Two weeks went by. The whole family grew closer. Just as they hoped it would. Hoss took Allie fishing every chance he got. And her and her Grandpa would play checkers and chess.

It was now Sunday and they had gone out for a ride. On their return home they saw something completely unexpected.
There in front of the house stood a man. He was facing the porch where Ben and the boys stood. He had his gun drawn and was ready to shoot any one of them.

Adam looked over at Allie and the look on her face told him who it was. He snatched up the reins to Allie's pony. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Lucas Boyd, one of their ranch hands. He was lying on the ground, blood encircling his body. Adam suddenly realized how dangerous this man was. He pulled Allie over onto Sport with him. The girl trembled with fear.

"I'm lookin' for my grand-daughter!" he yelled.

Joe nodded his head telling Adam to get Allie out of there. The old man noticed this and spun around real quick. Allie jumped. Adam

slipped his arm around her torso.

"Mister, I'd advise you to leave our ranch at once!" Ben demanded.

"Not without my grand-daughter."

"She's staying here, Old Man." Hoss yelled.

Adam looked at Boyd again.

"Pa, did he do that?"

"Yes I did." he snapped.

"Then you aren't going anywhere but to the Sheriff." Adam added.

Still gripping his daughter tight, he wasn't sure what to do.

"I ain't goin' no where but home," he growled, "and I'm takin' the kid with me."

They knew they had him out numbered but, they didn't want to risk each other's lives.

"Come on kid. I wanna get home."

"I'm not goin' anywhere with you."

"Don't you snap at me girl or I'll have to learn ya a lesson."

"You aren't going to touch her ever again." Adam barked.

The man stood there for a moment.

"You know, for the right amount of money, I could leave here and never come back."

"How much?" Ben asked.

"Five hundred now. Five thousand at the bank tomorrow."

"We'll never hear from you again?" Adam asked.

"I'll not know anyone with the name Cartwright."

Ben walked into the house to get the money.

"Bring the kid with ya."

Ben shocked at the man's request looked over at Adam.

"Why?" Adam questioned.

"I just wanna see her one last time. I am her Grandfather."

Adam studied her face. He felt he had no right to ask her to do so. But he thought if they did what he asked, he'd leave them in peace. Hoss and Joe stood there with their guns pointed at the Old Man. Praying Adam wouldn't let Allie go anywhere near him.

"I'll be alright, Dad," she assured him, "Grandpa will be with me."

Adam glanced over at his father. He trusted him more than anybody.

"Pa."

Ben walked over to them.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her." Ben promised.

Adam handed his daughter to his father.

"Be careful." Adam reminded her.

He then looked back at the Old Man.

"Drop your gun."

The Old Man threw his gun about three yards from where he stood.

"Now, everyone else drop theirs." he growled.

Hoss watched his brother and with a nod of Adam's head he dropped his gun.

Joe didn't like this.He couldn't understand why his brother would trust this man.

"Joe, drop your gun." Hoss told him.

He glared over at Ben and dropped his gun.

Ben took Allie's hand and they made their way closer and closer to him. With every step Allie's grip became stronger and stronger.

"Stop right there," the Old Man said, "give the money to the kid."

Ben knelt down and handed her the money.

"It's okay. I'll be right here."

She took a step closer to the Old Man.

"Give it here." he barked, holding his hand out for the money.

She held it out in front of her. The man then snatched it out of her hands. He had an evil grin on his face.

"You sure you don't wanna come home with your Papa?" he said, counting his money.

Allie, now frustrated and upset raised her voice with him, "I'm staying here with my Dad!"

His eyes filled with fury. Quickly he jerked his hand back but before he could strike Allie, Ben grabbed his arm. Then slugged him in

the stomach and knocked him to the ground. Hoss and Joe grabbed their guns and ran to their father's aid. Adam's first instinct was to run straight to Allie. Once he saw that she was alright he motioned for Hop Sing to take her into the house.

"Hoss," Ben stated, "would you take him into the Sheriff's office?"

"I sure will, Pa." he said, grabbing the man by the arm.

Ben turned to Adam.

"Don't worry, Son. You'll never have to bother with him again." Ben put his gun back in his holster.

"I hope you're right, Pa, I hope you're right."

"It's about time you came in town." Aaron said. "I haven't seen you since the inquest two weeks ago."

"Yeah, I've just been spending a lot of time with Allie."

"Hey, where is Allie?" Sheriff Coffee asked.

"She's at home with Pa. Right now he's probably sulking because she beat him at chess again." Adam laughingly said.

"So Aaron, do you want to go get something to drink?"

"If it's alright with Roy."

"Nah, go on ahead. I can take care of everything here."

"Thanks, Sheriff."

Aaron Rodgers was Adam's best friend. They had been since they went to school together. When Adam went off to college Aaron started getting into trouble. It was Sheriff Coffee who helped him get straightened out. And he now was the Deputy of Virginia City.
He was a little bit shorter than Adam. He had blonde/brown hair and had gray eyes.

"Hey Sheriff!" the Old Man yelled.

Roy entered the room where they keep the jail cells.

"What do you want?"

"Lunch! What do you think I want?"

The Sheriff leaned back and grabbed a bowl of stew from the stove. He then pulled out the keys. The clinking of the keys caught the Old Man's eye. When Roy opened the cell and bent over to set the bowl on the ground the Old Man whipped his hand across Roy's head. He grabbed his gun and ran out the door. When Sheriff Coffee heard Adam and Aaron's footsteps he tried to get up. Then they opened the door to see him lying there.

"Roy," they said, helping him up, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Aw, I'm fine," he moaned, "He took my gun."

Aaron looked over at Adam.

"You don't think he went after Allie, do you?"

Adam darted out the door and headed home.

Once he got there he flung the door open and let out a sigh of relief. She was sitting there with her Grandpa, right where he left her.