Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bonanza nor any of the original Cartwright characters.

Only thing I can lay claim to is the characters "Mariah", "Jacob" and the old man "Jim"...along with the storyline.

For Jacob's Sake

Chapter Eleven

SCENE NINETEEN

While the wind was blowing fiercely though the trees the rain had not quite started to fall. Mariah did not mean to startle Little Joe or Hoss only she did. She could not help but laugh as the two about fell off their horses when she spoke up from behind them, "You have been sitting here ever since I first caught sight of you. What is up?"

Once Little Joe got his heart back in place he pointed up towards a run down medium sized shack that set part way up the hill side, "We saw a gentleman go in there! We were too far back to see if it was him or not! Been tryin' to figer a way to get up there without being seen!" Joe found himself having to raise his voice quite a bit just to be heard over the wind that had just picked up its speed. The last thing they needed was for it to indeed be their man and have him see them coming.!

Mariah's smile spoke volumes. For the first time she was grateful for the storm, "I am going to back track a little! Have you forgotten there is a path way that leads up to the back! What with this wind blowin' and howlin' like it is? Reckon, it will not be long until the rain starts fallin'! Once it starts fallin' hard we can make our move! After all, if it is bad enough it will give us the cover we need!

Little Joe hoped she was right. He wanted to see 'that man' behind bars. Actually, he'd love to string him up with a rope but then he'd be the one behind bars. He sort of liked his freedom!

0Oo

"Adam!" In his delirious state Ben cried out, " must save him...had to be Mr. Jones..." Perspiration slid off Ben's forehead as he went to mumbling and stirring around. His head moved from one side to another but his eyes remained closed.

Adam put his hand on his father's shoulder, "I am here, pa, I am okay. Everyone that is available is out looking for our 'friend'." He bit off the last word in sarcasm. The sound of his son's voice seemed to settle him down a bit though Ben continued to mumble for a few more minutes.

Seeing his father's worried look Little Jacob spoke up, "Grandpa's gonna to be alright, pa. I just know it," he then slid off the bed and walked over to his father's side, "I just...I still do not understand why that bad man had to shoot him."

Adam's heart went out to his son. How was he supposed to explain the events that led up to the shooting without making his son feel like it 'was all his fault'. That idea was one that should never be entertained by an innocent child. Putting his hand on Little Jacob's shoulder Adam gave him a weak smile, "Whether or not we like it there a lot of people in the world who are not exactly thinking the way they should be. Mr. Jones is one of them."

Little Jacob didn't like it. Climbing onto his father's lap he laid his head against Adam's shoulder, "I was gonna go read a book but I think I want to stay with you and Grandpa instead."

Adam held him close, listened to the wind outside and said nothing.

SCENE TWENTY

"You eat! You da ya pa no good!" Hop Sing put the food down in front of Adam. Melinda had insisted her brother in law let her take over 'for a spell'. Now he sat at the table looking into space.

Adam picked up his fork and watched Hop Sing disappear into the kitchen. He did his best to eat only he didn't seem to have much of an appetite. His head told himself not to be taking any blame where there wasn't any; his heart was fighting it.

"Ya not eatin' Mista Adam! I tell ya it is no good! Food will get cold! Cold food bad! Ya make yerself sick!" Hop Sing reprimanded him once again.

"Hop Sing is right, pa," Little Jacob got up from the couch and walked over to his father, "Please, eat. Please do not go getting ill." he rested his small hand on his father's arm.

Adam shook his head and began eating. Hop Sing he could handle but the look of fear in his son's eyes he could not. Guess he could make sure the lad had one less thing he thought he needed to worry about.

0o0

The rain had begun to fall by the time Mariah reached a point where she could see the back of the shack. Thank goodness there was no windows on the back of it. She was grateful to see a clump of trees not that far away where she sat; it would give her horse cover. That is, if lightening and thunder didn't decide to show up. She might find herself walking if that happened.

With the rain coming down quite hard Mr. Jones sat at the table looking at the papers he'd forged. He was furious. He'd gotten up on that roof unseen and was positioned in such a way as to ensure no one saw him-or so he thought. Now, instead of getting the land he so desperately wanted, he was wanted for either attempted murder on 'the old man'-or murder if Mr. Cartwright actually died.

To think this whole blasted thing started years ago in a small town in Australia. The mines his family and Aunt Jane had produced enough profit that it wasn't money that drove them to con people: more of the 'adventure of it'. Then one day the law caught on to 'Aunt Jane. She had then run from Australia leaving the Jones the promise she'd find land 'rich in minerals' , send for them and give them a portion of the profits. Only, she never did.

Due to circumstances that arose in their lives his family was not able to investigate the matter until he himself got old enough to leave home. When he came the first time to America and discovered how much the woman had changed and what she had put in her will he was furious. The fact that she constantly moved around had turned out to work against him. Time and time he'd set his mind on tracking her down and forcing her to change the thing. However, the only thing he ever 'caught up with' was her headstone. While it entered his head to kill this 'Mariah'-he didn't know where she was-nor had he been successful in finding out until there was a grandson to think about.

He should have just went after the woman and the boy in the first place! He threw the papers down on the table. With his mind on his problem and the storm raging outside the man didn't hear the footstep at the side of the shack; nor did he see the eyes looking in through the side of the window.