Several days later, Chloe was in her parlor, reading a letter from Ben Cartwright, or rather, a letter she
thought was from Ben Cartwright.

"Dear Chloe,"

Thank you for replying to my message. You're right... it's best that we not correspond through a
newspaper column.
You are probably wondering why I tried to get in touch with you after so many years. Well, lately
I've been thinking about you a great deal, and wondering what you've been doing all these years.
As for myself, I am now a widower with three fine sons, the youngest being the handsomest of all.
I would like to get together with you, and see whether we could have a second chance, but maybe
I'm being presumtious."

"He misspelled presumptuous," Chloe noticed. She went on reading.

"If you are interested in meeting with me, please write to me at (there was a post office address given).

Yours very truly,

Ben Cartwright"

#####

Two days earlier, while the Cartwrights were at supper... roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy... Little Joe had said, "Pa, I'd like to
be the one to get the mail for the next week or so."

"Oh?" said Ben. "Any particular reason?"

"I'm expecting something."

"What?"

"It's just something personal, Adam."

"Are you in some kind of trouble? If you are, I need to know."

"No, Pa. Like I said, it's just something personal."

"Oh, personal," chorused Adams and Hoss.

"Yes, personal," Joe said.

"You may get the mail," said Ben.

"Thanks, Pa."

####

Six days after that conversation, and three days after Chloe received "Ben's" letter, the Cartwright
brothers went into town together. Little Joe, of course, headed for the post office, after agreeing
to meet Hoss and Adam at the saloon.

But there was to be no meeting at the saloon that day.

At the very moment that Little Joe was asking for the mail, his brothers met Minerva Grayson. She was
carrying a red handbag.

They greeted her politely.

"How is your father?"

"Just fine, thank you," Hoss answered.

"Tell me something," Minerva went on, "is there a lady in his life?"

"A lady?" Adam repeated.

"An old friend, perhaps? Has your father been corresponding with someone named Chloe?"

"Not that we know of," said Hoss.

"We don't know any woman named Chloe," Adam added.

It was the truth; they had never actually met Chloe.

"Well," said Minerva, reaching into her handbag and taking out two newspaper clippings, "I saw
these messages, and I thought," she concluded, "that the Ben Cartwright who wrote the first one
must be your father."

"Why would you assume that?" Adam asked, forcing himself to speak patiently. "Our Pa isn't the
only Ben Cartwright in the world."

"Well, I think you should talk to your father," Minerva said, walking away.

Hoss asked, when she was out of earshot, "Do you think we should talk to Pa?"

"No, Hoss," Adam said grimly. "I think we should talk to our little brother."

Meanwhile, Little Joe was coming out of the post office with a letter from Chloe
in his pocket.