Here you go - and slightly quicker update this time. I'll try to make them like this (or even quicker) from now on! Riding exam tomorrow, and then piano exam in three days - so very, VERY nervous! Anyway, here's chapter eight. Enjoy it folks - things are really livening up now!
Chapter 8 – The Threat
When the stage came to a sudden stop, Dan Phillips jolted awake and stuck his head out of the window to see what the holdup was for.
"There's a man mending a wheel to his buckboard," Dan informed the other passengers. "Looks like he's asked for help!"
"Well, let's speed things up a bit and go and help out too," the man with the scarred face said to his friend.
The two men opened the stage door and jumped out. The driver had got down to lend a helping hand, leaving the shotgun up on the seat to watch out for trouble. Pulling up their bandanas over their faces, the man with the long hair scrambled up the stage and grabbed hold of the shotgun whilst the scarred man grabbed the driver from behind. The man who had supposedly been in a spot of trouble sprang up from his position by the wheel and, pulling his bandana up and drawing his six shooter, ran to the open stage door.
"Hands high everyone! You play along and nobody'll get hurt."
The man with the scar slugged the driver, and then climbed up onto the stage alongside his partner. The two of them persuaded the shotgun to give up the money that the stage was carrying whilst the third man robbed the passengers of what little they had on their persons.
"Alright, you two – you done up there?" the third robber asked when he was done grabbing jewellery and watches off the passengers.
"Yep, sure are!"
"Alright then," he said, turning back to the people in the stage. Now we've been awful kind to you. The next depot's only 'bout six miles away. Now that ain't far to walk." He turned to look at his comrades, "You unhitched them horses, yet?"
"Nope – just 'bout to," came the reply. It wasn't long till the horses were unhitched, and then the outlaws fired shots in the air to scare them off. As the horses ran farther away, the passengers' last bit of hope began to depart too.
"Now don't look so down. It ain't much of a walk. Do you some good," he smirked. "We're off now," he said, turning to grab his horse that one of the others had fetched for him. The two horses that had been hitched to the buckboard were now unhitched and tacked up with saddles and bridles that had been in the buckboard, and the third horse had been hidden in some thick brush. The outlaw mounted his horse and took off his Stetson to the passengers in mocked gratitude, "And thank you all for your kind generosity!"
Then with a laugh, the three men rode off together at a full gallop.
The next morning, when a wire came through to Virginia City that the stage had been robbed by three men, Alice Corby was certain who it was. She wired back to the operator who had sent the first wire, and when he replied with descriptions of the three men, Alice's suspicions were confirmed.
Alice now came to tea every evening, and it was then that she would pen her articles alongside Louise. Ben liked to watch the two of them working together, and yearned more and more for the day when Alice would be his wife.
Of course, in order to respect the death of James Corby, the wedding was now going to be delayed, and neither Ben nor Alice were sure when to have it. But with Alice's present grief, Ben felt it was not the right time to talk about such things. And so he left the matter closed until Alice was ready to think about it.
She had a great deal to think about at the moment. There was a look in her eyes that no one had seen before. A flash of fire that called for revenge – that wanted it more than anything she had ever longed for. She was hungry for the blood of her father to be avenged, and if it weren't for her sense of propriety, then Alice Corby would have thrown aside her airs and graces and skirts, and donned pants and a gun. But because Alice could not bring herself to go so far as that, she played vigilante by her pen – and called for justice by a hand other than her own.
But as no avenger stood up to take her place, Alice began to wonder if she would ever see justice.
"How can we carry on watching and waiting – seeing them rob and murder and not do anything about it?" Alice asked Ben one evening as her pen hesitated over her paper. It was now her customary place to be sat at Ben's desk, writing articles with Louise at her side. "Are we allowing them to make of us mere play things, that they may do with us as they will? We should fight against them!"
"But Alice, Sheriff Coffee did send a posse out after your father's death, and it lost all tracks. They had to return. There's a whole vastness out there that is comprised of nothing but wild, untamed prairie. You can't find a bunch of outlaws out in all of that. It's like … searching for a needle in a haystack!"
Alice threw up her hands in exasperation, "You didn't even try to find them. You didn't go with them!"
Ben sighed in frustration, "I was staying with you to comfort you!"
"Some comfort when I know that my father's blood may not be avenged!"
"Alice, please," Ben said as patiently as he could. "I know you are upset – but please try to listen."
Alice took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Ben. I know you've done everything you possibly can for me over the past few days. Since father died I've just … well, not been able to think of anything except avenging him. You ... you understand? Surely you tried to avenge Inger when the Indians killed her?"
"No, I did not. My family was my priority – I had to keep Adam and Hoss safe. To be honest with you, I couldn't think clearly after Inger died, and Adam and Hoss helped to pull me through. Hoss was but a baby – but like Louise when Marie died, his need for me was stronger than my need to depart this life and be with my loved ones who had already passed on. Adam was such a help. He was so strong for me – despite being so young. My family has always been the reason to pull me through my trials. Alice, we are your family now. Let us help you to pull through."
"Thank you, Ben," Alice said, smiling at him warmly. "I appreciate that. Now – I must be going."
Ben drove Alice home in her buggy. It was dark already, and the night had a chill to it that gloated over the end of summer. Alice shivered and Ben put an arm around her and drew her close.
When they finally arrived outside Alice's home, Ben pulled the horses to a stop, and jumped down. Helping Alice out, he held her close for a moment.
"I wish that you would stay at the Ponderosa – instead of being here alone."
"Nonsense, Ben. I could not do that. What would people say?"
Ben smiled at Alice, and led her to her front door. They walked into the house together, and Ben lit a kerosene lamp.
When their eyes had become accustomed to the light, Alice's eyes fell on something on the floor, and she gasped.
Ben followed her gaze.
A pile of shattered glass from the window lay on the floor. Amidst the glass was a large stone with something wrapped around it. Alice picked it up and unwrapped the paper, revealing a copy of the Virginia City Journal. Alice looked over it, and instantly spotted that her name had been circled at the bottom of the article. On the stone were some words written in bold lettering. It said:
WE GOT YOUR FATHER. STOP WRITING IF YOU WANT TO SPARE YOUR LIFE.
Alice's eyes lifted to gaze into Ben's. Her hands were trembling slightly.
"That does it, Alice. You are coming back to the Ponderosa with me. It's not safe …"
"No, Ben!" She was shaken, but her response was firm. "I will carry on writing for justice. They can't stop me! And I won't let them scare me off! I will stay here by my father's printing press – and that's final!"
Louise spent a great deal of time after school at Alice's, so that they might speak together about the night of James' murder. Alice seemed to hope that she might glean some information that had slipped from Louise's mind, but no new evidence came to the surface of their talks.
Ben would often come and pick up the two so that Alice could share supper with the family, and it delighted his heart to see them spending so much time together, even if it was a woeful incident that had brought the two closer together.
But although Louise was enjoying Alice's company in many ways, her heart and head still battled within her.
"Why does she have to marry into the family? Couldn't she just stay the family friend that she is now? Why does everything have to change? Will she make me call her mother? I guess I like her – but not enough to be my ma! I want my own ma – not some replacement. I guess so long as I'm nice to her, then I won't be in trouble all of the time. I only have to be polite. I don't love her – and I don't think I ever could!"
And so the turmoil in Louise's mind continued to churn.
Louise finished playing the song 'My Alice Fair' on her harmonica – the same song that had been sung just before the announcement all that time ago. It wasn't so very long ago – but it felt like a long time to Louise. She put the harmonica down thoughtfully, and then looked up.
"Adam," she called. She was perched atop the fencing that went around one of the corrals. Adam was just coming from the house, and when he heard his sister call, he headed in her direction.
"Yes, Little Lou – what is it?"
"I … I was just wondering, 'cause I've never known. What's it like … having a mother?"
Adam's eyes opened wide, and he suddenly realized that Louise was the only one out of them all who had never truly known a mother at some point in her life. He had never known his birth mother, but had had Inger and Marie. Hoss had never truly known Inger, but had had Marie. And Joseph had had Marie for five years of his life. But Louise – Louise had not known Marie long enough to store up memories. Louise had lived with her father and brothers and Hop Sing – and to her, that was all life had ever been.
"Well," Adam said, perching next to her and gazing out in the same direction as her. "Let me see." He removed his black felt hat and wiped his brow ponderously for a moment before replacing the hat and speaking. "A mother is kind and teaches you things that you need to know."
"But you and Pa have always done that – and Miss Munroe!" Louise declared.
"A mother is there when you have bad dreams – or just need someone to hold you."
"But you've always done that, Adam. Besides, I haven't had bad dreams for a few years now. Russ don't haunt me anymore!"
"Doesn't, not don't!" Adam corrected.
Louise rolled her eyes.
"Louise," Adam warned.
"Oh, yeah – sorry," Louise said. She hesitated, "Does rolling my eyes really count as sass?"
"I think so," Adam said with a warning rise of his eyebrows.
"Okay," Louise gave in. "Anyway, what else is a mother like?"
"A mother is gentle, and teaches you right from wrong!"
"Another one to tell me what to do?" Louise said with a groan.
Adam just grinned, "And sometimes a mother is there to put in a good word for you – so that you don't get in as much trouble as you normally would." He remembered the times that Marie had done that for him, and smiled at the memory.
"She's there to be the other half of a father. Pa's been mother and father to you, Louise. But now you're going to know what's it's like to have both father and mother in two figures instead of one. It's a wonderful thing, I promise you."
Louise turned her head away, "What if I find out I don't like it. What then?"
Adam sighed, "Then you'll have to grow used to it. There's no changing things once they're married."
"Then perhaps Pa will change his mind," Louise said desperately, turning on Adam. "You speak to him, Adam. You change his mind!"
Adam frowned in annoyance, "I thought all of this was over? I thought you'd seen sense? You and Alice have been getting on well, recently."
"Hang it all, Adam – she's a friend not my blasted mother. My Ma is in Heaven, and not some woman who's spending her whole time writing for revenge. I may be young and immature, but I'm not blind. I can see what she's doing to herself. She's wants revenge so badly, she's driving herself crazy! That's not what I want for a mother!"
Adam stared at Louise.
Silence draped the crisp autumnal air.
Louise was breathing heavily after her outburst, wondering if she had raised her voice too much – whether Adam would be cross.
She wanted him to speak, to tell her not to raise her voice, or that she was absolutely right. But he didn't say anything. He just looked at her as the furrows of his brow deepened in consideration of her words.
"I … I'm sorry, Adam," Louise said haltingly. "It's just … I'm still confused and upset. I can understand and see more now – but that doesn't change my feelings. Everyone's different. Everyone should be free to make up their own minds, and decide what they want. I choose to go on with life as it is, right now. I don't want a woman who's so absorbed with justice that she …" Louise hesitated, not sure what word to use. She went on, "Miss Alice has changed, Adam. She's not the same woman that Pa fell in love with, and that I was rude to. She's not the woman who dressed in lace and would faint at the sight of blood. Mr. Corby's death has changed her – and Pa's so love blind he won't budge and see clear. She ain't the type to faint at the sight of blood now. Instead, she wants blood. Don't you see that? She wants to see blood shed, because of her pa!"
Finally, Adam spoke, "Louise – you're right. Everyone should be free to make up their own minds!"
"You … you agree with me?" Louise asked in surprise. It seemed like a long time since anyone had agreed with her over anything.
"And Pa's included! He has chosen Alice, and you – a girl of nine years – have no right to try and change his mind."
"Well, he's changing my life as well as his in his decision. Surely I do have a right?"
"We've been through this," Adam said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why are you so stubborn!"
"Because I'm a Cartwright! And I'm just as stubborn as you are Adam – and Pa, and Hoss and Joe! My Ma was stubborn, too. It was her reckless, stubbornness that broke her neck. I'm proud of bearing both my Ma's and my Pa's names. Louise Marie Cartwright. The Louise is because I'm my own person, the Marie is for Ma, and the Cartwright is for Pa. There's no changing who I am – but I have a bit of both of my parents in me too."
"But that doesn't mean you can't have another ma. I did. I had my mother – Elizabeth – and Inger and Marie. Hoss had his ma and Marie, and you and Joe have both had Marie. Who's to say you can't have someone else, too? Louise, you've started to see reason. Don't go back on yourself and cause the family more pain."
Louise looked at Adam and knew that he was right. Her eyes filled with pain that no nine year old should know and see, and Adam's heart ached for her. She had become so pensive and serious recently – more than any little girl of her age should. It wasn't right. He wished that he could change things for her – but he couldn't. He had once been in her shoes, and had grown accustomed to things. She had to do the same.
Louise had understood what Adam had said so plainly a few days before – but now, in hindsight, she almost wished that she hadn't apologized so fully to Ben. Yes, she had been wrong in many ways – but she still couldn't see or understand completely. Something still didn't sit right, and she hated that she had made it seem as if she was all for the marriage now, if that was what Ben truly wanted. She wasn't for it; not very much. No – not at all! She didn't want life to change, whether the changes were good or bad. She wanted things to stay as they were.
"I don't want to cause the family pain," Louise said slowly, "but can't you and Pa see that this is causing me pain? What about me? What about my life?"
"This is Pa's decision, and Pa's life. The whole of the Ponderosa and the lives of the Cartwrights do not revolve around you, young lady," Adam said almost sternly. "When you are old enough to make decisions such as getting married, then those will be your decisions. But this is Pa's decision – and as you put it, this is Pa's life. Don't ruin things again."
Louise felt her eyes sting at the sharpness of Adam's words. There was more to his tone, more to the words that were spoken. They were meant to go straight to her heart and prick her conscience.
"Ruin things again?"
"You've caused Pa a lot of heartache recently. Spending time with Alice over this newspaper business has been helping to make up for that. Don't do more damage, Louise. You've offended Pa greatly since the day he announced the engagement. No – even before that. The day that you first noticed how Pa and Alice were acting towards each other. I had seen it, too – and I knew that you had spotted it for the first time. It made you feel uncomfortable, and because of that you were angry, and you used that anger on Alice, Pa and myself a good many times after that. That was wrong, and I'm telling you not to make the same mistake again."
Louise slid off the fence, tears of hurt and anger welling up inside of her. She mustn't cry in front of Adam.
"I'm sorry I've caused so much pain for everyone. Maybe it would have been better if Deputy Foster hadn't found me when I ran off. Maybe I just cause hurt all the time, and …"
Adam slid down after her and caught her arm, "You say anything like that again, and I'll take you across my knee."
Louise looked up nervously, but saw that Adam was smiling. His smile vanished as he took hold of both her arms and held her tightly so that she couldn't move. "Louise, you listen to me. You may have hurt a few people's feelings recently – but that doesn't mean that we've been so hurt we don't want you around anymore. Quite the opposite! We want you – but we want the old you. You've been a different girl of late, one that none of us want to see anymore. That's the girl that ran away. Let's make it that the old Louise came back. The girl who loves her family, and is loved back very dearly! The girl who is scared in having a new mother, but wants to do what her pa knows is best for her and the rest of the family. Louise, let's make this a happy family once again – not the fighting, unhappy family that we have been on and off since the engagement. Let's start anew, with Alice!"
Louise felt Adam let go of one of her arms and lift her chin. The tears had spilled onto her cheeks against her will, but she was smiling. "Alright, Adam, whatever you say. After all," she added cheekily, "I suppose the college boy knows best."
Adam grinned at her, glad that she felt able to tease. He pulled her close and gave her a squeeze.
"Welcome back, Louise."
Louise returned the hug, "I'm glad to be back, Adam. A little scared, but glad. And that's the truth!"
Well, well, well - what's up next do you think? What will the outlaws try to do? Will they succeed? Let me know your thoughts, please! Thanks for reading, and please do review! :-)
