Meleah's Western - Part 36

Good Morning Favorite Friday Fiction Fans!

I hope you are ready for more of the Western. And a special welcome to
the new fans of Meleah's Western: the N. family who are reading it as a
family read-aloud.:) I hope you enjoy it!


It is so nice to be home this week and not be writing this post in a
hotel room or while I'm trying to either keep an eye on Funny Boy or
hope I finish this before he is finished eating.:) It was fun to be
gone, but home is so nice. I really haven't done much writing at all
for quite some time. Last night and Wed. night were the first I had
written since before we left town. (That tells you something. Not sure
what, but something.:)) I have so many ideas to write, so many stories
I'd love to get down on paper, so many words to use, but my fingers
don't type fast enough. And sometimes I can't get my thoughts to agree
on how to say something.:} Now that is a problem.
Since Home Fires of the Great War
is published and I can pick the book up, I really would like to publish
some other books. Hmm, I think Meleah's Western should be next. I also
got an idea for a new sort of story from my Grandpa and Uncles. I'll
have to get their help, but they were willing. It should be fun and
interesting. But for now I'll stick with the Western and my Ranch
story. Oh, you haven't gotten to read that yet. Maybe I'll post that
next week. On my birthday.:)


But I'm just rambling. I've got all kinds of things I want to do
besides write. :) Once I have a few of them done, maybe I'll let you
see some pictures of my projects. (And no, there is no sewing involved.)
And now that I've talked to myself about not much, I'll let you read Part 36. Enjoy!

Part 36

Sally didn’t notice anything as she followed them into a room
where Ty, now unconscious, was laid tenderly on a bed. One of the young
men bent over him listening to his breathing and then began removing
the bandages with skillful fingers. Sally didn’t notice the other
fellow place a chair next to the bed until she was pushed gently into
it, someone saying softly to her, “Just sit here by him; Ma’ll bring
you some coffee.” “I need some hot water, Joe,” the fellow examining Ty
ordered quietly. “It’s coming. Ma’s got the kettle on,” replied the
other. In a daze Sally watched the young man as he worked over her
brother, washing the wound and then skillfully, expertly, extracting
the bullet from the shoulder. Someone put a cup of hot coffee in her
cold, shaking hands, but she didn’t realize it. She just sat,
shivering, her eyes never leaving Ty’s face, pleading silently that his
life be spared, oblivious to anything or anyone else around her.
Meanwhile, Carson, after seeing his young companions in the hospitable
house, led his own horse, along with their two pack horses, to the barn
where two men had taken Par and Starlight. While the three men
unsaddled, brushed and bedded down the five tired horses, Carson
introduced himself. “I’m Bob Carson an’ my two friends are Ty Elliot
an’ his sister Sally. We’ve been traveling since spring’s come an’
ain’t sure jest when our travels’ll be over.” One of the men, evidently
the father, shook hands with Carson. “I’m glad to meet you, Carson, I’m
Jim Fields. This is my youngest son, Jed. Our home is always open to
those in need whether they be friends or strangers.” The young man,
Jed, after closing the stall door behind him, held out his hand. He was
a tall, well built youth with the broad shoulders that come from hard
work. His hand, as it gripped that of Carson, was rough, yet his face
was pleasant. “Glad to meet you. So, what happened to your companion?”
As they all walked back to the house, Carson told of the shot from the
trees. “If’n Ty weren’t hurt so bad, I’d a gone ta see who did it.” “We
could ride out there tomorrow and check it out, don’t you think, Pa?”
Jim Fields nodded. “I’ll go with you and we’ll take a couple of the
hands. That ought to be enough to deal with whoever is out there. And
don’t worry about your friend,” he added turning to Carson, “Jack just
got back from medical training back east. The good Lord led you to just
the right place.” “Yep,” Jed put in, his hand on the door latch “There
isn’t another doctor for over a hundred miles. Jack sure comes in handy
in this wilderness.” Sally didn’t notice Carson come softly into the
room nor feel his hand on her shoulder, nor did she hear his low voice
urging her to come eat. All she saw was Ty and all she heard was the
slow, uneasy breathing of her brother and the moans that now and then
came from his grey lips. The coffee turned cold in her hand and was
replaced with more, yet she neither moved nor responded to anyone. So
absorbed was she in her brother that she didn’t know she was being
talked about by the group in the doorway. “I ain’t never seen her like
this ‘fore,” Carson shook his head. “Even when her pa was dyin’ she
knew what was goin’ on ‘round her. Now she jest sits an’ looks at him.”
Jack nodded, “Sometimes that happens when someone receives a shock like
this must have been. And it doesn’t help any that she was probably
already tired and worn out by the long travels.” “Think Ma can do
anything, Jack?” The young man turned and, glancing first at his
brother and then across the room to his mother, shrugged. “It’s worth a
try. She isn’t going to do him any good if she takes sick as well.” The
others knew he was referring to Sally and not his mother. A few moments
later, Mrs. Fields took one of Sally’s hands in her own kind, worn ones
and began talking softly. At first there was no response from the girl
sitting so motionless in the chair, then, as the voice continued,
something in the tone seemed to reach her brain, for slowly her eyes moved
from Ty’s still form to the kind motherly face before her. It took
several more minutes for her tired, exhausted mind to understand what
was being said. “Come, Dear, you need to eat if you are going to keep
up your strength for him. The others will stay with him. Come on. You
are worn out and need rest and food, then you can watch again. You
really must eat.” Sally looked back at Ty and slowly nodded, too weary
to argue. She was helped to her feet and gently led out of the room
while Jack moved to take his place beside the bed of the wounded man.
Anxiously Carson watched Sally listlessly begin to eat. If anything
happened to Ty, what would she do? Would the search be even possible to
continue without him? He began to think the trip was too much for her.
They should never have let her come along. No one in the room seemed
inclined to speak for several long minutes. At last, Jim picked up a
book off the mantle, remarking quietly as he did so, “Let’s have a bit
of reading from the Good Book. The Lord will give much comfort and help
through His Word.” Without waiting for a response, if one had been
expected, the book was opened, and in a voice that seemed to feel the
truth of the words, he read: “In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to
my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?”

Any thoughts?