Mitch and Pam Cartwright were in Virginia City to pick up the mail for their family. They also had to be at the trading post for some shopping for their cook Hop Sing. They had hitched their horses at the Bucket of Blood saloon and done after that their tasks.
“Are you coming sis?”, asked Mitch.
“Alright”, said Pam who was the twin sister of Mitch.
They walked to their horses and got then a nasty surprise. Caramel, the horse of Mitch, was gone. Pam did see her horse Chiney standing.
Mitch cursed inaudible and said then indignant, “Where is Caramel?”
“Someone must have nicked it”, said Pam.
“I understand that too but who? He or she has no use with the saddle because it is made specially for me”, her brother reacted annoyed.
The twins looked around but Caramel was nowhere to be seen. Then a young woman named Polly Miller came to them.
“Mitch, I saw that a stately woman mounted on your horse and rode away with it”, said Polly.
Mitch looked at her amazed.
“A stately woman on Caramel? Which direction did she go”, he asked.
“To your ranch”, Polly answered where after she winked at him and left after that.
The angry mood of Mitch had disappeared at once.
Pam noticed that and asked curious, “What is it between you?”
“I saved her basked once by throwing a baseball at the bag thief. Since then she's crazy about me”, her brother explained.
To their big amazing Caramel came riding again. With the female rider on it.
“Mitch, she nicked your horse. I will warn Clem”, said Polly.
She went straight to the office of the sheriff where only deputy Clem Foster was.
“Deputy, someone has tried to steal the horse of Mitch Cartwright”, she said.
“I am coming”, said Clem.
They went outside where Mitch wanted to give the female thief a big mouth.
“Clem, the punishment for the stealing of a horse is hanging, isn't it?”, Pam asked.
“That's indeed so. But that goes for a man. I don't know if that also applies for a female horse thief”, answered the deputy.
“Then you just put her for a year on water and bread in your dirtiest cell”, said Mitch.
“A year on water and bread in the dirtiest cell? Never!”, said the female thief.
Then Mitch saw and heard who had tried to steal his horse.
“Hello Mrs Oleson. Is your family here too or is Nellie already visiting our pigs?”, the boy asked sarcastic.
The woman who was spoken to with Mrs Oleson by Mitch was Harriet Oleson from Walnut Grove.
“Mrs Oleson, you are under arrest for horse thieving”, said Clem.
He handcuffed her and dragged the woman away. Mitch explained to Pam who she was and where she came from.
“So in her village lives a man who is a bit older but looks like a lot like uncle Joe? How bad”, said Pam.
“Well, he's fine. The daughter and son of Mrs Oleson are really terrible. They have been 1 day with us at the ranch but after a visit to our pigs Nellie, her daughter, didn't look at me anymore. Daddy and momma were just a few months together”, told her brother.
Then the husband of Harriet Oleson, Nels, her daughter Nellie and son Willie came to them.
Nels recognized Mitch and asked, “ Mitch, where is my wife?”
“The deputy has arrested her because she tried to nick my horse. The punishment for that here in Virginia City is: a year on water and bread in the dirtiest cell. That is for a woman. A man gets hanged. So Mr Oleson, you have a year of rest”, Mitch answered smiling.
“But not our deputy”, said Pam.
“After 2 weeks she gets transferred anyway to the state prison of Nevada near Carson City. And it ain't no paradise really there”, reacted Mitch.
“How do you happen to know that?”, asked Nellie.
“Just ask Griff that. He has been there. By the way Nellie, Candy is still asking after you”, answered Mitch.
“Griff is one of our steady hands”, Pam explained.
“Father, get mother out of jail because then we can leave”, Nellie said insulted.
“I am away already. You stay here”, said Nels.
He walked down to the office of the sheriff and went inside. The children stayed behind alone.
Clem had put Harriet in his most dirtiest cell and sat now behind his desk playing a game of solitaire.
“Afternoon deputy”, said Nels.
“Afternoon sir. What can I do for you?”, asked the deputy.
Nels said, “I heard from Mitch Cartwright that you have arrested my wife. The charge is an attempt to horse thieving.”
“That's right. You may see her if you want to”, said Clem.
Nels looked at the card game and said, “That 3 must go on top of that 4.”
Clem looked and saw that the visitor was right. Nels went to look up his wife.
“Nels, get me out of here. I'm innocent”, Harriet said sobbing.
“You are being accused of horse thieving. And then you nick the horse of a Cartwright. You know what they are like”, her husband answered.
“I want to buy that horse for our Nellie. She just deserves it”, said Harriet.
“Perhaps she deserves it but perhaps not. That horse belongs to Mitch and only he decides if he wants to and or to sell the horse. And he certainly won't do that to Nellie!”, Nels said calm.
“Just make sure that I get released”, said Harriet.
“I will try”, Nels said where after he went away.
“How can I get my wife free?”, Nels asked Clem.
“The parents of Mitch must confirm in person that the charge is justly or your wife must apologize in public to the boy. The first thing is because Mitch is still a minor”, answered the deputy.
He had found out a bit how his prisoner was.
“Just give her water and bread. Then I will arrange the rest”, Nels said smiling.
Clem agreed. Nels went outside again.
While her father was with the deputy Nellie was arguing with Pam.
“Mitch told me that you called him a clodhopper. And you are his sister so you must be a female clodhopper”, said Nellie.
“Rather a clodhopper than a spoiled brat like you”, reacted Pam.
Nellie said, reviling, “I only have beautiful dresses. I never have to help at home.”
“ I do but I don't mind. Our help is just needed at the Ponderosa”, reacted Pam.
Her twin brother listened amusing and Willie too.
Then Mitch stepped in by saying, “Sis, I must tell you something in private.”
He took Pam along to an alley and said whispering, “When they are away we send a long letter to Laura Ingalls in which we tell her about this event.”
“We do that”, Pam said smiling.
They walked back to Nellie and Willie.
“ You tell nothing to others about mother's arrest”, said Nellie.
“My parents have to confirm the charge against your mother in person so then they know it too. Then our uncles, aunt and grandpa get to know it too”, answered Mitch.
The Cartwrights noticed that brother and sister Oleson were scared for the consequences of their stay in Virginia City. That's why Mitch and Pam made a bit abuse of their power and the fact that they lived at the Ponderosa. They radiated that too.
“We do everything you want. As long as it doesn't get known that mother was arrested here”, Willie said a bit scared.
“Whose idea was it to nick my horse?”, asked Mitch.
“I came with that idea. You are very rich anyway to buy a new horse. Your horse is the most beautiful one we have ever seen. So I demanded that mother nicked your horse”, answered Nellie.
With his known Cartwright charm Mitch said, “Dear Nellie Oleson, we are going to have a chat with Mr Foster.”
He gave his sister a wink which she understood. Mitch and Nellie walked to the sheriff's office to talk to Clem. Pam gave Willie a treatment.
“Do you know that you are a lovely lad? You are the ideal son-in-law”, Pam said at a very sweet tone.
“Stop with that bootlicking”, said Willie.
He ran after his sister, followed by Pam.
At the building Nels bumped into Mitch and Nellie.
“Nellie, your mother sits safe in her room. Mitch, the deputy told me that your parents have to confirm your complaint in person”, he said.
“That will be difficult because my father has just gone away for 6 weeks and my mother has given birth to our little sister”, answered the young Cartwright.
“So my wife has to live at least 6 weeks on water and bread?”, asked Nels.
“Yes, but after 2 weeks she goes to the state prison of Nevada”, said Mitch.
Nellie confessed what she and Harriet had made up.
“Nellie, you just come with me”, said Nels.
He grabbed her tight and dragged her inside where Clem was still busy with a game of solitaire.
“Deputy, is there still room for this young lady?”, asked Nels.
Nellie confessed everything and got placed in a cell as well.
“I release the ladies tomorrow so that they first can enjoy our standard meal for prisoners. You can go home with your son”, said Clem.
“Perfect”, said Nels.
He left the office with Mitch and said to his son, “Willie, we go home. Your mother and sister are sitting there fine.”
This sounded like music in the ears of the young Oleson.
When everything was solved Mitch said, “Sis, are you coming home? I think that the others want to hear this story too.”
Alright. We also have to write that letter to Laura as well”, said Pam.
They mounted on their horses and rode home quickly to tell their not boring afternoon to their family members.