saying "Beauty, it's all right now!" Then he looked down and found Isabella's body. "Pa!" he screamed.

Ben heard him scream and went to him. Adam was holding her body and crying! "Should have made it here earlier!" he said very softly. Then he looked up to see his father, and said, "I told you that I had a bad feeling about this!" He held her lifeless body, and then noticed that there was some blood on her throat! He still held her close to him, but he wanted to tell Ben that she was still bleeding! "Pa, look at this! It looks like Isabella..." he said. Then, he still held her body and cried!

Ben dismounted and looked at his eldest son! He wanted to comfort him! What could he say or do? Besides, even he could see that there was blood on the ground! Margaret came up to the two men, and said, "I'll send someone back to pick up our buckboard! My God, what happened?"

Adam was in tears! Ben decided to say something. "We went to look for her! Adam found her lying on the ground! What is so funny is that we came this way earlier and didn't find a thing! I have no idea how she ended up here!"

Adam asked, "Why? Why?" He still held her body close to him, but he was in shock! How could anyone slit her throat like that!

Ben replied, "We should take her into town. Maybe Doctor Martin is still here! I feel the same way, son! I want to know just how she died!"

Margaret shook her head and said, "I feel like you two! Too many deaths for me right now!"

The buckboard finally came and both Ben and Adam took Isabella's body into town. As they rode into town, Eli came out to close his shop for the day. He noticed the Cartwrights as they drove by his shop, and so he asked, "My God, what's wrong with you?"

Ben stopped the wagon and asked, "Is Doctor Martin still here?"

"Yes, he is, Ben! The doctor is over at the livery stable, with Daniel!" Eli replied.

"Fine, we'll talk with him!" He took the wagon over to the livery stable and saw both Daniel and Doctor Martin living the building. "Doctor Martin! We have to talk with you!" He got down from the wagon and said in a much quieter tone of voice, "I have my daughter-in-law's body lying in the wagon. We found her right on the road by the Greene ranch! Both my son and I want to find out how she died!"

"Normally, I don't do autopsies at all!" he said and then added, "But in this case, I'll make an exception! Take her body over to my room at the boarding house!"

They did so, and then waited outside of his room while he examined her body. Then, he came out of his room and said to both Ben and Adam, "I need to talk with you two! Her throat was cut, and she died almost instantaneously! You found her body on the road! But I think that she was murdered elsewhere! And I have another point to make! In my humble opinion, she was raped, as well! There were several cuts on her private parts, which makes me think that someone forced himself upon her!"

"She was raped almost 15 months ago! Would that account for those cuts?" Adam asked, and then added, "There should have been more blood where we found her!"

"If she was murdered elsewhere, she would have bled there! As for the rest of it, I really can't tell you much! Those cuts in the pelvic area were made very recently! They were made by that pervert who..."

"Raped her! Pa, I want justice done!" Adam replied. Adam was now angry! How could anyone do this to his wife?

Ben agreed. "I want to know who did this to her!" he said in a stern voice.

Daniel overheard their remarks and said, "I don't know who would do such a thing, but I have my suspicions!"

"There's no proof that any of us could do such a thing!" Ben replied.

"I'll stay around for the inquiry! I'm sure that the circuit judge will want to hear this evidence!" Doctor Martin replied, and then said, "I'll go down to the landlady's room and tell her that I'll be here for a spell!"

"Thank you Doctor Martin!" Ben replied and then added, "Adam, did you notice anything about her?"

Adam looked at his hands and noticed that there was no blood on them. Then he said, "Are you sure that Doctor Martin is correct? I noticed that there was some blood around her throat! But where was she when she was killed?"

"I think that the doctor is right! As for Isabella, I don't really know who did this act at all!" Ben replied.

"But I think that I know! Jack Wolf is the only one who would do this!" Adam said.

"You have no proof that he killed her! Besides, we'll find out who did this at the inquest!" Ben replied. He also suspected that Jack was the killer, but he had no proof either.

Both Ben and Margaret had Isabella's funeral on the Greene ranch. Adam kept on crying as her coffin was lowered into the ground. Ben knew that Edward had gone back to Sacramento, so he asked the local priest to conduct her funeral Mass. Adam was still unable to speak at all! Everyone in town had come to her funeral. About the only one that wasn't there was Jack Wolf! Margaret said in a soft voice, "She was like a daughter to me! I just wish that I were more sympathetic to her! She had gone through so much in her short life! I'm really sorry that Luther and I got her ranch in the first place! I should have given it back to Carlos, right after he returned from Mexico!"

Tess added, in a soft voice, "You were like a sister to me! I always wanted to have a sister, but I'll miss you!" Hoss noticed that Tess was going to loose control, so he hugged her!

"As will I! You were a close friend of mine!" Hoss said. He wondered if Isabella saw them from heaven, and could comfort them in this time of grief!

"And of me, too! I'll miss you, too, Isabella!" little Joe said.

"As will I! You were a great daughter-in-law!" Ben said.

After everyone had left the cemetery, Jack Wolf went over to her grave and said, "If you had wanted, you could have married me! I think that I proved to you that I could be a man, too!"

The inquest for the death of Isabella was held just a few days later. Everyone in town was there! Isabella was liked by all of the townspeople, and they all wanted justice for her! She had been raped about fifteen months previously, and now, they wanted to find out who killed her! The circuit judge called the court to order. Doctor Martin made his testimony, and then Ben, Margaret, and Adam testified. Then Jack said in a loud voice, "I want to see that the killer of this woman is brought to justice! I think that it was her husband who did this...atrocious deed in the first place!"

Adam stood up in court and said, "That is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard! There's no way that I would do this! Besides, she was raped again! How could I ever do such a thing, Jack?"

Jack shook his head and said, "All of you Cartwrights run this town, so I guess that means that you're innocent!"

Margaret rose and said, "The Cartwrights don't run this town! The town council runs it! You should know that, Jack! Besides, I think that you are grieving, too!"

Just then, the circuit judge said, "I called this court to order, and if any of you interfere with it, I'll hold you in contempt of court! Now, sit down, Maggie! And you, too, Jack! And, you, too, Adam Cartwright! The court wants to find out who killed Isabella Cartwright!" All three people sat down! Then the judge said, "I will call a short recess in the court for now! We can continue tomorrow morning at nine AM! The court is now adjourned!"

Everyone left the makeshift city hall! Adam said. "I was ready to hit Jack! He has some nerve to say that!"

Ben said, "I don't want you to hit him just now! We don't know yet if it was Jack or someone else that murdered Isabella!"

"Well, I'm sure that he did!" Adam replied, and then added, "I think that he was the one who murdered Isabella! He just has that look of guilt!"

Court convened the next day. After he called the court to order, the circuit judge said, "This court can't find any more reason to continue! We still have no idea who killed her! Therefore, I am adjourning this court for now! If we can find more evidence, we will reconvene this court!"

Everyone left the building. Tess followed the Cartwrights. After they went to their horses, She went over to Ben and said, "I'll find out who killed Isabella!"

"You? You can't do that!" Hoss said. Now, he was afraid that Tess would be the next victim of the killer!

"And why not? Who else will find out how the murderer is!" Tess replied, and then added, "Isabella was like a sister to me, and I want to find out who did...this!"

"Thank you, Tess! But I think that he will reveal himself before too long!" Adam said.

"I agree with Adam! Who ever did this foul deed will make himself known!" Ben replied.

The Carwrights went back to their ranch. Jack Wolf watched them leave. He had heard Tess speak, so he decided what he was going to do!

Early the next day, Ben went out toe corral to feed the horses. He stopped feeding them hay and smelled the air. Finally he cried out in a large voice, "There's a forest fire! Adam, Hoss, little Joe, we need to go over to the Greene's place! I think that is where the forest fire is!"

All three young men were on the porch, washing up for the day. All of the men quickly saddled their horses, and went over to the Greene ranch! They could see flames throughout the house. Both Ben and Adam went into the flaming building, and then brought out the bodies. All of the bodies had been shot! Ben shook his head and said, "Good Lord, who did this!"

Hoss was in shock! He was busy trying to put out the fire, when his father brought Tess' body outside! Who could have done such a deed in the first place. Both Ben and Adam went to work, and they finally extinguished the flames. Then all three men went into the charred ranch house. Hoss started to cry! He saw what gunshots could do! Pieces of both Tess' and Maggie's brains were on the wall! In the dim sunlight, they could also see parts of the women's skulls! Then, he left the remains of the building and vomited! He looked at Ben and said, "I want justice, too!" he said in a quiet voice! His intended was lying on the ground, covered in a while sheet. Maggie's body was right next to her daughter's body!

Daniel showed up in a few minutes. "Good God! What happened?" he asked.

Hoss tried not to vomit, and then said, "Pa found them in the ranch house...or should I say, what's left of the ranch house!"

Ben said, "I smelled smoke coming from here less than an hour ago! I had no idea that someone would try and burn Maggie out! There will be justice done, I can assure you!"

"I see that there are three bodies here! Maggie's and Tess' and their maid! God Almighty!" Daniel cried.

"We'll bury them, and then hold another inquest!" Ben said.

He was absolutely terrified at these events. After they made three coffins, Ben went through Maggie's papers. As he sorted through them, he said, "Maggie always wanted Tess to inherit the ranch, but now she's gone, too! I'll find out who killed you, Maggie! Marie always wanted me not to avenge her death, but you never said anything like that! I'll find your killer, Maggie!"

The Greene family was buried the next day, right next to the Rivieria family! Everybody showed up at the funeral! But, of course, Jack wasn't there, either! When the Cartwrights went back to their ranch, Hoss said, "You know, I don't think that Jack really cares! This is the third funeral in a month! And Jack is no where to be found!"

Adam nodded his head and said, "Pa, I know that you say that there's no proof the Jack is behind all of this killing, but why didn't he at least try to make the funerals?"

"I don't know, son! But his behavior is really suspicious to me!" Ben replied.

The inquest was held the next day. After he called the court to order, the circuit judge said, "You know, I should make myself at home right here in Eagle Station! This is the second time that I have had to have an inquest! Ben Cartwright, you will be the first to testify!" Ben took the stand. He was sitting next to the judge.

"Did you see anything out of the ordinary at the Greene ranch?" the judge asked.

"No, sir! I smelled smoke, so my boys and I went over to the ranch! We saw that the house was on fire, and so I went in and found the bodies lying in the parlor! I brought them out! After we put out the fire, both Hoss and I went inside! There, we saw that the women had been shot! We saw some of their brains on the walls! Hoss had to go outside and vomit! He has never seen such carnage in his life!"

"And just who is Hoss?" the judge asked.

"Hoss is my son's nickname. I only call him Eric when I am angry with him!" Ben replied.

"Can you say anything else?" he asked.

"No, sir!" Ben replied.

"Then you should step down from the witness stand! Eric Cartwright, you can give your testimony!" Hoss went up to the witness stand. "Will you tell the truth, and nothing else but the whole truth!" the judge asked.

"Yes, sir!" Hoss replied.

"And, I don't suppose that you saw anything out of the ordinary, either!" the judge stated.

"No, sir! Pa said that he smelled smoke, so we all went over to the Greene ranch! Pa carried out their bodies, and..." he started to cry. Tess was the woman that he wanted to marry, and now she was gone, too!

"That's all right, son! You saw something that I sincerely hope no one else sees! Take your time!" he said.

"Pa carried out their bodies, and then we went into the house! It was horrible, sir! Just horrible! Who could have done this? We were just getting up for the day, when Pa noticed that something was wrong!" He stopped speaking for a moment, and then continued, "He said that...he thought that the smoke was from the Greene ranch. We went over to the ranch house, and...then we saw that the house was burning! He went into it, and saw...their bodies! They had both been shot in the head...I'm sorry...I can't say anything more..."

The judge nodded and asked, "Is there any one else who can testify?"

Daniel spoke up and said, "I was in the area, too! I was hunting elk, and I saw that there was a fire on the Greene place!"

"Well, come over to the witness stand and testify!" the judge ordered.

Daniel went over to the witness stand, and continued his testimony. "I got there right after the Cartwrights brought the bodies out! I have to believe them! Maggie and Ben were neighbors, and so I don't believe that he would harm them any! Besides, young Tess was Hoss' intended! Nope! I don't believe that they would want to see any harm done to those women!"

"But, that's only your opinion, Daniel! Right now, the court needs to have proof that the Cartwrights didn't murder the Greenes!" the judge said, and then added, "You can leave the witness stand, Daniel! Again, I have to say that since there is no proof of how the Greene's met their deaths, I will have to adjourn this court! But, if I have any more evidence of how they died, you can be assured that I will reconvene this court! The court is adjourned for now! By the way, since you don't have any law officers here in Eagle Station, I will appoint Roy Coffee as the temporary sheriff of this town! I knew him when he was the constable in St. Joseph, Missouri, and I can write a letter to him and ask him to come out here to Eagle Station! I hope that he can make it here by the first of next year! And there is another matter to discuss! Margaret Greene left no will, or told anyone who would inherit her estate! Therefore, I will order an auction of the Greene ranch! The auction will be held tomorrow, at nine AM sharp!"

Everyone left the town hall! Jack was no where in sight! "I'm glad that Jack isn't around!" Shelby said, as she lit another cigar. She was still dressed in pants and a wool flannel shirt. Then, she added, "I ordered some more material from the tradin' post! I hope that it gets here by Christmas! Then I'll get one of the gals to sew up a dress for me!"

Daniel looked at her and asked, "Are you actually goin' to wear a dress? I thought that you liked wearin' pants!"

"Don't look at me like that!" Shelby said, and then added, "I told Lydia at her grave that I would wear dresses, and that's what I aim to do! Besides, if she can look good in dresses, so can I!"

Daniel realized that Shelby was quite serious, so he didn't say anything more! It's too bad that Lydia had to die first, before you would actually wear dresses, He thought.

The auction was held the next day. The judge got a good auctioneer. Just then, Jack showed up, and for the next half an hour, both Ben and Jack were bidding for the Greene ranch! Finally, Ben got the ranch. Just as the auctioneer lowered the gravel, Jack said, "Now, how do you propose to pay for this here ranch?"

Ben looked at the con artist and said, "Now how do you think I'll pay for it! I'll go the bank in San Francisco and take out a loan! Besides, you were here when I got a loan for Samuel, and frankly, I don't trust you even a little bit!"

"Now, Ben!" Jack said, and then added, "I have no idea why you would distrust me!" Ben decided to leave town, rather than argue or even fight Jack!

It was a very sad Thanksgiving for the Cartwrights! Ben had gotten through the last one without Marie, but now Adam and Hoss were mourning, too! Ben decided to read from the Book of Psalms. Ben's favorite psalm was Psalm 23. He got his Bible from his dresser, and read from it. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want..." He finished the psalm, he noticed that his two older sons had tears in their eyes. "Sons, look at me! I have read these lines from Scripture, and the words of the Lord have given me comfort! It's not easy losing the loves of your lives! It wasn't easy for me when Marie died, but I am comforted by reading the Bible! And King David wrote some other psalms for you to read as well!" He found some other passages from the Good Book to read, and after awhile all of his sons were comforted.

Hop Sing had a nice Thanksgiving meal prepared for the family. Just as they finished eating the pumpkin pie, Daniel came to the ranch. He stopped by Lydia's grave, and spent a few minutes, remembering her. He knocked on the door, and after he entered the house, the whole family could see that they were in for a snowstorm. Daniel stayed until it stopped snowing. "It's stopped for now!" he said.

"But, it's after dark! Why don't you stay for the evening, and go into town tomorrow!" Ben asked.

Daniel was by the window, and said, "Yeah, I think that I'll stay for now! It looks like it will snow some more before mornin', anyway!"

After he went to bed, Adam went to his bunk bed. He had a terrible time getting to sleep. As he tossed and turned, little Joe said in a quiet voice, "I always thought that no one could snore as loudly as Hoss! But Daniel not only snores, but he talks in his sleep as well! He sure misses Miss Weiss! He's even talking about that rock formation that ma and pa talked about!"

Adam looked over at his younger brother and said, "You're right! We'll get to sleep, so don't say anything for now! Besides, Daniel would be so embarrassed! It's bad enough that I shamed him after he kept hitting Carlos! Go to sleep, little Joe!"

Chapter Eleven

Ben made it to San Francisco. He had to be careful with his money, and decided to stay in a boarding house, rather than a hotel. He asked his landlady if she could recommend a bank. He wanted to ask for a loan. The landlady recommended a bank that was located not far from the harbor. "That's one place that I don't want to see at all!" He thought. He heard tales from other sailors about how some ships would kidnap their victims, and have them serve onboard for at least a year. He absolutely loved his ranch, and besides, he had seen the world in his younger days!

"By the way, did you know about the circus that is in town?" the landlady asked, and than added, "We had one of the trapeze artists stay with us the last time that the circus came to town! I simply can't remember his last name, but his first name in Cesare! Nice Italian name, if you ask me!" She passed a plate of toast to Ben. He took a slice, and then drank some tea.

"Cesare di Roma?" Ben asked, as he placed his cup on the table. She nodded. Then Ben continued to carry on the conversation. "I met him in New Orleans! My late wife and I entertained both he and his sister when they visited there! He was very good as a trapeze artist! I wonder if he got my letter telling him of her death? At any rate, I'll try and look him up!"

"Are you going to the circus?" she asked. She had never had an interesting person like the rancher from the Nevada territory stay with her. Most of the people that stayed with her were very boring!

"I can go to it this evening! I need to do some business!" Ben replied. He left the dining room table, and then the boarding house. He liked to meet new people, but sometimes they could get on his nerves! Especially ladies that wanted to marry this poor widower!

Ben went to the Bank of San Francisco, and talked with the manager about getting another loan. He said, "My oldest son wants to go to Harvard next year. And besides, I bought some land as well. One of my neighbors was killed, and her ranch was auctioned off! I bought that land, and I need to pay for it! Besides, I have to have more money to buy more cattle!"

"How much do you owe for the land?" Mr. Jones asked. He was used to dealing with captains of sailing ships, as well as entrepreneurs!

"Maggie's ranch cost nearly three thousand dollars. The land assessors say that my ranch is valued at one thousand dollars as well. And, I have no idea how much Harvard will charge for my son's education," Ben replied. Then he added, "Adam wants to major in architecture! And I know that his schooling will take a lot of money!" Ben wasn't sure that this banker would lend him the money for Adam's college education!

"If you agree, we can take your present ranch as collateral, and loan you about three thousand dollars!" Mr. Jones replied. He had never accepted an application for a loan for a college education, but then again, this rancher looked like an honest person!

"Agreed!" Ben replied. The two men shook hands, and Ben left the bank. He had no idea that he was being followed, until he heard a slight noise just as he turned a corner. He looked behind him, and found that no one was there.

As he came back to the boarding house, he felt something behind him. As he tried to turn around, a man grabbed him from behind. His voice said, "I'd really be careful! I have a knife behind you, and if you do anything, or call out for help. I'll slit your throat!"

Then Ben heard another voice. Speaking in a heavy Italian accent, the other man said, "If you slit his throat, I'll slit yours!" The first man knew that he was outnumbered! Two against one! He thought. So he did one of the few smart things in his miserable life. He ran away!

In a few minutes, he met up with the man who had hired him. "I thought that I told you to kill Ben!" he exclaimed, in a southern accent.

"Can't do that, Mr. Wolf! You didn't tell me that he has a friend in San Francisco!" the assailant said. Those Southerners, He thought. They just don't give up at all!

Ben was feeling a lot better! He knew who had saved him! "Cesare!" he exclaimed.

"And, do you know that this is the third time I have saved you from being killed!" he said, and then added, "The first time was in Naples, the second was in New Orleans, and now right here in San Francisco!"

"I just know that you'll tell me to be more careful! I have been careful so far! Did you get my letter telling you of Marie's death?" Ben asked, as he shook hands with his old friend.

The Italian man nodded and said, "You have my condolences, Ben! But now, do you live here in San Francisco?"

Ben shook his head and said, "No! My sons and I have a ranch in the Nevada territory! We took up ranching right after Marie died! My only regret is that she didn't live long enough to see the ranch!"

Cesare nodded and said, "Now that I have saved your sorry skin once again, you can see us at the circus! I'll give you a free ticket to see it!" Ben shook his head, so the trapeze artist insisted, and then added, "You can eat with us after we finish our performance!" Ben still shook his head, so Cesare said, "If you don't do this, I'll call back that assailant!" Ben agreed! After all, Cesare had saved his sorry hide once again!

Then he said, "You have an odd way on convincing me to go with your plans!"

"Good! Than, after we finish at the circus, you can dine with us!" Ben then returned to the boarding house, and Cesare went over to the circus. Jack Wolf could be seen in the shadows, and was truly angry that his man hadn't cut Ben's throat! Ben Carwright has all the luck in the world, and yet, I can't kill you at all! I want your land, Ben! I thought that I could get access to Lake Tahoe by killing Tess and Maggie! Besides, Tess knew too much about how I killed Isabella! Instead, it looks like I'll have to kill you, too! Jack Wolf thought as he went back to his hotel room!

Ben went to the circus that evening, and truly loved all of it! It was a small circus for the time! P.T. Barnum had not yet thought of buying it! Ben Cartwright knew of this famous showman, and was glad that he hadn't thought of buying it! Besides, that famous showman was busy with booking Jenny Lind, the famous Swedish soprano at all of the opera houses on the East Coast! Ben waited after the show, until his old friend showed up! "How did you like the show, Ben?" he asked.

"Fine, so far! Aren't you married yet, Cesare?" Ben asked, as he saw Cesare change into some street clothes!

"Don't have time for the fairer sexes, my friend! Besides, you know just how jealous Maria would be! She's used to seeing me without anybody! And, she doesn't want to stop spoiling me! Besides, we should finish this conversation back at the hotel! Agreed?" he said. The two men made their way to one of the finest hotels in San Francisco. Ben looked even taller if you compared him in height with the other man! Cesare was quite small and thin. Of course, Cesare had to dangle on the trapeze! Ben was a little afraid of heights, especially if there was no net to catch one if one fell!

As the two men ordered dinner, Cesare asked, "Would you mind it if I ordered champagne?"

"You'll have to drink the entire bottle, Cesare! I gave up drinking because Marie was so offended by it! You know something! She had me quit drinking back in New Orleans! She said that it wasn't proper for a father to drink in front of his young sons! I really don't miss alcoholic beverages at all! It was harder to not drink after I lost her, but I gave her my word! No more drinks for me!" Ben replied.

"I can see that you are still that stubborn New Englander that I remember so well!" Cesare replied. Just then, his sister arrived at the table. "Maria, do you remember Ben?" he asked.

She extended her hand. Ben rose up and kissed it very gently! "Ben, it's very nice to see you again!" she exclaimed, and then added, "But where is Marie?"

Ben shook his head and said, "She died more than eighteen months ago!" In spite of the fact that Ben was in a big city, he was still in mourning for his third wife!

"I'm very sorry to hear than, Ben!" Maria said in a sad voice. Her Italian accent was even heavier than Cesare's accent. She said, "Cesare, have you ordered dinner yet?"

"No, I haven't! I was asking Ben if he wanted to share a bottle of champagne, but he says that he quit drinking several years ago! If you want me to, I'll order a bottle anyway, and we can drink from it!"

Just then, the waiter came and Cesare ordered dinner for the three of them. The waiter did recommend that they drink red wine with their meal, instead of champagne! The hotel had the wine shipped from France. Some people in the area wanted to plant vineyards, and indeed, some of them did plant them. But, good grapes from good vines take a long time to cultivate! "Good Bordeaux wine!" Cesare said, as he tasted some of it from his glass.

Maria tasted it from her glass, too and said, "Yes, it is good!"

Ben said, as he drank from his cup of coffee, "Yes, my drink tastes good, too! But, if you don't really mind, I should go back to the boarding house. I have to return to my ranch! I finished my business, so I need to go back home!"

"If you don't mind, I'll make sure that you return to the boarding house! I don't exactly trust the law here in San Francisco! Besides, where was the constable when you needed him, Ben?" Cesare replied. He didn't mean to criticize the law in that western city, but sometimes, the law wasn't around when one needed it!

"Indeed! Well, Cesare and Maria, I think that we should leave this restaurant!" Ben replied.

The three left the restaurant, and went to Ben's boarding house. They said their good-byes, and Ben went into the boarding house. Jack Wolf was in the shadows and said, "I'll get you yet, Ben! I don't exactly know how or when I will get you, but I will! BELIEVE ME I WILL!"

Ben returned home! There were no more incidents whatsoever! And it was now close to Christmas. Ben went into town and had Eli order some gifts from catalog. "What to do you to order?" Eli asked.

Ben replied in a soft voice, "I want to order something for the boys! A guitar for Adam, and some mittens for both Hoss and little Joe, and I was wondering if I can order a proper headstone for Marie's grave. I have wanted to order a marble headstone all along! She has a cross to mark her grave, but she needs something more!"

Ruth heard the two men talking and went over to her husband and said, "I have a pair of mittens in my chest that you can have, Ben!"

"But Ruth! I thought that you wanted to have that as a souvenir for our children!" Eli said, in a soft voice.

Ruth replied, "I think that little Joe can have them! And, I can make a pair for Hoss! I have to do this in the evening, anyway! Besides, I already have a pair started! It won't take me very long, so they'll be ready for you Ben!"

"Thank you, Ruth!" Ben replied.

Adam came into the store, and went over to the couple. "Are you talking about gifts, pa?" he asked. He kept his voice low as well, and then said, "You know, Hoss and little Joe are right outside! And we haven't got Hop Sing's gift, either!"

"So, what did you want to get him?" Ben asked.

"Hoss and I have saved up some money and we'd like to order a real wood stove for Hop Sing!" Adam replied.

"That is a really good idea, Adam! I should have thought of doing that, too!" Ben said, and then added, "But do you have some money for your brothers' gifts as well?"

"Don't worry about that, pa! Besides, now that Isabella has died..." Adam said. Then the two men left the trading post.

After they left, Ruth said in a low voice, "Now that Maggie and Tess and our Isabella are dead, I think that the Cartwrights are going to have a very sad Christmas! Don't you agree, Eli!"

The shopkeeper nodded and said, "Yes, I do agree! But those Cartwrights will carry on, just like they always have!" Then he added, "So, now you have time to knit a pair of mittens for little Joe? Why can't you knit a pair for me!"

Shelby came in to the trading post, and asked, "Did my material come in yet?"

Ruth replied, "Yes, it did. I have an entire bolt of plaid material for you! But, I'm afraid that it's only woolen material! I was hoping that you would make a silk dress for yourself! After all, Christmas comes only once a year!"

Shelby laughed and said, "I want to make a dress that I can wear all year round! Besides, can you imagine me wearin' silk! Don't be silly, Ruth!" Ruth went to the back of their store, and brought out the bolt of cloth, and gave it to Shelby.

Shelby looked at the plaid material and said, "I think that it's good material! Too bad that Maggie's not here right now! I'd like to hear her opinion on this!"

McGregor came into the store and said, "I see that you've bought some material, lass! Let me look at it!" Shelby showed him the bolt that was under her arm. "Aye, that looks like it's good material. I think that you have a bolt of Black Watch plaid. There's lots of black in that material! Do you want my wife to make you a dress, lass?"

"Sure! I'll pay her five dollars to make a dress!" Shelby said.

"Nonsense! I'll have her make it for ten!" McGregor replied.

"Seven fifty!" Shelby said.

"Agreed!" McGregor replied. And so, Shelby had Mrs. McGregor make her first dress! Shelby was going to like wearing dresses after all!

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Ben and his sons went over and cut down a small pine tree, and then the four of them took it back to the ranch house. Hop Sing was there, with a small bowl of popcorn and another small bowl of cranberries. He and little Joe spent the rest of the morning decorating the tree. Ben had a box of small candles, and so he and Adam spent most of the afternoon attaching candles to the small branches of the tree. "This isn't like the old days, when I was a child!" Ben said, after they had said grace before eating supper that evening. Both Adam and Hoss raised their eyebrows, for now their father was telling them about his childhood. "Adam! Hoss!" Ben exclaimed. Ben wasn't even born yet, when his grandparents died! And his mother had died when he was a small child, so none of his family was around to tell him how hard life was in colonial New England!

"Pa, are you going to tell us again how hard it was living in New England! We've heard this story so many times..." Adam said.

"It ain't even funny!" Hoss replied. He was used to echoing his older brother!

"And what's wrong with you two? Life was hard for us back east!" Ben exclaimed, and then added, "You know that your grandfather Cartwright didn't even believe in celebrating Christmas! He always said that it was for the Episcopalians and not for us!" Ben said. "At least, that's what your grandmother Cartwright told me!"

"Next thing you know, he'll tell us just how high the snowdrifts were when he was little!" Adam said. He raised his eyebrow to show that he was being sarcastic again!

"Or how many rocks they dug up when they planted their corn!" Hoss replied.

"I wish ma was still here! She'd tell us how much fun she had as the orphanage!" little Joe said, and the added, "The sisters always gave them something at Christmastime. And besides, they always had to eat good things, like fruitcake, and turkey with giblets..."

"And my turkey isn't good enough for you?" Hop Sing said.

"Of course it is! I always like eating your food!" Hoss said.

"As do I. Hop Sing, I'm very sorry if I have offended you!" Ben said, and then added, "Now, if you don't mind, we've finished our meal, so now I'll get out the Bible and we can read from it!" Ben found his Bible, and read from the Gospel of Luke. Then, it was time for everybody to go to bed. After awhile, Ben decided that his sons were asleep, so he quick and quietly got out of his bed, and went over to the tree that was on the dining room table. He put the two pair of mittens on the tree, as well as placing the guitar from the trading post under the tree. Eli had ordered it from New York City, and said it was the finest guitar that he had sold from his store! That was the good news! The bad news was that Ben would have to wait a little longer for the headstone to put on Marie's grave! Ben was very disappointed that he would have to wait until spring to place it on her grave! Then, Ben went back to bed.

Adam and Hoss waited until their father was asleep, and then quietly went over to the door and carried in a large wooden box. Then, with only one candle that was lit, they put the stove together and put it one the wall, next to the dining room table! Then, they blew out the candle and went back to bed. Neither of the two men noticed that they had gifts on the tree.

Then, just before the sun came up, little Joe got up, and quickly took his gifts and put them on the tree. Like always, little Joe didn't have any money whatsoever! But, he was determined to give his brothers gifts, too. He had managed to put three envelopes on the tree, and make sure that they were addressed to the right people. Then, he went back to bed.

Christmas Day dawned with a bright sunrise. Little Joe was the first to rise, and so he made sure that his brothers were awake, too! Then, all three young men went over and made sure that their father was awake as well. Then everyone went to the small Christmas tree that was on the dining room table, and admired their gifts. Adam said, "I never even thought of getting a guitar. Thank you, pa!" Adam was like most people that were good in math. He liked music as well! And before too long, he would learn to play the guitar by ear!

Both Hoss and little Joe admired their gifts. "These look like they are made by someone who really knows how to knit!" Hoss said, and then added, "I wonder who made these mittens? Was it Shelby or Ruth that made these mittens!"

"Whoever it was knows how to knit a good pair of mittens, Hoss!" Ben said. After all, he would never tell his son who had gone to all of the trouble of making them in the first place!

Hop Sing was in shock! He actually had a real wood stove. He couldn't believe that Ben or even the boys would get him a stove to cook their meals. Finally, he said, "The gods must have taken pity on me! Now, I actually have something to cook with! I have missed working on a wood stove! Thank you! Now, I'll have to stuff the turkey! After we eat breakfast, you can help me, little Joe!"

Ben had read little Joe's promise to do his chores, and was really glad that little Joe had thought of doing them. Little Joe said, "I'll help you with these chores, pa! I'll even do some of the more difficult ones, too!"

"But, you'll have to help Hop Sing first!" Ben replied. The family then ate their breakfast, and did their chores. Hop Sing and little Joe stuffed the turkey, while Hoss and Adam got the fire going in the stove. Then, Hop Sing put the turkey into the stove. Right after Hop Sing got the roasted turkey out of the stove, Big Dan and Shelby came to the Cartwright ranch. "Merry Christmas!" Shelby said.

"I hope that you have a good meal for us!" Daniel said.

"Thank you for coming out here!" Ben said, and then added, "I'm sorry that Lydia is no longer with us!"

"But if she was still here, I'm sure that she would want to see us all here! Besides..." Shelby said.

Daniel nodded his head and said, "I can just hear her speak, with her heavy German accent, saying how she liked these holidays! I hoped that she would last long enough to see us celebrate Christmas!" Poor woman, He thought.

Ben nodded his head and said, "Christmas is one of the most joyous holidays! I'm sorry that she didn't last long enough to be here with us!" And Marie, too! As well as Maggie and Tess! It's too bad that they aren't here!" Like Daniel, he missed those women in his life!

They all enjoyed the meal that Hop Sing had prepared for them. They had turkey with cornbread stuffing, beans, rolls, and pie for dessert. Then, Daniel went to Lydia's grave, and remembered the homely schoolmarm! Then, Shelby and Daniel went back to town.

After Christmas was over, Shelby made her New Year's Resolution! She would try again to quit smoking. Eli had to raise his prices on the cigars that Shelby loved! So much so, that Shelby decided to quit smoking! "I see that you are at it again! You do this every year! Eli has to raise his prices on the cigars, and you decide to quit smoking!" Ruth said, as she gave some more material to Shelby.

"Yep! But this time, I'll give them up! I know that I go through this year after year..."

"And, you'll have the same luck again, Shelby!" Daniel said as he entered the trading post.

"That is a challenge that I won't turn down at all!" Shelby said, as she left the trading post and went back to her saloon.

"And she'll be as feisty as ever!" Daniel said, and then added, "She likes that tobacco so much it ain't even funny!" Shelby would try and fail to quit smoking even up to the time of her death!

Then, a covered wagon came by the trading post, and stopped a few yards away. A tall man, with gray and brunette hair, came down from it and went to the trading post. H e spoke with Eli. "Good morning!" he said, and then added, "I need to get some supplies!" He pulled out a sheet of paper, and said, "I'll be needing some writing paper, some ink, and some beans, a pound of coffee, a twenty-five pound bag of flour, and...what else did she write on here?" He held it up and then continued to tell Eli what he wanted. "A five pound bag of sugar, a five pound bag of salt...oh, let's see now!" He went to the second sheet of paper in his hands and said, "I also need to speak with Eli Orowitz!"

"That would be me, sir! I'm Eli! And just who are you?" Eli asked.

The man put down his sheets of paper and said, "I'm Ray Coffee! The circuit judge sent me a letter in Missouri, and wanted me to come to Eagle Station!"

"That's right! The judge said that he wanted to make sure that we had a sheriff here in town. I'm Eli, and this is my wife, Ruth!"

"And, is there a Ben Cartwright in town?" Ray asked.

"He's at his ranch right now!" Eli replied, and then said, "You'll probably want to meet what's left of the town council! We lost a member just recently and we have to hold another election to get a replacement! We have two other members of the council that I think you should meet! Ms Shelby Skerrit and Jack Wolf..."

"The famous Indian fighter?" Ray asked.

Ruth replied, "You mean, that Indian killer!"

Eli said, "Don't be rude, Ruth!" Then he turned back to Ray and said, "Yes, he fought Indians, as well as hunted and fished throughout the west!"

Ruth went back to work, and tried not to get angry with her husband. She loved her husband, but she absolutely loathed Jack!

"And this Jack is where?" Ray asked.

"He's at his hotel! He owns a hotel, and says that it is the finest hotel west of St. Louis!" Eli replied.

Ruth really tried not to say anything, but this time, she said in a loud voice, "With all those prostitutes there in his hotel!"

"Ruth!" Eli exclaimed, and then added, "Yes, he does have those...women working for him! I don't interfere at all, but my wife..." he stared at her and said, "My wife doesn't exactly approve of his business at all!"

"Nor, do I, sir! I don't exactly like the idea of women selling their bodies just to be fed or feed their families, either! Besides, a man doesn't exactly know if these women are goin' to rob them, or even kill them!"

Ruth looked at her husband and said, "You, Ray, are the first person to agree with me! Shelby doesn't like those women either!"

"And Shelby is?" Ray asked.

"Ms Skerrit, Ray!" Eli said

Ray nodded and said, "I'll take my supplies and put them into my wagon! Then, I'll take it to the edge of town! That way, it won't be in the way of the settlers passin' through town!"

"Thank you, Ray!" Eli said. Just then, Adam came into the trading post. Eli said, "Adam, I want you to meet Ray Coffee! He's going to be the new sheriff here in Eagle Station! Adam is the eldest son of Ben Cartwright!"

Adam shook his hand and said, "I'm glad to meet you, Ray! I only wish that you had come here to town just a little sooner!"

Eli said, "Adam lost his wife about two months ago! And we have had at least two other murders here in town as well! Both Margaret Greene and her daughter, Tess were murdered almost two months ago! We don't know who would do such a thing!"

"Well, that's why the judge wants me here in the first place!" Ray replied, and then added, "So, you're a widower, too? I lost my wife recently as well! She had a cancer of some kind, and only lived until this fall! She's buried in St. Joseph, along with the rest of her family! And ours too!" Ray Coffee remembered all of his children who were either stillborn, or died right after birth. His wife, Mary, was buried right next to the graves of her children!

Adam nodded his head and said, "I want to find out who killed Isabella, as well as the Greene women!"

"I'll take my wagon and park it outside of town. Then, you can introduce me to Ms Skerrit!" Ray replied. Adam went out and helped Ray park his wagon, and then the two men went over to Shelby's saloon. Adam introduced Ray to Shelby, and then went back to the ranch.

Adam took Beauty into the barn, and after he brushed her, and fed her, he picked up some wood for the stove and fireplace. "Pa?" he asked as he came into the house.

Hoss came from Ben's room and said in a quiet tone of voice, "Pa's asleep right now! He has another migraine! I hope that means that we'll get some more snow!" Hoss went over to the fireplace and put some wood onto the fire!

Adam placed his hands close to the fire to warm them. Then he quietly said, "We have a sheriff in town! His name is Ray Coffee, and he's like pa and me! He's a widower, too! I'm glad that he's here, but I wish that he had come just a little sooner!"

"Has he met the town council yet?" Hoss asked, as he looked up to his older brother.

"Everybody but Jack! But, he feels the same way as pa! He called Jack an Indian killer, too!" Adam said.

Little Joe came in, too! It was getting cold outside, and he was like all of his classmates! He wanted to see another snowstorm, too! "Does pa have another migraine?" he quietly asked.

Hoss looked at little Joe and said, "Yep! I hope that we get some snow soon! Pa only gets these headaches when there's going to be a change in the weather!"

Adam quietly said, "I met the new sheriff in town, today! He's about as old as pa! And about as big as pa! And, he's a widower, too!"

Chapter Twelve

Ben slept the rest of the day, and woke at dawn. It was snowing, but since he was wide-awake, he rose, and washed up for the day. His headache was finally over, and so he dressed and went out to the main room of the house. Hop Sing was up as well, and had breakfast ready for the whole family. Hoss came in and was carrying a large load of wood. He fed both the fireplace as well as the stove. "Good morning, pa!" he said as he put wood into the stove. Hop Sing needed to do some more baking. Everybody loved his bread and rolls, and like always, Hoss and little Joe ended up eating most of his bread!

His father yawned, and then said, "I'm so glad that it finally snowed. My headache is gone, too!"

Adam came in from the boys' room, and said, "I'm glad it snowed, too! It looks like I'll have the day off after all! I just hope that we'll get more snow! After I eat, I'll do the lesson plans for next week!"

"As do I! I hate having migraines as much as you do!" Ben said. Hop sing poured his mug full of tea, and Ben drank it. He was very thirsty, and the tea gave him his morning dose of caffeine!

"Pa, I met the new sheriff in town yesterday!" Adam said as he sat down at the table. Hoss sat down at the dining room table as well. Even though he had nearly quit growing, he was still a tall young man. He was over six feet tall at this point! But, he looked forward to eating a hearty breakfast! Unfortunately, he was beginning to gain a lot of weight! He didn't mind gaining the weight, and thought that his weight made him look older than his eighteen years!

As Hoss passed the pancakes, he said, "Pa, I haven't met him yet, but Adam says that he's a man who means to make our town a safer place to live!" After he passed the pancakes to his father, he added, "Adam says that he is about as tall as you, and that he's a widower, too!"

"After it quits snowing, I'll go to town and meet him!" Ben said. He put some pancakes on his plate, and then put some fresh butter on them. Hop Sing had managed to make butter as well. Hop Sing always got up early anyway, and figured that he could make butter as well as cook a large breakfast for everybody!

"Pa, it's snowin' outside!" little Joe said as he came from the boys' room. He sat down at the table, and like his older brother, liked to eat a good breakfast.

Ben said, "You can come to town with me, little Joe, but only after you sweep the snow from the porch!"

"Yes, pa!" Joe said. He saw that Hop Sing had made his favorite breakfast of pancakes with chokecherry syrup, fried eggs, and crispy fried bacon. Hop Sing and little Joe took turns milking their Jersey cow. Hop Sing had remembered to milk their cow this morning, so little Joe had fresh milk to drink. Little Joe dug in and ate his breakfast. Hop Sing was pleased. Everyone liked his meals, and now Ben was eating, too. Hop Sing was worried that Ben would feel like he was overwhelmed with owning a larger ranch. He knew that Ben often had migraines, but he felt that nerves contributed to his headaches as well! I hope that Ben has done the right thing by acquiring Mrs. Greene's ranch, he thought.

Ben was like that. He wanted to make sure that his sons had a balanced diet, so he bought a Jersey cow to give the whole family milk. Hop Sing had made the black tea rather strong. It was almost as strong as a good strong cup of coffee! But, then Ben wanted to have a good strong mug of black tea! Anything that would give him his caffeine rush in the mornings! As Ben drank from his mug, he started to think. He had hired all of the hands that had worked for Maggie. Ben had told them that he would be them all a living wage. Normally that wasn't even thought of in the nineteenth century, but Ben had given his word on this! He had managed to run his ranch with the help of Carlos, and he thought he could provide for his help just like Maggie! She was a good businesswoman, and gave her help a good wage, but some of these men were married, so the pressure was on Ben to do even better than Maggie!

Ben knew that she had gone without meeting her needs, but she didn't sell out to Jack when he offered to buy her out! She had hung in there last spring, because she didn't want to sell her ranch to that no-good Indian killer! Ben had no use for Jack, and now it looked like Jack had no use for Ben!

Little Joe had swept the porch, and both he and Ben saddled their horses, and went to town. The snow was like a fine white powder, and it was only a light coating on the ground! Ben easily managed to make his way into town, but he knew that there should be more snow! I hope that it snows a lot before spring, He thought. He went to Shelby's saloon. "Good mornin' Ben" she said. She reached into her pocket to find her cigar, and then realized that she wanted to quit smoking. "Dang it all!" she said in a soft voice.

"Still trying to quit smoking?" Ben asked as he entered her saloon.

"Yep! And just as feisty as ever!" Daniel said, as he took the dirty dishes off of the tables. He took them into the kitchen, and as he started washing them, he called out and said, "You know that she does this every year! She wants to quit smokin', but I'll bet that she's at it again by the end of the week!"

"You should talk! You've been drinkin' again!" Shelby replied, and then keeping her voice low, told Ben, "He's been drinkin' something awful ever since Lydia died!"

Ben nodded and said, "His heart is broken, as was mine when Marie died! But, at least you keep him busy around here! Is Sheriff Coffee around?"

"Yep! He's up there on the balcony, but he's like you, Ben! He don't drink at all! But I did manage to sell him a cup of coffee!" Shelby said as she went behind the bar. Shelby felt a little lost without her cigars after all!

Ben went up to the balcony and introduced himself. "I'm Ben Cartwright!" he said as he shook hands with Ray.

Ray put his cup of coffee on the table and said, "And, I'm Ray Coffee! Pleased to meet you, Ben!" After he put his cup of coffee on the table, he added, "And it's nice to know that this lawman is completely sober!"

"Yes, it is!" Ben said. He remembered the federal marshal that was sent to find the killer of that Army officer, and how much that man drank! Ben was a reformed alcoholic, and like most of these people, didn't like to see others drink alcohol at all!

"I'm stayin' in my wagon for now, but I see that this town doesn't have a jail built!" Ray finished his cup of coffee.

"No, it doesn't at all! We're having another council meeting tomorrow evening, so I'm sure that we can get the funds to build a jail!" Ben said. Then, he looked at his youngest son and said, "Maybe Ms Skerritt has some sarsaparilla for you, little Joe! Go over and ask her!" Little Joe went over to the bar, and Shelby gave him a mug of that non-alcoholic beverage to drink.

"I sure hope that the rest of the town council will build a jail!" Shelby said, and then added, "I hope that we can pay for your room at the boardin' house! But, you'll have to do the same thing that Lydia did! You can either eat your meals at the boardin' house or you can eat your meals right here!"

Ray looked rather puzzled, so Ben explained, "Lydia was our schoolmarm, but she died of consumption!"

Daniel came out of the kitchen and said, "At least someone else mourns her like me!" He went over to the bar and had Shelby pour him a small glass of whiskey.

"Yes, I do, too! She was a good teacher for us!" little Joe said as Shelby handed him a mug of sarsaparilla to drink. Little Joe thought that he would drink his drink at the bar, but Shelby made the motion to go back to Sheriff Coffee's table. Little Joe went back to the table, but she could tell that he was reluctant to do it! Boys will be boys! She thought. Those little ones always want to be men before their time!

Big Dan finished his glass of whiskey, and said, "I've washed all of these dishes, so I'll go over to the livery and groom the horses!"

After he left the saloon, Shelby went over to Sheriff Coffee's table and said in a low voice, "I'm doin' my best to keep him busy! I wish Lydia had lived! I'll miss her, too! She never nagged me about my drinkin' or my smokin'!" And then she added, "I'm havin' Ms McGregor make me a dress, and I've ordered more material at Eli's tradin' post. Ruth says that it will be here at the end of the week. More dresses for Ms McGregor to sew!"

Ray looked at her again, and was just as puzzled as before! So Ben explained, "Shelby said that she would wear dresses from now on!" Then he turned to Shelby and said, "I was hoping that you would be wearing one now!"

"You know how that goes, Ben! I'll bet you that Marie was put out a lot with her clothes, too!" Shelby said, and then went back to the bar. But she still felt a little lost without her cigars!

"I'll get to work and find out who killed the Greene women, as well as your daughter-in-law, Ben! I hope that findin' that killer, or killers is all I can do!" Ray said.

"Can you find out about the rustlers as well?" Shelby asked. She looked at Ben and said, "I know that you had them last fall, Ben!"

"Yes, I did have some trouble with my cattle, but my oldest son Adam and Isabella found the cattle down in Mexico and brought them back! I haven't had any trouble since then!" Ben said.

"Perhaps we should go outside and talk about this!" Ray said. Both men left the saloon, and then Ray said, "Murderers! Rustlers! Ben, how am I supposed to do my job, if you aren't honest with me!"

"Shelby has a big mouth, sheriff! Yes, I've had some trouble with rustlers, but so have the other ranchers!" Ben exclaimed.

"Well, let me track the rustlers, and maybe we'll find out who has done this!" Ray replied.

"You can follow me back to the Ponderosa, sheriff! I really don't think that you'll find anything there, but then, maybe you will!" Ben said. He remembered how he had missed seeing Isabella's body on the road near the Greene ranch!

He went back to the saloon and he and little Joe went back to the Ponderosa. Ray was behind the two men, and was busy looking for signs of the rustlers. Ben was right! The sheriff couldn't find a thing! He followed the Cartwrights back to the Ponderosa, and shook his head.

"I'll bet you that you didn't find a thing!" Ben said as he dismounted from his horse.

Ray was still mounted on his horse. "Not a danged thing, Ben! But, if those rustlers are around, they'll leave tracks on the road, and we'll catch them soon enough! I'll go back to town, now!" Ray said, and then returned to Eagle Station. I'll find them! I know that I will! And I hope that I find out who murdered those people! Ray thought as he went back to town. As he rode by Jack's hotel, he had no idea that the murderer was right there, standing on his balcony! He watched the sheriff come into town, and then went inside to look after his prostitutes. Jack wanted to make sure that his prostitutes were working hard that evening. He needed to be distracted from the sheriff after seeing him on his balcony!

The town council met and approved of providing a jail, as well as a cabin for the sheriff. Jack was the only one who really didn't approve of getting a sheriff in the first place. Besides, the council also had to approve a new election to replace the vacant seat on the council. "I miss Maggie very much!" Eli told Ben before the meeting started.

"So do I! We should ask for some candidates tonight at this town meeting!" Ben replied.

At the town meeting, both Trag and McGregor volunteered to run for the vacant seat. It was a close election, and Trag won by only a few votes. It was a big surprise when McGregor lost the election. He only said that he was more needed on his ranch than as a council member! Ben commented on it to McGregor, but he said that his family meant more to him now that the town had lost Lydia and Margaret. The old Scotsman now wanted to be closer to his own family! Scots are a funny lot! Ben thought.

After Ben congratulated Trag on winning the election, Trag said, "Now that we have a new sheriff, maybe he can find out who's been rustling all of the cattle. I got hit a couple of weeks ago, and I don't want to lose any more steers!"

"We lost some of our cattle as well, but Adam and Isabella found them in Mexico!" Ben explained.

"How in the world did they end down there in Mexico?" Trag asked. There were women around, and so the ranchers had to watch their language!

"I have no idea how they ended up there, but we managed to make a profit last year! But you're right Trag! We need to find out who's be stealing our herds!" Ben replied.

Jack had overheard the two men, so he quickly left the town hall. He thought of gathering his fellow bandits, but decided not to do so at this time! It was bad enough with the circuit judge bringing in a temporary sheriff into Eagle Station! He was sure that the sheriff would find out who had been raiding the ranches, and maybe even find out that Jack had killed Isabella, Tess, and Margaret! I hope that I can kill Ben Cartwright, before I hang! He thought.

That winter was really dry! Almost no snow had fallen during the winter, and then the trees began to show their buds! Ben was worried about the forests that surrounded his ranch! In early May, he went out to the porch to start his day, and smelled the air. Then he looked at the sky. Instead of seeing a cloudless sky with a light blue atmosphere, he saw that there were thick clouds and the sky looked pink in color! Good Lord! He thought. "There's a forest fire! Everybody get up and help me!" he called out. Everybody left the ranch, and Ben got the wagon hitched up, while Hop Sing got some buckets. Adam, Hoss and little Joe all got into the wagon and before too long, they all got to the fire, and helped the neighbors put out the now raging wildfire! They fought the fire almost the entire day, and then mopped up the hot spots afterward.

"The fire started on your land, Trag!" Ben said as he put his buckets into his wagon. He washed his hands in a bucket of clean water. Then, he dried his hands on a clean towel. The bucket was filled with sooty water, so he dumped it by the wagon.

"I hated that fire, too, Ben! Took out all of my crop of alfalfa as well as the oats I planted!" Trag said in a disgusted manner. He put in a sooty blanket that he used to douse the flames that threatened his home onto the wagon as well.

"But you saved all of your horses, and your cattle as well, Mr. Trag!" Adam said, and then added, "And you saved your family as well!"

Trag looked at the ashes of his home and said in a bitter voice, "I saved what was near to me, but how can I feed my family! It's almost too late in the season to plant more crops!"

Ben looked at the ashes as well, and then said, "I have some land that you can rent for awhile. Or should I say that the land belonged to Maggie at one time! It's almost too much for me to graze my cattle, and right now, you need to grow your crops, as well as raise cattle!"

"You mean that you want me to rent from you for right now?" Trag asked. He was incredulous that his nearest neighbor would help him out! He and Ben had had their disagreements, and so he was very surprised that Ben would help him out!

Ben nodded his head and said, "I know that you need to take care of your family right now! My sons and I will help you build a cabin, and you can stay there for right now! You can rebuild your cabin next year!"

Trag was in shock, but finally shook Ben's hand in gratitude. Frontier life was very hard at times, but whenever people had bad times, their neighbors tried to help them out!

The neighbors had a barn and house raising ceremony the following day. Ben and his boys, along with McGregor and his family stopped what they were doing and built the cabin. Adam and Hoss both cut the trees and made logs with their axes, while Ruth, Shelby and Mrs. McGregor made pots of corn chowder and stew from some rabbits that could be trapped. There wasn't much grass for the rabbits to eat, so they went to graze on the same pastures that the cattle grazed on. They were considered to be pests, so the adolescents trapped lots of them! Little Joe always thought that was very unkind to the rabbits, so he wouldn't trap them at all!

After both the cabin and the barn were raised, the whole community celebrated with a dance. Ben played his fiddle while Eli played his concertina. Neither Adam nor Hoss wanted to dance at all! They mourned their losses as well as their father who was still mourning the loss of Marie. Instead, they served punch and homemade cookies to everybody. Shelby even wore her new dress. Mrs. McGregor had done a really nice job of making the dress, as well as the pinafores that Shelby wore under the dress! Black plaid wasn't a very good color for a dance, but then Shelby was mourning the loss of Lydia, as was Daniel, who came to the dance anyway. And then, he helped to serve punch and cookies along with Adam and Hoss.

Ray was there as well, but when he saw Ben he went over to him after the band had stopped playing. "Ben, I need to speak with you!" he said in an urgent voice.

Ben looked at him and put his fiddle away. They left the new Trag cabin, and Ray continued, "I found this, and it wasn't far from the old Trag place!"

Ben looked at the object and said, "But this is only a candle, sheriff. But I see that it has been burned at one end." He felt the burned end of the candle and said, "And by the looks of it, it looks like it was recently burned as well!"

"I think that the fire was set by someone! That fire wasn't really an Act of God!" Ray said, and the added, "And I found some signs of horses right about where I found that candle! Ben, we have a firebug around here! Besides, I think that the rustlers are at it again! I saw some more signs of cattle around there as well!"

"Are you sure about this?" Ben asked.

"Completely sure, Ben! Someone should go over to Hangtown and see if anyone has been selling Texas longhorns!" Ray replied.

"I suppose that I should do this! Big Dan found out who was rustling cattle from the Greene ranch, so I guess that it's my turn!" Ben replied.

"Agreed! I think that you should leave tomorrow mornin' at sunrise!" Ray said.

Ben rose earlier than usual the next morning. After he had washed and dressed, he drank his morning mug of tea, and went out to saddle his horse. Both Adam and Hoss were out at the barn saddling their horses. "What are you two doing up so early?" Ben asked. He was surprised that his two oldest sons would be in the barn instead of doing their chores.

"We want to help you, pa!" Hoss said as he put his saddle on his horse.

"You two are just too young to do this!" Ben said as he put the saddle on his horse and then tightened the strap on his saddle.

"You didn't think that I was too young to go to Mexico!" Adam said, as he got his bedroll out and put it on the back of the saddle.

"And you didn't think that I was too young to go to Mrs. Greene's ranch, either!" Hoss said. He put his bedroll on the back of his saddle, and then packed his saddlebags as well. He got some food from Hop Sing, because he didn't really know how long he and his brother would be gone.

Ben realized that his oldest sons were right after all! He agreed that they all should go over to Hangtown. "I just hope that we can find out who is rustling up those cattle!" Ben said in a soft voice.

They were about an hour north of Eagle Station, when a rifle went off. Hoss clutched his left shoulder, and then fell off his horse. "Hoss!" Adam cried.

Ben quickly dismounted and looked around. Then he went to Hoss and took off his kerchief and pressed it against the wound on Hoss' shoulder. "I'll be alright, pa!" Hoss said. His voice was weak, though, and now Ben was worried. He wasn't exactly concerned about himself at all, but he was afraid that Adam would get shot as well!

"Stay with him, Adam! I'll look around!" Ben said. Ben looked around, and found nothing. Then, he took his sons back to his ranch, and Hop Sing looked after Hoss. Ben was beside himself, and blamed both of his sons for coming with him in the first place! I'm supposed to protect my sons, not lead them into an ambush! He thought.

The sheriff came over to the Ponderosa later that day. "I did what you wanted me to, and now Hoss has been shot!" Ben said, as he sat on his front porch. He was so upset over Hoss getting shot that his head started to ache. Another migraine, I suppose! He thought.

"I think that you were a lot closer to those rustlers, Ben!" Ray exclaimed.

"Damn it all! Hoss has been shot! What more do those people want!" Ben exclaimed. His head ached even worse than before!

"I didn't want your sons to come with you, Ben!" Ray said.

"Neither did I!" Ben said in a bitter voice.

"We'll find those rustlers, Ben!" Ray said. I hope so! Ben thought as he saw the sheriff ride back to town.

A week later, Hoss had nearly recovered from his wound. His wound had quit bleeding, but it was still very painful. He had his left arm in a sling, and managed to do some of his chores, but he needed to have Adam and Ben help him out with grooming the horses. But that night, he was still awake in his bed, and in a lot of pain! Then, he heard something! That's when the horses in the corral started to neigh. Ben and Adam heard the horses neigh as well. They went out and found that the rustlers had struck again! This time, Ben and Adam got on their horses and tracked them for most of the night! The rustlers got away, but Ben and Adam found their cattle and herded them back to the ranch. "At least they didn't get as far as Mexico!" Adam exclaimed as they put the cattle into their corral.

"But Hoss has been hurt! I don't want you to get hurt, too!" Ben said as they went into the ranch house.

Hoss was still awake, and still in a lot of pain, in spite of putting his arm into a sling! Hop Sing felt a little sorry that Hoss was still hurting, so he had made a mixture of several herbs and, after making a tea with them, he told Hoss to drink it. "I don't think that you will suffer from bursitis!" he said, as he handed the mug to Hoss.

"Bursitis?" Hoss asked. He smelled the tea! Now, he wasn't exactly sure that he should drink the brew.

"It comes from a severe injury, Hoss!" the Chinese cook exclaimed, and then added, "Drink this tea! It doesn't taste very good, but your shoulder will love it!" Hoss drank the foul tasting brew, but indeed, his shoulder never hurt again! He learned to hate Chinese herbs, but it seemed that Hop Sing really knew his herbs after all!

Sheriff Coffee came out the next day. Both he and Ben decided to go against those who had rustled the cattle. Ben had been hit a second time. Trag had his cattle rustled as well! The two men went out to the new Trag place, and he joined them as well. "I hope that we find those rustlers! This is getting a little old for me!" Trag said.

"And for me, too! This is the second time that we have been hit!" Ben said. The three men had stopped their horses and were examining the ground. Just then another person rode up. Ben looked up and saw that his oldest son was on a horse. "Adam!" he exclaimed, and then added, "I thought that I told you that I didn't want you to come here!"

"Pa, I couldn't let you do this without me! I would have followed you anyway!" Adam said in a defiant manner. Ben was disgusted with Adam, but Ray was a little amused at Adam's persistence.

"Well, keep quiet then!" Ray said. And then he told Ben in a quiet voice, "At least you have sons! Mary and I tried to have a large family, too!" But it didn't work out at all! All of our children were either stillborn, or died shortly after birth! He thought.

Ben nodded, and all four men dismounted. They hid behind a group of trees, and before too long, the first of the rustlers showed up. Ben looked at him, so sheriff Coffee said, "Do you know this man?" Ben shook his head and said in almost a whisper, "No, I don't! I've never seen him before!"

Trag spoke up and he whispered, "Yep, I've seen him before! He was lookin' for a job, but I couldn't help him out any! My place is too small to hire any saddle tramps!"

"We'll stay here for awhile! Maybe the others will show up!" Ray whispered.

In a few minutes, the rest of the rustlers joined the first of their party. Ben turned to his right side, and almost gasped. Adam looked at him too, and then quickly went down as Jack had seen him and fired his pistol. "Pa!" he cried out. He had a fresh bullet wound in his left shoulder. Ben quickly took off his kerchief and pressed it down on Adam's left shoulder.

"Damn it all, Adam! I told you that you should have stayed at the ranch!" Ben scolded.

"Those men are armed!" Ray said, and then he went out from behind the tree and said, "I want you to surrender!"

"Why in the hell should I?" Jack asked as he pointed his pistol at the sheriff.

"Well, for one thing, You shot and wounded an unarmed man, and for another reason, we have a witness to your cattle rustling!"

"There's no cattle around here!" Jack exclaimed in a defiant voice!

"Maybe not, but Ben knew that something was up! Besides, you went to Hangtown and made arrangements to put the cattle there, and then get them over to Sacramento!" Ray answered.

"Bulls---!" Jack said. Ray had figured Jack out after all!

"Keep the kerchief there on your shoulder, Adam!" Ben said. Then he joined Ray and said, "Yes, I know that you are the rustler, Jack!"

"You can't prove a thing!" Jack said.

"Yes, I can! You may be a smart one but your men aren't! They went to Hangtown with the cattle that they stole! Of course, you did this earlier, with sending my cattle down to Mexico! It's a good thing that Adam has friends down there!" Ben replied. Jack knew that Ben knew that he stole from him. But then he did something unexpected. He went over to Ben and hit him on his left jaw. Pretty soon, the two men were hitting each other. Ben finally got Jack pinned against a tree and kept on hitting him. Adam was watching his father and Jack. Nobody knew that he would be taught a valuable lesson!

Ray said, "Stop it now, Ben!"

He kept on hitting him and said, "You've done far worse than stealing cattle. You've murdered Maggie, Tess, and Isabella!"

"Stop it Ben, or I'll shoot you!" Ray said. He meant what he said! He had a rifle pointed at Ben. Ben looked at his right, and saw the rifle. He stopped hitting Jack!

"You killed them!" Ben screamed to Jack as he held him by the collar!

Jack realized that Ben would kill him, so he decided to be honest for a change! "Yes, I killed all three women! I wanted to marry Isabella, but she married that sorry son of yours! Tess found out that I had killed her, so I shot her! Maggie came our from her bedroom, and so I had to kill her, too!"

"Bastard!" Ben exclaimed, and then tried to hit him again.

"Ben, if you kill him, you will be on the same level as Jack!" Ray said, and then added, "I really hate to arrest a good law abidin' citizen of Eagle Station!"

Ben reluctantly stopped hitting Jack, and said in a disgusted tone of voice, "He's yours now!" He went back to Adam, while Ray arrested Jack and the other rustlers. He put the kerchief on Adam's wounded shoulder! Soon, everybody was back in Eagle Station.

Ray put all of the men into the newly built jail. "My first prisoners!" he exclaimed as he locked them into jail. Then he added, "I mailed a letter to the district judge, and he will be here at the end of this week! You'll have justice done, Ben!"

Trag said as he left the jail, "Ben, after I saw you hitting Jack, I hope that I never get you angry with me!"

"I don't think that you will, Trag!" Ben replied, and then added, "Adam, I think that we have to get you home! Looks like you'll be drinking that tea that your brother loves, too!"

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, pa!" Adam exclaimed as the two went back to the Ponderosa. Adam drank the special tea that Hop Sing made, and like Hoss, absolutely hated drinking the tea! Ben was amused by his oldest son, and was glad that he didn't have to drink the cook's tea at all! But Hop Sing insisted that Ben keep his hands in cold water to bring down the swelling in them! It turns out the Jack's head was a lot harder than Ben's fists!

The circuit judge came to town by the end of the week, and Jack's trial was held in the town hall! Jack had decided not to have a jury, so the judge presided over the procedure. Jack testified to defend himself, and the judge questioned him about how he managed to rustle the cattle in the first place! "Didn't you know that Hangtown was the first place people would look for those critters!" the judge said.

"I thought of that, and told my men to find another market someplace else. Sacramento was a good place to sell them. After all, it's a three-day ride to Sacramento, and no one will even question where the cattle came from! I had that all figured out! It seems that my men are just..."

"Stupid, don't you think!" the judge answered, and then asked, "Why did you kill the Greene women? They weren't really a threat to you! Besides, why did you set the forest fire in the first place?"

"Maggie wasn't my target at all! In fact, I wanted to buy her out last spring, but Tess was a bigger threat to me! She had found out that I had raped and killed Isabella. I killed her in the bushes, and then put her body on the road to Maggie's place. Tess found out that I had killed Isabella, and she threatened to tell you! I killed her to protect myself! Maggie came into her parlor and found that I had shot Tess, so I had to kill her as well!" Jack said, and then added, "If the sheriff and Ben hadn't of caught me, I would have killed him, too! His ranch is right where I want to build a sawmill!"

"But what about the forest fire that you set, Jack?" The judge asked.

"I wanted to cover up the tracks of the cattle and the only way that I could do that was to set a fire. Everybody would be tryin' to put it out, and no one would find those tracks. But I didn't expect that Ray would be smart enough to find the tracks that the cattle made!" Jack explained.

The judge shook his head, and then he said, "I sentence you to hang, and it will be at seven in the morning the day after tomorrow! This court is adjourned!"

Everybody left the town hall. Ben shook his head, and said, "Now, there's justice for not only Isabella, but for Maggie and Tess as well! I guess that we will come back here to town and watch the hanging."

"What a shame, that a person's greed could get the better of him!" Hop sing said. The family went home.

Jack was hung two days later. Ben was there, in the front of the crowd as the tired man was lead to the gallows. Daniel said. "We spent the last two days makin' these gallows. Jack didn't sleep a wink at all!"

"He deserved to be deprived of sleep!" Shelby said, as she smoked her first cigar of the day. She was wearing the plaid dress that Mrs. McGregor had made her. Then she looked at Ben and said, "I tried to quit smokin' but I couldn't stay away from the cigars that Eli sells!"

Ben shook his head and said, "Those cigars are going to kill you, Shelby!"

"Don't care if they do, Ben. Right now, I just want to see Jack die!" she replied.

Jack mounted the gallows, and was followed by Ray Coffee. Ray asked, "Do you have any final words to speak, Jack?" Jack shook his head, so Ray got off of the gallows, and told the hangman to hang Jack. Ben and his entire family had to turn their heads as they saw the town villain die. Finally, everybody left the gallows. Justice was done.

The End