Joe woke well before sunrise the next morning. He lay in his bed; his thoughts contemplated everything that had happened over the past few weeks. Knowing that he would not be getting back to sleep, he got out of bed and decided to get an early start on his chores. He collected the eggs for Hop Sing to help him with breakfast. Hop Sing was leaving first thing for Virginia City to help a sick cousin. While he was preparing breakfast, Joe did the barn chores and saddled his and his brother's horses.
He made his way back into the house and Hop Sing ushered him to the table. "This yours...you eat...brother's in oven. I go now and will be back for supper." He told Joe.
"Bye Hop Sing...say hello to your cousin!" Joe called out. When he finished his breakfast he sat in his Pa's room and watched him sleep and concentrated on his breathing. He could hear movement upstairs and waited for his brothers to come downstairs. A knot was forming in his stomach as he thought about Hoss. He had been very angry with him and Joe speculated whether he would be still mad.
Adam was the first of his older brothers to appear. He poured himself a cup of coffee and walked into Pa's room. "How is he?"
"He's sleeping peacefully Adam. I wish he would wake up!" Joe beseeched.
"I know you need him little brother but sleeping is the best thing for him right now." Adam told him and placed a hand on his shoulder trying to give his brother some comfort.
"Hop Sing has already gone Adam. He asked me to tell you and Hoss that breakfast is in the oven." Adam nodded and made his way into the kitchen. Joe saw Hoss follow him. He figured Hoss hadn't seen him in their father's room.
When the brothers came out of the kitchen carrying their plates they sat down at the table. Hoss didn't greet his little brother. The brothers sat at the table and ate in silence. "Please wake up Pa...We need you!" Joe whispered squeezing his eyes shut willing his father to open his eyes. Joe sighed and got up to pour himself a cup of coffee. When he approached the table he looked at Hoss. Hoss kept his head down concentrating on his breakfast. "Good morning Hoss!"
Hoss heard his little brother approach the table and saw his hands pour some coffee. He kept his head down to avoid eye contact with both brothers. Joe greeted him and he forced a grunt out in response. He was still angry with his brothers.
Adam stopped eating when Hoss only grunted at his little brother. He glanced at Joe and saw the hurt in his eyes. He thought this was so unlike Hoss but he was not going to change his mind about Len.
Joe left his brothers eating and sat back in his Pa's room, waiting for Adam to hand out the days tasks. There was a loud bang on the door.
"Adam!..Hoss!...Are you there?" Travis yelled. Adam got up from the table and approached the hand. "There's been a stampede!"
"Is anyone hurt?" Adam asked as he started to put on his gun belt. Hoss joined him and did the same. Joe joined his brothers and went to grab his gun belt but Adam said, "Joe you need to stay here. Someone has to stay with Pa. When Hop Sing gets back come out and join us then."
"Alright Adam...Be careful!" Joe told his brothers.
Adam put his hand on his little brother's thin shoulder. "We will...don't you worry...look after Pa!" They left. When the door shut Joe realised that Hoss had left without speaking to him, the silence of his brother echoed by the silent house. Joe sighed and returned to his father's room.
Len, chuckling at his cleverness, had caused a bigger stampede than he had anticipated. He watched Dan send the young hand Travis to the house to alert the brothers. He waited till he was out of sight before he made his way to the house. He knew with Adam no longer trusting him that his days were numbered so he intended to collect some extra pay to cover his years of employ. The hands were due to be paid so he knew the payroll would have to be in the house. While the brothers were helping with the stampede he would rob the house with only the cook to contend with. He took the long way to the house to avoid running into the brothers.
Adam asked Travis again "Was anyone hurt?"
"Not that I know of Adam but the herd was travelling pretty fast and scattering in all directions. It's gonna take us all day to get them back together." He declared. Adam frowned.
"Do you know what started the stampede?" His suspicious mind was assessing the situation. He was very aware that the payroll was in the safe and didn't like that Travis was unable to tell him what started the stampede. He remembered that he hadn't told Joe about the Doctor's visit later that morning and decided to go back to the house.
"I don't like this. I'm going back to the house to let Joe know about Doc Martins visit this morning and I'm gonna pick up the payroll and pay the hands after we get the herd back together." He turned his horse around and headed back.
Joe was reading Adam's book, and would look over the book every so often checking for any signs of his father waking. He heard the door open and wondered why his brothers were back so soon. After placing the book back on the side table he walked towards the door. He was surprised to see Len standing in the big room drinking in its grandeur.
"Why are you here?" Joe asked, apprehensively. He was aware the payroll was in the safe and had learnt from an early age to be careful on payroll day.
"I've come for what's owed to me." He stated looking at Joe with distaste.
"You'll get paid when the rest of the hands get paid." Joe told him. "Now leave and go and help with the main herd." Joe ordered Len. Len stepped forward and slapped Joe hard in the face causing him to almost fall from the force. He looked at the back of his hand and saw blood.
"Open the safe!" He ordered Joe. Joe shook his head. Len turned and said, "I'll get the combination out of your Pa!" He declared.
Joe ran towards him yelling "Leave him alone!" The fear and apprehension that had been haunting him the past few weeks was replaced with rage. Len swatted him away like a rag doll. Joe jumped up and ran into his father's room.
Len was standing over Ben's sleeping form. He had a knife in his hand. Joe lunged at him putting his body between Len and his Pa. Ben opened his eyes, the yelling and the scuffle in his room disturbing him. To his horror he saw Len raise a knife and plunge it into his youngest son.
Joe felt searing pain in his shoulder. He fell to the floor, his breath momentarily taken away from him. He felt white hot pain as the knife was pulled from his shoulder. He drew on all his strength and rose lunging at Len again. Ben watched his brave son use everything he had to protect him. A dark figure joined the fight.
Adam approached the house and saw a horse tied to the hitching post. He frowned and walked quickly into the house. He heard noises coming from his father's room and ran to the doorway. Joe was fighting with Len, a knife slicing through the air. Adam lunged at Len. The knife came down and Len pushed Adam away. He ran for the door but Adam ran after him.
Len grabbed the first thing he saw and hit Adam in the head with it. When he fell, Len ran out the door and jumped on his horse and rode as fast as he could away from the ranch. He vowed that he would come back and get what he deserved for putting up with the young Cartwright and his father.
Doc Martin rode into the yard. He called out as he walked into the house. He walked further in when there was no answer. A groan caught his attention. Adam was trying to sit up. Doc Martin ran to his side and helped him stand. Adam put his hand on his head and exclaimed "Joe!"
He pushed past the doctor to his father's room. His Pa was looking at the floor where his youngest son lay; blood spreading across the floor.
"Oh dear God!" Doc Martin called and he ran past the staggering figure of Adam. He knelt down and tuned the still body of the youngest Cartwright over. The front of Joe was soaked in blood and a knife was protruding from his side. The doctor felt for a pulse, "He's alive! Adam, help me!" Together they picked up Joe and placed him next to his Pa on the bed.
Doc Martin grabbed towels that were on the table and placed them over the wounds, being careful of the knife. "Adam can you apply the pressure? I need to get some water and some more towels." Adam nodded tentatively, his head spinning and took over from the Doc.
Adam glanced at his father and realised he was awake. He could see the fear in his father's eyes. "He'll be alright Pa!" His father glanced at him, not really believing him. When Doc Martin re-entered the room Adam said, "Pa's awake!" The doctor looked at Ben and tried to give him a reassuring smile but knew that it was useless trying to downplay the seriousness of the situation.
"I'll do all I can for him Ben!" he told his friend.
Doc Martin went to work and it was some time later that he washed his bloody hands and covered the unconscious youngest Cartwright. He then checked Adam who was sitting on the end of the bed. "Will he be alright Paul?"
"Adam, Joe has lost a lot of blood. He's lucky the knife missed his heart and lungs. He will be very sore when he wakes up but that won't be for some time Adam. His body needs time to recover. What happened?"
"One of our hands tried to rob us of the payroll, I'm assuming. When I came home, Joe was fighting him here in Pa's room." Adam told the doctor. He felt sick to his stomach.
"Where is everyone?" Doc Martin asked.
"All the hands are helping with the stampede. Hop Sing is in Virginia City."
Doc Martin checked on Ben, "Are you in a lot of pain Ben?" he asked his long time friend.
"Yes Paul...my legs." Ben told him. "Will Joe be alright?"
Doc Martin patted Ben's shoulder. "He's got a good chance Ben. He's young and strong. Now drink this for the pain." He told his friend. He drank and watched his youngest son's still form. He moved his hand over to Joe's and held his hand. Over the past week, Ben had heard the heart breaking pleas from his son but had been unable to open his eyes because of the sedation. Adam sat next to the bed, his eyes were glassy. He tried to stay awake to watch over his brother and Pa. Doc Martin drove his buggy back to Virginia City to get Hop Sing and alert the sheriff about the Ponderosa hand Len.
In the foothills south of the house Len camped and planned his next move. He cursed the youngest brother for ruining his plans. He hoped that he was still alive because he wanted to make him suffer. He wanted to torture Ben Cartwright for being successful and for loving the boy; when he had not been given anything but abuse from his own father.