(Part 1)
Adam Cartwright, eldest of the three sons of the owner of the Ponderosa ranch, was not in a good mood. It was early morning and he was leaving for the high ranges to the north to check on the herd there. He had already prepared his bedroll, and had loaded food for several days into his saddlebags.
He was in a bad mood because he did not believe that his trip was truly necessary. His father, Ben, had told him to go and look at the herd prior to selling it to the army quartermasters, but this was a job that could just as well be done by any of the experienced ranch hands. Adam felt that his father did not always appreciate him, did not always use his talents to the best effect, but took it for granted that some day he would take over the running of the ranch. He already assisted his father with the day to day business, and negotiated and finalised contracts, but then his father would send him out on jobs like this one, which Adam considered to be a waste of his time. He decided that when they were again both at home he would have it out with Ben. He had a few days to think about what he wanted to say, which was just as well as he knew there would be hard words said on both sides and Adam wanted to have his arguments well prepared beforehand.
He was crossing from the house to the barn when he heard the sound of horses approaching, he paused and looked up to see three riders coming towards the house. They pulled up in front of Adam and sat looking expectantly at him.
“Can I help you?” he asked impatiently, frustrated with this interruption, and just wanting to get away and get the job over with.
The trio comprised an older man and two much younger, and it was the elder who replied: “I am looking for Ben Cartwright.”
Adam came to stand beside the man on his horse, but was looking towards the barn and thinking of his horse, Sport, waiting patiently for him.
“He’s not here and won’t be back until tonight.”
“And who are you?” asked the older man. Looking down he saw a tall, dark haired, well built young man dressed all in black.
“I’m Adam Cartwright, his son.” Adam stated, looking up at the man, not really concentrating, expecting these three to leave and, perhaps, return tomorrow. He just wanted to get rid of them and get away.
The man looked at Adam and could see the intelligence in the dark eyes. A new plan was forming in his mind, knowing this was the son of the man he was looking for. But he realised that he would have to be careful with this one, not give him an inch, or he could ruin everything.
Adam was aware that something in the man’s attitude had changed, though he could never be quite sure what it was that alerted him to the transformation. Adam took a step backward, as the man drew his gun and aimed straight at him.
“This gives me an idea,” he said sharply, “get his gun.” This last directed to the younger men, who dismounted and came round behind Adam. The man holding the gun also dismounted, at the same time indicating that Adam should unbuckle his gun belt and hand it over. Adam slowly undid the belt and held it out towards the man who automatically reached forward, and as he did so Adam brought it round in a sweeping move that caught the gunman on the side of the head. Without waiting to see if he recovered Adam turned on the other two. He sent down the larger of the two young men with a blow driven partly by the impetus of his turn and partly by desperation, but this had allowed the third time to realise what was happening. He now faced Adam, who aimed a blow at the young man’s head but was off balance and the blow did not have the force behind it that would have taken him out. Instead the youth stepped forwards threatening to attack Adam, who stepped back preparing to defend himself, unaware that the older man had recovered, picked up a piece of fire wood from the stack on one side of the yard, and was coming up behind him. Adam felt a tremendous blow in the back and fell to his knees as he lost all strength in his legs. The youngster that Adam had knocked down came up in front of him and aimed a blow at his head. Adam collapsed to the ground and lay there dazed, knowing that he ought to get up, but before he was able to move the same youth kicked him hard, twice. Adam grunted as he felt several of his ribs crack and could only lie there waiting for what else might come.
“That’s enough. Save it for later.” Ordered the older man.
It occurred to Adam to wonder what it was that these men wanted. They had come looking for his father but had seemed pleased when they found Adam instead. And ‘save it for later’ did not sound promising. What would have happened if his father had been here, would it have been better, or worse?
“Get up!” This from the older man, who had retrieved his gun from where he had dropped it when Adam attacked him. He was the apparent leader of the trio, who could have been father and sons. Adam groaned and moved his legs experimentally. It seemed that they were working so he got slowly to his knees, and then to his feet and stood swaying slightly, arms clasped tightly across his chest. “What…what is it you want?” he said between painful breaths.
“Revenge.” stated the man, and Adam could detect a cold glint in the eyes, which were looking at him consideringly. “Get inside, now.”
Adam walked slowly into the house. In the large sitting room he turned to see the men enter behind him and look round.
“Is anyone else in the house?” The older man demanded, looking alert as if he expected someone else to appear in the room.
“No one.” Adam said reluctantly. “Are you going to tell me… what you want?” Breathing was still painful, and he was trying to take short, shallow breaths
The older man ignored him and looked around the room. He seemed satisfied and, while still covering Adam with his gun, went up the stairs to where they formed a half landing. “Tom, bring him over here. Jesse go get a rope.”
Tom, who was well muscled and with a constant look of belligerence, pulled his gun and, pointing it at Adam, indicated that he should move to a position below where the man was standing. There the stairs formed a low wall with the banister rail on the top of it. Adam thought about resisting but Tom was too far away so he went to stand with his back to the wall as Tom indicated. Meanwhile Jesse went outside and quickly returned with the rope and went up the stairs and gave it to the man, who cut a length off it.
“Put your hands up.” Ordered Tom and Adam slowly complied. He went cold as he thought for a moment that Tom was going to shoot him, but then his wrists were held from above. When he realised what was about to happen, and despite the pain from his ribs, Adam fought to get away, but Tom came up to him and jabbed the gun into his stomach and pulled back the hammer. Adam stopped struggling, he knew that if he jogged Tom’s hand the gun might go off and there was no doubt it would kill him. He looked down at the gun and then at Tom, who stared back with a look of hatred that Adam could not understand. As far as he knew he had never seen these men before and they had no call to hate him. Meanwhile he felt the rope being fastened round each of his wrists and soon found that he was tied securely and could not lower his arms. He looked up to see that the rope was wound round the banister rail and tied so that his hands were held just above his head, but two feet apart. In this position Adam could feel his broken ribs move with every breath.
The man came back down the stairs and stood facing him.
“When will your father be home?” he demanded.
Adam was feeling the effects of the battering he had taken since these men had appeared so he was not sure, but he thought that he had told them that his father would be back later that night. He had not been paying much attention to the conversation and it seemed that this man had forgotten too. His father appeared to play an important part in what was happening. They said they wanted revenge, but for what and against whom, Adam could only guess. Since it seemed to involve his father, Adam decided that it would be best if they didn’t know exactly when he would be home.
“I’m not sure,” he said, “it might not be until tomorrow.”
Tom came to stand in front of Adam. “When we arrived you said that he would be home tonight,” and with this Tom hit him with a blow to his stomach. Adam doubled over as far as the ropes holding his wrists would allow and tried to drag air into his lungs in shallow breaths, the pain in his side threatening to overwhelm him.
“So, shall we try again? When will your father be home?” the man demanded. Adam straightened up and looked hard at these men who had invaded his life, but his eyes did not want to focus, and his head was swimming.
“OK,” he said, forcing the words out between clenched teeth, “he’ll be back…tonight.”
“What time tonight?”
“I don’t know,” said Adam still trying to be as vague as possible, then he saw Tom clench his fists so he added “Before dark.”
“Then all we have to do is wait.” And with that the man stretched out on the large sofa opposite the fireplace. “Keep an eye on him.” He instructed the two young men, and he closed his eyes and gave every appearance of going to sleep.
Adam waited for his head to clear. He was thinking that this was his chance to influence both, or either, of the two youths and despite the discomfort in his ribs tried to make his voice calm and persuasive. He took a couple of steadying breaths. “Why do you have to do everything this man tells you, don’t you have minds of your own? Can’t you see that he is leading you into deep trouble?”
It was Jesse who turned to reply to Adam’s questions. “This man, as you call him, happens to be our father, and we do what he tells us, when he is right. He explains what he is going to do and he allows us to follow him or not as we choose, and this time he wants revenge and we decided he’s right. I’m sorry that you’ve got involved, but Pa’s determined to get some satisfaction.” Jesse was smaller than his brother in every way. Where Tom seemed to react instinctively to a situation, hitting out at anything that got in his way, Jesse was more thoughtful and at the moment seemed uncomfortable with the violence that they had brought to this house.
“But what is he going to do, why is he so determined to wait for my father, what do you want with him?” asked Adam, who was taken aback by the certainty of Jesse’s reply. Was this the kind of relationship that Adam wanted with his father? Was that why the reply had unsettled him? Did Ben explain his actions and then let the boys decide for themselves, or did he make decisions and expect them to follow him? Adam would usually follow where his father led, but what would happen if he didn’t?
Tom interrupted Adam’s train of thought. “He will explain all when the time is right, until then I suggest that you keep quiet, unless you want me to shut you up.” His fists were bunched, ready to strike out, and Adam decided he’d better stop trying to get any information from either man and wait for a more opportune time. He was concerned about what his father was going to walk into when he got home, but there seemed nothing he could do about it at the moment. Adam tried to relax to conserve his strength, which was not what it had been a while ago, and he said no more.
The house fell into a state of quiet expectancy. Adam was perplexed that only a few minutes ago he had been going to ride out to the herd, a quiet few days in prospect, time for thought and reflection, indeed that was the only good thing about the trip. He had been mad at his father and determined to sort out exactly where he stood with him. And now here he was, bruised and hurting, but he had absolutely no idea why. The invaders waiting for one man, Adam desperate to find a way to thwart them before that man appeared. But the pain from his ribs clouded his thinking and he could see no way to get these men to give up their plan, whatever it was. And all the time Adam was thinking about escape. He attempted to get his hands together so that he could free his wrists, but they were tied far enough apart so that, no matter how hard Adam tried, he could not get his hands close enough to reach the rope. He stopped straining and reconciled himself to wait for whatever was to come, but he was ready to take any opportunity that presented itself to get away.
The three men ate lunch, not offering anything to Adam, and spent the afternoon looking round the house, or talking together in quiet tones so that Adam could not hear what they were saying. Sometimes one of them would sit down in the living room if he found a book or other item that he was interested in. But all the time they ignored Adam, not replying if he spoke to them and not looking at him, ignoring his existence altogether. At one point Adam asked for a drink of water, but Jesse just stared at him and turned away. Adam began to feel the strain of standing still for so long and his back ached where the man had hit him. He was also growing increasingly tired and hungry, but there was nothing he could do about either of those feelings. It was early evening when he heard hoof beats far off but coming nearer. His stomach turned over as he realised that his father was nearly home, now he would find out what this was all about, but he had a good idea that neither of them was going to find it pleasant.
Ben Cartwright had been to Carson City on business and was eager to get home and out of the saddle. It had been a long and not particularly successful trip. The buyers he had gone to see were not interested in paying the price he asked, and Ben knew the value of his cattle and was not going to lower his price too far just to make a sale.
Ben slowed his horse as he approached the house, dismounted and led it into the barn ready to put the horse to rest before he relaxed himself. It was getting dark outside but he did not bother lighting a lamp in the barn. He knew well the interior and led his horse unerringly into its stall. He was tired and not paying any attention to the darker reaches of the barn, so it was not until he had installed the horse and was preparing to leave the building that he looked round for a final check to see all settled for the night. It was then that he saw Adam’s horse in its stall, saddled and apparently ready to leave.
He started out of the barn ready to confront his eldest son about why he had not left for the high ranges hours ago, as they had arranged. It was a job which, Ben knew, Adam thought should be done by the ranch hands, but after a lengthy and heated discussion they had agreed that Adam should go, and already he had wasted a day. Had Adam decided not to go, in defiance of his father? Then why had he left his horse saddled? No, Adam wouldn’t do that, he must have decided to leave later than they agreed. Adam was sometimes very strong willed, which Ben recognised as a valuable trait in the man he hoped would take over the running of the Ponderosa, but he had never openly defied his father in this way before. Ben had told Adam that he wanted him to look over the herd, and however much Adam did not want the job Ben expected to be obeyed by his sons, not unquestioningly, without thought, but because they respected his judgement. So he now walked towards the house expecting a confrontation with his eldest son, which he could well do without at this time of night.
It may have been because he was angry with Adam and only thinking about the coming argument, that he did not see the three horses standing quietly to one side of the yard. So he was unprepared for what he found as he opened the door. The scene before him stopped his heart for a moment and the blood drained from his face; it was so far from what he expected. The first thing he saw was Adam by the stairs with his hands tied, a man standing to one side of him with a gun pointed at his head, another man on the other side, his hand over Adam’s mouth and a gun rammed into his throat. Then he saw another, older man standing in front of the fireplace.
“What…?” Ben was speechless, totally disoriented by what he saw.
“Good evening,” said the man, “Ben Cartwright, I presume.”
“Yes.”
“At last. We’ve been waiting for you since early this morning. Now we can get on.”
While the man was talking the two younger men had stepped away from Adam’s side. Ben was looking at Adam and could tell that he was in pain. He went over to him. “Are you hurt?” Ben enquired anxiously.
“Just some cracked ribs,” Adam said calmly, “I’m all right.” He lowered his voice so that only Ben should hear him. “Be careful with that one,” he said nodding towards Tom, “he likes to use his fists.”
Ben rounded on the older man. “So, what do you want here?”
“My name is Jake Tattersall, my youngest son was Luke Tattersall.”
He said this as though he expected Ben to recognise the names, and it was clear from his reaction that he did.
“I’m sorry about your son but he brought it on himself. He was lucky to get away with five years, he would have been hanged if the teller had died.”
“Lucky, huh? They sent him to the state prison; do you know what that is like? It has the lowest of the low. Decent people can’t survive there. And Luke was decent and he could not survive. He died two weeks ago.”
“Decent people don’t rob banks. I’m sorry about Luke, but what do you want here?” Ben asked, but with a sinking feeling that he already knew the answer to that question.
“Revenge for Luke.” Jake said bitterly. He went to stand in front of Adam, who just stared back at him. Jake turned again to Ben “I came here to kill you but when we met your son I had a better idea. As I saw my youngest son suffer so I will make your son suffer, and you can watch as I had to watch.”
Ben listened with growing alarm. Adam looked shocked, but his chin went up in defiance and he looked towards his father. “Pa, don’t worry about me.” Suddenly he realised the implication of what he had heard. He looked straight into his father’s eyes willing him to understand; “Just because I’m your youngest son doesn’t mean that these people scare me.”
Ben looked at his son and a wave of emotion poured through him. He remembered his feelings as he walked towards the house a few minutes earlier, expecting a confrontation with a recalcitrant son who was only concerned with what he wanted to do. And here he was faced with that same son, who was reassuring his father that he could face whatever was to come. At the same time, Ben realised, Adam had thought about Little Joe and Hoss and what it would mean if these men found out that Ben had other, younger sons than Adam. Ben thought that he had never loved and respected Adam more than at that moment, and he did not contradict him.
“Brave words,” said Jake looking at Adam. It had just occurred to him to ask which son this was and now it seemed he had the answer, and even better, the answer he wanted. He would have been prepared to wait for Cartwright’s youngest son to appear but now he did not have to. It obviously did not strike him as strange that Ben’s youngest should be called Adam, a name usually given to a man’s first born. “But we’re not here to scare either of you. Its very simple really, I just want your father to appreciate what he did to my son, by watching it happen to you.” He pointed at Ben and spoke to Tom and Jesse, “Tie him to that chair.” indicating a very solid looking chair behind the big desk in the office alcove.
Jake pulled out his gun and aimed it at Ben, who started to walk slowly towards the office. As he reached the corner of the desk he turned unexpectedly and hit out at Jesse, who was following close behind him. Jesse hit the floor with a thud and Ben turned on Tom, ready to take him on as well.
“That’s enough,” shouted Jake. Ben looked up and saw Jake holding the gun to Adam’s head. “Unless you want me to finish him now you’ll sit down.” Ben hesitated, so Jake pulled back the hammer of the gun. “It’s your choice.” Said Jake coldly. Ben, knowing that he had no choice, let go of the front of Tom’s shirt and turned back to the desk. “Oh no, not so fast.” Said Tom as he grasped Ben’s shoulder and turned him round and hit him in the stomach. Ben doubled over, gasping, but then straightened as though ready to have another go at Tom.
“Pa, leave it, they’re not worth it.” Adam was concerned that his father should not be more hurt.
Jake pushed the gun harder against Adam’s head, and when he spoke it was with a vicious tone in his voice and a malicious look in his eyes, “What do you mean, ‘not worth it’. You think you are so much better than us, don’t you? Well just think, I’m the one standing here with the gun and you’re the one who can do nothing about it.” With this Jake hit him. Adam tasted blood and his hands bunched into fists as he strained against his bonds, wanting to fight back, but Jake was right, he could do nothing about it.
Jake turned back to Ben, “Now will you sit down?” Ben’s shoulders dropped and he went to sit in the chair behind the desk. “That’s better.” Said Jake and handed the rope to Tom, who tied Ben’s wrists securely to the arms of the chair.
“Go make us something to eat,” Jake told Jesse. “You hungry?” he asked Ben, seeming to put aside Ben’s attack on Jesse and Tom.
“Are you giving Adam anything?” asked Ben who noticed that Adam had not been asked.
“No, Luke was always hungry. Every time I saw him he asked me to bring him food.”
“Then I don’t want anything.”
“Pa,” said Adam, “there’s no point in both of us going hungry.”
“Do you really think that I could sit here and eat in front of you when I know you must be starving. So no, thank you.”
“OK, your loss. Jesse, go get something.” Then Jake cocked his head in Adam’s direction. “Tom, now.” He ordered.
Ben could not for a moment think what this last referred to until Tom went over to Adam and hit him, hard, in the face. Adam’s knees buckled from the unexpected blow, and he took his whole weight on his wrists, jarring his ribs. He groaned and got slowly back to his feet, avoiding his father’s worried gaze. Adam was no lightweight, tall and strongly built as he was, and it felt as though he would pull his arms out of their sockets, and spring more than a few ribs when he collapsed. He was having trouble concentrating on anything other than the pain in his arms and chest, and now he could feel blood oozing from a cut on his cheek. He took a deep, careful breath.
“What…what was that for?” He asked, unable for the moment to think of anything that he or his father might have done to justify the blow.
“Oh, nothing in particular. Luke told me that the guards would beat the inmates just when they felt like it, and no one would stop them. The governor thought that it improved discipline if the prisoners were kept on their toes. So you will find that it happens any time, usually when you least expect it.”
Ben’s eyes narrowed and his wrists strained against the ropes holding him. “You bastards.” He said, his voice a mixture of anger and helplessness. Adam was shocked to hear his father utter such words; he realised how deep were his feelings.
Eventually Jesse came out of the kitchen and the three of them sat down round the table and tucked in greedily to the meal the young man had prepared. Adam could not look at them; he was both hungry and thirsty, having had nothing since the morning. But, of course, these men were not concerned with his comfort. Ben looked intently at Adam trying to give him strength but unable to touch him, it hurt him deeply to see a son of his suffer like this. Adam raised his eyes and met his father’s gaze and smiled to reassure him, and nodded his head trying to convey that he understood that they must not give in to these men who were trying to destroy them.
Ben was feeling totally drained by his inability to help Adam. Jake had been describing to Ben some of the things that Luke had to endure in prison. The filthy conditions, the other inmates, the corrupt guards whom he had had to bribe for even the basic requirements. Occasionally Tom would go over to Adam and hit him, sometimes in the face, sometimes in the stomach, sometimes seeming purposefully to aim at his ribs. All of which was taking its toll on Adam’s strength, and Ben died a little inside every time they hurt his son.
It seemed to Adam that Jake’s attitude was changing with every passing hour. At first he would have said that Jake was very deliberate about what he intended to do, but as time went on he seemed to take greater pleasure in the suffering he was inflicting, both on Adam and on Ben. Now he was standing in front of Ben describing how Luke had been stabbed in a fight in the jail. He was going into graphic detail of the fight and Luke’s injuries. With a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach Ben knew what would follow, and he was proved right as Jesse came out of the kitchen carrying a six-inch boning knife. Ben knew that Hop Sing, his cook and house keeper, kept all his equipment in excellent condition and he was under no illusion about the sharpness of his knives.
Adam could only stare at the knife in Jesse’s hand, his breath coming faster as he looked at the blade, which seemed to occupy his vision totally. He could see nothing else. He knew what was going to happen but could do nothing to prevent it. He had been stabbed once before but that had been in the heat of a fight and it was more as if he had been punched than stabbed, indeed it was not until afterwards that he had realised he was bleeding from the wound. But this man was doing it in cold blood and Adam could only stand and wait for it.
As Jake approached Adam kicked out in frustration and caught him a heavy low on the thigh. Tom stepped forward and hit Adam twice, once on the side of the head and once in the gut. Adam doubled over but he could not ease the pain, nor the worry that eventually Tom was going to do permanent damage to his already injured ribs.
“Do that again and your father gets it instead. Its up to you.”
Adam realised that he and his father were powerless all the time these men could play one of them off against the other. Neither wanted to see the other hurt.
“All right,” he gasped, trying to get air into his lungs, while at the same time trying to move his ribs as little as possible, “don’t… touch… my father.”
Jake approached Adam again and stood in front of him, considering. It seemed as though he might be trying to decide where to strike, or it could have been that he was just trying to prolong the agony of waiting. Adam’s heart was pounding in his chest in expectation of what was to come. Jake seemed to be taking great pleasure in Adam’s discomfort, a small smile catching at the corners of his mouth. Suddenly he drove the knife, almost up to the handle, into Adam’s left thigh.
Ben shouted “NO!” horrified by what he was seeing.
Adam cried out and collapsed as Jake withdrew the knife. As he hung there he felt a sharp shiver of pain go through his body, though his left leg had gone completely numb. Adam knew that soon the pain would come, but in the meantime he was grateful that he felt nothing. Slowly, cautiously, he forced himself to stand on his uninjured right leg. He looked straight at Jake and gave every indication of not caring that he was hurt, though in fact he did not know how long it would be before he found it impossible to stand. Jake didn’t like Adam looking at him so defiantly. He moved closer and held the knife to Adam’s throat, then pressed it against the skin until blood trickled down Adam’s neck. “You want more? That’s fine by me.” Adam carefully shook his head.
As Jake took the knife away Adam looked at him. “Can I have…a drink of water?” he asked. He thought that he already knew the answer but he was heartily sick of these men trying to intimidate him and his father, and he just wanted to show them that he wasn’t afraid of them and that he could not be cowed by them.
“A drink of water? Is that what you want?”
Adam looked steadily at Jake and nodded. Adam was surprised to hear Jake tell Jesse to go to the kitchen and get a glass of water. Jesse soon came back and handed the glass to Jake, who took it and stood in front of Adam, offering it to him. Adam looked longingly at the glass. He had not had anything to eat or drink since breakfast, more than eighteen hours ago, and now his throat was dry and he was having trouble swallowing.
“Well, if you want it take it.” Jake said, holding the glass out towards Adam knowing that with his hands tied there was no way he could hold the glass. “So you can’t want it that much then, eh.” and with that he poured the water over the floor at Adam’s feet. Adam looked at him and pulled savagely against his bonds. A wave of fear washed over him, not fear of Jake or his sons, but fear because he felt such hatred as he had never known before in his life. His was fearful because he realised he was capable of doing the unthinkable. If he had not been securely tied, he knew, he would have torn this man apart with his bare hands.
“Haven’t you done enough?” Demanded Ben desperately. He did not know how either of them was going to survive this experience. He did not know if Adam could survive the physical punishment these men were determined to inflict, but he also did not know if he himself could survive the mental torment of seeing Adam put through this, knowing that it was his actions which had placed them both in this predicament.
“You don’t like seeing your son like this, eh?” sneered Jake, putting the knife down on the desk in front of Ben, who could see that it was red with Adam’s blood. Ben swallowed hard and looked up into Jake’s eyes, which stared back, full of hate. He was leaning across the desk looking down at Ben. “Well I had more than a year of seeing Luke suffer. How do you like it? Perhaps now you realise the consequence of what you did when you caught Luke and turned him over to the law. Perhaps if you had known what it would lead to you would not have done it, perhaps you would have let him go?”
“No.” said Ben with certainty; “no, I would not have let him go. He helped rob that bank and he paid the price. The law is not something that you have at your convenience, to use only when it suits. Many people have paid a high price to uphold that law and if we have to be added to that list then so be it.”
“Brave words, but I wonder if your son would agree.” Jake turned to Adam. “Would you agree with your father?”
“He’s right.” was all Adam said, but it conveyed what he felt.
“You don’t mind that your father’s actions are directly responsible for you being in this position? That he did not for one moment think what they might lead to for other people? It’s all very well being an upright, law-abiding citizen
with high and mighty principles when it doesn’t affect anyone else, but you are here because of the decisions that your father made.”
Adam glanced at his father, who was looking at him intently uncertain how he would answer. Adam was feeling exhausted and just wanted to close his eyes and forget what was happening to him, but it seemed that was not to be. His brain was enveloped in a fog of pain and he was not sure that he would be coherent, but he would try. Adam took a deep breath to steady himself before he answered.
“I am in this position as a direct result of your actions, no one else’s.” Adam said slowly, “ I will back my father’s actions because they are based on decisions he has made after weighing all the facts.” Adam remembered his anger with his father about the decision to send him to look at the herd, but no matter how he felt he would always defend his family against outsiders who threatened them. He took another deep, careful breath and continued; “My father takes decisions based on his principles, which he has instilled in us, and on experience, of which he has far more than we do. I will support those decisions because I know they are made without prejudice and from a sense of what’s right and just. He will not compromise his principles just because they are inconvenient, nor under threat from you or anyone else.”
Somewhere at the back of his mind Adam realised that he had just argued himself into a corner. He could not now berate his father for sending him to look at the herd when he had just stated that his father’s decisions were well taken. He was also somewhat surprised to realise that he really meant what he had said. At the same time he became aware that feeling was returning to his leg and the pain was spreading from hip to knee. He could feel the blood running down his leg and into his boot. Those few sentences had drained him and he said no more.
Ben sat and stared at Adam because he had never heard him talk like this before. His sons tended to do what Ben told them, but he had never thought about how they felt in doing so, or why they did. They were all grown men now, especially Adam who had always been more independent than the others, probably as a result of being so much on his own as a boy. Ben appreciated that Adam followed him out of choice, that if he wanted to go off and make his own life one day he would, but in the meantime something kept him here with his family. Perhaps it was the feeling that his family needed him that stopped him leaving, or perhaps Adam needed his family more than he would admit. He had always been the quiet one, an outsider looking in, seldom joining in his brother’s games as children and even now he would stand aside and observe their horseplay from a distance, not disapproving but indulgent of their antics. Now Ben realised that the two of them were a pair, father and son, with a mutual respect, supporting each other and together they would have to try to overcome whatever these men had planned for them.
Outside it was nearing dawn, another day was beginning. Inside the house Ben was standing, staring in disbelief at Jake Tattersall. Jake had eventually released Ben so that he could bandage the wound in Adam’s thigh. Ben suspected that it was only because he did not want Adam to bleed to death before he got his revenge, but whatever the reason Ben was glad to be able to do it.
“You can’t be serious, you can’t mean it!” Ben was almost speechless at what was being suggested.
Jake had been telling them how Luke had been sentenced to fifty lashes for stealing some bread from the kitchen. Jake had been to visit him two days after the sentence had been carried out and was shocked to see the result of the beating. Luke had never recovered, and in the end it was blood poisoning from the flogging that had killed him.
“Oh, but I do.” Insisted Jake. “But I’ll make a bargain with you, do it and we leave. Whatever you may think of me, I am a man of my word.”
Ben looked at Adam, who seemed equally taken aback but was perhaps in a better position to be objective, to see that this might be the only way out and he was willing to take it.
“Do it, Pa. He will kill me if you don’t.” said Adam with a sudden certainty.
Ben went to stand near Adam, he did not want the Tattersalls to hear their discussion, and they seemed prepared to stand back and wait for the outcome.
“You don’t know what you’re saying. Do you realise what could happen? The state you’re in I might kill you.” Ben shook his head, “I can’t do it, I can’t take that chance. Never.” He whispered desperately.
“Yes, you can. Listen to me.” Adam was trying to speak reasonably, though he felt far from reasonable at that moment. But he had to convince his father that this was the right thing to do, however difficult it would be for them both, especially for his father.
“I’m willing to take the risk because I can’t see any other way to get these men to leave, can you? And if you don’t do it one of them will, and I would rather it was you, at least I would know it was not being done through any sense of malice. I know how you must feel, you have never laid a hand on any of us,” Adam looked sideways at his father, “at least not when it wasn’t deserved. You need not feel guilty about it. I’m telling you now that I forgive you, that whatever happens from now on is not your fault, this is my decision, my responsibility.” Adam did not add that he might not be in a position to forgive later, but Ben understood. “All you have to do is agree. We’re both equally involved in this, but I think I get the casting vote, don’t you?” at that moment he gave his father a small smile of encouragement. When he saw that smile Ben’s heart ached with a deep love for his son, and he knew he could not hurt him as they were suggesting. But if he didn’t would they kill Adam anyway? Was the only way to save his life to do as they said? But if he did he might kill Adam. The arguments went round and round in his head until he felt as though he could not think, because thinking meant making a decision. A decision either way would mean hurting his son, possibly killing him and Ben knew he could not do that, but if he didn’t…
“Pa, you said that sometimes there was a price to be paid for upholding the law. If those were not just words, if you truly believe what you said then we must be willing to pay for that law, and perhaps this is our price.” Adam stopped. He was feeling light headed from loss of blood which was exacerbated by his need for water. He really did not have the strength to say more, he hoped it would be enough.
Ben looked at him, then at Jake, Tom and Jesse. It seemed that he was at a loss to know what to do. He stood for a long time looking from them to Adam and back again.
“Very well.” Ben said the words as though they were being forced from him.
Jake nodded at Jesse who went outside to the horses and returned with a bullwhip. Tom went up to Adam and turned him round so that his back was towards them. Then he took the knife from the desk and slit open the back of Adam’s shirt exposing the skin. Jesse gave the whip to Jake who handed it to Ben.
“Any time you’re ready. Just fifty, that’s how many they gave to Luke.”
Ben stood looking down at the whip in his hand. He was trying to disassociate himself from what was happening but without any success. He walked over to Adam, who turned his head to look straight into his father’s eyes.
“Do it, Pa.”
“Are you sure.”
“Yes. You must, for both of us. Even if they are lying and don’t leave at least we will have tried. It could be our only chance, we must take it.” Adam lowered his voice, “I have heard that it is the waiting between strokes that is the worst, so do it as quickly as you can.”
Ben nodded, walked away a few paces, and turned. He raised the whip and hit his son squarely across the back. Adam’s head snapped back, his whole body tensed and he gasped in surprise at the pain. Ben stopped. He saw the agony on Adam’s face, and his arm would not move to deliver the next blow.
“I can’t do this, not to my own son.” Ben turned to Jake determined not to continue. He was pleading with Jake to stop the beating, but it was Tom who decided the issue. He went over to Adam with his gun drawn and jammed it into Adam’s throat and pulled back the hammer. Adam choked and tried to turn his head away but Tom just leant harder on the gun until breathing, which for Adam had been painful but simple, became impossible.
“Would you like me to shoot him instead? It’s up to you.”
Ben shook his head, returned to his position and prepared to continue. He realised that he was caught in an impossible situation. But he also realised that the old saying ‘where there’s life there’s hope’ was never more relevant than at this moment.
“Adam…” he started to say.
Adam coughed as Tom took the gun away. “Pa, I know.” His voice was hoarse. “Can we just get on with it.” While Adam didn’t want to go through what was to come, if he had to do it he wanted to get it over with. The anticipation of what was about to happen was almost unbearable, but Adam knew that soon Hoss and Little Joe would be back from town and he did not want to think what might happen when Tattersall found out he had been lied to. He just wanted them out of the house as soon as possible he knew that it was possibly the only way to get rid of these men, if they could be relied on to keep their word, which was by no means certain.
Before Adam knew what was happening another blow struck him, and then another. Tied as he was his arms were crossed in front of his head, stretching the skin of his back, so that as the whip bit into him it felt as though he was being torn apart. He began to feel that nothing existed outside the whiplashes landing on his back. They took over his entire being and he was aware of nothing else, he was not conscious of the knife wound in his leg or of the pain of his broken ribs. All was drowned out by the greater pain, which sent waves of agony through every nerve each time a blow landed. He realised that his legs were beginning to lose the ability to hold him up. He heard Jake say “Seventeen, eighteen,” but the words meant nothing to Adam whose entire world existed now only in the pain in his body. He was not aware of the men who had come to ruin his family, he was not aware of the torture his father was going through.
Jake was sitting on the corner of the desk and staring intently at Ben, studying his face for any reaction. It was as though this was the culmination of all the planning he had put into his revenge, and he wanted to savour every moment of it. He was completely indifferent to the effect it was having on Adam, instead he sat fascinated by what it was doing to Ben, whose stony expression could not hide his true feelings and said more to Jake than any words. He took satisfaction from the fact that Ben was obviously feeling every stroke as though it was he who was taking the beating not giving it. This was what Jake wanted, to see Ben Cartwright endure the torture of seeing his son suffer, as Jake had had to watch his son, and to be helpless to stop it.
“You’re going too fast, slow down.” Ordered Jake. Ben ignored him and continued at a regular pace, remembering what Adam had said about the time between strokes. Jake went up to Ben and held his arm as he raised it for the next blow.
“If you don’t slow down we will have to add a few more, is that what you want? No, I didn’t think so.”
Ben adjusted his speed but still tried to make the strokes regular so that Adam would know when to expect them. However Adam was far past understanding what was happening to him. His legs were unable to hold him up any longer and he had collapsed, taking all his weight on his wrists and arms. He was now completely oblivious to everything except the wracking pain coming from his back and spreading throughout his body. “Thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight.” The count went on.
“Forty nine, fifty. That’s enough.” Said Jake. Ben stopped and looked down at the whip in his hand. He opened his fingers as though he had suddenly found he was holding a deadly snake, and the whip dropped to the floor with a clatter. He stood, unable to make himself move when all he could see was Adam, who had collapsed almost to his knees, only the rope round his wrists holding him off the floor.
“Sit down.” Ordered Jake. Tom went behind Ben and pushed him towards the chair. Ben, unresisting, sat down and Tom again took the rope and tied him securely, this time tying his ankles to the legs of the chair as well.
“Now how do you feel?” Jake asked but got no reaction. He went round the desk and stood in front of Ben and repeated the question. Still he got no reaction so he hit Ben with the back of his hand. Ben slowly raised his head and looked Jake in the eye.
“Now how do you feel?” Jake asked again. “Now you know what it means to see your son abused, as I had to stand by and see it happen to Luke.”
“They didn’t make you do it, though, did they.” Ben looked towards Adam, then back to Jake, “Let me help him.” Ben’s voice was subdued, almost a monotone. He was becoming totally divorced from reality as a deep depression settled over him and he felt cold and empty inside.
“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen now. We are going to leave, as I said I am a man of my word. I am satisfied that I have made you see just what you did to me and my family. You and your son will have to live with the knowledge of what you have done to him, I don’t suppose that he will ever really forgive you, this will always be between you. Every time he looks at you he will remember. Every time his back aches in the winter he will think of what you did to him.” Jake was enjoying this opportunity to hammer into Ben’s mind the rift that he hoped he had formed in this family. Why should the Cartwrights enjoy stability and togetherness when Jake had lost it all. When Luke died Jake felt that his other sons blamed him for it, for not protecting him better, well now this family would feel the same. Ben Cartwright had been unable to protect his son, and even sweeter to Jake was the fact that Ben had been forced to administer some of Jake’s revenge himself.
“You will stay tied up here until someone finds you. Adam must take his chances. If someone comes in time, then he may be all right, if not…” Jake shrugged his shoulders. “Well, if not, then he will have paid the price for your mistake.” Jake turned to Tom and Jesse, “Get ready, we’re leaving.”
The boys started looking round the house. They locked the rear doors and put out all the lights including those in the sitting room. When they left the house would seem deserted. Tom came over to the desk and picked up the knife. “I think I’d better take care of this, don’t you?”
He checked that Ben was securely tied, then went over to Adam and checked the ropes holding him. Some remnant of pity must have been lurking beneath the surface in Jesse as he went up the stairs and adjusted the rope that bound Adam so that he sank to his knees, saving his wrists from taking all his weight. His chin was on his chest and his head was against the wall, he was unconscious.
Jake and his boys went to the front door. “Remember next time the consequences of your actions.” And with that they left.
Go to Part 2 of “Consequences Unforeseen”
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