It was a cool early fall night, Adam Cartwright was asleep dreaming a wonderful but sad dream.
"Push me higher, papa." said the little dark haired girl. Adam pushed the swing higher and laughed as the little girl giggled.
"Adam not too high!" a voice called from behind him. Adam turned around and looked at a beautiful woman; she had dark brown hair and green eyes. "I won't love, don't worry" he called to her. Adam thought himself lucky he had a beautiful daughter and a beautiful wife who was with child. He had everything he ever wanted, a family of his own.
Adam awoke with a start only to find the other side of the bed was empty. It was only a dream and that's what hurt him the most, he longed for the family that he saw in his dream.
It was still a few hours before dawn when Adam got out of bed; he changed into his black pants and black button up shirt. He lit a lamp and looked at himself in the mirror; he shaved and washed his face. He ran a comb through his hair, he always kept his hair looking neat unlike little Joe his youngest brother. He picked up his belt, a pair of socks and his favorite pair of boots. Adam blew out his lamp and silently made his way down stairs where he put on his belt, socks and boots. Adam grabbed his gun belt and his hat, and then he made his way out the door and headed to the barn. After about an hour working and completing the chores in the barn, dawn was approaching. Taking Sport out of his stall, Adam got him ready to ride. Adam lead Sport out of the barn and was about to mount him when he heard a voice call out to him, it was Hoss.
"You want to talk about it?" Hoss asked. Adam didn't know why but Hoss always knew when he was upset. Adam didn't answer him.
"It was that dream again, wasn't it?" Hoss knew of the dream because Adam had told him about it the first time he had it. Adam shook his head yes and mounted his horse.
"Well I know you want to go riding by yourself but I'm not going to let you this time." Hoss said as he walked to the barn. Adam didn't have the heart to tell Hoss otherwise. He knew Hoss was worried about him, so he let his younger brother come along.
A few minutes later the boys were off making their way to Adam's favorite spot on the Ponderosa.
" Hoss, I …."
"Yeah, what is it Adam."
"Thanks for coming with me. Hoss, I can't understand why I keep having this dream it torchers me so. I want the family of my own that I dream about. I want this loneliness I feel in my heart to go away."
Later that day, Adam and little Joe where out in the yard chopping wood getting ready for the winter which was only a few months away.
"Little Joe, you are chopping the wood to small it's going to burn to quickly!" Adam yelled.
Little Joe stop what he was doing and looked at his older brother. "Older brother I don't know what is wrong with you today. You have been fussing and yelling at me all day. What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Adam replied.
"It doesn't sound like nothing older brother."
Adam grabbed little Joe by the shirt "I said nothing is wrong! Just leave me alone."
Adam let go of Joe, guilt washed over him. "I'm sorry little Joe. I had no right to yell at you and I'm very sorry."
Little Joe hugged his older brother "Its okay Adam, maybe you should go rest a bit you look tired."
"Thanks Joe, I think I will go a rest a bit." he hugged his younger brother back, and then he went into the house and up to his room.
Ben Cartwright saw what happened between Adam and little Joe. He was worried about Adam. His oldest son, he didn't seem himself, he wasn't sleeping well and not eating much. Later when Hop sing called for dinner Ben went to fetch Adam for supper, but Adam was sleeping so peaceful that he didn't have the heart to wake him. A few minutes later at the dinner table hop sing was complaining as usual about wasting food but he was worried.
"Mista Adam sick? He no eat, he no hardly eat anymore. He too thin."
"No Hopsing I don't think he is sick." Ben replied.
"Pa, I think I know what's wrong with him." Hoss spoke up. "You see pa, Adam is lonely."
"Lonely but he has all of us." Ben said.
"No Pa, he's lonely in here." Hoss said pointing to his heart.
Adam awoke with a start, the dream this time was just of the dark haired little girl. He dreamed he of her sitting all alone in the middle of the woods hurt and frighten. Not too far away from her was a wagon that was on fire, and no one but her was around. This dream confused Adam and scared him at the same time, to think she was all alone and frighten. No longer being able to sleep Adam put on his robe and went down stairs. He lite a lamp and poured himself a glass of brandy. As he sipped on his brandy his thoughts ran, and before he knew it, dawn had arrived.
Ben Cartwright woke up early that morning, got dressed and went down stairs where he saw his son sitting in a chair just watching the fire dance in the fire place.
"Adam, son are you okay? How long have you been up?"
"Most of the night, Pa." Adam replied.
"Son, I've been thinking. Why don't you take a few days off? Go and stay at the cabin on the south end of the Ponderosa for a few days. Just go and rest, maybe do some hunting and fishing."
"Pa, what about all the work that still needs to be done before winter hits?" Adam question his father.
"Your brothers can handle it for a few days, besides it has been weeks since you have taking some time off."
"Okay Pa, maybe a few days rest will do me some good. I can do some hunting too." Adam said giving a smile to his father.
"Why don't you get your stuff ready today and you can leave early tomorrow morning. Its going to take you about a day in a half to get there, especially taking a mule with supply."