A STRANGE COWBOY

Ben Cartwright, owner of the Ponderosa ranch, had hired the young Luke Wilson in good confidence. Luke was 18 and alone. At least that’s what he said. But what nobody knew was that Luke carried a big secret with him.

The Cartwright twins (Mitch and Pam) saw their grandpa with the new hand and suspected the worst. The 2 didn’t like new hands very much. And especially not one of their age. They were 15 and just helped at the ranch.

“Is that a new one by coincidence?”, asked Pam.

“I am afraid so”, answered her brother.

“He isn’t much older than we are”, said Pam.

Ben and Luke came to them.

“Mitch and Pam, may I introduce you to our new hand Luke Wilson? Luke, these are my 2 eldest grandchildren Mitch and Pam”, said the rancher.

Luke gave Pam a normal hand shake but Mitch got a hard hand shake.

“Hello Luke”, Mitch said on behalf of his sister.

“Mitch, you show Luke where he sleeps and the way around here”, said Ben.

“Alright. Are you coming?”, asked the young Cartwright.

He let Luke loose and went ahead of him to the bunk house and the rest of the yard.

“How old are you?”, asked Luke.

“Fifteen. And you are?”, Mitch wanted to know.

“Eighteen. Do you live here all your life?”, asked Luke.

Mitch nodded. He didn’t like the interest of the new hand for him.

“My best friend is Cody”, said Mitch.

Though he kept silent that Cody was a dog.

Ben and Pam watched the boys go.

“Grandpa, where does he come from?”, asked Pam.

“I ran into him in Virginia City. He heard me talking about work to the sheriff and he offered himself voluntarily. So I don’t refuse that”, answered Ben.

“It seems that he likes Mitch quite a lot”, Pam said worried.

“That’s the problem with your brother. Since his birth he is a real heartbreaker”, said the rancher.

Pam said, “Mama always said that to me too. We have that from her and a very little bit from daddy.”

Ben couldn’t deny that. They went to the herd.

In the bunkhouse Luke took a bed far away from the others. He just couldn’t get Mitch out of his mind. The young Cartwright was very handsome and exactly his type.

Meanwhile Mitch was troubled with a big problem.

“Mitch, what is the matter?”, asked his aunty Betsy.

She just came from upstairs and saw the boy sitting on the settee.

“That new hand Luke Wilson. I am afraid that he falls for me. How he looks at me is exactly like Amy looks at me when we are together”, Mitch answered hesitating.

Betsy went to sit next to him and said, “Maybe it’s better if you go now to the herd and avoid Luke. I haven’t met him yet but from what you’ve told me your twin sister won’t have to be worried.”

“Pam is already going with Matthew and she can shoot too. Grandpa has taught her and daddy me”, said Mitch.

He told how that had happened and Betsy found it a funny story. Especially what happened to her husband and brother-in-law Joe had happened that day.

“I go to the herd helping daddy and uncle Joe or otherwise the branding won’t be ready for the winter”, Mitch said finally.

He got up and went outside. On the porch laid the shepherd dog Cody and the white cat Lucky brotherly together. Mitch kneeled down by them and stroke them both.

“You stay here. I will be back tonight and Pam too”, he said to the couple.

They got another stroke where after Mitch left.

Adam and Joe were busy at the herd when Mitch joined them.

“Can you 2 do it without me or must I show how to do it?”, Mitch asked sarcastic from his horse Caramel.

The brothers looked at each other stupefied. Obviously they weren’t pleased with this question.

Adam said sighing, “I wanted to give you and Pam a raise in pocket money but you just can forget that hereby for good.”

“You just don’t give them no more pocket money for this question”, reacted his brother.

“Then they will get it from pa. Those 2 can’t do nothing wrong by him unfortunately”, answered Adam.

Mitch dismounted and helped.

“Why are you actually here?”, Joe asked after a while.

“There is a new hand who seems to be fond of me. I said that to aunty Betsy and she advised to go here and to avoid him. So now I can nicely bother you”, answered his nephew.

“If that hand bothers you and/or your sisters say it then right away. And that also goes for your cousins. You go before the hands”, Adam said serious.

Mitch knew that too. He remained the rest of the day with the herd and concentrated on his work.

After he had given his stuff space Luke went to look for his conquering. He looked everywhere but had no success.

He saw Lisa and asked her, “Do you know where Mitch is?”

“No, must I do know that then?”, was her counter-question.

“I asked you something and didn’t want a question”, snapped Luke.

He pushed the young Cartwright aside so that Lisa fell. Though she didn’t let anything show but did go inside via the kitchen. Her mother Sally was there with the Chinese cook Hop Sing busy with supper.

“Mom, that new cowboy pushed me aside because I answered him with a question. He was asking after Mitch”, said Lisa.

“You are alright, aren’t you?”, Sally asked worried.

“Yeah, but I don’t believe that he likes girls. But that brother of mine he does like”, answered Lisa.

“Everybody likes him especially to horrifying of your father and uncles”, said Sally.

“They find that also about Pam, Rose, Inger, Petra and me”, reacted her daughter.

She got a few cookies from Hop Sing and went then outside again where her little sister Rose and cousin Inger were. The cookies got shared with Cody and Lucky.

Luke had given up the search and went to clean the stables. He would see and speak Mitch that evening. But that didn’t happen to annoying of the new hand.

Of course soon it was noticed to everyone that Luke had a lot of interest for Mitch. The boy hardly let himself show but couldn’t that keep up of course. Adam decided to step in and took his son to town for a new supply.

“Mitch, why aren’t you hardly coming home lately? You know that we can use your help very well at the ranch”, said Adam said underway.

The boy kept silent for a second and confessed then, “The reason of it is that new hand Luke Wilson. He appears to like me quite a lot. But he gets me on my nerves.”

Adam sighed and answered, “It has been notable to everyone that he asks after you all the time. He doesn’t even has interest for Pam.”

“She doesn’t either because she is already going with Matthew. I just don’t trust that Luke”, said Mitch.

“You just do your work and if he goes too far let us know then. Grandpa can fire him just in case. You know that you can discuss everything with us. Even though sometimes it doesn’t look like that”, answered Adam.

Mitch nodded. Suddenly he felt much better.

Luke loved fishing very much and had heard that Mitch also liked to do that.

One morning he asked, “Mr Cartwright, could I have this afternoon off?”

“Of course”, said Ben.

“Thanks. I will make up tomorrow”, promised Luke.

Satisfied he left the ranch house because the 1^st part of his plan had succeeded. Now he had to arrange the 2^nd part. Quite soon he had found his victim.

“Mitch, are you coming fishing?”, asked Luke.

The young Cartwright didn’t think any further and grabbed his fishing-rod.

“I know a spot where you can catch a lot of fish”, said Mitch.

They rode to a spot where Mitch always fished with Ben on Wednesday afternoon.

“Here I go each Wednesday afternoon fishing with grandpa. At least when the weather is nice”, told Mitch.

They dismounted and went to sit by the water side. The rods got prepared and thrown out.

A bit later on Luke couldn’t control himself anymore. He put down his rod and went to sit very nest to Mitch. Then the hand stroke. He became very intimated and kissed Mitch on his mouth op which led to resistance of the young Cartwright.

“Do you know what you are doing? I am not a girl”, Mitch said indignant.

“I really do know what I do. And also that you aren’t a girl”, reacted Luke.

Mitch grabbed his fishing gear together and got up.

“You don’t leave your best friend alone, do you?”, asked Luke.

“Like I said earlier to you Cody is my best friend. Not you. And stay away from my sisters and cousins!”, Mitch said fierce.

“You are just like me. Cody is your best friend and you’re mine. I am just in love with you”, said Luke.

Suddenly Mitch understood everything.

“You fall for boys and not for girls?”, he asked amazed.

Luke nodded and asked, “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

“I don’t promise anything but I do think that you should tell it to grandpa. He really would listen to you”, answered Mitch.

Now Luke became angry and he grabbed the young Cartwright tight.

“You keep your mouth shut about what you just have discovered. Otherwise I know to find you to kick you into the grave”, said Luke.

Mitch nodded shy and grabbed his horse Caramel. In a hurry-scurry he rode back home with a stop by the graves of his mother and grandma.

“Mama and grandma, I wish that you were still here. Even though we are happy with Sally and daddy”, he said softly.

During supper Mitch was the only one of the grandchildren who was very silent. Ben noticed that but didn’t say anything about it.

When the little children got brought to bed the rancher had time for the twins. Ben sat in the red chair and the twins near the open fire.

“Grandpa, can’t you fire that new hand?”, Mitch asked suddenly.

Ben looked up from this question.

“Do you have a good reason for this request?”, he asked.

Mitch began to tell hesitating, “This afternoon Luke and I went to fish together. Suddenly he became intimated and he began to kiss me like daddy does that with mom. I asked some detailed questions and then he confessed that he is in love with me. In other words: he doesn’t fall for girls but for boys.”

For a moment it was deadly silent in the living room. Ben and his youngest son Joe didn’t know where they had to look. Pam put an arm around her brother for support. Cody and the cat Lucky came to lie by them.

“He will kill me if I would tell anyone about his thing”, said Mitch.

“That won’t happen. You are my only grandson and I don’t want to lose you for a long time and the others neither. Even though your uncles think about that differently most of the time. I will talk to Luke about it tomorrow and you, Pam, your father and uncle Joe go to the herd”, answered Ben.

Mitch and Pam agreed.

When Adam and his wife Sally, Hoss and his wife Betsy came downstairs they noticed right away that there was a whole lot the matter. Ben told what had happened between Mitch and Luke that afternoon.

Adam wanted to kill Luke right away but his son said, “Daddy, he isn’t worth it.”

The following morning Ben let Luke to come him. The young hand suspected already that Mitch had told everything but didn’t let it show at first sight.

“Mr Cartwright, aren’t you satisfied about my work?”, asked Luke.

“I am but last night my grandson told what you have done to him yesterday afternoon. And also that you have threaten him. This is for me reason to fire you”, answered the rancher.

“But I am crazy about Mitch”, said Luke.

“I can understand that but he isn’t crazy about you”, said Ben.

“I understand. Just give me my wages. Then I leave”, answered Luke.

Ben paid him and saw the young cowboy leave.

“That went easy”, Hoss said who with Ben watched him go.

“Indeed but I am afraid that now he will go after your nephew”, the rancher said worried.

Luke went away but not before he dealt with Mitch.

“That little one just couldn’t keep his big mouth shut”, groaned the cowboy.

At the herd he saw the twins working. He rode to them.

“Cartwright, you know what I said to you about yesterday. Your grandpa has just fired me. Now you are dead!”, Luke said angry.

He dismounted and walked to Mitch. The boys began to fight whereby Luke almost knocked Mitch out cold.

Pam drew her revolver and said fierce, “Let my brother go!”

“Gee , the chick has a toy pistol”, laughed Luke.

He wanted to shoot but Pam was faster. Adam and Joe came nearer and saw what had happened.

“He didn’t fall for girls but died by a girl”, Mitch remarked.

“And what kind of one, Joe said admiring.

Adam let notice that he was proud of his eldest daughter but also knew that she did it out of self defense. He kneeled down by his son and examined him.

“Daddy, I just have some headache”, said Mitch.

“Joe, you and Pam bring Luke to Virginia City and tell the sheriff what has happened and I bring this boy home”, said Adam.

So said, so done.

Ben and Hoss looked up strange when they saw Adam and Mitch coming. Quickly Adam told what had happened. Sally and Betsy had come outside as well and saw how Mitch looked like.

“You go to bed at once because it looks like you have a brain concussion”, said Sally.

Adam and Hoss began to smile but an angry look from their wives made that they quickly became serious again.

The Chinese cook Hop Sing took care of a wet cloth which he put on the forehead of the boy where after Mitch fell asleep.

In Virginia City Joe and Pam told everything that had happened. Sheriff Roy Coffee wrote everything down but found it a strange story anyway. Though he believed the Cartwrights. Relieved Joe and Pam went back to the ranch where Ben knew everything already.

Adam and Sally sat by their son who laid in bed with a bad headache.

“It’s that that Luke is dead because otherwise I would have killed him”, Adam said looking at his eldest child.

“Now our main concern is that Mitch gets on top of it again. Luke is dead and won’t comeback anymore. He also was bothering Lisa on his first day”, answered Sally.

“Then it’s really good that he is dead”, said Adam.

“Lisa said that she was alright but it even she noticed that Luke had more eye for Mitch then for girls”, said Sally.

The following morning Adam asked his, “How is it?”

“I still have a flaming headache”, Mitch answered complaining.

“Then I let the doctor come. It can be that you have a brain concussion”, Adam said worried.

He went downstairs to send someone away. That was of course Joe.

“Daddy, will Mitch get better again?”, Lisa asked worried.

“He really will get better again but for now he needs to be left alone”, answered her father.

A bit later Doc Paul Martin came by. Adam brought him to Mitch. Paul examined the boy and came to the same conclusion which Adam had made earlier.

“Adam, your son has a brain concussion. He needs to be woken up every 2 hours. His room must be made dark too”, said Paul.

That happened and by the darkness and rest Mitch slowly but sure recovered. Especially when Amy Johnson came to visit. They knew each other for years but yet the last few years Mitch dared to show his feelings for the girl. Fortunately for him and the parents of Amy, Kevin and Martha Johnson, lived on a piece of land of the Ponderosa which they rented.

“Mitch, what has happened?”, Amy asked worried.

In brief Mitch told everything that had happened. In the meantime Amy went to sit on the bed and took his hand.

“Mitch, I am glad that he is dead and not you”, Amy said when she had heard everything.

Her boyfriend went to sit and looked at her questionable, “Do you really mean that?”

“Yes, I really mean that. I love you very much and hope that you do that as well”, said the girl.

Mitch took her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

“Does that say enough?”, asked the young Cartwright.

Amy nodded smiling.

Amy kept Mitch looking up and their love for each other only became bigger. By her the young Cartwright recovered quickly from his concussion. But Pam too found it great that Amy was at the ranch. They were bosom friends and spent a lot of time together. By the incident with Luke Pam spent more time with Matthew whereby their love also grew.

Now Luke Wilson wasn’t present anymore at the Ponderosa Ben noticed that especially Mitch and Lisa became themselves again and behaved normal. Hereby the rancher knew that for the time being he wouldn’t hire young hands anymore.