Adam and Joe rode hard from Virginia CIty back to the ranch the following day after dropping off Harmon and his friends at the jail. The brothers were anxious get home and find out how Hoss was doing. To their great relief, their brother was propped up with several pillows taking small spoonfuls of broth from their father.

The swelling around Hoss' eyes had receded somewhat, but he was still looking through slits when his brothers entered his room.

"Gosh it's good to see you awake, brother, even if you do look like you've been trampled by a team of horses." Joe's grin lit up the room. He winked at Adam and smacked his oldest brother with his hat.

Ben grunted. "Joseph! Can't we just be thankful that your brother is sitting up and taking nourishment and forego your high jinks!"

Adam shared what he hoped would give his brother some real encouragement. "Hoss, you'll be glad to know that we caught up to Harmon and his buddies. They're locked up tight in Roy's jail. My guess is that we won't be hearing much from any of them for quite some time."

"That's good ta know, Adam. Thanks. I figured it was them. They had their faces covered and Harmon for once didn't say anything."

"Taking a shot at us with your pistol pretty much sewed things up. Just goes to show what can happen when you add alcohol to someone with a big mouth and a bad temper." Joe added.

"Thankfully you two are safe. That is good news overall." Ben gave his middle son a relieved smile, but then turned toward Adam and Joe. "But let's not wear your brother out with a lot of discussion just now. Why don't the two of you go get something to eat."

Joe started working the buttons on his jacket. "We already ate in town, Pa. I'm sure you could use a break. Let me sit with Hoss while you and Adam get some coffee."

"I think I've had enough broth for now, Pa. I'm plum tuckered out already." Hoss words faded away for lack of strength.

Ben set the cup of broth on the nightstand. "Alright, you rest, son. Joseph, please let your brother get the rest he needs."

"Don't you worry, Pa. I'll see to that. Do you think I want to be doing big brother's chores forever?"

Ben scowled at his youngest son before leaving the room with Adam. Downstairs, over a cup of coffee, Adam related the events of the previous day to his father. Ben was truly relieved to know that Harmon had not been successful in his attempt to harm any more Cartwright sons, but he was not happy to hear about Joe's actions.

"I know he shouldn't have taken out his anger and frustrations on Harmon, but honestly, Pa, you would have been hard-pressed not to do the same thing, given the circumstances. Yeah Joe roughed him up pretty good, but it really didn't change anything. Harmon and his buddies will be going to prison for quite a while."

Ben drew in a deep breath and stared into his cup. "That is hopefully one problem solved, but I'm afraid that still leaves another. Sally was here yesterday. She gave me a brief respite. She said that Hoss came to for a few moments while she was with him. After he woke up this morning, he asked for her and wanted to know if she was here."

"What's troubling you, Pa? Does that really surprise you?"

"Your brother hasn't said anything definite, but somehow I'm getting the impression that they will marry. Do you know anything about that, Adam?"

"I'm pretty sure if things went on Sunday the way he had planned, Hoss asked Sally to marry him."

"That would explain why Sally was adamant about seeing him at first."

"What do you mean, at first?"

"She is blaming herself for Hoss getting hurt."

"What?"

"I told her quite clearly that what happened to Hoss was not her fault, but I'm not certain that she believes it. When I said something about coming back for another visit in a few days, she said yes, but her face said something different."

Adam grimaced. "Let me take the next shift with Hoss. He opened up to me about Sally before, maybe I can figure out where things stand."

"Don't push him, Adam. Now that he seems to have turned the corner, I'd hate for him have a set back."

"Do you really want to face him if thinks we're not being forthright. Pa, if Hoss believes that we are keeping from him that Sally has possibly chosen to face her future alone because of what's happened to him, we both know that will push him to try to intervene before he is physically capable of doing so. He needs our reassurance that we are behind him on this."

Ben knew what Adam said was true, but it did not make it any easier for him to accept. "Twice in less than two months we've come very close to losing Hoss. You, probably even more than Hoss and Joe, understand how difficult that prospect is for me. And yet, that is the chief challenge of our existence, is it not, to take the blows that life deals us and try to redeem them into something that has purpose and meaning? Asking 'why' only works for so long. Why did your mother have to die in childbirth? Why wasn't that arrow's path a few inches one side or the other? Why did Marie's horse trip? Why did that rattlesnake have to be sitting in that exact spot and bite Hoss? Why Adam?"

Adam found himself unable to hold his father's gaze as he felt the pinch of the words on his heart and mind. He rose and moved to stir the fire in the hearth.

Ben went on despite his son's marginal attempt at escape. "We all respond differently to trials, don't we? You tend to avoid them and then you think them up one side and down the other. Joe fights and rails against them. Hoss rushes in and tries to save the most vulnerable at his own expense."

Sparks flew as Adam jammed the poker into a half consumed log. "And you, Pa? What do you do, besides wax philosophical?"

"Me? I've probably done all those things from time to time." Ben sighed and moved from where he was seated at the table into the livingroom. "For reasons beyond our control, Sally Nelson came into our lives. She has been dealt some of the worst that life has to offer. Hoss wants to help her salvage her life and turn things around. I just don't know whether his solution is what is best for either of them. I'm certain that the poor girl was frightened before and now she may be downright terrified."

-0-

Sally was finding it difficult to focus on her work at the cafe. She was struggling greatly with the decisions she felt needed to be made sooner rather than later. She did not know how long it would take Hoss to recover from his injuries. Neither did she know whether he might have changed his mind about marrying her. If she was going to give up her child, a willing family needed to be found. She was afraid if she spent much time with her baby, she would not be able to turn the child over to someone else even if it was for the best. Martha noticed that Sally had said little since returning from her visit with Hoss and had been all business, even with Delores. The newly hired girl was a cheerful fourteen year-old who already knew her way around a kitchen. Friendly and chatty, Delores soon realized that Sally was not interested in conversing with her.

Lost in her troubles, Sally felt stymied at every turn. She was too far along in her pregnancy to travel. Because of her age, Hoss had been made the legal agent for the bank account where her gold money had been deposited; so the bulk of her funds were not available without his consent. As much as she wanted to run away back east and reconnect with her extended family, she knew that it was not an option at the moment. Everything in her life seemed to revolve around the baby she was carrying, and the more Sally thought about it, the more she felt that it would be impossible for her to keep a boy child, especially if the boy resembled Josiah Bolton at all. She was not sure how she would endure the weeks until the baby came.

Later that evening, Martha knocked on the door to Sally's room. Sally was already in bed and did not really want company, but she also could not allow herself to be rude to Martha and gave the woman permission to enter. The young woman was struggling to pull herself into a sitting position as Martha came through the door.

"Sally? Are you ok?"

"I'm just really tired. Did you need something from me?"

"No, I was just a bit worried about you, that's all."

"Just got a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Anything I can do to help?"

Soon the young woman's chest began to heave. Martha moved quickly to sit on the bed beside her and pull Sally into her arms.

"I need this to be over, but it's never going to be done, is it Martha?"

Martha rocked Sally in her arms. "Oh dear girl, I wish to goodness I could set everything right for you. Did things not go well on Sunday with Hoss?"

"He wants to marry me."

A warm smile came to Martha's face and she looked directly at Sally. "Why that sounds wonderful. Hoss is a good man. He will make a great husband." Martha's smile slipped away. "But you're not happy about that?"

"Bad things just keep happening. I just need to have this baby, give it up, and go far away, then he'll forget about me.'

"Have you told him how you feel?"

"I told him that I wouldn't hold him to what he said and that I might give up the baby, but I'm not sure he heard me. Oh Martha, he was hurt so bad and it was all because of me."

"No, now you mustn't think like that." Martha was about to say there are many bad men in the world that are outside a woman's control, but quickly thought better of it. "Did you ever think that maybe you could give up the baby and still marry Hoss? Regardless, I think this is something the two of you need to talk out when he is feeling better. Until then you have a home right here with Harold and me and now that Delores is working you don't need to put in such long hours. You've been a great help to us, now it's time for us to help you." Martha hugged Sally tight and ran her hand through the young woman's long blonde hair.

"Thank you, Martha."

Mrs. Peters got up and moved to the door. "Try to get some rest, dear. I'll see you in the morning."

-0-

Adam was asleep in the chair beside the bed when Hoss woke up in the middle of the night needing to relieve himself. He was able to sit upright and move his legs over the side of the bed to complete the task, though it was difficult and painful, Awkward as it was to help his brother this way, Adam was happy to see the great improvement in Hoss' condition.

Hoss was in the mood to talk since he had slept a lot. "Thanks brother. Guess it's been a long time since you had ta do something like that for me, huh?"

"True. but I've put most of those bad memories out of my mind." Adam smirked.

Hoss chuckled and then groaned. "Ugh. Who knew laughin' could hurt so bad."

"Just take it easy. Pa's been riding herd on Joe and me not to do anything that interferes with your recovery."

"Yeah, I kin 'magine. I've lost all tracka time. What day is it?"

"Just a couple of hours before daybreak on Wednesday."

"And Sally was here on Monday, right?"

"Yes, that's what Pa said. We didn't get home until late yesterday. Remember?"

"Yeah, now I do. Sometimes things are kinda fuzzy. Do ya think mebbe you could ride ta town and bring Sally out for a visit later today?"

"Yeah I could do that."

"Funny, I cain't remember what she said, jest that she seemed real sad when she was here. I'm kinda worried 'bout her. On Sunday, I asked her ta marry me, but she didn't give me an answer. I told her that was ok for now. I jest wanta know she's doin' ok. She was pretty upset 'bout the baby and all on Sunday."

Adam offered his brother a tenuous smile. "I'll head to into town after breakfast. Now you'd better get some rest if you're planning on having company later."

By mid morning, Adam was in town with the buggy, hoping that Sally would agree to go visit Hoss. Mrs. Peters took Sally and Adam to the sitting room so they could have some privacy.

"Adam, is Hoss doing better?"

"Yes he is. In fact that's why I'm here. He very much would like to see you." She exhaled the breath she had been holding and looked away. Adam gave her some time to collect her thoughts. Sensing her uncertainty when she did not speak, he went on. "Sally, you haven't known my brother very long. There's something I think you need to know about him. Hoss is honest to the core. If he says something, that's what he means." Adam paused gauging her response before continuing. "He told me that he asked you to marry him. He would not have done that unless he meant what he said and intends to follow through. He has not changed his mind, but I think it would be best for you to come out to the ranch and hear it for yourself."

Sally turned back and studied Adam's eyes. Though more difficult to read than his brother, she saw honesty and sincerity there. She was still unsettled, but after hearing what both Martha and Adam had to say, Sally knew that she must go and see Hoss.

The ride out to the ranch was fairly quiet. Occasionally Adam would point something out so there would not be inordinately long periods of silence. When they arrived Adam went upstairs alone to check and make sure Hoss was ready to receive his visitor. Ben and Adam came down to the main floor.

"Sally it's good to see you. I'm glad that you came. Hoss is anxious to see you." Ben gave her a genuinely warm smile and motioned for her to proceed upstairs.

The door to Hoss' bedroom was open. Sally hesitated in the doorway feeling the weight of her future hanging in the balance.

"Sally? Come on in. I've been waitin' for ya." The young woman entered the room tentatively. "Come an' sit down."

Relieved to see him looking much improved since the last she saw him, Sally gave him a timid smile and sat down. It took a moment for her to find her voice. "Hoss, you're looking better. Thank goodness. I was so worried."

"Aww. Ya don't need ta worry 'bout me. I'm gonna be fine." Hoss gave her a puffy-lipped grin. I was worried 'bout ya, too. Ya seemed awful scared and upset the other day."

Concern flooded Sally's face. "Did you hear everything I said?"

"I heard ya prayin' and singin'. You sing real purty and I 'ppreciate ya sayin' a prayer fur me. See yur prayers have bin answered. I'm gettin' better every day. Mebbe you could sing fur me agin some time. I'd really like that." Sally looked at Hoss wondering how he could be so optimistic after being injured so severely. "Have you thought any more 'bout what I asked ya?"

"I've been thinking about it a lot. I'm afraid, Hoss. Are you sure?"

"Aww Sally I know I ain't at all like the man you probly thought you'd marry some-"

"No Hoss! No! It's not you! It's me! I'm afraid you won't be happy with me."

"How could I not be happy with ya? You're sweet, an' purty, an' ya got a good heart an' on top of all that, you kin cook!" Despite the seriousness of their conversation, Sally laughed. "Sally, I know ya got lots of questions 'bout the future that I cain't answer; so here's the one's I kin. I love ya, Sally, an' I'll love ya for all my days, and I'll take care o' ya and do my level best ta make ya happy. I ain't perfect and you ain't perfect, but iffn we pledge ta work together, things 'ill work out. I know it's probly a lot ta ask ya ta trust me, but I sure hope ya will."

"I do trust you, Hoss." Sally bowed her head and silently prayed for guidance from above.

Hoss waited patiently sensing this was their moment of truth. Moments later, she looked directly into Hoss' expectant blue eyes and said "yes" with as much confidence as she could muster. He reached out and she placed her hand in his.