Love's Abiding Joy (Love Comes Softly #4)(42)

Marty rose to hurry to Clark, and Missie and Maria prayed together again.



136





Chapter Eighteen




Healing



During the next few days, Clark was in and out of consciousness, mostly because of the medication that he was given. Dr. De la Rosa, as he was now known, stayed with him, Maria having returned home to their children. Marty found the time following Clark's surgery even more taxing than her previous vigil, but Juan gave her encouraging reports daily. Clark's pulse was more normal and his color was improving. Juan was hopeful that the infection had been caught in time. Marty dreaded the time when Clark would be aware of the fact that his leg was missing. She worried about how he might respond to the shocking truth.

It happened on the third day following surgery. Clark awoke and seemed to be quite rational. He asked for Marty, who was at the time having her lunch. She went to him, and Dr. De la Rosa left the room.

"I'll be right here in the hall if you need me," Juan whispered softly as he left.

Marty crossed to Clark's bed.



137



"Hello, there," she said. "It's nice to see ya awake. You've been sleepin' a powerful lot lately."

Clark managed a crooked grin. "I reckon," he admitted. "Ya feelin' some better?"

"I think thet I'm feelin' lots better than even I know," said Clark.

"Meanin'?"

"Meanin' I've sorta lost track of time an' what's been goin' on. I need a few explanations, Marty. Seems I've been in an' out of a nightmare. Care to fill me in?"

Marty sighed heavily. "It's been a nightmare fer all of us--but I guess fer you, most of all."

Marty did not go on. Clark waited for her a moment and then prompted. "I think thet I need to know, Marty." "Where do ya want to start?"

"How 'bout the beginnin'?"

"Ya remember the mine accident?"

"I remember."

"Ya know thet ya was hit on the head an' were out fer a few days?"

"I do."

"Do ya remember comin"round at all?"

"Yah. It's sorta hazy. I was in an awful lot of pain. My leg was--"

Clark stopped for a moment, then went on. "My leg's not as bad now."

"We found a doctor. He's been carin' fer ya."

"A doctor! Since I woke up, Juan's been--"

"Juan is a doctor."

"Juan?"

"Right."

"Well, don't thet beat all?" grinned Clark. "How'd thet all come 'bout?"

"It's a long story," said Marty. "Juan's been runnin' away from his past. One day I'll tell it all to ya."

"Well, iffen thet don't beat all," Clark said again. "Juan a doctor. Folks here 'bout must be crazy-happy to learn--" "They's excited 'bout it, all right. Soon's yer well enough



138



to leave behind, Juan is headin' fer a city to git what he needs to start up a proper-like practice. He's already set the ankle of thet boy in town who was in the mine. He thinks thet he might even be able to re-break an' set the arm of the young Newton child. The parents are willin' fer 'im to try."

"Well, I'll be," said Clark and then, after a moment of silent thoughtfulness, he went on. "Ya know, this here accident might be worth it iffen it got a doctor fer this town. Iffen it helped clear up Juan's problems so thet he could do his proper work ag'in, it jest might be worth the price."

Marty cringed. Clark did not as yet know just how high the price had been.

"So Juan cared for me, huh?" went on Clark.

"He did," answered Marty, "right when we had 'bout given up."

"I was thet bad?"

"Thet bad."

"He had the proper medicine?"

"Enough fer it to do the job. Heard him fussin' thet he didn't have somethin' else, but I guess what he did have worked."

"An' he fixed my leg."

"He saved yer life," said Marty.

"He fixed my leg an' saved my life."

Marty did not answer. She bit her lip and then she realized that Clark was waiting for her to go on.

"Clark," she said slowly, "yer leg was bad broke. It wasn't just a break, Clark; it was crushed. Then it got even worse. It got all gangrene. The gangrene nearly killed ya. It would have, too, iffen it hadn't been fer Dr. De la Rosa."

Clark's face had gone white as Marty talked. The words gangrene and poison seemed to linger in his eyes and on his lips.

"An' yer sayin'--?"

"I'm sayin' thet Dr. De la Rosa fixed yer leg as best he could--in the only way he could. He took it off, Clark. He took it off 'fore it killed ya."

Clark turned away his face. Marty saw a deep shiver vibrate all through him. She threw her arms around him and



139



held him close. She waited for a moment until the truth had time to slowly penetrate his thinking.

"Clark," she said, her tears falling freely, "I know thet isn't what ya wanted to hear. I know thet ya didn't want to lose a leg. I didn't want it either, Clark. With my whole being', I fought it. But it was yer leg or you. For a while, it looked like it would be both. Oh, Clark, I'm jest so thankful to God thet He sent a doctor along in time to spare ya. I . . . I . . . I don't know how I'd ever made it without you, Clark. God spared ya, an' I'm so glad. So glad. We'll git by without the leg . . . I promise."