Chapter 1

Even though it was the hottest day Adam Cartwright could remember, he was happy. He'd visited the timber camp, paid the men, dropped off supplies, and tonight was all his. He would check in at the hotel, take a long, luxurious bath, and then meet Cara Simms for dinner. Cara was spending the summer with her mother's sister in Virginia City, and Adam had met her at last month's church social. He hadn't fallen in love...yet. At any rate, Cara was slowly carving out a special place in his heart. Her aunt had begun telling people that Cara had come out to visitAdam for the summer, since she was seeing so little of her!

Adam pulled off his hat to allow the breeze to dry some of the sweat from his brow. If it weren't for sunburn, he wouldn't even be wearing his hat. When he replaced it, he saw a figure walking alongside the road ahead of him. The man was moving slowly, but steadily. He had the gait of someone who'd been traveling all his life.

Upon reaching the man, Adam pulled the buckboard to a halt. The man stopped walking and turned to face Adam.

"Hello," Adam said genially.

The man bowed slightly and said quietly, "Hello."

"Could I offer you a ride? It's mighty hot out today."

The man smiled and bowed again. "No, thank you."

They sat in what to Adam was an awkward silence. "Well, I wish there were something I could do for you. It's sure a hot day, and you've the look of someone who's been walking a while and has a ways to go before he gets there."

"I do not wish to burden the horses. They are already working hard enough. Thank you for your kindness." The man turned and began walking again.

Adam spurred the horses just enough to catch up. "How about some water? Virginia City's a few miles yet."

The man turned and smiled broadly. He bowed deeply. "Thank you."

As Adam opened the canteen and offered a drink, he said, "The name's Cartwright. Adam Cartwright."

"I am Cain. Kwai Chang Cain."

Adam tried not to stare as he examined which of the man's features were Chinese. "Where are you headed, Mr. Cain?"

"Where my path leads me. Today it is Virginia City."

Although Adam was intrigued by the man, he knew Cain would not accept a ride, and further dallying might limit his bath-time at the hotel. "Well it was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cain. I'm staying in Virginia City tonight. Perhaps we'll meet again."

"Perhaps." Kwai Chang bowed as the buckboard pulled away.

After a nightcap on the porch at Cara's Aunt's house, Adam went to the Bucket of Blood Saloon, hoping he might run into Hoss or Joe. They'd been mending fences on the ranch all day, but had also earned a night off. Adam saw Hoss's horse before he heard his deep guffaw spill out the doors. Adam smiled and walked in.

Hoss' eyes lit up when he saw Adam enter. He opened his arms wide and bellowed "Adam! Adam! Come over here!"

Adam got a beer from the bartender and walked over to his brother, still smiling.

"Adam! This here's Tim Finch, and he just showed me a new game! Look, here's how it works!" Hoss placed his arm straight out in front of him. He then bent it at the elbow so that his hand rested over his shoulder, palm up. He very carefully balanced a coin on the bone of his elbow. He took a deep breath, then quickly threw his hand forward and caught the coin. There was much laughter and excitement in the room. "Okay, now watch!" Hoss said. This time, he stacked two coins on his elbow and repeated the procedure. This time, he caught one coin, but the other flew across the room and almost hit one of the dancing girls right in the bosom. Fortunately, she ducked just in time, and the coin bounced to the floor. Everyone laughed, and Hoss took a swig of his beer. "You see Adam, when you miss, you have to take a drink!"

Adam chuckled. His brother was most certainly drunk. "Yes, I can see that, Hoss. You're not very good at this game, are you?"

"Well, I was at first. I got up to seven coins before I missed, then. But I guess it was beginner's luck, 'cause now I can't get past three!"

"Because you're drunk now, and you weren't when you first started," thought Adam, but he decided not to say anything, and to let Hoss have his fun.

Adam sat at a table and turned his attention to the card game in the corner. He watched the game intently, but his thoughts were entirely on Cara Simms. She had mentioned that her Aunt wanted her to take a trip to San Francisco while she was out here. After all, Cara is so close now, once she made the trip, she'd be able to tell her friends that she'd traveled from coast to coast.. But Cara had dropped a hint that her Aunt was afraid to make the trip without a man to escort them.

It would take a lot of time, and Adam was not sure that his father would release him from his responsibilities for the three weeks...but maybe Adam could find some Ponderosa business to attend to while he was there, and then the trip would not purely be a vacation.

Adam's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Hoss threatening a man.

"I don't know where you come from," Hoss was saying, "But around Virginia City, we're glad to have all different kinds of people around. I suggest that you apologize to him or get outta town." Hoss hovered over the man. Adam could not see who had been the victim of the original insult. He stood and craned his neck, and saw...Cain.

The man had refused to apologize, and Hoss now gripped him by the collar. He started to rear back for a punch. Adam ran over and held his arm. "Hoss, Hoss! Just take him outside, don't hit him. There's no need to get into a fight every time you come to town!"

Hoss looked disappointed, but mumbled an "all right" and dragged the man out the door, where he hastily tossed him into the street.

"We meet again," Adam said to Cain.

Cain bowed slightly. "I did not wish to cause trouble. Only to get a drink of water." The bartender placed the water in front of him and he drank deeply.

Adam looked at Cain closely. His clothes were worn thin. He carried a small bedroll across his back in one direction, and a flute across in the other. He was very dirty. Adam realized he must have just completed his walk to town, and had not yet had time to clean up.

"So, Mr. Cain, what do you plan to do in Virginia City?"

"Look for work. Try to find clues about my father."

"Your father?" Adam was interrupted by Hoss, who slapped Cain on the shoulder.

"He won't bother you none. You're welcome here."

"Thank you." Cain said, although he seemed more embarrassed by the gesture than he was grateful. Hoss went back to Tim Finch to tell the story of how he'd thrown the man out of the saloon.

"You were saying about your father, Cain?" Adam prompted.

"I am seeking my father. I was in San Francisco, and a man there told me my father had left for the East Coast. I am following, hoping to find him."

Adam was satisfied with the answer. "What kind of work do you do, Cain?"

Cain shrugged. "I do work which needs to be done."

"Well, I just happen to be looking for a ranch hand. I know you don't ride horses, but do you know how to take care of them?"

Cain smiled, "Yes. I know how to do many things."

It was Adam's turn to smile. For some reason, he trusted that this man would be a good worker. "Well, if you're interested, the work is on my family's ranch, the Ponderosa. Anyone in town can tell you how to get there."

"Thank you." Cain bowed again, and left.

Adam heard a crash behind him. He turned and cringed as he saw Hoss scrambling up and readying himself to brawl with his new friend Tim. Adam rubbed his forehead, then turned and went to rescue Hoss from the fight before he ended up with another large bill for damages.