Love's Abiding Joy (Love Comes Softly #4)(33)

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I want ya to run real quick an' tell Cookie an' Scottie thet I need 'em at the house. Tell 'em I need 'em now. Then come right back here to yer room. Okay?"

Nathan laid aside his book and ran as his pa bade him. Scottie and Cookie quickly arrived at Clark's room.

"Quick," said Willie. "I've got the ladies busy in the kitchen fixin' a lunch fer the hands."

"Lunch fer the hands?" repeated Cookie in disbelief.

"It was all thet I could think of to git 'em from the room. Now we gotta clean up thet leg, an' we gotta do it quick-like."

The two men nodded and Willie threw back the blankets. The sight that met their gaze was not a pleasant one. For a moment, Willie wished that he could just throw the blanket over the leg again and walk away.

Cookie forgot himself and swore under his breath. " 'Bout the worst one I ever seed," he said. "Even worse shape then my hip was."

"Well, we gotta do what we can. Pass thet there basin." The three men worked over the wound, soaking and cleaning it and then pouring on the whole bottle of disinfectant. Willie tried to straighten the leg so that it didn't lay at such a bizzare angle, but they knew there was nothing they could do to set the bone. After the thorough cleansing, they fixed a loose, makeshift splint and wrapped the damaged leg in it, more to conceal the injury than to do it any good. They were just finishing when Willie heard Missie's quick, light step.

"I take it thet lunch is ready," he whispered to the other two. "Ya go on out an' find someone--anyone--to eat it."

Cookie nodded and went out to round up some cowboys. Scottie, at a nod from his boss, also left the room. He met Missie in the hall.

"I hear tell thet ya fixed some sandwiches, ma'am. Ya mind I wash some of the dirt off me at the cookshack an' I'll be right in. Mighty nice of ya, an' I sure am in need of a cup of coffee. Mighty obliged, ma'am."

Willie covered Clark carefully and picked up the basin with the dirty, bloody water. He held it up high so that Missie couldn't see into it.



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"Yer pa seems to be restin' a mite easier now. Thanks fer feedin' the men, Missie. Ya might tell yer ma thet if she wishes to sit with yer pa, the fellas can care fer themselves in the kitchen. An', Missie, I think thet Nathan might need a little reassurance. He must be wonderin' jest what's goin' on. I sent him on a little chore fer me, an' he was 'fraid you'd scold him fer leavin' his room unbidden. Ya might like to peek in and sorta calm him some. I gotta run. Gotta make a little trip. Won't be long."

Missie looked dumbfounded at Willie's announcement, but she nodded mutely and moved toward the boys' room. Willie ached to hold her for a minute, but his hands were occupied with the basin and dirty towels. He sensed that his wife was still in shock.

"Missie," he said softly, "he's gonna be all right. He's tough. As soon as thet little bump on his head . . ." His voice trailed off. Then he went on. "Tell yer ma not to let him move. Iffen he wakes up an' thrashes 'round, call fer Scottie. We couldn't set thet there leg yet, an' he might hurt hisself."

Again Missie nodded silent assent. Willie moved on by her with the basin.

"An', Missie. Try not to worry. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He passed through the door and headed for the bunkhouse and cookshack. He tossed the dirty water to the side of the path. When he reached the cookshack he found Cookie.

"Could only find three riders," said Cookie, "an' even they weren't hungry. Told 'em to eat or else."

"Lane an' Scottie should be hungry," said Willie. "They ain't had anythin' since--"

"This sort of thing takes one's appetite," answered Cookie. "But they'll eat. They'll eat all right, an' they'll drink the coffee. They need the coffee."

Willie passed Cookie the blood-soaked towels. "Think thet ya can clean 'em up some 'fore the ladies see 'em ag'in?"

"Shore," said Cookie and tossed them in a corner.

"Tell Scottie thet I had to go into town. Tell 'im thet I want an eye kept on thet house. Iffen those women need help, I want someone to be there."



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Cookie said nothing but his eyes assured Willie that the order would be followed.

Willie strode on down to the corral where he lifted a rope from a post and snaked out his saddle horse. In a few minutes' time the sound of pounding hoofbeats was echoing in the yard.

Marty had had a hard time concentrating on fixing a lunch for the men with Clark lying in the bedroom in his present condition. She couldn't remember how many scoops of coffee to put into the pot nor could she remember where to find bread and butter. Missie's memory didn't seem to be much better, even if it was her own kitchen. Wong was down in the garden selecting vegetables for supper and neither of the ladies thought to call him.

Numbly they went about searching out sandwich materials and spreading the bread. Neither talked, although both were troubled with anxious thoughts that would not be stilled. They worked on in silence until Marty noticed Missie fighting back the tears. She went to her then and took her in her arms.

"He'll be all right. God won't let anythin' happen to 'im. He'll be fine." Oh, how Marty wanted to believe her own words! They have to be true. They just have to. If anything happens to Clark . . . Her arms tightened around Missie and she began to pray aloud.