In a dust cloud that drifted upwards into the hot air and dissipated in a shower of dirt particles, the stagecoach rolled to a halt and its passengers breathed a collective sigh of relief. Frank was the first to disembark and he scowled at what met his eyes. The two-bit town appeared to be in its infancy; the buildings looked to be quite haphazardly built and in danger of a mild rainstorm knocking down the shack-like dwellings. The people consisted of a few rough cowboys lounging against fence rails and saloon posts while the raucous laughter from down the street reeked of a few disreputable whores. Indeed, the Nevada town of Ragtown* was largely unimpressive.

Captain Stoddard grunted in arthritic discomfort as he stepped down, his old bones protesting all the way. His adopted granddaughter, Katherine, supported him gently while looking rather ragged and worse for wear herself. Her blazing red tresses were frizzy around the edges and her hat was askew, letting the sun to cast its harsh shadows over her pretty face.

Dispelling his misgivings of the town, Frank decided to keep an eye on the old sea captain and the girl, if only for his own peace of mind. The lone hotel in town looked run-down and shabby but seemed to be the best around so he ushered his two companions towards it, paying for rooms for all three of them. The captain was more than grateful to rely on the services of this wealthy and rather controlling businessman from back East. It had been a hard trip and one that Abel never dreamed he would ever make.

His muscles crying out as he eased into the moth-eaten hotel bed that night, Abel wondered for the millionth time since he started his journey, why he was putting himself through all this misery and for what? Settling under the pricking blankets, his thoughts immediately turned to those about his grandson, the only link to his deceased daughter, and his old heart softened. The image of a dark young man, with a smile that could cut through the blackest night, filled the captain's memory.

Because of one excuse or another, Abel had declined all invitations over the past almost fourteen years to come to the Ponderosa although he and Adam had maintained their correspondence after the young man had left. Adam's letter from a month ago, however, had sealed the decision for the elderly seafarer to make the hard journey. Not only was his grandson getting married but it had been alluded to that the young man had also been severely injured, a commonplace fact that Adam usually declined to mention but had slipped into his wording this time without thinking.

Unknowing of just how many times he had come close to that very event, the thought of losing the only physical link to Elizabeth terrified Abel. Although the crusty, cantankerous man would never admit such a thing to anyone, not even to Katherine. Soon his eyes drifted shut in exhausted sleep as thankfulness for his granddaughter teased around the edges of his heart.

Katherine Stanton Stoddard, a beautiful name that identified a young woman of gentle disposition at heart but with a hidden fire buried deep within that got herself into trouble once in a while. The then young girl of the tender age of five, found on the streets of Boston and begging for food, had been his only light except for his chandler's shop. But even the latter had been sold three years previous so now only she remained to give him a reason to awaken every morning.

In her own room, Katherine was lying wide awake. She had threshed in bed for a while, trying to find a comfortable position but now lay still, deep in thought. She had only been ten-years-old the last time she had seen her cousin, Adam Cartwright, but she had fallen in love with him even before then. His quick wit, attentive nature and daring good-looks had melted Katherine's heart. He, oblivious to the little girl's crush, continued to be his charming self until the day he had left Boston to return home after finishing college. For months after he had departed, she had silently grieved her dream, cherishing the letters he wrote to her as a brother would write to a beloved sister. She, however, read much more into his tender words for quite some time until she was older and saw sense.

Although she had moved on in life, going to a ladies' boarding school and then taking the job at Miller and Jade, Attorneys-at-Law, she had always retained a secret dream to meet up with her childhood love again one day. The fact that he was sixteen years her senior or that she was on her way to his wedding was beside the point.

Even now, as she lay in her bed, excitement twisted her stomach and fluttered her heart. Turning up the lamp by her bedside, she reached for the well-worn envelope. The light highlighted the red hair tumbling about her shoulders as she took the three sheets of paper from within and began to read the neatly-handwritten words; her left fingers ran along her bottom lip in unison with her eyes moving side to side.

My dearest Katherine,

I hope this letter finds you well and prospering in your young life. Spring has turned to summer here in Nevada. All the little calves have been born now and are becoming fat and sassy on the new, long grass of the high meadows. The creeks and rivers are full from the melting ice up in the mountains and flowers are blooming in profusion along the lake. I thought of you today, as I do often whenever I see the bright colors of poppies in the pastures.

Remember how much we used to enjoy listening to the birds outside in the gardens? I heard the chirp of a black-capped chickadee out in the pine trees yesterday and I thought back to the time we spent a Sunday afternoon trying to impersonate every bird call we could think of. You were very competent at doing a robin but you were terrible at doing a chickadee! It drove Grandfather crazy that day, remember? That bird call especially grated on his self-control and he ended up kicking us out of the house to weed the rose bushes by the house. I know he wasn't really upset though, we were just a little too rowdy for his nerves to take at times.

You were such a little thing too, so cute with those freckles on your nose when you scrunched it up in concentration! I bet you are a beautiful young lady now. I think on that each time you come to mind. You had the unruliest mop of red hair, I ever did see. I'd love to know if it ever stopped being so.

I was meaning to ask you, could you get a photograph taken so that I have a current one of you? The last one you sent is almost five years old now but I do know how much the captain is distrusting of any new devices of invention. I'll ask him as well in my letter to him, perhaps that will persuade.

I was wondering how he is really. Does he still have that persistent cough he caught last winter? I would ask him personally but we both know that he would never tell me the truth about his welfare. A very stubborn man is our grandfather, I fear him to not be invincible, however. If you ever need my help in taking care of him, don't hesitate to ask and I will do what I can to provide for you both.

Stay safe, Pebbles, and how I wish with all my heart to be able to see you again. You are a strong young woman and Grandfather is very proud of you, I know this to be true because he has told me. Thank you for being there for him these past years. As always, my love is with you both, Katherine. Until we talk again, little one.

Your cousin,
Adam

Katherine smiled and traced the signature with her index finger, each familiar loop and flourish was explored with a tender touch. A rasping cough startled her out of her reverie and she frowned as she looked to the thin wall separating herself from her grandfather. Rising from her bed and slipping on a thick robe, she tip-toed out of her hotel room and into the next.

Abel was deep in sleep but his breathing continued to be rough and laden with congestion. Katherine's frown deepened on her pretty face as she felt his forehead. It was warm to the touch, the dusty trail was beginning to take its toil on his old lungs. She feared that the last two days of travel would be delayed while he caught his breath after the past time of the vigorous journey. Even if she had to tie him to his bed, they'd both be staying in Ragtown until he was stronger. Pulling the faded quilt up higher to the edge of her grandfather's white hair, she sighed and thought on Adam's promise of help.

The past two years had been tough and had brought her even closer to her secret dream because of the loneliness. Caring for Abel and working at the law office had left little time for meeting new people so her cousin's few letters were cherished and re-read often as a form of solace. She loved Abel dearly but she needed someone more, someone who would cherish her in the way she wanted, needed and deserved.

Tears stung her eyes as she kissed her fingertips and ran them across Abel's wrinkled brow. Returning to her own room, she slowly removed her robe and crawled into bed. Folding the letter, she carefully replaced it into its envelope and put it under her pillow. The lamplight slipped away as she turned down the wick, plunging the room into darkness.