Meleah's Western - Part 35

Good Morning FFFs,
It worked! I don't think I've ever had so many comments as I got last week unless it was a contest.:) I will say that it was a last minute decision to do that to you all.:) It was rather fun. I know, I know, you couldn't believe I did that, can you? I've been wanting to do that for over a year, and since April 1st just happened to be on a Friday and the story just seemed to be set for some drastic thing, . . . Well-- :)

I would have gotten this posted sooner, but I'm at my grandparents and have Pickle Puss & Funny Boy to watch.:) Goof Ball went to the conference with J & M and Dad and S. Right now PP is reading stories with Great-Grandma and FB is eating though I think he is about done since he is talking and being funny.:)

Got to go. Enjoy this next western. And don't worry, this one is all real.:)

Part 35

The sound of the shot startled Carson and Sally, and they looked up in time to see Ty nearly falling from the saddle. Sally screamed. Dashing forward through the remaining trees on Starlight, she reached her brother’s side and grasped his arm, crying out as she did
so, “Ty! What happened? Who was it? You’re hurt! Oh, Ty!”
Carson, having ridden nearly as quickly as Sally, had come up on the other side
and, grasping Par’s reins, instructed, “Keep him steady, Sally. Ty, don’t try ta get off now. We’ve got ta get away from this clearin’ an’ out in the open where we can see the shooters ‘fore they shoot us.” As he spoke, Carson had wrapped the reins around his saddle horn and, keeping one hand on Ty to help steady him, nudged his horse into a faster gait.
Ty, his face grey and dotted with drops of sweat, fought to keep in the saddle. Every move of the horse beneath him was agony, and if it hadn’t been for the firm hands on either side of him, he
surely would have fallen. The left shoulder of his shirt was crimson with blood which was rapidly staining more every second. Carson knew the flow of lifegiving blood needed staunched quickly, but he also knew that stopping while still in range from a hidden gunman in the tree could be fatal to all of them. Consequently, it was several minutes before he halted the horses, sprang off and caught the now nearly fainting Ty and laid him on the grass.
Ripping open his shirt he found the wound. The bullet was lodged deeply and would take quite some probing to get out. Knowing that the best place for Ty now was a house, not out in the open, Carson thought quickly as he tried to staunch the blood of his friend. “Sally, we need something ta help stop the bleedin’ an’ bind this here wound up.”
Sally had already slipped off one of her petticoats and was busy tearing it into strips, remarking in a half hysterical attempt at cheerfulness, for Ty’s pallor and the sight of the wound frightened her more than she would admit, “I always knew a petticoat would come in handy for somethin’ besides gettin’ in my way.”
At that, Ty opened his eyes and tried to smile reassuringly at her, but at that same instant Carson pressed the wad of petticoat against his shoulder causing the smile to turn into a groan which he
couldn’t surpress.
“Oh Ty!” Sally cried. “What are we going to do?” She looked at Carson with tear-filled eyes.
“Here, Sally,” he directed, “keep pressure on this till I come back.”
“Carson,” moaned Ty, struggling to make his voice audible, “don’t try ta find ‘em.”
“Ain’t goin’ ta.” was the short answer as he strode away leaving the brother and sister alone.

For several minutes Sally knelt in silence, one hand stopping the flow of crimson and the other gently wiping the sweat from Ty’s brow. All was quiet. The five horses with reins dropped stood
calmly nearby eating a mouthful of grass now and then, looking with seeming curiosity at Sally and the motionless Ty. There was no sound from the woods they had so rapidly left. Ty lay still on the grass, the only movement from him was the rise and fall of his chest with each
breath he took. Even this was somewhat painful, and Ty lay with clenched hands and tightly compressed lips. How long this silence and inaction lasted neither Ty nor Sally ever could tell. It might have been hours or days even before Carson came back.
“I can make out some smoke jest a couple miles away. Where there’s smoke, there’s most
likely a fire, an’ a fire this time a day speaks of a house. Can ya ride a bit, Ty?”
In answer Ty opened his eyes and tried to sit up.
Carson, using the rest of Sally’s petticoat, bound up the shoulder as best he could. Then together with Sally, he helped Ty to his feet, and after a bit of difficulty, into the saddle. There Carson steadied him until Sally was mounted and could hold on to Ty. And so, with Carson and Sally on either side of their wounded companion, the trio set off slowly towards the whisp of smoke Carson had observed in the distance.
It was the longest trip any of them had ever taken before. Each step of the horses sent jarring pain through Ty’s wounded shoulder. The bleeding, never fully stopped, continued to slowly seep through the rough bandages. It was with great anxiety that Sally watched her brother. She fought back the tears which filled her eyes and breathed a prayer as they rode. Carson, too, was alarmed at this sudden turn of events in their journey. Eagerly he watched the smoke that seemed never to be any closer. Would they ever reach that fire? Would it not be better to leave Ty and Sally and ride there himself? But what if something happened while he was gone? They had to stay together. At last, as evening was rapidly approaching, he observed a trail heading towards the smoke. Here it was easier going, for no longer did they have to travel up and down hills. Then, just when it seemed as though they would never reach it, the lights of a small, but in their eyes, wonderful house shone in the gathering darkness.
“Hello!” called out Carson.
The door flew open and someone stepped out calling, “Who is it and what’s wanted?”
“We’ve got a wounded man here and need help.”
Instantly several more persons stepped out as the tired trio rode into the yard. The horses’ bridles were grasped and Ty was lifted off his horse. Sally, too, was helped down, and in a daze, she followed the two fellows as they carried their living burden between them into the light of the house.

I would have gotten this up earlier, but FB got finished eating before I finished here. But I'm done now. FB has has been playing with me and his balls.:)