By: Carla Keehn
The small courtroom was packed with spectators in spite of
the early summer heat wave that had descended on
Ben Cartwright’s tired eyes
scanned the faces in the courtroom. Many
of them were people that he regarded as friends, some of whom had come to him
and his family for help at various times in their lives. Yet, here they sat in rapt attention, the
expressions on their faces betraying the insatiable curiosity that had seized
the residents of
Cartwight’s eyes came to rest on the plaintiff’s
table. The prosecuting attorney,
imported from
How
convenient to have a lawyer in the family . . .Cartwright fumed
silently. Jarrod Barkley’s reputation as
a fair but ruthless prosecutor was well known, even as Far
West as the
Cartwright noticed that the other plaintiffs were
listening now. For a moment, it was an
overwhelming sight, seeing some of the best known and wealthiest ranchers
gathered in, of all places, a small courtroom in
Those he didn’t know, he knew of, thanks to the pre-trial
coverage. Victoria Barkley, Murdoch
Lancer, Big John Cannon . . . All gathered together with a united purpose – the
prosecution of Ben Cartwright - -
Behind them were their families, the sons, daughters and even John Cannon’s wife, who had made the long trip out west in support of the plaintiffs.
He cast
a critical eye. Not much to speak of . .
.Cartwright thought
snobbishly. He wasn’t impressed with the
offspring of his rivals who, in his opinion, didn’t measure up to his own
sons. Sure, Jarrod Barkley was polished but the other two. . . Cartwright
shook his head. Hoss and Joe would leave Nick and Heath in the dust . . . Ben
thought with amusement. Murdoch’s youngest – Johnny – never has
figured out who he is. And then there’s
Big John’s son – Blue - -
He shook his head
sadly. Dysfunctional . . . the whole lot of them . . . Cartwright was
smiling now. None of them could outshine
the Cartwright boys.
Cartwright glanced over at the man seated next to
him. He was grateful that his old
friend, Sheriff Clem Foster, had agreed to represent him. Afraid of the wealth and power of the
plaintiffs, everyone else in town had refused to speak on Ben’s behalf, much
less act as his attorney. But Clem was a
true friend and had agreed to be at his side during the trial, with a little
persuasion that is.
If it
wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t even be sheriff . . .Cartwright
mused. It had taken quite a bit of
talking to convince the town fathers that Clem Foster was a worthy replacement
for the much loved Sheriff Roy Coffee.
The press, the witnesses, everyone was in place . . .
except . . .
The empty seats behind Ben were becoming more and more
troubling to him.
Cartwright’s face became worried. Where
are my sons? Where are Adam, Hoss and
Little Joe? At least I think I have them
– Not like Victoria Barkley over there who can’t even find her son Eugene – why
aren’t my boys here? Anxiety gnawed
at his insides. Their absence was an
unspoken confirmation by his sons that he was guilty.
His reveries were interrupted by the appearance of the
bailiff.
“All rise” the bailiff’s voice boomed through the
courtroom. “The Honorable Judge Crater
presiding.”
Cartwright, like the others, rose to his feet. He sniffed in annoyance. Leave it to Jarrod Barkley to come up with
Crater as the judge. The story of Judge
Crater’s, a.k.a. “The Hanging Judge,” disappearance was well known throughout
the territory. The man disappears for years and then suddenly turns up here in
Now seated at the bench, the judge was banging the gavel. “Order in the court!” He leaned forward and continued speaking in a hard voice. “Mr. Barkley, you will state the charges for the court.”
“It would be my pleasure, your honor,” Barkley replied suavely as he
swaggered up to the bench. He turned, his eyes boring into Cartwright’s. “The Plaintiffs – Victoria Barkley, Murdoch
Lancer and “Big” John Cannon charge the defendant, Benjamin Cartwright, with
willful defamation of character, slander and loss of standing as a parent, your
honor, not only in the eyes of the world but in the eyes of the fan fiction
readers as well.”
Judge Crater’s jaw tightened in annoyance. “Mr. Barkley, I must caution you against
making any of those long winded speeches that you’re so well known for!” the
judge reprimanded sharply. “Simply
stated, what is the defendant charged with?”
“My apologies, your honor,” Barkely replied contritely. He stabbed a finger at Cartwright. “This man has purposefully made the
plaintiffs look bad. Benjamin Cartwright
is accused of being the perfect father and, in the process of doing so, has
defamed and shamed the parents of every other western families!”
Cries of surprise rose up among the spectators. Judge Crater started banging the gavel
furiously. “Order!” He ranted.
“I will have order in the courtroom or it will be cleared!”
The charges hit Ben Cartwright like a blow to the abdomen,
totally blotting out the circus-like atmosphere in the courtroom. This
can’t be really happening . . .
He’d testified at trials many times before. Years earlier, he had even substituted for
one of the town’s judges, at the judge’s own request. And now, he had come full circle in these
later years of his life. Now, he was
sitting in the defendant’s seat . . .charged with the
crime of being the perfect father . . .
* * * *
Meanwhile, a few streets away in the opulent dining room
of the International House, another trial was being held.
“Let’s be honest . . . Pa’s as guilty as the day is long .
. .”
That being said, Adam Cartwright leaned back and drained
the last dregs of coffee from his cup, a satisfied smile on his face. Seated across the table, he watched as his
two brothers began to react to the words that he’d just said.
Hoss was shaking his head vigorously. “Adam’s got all them years of book-learning,
Joe, maybe we’d best listen to him. I
ain’t sure, but he might be right.”
“I can’t believe you’re siding with Adam, Hoss,” Joe
ranted, his voice rising in pitch. “Pa’s
on trial for his life, he needs us at his side!” Joe’s lip quivered slightly. “After all he’s done for us . . .”
“There’s no sides to take, Joe,” Adam
leaned forward “I’m only stating the facts,” he continued. “It’s not a matter of what Pa’s done for
us. It’s what he’s done for other
people. That’s what makes him look so
guilty.”
“But what has he done, Adam?” Hoss pressed. “I ain’t sure that I get that part.”
Adam let out a heavy sigh.
They’d been discussing that same subject for weeks, ever since word of
the trial had leaked out. Discussed for hours on end – with no consensus between the
brothers.
He knew from the start that Hoss was a lost cause – he’d never get it. And Joe, well Joe was Pa’s favorite and he didn’t want to get it. As the most intelligent Cartwright son, it fell upon Adam to face the truth and acknowledge the only logical conclusion - -that his father was guilty of all the charges brought against him - -
Adam straightened in his seat. It was his duty as the big brother to set the
other two straight before they showed up in the courtroom. “All right,” Adam began in a long-suffering
voice. “We’ll go over it again – but this
is the last time . . .”
* * * *
In the courtroom, Jarrod Barkley began a ruthless
prosecution of the defendant. The
plaintiffs were the first to take the stand.
Their dramatic testimonies came across as well rehearsed – a little too
well rehearsed in Cartwright’s opinion.
Ben Cartwright shook his head in disgust as Barkley helped a weeping
Victoria Cannon down from the witness box.
Their stories were all the same, lurid tales of how his attempts to
provide and care for his sons had caused them all to lose standing in their
communities and in the eyes of their children.
Barkely continued the parade of witnesses, made up of
Cartwright’s long-time friends and business associates, seemed
endless. Each told of Ben’s unwavering
devotion to his sons. And each time,
Barkley took the witness’s words and twisted the good deeds that were spoken of
into something malicious.
One of the most damning testimonies came from his oldest
friend, Doc Martin. How dare he testify
against me . . . Cartwright fumed silently as he watched Martin on the
witness stand. After all the business that I’ve thrown his
way . . . why without me and my boys, he wouldn’t even have a practice . . .
Cartwright’s thoughts were momentarily interrupted when Jarrod Barkley’s voice rose sharply in pitch.
“So, what you’re saying, Doctor,” Barkley stated carefully, “ is that on an uncountable number of occasions, Ben Cartwright willfully ignored your professional advice and refused to leave his son’s beside? Even for something as simple has a hang nail? You are saying that Ben Cartwright would disregard the disruption caused to other men’s lives by his decision to avoid meeting business appointments and other daily obligations? Disruption caused simply so he could sit for endless hours by his son’s beside and revisit his past marriages and travail filled journey to the Ponderosa?”
The prosecutor’s attack left the kindly doctor floundering for a moment. “Well, it’s true but it sounds different put that way. I mean, Ben is a good father and he cares. . .”
Barkley cut in rudely. “Never mind the way it sounds, Doctor. The fact is that the plaintiffs’ reputations have been damaged by Mr. Cartwright’s actions. By not having the luxury of being able to do that very same thing in the time of crisis, Mr. Cartwright has deliberately smeared the reputations of these people!” Barkley’s arms pointed the jury towards the crowded defendant’s table.
As Barkely spoke, John Cannon’s wife delicately dabbed at her tear filled eyes with a lace handkerchief.
Barkley gave a satisfied nod and then turned to the judge. “That’s all your honor.”
“You may step down, Dr. Martin,” the judge’s voice
intoned.
Clem Foster rose halfway from his seat. “Hey, wait a minute, your honor,” the sheriff
protested. “It’s my turn to ask
questions.”
The judge glared.
“This is a preliminary hearing – that means I get to decide when you ask
questions!”
“But, your honor,” Clem whined, “I only got one witness to
call!”
“Sit down, Sheriff, or I’ll have you forcibly ejected from
this courtroom!” Judge Crater nodded at
the prosecutor. “Continue with your next
witness, Mr. Barkley.”
Clearly relieved to be out of eye of the storm, A shaky Doc Martin rose from the witness box. He paused at the defendant’s table, nodding
his head ruefully. “I’m sorry, Ben . .
.” Martin murmured softly.
“Thank you, your honor,” Barkley continued. “I call Mr. Candy Canaday to the stand.”
“Candy Canaday, take the stand . . .” The bailiff’s voice
echoed.
The lanky ranch foreman strode to the front of the
courtroom and the witness was sworn in.
Canaday hunched forward in the witness box, in obvious
discomfort. Barkley regarded the witness
thoughtfully for a moment before speaking.
“I have only a few questions for you, Mr. Canaday. Your position at the Cartwright ranch is well
known and I see no need to stretch out these proceedings out by rehashing such
well established facts.”
Barkley paused before the witness box, his hands looped
thoughtfully at the corner of his expensively cut vest. “Isn’t it true that Ben Cartwright has always
treated you like one of the family? In
fact, some would say that you are a Cartwright son in all ways except one,
except by legal relation? Are these
facts true, Mr. Canaday?”
Candy nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes, sir, Mr. Cartwright’s a good boss . .
.”
Barkley pounced on the man’s words. “Correction, Mr. Canaday. We’re not talking about an employer-employee
relationship here. I’m talking about the
fact that all evidence points to your being given the same privileges and
comforts of a Cartwright son! Privileges
and comforts that you did not ask for - privileges and comforts that were
forced upon you! Privileges
and comforts that the defendants are not able to give and, as a result, are
maligned and gossiped about!”
Barkley moved in for the kill. “Well, Mr. Canaday, answer the question - did
you ask to be treated this way? Or did
Ben Cartwright force these things on you?”
There was a deadly silence in the courtroom in anticipation of the witness’ answer.
Meanwhile, back at the International House, the Cartwright
brothers were continuing their discussion.
“ . . . let’s face it – Pa’d chuck
it all in a heartbeat – the ranch, the timber mills, the mining operations – if
it meant saving one of us.” Adam finished.
“Hell, he’d do it if it meant saving Candy or someone we’re not even
related to!”
Hoss was still confused.
“But why does that make Pa bad, Adam?
Ain’t all them things good that Pa’s done?”
“Hoss is right, Adam,” Joe continued. “Pa’s always put us
first – always!”
“Yeah, he has. And that’s why he’s guilty.” Adam nodded
thoughtfully. “Put yourself in Victoria
Barkley’s place. Sure,
Adam paused. He
could tell by the look on his brothers faces that they were hanging on every
word.
“Let’s move on to John Cannon. Got himself
a pretty young wife and a small but profitable ranch even if it is out in the
middle of nowhere. He’s also got the
wimpiest son in western history – Blue.
Someday, that kid’ll get a man’s name and figure out what he’s gonna be
– maybe Big John’ll live long enough to see that day!” Adam leered.
“That is if that hot blooded wife of his don’t
kill him first.”
“I ain’t never thought about it that way, Adam,” Hoss
admitted.
“Well think about this too.” Adam continued. “Murdoch Lancer – two sons he didn’t even get
a chance to be a father to, until they were adults. One of them’s trying to leave behind an upper
class, snobbish
Joe balled his fists.
“You sure are full of hot air today, Adam! So what’s any of this got to
do with our Pa? From what I can see,
we’re pretty lucky, being born into the Cartwright family and not into one of
them other dysfunctional western families.”
“True,” Adam agreed.
“But all them good things make the Barkleys, the
Lancers and the Cannons look really bad.
Hey, the Barkleys alone are enough to make your hair curl. When Heath was being held prisoner in that
mine, was
Hoss shook his head.
“What about when Nick and Heath were being held in that
labor camp – was
“Hey, you’re right, Adam, she wasn’t!” Joe answered.
“Wasn’t Jarrod the one that had to save them?”
“Dadgumit, Joe, he was,” Hoss agreed.
“And how about when Nick was bitten by that wolf and
thought that the animal was rabid? Was
“No, she wasn’t.”
Hoss’ jaw was set. “When that lady who
was makin’ eyes at Pa got bitten, Pa not only suffered with her but rode into
town with her and took her to the hospital.”
“Yeah,” Joe added.
“All that expense and she wasn’t even a relative.”
“And when Pa and Candy were bein’ held in that mine, it
was Pa that kept Candy going and pulled him through,” Hoss continued in an
animated voice.
“Yeah,” Joe echoed.
“And Candy’s not even family.”
“And how about when we was all held prisoner in that labor
camp,” Hoss
ranted. “You remember that, Joe, how
you, me, Pa, and Candy were . . .”
Joe rolled his eyes.
“I remember, Hoss, I remember – now will you cut it out with the visit
to the past!”
“I rest my case.”
Adam concluded, throwing up his hands.
“I won’t go into the Lancer and Cannon families – it’s the same as with
the Barkleys and I just don’t have the stomach to go through it all with you.”
“No wonder they’re all hot and bothered.” Hoss said.
“Pa sure puts them other families to shame, don’t
he?”
“And that’s not even everything – we didn’t even cover
much of what happened after the seventh season . . .”Joe started pacing
nervously.
Adam smiled. His
brothers were so easily swayed, once again affirming in Adam’s mind that he was
not only the most handsome but the smartest of the Cartwright brood.
Joe moaned. “Pa’s
done for - -There’s nothing we can do.”
“What are we gonna do, Adam,” Hoss said in a heavy voice. “You been workin’ close with Clem all these
weeks, ain’t there any chance at all that Pa’ll be
saved?”
Adam savored the moment.
Would it be better to tell Joe what he knew about Clem’s case or
wait? The decision was quickly made. It
would be far more satisfying to wait and see the expressions on his brothers
faces during the trial when Clem presented his defense.
Adam shrugged. “I
don’t know about Pa’s chances, none of us do. But there is one thing that we
can do.”
“What?” Joe
asked. “Pa’s already been tried by the
newspapers, it’s just a matter of having the guilty verdict made official.”
“No matter how bad things look,”Adam continued, “we’re
going to go to that courthouse and be there for Pa, no matter what the verdict is.” He straightened in his seat. “We’re
Cartwrights, there’s no other way but to face this head on.”
“Adam’s right, that’s what we gotta do,” Hoss agreed
thoughtfully.
“It’s the least we can do, after everything that Pa’s done
for us. . .” Joe added, his voice
breaking with emotion.
United in purpose, the Cartwright brothers headed towards
the Courthouse.
* * * *
Meanwhile, on the witness stand, Candy’s thoughts were in
a tangle. He shivered, suddenly cold by the
rivulets of sweat running down his back.
He raised a shaky hand to his brow; Barkley’s incessant questioning was
making it difficult to think.
“Well, Mr. Canaday – cat got your tongue?” Barkley
strutted back and forth like a proud peacock.
“The court is waiting for an answer.”
“I - -I,” Candy stammered.
“Your honor,” Barkley bellowed, “the witness is stalling –
the court should hold this man in contempt!”
“Contempt!” Clem Foster shot to his feet. “Now wait a minute, your honor. The prosecutor is badgering the witness. If you’d just let me put on my defense, there
wouldn’t be any need for the rest of the trial!”
“The witness will answer the question,” The judge
pronounced.
“But your honor, I only got one witness to call - -“
“Sit down, Sheriff,” the judge shouted. “The witness is directed to answer the
question!”
Barkley smiled.
“Let me refresh your memory, Mr. Canaday. Did you or did you not ask Ben Cartwright to
treat you like one of his sons?”
At that moment, fate intervened in the form of the arrival
of the Cartwright brothers. The proceedings came to a momentary halt as Ben
Cartwright’s sons were seated in the courtroom.
From the spectator’s vantagepoint, the three
brothers, seated behind their father, was an imposing sight.
Joe leaned forward.
“Sorry we’re late, Pa, we, ugh, got kinda tied up.”
“So I found out,” Ben whispered harshly. “Nice of you to get here before the guilty
verdict is read!”
Order was quickly restored. The Judge began speaking
again. “Mr. Canaday, the interruptions
are over. You will answer the question
or be held in contempt.”
“No,” Candy said, clearing his throat. “I –I didn’t ask Mr. Cartwright to treat me
that way.”
“I have no other questions, your honor,” Barkley
said. “The witness may be excused.”
Candy scurried out of the witness box and took his seat at
the end of the row, next to Hoss. He
slid down in the seat, clearly wishing he could be somewhere else at that
moment.
“Your honor,” Barkley orated, “despite the indignities suffered
by the plaintiffs, they have great respect for what Mr. Cartwright has achieved
in his life and do not wish to drag out these proceedings. I request that the court render a guilty
verdict so that this trial can be brought to a close.”
“Your honor, I object --” Clem shouted. “Just you hold on one minute! I got a witness to call and I’m gonna call
that witness before a verdict is read!”
“I don’t believe I like how you’re addressing this court,
Sheriff,” the Judge shot back in annoyance.
Clem puffed his chest out.
“Well I don’t believe that I like how you’re running this trial – so
we’re even!”
The Sheriff’s well-aimed words ruffled the Judge. “Very well, call your witness!” the Judge
snapped.
Clem nodded in triumph.
“I call . . .the mystery witness!”
A stir arose in the courtroom. The spectator’s head turned from side to
side; each person studying the person next to them to see if they were the
mystery witness.
Finally, in the back of the room, a tall, thin form rose
from one of the seats. Clad in cowboy
garb, with an ornate gun holstered at his side, the man’s face was covered by a
macabre mask. The sight of the mask caused several of the ladies to swoon.
The man moved forward slowly, keenly aware that all eyes
were focused on him. Even Jarrod
Barkely moved aside as the witness stepped up to the box.
Ben Cartwright studied the witness in rapt attention, eyes
searching for some mannerism, some clue to the man’s identity.
Clem approached the bench.
“Your honor, this man has traveled a long way for this trial. I ask your indulgence in my questioning of
him.”
The judge’s eyes narrowed on Clem. “I will indulge you to point, Sheriff, but
only to a point. I do not like having my
courtroom turned into a costume party!”
“Thank you, your honor,” Clem replied with gratitude. “There’s a reason for the mask,
that will be explained later.”
The judge nodded.
“Proceed. It’s almost lunch time
and I want to be finished by then.”
“Sir,” Clem began, addressing the witness. “I have just a few questions for you. Tell this court, are you related by blood to
Ben Cartwright?”
“I am.” The distorted voice stated.
The courtroom buzzed with side conversations as the
townspeople tried to figure out the identity of the mystery witness.
Foster continued.
“And does this relationship mean that you did, at some time in your
life, live under Ben Cartwright’s roof?”
“It does.”
“Tell the court about that time.”
The man shifted uncomfortably. “I was injured and facing questioning by the
law when I first met Ben Cartwright. The
Cartwrights took me into their home and nursed my injuries. It was later that they learned of my
relationship to them.”
“And how were treated while you were there?”
“At first, I was treated well.” The witness paused for a moment. “Later on, though, I suffered the most
unforgivable of indignities at the hand of the Cartwrights. At the time, I did not know how deep the
wrong was that was done to me. I’ve
suffered for years,” the man’s voice became harsh. “Years of hell, all from Ben Cartwright’s
hands. Even being forced to leave his
ranch and never return to
As the man spoke, names and faces from the past surfaced
in Ben Cartwright’s mind as he tried to sort through his memories. What
could I have done to cause such torment. . .Cartwright
thought frantically? Who have I hurt so badly??
Behind the family patriarch, Joe and Hoss were conversing in hushed tones. Only Adam seemed unconcerned, almost to the point of amusement, by what the witness was saying.
On the plaintiff’s side, the expressions were dour. Obviously concerned that the testimony was damaging their case, Jarrod Barkely was frantically sorting through his notes, looking for a clue to the witness’s identity.
Clem was speaking again. “Tell the court why you are wearing that mask.”
“I wear the mask because . . .” the man stopped, his body trembling with pent up emotion. “because . . . I am ashamed of being a . . .
Cartwright!”
“Your honor, I object to this . . .this charade!” Barkely said in an attempt to regain control of the proceedings. “I demand that this man remove his mask. This court is entitled to know the identity of this witness or he has no credibility on the stand!”
Clem began to sweat. His eyes glanced over to the defense table. He saw Adam’s head bob slightly.
Foster took a deep breath. “Your honor, the prosecuting attorney’s point is well taken. I will now ask the witness to remove his mask!”
“Proceed, proceed!” the Judge said, studying his watch.
“Before you remove the mask, I have a question for you – Did Ben Cartwright treat you like one of his sons? In spite of the breech between you, did Ben Cartwright give you all of the privileges and comforts that were afforded to his sons and, as we’ve heard today, other people?”
“No- -“ The witness banged his fist against the wooden ledge in front of him. Then in an effort to compose himself, the man straightened in his seat. His trembling hands reached up and removed the mask from his face.
The man’s identity caused a gasp in the courtroom.
Will Cartwright sat tall in the witness box, his eyes boring into his uncle’s. The surprise and fright that he’d caused among those assembled sent much needed strength coursing through his veins.
“Time has not erased the wrong done to me.” The broken man continued. “Ben Cartwright knew that Laura Dayton would make my life a living hell – he knew it. Yet, in spite of that, he encouraged Laura to break her engagement with Adam and marry me.” His voice turned cruel. “Do you know what it was like, Uncle Ben, day in and day out to listen to pretty Laura whine because I couldn’t keep her in finery like Adam did? To be hounded because I didn’t have the money to build her a fancy house or give her any of the other things that she felt the Cartwright name should afford her? Yeah, she wanted a Cartwright, but she picked the poor one – and I’ve suffered because of that, day in and day out.”
Adam watched in satisfaction. It was day of victories. Not only did he help Clem pull Pa’s bacon out of the fire, he got a bonus by hearing just how miserable Cousin Will had been married to Laura all of these years. Adam said a quick prayer of thanks - If it hadn’t been for his roofing accident and subsequent paralysis, Laura never would have fallen in love with Will and Adam would be the one up there, sobbing like a broken man.
Will raised an accusatory hand at his uncle. “You could have warned me, you could have tried to stop the marriage but you didn’t! You treated all these other people like a son, why not me, Uncle Ben, why not me?”
Clem nodded thoughtfully. “One final question, Mr. Cartwright. Why did you agree to testify today? It’s obvious that you’ve done this at great personal cost to yourself. Why did you agree to testify on your uncle’s behalf?”
“Because,” Will said, taking a deep breath, “I want
Ben Cartwright watched his nephew’s performance on the
witness stand in horror. It was only
natural that he wasn’t crazy about Adam and Laura’s marriage after finding out
that Laura and Will were sneaking around.
But that didn’t mean that he meant his nephew harm when he didn’t object
to Will’s marriage. He’d asked Will to
become a permanent part of the family several times, and had been refused each
time. And after Will had announced his
intention to wed Laura, it seemed better for all parties to let them leave and
not stay around as a reminder to Adam that Laura had escaped with her life and
not been claimed by the Cartwright curse.
Behind the defendant’s box, the Cartwright brothers had a
range of emotions on their faces, Hoss perplexed, Adam pleased and Joe glancing
anxiously from his father to his cousin.
Jarrod Barkley’s voice boomed loudly. “Your honor, I have a question for the
witness!”
The judge frowned.
“Very well, Mr. Barkley, but make it quick – my lunch is getting cold.”
Barkley nodded curtly.
“Mr. Cartwright, We’re all grieved to hear of your marital strife. And I also think that everyone here today
will agree, that the only thing your testimony proves is that the defendant is
guilty.” Barkley turned and stabbed a
finger at the defendant,
“Testimony that shows without a shadow of a doubt that Ben
Cartwright, the “perfect” father did, without a moments hesitation, completely
ruin another man’s life simply to save one of his sons from the same ruin?”
Your honor, I object!”
Hoss shouted, rising to his feet.
“Will you sit down!” Joe hissed in embarrassment as he grabbed at
his brother’s arm.
“No I won’t sit down,” The
annoyed Hoss shot back. “This nonsense
has gone on long enough!” Hoss pushed
Joe away and strode up to the bench.
A stir went through the courtroom.
“Your honor, I got somethin’ to say!” Hoss continued. “And I ain’t leavin’ until I speak my mind!”
“Your honor, this is highly irregular!” Barkley protested.
“I agree, Mr. Prosecutor, but since we’re well into my
lunch period and we’ve listened to quite enough of your long-winded
questioning, I’ve decided to let this man speak.” The judge gave Hoss a stern look. “Continue, Mr. Cartwright, we’re all waiting
for you to finish!”
“Thank you, your honor,” Hoss shook off his anger. “I reckon that Cousin Will feels like he’s
got good cause to say them things about
The judge thought for a moment. “How do you figure that, Mr. Cartwright?”
“Well, your honor, sayin’ that Pa is perfect means that he
ain’t never made a mistake. Pa knew better than any of us what Laura
Dayton was like. So you see, it was a big mistake for Pa not to even try and talk Cousin
Will out of marryin’ her. If he was
perfect, he’d a tried to talk him out of it, at least. I mean, Cousin Will is blood family and he
deserves to be treated like family just like Adam, me, Joe, Candy, all the
ranch hands and everyone else in town is treated.”
The courtroom was silent as everyone digested the simple
logic of Hoss’ words. Finally, the judge
spoke.
“You know, Mr. Barkley, I believe that Mr. Cartwright has
raised a valid point.” The Judge
paused. “In fact, a case could be made
that Ben Cartwright’s actions in the treatment of his nephew make him look as
bad, if not worse, than your mother and the other defendants, as far as
parenting oversights go.”
Barkley nodded slowly.
“Your honor, I believe you’ve hit upon something there. I’d like to request a few moments of your
time.”
The hushed courtroom watched as the prosecutor and judge
began their hastily called conference . . .
* * * *
The newsboy stood on the busy corner of
“Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Trial of the Century ends with a bang! Ben Cartwright found not guilty, mystery
witness breaks down on stand and tells court that Ben Cartwright sentenced him
to life term with shrewish wife!”
“I’ll take one, boy,” the darkly clad cowboy said, tossing
a coin. The cowboy tucked the paper under his arm and mounted the steps of the
stagecoach.
Will Cartwright rested his head against the worn seat and
sighed. His ordeal was finally over. He
felt vindicated, now that the whole world knew what kind of man Ben Cartwright really
was.
More pressing matters began to surface in his mind. Cartwright watched the townspeople from his
window seat; envious of their lives of home and family, things that he’d never
experienced with Laura.
An idea suddenly came to mind. I won’t
go back to her . . .Will
thought with elation. The answer seemed
so simple. He had some money tucked away
from an investment that he’d made years earlier. He could change his name and start over. I can
finally have the life that I’ve dreamed of . . .A life
that I’d never be able to have as a Cartwright . . .
He mulled over different names in his mind. One in particular was most attractive. John .
. . A smile tugged at the corner’s of his mouth.
He liked the name John, it was strong name. His eyes glanced up at a sign above one of
the shops. ‘Robinson’s’ Dress
Shop . . .
The two names fit well.
John . . . Robinson . . .Cartwright felt
pleased. The more he thought about it,
the more he liked his new name and the idea of making a fresh start.
I’m
through with being a Cartwright. . . Will thought
bitterly. Even if I have to go to another planet to find a new life, No one will
ever call me a Cartwright again - -
At the International House, Ben Cartwright and his family were sitting down to a much-needed meal together. The family ate in silence.
Their celebration was downcast. Several issues were weighing heavily on Ben. Unable to keep his fears inside any longer, he finally spoke. “Boys, there’s something that I have to ask you.” He paused, his mind searching for words. “You were late, to the trial. Was – was that because you thought I was guilty?”
The three Cartwright sons exchanged worried looks.
Adam cleared his throat. “Well, Pa, we’d be lying if we said that that thought didn’t cross our minds. Guilty or not, we decided in the end that we wanted to be there for you.”
Ben nodded. “It meant a lot to me, having you there today.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry you had to hear those things.”
“Don’t matter none what was said, Pa,” Hoss mumbled, downing another mouthful of roast beef.
“Hoss is right,
“Our show ran longer too,” Adam added.
Ben smiled weakly. “I appreciate hearing that, boys. Still, I’m grateful to you. Adam, if you hadn’t helped Clem by contacting Will, things would have turned out much worse. And Hoss, you did a brave thing by speaking out like that. Both of you saved me, I’m sure of it.”
“We wanted to do it, Pa,” Adam replied matter of factly. “Besides, I enjoyed hearing Cousin Will’s tales of domestic bliss.”
For Ben, an even larger question loomed before him. “Boys,” Ben began, nervously glancing around the table. “Does it make a difference to you?”
“Does what make a difference, Pa?” Adam asked.
“The fact that I’m not the perfect father,” Ben continued.
Joe shook his head. “But, Pa, you are the perfect father.”
“I am?” Ben said in genuine surprise.
“Well, heck, yeah, Pa,” Hoss finished. “If you think about it, Cousin Will was the only one I heard complainin’ today. Everyone else in town seemed mighty grateful for all that you’d done for them.”
“Hoss is right,
“And it don’t make no never mind what anyone else thinks
anyway.” Hoss finished. “Fact is you always been there for us, and
taken care of us,
There was true cause for celebration, Ben thought. He felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his chest. I’ve been truly blessed . . . Cartwright mused as he motioned to the waitress to bring a bottle of champagne. Blessed with something greater than any of the wealth that I’ve amassed - -
Cartwright raised a champagne filled glass and smiled. Nothing mattered more than his sons – nothing. “To us,” he said, his voice strong and proud. “To the Cartwright family.”
“To us - -“ His sons echoed.
At that moment, gold rays of sunlight began filtering in to the dining room, helping to restore the family’s spirits. Once again the Cartwright family had weathered adversity and triumphed over it, with a determined spirit and strength that would always make them the envy of every other western family, in the past and for generations yet to come.
The End