Ben's Trouble

By Tennessee

Adam heard yelling in the barn, and when he opened the door he saw Ben and a man fighting.

Shocked, he stuttered, "W-what's g-going on, Pa?" He saw a woman standing near one corner.

"Never mind, son!" Ben shouted. "You have work to do. Stay outside!"

Adam stepped back. He heard more yelling and went to get Hop Sing, asking him to ride to town and get help.

Hop Sing rode to town and told Big Dan that Ben needed help.

Adam heard Ben yelling again, and he ran into the barn. He saw his father on the barn floor with the man towering over him. The man looked at him. "If you won't listen to me, then your son can marry my sister."

Ben shouted, "Run, Adam!"

Adam's eyes widened. The man moved to hit Ben again. Adam whirled and ran for the woods. He heard the man behind him and knew he was looking for him. He ran farther, into the dense pines.

The man gave up his search and returned to the barn, his anger growing. He hit Ben again. "If you won't marry my sister, then one of your sons will!"

Ben heard horses and knew the sound meant Little Joe and Hoss were nearing the house. Ben tried to yell to them but could not. Adam had circled back toward the house and heard his brothers voices. He ran to where he could see them and yelled for them to run. They kicked their horses into a run as the man came out of the barn and ran toward them. Hoss was able to kick him and knock him down.

As they rode away from the house, Hoss asked, "Adam, who is that?"

"I don't know but we have to help Pa. He's in the barn and the man is beating him up. Something about Pa not marrying his sister. We have to get to him."

Adam and Hoss snuck toward the barn. The man was still yelling at Ben, and the girl was crying. "Al stop!" was all the brothers could make out.

Hoss whispered, "Adam." He pointed. "There's a loose board on the back of the barn. I was meaning to fix it. We could climb through there."

Adam nodded. "Good idea."

Little Joe watched from the woods as his brothers ran behind the barn. They moved the board aside and climbed through the opening very quietly. Little Joe wanted to distract the man so he yelled, "Over here!"

Al looked up and ran after him, but Adam and Hoss lunged toward him and grabbed him. "I got him, Adam," Hoss said. "Go help Pa."

Adam ran to Ben. "Pa? Pa? It's Adam."

Ben opened his eyes and smiled. Little Joe ran into the barn. Tears formed in his eyes when he saw Ben's injuries.

Adam said, "Little Joe, we need to help Pa into the house."

Big Dan and Hop Sing rode up outside. Big Dan jumped off his horse and helped Hoss hold Al. He saw the woman and asked who she was.

"I guess she's his sister," Adam said as he and Little Joe helped Ben into the house.

Big Dan directed Al and his sister to the kitchen table.

"Who are they, Pa?" Adam whispered to Ben.

"I knew them when I was a year younger than Hoss. I went with her. Then her brother thought we should marry. But we didn't and then we lost touch. I met your ma and we fell in love. Help me up, Adam. I've got to talk to him."

Ben walked slowly into the kitchen and pointed at Al. "I want you off the Ponderosa and out of town. If you're not gone by tomorrow, I'll press charges. Is that clear?"

Al nodded.

"Lynn and I were friends, but I was never in love with her and she was never in love with me."

Lynn didn't meet his gaze. "I'm sorry, Ben. I tried to tell Al that."

"I never want to see either of you again. Now get off my land."

Lynn looked at her brother. "I told you. I'm going to marry Tommy, and I don't care if you don't like it."

"I just wanted you to marry a good man," Al said.

Ben's eyes darkened. "That's not true. You just wanted the Ponderosa. You knew if we married, the Ponderosa would go to Lynn one day. Well, you'll never get it, Al. The Ponderosa is our home."

Big Dan hauled Al and Lynn to town and put them on the next stagecoach east.

Ben told the boys how happy he was that they worked together to help him. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you boys."

"I'm glad you married Adam's ma and not that lady," Little Joe said.

"I loved all your mothers," Ben said. "I see all three of them in you. I never could have married a person like Lynn."

Ben never saw Al or Lynn again.

The End