This story started after seeing the last part of the Bonanza episode "Day of Reckoning" and a 'what if' bee began buzzing in my ear. I realize Ben was wearing his shirt when he was staked out. I know where he was staked out at. However, those facts has been changed.

Chapter One

The sun was unbearably hot as Catlin Hawks and her brother, William, rode their horses through one tree after another, and around more than one rock. They had broke camp that morning and headed in the direction they thought would lead them to a main road. However, by three o'clock they were hopelessly lost.

"We're going to have to make camp soon." Catlin told her brother as they headed around yet another rock. She quit speaking and her eyes grew wide; William eyes were doing the same. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Catlin!" William hollered as his sister flew off her horse and ran to the side of a stranger she saw staked out in the sun; his arms and legs were spread out as far as they could be. She could see the damage done to his face and his chest; his shirt lay in shreds nearby.

"Help me get him loose!" Catlin worked frantically to try to get the leather that secured the white haired gentleman's right arm to one of four stakes he was fastened to.

William didn't argue and soon they had the gentleman's limbs free.

"He's alive, but he won't be if we leave him out here." Catlin said after checking the man's pulse.

William didn't have to be told that. He squatted down and slid his arms underneath the unconscious man's shoulders. Lifting the man up, William dragged the man into a nearby cave and got him out of the sun. Catlin followed him inside. "We need more light in here," William said as he looked around, "Only it just might do him the best good to keep it dark and warm for now."

"Well, we have jerky and apples we can eat for now. When it comes to our unexpected patient, we just need to worry about getting water down him for now, but not too much." Catlin didn't see what else they could do and then asked about bringing the horses inside. "There's enough room in here for them."

William didn't like it, but he didn't want the horses outside. "Let's hope they come in without too much of a problem." William replied as he went back outside. As he was going to get the horses, he saw a painted band lying near the shirt that had been almost destroyed. Because he'd served in the military at one time, he recognized the Bannock design. Somehow, he was not surprised. He put the band inside his saddle bag and led the two horses into the cave. He was grateful the animals only balked a little. Soon he had the two horses in the back of the cave, quietly eating from their oat bags.

While her brother was busy in the animals, Catlin had looked over the stranger's skin. The sun had reddened his skin. The burns were severe and some had started to blister, but the damage was not too deep. Caitlin was sure if she could get some salve on them quick enough, there would be no scaring. She knew she'd have to have to get what few rags she and William had on them and get them wet first. She was also grateful for the few supplies they had with them, some of the supplies were medical in nature and was certain she had something that would soothe the man's sun burnt face.

"You might want to cover up our tracks somehow." Catlin looked at her brother after telling him she needed water, concerned whoever staked the stranger out would come back and find them. She would have gone to fetch the water herself only her brother refused to let her do it. After all, he was also concerned that the stranger's tormentor/almost murder was still in the area. Had they known that they were caring for the famous Ben Cartwright or that he'd be staked out by a Bannock Indian no longer in the area, William and Catlin would have felt different. However, with the thoughts William had running through his mind, he insisted on being the one to take the chance.

Catlin had been doing working on mending the only other shirt her brother had; William and the stranger were about the same size, when Ben's eyes opened. She quickly laid down the shirt and flew to his side. The way he was looking past her, and around her made her wonder if he even saw her. "Sir?" She leaned forward a little and laid her hand gently on the top of his head for two reasons. It was on a spot she hoped would not hurt him, and two, she wanted to see if he was hot to her touch; he was. She prayed her brother would return with the water soon.

The fact that it was a young woman who was talking to him did not register with Ben. In his state of mind he was still stalked out in the sun and *Matsu was still talking. He stiffened as he felt pain shooting through every inch of his body, but did not move around or make a sound. Instead, he began to silently pray for the strength to endure without complaining. The Indians looked favorably up on man who died well, and he wanted his sons to know he had died well.

When Ben's eyes closed, Catlin sighed and began to do her own praying. She did not know who the man was, or why he'd been staked out in the sun, still she could sense a good feeling about him. "Fight this you hear; we're here to help you." Catlin whispered as she looked toward the front of the cave. She could see William entering their shelter and sighed with relief when she could see that he had water with him.

~oOo~

While Catlin and William continued to care for Ben, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe sat in their saddles two miles away. They'd been searching for their father.

"I tell you, our 'friend' Matsu had something to do with pa's disappearance!" Little Joe bit off his words feeling angrier than a wet hen.

While Adam agreed that was a high possibility, he wasn't about to voice it out loud, not without proof. "We don't know that for sure, Joe. We just got to keep looking. He's around here somewhere; I feel it." He did too, though he also felt his father was in a bad way. However, he also kept that part to himself. The last thing he needed was to have what patience Little Joe still had leave.

~oOo~

*As best as I could hear (I was watching the episode on You Tube) the Bannock Indian that saved Ben at first, and later staked him out, was named Matsu. If I am wrong, blame You Tube.