Three weeks later Maria and Adam decided to go out for a ride and a picnic. Hop Sing packed them a nice full lunch for their picnic. Adam put his guitar in the back of the wagon then helped Maria into the buggy then went to the other side and got in after Maria took the basket.
"Be home before dark you two," Ben called before the horses started walking.
"We will be Ben," Maria called back. She's gotten used to being around Ben, Hoss and Joe that she's talking more to them now. Not much, but she's talking some.
All three men waved as they watched Maria and Adam leave to the lake for a picnic.
"Pa, I have a feeling something's going to go wrong," Joe spoke up, "Like that Josh guy isn't over Maria."
"Yeah, I know what you mean son, well, we'll go inside for now," Ben replied and Joe nodded and went inside with Ben.
Adam and Maria showed up at the lake, "wow, that is so beautiful Adam," Maria said looking over the lake with a smile.
"I love this place and to come here," Adam replied helping her out of the buggy. She grabbed the picnic basket and blanket while Adam grabbed his guitar.
"I see why, it's very beautiful," she told him with a smile as she laid the blanket down on the ground to sit and look over the lake.
After the blanket was laid out Maria slowly sat down and leaned against a rock as Adam sat down and started to tune his guitar since Joe was messing with it again. After he had it tuned right he started to softly play. A smile came to her face as she listened to him play.
A few moments later Adam looked over at Maria, "We should eat before whatever Hop Sing made us gets cold," Adam told her with a smile.
"Yeah we should," Maria told him softly and opened the picnic basket and smiled, "Chicken, biscuits, fruit and a salad, is what Hop Sing made us."
"Yum, let's eat then possibly go for a walk?" Adam suggested with a smile.
"That sounds good to me Adam," Maria replied taking everything out of the basket and placing it on the blanket.
"Maria, is everything all right?" Adam asked noticing how Maria wasn't her talkative self at the moment.
"Yeah, I'm fine, why are you asking?" she replied.
"You're not as talkative and you are acting like something is bothering you," Adam replied, "Is something bothering you dear?"
"I'm just worried about Josh and all them is all," she replied.
"Honey, they know not o come onto the Ponderosa, well Josh isn't allowed that is," Adam told her.
"that's what I'm worried about Adam, even though he's not allowed on here, the rest of them are and that includes a few of Josh's friends I never met," she told him.
"What do you mean?" Adam asked.
"I'm just worried he'll try to get his friends to take me is all," she answered with a sigh.
"They'd have to kill me to get you," he told her with a smile making her smile in return.
"Oh Adam," she said chuckling and tossed a dinner roll Hop Sing made at him, "Now, let's eat up so we can go on that walk."
"Let's do it," Adam said and the two of them ate their dinner.
A while later the two of them were packing the basket back up with the plates and everything else that they took out. Maria stood up, picked the basket up while Adam picked the blanket up and the two of them placed the basket and blanket in the back of the buggy.
"Well my dear, let's go for that walk," Adam said with a smile.
"Let's go honey," Maria replied slipping her arm around his that he held out for her to take.
As they got to a rock Adam was getting a little more nervous. Maria looked over at him and before she could ask what was wrong Adam pulled her into a hug and kissed her. She was shocked at first, even though it's not the first time the two of them kissed. She relaxed and wrapped her arms around his neck.
A moment later without noticed a gun shot went off and Adam was falling to the ground. Maria bent down and lifted his head up, "Adam honey," she cried.
"Maria, hide," Adam softly spoke.
Before she could reply Josh and two of his buddies came out of the bushes, "J-Josh?" Maria asked scared.
"Hello, Maria," Josh replied with a wicked grin on his face.
"Wha-What do you want?" Maria asked not moving away from Adam.
"You, of course darling," he replied and she gripped Adam's hand a little tighter.
"But, she's taken," Adam said painfully. Maria took his neck cloth off him and pressed it to his side where the gun shot is.
"Maria, come with us or he'll die in your arms," Josh said.
Maria went to protest but Adam spoke up, "Go," was all he said.
"But," she started and Adam gave her a look to say, 'just go, you'll be home soon.' She nodded, kissed Adam and stood up. Josh's friends picked Adam up and tossed him into the wagon and smacked the horse and he took off running.
Josh then picked Maria up and placed her on a horse, got onto his horse and rode off to their campsite.
Meanwhile Hoss, Joe and Ben were sitting on the front porch enjoying some coffee. They all glanced up with a smile when they heard the wagon and horse coming, but the smiles all fell from their faces when they didn't see anyone driving.