Chapter
Coming to Terms
They'd sat in silence around the table absorbing what they had just heard. Hopsing in pieces, recounted the story of what had transpired just hours prior. They had each read the note. They had asked Hopsing all the questions they could think to ask.
He'd been outside gathering herbs for dinner when the men rode in. With little time for greetings they had their guns drawn on him as soon as he stood and they forced him into the house. As much as he wanted to stop them there was little he could do. They threatened him for information. They wanted to know where the family was and when they would be expected back. Would they be coming in all at once or spread out? Who would come in first? Hopsing unable to answer their questions to their liking was tied to the chair where Hoss usually sits, where Hoss sits now, and kept prying. When the man asking the questions had just about enough, he struck Hopsing with a single blow to the face. They were shocked to discover that his face was the result of just one blow. The accoster must have had a heavy hand. They gagged him to keep him from warning anyone that might come in. It was only now they noticed the red rashes at the corners of his mouth. They weren't as profound as the eye. It was his accoster that seemed to be the one in charge as he was giving all the orders. He ordered his men to move the horses away from the house as they waited.
The boy, with Little Joe in his arms was the first to come through the door, about an hour later. He recounted that after the boy discovered the men's intentions he took Little Joes place. Having what they wanted or so they thought, they threatened to kill Hopsing to prevent him from identifying them. The boy using their own prejudices against them argued for Hopsing's life. Using false logic and reasoning to per sway his captors. They bound the boy and took him away.
The men took several things from his story. One, that these men were unorganized. They hadn't spent very much time planning this little escapade. They, not knowing of the families plans decided to hit them in their home. They didn't know who would be home at the time nor who was expected back and when. They assumed their sheer numbers combined with the element of surprise would be sufficient enough to subdue their captives. Two, that they didn't know the family or at least not Joseph. Not enough to tell the difference between him and a hired hand. The question still stood, did anybody else in the family know these men? Would any of them recognize these men if they saw them. The descriptions Hopsing gave wasn't enough to make these men stand out to any of them. They had one name, Bogs. A name which wasn't familiar to any of them. Would these men have recognized any other members of the family. Three, they didn't bother covering their faces. They either came in with the intention of killing witnesses or murder came to be an afterthought, a necessary result of their ill planning. Was killing easy? Had they killed before?
The violation Ben felt of men entering his home and assaulting a cherished member of the family. Their intention to walk away with one of his sons. How close Joseph came to being that son. That sleeping angel upstairs none the wiser to the peril he was in. If he had been conscious, he most certainly would not have stood by and let this boy take his stead. By heavens chance he was knocked cold. Who was this boy? They didn't even know his name. He told his captors that Joseph's name was Daniel O'Lewis. Was that his own? It rolled off his tongue so easily. Was he trying to tell the Cartwright's who he was? Ben hadn't hired him. At least not personally. He needed some extra hands for the drive. He had personally hired all but two men. Dan Tolliver his most trusted foreman asked to bring on two more. He had met the two young men, both with experience, both with clean past and approved of them both. Their employment was temporary and would end with the season. This boy, though he hadn't remembered his name until just now, was the younger of those men.
He was two years Joseph's senior though the right age for Joseph to attach himself to, not even he had spent much time with him, until today that was. When they split the hands among them that morning it was by sheer chance those two were sent off to the east gate together. He was at Joseph's back when Ben separated him and the two at his side and assigned them to the task of bringing the cattle into lower pasture. He did likewise with the other hands splitting them up among the brothers and charging them with different task in different parts of the ranch. They were directed to meet back at the point of separation with their charge before pushing the stock in. Joseph and the boy never made it back in. It was by chance Joseph fell. According to Will and Hank, something had spooked his horse. What it was had yet to be discovered.
"Why would anybody do this?" Adam finally spoke his mind. "Put themselves in danger like that?"
"He probably understood that with Joseph's injuries how doubtful it was he'd live through this." His father answers.
"Yes. I understand that, even still, he'd have to know the danger he was putting himself in."
"I'm sure he does."
"…and he did it anyways. It doesn't make sense to me Pa. There's not too many people who give themselves up like that. "
"Would you?" His dark eyes pierced through him. His father expected an automatic yes, an absolute unequivocal yes. Which would lead to Adam answering his own question, but he couldn't be sure it was a yes. "Would you sacrifice yourself for another?" He asked again.
"Like this?" A single nod. "Well, I don't know, Pa." He answered honestly. "I can't even imagine myself being put in that position. I mean, I would for one of you, without a doubt, maybe a friend. But he doesn't even know us."
The big man interjected. "If they discover that this boy lied to them before anyone can get to him…" He stopped before finishing his divination. The idea was haunting.
"I know son."
"So what are we going to do, Pa?" Hoss asked this question as Adam remained reflective.
"I think we need to go after the boy."
"I'll ready the horses." This was all Hoss needed to hear to put himself into action.
"Ho, hold on, Hoss." Adam stammered. "Have you thought about the possibility that this is a trap?" He got their attention.
"What do you mean?"
"What if, they're trying to lure us away? Get us right to where they want us." He asked. "Have you thought about the possibility that maybe, this boy's in on it?" They looked to him, perplexed. Hopsing looked up but said nothing to counter him. Instead he thought back to the boy's demeanor wondering if there was anything there that would suggest Adam was on to something. He didn't think so. His fear seemed genuine. "Maybe, it was easy to go with them because he is one of them."
"Wouldn't it have been better to just take Joseph?"
"Joseph would have fought them the whole way."
"But he was unconscious."
"Okay. Well, maybe that's it then. Maybe they didn't anticipate him being knocked out and they had to change their plans."
"Adam, you're not making no sense." Hoss said.
"Think about it. Maybe they didn't want to take the chance on taking him because they knew it might kill him if they had."
"So they take this other one instead, knowing he ain't Joseph, on the hopes we'd pay for him?"
"Yeah. No. I don't know."
"Adam, it was just by chance that boy was even there tonight. Pa chose him to go with Joe on chance and so did Will Trump for that matter after he fell."
"We don't know he didn't put himself in the position to be chosen."
"Both times?"
"Yeah, both times."
"Alright, what about the account that we were all supposed to ride in together? The boy knew that was the plan. These men obviously did not. He couldn't have anticipated Joseph falling. "
"Maybe he did. Maybe it was his job to separate Joseph from the rest, or any one of us for that matter, whoever he was sent with that day. We don't know that he didn't. We don't really know how Joseph's horse got spooked or if that's what really happened."
"But Will said…"
"Did anybody ask Will or Hank if they actually saw what happened? They could be just going off what the kid told them. What if the kid did it? He could have hit Joseph for all we know."
"Okay, but that just goes against what you just said. I mean, did they anticipate Little Joe being hurt or didn't they?"
"I don't know."
"It just makes no sense Pa. If these men wanted money, it just makes no sense to knowingly take someone that wasn't us."
"What if they don't want money? What if they mean to just kill us?"
"Then why not stick around and wait for us?" Ben countered. "They could have done that tonight, or anytime really. While we were all separated out there in high country."
"That's right." Hoss agreed. "But he didn't do that. Instead, that boy got them out of the house before we returned. You tell me, why the farce?"
"I don't know. I haven't got it all together, Pa. But I feel it in my gut, something isn't right about this."
"Son, there is nothing right about this. It isn't right, how close your brother came to being taken by these malignant creatures, and it isn't right that we weren't there to protect him, and it most definitely isn't right that just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, this other boy was."
"He shouldn't have been there." Hoss agreed. "but he was, and because he was, our Little Munchkin' is safe, and he isn't."
"Maybe that's what's eating you, son. Maybe what you're feeling is misplaced guilt and the only way to make it go away is by turning this boy into the same monsters that took him. You're trying to reason this away with logic and it's just not there. Maybe, what you're really having a hard time with, is trying to understand unconditional sacrifice?" It hit him like a punch in the gut. Maybe it was. It could have been, but then again, maybe it wasn't. He just wasn't sure.
"It's just this boy was so willing to give himself up. Can people really be that selfless? Maybe I am having trouble understanding why someone would do this, knowing that they'd be killed for it. He doesn't even know us, Pa. What is his motivation? Really?"
"What makes you think he had a motive?"
"Everybody has a motive. Something that drives them and I'm sorry to say, but it's usually selfish."
"Sometimes, you think you've got people all figured out, you want to put us all in this neat little box with a pretty pink bow on top. Then someone comes along and kicks a hole right through it." Hoss retorted.
It didn't make sense in his mind how or why it could be a trap, but something didn't sit well. "You might be right about this and you might be wrong. It might be that we just haven't gotten all of the pieces figured out yet."
"Meanwhile, that boy's getting further away." He felt sick to his stomach.
"I know, Pa. But, just in case, maybe we should get Roy Coffee involved."
"Yeah, alright. That's not a bad idea anyways. He should be involved and it wouldn't hurt to get all the help we could get. Hoss, take a couple of our best hands into town to go get the Sheriff. Take the note with you. Tell him everything you've heard here tonight. We're going to need a posse."
"I can go faster by myself."
"No. Nobody rides by themselves. That goes for you too Adam. I hope upon hope this boy's deception hasn't been discovered but if it has, they might try to come back for one of you."
"Yes Pa." Hoss responded.
Adam responded with a curt nod.
"I think we need to learn all we can about the boy while we wait." Adam suggested.
He nodded in agreement. "Go get Dan. Tell him I want to speak to him."
The boys both left their pa at once.
Ben glanced up at his old time friend who after telling his story had grown silent as he let the men work things out.
"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked concerned.
"Hopsing eye, heal. Hopsing hawt cawees much buden."
"I know what you mean. If this boy really did sacrifice himself for Joseph."
"My mouf was gag, but that not what stop me fum potestin. My love fo Cotwight boys, stop me."
"…and now you feel guilty for letting this boy go instead."
"Test me again and wesult same, but yes."
"This boy didn't have to go. He made that choice all on his own."
"I know." He sunk his head.
"What else is bothering you?"
"Ben Cotwight won't have chance to pay. Boy pay with self, when they discova he lies."
"The only consolation we have, is that the boy is smart enough to know this. As long as he plays the part it buy's us time."
~.~
It wasn't Dan that discovered the boy. He sat at the table across from Ben. Adam off to the side. Ben had wanted to get as much information about this boy, before Hoss came back with Roy. He knew Roy would want as much information as he could get before setting out himself. For the sake of the lost boy he wanted to expedite the process. The second hand he hired was who brought him on.
He hadn't told his old friend what led to the inquiry on the young hand and Dan didn't ask. He knew Ben long enough to trust that he would get his answers if or when he was ready to give them. What he knew so far, was that the young one went out with a small crew that morning that consisted of the Cartwright's themselves. When the other hands came in for the night the boy wasn't among them. They seemed to know more than he, regarding why. It was who this boy was and how he came to work for them, that they were especially interested in knowing.
He couldn't tell them much except, it was the older man that was hired first. It wasn't until a week or two later when he asked if he could bring on another. "I met with the boy, checked out his references. He seemed like a good kid had some experience so I brought him to you."
"Who was this other man who vouched for him?"
"Clancy Morgan."
"Is he the one with the leg?" Adam asked referring to the man who walked with a cane.
"That's him."
"What do you know about him?"
"He did some work for us last year if you remember?" Ben didn't. The work needed to run this ranch was too great for him to remember every face that came through. He didn't work as close to these men as Dan did. For that matter sleep next to them. Dan's involvement with these men was by requirement closer than his own.
"Is he still working for us?"
"Yes. He's in the bunkhouse now. Would you like me to get him for you?"
"Not just yet. We need to know a bit more from your point of view first."
"What do you need to know?"
"How would you describe him?"
"Clancy?"
"No. The other one."
"Danny?"
"Yeah. What kind of a worker is he?"
"Oh I don't know. Quiet. Keeps to himself. He keeps his mind on his work though. Even still his effort at times does appear to be slow, sluggish; but he doesn't complain about the long hours. It seems that once he has his task set out he doesn't quit until it's done or he's ordered in for the night."
"He's slow but persistent."
"I guess that's an accurate description."
"How about Clancy? How would you describe him?"
"He's a bit older. Thirty-five or so. He's a better worker. Friendly gets along with the guys. Natural leader type but he doesn't step on my toes or nothing. He's easy to have around, takes direction well too. I actually put a lot on him considering how little I really know him. I know if I ask him to do something I won't get no flack. He seems the type I would want to hire for more permanent work, a team player."
"His leg doesn't slow him down?"
"You could see it bothers him at times. When he's on foot for long periods of time it'll start acting up. It might slow him down a bit, but he doesn't let it hold him back. Most of the time it's not even a problem. He's great in the saddle."
"You say he gets along with the men?"
"Yeah. He's easy to talk to. He's about the only one that boy does talk to, which didn't happen right off."
"So you don't think they knew each other beforehand?"
"Naturally of course I thought they did, because why vouch for someone you don't know, but come to find out that was more or less the case here. They'd work together only about one other time on Ed Lemp's Ranch doing seasonal work there. He said the boy was a hard worker but dropped off before the job was done. Said he just disappeared. Didn't know what happened to him. Saw him in town about six weeks ago looking like he'd been trying to work off a month long binge." The imagery was colorful. They couldn't imagine the boy with his baby face and all would ever have a problem with alcohol. "Thought the boy could use a helpin' hand. A second chance. Of course he didn't tell me all this until after we agreed to hire him. When the boy came to me he'd already been cleaned up, looking fresh as the morning dew and ready to work."
~.~
"Have a seat, we'd like to talk to you."
Clancy looked like he'd been chewed up and spit out three ways from Sunday. He'd been woken from a dead sleep and had been told that the Cartwright's wanted to have a word with him. This time of night this could only spell trouble. He threw on his work shirt and pants- he sure wasn't going to meet with the baron in his night wear- and followed Dan out the door, walking stick in hand. He did his best to look presentable, tucking in his pants as he hobbled to the door, but it hung off of him cockeyed and wrinkled. His eyes were bloodshot and hair, fingered combed into place. The stone faced Baron stared out at the disheveled man at the door. The dark haired erudite stood behind his father. "Dan you could stick around." His gut was just about in his throat. His mind going a mile a minute wondering what all this could be about. He sauntered to their dining table. A hot cup of coffee sat in front of each chair including the one the Baron presented for him to sit. A gesture meant to pacify him before, only God knows what was about to happen.
What had he done that could be worth this? Being woken in the middle of the night and brought in before the boss. He hadn't thought of a thing. He'd been doing his job pretty well, or so he thought. His palms were sweating even through the crisp night air. He wondered if the walking stick was going to come around and bite him in his bottom side once again. Cattle work is difficult to find around here for someone that walks around with a cane. What people want are good strong men that can do the job. Most won't give him the time of day. He was fortunate in landing this gig with the Cartwright's two years in a row. Perhaps tonight his luck had run up.
"Sir." He nodded, bidding them to speak. The anticipation was just about enough to keel him over.
Ben broke the silence. "We want you to tell us about Daniel."
"Daniel?" He looked to Dan Tolliver.
"Not him. Daniel."
"The young one?"
"That's right." He reflected. So this wasn't about him. At least not directly. This was about the boy. The boy who didn't return to his bed last night. Only partially relieved he considered his role in the matter. Something had happened. He was sitting in front of these men because he had vouched for him. A known flake. What has he done? The only thing he could imagine was that he must have taken off again. Why would he do that? It doesn't make any sense. He thought he was better than that. He hoped he was. Simply walking off the job though couldn't have warranted all this. Did he steal from them? He considered as the servant came in to set some cream and sugar at their center, catching a glimpse of his shiner. Or worse? He got a knot in the pit of his stomach. What did he do? Whatever it was, Clancy himself was now in the hot seat. His employment was on the line. Clancy's eyes, though still red, were no longer bloodshot. He was acutely coming into his senses.
He wiped his mouth with a shaking palm. "What did he do?" He asked somberly.
It was curious, how his only friend automatically assumed his guilt. Perhaps Adam was on to something.
"What do you mean?" Ben answered evasively. He wanted him to say more before giving him any answers. If this boy has a history he needed to know about it.
"You bring me here in the middle of the night asking about one hand in particular. It just so happens to be the one I vouched for. I think it's a fair assumption that I'm not here on a social call." Ben couldn't disagree. "So what's he done?" He could understand now the way it appeared and felt bad for it. He certainly didn't want his friend thinking the worst of him, if it wasn't warranted, but that had yet to be determined. That's what they were here to find out. He hesitated to tell him anything of what went on in the house just a few hours prior. He wanted to learn all he could about the boy without leading the witness. Knowing about the boy might help him to understand him better and what really happened tonight.
"What makes you think he's done anything?" He asked evading the question.
"Hasn't he?"
"What can you tell me about him? What kind of a man is he?" Clancy picked up on the fact they were not going to give him the answers he sought, at least not until he gives them what it was they sought. He settled back indecisively.
"He's not a man." He finally answers. "He's still a boy." They look warily on. "He's a scared little boy. A boy whose been forced to grow up way too fast." After all he was still a good kid. If it was a matter of a hangin' he thought this kid deserved a fair trial. If it were up to him he was going to do everything he could to give it to him.
"How so? What do you mean?"
"Well, Mr. Cartwright, Daniel's a good kid. I mean don't get me wrong, he does have a history."
"What sort of a history?" He cut him off. Almost like he was ready to jump on the first act of iniquity. Like he expected treachery. Begged for it maybe.
"Not like that. Not what you're thinking." He tried to sway him. "Listen, I knew him from old Ed's place. All I'm saying is, it wouldn't be the first time he walked off a job. That's all. That's the only thing I've ever known him to do." He met each of their eyes. "Now, if he's done anything worse than that, then I'm sorry." He swallowed hard. "I don't know what else to say. I wouldn't have seen it coming. You'd have to know I wouldn't have vouched for him if I thought he was capable of anything worse than that." His sincerity was genuine, but was it enough? "But to be fair," He came back, playing devil's advocate. "Mr. Cartwright, I'd just like to ask that whatever it was he'd done, you just hear him out first, you know? Mr. Cartwright, I know you're a righteous man." He said appealing to his better nature. "Please, just hear his side of the story, I mean, before you go and do anything rash." If they hadn't already. The Cartwright's exchanged glances feeling somewhat guilty at letting this man believe the worst. They didn't correct him, though. Not yet.
"How well did you know him?" They avoided his appeal. Did they hear a word he said or did his pleas fall on deaf ears?
"Like I said, we worked once before on old Ed's ranch."
"How would you describe his work ethic?"
"Motivated. He finishes every task assigned."
"Dan says, he's slow at accomplishing his task. Sluggish." He glanced at the aging foreman, sitting to his right. Did he sell him out? He never had a problem with the man before, but of course his loyalties would be to the Cartwright's first.
"Dan also says you're pretty close. That you're the only one he talks to."
"The kids not a big talker." He answered. "He's a quiet one. He's been quiet for as long as I've known him. He keeps to himself, but he works hard."
"But he does talk to you."
"Sir, please tell me what this is about. I implore you. Maybe I could help straighten him out. Did he steal from you?" Their hard-nosed stairs was his response. He nodded towards the kitchen. "His eye, did he do that?" He finally asked.
The Baron glanced at his son again. We have to tell him something. His only confidant is imagining the worst of him. As if giving him silent permission, Ben softened. He considered his words carefully. "Mr. Morgan, something happened tonight that involved Daniel, in a big way. He is in trouble." The ranch hand instantly melted as his concerns were realized. "Now, I can't give you details just yet, as we don't fully understand them ourselves. That's what we're doing here tonight. We are trying to understand Daniel. His motivations. We were hoping you could help us. Your concern for him is admirable. I need you to understand us, that we hold no desire to see harm come to him. In fact, it's just the opposite. We want to help him. If you want to help him too, Mr. Morgan, and it appears you do, then the best thing that you can do for him right now, is answer our questions." Clancy let out a heavy sigh. "He confides in you, yes?"
"He's got a lot going on." He explains. "A lot he's keeping in, but he's not a bad kid. Not the way I know him." He was adamant now. "Other than that time he walked off the job," Ben and Adam exchanged glances. Flaky, to say the least. He saw their thoughts printed across their foreheads. They weren't being as slick as they thought they were. It ate him up the way they clung on to the worst. "but if you knew why he did it," He tried to reason. "You'd understand." Would they? He clenched his jaw at their judgmental attitude. They seemed all too quick to condemn. Though seething, he held his peace. He had his own reasons for being illusive. This boy didn't trust too easily. If they knew what they were asking of him. They are asking the only person this kid has trusted in years, to violate that trust. "I think it's more so, that troubles find him." He tried to explain. The concern flashed in their eyes.
"What kind of troubles?"
"Again, not like that." He tried to smooth it over.
"What then?" Please just understand, I can't tell you. He said it in his body language. It screamed out through his pores.
"Nothing that could come back to hurt the family in anyway." He tried to get them to understand, but the baron's mind was spinning. He wasn't helping this kid. If anything he was making it worse for him.
"I think you better tell me." Ben was stern, adamant.
Clancy sought one eye than another begging for clemency. Getting no sympathy from any of them, he slumped down in his chair and rubbed his fingers across his forehead. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. They were going to make him do this. There was no way around it. Everything he's been told in secret was about to be put on display. Laid out for all to see, to be judged; but if it meant helping this kid, for all he knew saving his life, then what choice did he have? Oh God, what am I doing? He closed his eyes in prayer. Father and son locked eyes as he did.
Maybe, they were being too hard on him. Maybe they were losing him.
Have mercy on me, Lord. Do not let this kid hate me, and more importantly, do not let this boy regress.
When they thought it was just about over for them, he took a breath.
"The boy's had a hard life." He began. "When I knew him last year, I knew nothing of his struggles. You know, it's not like he walked around with a dark cloud hanging over his head." He justified. "He was fine, by all appearances, he was fine. He was sharp, motivated, focused." He said using his fingers to list off his traits; then he stopped. "He was just quiet. You know?" He swallowed. "Then one day he got a letter and the next day he was gone. That's all I knew. That's all anybody knew. He just took his stuff and left and he didn't come back. We didn't have any idea where he went and nobody went to go look for him. I should have looked for him." He said regretfully.
Why? What secret was he holding? What isn't he saying?
"I didn't see him again until about six weeks ago and when I did, I'd hardly recognized him. He was the shadow of the man I knew before."
"Intoxicated." Adam announced. Clancy glanced at Dan who was the least bit diffident.
"At first appearance." Clancy amended. "As it turns out, he doesn't drink. That look he bore, came from someplace else. Someplace inside him." Adam sat back curious. "I should have gone after him." He reflected again. "If I had, I could have helped him, then. Before it got so bad, but I had no idea when he left, that anything was wrong. He never told anybody a thing, but truthfully, no one ever asked, including me. I mean, to be fair, the kids not really approachable, you know. He pushes people away. Doesn't let anyone get too close." Adam sighed anxiously bidding for him to get to his point. Ignoring this he continued. "I know now, why that is." Yes? Adam waited impatiently. "It's because, everybody he loves, dies." The men were flummoxed.
"What do you mean?" It was Adam who asked.
"I mean, everybody. Every, single, person." It was like driving a nail through their hearts. The color fell from their faces as they wondered what the implications were. Who's dead? Family? Friends? Just how many people are we talking about? And why are they dead? Who's killing them? What the hell is this kid involved in?
"He comes from a big family. Middle child of six kids, a Ma and a Pa. Out of the lot of them, he's the only one left. Most of his family passed, several years ago and since then, it's been just he and his brother. When his brother fell ill, Daniel did his best to support him. He had to work to buy medications. We worked side by side with him while he carried this burden and nobody being none the wiser. I just found out a few weeks ago that the letter he got was to inform him that his brother, the very last of them, passed away too. When he disappeared, it was because he was burying the last of his kin.
He didn't come back. According to him he had no need to. Working at ol' Ed's place, he had a purpose. Earn money to save his little brother. It was that simple. It's what kept him going every day, what gave him drive. When he died, his purpose died with him. That's why he never returned. Not even making money to put food in his own mouth seemed important to him anymore.
He's done gone from such a large family, five siblings and two parents, and he buried every last one of them until it was just him left, and he did this, all before he'd finished growin', and now, he's walkin this earth all by his lonesome. He was carrying this with him and nobody knew it. I should have asked.
When I saw him about six weeks ago, coming up on one year, it looked like the grief had done eaten him up. I had no idea the battle this boy was fightin' but it seemed to me that whatever it was, he'd had just about all he could take and that boy was ready to step out. I didn't know what I'd be getting myself into by getting involved, but God hisself told me that boy needed help.
Yes, I'm the only one he talks to, but it wasn't easy. He pushed me away too even after I got him his job. But God made me ask and keep asking that boy until he broke. I know now, that if I hadn't gotten him to open up, than his grief most certainly would have killed him."
Adam chewed on this. He might just die anyways. What was the point to be rescued from grief just to be killed by violence?
"How'd the others die?" He asked.
"Who?"
"The other members of his family."
"Oh. Of course. Uh well, when he was 8 his 5 year old brother drowned in the river outside their home. 7 months later, the youngest member of the family died at birth taking their mother with him. He was 11 when, his 14 year old sister died of blood poisoning, and 14 when the oldest boy died paying for the sins of his father. Apparently the father cheated someone out of some money and he came back and killed both him and his brother. Danny and Simon, that's the one that passed last summer, they were both in school when it happened. They came home and found the bodies. After burying them, he took Simon away and never went back. It was just the two of them for years."
"Then last year Simon died too." Adam recapitulated.
"That's right."
He might have just discovered the motive he was looking for, though he didn't like what he found. The kid was self-sabotaging. Looking at the kid he never would have guessed it. Like Clancy said, it wasn't like he walked around with a dark cloud. He hid his struggles well, masquerading as someone who's tasted nothing of calamity. This boy was molded into the perfect candidate. Then put in the right place at the right time. Molded, he was molded alright, with the heel of a boot. He was crushed to nothing and left to feel like he's got nothing to live for. For what? Just to save another whose got everything to live for. Could God have set this up so he could save Joseph? Is Joseph's life worth so much pain?
The west was harsh. It seems death waits for man around every corner. Ben knew that all too well with the loss of the three most important women in his life. He struggles still with keeping his boys to ripe old age. With all the close calls, scrapes and near misses God's pulled he and his boy's through; alternatively, fortune has not smiled fair on this boy. For every near miss their family had escaped, every battle they've fought and won, this boy had equally lost. The great pendulum of the world keeping balance.
To lose every single member of his large family before he's finished growing. He's seen a lot of death in his young years and not all in the same fashion. Instead, it snuck on him again and again. Life not giving him a chance to heal before striking him again.
~.~
Father and son talked in low tones just around the corner in the old man's office. What were they talking about? It was driving him mad. Dan remained at his side obviously trodden by the night. He'd asked him for clues and believed him when he claimed to know nothing. All he could confirm was that this whole thing, including the Cartwright's demeanor was very peculiar and indeed unprecedented.
The reverberating sound of hard riding hoof beats came through the house as the horse and rider slid into the courtyard. Father and son drew their pistol and waited. How alarmed should he be? He reach for his own side arm instinctively. At its absence he recalled it was hanging on the post against his bunk. Of course it was. Why would he need it in here, talking to the boss at 2 in the morning? Who did they expect would be coming through those doors this time of night? Perhaps Daniel. Were they prepared to kill him? The pounding of steps preceded the man as he bust through the door. The large figure was out of breath and the men went to him slipping their weapons back into their sheaths.
"Hoss. Where's the sheriff?" Sheriff? Clancy watched the interaction from the corner of the dinner table.
"We found the tracks. They led right towards town." Tracks? "I followed them until they reached Washoe Split. They met up with someone there. A wagon of some type. Horse and buggy. Footprints all over the ground. Of course I can't tell who's who. It's like they were all switching spots. The wagon heads on into town with a horse trailing behind. The other horses all split off in different directions. I continued following the wagon right on into Virginia City, since I was headed that direction anyways. Then I lost it among all the other tracks once I got into town. All the tracks got muddled up. It was hard to tell what wagon or horse I was supposed to be following. I went and told the Sheriff everything. This time of night he could only get a few men together, but they're starting back at Washoe Split. He said he'd separate his men and follow them for a ways but being shorthanded he didn't want to send his men too far off by themselves. He said if we could get some of our men to join in the effort it would help." Ben nods all too eager and turns to Dan ready with his orders. That was all he was prepared to take.
"STOP!" The room stood still. He got their attention now. "That is enough! This is insane what you guys are doing. You're about ready to hunt down a 19 year old boy, for what? What could he have done that could be worth all this?" Hoss, who barely noticed the man over his excitement when he first came in, was perhaps more confused than anyone. Who is this man and why was he shouting at his pa? Not too many folks around here had the gall to do that. "Now, I think I've been more than fair telling you things that could ruin a boy, but if you think I'm going to stand by and let you hunt down this child like he's no more than a wild animal, you're out of your minds!"
"Clancy, it's not like that." Adam stepped out from his clan.
"Oh Yeah? What is it then?" The boy exchanged glances with his pa. "What is it? What could be worth all this?" He demanded for explanation. They had already decided that they were going to tell him. They'd agreed he had the right to know and hoped to illicit his aid. They just weren't sure how. "I think, I've been more than fair. I've been open and honest to the point of his undoing. Now if you don't tell me what this is about, and I mean right now, then you better believe I'm coming after you. I'm not letting any of you get away with this. I'll be right behind you every step of the way."
"It was apparent this man's compassion for the boy. Over such a short period of really knowing him he had stepped into the role of surrogate father and was willing to protect him at all cost. Which was intriguing as they weren't all that very far apart in age. Clancy 35 and the boy 19. His desire to protect was about to be tested.
"Clancy, I think you'd better sit down."
~.~
"My God, what did he do?" He asked over an untouched cup of coffee, turned cold with time. His hands were shaking and it looked like he was fighting tears. They left him alone to soak in the new information. After hearing the story, Dan went out to the shed to see what hands he could gather, while the men of the house reconvened. Adam and Ben took this time to download to Hoss, everything about this boy that they had just learned. The dark cloud hung in the house over every man. "What was he thinking?" He drew their attention. Clancy was having perhaps a more difficult time than anyone trying to understand this. "He can't do this."
Adam left his Pa and brother and went over to Clancy. "I know how hard this must be." The young man tried to console.
"No. You don't. You have no idea. He was ready to step out six weeks ago. You understand that? All he needs is a reason, and a means which these guys are giving him. He doesn't have the strength to survive something like this. He can't do this. This will kill him."
"We're going to go after him. We are going to find him. It's up to you if you want to join us." He looked at them again. Was that even a question?
"Yeah. Yes, of course."
"Are you okay to ride?" Adam asked indicating the cane leaning against his chair.
"You get me on a horse and I'll ride as long as it takes to find him."
They open the door at the knock. "The men are ready to go."
"Who did you get?"
"Jose Moreno and Sam Tucker."
"Thanks Dan, we'll be right out."
Authors Note:
Dan Tolliver is a character that has been used by many authors as he provides for great content. For those who don't know, he won't be featured until Season 8 episode 3, A time to Step Down. But in that show, they portray him as a foreman who has worked for them for many years.
Clancy, if you're wondering, is a an original character.