A most undignified manner was the one by which Byron Swidon's lifeless body was transported into town the morning after the murder attempts. Belly-down over his gray gelding, justice had been served to the killer. As many an accomplished hunter had learned before him and many would learn after, becoming complacent only served to ruin the element of surprise over the prey. He should have left after seeing Meeker found, should have been content with that part of the plan fulfilled. From his concealment behind those bushes, he had seen the caution shown by Cartwright and had known that the man could be dangerous if provoked.

But, the broad back of Adam's black coat had been too tempting in its vulnerability. Unfortunate was the fact of Swidon's boot catching on a rock at the same time as his finger had tightened on the trigger. That fumble not only snuffed his life and the continuation of the master plan but, by the consequences, also struck fear into the pudgy man watching the corpse being taken to Roy's office.

While riding back to Gold Hill later that morning, Anderson was at a panicked loss of reasonable thought. His plan was crumbling because he had relied too much on the hired assassin's steeled cunning. He, Anderson, wasn't short of cleverness though and as he rode along, a secondary plot was wheedling its way into his diseased mind. A plan on how to get out of this. His motto was always to live to fight another day. He only hoped his other two companions would feel the same way. He would soon find out just how they did feel about him and his schemes.

I* * * * *I

Looking after his foal, which he had named Coal, took up most of Jody's time and he was unsuspecting of anything wrong in the house except that he thought it strange that Adam would disappear to bed so early or stay in bed so late. The lady had seemed upset too when she had left the night before and Adam's pa and brothers had been very quiet all day. There was also something funny happening in the room off of the dining room but what that could be, Jody didn't have the faintest idea. The doctor had come and gone, visiting both that room and he had also went upstairs before he had left. The boy was perplexed and confused so when no one was looking, he sneaked upstairs and into Adam's room.

Adam was lying on his belly with the sheets pulled up only above his hips. His head was turned towards the door and his bare back still glistened a mite from the warming oil that Hoss had worked into it when the unconscious man had been placed there the night before by his family and the doctor.

Tip-toeing to the bed, Jody shook the sleeping man's shoulder but the jostling brought discomfort to the recipient. A loud groan passed from Adam's mouth into the air, making the boy step back in fear. Adam opened his eyes, blinking and squinting as they grew accustomed to the mid-day light coming in through the bedroom window. He started awake upon seeing Jody standing beside him and looking scared.

"Jo...Jody...you...okay?" he inquired with a groggy tone.

Jody stepped back up to the bedside and slowly nodded, his eyes wide. "Sure, Adam...I...I thought you said you were fine yesterday..."

Adam's chuckle ended in a pained grunt. "I was but my...my back is acting up a little bit, that's all."

"Oh..." Jody studied the man's face. "Do you...do you need any help?"

Adam opened his mouth to send the boy away but then changed his mind. "Yeah, I think I do...could you go around to the other side and pull me over, please?"

Jody nodded and ran around the bed to do what he'd been asked. With his one good hand, he grasped Adam's bare shoulder and helped pull him over onto his tender back. Adam bit back another groan and shakily exhaled. Before struggling to a sitting position, he glanced under the covers and was relieved to see that he was still wearing his pants; one dilemma that he didn't have to deal with right then with those chocolate eyes watching his every move. He put his hands on the bed beside himself and pushed up, his back sore but cooperating with his demands. Once he was upright, he was at a loss as to what to do next but then was surprised when he felt a large pillow being placed behind him. He glanced at Jody who smiled and put another downy cushion behind Adam before nodding for him to sit back.

"Thank you, buddy..." Adam smiled and pulled the covers up to the middle of his chest.

Jody shrugged in embarrassment, a memory slipping out before he could stop it. "Ma taught me how to help...how to help...Pa...when he got hurt a long time ago."

Tears formed in the boy's eyes and Adam's drooped in acute sympathy. He raised an arm out which Jody looked at as if unsure but then moved in on the bed for a sheltering hug. Adam rested his chin on top of the brown hair and let the boy cry. Jody felt both strong arms squeeze him tight and he in turn hugged tighter.

"I miss them so much, Adam..."

"I know you do..."

"Why did they...have to die?"

"Only the Lord knows but I want you to know that...there's nothing wrong with remembering, Jody...just don't let the bad memories make you forget the good. Because the good...the good ones are the only ones that matter. You hear me?"

Adam felt Jody's head brush against his chest in acknowledgement while the sobs subsided. The boy drew back, hastily brushing aside the wetness on his face. Adam smiled and used his thumb to take care of a tear that had been missed.

"I'm here for you whenever you want to talk, you know that, right?"

Jody shakily inhaled while nodding. "I...I know that...now."

"Good...was there a reason that you came to see me?"

Jody took a seat on the bed beside his friend and a puzzled look covered his features, making Adam chuckle again. "What's that face for?"

"Everyone's so quiet around here. What's goin' on anyways? Mr Cartwright and Hoss and Joe haven't hardly talked any this morning and there's a man downstairs who's hurt but I couldn't see who it was. Hop Sing sure goes in there a lot though."

A concerned twinge in Adam's eyes was the only betrayal of his feelings as he suddenly remembered the precarious state of the man he had saved. "I think I'd better go downstairs soon...Jody, could you help me get into my shirt? "

Ben's voice volunteered from the doorway, "I can do that for you, Son."

Glancing up, Adam smiled but shook his head at his father. "That's okay, Pa. I've already got myself a capable assistant, don't I, Jody?"

The first smile in days crossed the ten-year-old's face. "You sure do, Adam. I'll help him, Mr Cartwright."

Ben hid a smile that Adam duplicated but then the father appeared serious of the boy's offer. "Well, I appreciate that, Jody. I'll see you both downstairs," he winked at his son and left but remained outside the door just in case of his assistance being needed. It never was and Ben left with a grin on his face from hearing the gentle banter between Adam and his protégé during those few minutes.

After Adam finished buttoning his shirt and Jody had helped him with his boots, as much as the boy with a broken arm could do, the man struggled to his feet and limped to his dresser. He took a small package from it and returned to lower himself with ginger care on the bed edge. With a gentle smile, he handed the gift to his helper. Jody took it with surprise and opened the box upon Adam's nod to that effect.

Adam watched the boy's face light up when the gift was revealed. "I'm sorry that I took so long to give this to you...I forgot I had it until a couple of days ago. But, I had bought it the day you had your accident and, well, I had a lot to think about that day...Do you like it?"

Jody didn't respond, staring at the ornate wooden whistle being rolled between his small fingers. The wood grain was of a natural red-amber and had been polished to a shine by its artist. A pine tree had been carefully burned into each side of it along with an initial J. in the middle of each respective outline. Adam took the whistle and explained about how to use it. Jody just watched with awe in his eyes as the shrill sound penetrated the quiet of the room. Then Adam slipped the whistle's leather tether around the boy's neck and encouraged him to try it himself. A pitiful squeak of the former clear whistle followed but it still made Jody laugh and Adam smiled with delight.

Joe grinned and nudged Hoss' shoulder as the brothers were eating in the dining room. Looking up from Hop Sing's lunch, Ben winked at his sons upon hearing the muted and strangled attempts at musical melody. Upstairs, Adam chuckled as he took the whistle down from Jody's lips.

"That's probably enough for now. We don't want to get in trouble, do we?"

Jody giggled and shook his head. "No...thank you, Adam. I really like the whistle."

"I thought you might. Now, keep practicing and if you're ever lost or in trouble, you can blow that whistle and someone will be able to find you."

"You?"

Adam smiled and carefully shrugged as he rose to stand. "Maybe, it depends on where you are in the world..." Grimacing, he limped forward towards the door but then paused and put his arm around the boy's shoulders, "Would you mind helping me downstairs, buddy?"

Jody's eyes sparkled as he put his own arm around Adam's waist and the two walked through the door. They made their way down the stairs with care, much to the silent amusement of the rest of the Cartwright family. Lunch was somber, however, and afterwards, Adam summoned his strength and limped his way into the darkened guest room to see for himself just what the real condition was of the injured man.