The Letter

By Tennessee

Ben went to town to see Big Dan. Ruth yelled to him from the trading post, "Ben, I got a letter for you!"

Ben took the letter and opened it. As he was reading the letter, Hoss and Adam walked up. Ben's face was red and his eyes were big as he read. He was thinking of the past and a man named Larry Earman. They had once been good friends. That was until the day Larry took a man's horse and his money. Ben had seen the crime, and he remembered the look on the victim's face. Ben had yelled for Larry to stop, and Larry had shot Ben in the arm. When Ben hit the ground, Larry rode off. A man came up to see what was going on. That man's named was Ray. He was an older man and all shaken up. He pointed to Ben and several other men ran up to help Ben and ask him what had happened. Ben told them about the robbery and that the robber was a man named Larry Earman. "He went that way," Ben said.

"Let's go get him," some of the other men yelled.

"But we have to take Ben to the doctor," another said.

The doctor was named Smith. He was an older man, and he and Ray were good friends. He looked Ben over and pronounced that he would be fine with plenty of rest and quiet. He wrapped Ben's arm.

The rest of the men went after Larry.

Ben smiled as he thought of the old man named Ray. He looked at the letter in his hands. The letter was from Larry. It said that he had broken out of jail and was coming for Ben. "It's payback time."

Ben's mind then went to what had happened next on that long ago day. He and Ray had talked for a long time. Ben had had a goodnight's sleep and the next morning the doctor told him that Larry had been caught and was going to stand before a judge. The judge gave Larry a ten-year sentence in the workhouse. Larry told Ben before court was over that he'd get Ben for telling on him.

"Pa?" Adam said, breaking Ben's reverie.

"Yes, son. I'm fine."

Ben read the letter again. He knew trouble was coming. "Adam, Hoss," he said, "we've got chores. Let's go back to the Ponderosa." The look on his face told the boys they better not argue. They all got on their horses and rode off.

Ben said, "Oh no. Joe and Hop Sing are alone at home." He nudged his horse into a run. Adam and Hoss were right behind him.

Ben stopped not far from the Ponderosa. Ben told Adam and Hoss that he would go on alone.

"Why, Pa?"

"Hoss, just trust me, son. A man from my past sent me this letter."

He gave it to Adam and Hoss to read. They both looked at him.

"He could be at the Ponderosa now."

"Well, let's go, Pa."

"No. You boys stay here. If I don't come to get you in fifteen minutes, you go for help."

"But, Pa . . ."

"Listen to me, both of you. I might have put you in danger. I don't want that. Do as I say."

"Ok, Pa," Adam and Hoss said quietly.

After Ben rode off, Hoss asked, "What are we gonna do, Adam?"

"Follow Pa in a few minutes," Adam said.

When Ben got to the Ponderosa, it was getting dark. He yelled for Hop Sing and Little Joe, but no one answered. When he walked to the front door, he heard a voice.

"Over here, Ben." It was Larry's voice.

Ben said, "This is between us, Larry. Let them go."

Larry laughed and laughed. He said, "I'm calling the shots, not you, Ben Cartwright."

Ben asked, "Where are Hop Sing and Little Joe?"

"Oh, they're tied up right now."

Adam left his horse tied up and walked to the Ponderosa. When he looked in the window, he saw a man and his pa talking. He saw Larry dash at Ben and cut him with a knife. Little Joe and Hop Sing were tied to two chairs.

Meanwhile, Hoss rode to town and looked for Big Dan. He found him at the store. "Big Dan, we need your help. Pa's at the Ponderosa."

Big Dan said, "Hold on a minute, boy. Slow down. What does your pa need?"

Hoss showed him the letter, and they were off.

Back at the Ponderosa, Ben asked Larry to close the door so he would not have to see the fear on Little Joe's face. Larry laughed and said, "No, I want your son to watch what I'm going to do to you."

Ben saw that Larry was on a little rug. Ben yanked the rug and Larry hit the floor. He jumped up and went for Ben.

Adam knew he had to help Pa, but first he needed to set Hop Sing and Little Joe free and get them away from the house. He ran to the bedroom window. It was open so he climbed in quietly and untied Little Joe and Hop Sing. Hop Sing climbed out first, followed by Little Joe. They ran as fast as they could into the woods. Adam saw Ben and Larry fighting on the floor. Adam got Ben's gun out of Ben's bedroom and pointed it at Larry.

When Ben saw that Adam had the gun, he said, "No, son."

Larry cackled and said, "You're a boy, not a man."

Ben said, "Give me the gun, Adam."

Adam looked at his pa and then gave him the gun.

Ben said, "Adam is more of a man that you are, Larry."

Hoss and Big Dan got to the Ponderosa then, and Ben said, "It is all over, Larry."

Big Dan and Hoss ran into the house. Hoss asked where Little Joe and Hop Sing were, and Adam told him they were all right. "But we better go find them."

The next morning Shelby came out to the Ponderosa with the judge. Big Dan kept Larry in the barn all night, tied to a chair. The judge had two lawmen with him. He told Ben Larry was on a work crew when he knocked a lawman in the head and got away. "That man is ok now. But Larry went after Ray before coming to look for you."

Ben looked worried and said, "Did he hurt Ray?"

"Yes. Shot him in both legs. He'll be in bed for a long time. Not sure if he'll heal enough to walk." The judge continued, "Where is Larry?"

"In the barn," Adam said.

Ben said, "Tell Big Dan to bring him out, Adam."

Adam ran into the barn and said, "The judge is here for Larry. Bring him out."

Larry said, "I don't want to go back to jail."

Big Dan picked him up. The lawmen put handcuffs on Larry and put him on a horse. The judge told Ben he would let them know when the court date was, and Ben thanked him. Larry gave Ben a dirty look and the judge said, "Let's go."

Ben thanked Shelby and Big Dan for all their help then they went back to town. Ben told the boys, "I hope you know I did the right thing telling the trust about what Larry did. I wouldn't change that."

"Yes, Pa," they said.

Little Joe asked, "But what if he comes after you again?"

"I can't live my life with what ifs, son. When you do the right thing, you stick to it. Everything will work out for the best."

Adam said, "After all Larry has done he will be in jail for a long, long time."

Hoss said, "Then he won't be thinking about Pa. He'll be glad to get out of jail."

"Come eat," Hop Sing said.

Later in the week Ben's arm was healing but still sore. He was working on the ranch with Adam when Big Dan rode up and gave Ben another letter. Ben took it and opened it.

"What is it, Pa?" Adam asked.

"It's from the judge," Ben replied. "Larry was in a fight with another inmate. There was a knife involved. Larry didn't make it."

"He died?"

"Yes, Adam." Ben turned to Big Dan, "Thanks for bringing this out."

"You're welcome, Ben." He rode off.

Ben said, "Let's get back to work, son."

When Ben told Hoss, Little Joe, and Hop Sing about Larry, everyone was quiet. Then Ben said they should eat before the food got cold.

Everyone smiled with relief. They were happy to be at home on the Ponderosa together.

The End