Bonanza: "The Legacy of Joe Cartwright."

Chapter Four

Back at Joe and Alice's house, Alice is lying in bed as she turns her head back and forth, moaning. Hannah continues to keep her calm as she tells her. "Just breathe, Alice." Alice tries to steady her breathing as she cries. "What if something's wrong with the baby?" There, there, now, don't say that." Hannah tells her. "The baby is going to be just fine. Try to think good thoughts." Alice places her hand up to her belly and then says, tearfully. "But I haven't felt him move in over an hour. What is he's..suffering. What if he's dying in there?" Hannah strokes her head as she responds. "Shh. Now don't say such a thing. That's just your fears talking right now, that doesn't make it so." Alice then says. "He can't come now. Joe's not here. I don't want him to miss his child being born." "You don't know that he will. Joe might make it back in time." Hannah tells her. Alice shakes her head as she says. "No."

She then looks Hannah straight in the eye as she says. "He's not gonna miss this birth. You have to get him." Hannah shakes her head as she struggles to respond. "Alice, I..I can't." "You have to." Alice tells her and she then takes her arm as she pleads. "Please. I can't do this without him. I need him! Please! Get him!" "Alright, alright." Hannah says and then gets up and hurries out the bedroom door.

Candy is sitting at the kitchen table when he sees Hannah come out of the bedroom. He gets up from the table as he asks her. "How's she doing?" She comes up to him as she says to him. "Candy, I need you to ride out to Placerville and bring Joe back here." Candy looks at her as he tries to think whether he heard her correctly. "You want me to what?" "I need you to bring Joe back here now." Hannah tells him and Candy then chuckles a bit and responds. “You want me to ride all the way out to Placerville in the pouring rain just to bring Joe back here, woman are you crazy!?” Hannah then tells him. “Candy, he's your friend, you've got to do it, Alice is calling for him. She needs him.”

Candy places one hand on his hip as he rubs his temple with the other and then tells her. "Look, even if I could..there's no way I'd be able to make it in time." "You've got to try, Candy!" Hannah pleads and then winces as she places her hand up to her temple. Candy then asks in concern. "What's wrong with you now?" "Oh, nevermind me." Hannah responds in frustration. "We need to help Alice, she needs Joe right now. You have to get him for her, please." He sighs and then relents. "Alright, I still think it's a crazy idea but..I'll try." She smiles as she places her hand up to the side of his face. "Thank you. You better hurry." "Right. I'll see if I can take the stage, it might be faster." Candy says as he hurries to the door and picks up his hat and vest. He then turns around to Hannah and tells her. "I want you to stay right here with her until I get back, alright?" She nods. "I will." He gives her a kiss and then says to her. "I'll be back." He then opens the door and heads out into the rain as Hannah closes it behind him.

Candy makes it to the stage office just as the rain lets up. He comes up to the man inside the stage office and asks him, anxiously. "Hi, do you know when the next stage to Placerville is?" "The next stage won't be until morning." The stage office manager tells him. Candy sighs and then says to him. "Thanks." Candy moves away from the window and places his hands on his hips as he looks around, formulating a plan in his mind. He knows any more delays could put Alice in even more jeopardy, so he decides to take a chance and then hurries over to his horse, mounts onto it and gets it moving as fast as he can in the direction of Placerville.

Night falls and Hannah has fallen asleep in a chair near Alice's bedside. Alice tosses back and forth and moans as Hannah stirs a little and then opens her eyes. She then leans over to Alice's bedside. "Alice?" Alice opens her eyes and turns her head to her as Hannah then asks her. "How is the pain now?" Alice sighs and replies. "It's calmed down a bit." "Good. I've been praying all night." Hannah tells her. Alice then says to her. "I wish Joe was here." "I know." Hannah says as she places her hand over Alice's. "Candy will find him, don't worry." "I hope you're right." Alice replies and Hannah then tells her. "Just try to get some rest." Alice nods and then closes her eyes and Hannah sits back in her chair as she says another silent prayer.