Gunman at the Ponderosa

By Tennessee

Adam was reading a book on a sunny day and did not hear anyone ride up until a voice said, "I’m looking for Adam Cartwright."

Adam got up and said, "I'm Adam. How can I help you?"

The girl who had spoken looked sad. She started to cry.

Adam said, "It's all right. Just tell me your name."

"Amy," she said.

"Hello, Amy."

"My ma met you one time. You called her Barb."

"Oh yes, I remember when Barb passed through town. How is she?"

"I don't know. My pa ran off with me. I haven't seen my ma in a long time."

Adam asked, "How old are you?"

"Ten," she said. "Ma told me one time that if I was in trouble and close to the Ponderosa, I should stop and talk to you."

Adam saw someone riding fast. "Amy," he said, "we need to hide you and your horse."

She followed Adam. He closed the barn door when the rider got closer. "Hide behind the hay, Amy," he said. "Don't come out until I come for you, okay?"

"Adam . . . "

"It will be okay. Don't make any noise." He went out of the barn as the rider came up.

The man demanded, "Where is she?"

Adam asked, "Who are you?"

"Never mind who I am. Where is she?"

"I don't know who you are talking about. No one is here."

The man got mad and was going to get off his horse when Ben rode up.

"Hello," Ben said, "who are you?"

The man gave Adam a look and rode off. Ben asked, "Adam, what is going on, son?"

The man was still watching them.

Adam said, "I don't know, Pa," before directing Ben into the barn. Adam hooked the large door. "Amy, come on out."

Amy came out and Adam introduced her. "Pa this is Amy, Barb's girl."

"Nice to meet you," Ben said.

Adam saw tears in Amy's eyes. Amy said, "He'll be back. When he comes, he'll hit me."

"What do you mean he'll hit you?"

"He does. All the time."

Ben said, "Your pa should not hit you."

Amy said, "He gave me a black eye once."

Adam asked, "Where is your ma now, do you know?"

"No. I was asleep but then I heard them fighting. Pa grabbed me and said ma did not want to be with us. Ma was crying at the table and Pa told her I was going with him. That is the last time I saw Ma." Tears were rolling down her face.

Adam said, "If she told you to come to me then she will show up here. Let's go in the house."

They walked to the house.

Little Joe and Hoss were coming home from school and saw a man watching the house. They rode as fast as they could to the house. "Pa! Pa!" they yelled.

Ben ran to the front door.

"Some man was watching the house, Pa," Hoss said. "He had a mad look on his face."

Ben called to them, "Get off your horses and come inside."

About that time, they heard a gunshot, and they hit the ground. Ben said, "Stay low, boys. Crawl into the house. Adam, bring me my gun, but stay low."

Adam told Amy, "Stay on the floor and don't move." He got Ben's gun and crawled to where Ben was. Little Joe and Hoss made it in the door. Ben started shooting at the man, and the man shot back.

"If you don't send Amy out, you'll be sorry. Do you hear me? You'll be sorry!"

Ben said, "Hoss, you and Adam get your rifles loaded."

"Yes, Pa."

"Hop Sing, you lock the back down. Put something in front of the door."

"Yes, Mr. Cartwright."

Adam and Hoss loaded their rifles and came to where their pa was. Ben asked them to make sure all the windows were locked and blocked. Little Joe moved over by Amy. "What's your name?"

"Amy."

"My name is Little Joe."

Adam walked past them and smiled. He said, "Little Joe, it is going to be your job to watch Amy, okay?"

" 'kay."

Ben was still watching the man. "He'll make his move soon. Turn over the table and put Little Joe and Amy behind the table."

Adam and Hoss went off toward Little Joe and Amy. Adam said, "You listen to me. We are going to turn the table over on its side. You two stay behind the table and don't move."

Little Joe asked, "What if he gets in?"

"If that happens, you take Amy under the bed."

Amy was crying. Adam said, "When this is over, we will find your ma, Amy."

They turned the table over on its side, and the kids got behind it. Adam and Hoss went back to Ben. Ben asked Hop Sing to stay with the kids. After Hop Sing had gotten behind the table, Ben said, "Adam, you watch that window. Hoss, you watch the kitchen window."

"Yes, Pa," they said.

"Go now."

It would be dark soon–too dark to see anything. The kids eventually fell asleep. Ben was watching the door when something hit him. Hoss ran to him. Adam and Hoss helped Ben get behind the table. Hop Sing took over Ben's post by the door. They heard glass break in the bedroom. Something fell over. Adam and Hoss both walked to where they could see the door. When the door opened, they both started shooting. The kids were crying. The man hit the floor, dead.

Adam asked Hop Sing to cover up the man. Hoss took the kids out the front door and to the barn. After covering the body, Hop Sing went to check on Ben. Finally, Adam went to the barn to console Amy.

"My pa is dead," she cried.

"Yes, sweetheart."

"He was a mean man."

Adam nodded. "But he'll never hurt you again."

"Why was my pa so mean?"

"I don't know." Adam looked at Hoss. "Will you stay with them while I check on Pa?"

Hoss nodded.

Ben was in a chair. Hop Sing said he had a big knot on his head but would be okay. Adam said, "I'll go dig a grave for Amy's pa."

Amy went to her pa's grave after he'd been buried. "I forgive you, Pa," she said. Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe gathered around her. Amy saw some wildflowers, picked them, and placed them on the mound of earth. Then the Cartwrights followed her to the house. Ben held Amy while she cried. "Amy, we don't always know why people do what they do, but your pa loved you in his own way."

Amy looked up. "Pa wanted a son. Not me."

Ben looked at Adam. Adam said, "Maybe Hop Sing will fix us something to eat."

"Okay," Amy said.

They ate and then Adam put Amy to bed in Ben's room. They rest of them slept in the bunkroom. Early the next morning, they heard a rider coming. Adam watched the figure ride up until he could tell it was Barb.

Adam met her in the yard, and she breathlessly told him, "My husband took our little girl. I have been tracking them and it looked like they were headed this way."

Adam said, "Come on. Let's take care of your horse, and then I'll tell you what happened." As Adam cared for the horse, he said, "Amy is here."

"Is Brian here too?"

"Was that your husband's name?"

"Yes."

"Brian is dead, Barb. He tried to take Amy. He broke into our house. My brother and I shot him."

Barb nodded solemnly. "I knew he'd be killed one day. It was only a matter of time."

They went to the house. When Adam opened the door, Amy ran to her mother. "Ma! Ma!"

"Amy, are you all right?"

"Yes, Ma. The Cartwrights helped me. I came to the Ponderosa just like you told me."

Adam introduced his family, and Barb thanked them all for protecting Amy. Amy said her goodbyes and then she and her mother left to meet Barb's brother in town. Amy looked back and waved until the rode curved into the trees.

The Cartwrights got a letter from her two months later that told them Barb and Amy had made it home safely and were happy. After reading the letter aloud, Ben said, "We'll never forget Barb or Amy."

The End