Chapter 8

Ben looked up from his chair, placing his paper aside as Paul walked out of the room where he'd been checking in on Missie. 'How is she doc?'

'Well, it's a miracle I get to say this Ben-' He replied, closing up his bag. 'But she'll be alright.'

The relief was evident in his face. 'Oh that's great news.'

'She's going to need plenty of rest and nourishment now that the worst is over. I've looked over her wounds and they've healed enough for the stitches to come out which I've taken care of. She is on strict orders to rest however they might open again if she does anything strenuous.'

'I understand. She's not going to want to be in that bed much longer than if she thinks she can be out of it. When will she be able to be up and around?'

'Well, if you watch her closely you can bring her into the living room when she's ready. She'll have to be carried wherever she goes at this point until she's strong enough to start walking again. That trap did some serious damage to her leg, it's going to take some time to heal. Once the wounds are completely healed I'll show you exercises you can do with her to start getting her walking again.'

'Thank you so much for your help Paul.' He shook his hand as the man went to leave. 'We're grateful for what you've done for her.'

'Well, I'll be honest Ben. It's nice to be treating someone here who's not one of your boys for a change.'

Ben laughed. Yes, the doc was called for his sons more often then for anyone else. 'They do seem to enjoy getting themselves into scrapes.'

'Indeed. I'll see myself out Ben, Missie asked me to let you know she wanted to see you.'

'Alright, thanks again Doc.' He waved as Paul left then made his way to his room where the girl was. Missie was sitting up in bed as he opened the door, a small smile on her lips. 'How are you feeling Missie?'

'A lot better Mr. Cartwright.' She patted the bed next to her softly. 'Sit, I wanted to speak to you.'

He took a seat beside her curiously, wondering what she wanted to speak about. 'Yes Missie?'

'I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me over the last couple of weeks.' The girl replied softly. 'You've been very kind to me, you took me in and have taken care of me. I'm grateful to you.'

'It's alright Missie, there's no thanks needed.'

'But there is. You've done more than you needed too, I know how you guys took turns to care for me. You didn't need to. You don't even know me yet you took care of me like one of your own.'

'And we are more than happy to do it young lady.' He smiled. 'It's a relief to see you feeling better.'

'I can't agree more with you, it's nice to be feeling better. The doc is happy with how I'm healing up and it's so nice not to have those itchy stitches in anymore.'

Ben chuckled. 'I've had my fair share of them, I know what you mean.'

'Well, this has been my first lot and I don't aim to be getting anymore anytime soon.' She paused for a moment, her face turning serious as she looked up at Ben. 'You know about my past now?'

He nodded. 'Adam told us last night. I'm sorry to hear what's happened to you Missie. It's- it's unimaginable.'

'I'm just thankful the nightmare is over for now.' She sighed. 'At least it is until my father comes looking for me. Mr. Cartwright, I don't want you or your family getting hurt because of my being here. He will come for me, now that he's escaped jail. It's only a matter of time. I can't run forever. As soon as I can walk I'll be out of your hair.'

'You don't have to worry about us Missie, my sons and I can look after ourselves. You don't have to leave either, my boys and I spoke last night and we'd very much like it if you were to stay with us.'

'Oh I couldn't impose-'

'It's no imposition my dear, it'd be nice to have a young lady around to give a woman's touch to the place.' He could see the girl thinking about his proposal. 'And you would be treated like a young lady, I'm not offering you a home in exchange for favours for me or my sons. We will treat you with the utmost respect and dignity due to a young lady.' He paused for a moment, trying to read the girl's expression. 'Adam told us what your father was planning on doing with you, you have my word that while you're under my roof you'll be protected and no harm will come to you. We have no alternate motives, we've grown very fond of you and would like very much to give you a chance at a home.'

She raised her eyebrows, thinking about what the man had said. 'I don't know quite what to say.'

'Well you don't have to say anything right now, you think it over and give me a decision when you've made up your mind.'

Missie nodded as her thoughts started to carry herself away with them but she controlled them and returned to business. 'Mr. Cartwright, suppose I were to stay here. I'd like to be given the chance to pull my own weight around here and not just be a pretty ornament stitching samplers in a rocking chair all day waiting for suitors to call.'

He laughed, this girl had quite an air of confidence about her and a strong will too. It reminded him a lot of Adam when he'd been her age. 'And what would you like to do?'

'I was my Pa's right hand man on his ranch, or girl as I might be-' She chuckled then saw the questioning look on his face. 'I called my step father Pa, since he was a better man then the one who fathered me.' Ben nodded in understanding. 'As I was saying, I helped Pa on his ranch as much as any man when I was nine years old. I can ride, break horses, hunt, shoot, cook, sew. My Pa taught me everything I know about ranching and working with cattle and my Ma taught me about running a house and such. I'm a hard worker Mr. Cartwright, I can hold my own against the best of grown men.'

He was growing to like this girl more and more the more she spoke. 'Your Pa have any workers on his ranch?'

'A couple, they didn't like taking orders from a girl much.' She chuckled. 'It wasn't easy, Pa couldn't afford hands after the drought and so it was him and I doing the work mostly. My sisters helped where they could but they were both littler then me and it was hard on them. My brothers were only six and four, they couldn't do much so it was on me to help Pa. I didn't mind either, I enjoyed working with him.'

'Well, I'd need to see what you can do for myself to be able to see what you can do but I'm happy to let you have a chance working with us.'

'I won't disappoint you Mr. Cartwright, I promise you that. What I don't know I learn quick, I mightn't be able to read or write but I know how to work with my hands.'

'And firstly you'll learn how to read and write. I'll speak with Adam and see if he'd be willing to give you some lessons here while you're healing. Once your better you can go to school-'

'Ah, no. No, no, no and no. I ain't going to school. I don't belong there. We tried that back home, I ain't ever going back to a school. Ever.'

He frowned. 'Don't you want to have friends your own age?'

'Mr. Cartwright, the first and only thing I ever learnt from school was that I didn't belong there. I went there for six months and all I earnt was more black eyes than I care to remember. The other kids didn't want me there, they didn't want any of us there. The good women of the town didn't accept my Ma because of her past and we weren't accepted either. I've never made a friend in my whole life, all I had was family. That's all I've ever had.' She felt herself tearing up and looked away from him. 'I'm an outcast, that's all I'll be and I'm happy for that. I know where my place is and it ain't in high society. I'd much rather be mucking out the stalls.'

'Well-' Again he found himself at a loss for words. 'Nothing has to be decided now, we can discuss school later on.'

'If Adam can teach me to read and write and do numbers then there's no need. I'd much rather be working.'

'I see.' Ben replied after a moment. 'I'll have to think about that, I've always believed in children going to school.'

'I'm not a child. By the time I was six I was running a house and looking after my younger siblings without supervision. I haven't had a childhood, my age doesn't mean anything. It's the experience that counts.'

'Well, we'll just have to wait and see, shall we?'

She nodded. 'I can prove it to you too, just as soon as I'm able to be up and around.'

'You won't be doing anything until the doc gives you permission though young lady and that's one thing I won't go back on. There's no sense in overworking yourself when you're not completely healed.'

'I understand.' She had a feeling that she shouldn't push it any further. Besides, there were things she could do while she was healing. 'I'll wait for the doctors orders.'

He nodded. 'Good. Now, there's one thing I'd like to discuss with you.'

'Alright.'

'I've got to head into Virginia City this morning, I need to speak with the Sheriff. He may need to speak to you about the charges of robbery and murder you have against you. As I said before, Adam spoke to us about what you told him and I'm going to pass it onto the Sheriff so we can get to the bottom of the accusations.'

'I understand.' She replied softly after a moment. 'I don't get much of a choice, do I? If he wishes to speak with me, would you or Adam be present?'

'Of course Missie, of course. We are happy to do that.'

'Thank you Mr. Cartwright.' She looked down at the covers. 'I don't think it'll do much good.'

'Well, your innocent, aren't you?'

Missie's head shot up, looking him in his eyes. 'I know I am but what good is the word of a child against a man like my father?'

'We know you're innocent, that's why we're going to prove it.'

'Thank you.' She added after a moment. 'You don't have to do this for me but you are.'

'I don't believe in innocent people being wrongly sentenced.' Ben replied as he stood up. 'I've got to leave now, you get some rest.' The girl nodded, resting against her pillows. 'It'll all be taken care of, I promise you.'

Roy was sitting at his desk, reading the newspaper as he drank his coffee when Ben walked in. 'Morning Ben, didn't expect to see you so early.'

'Morning Roy.' He took a seat as Roy stood up and went over to the stove. 'I wanted to see you as soon as I could.'

'You have some information then?'

'I do.'

He held a cup up after he'd finished refilling his own. 'Coffee?'

'Appreciate it.'

'What have you got for me?'

'Well Adam spoke with her last night and passed on what she said-' Roy handed him the coffee and took a seat again. 'That family that was murdered, that was her family.' The sheriff raised his eyebrows. 'It's a long complicated story.'

'I've got all the time in the day at the moment Ben, speak your mind.'

Ben repeated what Adam had told him, the sheriff shaking his head in disbelief once he'd finished. 'That's mighty rough Ben. You said she's only twelve?'

He nodded. 'That she is.'

'That's a lot for any person to go through, let alone a child.'

'What move do we make now though?'

'First thing would be getting a statement off Missie, I'll ride out this afternoon and speak with her and get it in writing. Next it'll be a matter of cleaning her of the charges. We're going to need proof to dispute the charges and proof of her story.'

'We can get proof for some of it, I'm sure there's records and such someplace but unless we can find one of Michaels men to go against him I don't think we're going to get evidence of the murder.'

'Maybe we attack it at a different angle.'

Ben nodded. 'I'm listening.'

'If we can prove that this man and his gang did it then obviously the girl would be innocent.'

'And how do we do that? It's been two months since they were killed.'

'Don't remind me.' He sighed. 'It's a miracle that rider came across them, that trail is never used anymore. It'd have been months before anyone found them if he didn't find them.'

'What do you think would be the possibility of that rider being one of the gang? Trying to frame Missie perhaps?'

'He was one of Callender's ranch hands taking a shortcut on his way back from Silver Hill. I've already got his statement and another from Mr. Callender about his whereabouts at the estimated time of the murders.'

'That's something at least.'

'Now that we know the name of the man who did actually murder them we've got that to go on.' He placed his palms on the table and rocked back on his chair. 'But finding him and getting proof is another matter. I'll make some inquiries right away, a name like that I'm sure we won't have problems tracking something down on him.'

'Missie said he was jailed for life when she was nine, should be able to get a record of his escape.'

'That's what I plan to do. In the meantime though I'd keep a close eye in Missie. We don't want to make too much of a disturbance and lead him right to her. If he's as mean as she says I wouldn't let her out of your sight until he's found. We don't know what exactly we're dealing with at the moment, she said six were with him, he's probably been able to recruit more in the meantime. I wouldn't be surprised if it's connected with the robberies and murders over in Pine Springs, read about that this morning. We need to be careful Ben, for Missie's safety.'

'I agree Roy.' He replied in a serious tone. 'Missie's been through enough already.'

'Have you given thought to what's going to happen with her once she's recovered? Legally she needs to be appointed a custodian as soon as possible.'

'I have, I'd like for her to stay with my sons and I. I already spoke with her about it, I'm letting her make up her mind though. She's got no other family to speak of that would take her.'

'If she chooses not to stay she'll have to be sent to an orphanage Ben.'

'I know. I don't want that to happen to her, it's no place for her. It's no place for any child.'

'Agreed but there's not much else we can do about it. Legally I'll be forced to send her to one if no one steps forward to take her.'

'I understand, you're just doing your job.' He stood up, picking his hat up off the table. 'I must be getting back to the Ponderosa, thank you for your time though Roy and the coffee.'

'No problem Ben.' He got up also to walk him out. 'I'll be out this afternoon to speak with Missie.'

'I'll see you then and thanks again.'

'Thought I might find you here.' Adam exclaimed, standing up as his father walked out of the sheriff's office. 'How'd it go?'

'He's coming by this afternoon to speak with Missie.' They walked down the stairs to where the horses were tethered. 'What are you doing in town anyway?'

'Had to check on the supplies we ordered for the cattle. I looked in on Missie before I left, she was sleeping. How'd it go with the doc?'

'He said she'll make a full recovery in time, it's going to take her sometime though. He's happy for her to be out of bed though she'll just have to be carried since her leg isn't ready for her to be walking again.'

Adam nodded. 'That's good. You have a chance to speak with her about what we discussed last night?'

'I did. She said she'd think about it.'

'I don't see she has much choice.'

'No.' He agreed. 'She doesn't unfortunately. It's either that or an orphanage. I'm letting her make up her own mind though, she doesn't have to decide anything until she's better however. I do think she needs to start having some kind of lessons though, she's admit she won't go to school.'

'Can't say I'd blame her with what she's been through.'

'I was thinking it might be good for you to teach her.'

'Me?' He questioned in surprise. 'Why me? I've got a mountain of work to catch up on.'

'Adam, I thought of you because she trusts you. You wouldn't need to spend too long on it, just sometime after dinner each night would be enough to start.'

He put his hands up in surrender. 'Alright. I'll do it. I guess I better go buy her what she'll need then.'

'You need some money?'

'I'll cover it Pa. Consider it a gift for her.'

Ben nodded. 'I best be getting back to the ranch. I'll see you when you get home.'

'Right Pa.' He agreed as his father mounted his horse. 'See you later.'