For a few weeks now Jack Holmes was a working hand at the Ponderosa. His employer Ben Cartwright had hired him in good trust. His three sons (Adam, Hoss and Little Joe) though had their doubts about Jack. He said less to nothing and looked constantly suspicions out of his eyes.
What the Cartwrights didn’t know was that Jack had quite a long list of crimes written on his name. That was from an innocent shoplifting to stage robberies. Also stealing of herds was on that list. Till the moment that Jack came in Virginia City he had seen the chance to stay out of the hands of the law.
Ben had saved the young outlaw from a certain death. The rancher was involved with a fierce discussion in a saloon in Notting Gulch. The discussion got mainly fed by a certain Dennis Larson, a person who had a very own opinion had about any subject. This time he had his opinion ready about the subject: temporary working hands at the ranch.
Dennis said, “If my hands can’t stand the hard work I fire them right away. You must avoid temporary hands as the plague. They do want money but working, no way!”
“I think that they should hire them if it is necessary”, Ben reacted right away.
Dennis looked up his direction and said, “I don’t share your opinion sir. If I was you I would keep calm. Or leave if you love your life.”
Ben wasn’t scared and said, “I don’t have t take this threat. We live in a free country so I may go where I want.”
Then it became deadly quiet in the saloon. In a corner Jack Holmes sat watching. He knew exactly who Dennis Larson was and how he reacted when he got contradicted. If that happened usually one or more people got killed. Jack made his revolver ready to shoot to react fast just in case that was needed. The pressure became more tense while Ben and Dennis kept looking at each other. Jack got up and slowly he lounged closer.
Dennis said to him, “Jack, help me. That fellow wants to kill me.”
Jack smiled and said, “I can think of any reason why I should help you. You ain’t such a warm and hearty person either.”
“Shut up Holmes. I cut you into pieces”, snapped Dennis.
“A man must come for that, not a wet newspaper”, reacted Jack.
This reaction made Dennis even more angrier than he already was. He got his knife and threw it at Jack. Jack dived away while Dennis got conquered by Ben.
“I am leaving”, said Dennis and he pulled himself loose.
Ben threw him on the ground were after the king of discussion rushed out of the saloon.
Jack got up and asked Ben, “I owe my life to you. How can I repay you?”
“I can use another working hand on my ranch. The name is Ben Cartwright, owner of the Ponderosa ranch”, replied the rancher.
“Jack Holmes, drifter”, said Jack.
He bought his new boss a whisky before they both went to the Ponderosa.
Jack wasn’t really welcomed at the Ponderosa. He was used to this anyway. Ben didn’t know that with hiring Jack he had taken a living murder weapon into his home. Jack kept silent against the others that he was being wanted.
What the young outlaw didn’t know or could suspect was that Dennis Larson had followed him to Virginia City. Dennis hadn’t forgotten the fierce confrontation with Ben Cartwright yet. He would and had to deal with the rancher. Hereby Jack would enter the game.
Because Jack worked for the Cartwrights he began to see that there was also a life without crime possible. The young outlaw wanted this too but he didn’t know how. He didn’t trust anyone and the same went for the others.
One certain evening Jack was with the herd when Dennis came up to him.
“Can’t you be without me?”, Dennis asked sarcastic.
“Sure I can. What are you doing here?”, Jack asked distrusting.
“You are going to help me to kill Ben Cartwright. I speak to you tonight at midnight near the old oak”, Dennis said and he rode away again.
Jack watched him go and didn’t think about anymore.
In his hotel room Dennis got overjoyed about his upcoming murder attempt. He knew that Jack would refuse to kill his boss so like usual everything came down to Dennis himself. Jack could do a lot of things but killing a person, the outlaw didn’t know the first thing about.
Jack decided to spend the night with the herd to be able to think clear about his future. He was tired of being used as a servant by Dennis Larson. But he was still much too young to live alone. At very young age Dennis had killed the parents of Jack for fear that they would report him for money forgery. From that moment on Jack was forced to commit all possible criminal crimes.
One way or another Ben had seen that Jack needed help. The rancher had hired the boy. Though Ben couldn’t really get through to him. His sons didn’t say much to him but neither did the others hands.
It was around midnight. Jack had a secret meeting with t Dennis.
Dennis said, “I pay you an amount of exactly $ 15.000,00 to kill Ben Cartwright.”
“I do a lot for money but not committing a murder. If you want him dead, go ahead”, Jack said cool.
“You work for Cartwright”, reacted Dennis.
“What would that be?”, asked the young outlaw.
They didn’t come to a solution. Dennis noticed that his partner had changed. Suddenly they heard a noise close by.
“Get lost! I will solve it with those Cartwrights”, whispered Dennis.
Jack disappeared. Dennis drew his revolver and fired at the unwanted visitor. That was Little Joe who had followed Jack. The young Cartwright was hit in his right arm. Lying on the ground he got yet a hit on the head and he was unconscious. Dennis sneaked back to his horse and mounted on. He hadn’t counted on Adam, who had seen his brother leave from the ranch.
“Have you seen Joe?”, Adam asked calm.
“No, I haven’t seen him. But Jack has killed him to blame me”, said Dennis.
He got his rifle and knocked Adam out with the barrel.
Adam fell on the ground and got put by Dennis on Sport, the sorrel of Adam. Here after Dennis mounted on again and took the sorrel to a deserted spot. There he pushed the still unconscious Adam on the ground. Here after Dennis rode away.
The next morning Ben said amazed to Hoss, “Have you seen Little Joe and/or Adam? Their horses are away from the corral.”
Hoss looked up and replied, “Maybe they are already to the herd. Jack was there too since yesterday.”
“No, they should have said it. Something must have happened to them both”, Ben said worried.
Hoss decided to search through the area of the ranch to find his brothers that way. His father stayed at home in the hope that his oldest and youngest son would come home. In whatever state they were. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Ben answered the door but didn’t see anyone. But in a fraction of a second the rancher got hit in his right leg. Ben fell down on the porch but he couldn’t see who shot him down.
Slowly Adam woke up again. He got up with difficulty and looked around him. The oldest Cartwright boy wondered where he was. Suddenly he could remember everything. He saw his sorrel standing ad grabbed him. The horse got his owner on his back again. On the way to the Ponderosa everything came back again in the mind of Adam. He vowed for revenge on Jack. It couldn’t care him how that would happen anyway. Who knows his brother Hoss and father had become the victim of that dirty outlaw too. Adam became the longer the more worried.
In the meantime Hoss was looking for Adam and Little Joe. Suddenly he saw his brother coming to stand up. Hoss jumped off his horse and ran to Little Joe.
“Joe, what has happened to you for goodness sake? You look great”, Hoss said worried.
“Jack shot and hit me down last night. He wants to kill pa”, Little Joe said slowly.
“Then it is only a matter of time to step in. Come on. Hop Sing will take care of you”, said his brother.
They mounted on their horses and rode in the direction of the ranch. They too became worried about the condition of Ben and Adam.
At the Ponderosa Ben got taken good care of by his loyal cook Hop Sing. The rancher wasn’t really bad injured but a running race was not in the planning for the time being.
“Mr Cartwright keep rest of Hop Sing”, said the Chinese cook.
“Hop Sing, I feel good”, was the protest of Ben.
He tried to get up but due to the heavy pain the rancher was forced to sit down. The cook disappeared again to the kitchen.
Sometime later Adam came rushing into the ranch house.
“Adam, where have you been for goodness sake?”, asked his father.
“Late last night Jack knocked me out. After that he dragged me to a deserted spot. Pa he is danger to life. By the way, what has happened to you?”, Adam asked on his turn.
“Someone shot me down at the porch. Don’t you worry because it is only a grazing wound. I wonder where your youngest brother is”, said Ben.
“Jack claims that he has killed Joe”, replied his son.
Adam hoped that his father would protect Jack like that had happened earlier. Hereby Jack got less trusted at the ranch.
Because Jack suspected trouble he decided to leave Nevada The ground underneath his criminal feet got too hot for him Without leaving a message behind Jack left to let his partner deal with the consequences. Dennis Larson began the outlaw to work on his nerves too much already.
When Hoss and Little Joe arrived at the herd they didn’t see Jack nowhere anymore.
“Hoss, I think that he is at the ranch”, said Little Joe.
His brother thought so too. They turned their horses around and rode home.
Adam just came out of the bunk house when his brothers rode up the yard.
“Adam, have you seen that blighter of a Holmes?”, asked Hoss.
“No, but if I see him I kill him. He happened to have shot our dearest pa”, said Adam.
“He did that with me as well”, Little Joe said while he dismounted off Cochise.
“His stuff is also away from the bunk house so I suspect that he is away for good”, said Adam.
“Good riddance”, said Hoss.
That evening Adam and Hoss were in the Lucky Nuggett. Suddenly they saw Dennis Larson coming towards them.
“Is Jack Holmes still working for your father?”, he asked coming straight to the point.
“He is away since today. Why?”, Adam asked distrusting.
“I must pay him a nice amount of money for shooting down your father”, said Dennis.
The brothers looked at each other amazed and suddenly understood how it all fitted into one.
“Just come outside for a minute. We can talk there more in private”, Adam said giving his brother a wink.
He grabbed Dennis by the arm and they left the saloon. Hoss ordered something more to drink.
Outside Adam pushed Dennis against the wall and said, “Did you give Jack order to shoot down my pa? Say it. Or otherwise I let my brother loose at you. Then you have the chance that you are splashed around Virginia City in more than a thousand pieces.”
“I blew your father down because Jack refused. I knocked you out and shot at your brother. Jack has committed all crimes for me. He is just an orphan boy and I am an important bank manager in Apache Strings in New Mexico”, said Dennis.
“How old is Jack?”, Adam wanted to know.
“Fourteen but he looks older. You can’t trust him”, said Dennis.
“And you are?”, asked Adam.
The bank manager nodded. As a reaction he got a hit on the jaw from the eldest son of Ben Cartwright.
Dennis fell on the ground and groaned, “Dirty bastard. Soon you will get a visit from the Grim Reaper. And Holmes too!”
He got another kick and was then left behind by Adam.
At the bar he took a large sip of his beer and he said, “Hoss, I am afraid that we have judged Jack the wrong way. At home I shall tell how it all fits together.”
“Has that fellow confessed?”, Hoss asked amazed.
“He has used Jack for everything that is forbidden by the law. Are you coming?”, asked Adam.
At the Ponderosa Adam told exactly what Dennis had told him outside of the saloon.
“Adam, Hoss, tomorrow morning you are going to look for Jack. I want to give him a new chance”, Ben said after a long silence.
The brothers nodded and knew that their father knew what he was doing.
Jack was still in Nevada. In Reno to be precisely. He was in deep trouble because his conscious caught up with him. Finally he decided to go to confession at the local church. At least that was his plan. But just before Jack wanted to enter the church he got stopped by the sheriff.
“Jack Holmes? Come with me”, said the sheriff.
The young outlaw went along.
In the office of sheriff Stone Jack heard, “You must report yourself by the sheriff of Virginia City.”
“I go right away but I have one question. May a criminal testify against his blackmailer in exchange for lesser punishment?”, asked Jack.
The sheriff nodded and said to make it clearer, “It is about Dennis Larson, isn’t it? He is wanted for a few years now.”
By the time that Jack reached Virginia City he ran into Adam and Hoss.
“You’re the one we must have. Pa gave the order to look for you”, said Adam.
“Here I am”, Jack said straight away.
“Are you coming?”, asked Adam.
“I had to report myself to the sheriff of Virginia City. I don’t know why”, said Jack.
“We do. It appears that Dennis Larson has surrendered himself voluntarily. Clem needs your testimony”, Hoss explained.
In the office of the sheriff Jack made a statement which caused trouble for Dennis Larson.
Sheriff Clem Foster listened patiently and said after that, “Jack, you keep quiet now. Go along with them.”
Jack did that but nobody saw that some was following the threesome to the Ponderosa.
While Adam and Hoss bought Ben and Little Joe up to date Jack stayed outside waiting. He didn’t know that the notorious black man would drop by. But Dennis didn’t know that either. Dennis rode up the yard and dismounted from his horse.
Jack looked up and asked, “What the hell are you doing here?”
He made his weapon ready to draw. Dennis wanted to shoot but Jack was faster. First he shot the male private parts of Dennis to the moon and then the owner of it to the kill factory. Dennis had just the strength to fire a bullet at the young outlaw and hit Jack in his left ankle.
The following moment Dennis moved to the other world. The Cartwrights heard the shots inside the ranch house and went to look outside to see what had happened. A look at the body of Dennis and the injured Jack told everything.
Hoss checked the wound and said, “That is only a graze wound. You will survive it.”
“Dennis couldn’t even shoot straight. What happens to me now?”, asked Jack.
“First you go inside to tell pa everything”, said Adam.
He and Hoss helped him up and limping Jack went along inside.
While Hop Sing took the bullet out Jack told everything that had happened.
“Dennis had worked many years for my parents until they discovered that he stole money from them. Then he had killed them and blamed me. If I didn’t do what he said he threatened me to report me to the sheriff”, said Jack.
“Jack, how old are you?”, Ben asked serious.
“Fourteen. Why Mr Cartwright?”, asked Jack.
“Well, I can make sure that you can get a normal life again by requesting amnesty for you so that you can go to school and learn a trade. There are good boarding schools in the east and during the holidays you can come here”, the rancher suggested.
“Alright. I accept it”, Jack said who felt much better now.
Adam went to inform Clem about the shooting between Jack and Dennis at the Ponderosa. The sheriff went straight to the ranch and took the body along.
Ben got from Jack a hand written report of all the crimes he had committed in order of Dennis Larson. After the rancher had read this he decided to treat Jack like he was one of his own son.
Because of what he had done to Jack Dennis had to do it with a small wooden cross. Adam had the opinion that the cross was actually still too good for him.