Epilogue

Ben stretched his legs out comfortably before him, enjoying the quiet. The Territorial Enterprise was resting in his hands, but he was giving it about as much attention as he had last time he'd tried to read it - which was to say, very little. He was much more intent on glancing over its shielding pages, studying his two companions.

It was the first time they had all been downstairs together in over two weeks. Ben had insisted on Hoss taking his usual red leather chair while he settled himself in the blue one Adam generally favored. He had pointed out that the red chair was larger, and would be more accommodating to a man of Hoss's imposing size, but he secretly preferred the blue one because he had a better view of both of them from it and could stop any precipitous, unwise moves in the event either one began to feel cocky. So far, there seemed little danger of that.

Hoss was wrapped in blankets and pulled close to the fire, lackadaisically braiding a bridle when the spirit moved him, stopping when it seemed like too much work. Adam was stretched out on the settee, his arm still trammeled by a sling, but seemingly content to gaze into the fire and do nothing. Ben suspected he was just grateful to see more than the four walls of his bedroom.

The great room had been freshly whitewashed by an insistent Hop Sing, and virtually no reminder of Red Twilight's intrusion into their home remained, except, perhaps, in their respective minds and hearts. It was like the whitewash job, Ben mused to himself - no visible sign of the disturbance, but underneath the dark shadow would always linger.

The door blew inward with a bang, letting in a gust of autumn wind. Ben smiled inwardly. Ah, yes. Their missing member. But aloud he kept his voice stern. "Shut that door, please, Joseph?"

"Sure thing, Pa."

Both Hoss and Adam's heads turned wistfully toward the scent of the outdoors as the door slammed shut, separating them from it.

"No need to slam, Joseph."

"Sorry, Pa." Joe dropped his hat and gunbelt on the credenza and sauntered over to stand behind the settee, his hands behind his back. "Say, they finally let you fellas come downstairs, huh? Room sure looks a lot smaller with you in it."

Hoss measured his braiding with his eyes. "Takes a real man, full grown, to take up space, Shortshanks."

Joe looked mischievous. "Guess you should know. Anyway, I got great news. You'll never guess what I found in town."

Ben turned the page of his paper. "The mail, I hope."

"Oh," Joe looked a little deflated. "Yeah, sure. I got it, Pa." He patted his saddlebag. "But guess what else? You'll never guess."

"Then perhaps you should just tell us."

Joe rolled his eyes at Ben, but said triumphantly, "Look!" He held up a slim, paperbound booklet. "Larabee LaRoo!"

Ben glanced up from his paper to see Adam's eyes open and widen in silent alarm.

"Dang!" Hoss grinned from ear to ear. "I'll finally get ta see how that durned thing comes out!"

"But that's not all - you'll never guess - " Joe pulled something else from the saddle bag with a flourish. "There's a sequel now!"

Ben watched Adam blink rapidly.

"Larabee LaRoo and Lucinda Littletrees, the Legendary Lovebirds of Last Gulch!"

Adam's eyes sank closed now, as if in pain.

"We can read one, then go straight into the other. Heck, this could keep us entertained for days!"

Ben swallowed a smile as Adam's expression changed to one of barely suppressed panic. He watched his eyes search for an escape and drift speculatively to the staircase and decided it was time he intervened before Adam was driven to try something desperate and unwise. "That's fine, Joseph," he said easily, without seeming to look up from his newspaper. "But didn't you promise your brother Hoss a game of checkers?"

Joe perched on the back of the settee. "Well, yeah, Pa - but doesn't seem right, since Adam can't play."

Ben saw Adam's eyes close tight in resignation to his fate. "Well, that's very thoughtful of you, Joseph - but I was going to bring Adam up to date on the news. It's been a while for him, and I've missed talking about it, too. Can't seem to get either of you other boys interested."

Adam's eyes half-opened, peering at him hopefully.

"Oh," Joe stood up, nodding. "Okay. Then maybe we can read after we have a couple of games. Don't know how we're gonna play without that missing checker though. Guess we'll have to start with both sides one short."

"That's probably the best idea." Ben got up to select a chair closer to Adam, bringing his paper with him. On the way he paused to check Hoss's coverings. "You doing all right, son?"

"I'm jest fine, Pa," answered Hoss stoutly. "And all ready to show this young feller how real checkers is played, too."

"Good," Ben gave his arm a pat, ignoring Joe's indignant exclamation in his own defense. He arranged a chair where he could sit near Adam's head and still see the checker game and got comfortable. He furled the paper open, winking solemnly in response to Adam's look of devout gratitude.

Joe shook the pieces out onto the board. "Same colors?"

Hoss nodded. "Same colors." He set down his bridle and lined up his pieces. "And red goes first." He studied the board carefully for a moment, planning his strategy, then pushed one checker forward. There was a faint clinking sound as something fell from his sleeve and hit the floor, then rolled a ways and lay still near the side of Joe's boot. Both Joe and Hoss turned to gape.

Hoss's jaw dropped. "What the…?"

Joe's forehead rumpled. "How…?" He pushed at the small piece of wood with his toe. "Did that just fall out of your sleeve?"

"Couldn't have," Hoss stared at the black checker. "I ain't seen that thing since it disappeared."

"But I - how could it get from - " Joe scratched at his forehead, then noticed Hoss glaring at him. "Hey, it fell out of your sleeve, not mine!" he protested.

Hoss looked confused but dogged. "I ain't seen that checker since it disappeared. I don't know how you done it, but somehow you got it planted on me!"

"I did not!" Joe was the image of outraged virtue. "In fact…" his expression grew suddenly crafty. "I think YOU'VE had it all this time! And you made such a big deal out of it to throw suspicion!"

For a second Hoss looked unsure, then his brows lowered. "I ain't touched that checker, I tell ya. I don't know how you done it, but you got me ta look guilty somehow."

"I'm tellin' ya, it wasn't me!" Joe frowned, an idea dawning. "Adam…?"

"Aw, don't be ridiculous - Adam ain't been out o' that bed, an' he ain't got no hands yet."

"Then…Pa?" even Joe looked dubious about this one.

Ben didn't even bother to look up from his paper. "You know I make it a point never to interfere with you boys and your shenanigans."

"Well, all I know is I didn't plant that checker!" Joe insisted. "I say we start over from scratch with a new game and all checkers in play."

Ben shook out his page. "That sounds like a fair suggestion."

"All right," Hoss scowled at Joe. "But no more checkers dang well better disappear, or - "

"They won't!" Joe assured hastily, scratching at his head and staring, puzzled, at the prodigal checker.

"And no more cheatin', neither."

"I keep telling you, I DON'T CHEAT!"

"Yeah, and water don't run downhill, neither. Make yer move."

Adam lifted bright, questioning eyes to Ben's and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow.

Ben's eyes twinkled in return, and he bent low over his paper as though to point out an article. "You were right," he murmured, barely audibly. "Priceless."

"…you jest make yer move, little brother, and we'll see who beats who in a fair game!"

"Well, I don't see how you can expect to have a fair game when you're hidin' checkers all over the place!"

"I'm tellin' you I don't know how that checker got on me - but I'm bettin' it had somethin' ta do with you!"

Ben leaned back in his chair and looked from the checker combatants to his oldest - stretched out on the settee watching, his face alight with silent laughter - thinking how long it had been since this room had rung with lively voices.

"Priceless…" he repeated, half to himself, turning another page. "Priceless."

Thanks, Smith! Got it! Guess that means there was a HPM and APM too!

Many thanks to you and all my reviewers! Special thanks to BJ and drmweaver for being so fauithful! You really kept me going! Glancing at the date below I can hardly believe I wrote this story over ten years ago!

THE END - June 2001