DISCLAIMER: I do not own or profit in any way from the characters of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. They belong to MGM, Mirisch, Trilogy, CBS, and TNN. However, I do not want my original characters borrowed or used without my knowledge or consent. If you are unsure if a character is canon or an original, please click on original characters for an extensive list of my characters and when they were first introduced in my fan fiction.
The morning began for an exhausted group as Vin's fever fluctuated all night long. He breathing was better, the congestion loosened enough that he was no longer hacking up a lung, but for some reason his fever kept fluctuating. Nathan carefully checked the wound looking for any abscesses or infection that might have caused the fever, but to no avail. He was getting frustrated, and Chris was the first to sense it. He knew Nathan was ready to drop as did Bull. Even John Henry made a point of fetching everything for Josh while Jules took over mixing the herbs per Nathan's instructions. Dal was taking his turn putting cool wet compresses on Vin's forehead and neck to help bring the fever down while Bull bathed the feverish body. The night had been interrupted by Josiah and then Nathan in turn soothing and then laughing at the things that would pour out of Vin during his periods of delirium. There were even times when Chris was not certain who was angrier at some of the things Vin mentioned happening to him during his delirium. Vin described the massacre of his people so matter of fact at one point that even Chris found his own anger rising at the slaughter of innocent women and children just because they were Indians.
Nathan had finally sent Josiah to bed something the big man had refrained from while Nathan took his needed rest. When faced with the argument by Chris that the others would probably be too exhausted to help by the time they returned and that Chris would personally fill Josiah in on any new tidbits Vin's feverish tongue decided to let slip, Josiah had gratefully accepted the pallet on the floor. If it was good enough for Nathan, it would certainly do for him. Mrs. Stoneham's return to the room with workers and trays laden with food was the only thing that awoke Josiah. When she offered to help Bull manage Vin, Nathan too gratefully accepted the room across the hall and the bed he needed as well. Josiah was convinced to take another room next to them.
It was nearing eleven in the late morning when a carriage rolled up to the hotel and the women arrived. Mrs. Stoneham made herself scare as Bull announced that a woman favoring Vin was getting out of the carriage. There was another man, older than Bull, as well as Yosemite who Bull recognized along with Nettie Wells and Mary Travis.
"I'd say the cavalry has arrived." Bull turned back to the man who was lying quietly on the bed. His fever had come down just a little and he was fighting his way back to consciousness.
"Cavalry? We gotta warn the tribe!" His voice had grown in volume as Vin tried to get away from the bonds that held him. Thrashing about was only frustrating him and making it worse as he became entangled further in the bed covers. Bull rushed over and held him down as Dal was knocked down by Vin's efforts to free himself.
"Hush boy. It ain't that cavalry. We're here, everyone's safe."
"Vin! Vin, you're not with the tribe. You're here with us." Chris never raised his voice, but his even tone of voice mixed with Bull's slowly penetrated the fog that had descended upon Vin with the fever. He opened his eyes and blinked looking first at Bull, then a wide-eyed Dal, then over at Chris who now had Josh and John Henry plastered behind him on his bed. Both young boys had decided if Mr. Vin was going to go crazy, they'd best hide behind Mr. Chris.
"We're not?" Vin paused recognizing Chris and the others but not the room. "Where are we?" Vin sounded confused and highly agitated. Bull signaled for Jules to go and get Nathan and Josiah. The older man had had a time holding the younger one down. He had always been thin and wiry, but few knew how strong Vin was under those skin and bones. If he had not been so weak from blood loss and the pneumonia, Bull didn't know if he would have been able to hold Tanner down. Jules opened the door to three very determined women and one older man. The woman Bull thought favored Vin practically set Jules aside as she descended on Vin Tanner. The flush on her cheeks had nothing to do with embarrassment at finding three men in a room in various stages of undress. She was madder than hell.
"You men are all alike. I turn my back for one minute and one of you gets into trouble. Isn't that right Nettie? Mary?" The others merely nodded their agreement as they took their positions in the room. Mary stood at the foot of Chris Larabee's bed looking him over like a she wolf getting ready to sink her teeth into dinner. Chris actually prayed the twins were hiding somewhere behind those skirts, so someone could save him from Mary Travis. They wanted to marry him off to Mary, not serve him up as dinner. Of course Chris could find very little difference between the two at the moment. Nettie just stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips and looked around the room in disgust.
"Any of you scholars think to open the windows and let some fresh air in?" She marched over and opened first one and then the other window allowing a fresh spring breeze to dissipate the stale air. Then she walked over and looked at the bowl of water they had been using to sponge Vin down with. "Anyone think of throwin' this ditch water out an' getting' fresh water? No wonder the poor boy's burnin' up. Any fool knows ya use fresh, lukewarm water with just a touch of witch hazel in it to make the boy cool off." Muttering to herself she began a looksee through Nathan's belongings until she came across the bottle she wanted. There were only a few drops left, so she opened the window and yelled down to Yosemite.
"You want to get some help an' bring them supplies up here, or do I have to come down an' get 'em myself?"
She poured fresh water into the bottle and sloshed the remains around. Then she poured it into the fresh water Alexandra had taken from the fireplace and mixed with cool water from the pitcher until it was lukewarm as Nettie had ordered. Alexandra then returned to Vin's side and placed a fresh cloth across his forehead as she took another and began sponging him down with it. A hand, weak but insistent, made her pause for just a moment.
"That you Zan?" His voice was hoarse, but he was lucid for the moment.
"Zan?" Alexandra looked perplexed.
"Alexandra's too much of a mouthful an' you don't look like any Alex I ever met, so Zan's just right." Vin grinned at his aunt when he finished his explanation. For the first time since she walked into the room, Alexandra smiled. That was when Bull knew without any introductions that she was Vin's aunt. Her eyes twinkled just like the boy when she was up to mischief.
"You must be Mizzus Terrell. I'm Bull Sampson an' these are," Alexandra turned from Vin for just a moment as she interrupted Bull.
"Let me see if I can guess by Nettie's and Mary's descriptions. The lovely young lady standing by the open door must be Jules." Jules grinned and promptly shut the door in Yosemite's face. Slapping her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle, she opened it just as quick to let the disgruntled man in. "The young man who favors her and is scowling at me must be Dal, the young imp grinning ear to ear from the bed must be John Henry, and the young man with the twinkle in his big brown eyes must be Josh. My, but you have a fine looking family, Mr. Sampson. You must be very proud of them."
Everyone relaxed immediately as Yosemite took off his hat after directing the men behind him to set the boxes and cases gently down on the floor. He sidled past Mary over to Chris and leaned over and spoke to the man who was using Josh and John Henry to protect him until he figured out what the gleam in Mary's eye meant. Try as he could to be quiet, Yosemite's voice still carried.
"They all insisted on comin'. Left Mr. Terrell standin' there with all them children an' Mrs. B promisin' to look out for 'em all. She sent a jar of peach preserves for Tanner. Threatened my hide iffen I forgot 'em."
"It's okay, Yosemite. Why don't you go to the saloon an' have a drink on me. Thanks for takin' such good care of all of 'em." Chris pointed to the table by his bed and John Henry fished some coins out of the top drawer.
"Best have two drinks, Mr. Yosemite. These here ladies can drain a man somethin' fierce when they're worried 'bout kin." Mary ducked her head to hide her grin as Yosemite grabbed the coins and practically ran from the room with a promise to take care of the horses and carriage first. Mary took out her purse and paid the men who had carried up their things. She walked over to Chris and smiled at him.
"I see you two have decided to loaf around again. Was it one of your friends or Vin's who shot you?"
Chris started to take exception to that when he heard Josh snort behind him.
"Weren't Mr. Chris's fault ma'am. Them yahoos thought there was still a bounty on Mr. Vin an' they took Uncle Big Foot to get Mr. Vin to come a runnin' on the count of Uncle Big Foot an' Mr. Vin're friends."
"That so? Well, it's good to know there are no bad elements in this room, now isn't it?"
John Henry loved Mrs. Travis. Her smile always lit up any room she was in, and she smiled a lot around Mr. Chris, well most of the time she did. Sometimes she looked downright ornery like she had earlier, but now she was looking just like Billy Travis's pretty mother, and Billy was a good friend to John Henry. It was with all of this in mind that John Henry solemnly shook his head in agreement with Mrs. Travis. He was so enraptured by her beauty that he nearly missed the conversation going on around the bed.
Nathan and Josiah had returned, both men looking clean and rested having each slept soundly for five hours. They were now surrounding the bed as Nathan explained to the older man what he had been doing all this time.
"I been dosin' him with purple coneflower, thyme, and willow bark tea every three hours. Used horehound and hyssop for his coughin'. The congestion in his lungs is real loose, he's breathin' easier, can't find no infection in the wound." Nathan sounded like he was at the end of his rope. "I just can't find a reason why his fever keeps spikin'. Like he's got an abscess somehwere's that I can't find."
"I'd say you've done a remarkable job with your limited resources and as tired as you have been. Let's go over here and you tell me everything that has happened. Then, we'll examine him again."
"Got no reason to poke and prod me. I can't shake the fever cause my hair's too long. Got to cut it off." Vin looked up at his great uncle and grinned. His fever bright eyes and his slurred words indicted that he was becoming delirious again. "You'll cut it won't ya, Zan? Please?" Alexandra was hit full force with the grin that indicated a man who wanted something from her that only she could give. Never having seen Vin with short hair she looked up helplessly at Nettie.
"Now we ain't cuttin' your hair boy, ain't got time for that. Sides, a day or two after that fever's gone you're gonna be wantin' to know why we butchered ya hair. I ain't gonna listen to no grown man whine."
Vin leaned his head foreward towards Nettie and winked at her. "Aw, Nettie, I always cut it come summer an' it's always grown back by fall. Please?" He held out his hand to her. Nettie took it in hers and held it indicating Alexandra should continue sponging him down. Josiah walked over to help.
"You didn't cut it last summer Vin, so why now?"
"Didn't cut it cause Ezra and Buck got madder 'n hell over it. It sure was hot, but they just would get all bent outa shape when the ladies would all say how they liked my long hair, an' why didn't they grow theirs that long." The delirious man snorted as he enjoyed sharing his joke with Josiah and the two women who were looking at him like he had just grown two horns from his forehead. Confirming their belief that he was possessed, Vin continued. "It was awful hot but worth it. But this is hotter 'n hell, 'n I'm on fire. Give me your knife, Josiah. I'll cut it myself." He tried lifting his arms, but the wound on his left side had him clutching his side and coughing in pain. Nathan was there with a cup a medicine for him, but he had decided not to give Vin morphine in his condition.
Nettie helped Josiah prop Vin up while Alexandra held the cup to his mouth. Having dealt with sick children before, she had the cup tilted and the medicine down Vin's throat before he could protest. He looked around and decided that they were not taking very good care of him. He had told them what he needed to cool off, so he glanced around the room looking for someone who would listen. His eyes fell on Mary Travis.
"Mary? You'll make 'em cut my hair, won't ya?" Mary never stopped smiling at him. She picked up the scissors on the table and walked towards the sick man lying in bed.
"I'll cut it for you, Vin." She made it sound so sincere that the others all looked at her in shock. That is until they saw her lift the hair off the back of his neck and hold it out. Taking the scissors as close to it as possible, she made a big show of snipping. Then, still holding the hair off the back of his neck, she motioned for Nettie and Josiah to lay Vin back against the pillows Alexandra had just fluffed and turned over. She smiled down upon him. "There you go. All nice and short. Feel better now?"
Vin smiled and slipped off into a fever-induced sleep. Mary looked up at Nathan scowling at her. She whispered, "It got him quiet, didn't it?"
Alexandra and Nettie shook their heads in agreement. Thinking his hair had been cut satisfied Vin and quieted him down. That worked in their favor. Then Nettie said what Mary had been thinking.
"The last time he acted like this was when he had an abscess. Does he have another one?"
"We're getting ready to check that now. Ladies, if you would allow Dr. Jackson and myself to examine our patient, we shall ascertain what our next course of treatment shall be." Dr. Neil Connors' confidence in Nathan made the healer more confident in himself even if he did sound like Ezra. Nathan smiled at Vin's nurses.
"Y'all get these kids outa here an' go have somethin' to eat an' some fresh air. They can tell y'all what all's gone on while we take care of Vin. Josiah and Chris can stay." Nathan looked at everyone with that look in his eye that Chris recognized as the man in charge. The sick room was one place where even Chris Larabee did not question Nathan's authority. He nodded for the others to go. Much to John Henry's chagrin, Mary swept Josh up in her arms and promised him a treat for being so good with his broken arm and all his bruises. Eager to plead his brother's case with the lady in question, Josh smiled at her.
"John Henry helped save me."
"He did? Well, you will both have to tell me all about it for my newspaper. Don't leave a thing out."
"Oh yes, you must tell us all about how you saved my nephew." Alexandra took John Henry by the hand and turned the full force of her smile upon him. The boy just about curled up and died right there thinking he must be in heaven with the angels.
Chris groaned. Mary Travis could get the truth out of a turnip if she was so inclined, and Alexandra Terrell was just as adept in getting exactly the information she wanted. Those two little boys didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell against them. They would tell the women every last detail, and Chris knew that they would see to it that he didn't so much as lift a finger until Nathan declared him fit once they learned of his condition. If the others didn't come back soon and take some of this attention away from Vin and himself, he would just have to show them his displeasure. He would, since they were his friends, only give them flesh wounds.
Turning to look over at what the two healers were doing with Vin, he caught Josiah's knowing eye. The big man grinned in sympathy but offered no help to his ailing friend. Sometimes a man had to fight his own battles or learn to give in gracefully when a woman was determined to offer him comfort. It was a hell of a penance, but Josiah thought Chris Larabee was man enough to handle it. Josiah would if such an angel of mercy as Mary Travis was determined to nurse him back to health. The preacher turned his concentration to the weakest of his flock. They needed to claim victory over this fever before it claimed their friend.
The posse had finally made it back. Having already had three men killed and four men and a child seriously injured in this mess, the sheriff had no desire to add to the numbers. Whatever Big Foot said he needed, Matthews had one of the posse fetch it. When Big Foot decided that Ezra should not ride a horse, Matthews had a travois built. It was in this contraption that Ezra had indignantly been transported back to town. It was bad enough that he had to endure a night of pain in an uncomfortable cave with men he neither knew nor cared to know, but he had a wound in a part of his anatomy that was liberally packed with live and wriggling maggots. Buck had not let him forget either fact all night long.
Big Foot had added insult to injury by ordering him into the humiliating position of being carried back to town. It was enough to make the gambler feel highly abused, so it was in fine temper that he returned to the hotel. JD, who had decided after receiving a glare from Ezra that would have made even Larabee blanch, had wisely decided that silence was in order. Buck, however, was in high form having decided that in order to block the maggots packing his own wound from his mind he needed a distraction. Since there were no females around with which to occupy his time, Ezra had naturally become his target. They were still arguing when they descended upon the hotel. Erza's sensibilities had finally reached the breaking point when three women, four children, and Bull greeted them at the entrance to the hotel with news that Vin was in bad shape. His humiliating entrance into town had been bad enough, but the knowledge that one of his compatriots was not recovering as he had hoped just made it worse. Then, Buck had to answer Josh's question. Ezra contemplated killing Buck right there despite the witnesses.
"Boy, Ezra here got shot in the butt. He was duckin' an' runnin' for cover when one of them boys shot him right where he sits." Buck was grinning gleefully at his astounded audience. Alexandra had found the pattern on the carpet quite fascinating, as did Mary. Nettie couldn't help herself and grinned. Dal snickered and John Henry stifled a laugh, but little Josh was sympathetic. He was after all wounded himself and understood how a man did not like his injuries joked about.
"Excuse me, Mr. Wilmington. Ladies, children, I must apologize for my compatriot's lack of manners as well as his ignorance. I had the misfortune to be wounded in the lower back hip. Now, if you will allow, I am in need of a bath and medical attention, in that order." Ezra managed this statement with as much dignity as possible. Mrs. Stoneham, who had been hovering in the background approached at that moment and offered the use of the bathhouse that adjoined the hotel.
"That's a good idea, ma'am. I can clean these boys' wounds and then send them up to rest right after." Big Foot's smile of gratitude was met with the nod of an elegant head. Alexandra took John Henry and Dal upstairs with her to fetch clothing for the men and to gather the supplies Big Foot would need in order to tend to Ezra and Buck. JD helped Ezra over to the bathhouse. The gambler wanted the maggots off his skin and killed as quickly as possible. The ignominy of his situation was truly appalling, and he could not wait to remedy it. Nettie watched first as they disappeared and then as Mrs. Stoneham disappeared again into the hotel.
"That woman comes and goes like a ghost. I'm goin' to take this little rascal back upstairs. I think he's had enough excitement." Josh wrapped his uninjured arm around her neck and hugged the older woman. Then, he whispered into her ear.
"I'm worried 'bout Mr. Vin, too, Miz Nettie." His understanding made the older woman return his hug. She winked at the little boy and he giggled. They both refused to answer Buck when he demanded to know what was so funny. Nettie carried Josh upstairs as Big Foot grabbed the now protesting Buck and pulled him over to the bathhouse behind Ezra who had leaned heavily on JD's support. Mary joined Nettie and Josh as they went upstairs. Jules shook her head and accepted Bull's offer to go back inside and see what delights Mrs. Stoneham was going to provide them with.
"They're a lot like brothers, aren't they, Grandpa Bull? They gripe and fuss at one another like the boys do."
"I reckon they adopted one another as their family just like we adopted each other, Jules. Sometimes folks don't know how much they need a family an' want one till the good Lord decides to remind them by dropping one right in their lap."
Jules smiled at the man who had provided her and her brothers with a home. She missed her folks, but she felt like Bull had been in her life forever she loved him so much. "I reckon He does know what He's doin', Grandpa Bull." She smiled at him, the little girl in her surfacing for a rare moment allowing her to enjoy having his attention fully on her for the moment. The older man beamed. He wondered if these children would ever realize how much they had done for him just because they loved him. Never a man to sit still long enough to settle down, his life had been aimless since he and Big Foot had struck it rich. Finding those children had been his epiphany. Bull had not realized how much he missed having a family. Vin had been too old and too full of his own grief and anger to allow him and Big Foot to be any closer to him than friends. These children not only needed his guidance and council, they needed his love. Bull found he had an awful lot of that to give. Now, if that uncooperative bag of tricks upstairs just got better, Bull would be a happy man. His reverie was broken by the noise of the boys dashing downstairs with the supplies Alexandra had given each of them to carry to the bathhouse. She joined Bull and Jules in the dining room after ordering the boys to return for the stack of clothing she was carrying. She settled down to wait with them. The talk turned to how much Alexandra thought the twins and Jamie would love meeting Jules and her brothers.
"These the ones that Bull was talkin' 'bout? Said he never met two prettier little charmers that were deadlier with fishin' poles than yer two gals." Alexandra and Jules both burst into laughter. By the Alexandra had told the tale of the fishing trip to Jules, she had them all in good humor. Ezra and Buck interrupted their conversation as they returned from the bathhouse, and both men were still bickering. Buck set them all off into more guffaws of laughter with his next statement.
"Hell, Ezra, you gota admit I was right! They can eat cow shit and just blossom like it's mother's milk, but yer sorry ass made 'em sick! I saw it with my own eyes! Dead baby flies all over the place! You massacred them maggots! Ain't ya ashamed?"
Ezra turned a withering glare upon Buck that sailed right over his head. "I believe it was the carbolic acid Mr. Lowery poured on all those baby flies as you so poetically called them, my former friend, that killed them. It was not feasting on that part of my anantomy that if you do not refrain from mentioning, I shall be forced to tell Miss Blossom the real reason that precipitated breaking your engagement with her last Tuesday night." Whatever the reason, it shut Buck up immediately. His incessant teasing had been checkmated at last, but Ezra was not quite finished with the notorious ladies' man. "Besides, I at least am confident that our personal physician removed all of those offensive creatures from my wounded hip. I took the precaution of counting the exact number of the foul creatures he insisted on packing into my wound." The stricken look on Buck's face assured Ezra that he had indeed turned the tide in his favor. "You neglected to count the number with which he packed your wound, did you not, Mr. Wilmington?" Everyone burst into laughter as Buck turned horrified eyes on Big Foot and bellowed his fear for all to hear.
"Old man, you leave any of them maggots on my arm? What can they do to ya?"
"Hey, Buck, I heard of some guy in the War that had them crawlin' in an' out of his stump where they cut off his leg." JD had to get his few licks in. This was too good to pass up. If only the rest were here to witness Buck' panic.
"You'd better find someplace to hide, JD, cuz I'm gonna kill ya." Buck left his audience guffawing in the dining room as he chased JD upstairs.
"Why ya gonna kill me? Ezra's the one that started it!" JD ducked Buck's good arm that nearly had him by the neck.
"Cuz the thievin' snake can't run right now, ya slitherin' imp. Get back here where I can catch ya! I been shot, so slow down so's I can catch ya an' kill ya!"
"Hell no!!!! I ain't stoppin' till I'm safe! "Xcuse me, Miz Travis!"
Their voice probably carried down the stairs. Then, a door was heard slamming, and the air was permeated with the sound of silence.
"Well, I can only hope that Mr. Dunne reached the safety of Mr. Larabee and Mrs. Wells before Mr. Wilmington caught up with him." He looked around at the people who were all staring at him with expressions of awe, amusement, and accusations. "What? Do you believe I did something to precipitate that little scene? I must protest my innocence. I merely asked Mr. Wilmington if he had had the foresight to count the little creatures."
Mary, who had just entered the dining room, was shaking her head at the antics of the other two men. She had heard the last comment by Ezra and winked at him. "Chris says he's real sorry you got shot in the, well you know where. Just remember he feels real bad about it." Her ear to ear grin gave everyone a good clue as to what Chris had really said.
"How is our wounded compatriot?"
"Vin's fever keeps spiking, Ezra, and it's not from the pneumonia." Mary's words reminded everyone why they were still in the city instead of headed for home where they all wanted to be.
"Does he have another abscess?" Ezra's brow was wrinkled with worry.
"Nathan and Dr. Connors both think so, but so far they can't find it. They are talking about reopening his wound and trying to see if it is internal, but they don't want to do that if they can avoid it."
Big Foot nodded his head in agreement. He looked over at Ezra and offered to help him upstairs to see his friend. "Why don't you an' me go see if we can help, son?" He waited until Ezra had gotten to his feet and then offered him an arm to lean on. Refusing Mary's offer of help, Big Foot smiled. "We'll be back with the others real soon, ma'am. Can't afford to miss a good meal." He winked at Jules and the boys and helped Ezra out the door. Mary went to sit next to Alexandra who was frowning. She patted her friend's hand.
"It'll be all right, Zan." Mary's use of Vin's new name for her made Alexandra smile.
"He'd better be, or I'm going to give him hell." Mary nodded in agreement as did Bull and the children. "I'm not telling the twins I let Ours get sick and die. He has to get well." With that the group lapsed into silence. There was nothing to do but wait now.
Chris heard JD and Buck before they even got halfway up the stairs. Somehow their antics did nothing but make him smile. Those two could raise the dead with their noisy banter, but Vin had not moved so much as a muscle. Nettie was bathing his forehead, neck, and upper arms with a cool, wet rag, and she was frowning. Nathan and Neil Conners had poked and prodded everywhere they could, but they had yet to find the source of the infection. If they didn't find it soon, Nathan was going to have to reopen the wound and search for an internal abscess. He didn't know if Vin had enough strength left for that.
Nathan had just made a move to straighten the socks that had become twisted on Vin's feet when he heard JD and Buck coming up the stairs. He shook his head hoping the next visit they got was not from Mrs. Stoneham complaining about her guests being disturbed by the horseplay. Sometimes Buck and JD acted like a bigger set of kids than the twins. He looked up to see Nettie shake her head. She, too, had been thinking the same thing. Josh was lying on the bed next to Chris, his chin resting on the man's shoulder with his arm supported by Chris. He had drifted off to sleep but his eyes popped open when JD burst through the door closely followed by Buck. Both men stopped in their tracks when they saw Vin lying there so still. Nathan straightened up forgetting Vin's feet for the moment.
"Damn, Nathan! If I'd known Vin was this bad off I woulda come back sooner, storm or no storm." Buck had forgotten why he had been chasing JD, and he walked over to the foot of the bed. "Mary says he's got another abscess?" JD shook his head and went to stand by Chris and Josh. He ruffled Josh's hair as the little boy yawned and put his head back on Chris's shoulder. JD watched as Chris patted the little boy on the back until he had drifted off once more. He'd never seen that look on Chris's face before except for that time Billy Travis had been sick last Christmas. It softened the features of Chris's face and made him look years younger. JD thought he might just have gotten another glimpse of the real Chris Larabee. Kids sure had a way with most folks. Maybe Ezra was right when he had said that all children were natural born con artists. He heard Buck talking and decided while he was here he would get a full report on Vin. He didn't like the way his friend was just lying there so still and quiet.
Nathan walked over and checked the bandage on Buck's arm. He took his time raising the covering enough to make certain the wound was clean and no infection had set in.
"Big Foot did a good job, but I still want me or Doc Connors to check you and Ezra both out later." Buck nodded in agreement. He did not like feeling helpless, so in order to feel like he was helping out he looked around for something he could do. Then he spotted the twisted socks on Vin's feet that Nathan had forgotten to straighten.
"Why don't you and Doc Connors go back to figurin' out what's wrong with Vin, an' I'll straighten out his socks. Boy looks like he's been trying to twist 'em off." Nettie winked at Chris and JD as Buck very gently took Vin's left foot in his hand and straightened the sock twisted around it. Then, just as gently, Buck set Vin's foot back on the bed. He began to repeat the process with the right one when Vin yelped and jerked his foot out of Buck's hand. His eyes were alight with anger and fever, and he turned them on Buck. Buck didn't think Vin even recognized him, so he took the foot back into his hands.
"Leave it alone," Vin growled out as everyone took notice.
"Now, Vin, I'm just fixin' your socks so's you'll feel more comfortable. Dang, your fever must be pretty darn high if your foot's this hot!" Buck was gentle but firm as he kept hold of Vin's right foot. The ladies' man held it steady as Vin tried to pull it out of Buck's grasp once again. Nettie put a restraining hand on Vin's shoulder.
"Settle down, son. Buck'll be through in just a second. What's ailin' ya, boy?" None of the trio noticed Nathan and Neil Connors as they moved toward the bed at the same moment, but Chris and JD saw the intense look that had fleetingly covered the countenances of both men. The older man grabbed a bottle of carbolic, and Nathan motioned for JD to bring the lamp closer to the bed in order to see better.
"Take that sock off his foot, Buck."
Without even looking over to question Nathan, Buck started to pull the sock off of Vin's foot. As he pulled the sock over the ankle and heel of the foot, he had to take Vin's foot and transfer it to the other hand. That's when he grasped the area near the toes. Vin's "Ow!" was drowned out by Buck's exclamation of surprise and disgust. Blood and pus squirted out between the first two toes of Vin's foot staining the sock as it began to drip on Buck's hand and onto the bed covers.
"What the hell?"
"It's the abscess, Buck, you just found it." Nathan was grinning as he motioned JD to hold the light closer. "Can you manage to pull that sock the rest of the way off and hold his foot steady?" Doc Connors handed Buck a cloth that the ladies' man gratefully accepted.
"Sure thing, Nathan. What's caused this?" Buck wiped off most of the mess with the sock and then the cloth. Another clean one materialized out of thin air next to him. Buck looked over and nodded his thanks to Miz Nettie. He took the cloth and slung it across his shoulder and rested Vin's heel against his chest bracing the foot and holding it steady. He could always change his shirt, but with JD holding the lamp, Buck knew Doc Connors would never be able to hold Vin's foot as steady as he could. Nettie went to sit next to Vin and help hold him down. The man was muttering something in a language no one understood. Buck looked up at Nettie and grinned as Nathan began examining his patient's foot.
"It's a good thing none of us knows any Comanche, Miz Nettie, else I get the feeling you'd be washin' someone's mouth out with soap." Before Nettie could answer him Buck looked at JD. "Boy, you're holdin' that lamp awful close to my ear. You burn it, an' I'll have to shoot ya." JD, encouraged by the relief plastered all over the faces of Nathan and Doc Connors, just glared at Buck. He moved the lamp closer knowing Buck was not going to drop Vin's foot and retaliate any time soon. If he complained one more time, though, JD decided he was going to singe Buck's mustache. Chris saw the look of pure devilment in JD's eyes and grinned. He felt better knowing that now Nathan would not have to reopen Vin's wound to search for the abscess. He shifted gently laying Josh on the pillow and turned as far as he could in their direction in order to watch. Doc Connors was standing there examining the soiled sock that Buck had removed from Vin's foot.
"There's a nice sized splinter of wood here sticking between the threads, Nathan." Nathan nodded and looked up as Connors handed him a pair of what looked like the biggest tweezers JD had ever seen.
Nathan turned back to Vin's foot, but not before he nudged the lamp further from Buck's face and more directly over Vin's foot. He was kneeling on one knee on the bed bracing Vin's leg against his side and facing Buck. He took a cloth Neil handed him that was liberally soaked in carbolic. He pried the two toes apart with one hand and wiped more of the blood and draining pus from the wound.
"There's another splinter, hell it's big enough to be a chunk of wood right here." Nathan grimaced as he sized up the large splinter that had neatly embedded itself between the two toes. It must have been held in place by the sock, and it had been embedded so deeply that it had not even bled. No one had thought to check Vin's feet as he had them covered in socks the entire time. Since he had been lying flat on his back since the explosion, there had been no pressure applied to his foot to cause the splinter to be moved and the wound to bleed. It had been festering all this time. His foot was hotter here than the rest of his body, and it was red and inflamed, but Nathan could not worry about that right now. He prayed the purple coneflower and willow bark he had been dosing Vin with would have kept the infection from spreading and causing gangrene to form. He would know more as soon as he had the rest of the embedded wood removed and he could examine the area more closely. If the abscess had been contained to this one spot, Vin would indeed be lucky in that he would not lose his life or his foot.
Nathan maneuvered the tweezers and got a good tight hold on the remaining splinter of wood. The whole thing, judging by the size of the piece that had broken off, was about an eighth of an inch thick. No wonder it had gone unnoticed until Buck decided to make Vin more comfortable by straightening his socks. The splinter did not want to relinquish its hold on its new home, so Nathan tugged a little harder as Vin moaned and tried to move his foot. Buck held it firm and Nathan felt the splinter of wood finally give way. As it slid out the pus and blood began running freely.
Connors was there with the basin as Nathan helped Buck place the foot at an angle that would let it drain into the basin. He took the tweezers and dug into the abscessed area trying to break up any more pockets of pus and debris left by the wood. He flushed the wound with carbolic and when he was certain he had drained it completely, he took the small bit of gauze soaked in carbolic and packed the wound with it. He then instructed Buck to help him maneuver Vin until he was lying on his right side with his foot propped on a pillow where the big toe was pointed downward away from his body. That way the wound could drain on the cloth on top of the pillow and not back into the wound. When he was satisfied that he had done all he could he motioned the others to back off. Vin had already fallen into a healing sleep as the poison that had been causing his fever was drained out of his body. Soon, if Nathan could keep the wound clean, Vin's fever should begin to fall rapidly. Then Nathan could relax; they all could.
Josiah, who had gone without sleep longer than anyone to make certain Nathan had enough rest, had been sleeping soundly until he heard Buck and JD on the stairs making all that racket. Deciding sleep was not going to be one of the many blessings of the day he gave up and had gone over to take a bath and get a shave, so he had missed the discovery of the abscess. He entered the room as Buck and JD spun him like a top at the door so fast they were moving.
"You wait up to tell them while I get me a fresh shirt, JD." Buck added his arm around JD's neck to emphasize his point. "We wake you up, Josiah?" Since he showed little remorse Josiah smiled and shut the door in Buck's face. That set Buck and JD to laughing again as they argued who would tell the good news.
Josiah surveyed the room before him. Nathan had sat down on the chair exhausted. Miz Nettie was still sitting next to the bed, but she was no longer bathing Vin to keep his fever down. There was a cloth under his neck and one on his forehead, but he seemed less restless than he had been. In fact, if Josiah had not seen all Vin had been through in the past four days, he would have sworn his friend was just resting peacefully on his uninjured side. Josiah knew by the relaxed atmosphere permeating the room that his prayers had been answered, yet again. He walked over to Nathan and put his hand on his shoulder.
"I see you have found the abscess." It was a statement that required an answer.
"It was on his foot, big ole splinter stuck right between his first two toes. It went right through the sock and embedded itself there. Buck went to straighten his socks an' Vin didn't want him touchin' that foot. When he went to take the sock off for me, it burst. I never thought to look at his feet." Nathan just shook his head. "I almost didn't even look at his feet. I almost opened him back up lookin' for that damned abscess." Josiah didn't know if Nathan was disgusted at himself or at fate. Either way, the man was exhausted and needed rest.
"Damn idiot can't get nothin' normal. Never gets sick he says. Hell no! He waits until he gets shot and then what does he do? He gets pneumonia, but is that bad enough? Oh no! Mr. 'I Never Get Sick' has to go an' get an abscess with it. I swear, I'm gonna wrap him in wool until he's better an' pour that ditch water down his throat every time he opens his mouth. And when he gets well??? Well, he's gonna have to drink a cup of it every day!"
Nathan was working himself into a rare case of anger. Josiah didn't know what to do to get his good-natured friend back on track, but he knew he had better do it soon before Nathan locked up the next one of their friends who got sick or injured. He looked over at Chris Larabee for help and found out he was all alone in this. Once he knew Vin was going to be all right, Chris had given in to the exhaustion of fighting to stay alert while Vin was so ill. He was lying on his back, Josh draped across him and both were sound asleep. Completely and utterly oblivious to Nathan's threats. Just as Nathan was getting ready to continue his tirade, Nettie Wells came to Josiah's aid. She started laughing. She had put her hand over her mouth, but she was so relieved that Vin was well enough that Nathan was threatening him that she could not help herself. Neil Connors joined her and then Josiah started laughing as well. Nathan took one disgusted look at the trio and stalked towards the door. How the hell did he fall into this group of crazy people? He paused long enough at the door to give his orders, doctor's orders.
"I'm gonna go have a bath, get a shave, eat me somethin', an' then I'm gonna sleep for a week. You tell everyone that I don't want to hear anything that sounds like snifflin', sneezin', coughin', owin', gun shots, or dynamite. Else I just might lose it an' start shootin' people." They heard him going down the hallway talking his pent up frustration from the last few days out as he started passing family and friends on his way down the hall. "Never knew so damned many people who made it a point to get shot or stabbed or sick just to give me some damn medical practice. Shut up, Ezra, I don't want to hear it. You get off that leg now! This rate I'm gonna die young of overwork before I ever get to be a proper doctor. JD, stop horsin' around with Buck. You two could wake the dead an' Vin an' Chris need their sleep. Mary, Alexandra, y'all think you can get these two mule-headed idiots to get down an' rest 'fore they work themselves into a fever? I got some medicine measured out for them, an' Doc Connors is gonna tell me if they refuse to take it or not. I ain't gonna be happy they don't take it. You got that?"
Nathan waited long enough to make certain his orders were understood by everyone. When all five of the people shook their heads in agreement, for they were too shocked to say anything, Nathan stalked off. "Don't you forget what I said." They all nodded again and then he was gone from sight as he went down the stairs.
"I must say that I believe that I have never seen our esteemed healer in such dire straits before."
"You got that right, Ezra. He sure is pissed at somethin'. Nathan needs to losen up. Vin's gonna be fine." Buck decided he would have to pay more attention to Nathan's having some fun. Studying all that medical stuff couldn't be healthy.
"Loosen' up, what from? What's got Nathan all hot an' bothered?" JD had never seen Nathan quite so put out before. "Buck, you made him mad with all that noise."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Not."
"Did."
"Stop it, now!" Mary Travis had her hands on her hips. "I know why Nathan's all bent out of shape. You men are enough to drive a sane woman to drink. Now move. Ezra, you will take the extra bed they moved in the room, so Nathan and Doctor Connors won't have to keep going back and forth. Move it." Alexandra took her position beside Mary to emphasize her support. She had her hands on her hips, and she was silently glaring at the three men in the hallway with her shoe tapping on the floor. Mary crossed her arms and leaned against the wall glaring at them, also. Ezra, Buck, and JD looked back at the two women and then at each other. Meekly, they turned around and headed towards the room.
"See what you two did?" Ezra's voice was a whisper.
"Me? It was JD. He started it." Buck's whisper could raise all of the dead in the cemetery.
"Did not." JD's whisper wasn't that whispery either.
"Did too."
"Quiet!" Ezra's whisper rose in volume. "I do apologize for my compatriots, ladies. I have been trying in vain to housebreak them." Ezra got one look at Mary's unamused glare, and he cuffed JD on the back of the head. "This is your fault."
"See, I told you it was your fault." Buck cuffed JD right after Ezra. JD took one look at both of them and then Mary and Alexandra.
"You don't stop it, I'm gonna drop Ezra, an' then it's gonna be your fault."
"Boys!" Buck recognized the steel behind that soft reminder. They made it to the door. All three got quiet as they saw Vin sleeping in one bed and Chris in the other with Josh draped across him. Depositing Ezra on the extra bed that Josh had been using since it had been brought in to replace the cot, Buck and JD sought to make a quick exit. Josiah pointed to the big chair in the corner, and Buck walked over to it his eyes darting everywhere looking for an escape. Alexandra smiled at him from the door. Then, she crooked a finger to JD. He walked up warily to the notorious twins' mother.
"Ma'am?" Alexandra pointed to the door. "You go watch the children so Bull and Big Foot can get some rest. Do you understand me?"
JD sighed loudly. Buck and Josiah hid their grins but Ezra smiled openly at JD as the youngest of the seven was thrown out of the room. Ezra got a glare from Mary for his amusement, so he turned over on his side and proceeded to close his eyes and pretend to sleep. He would make his getaway after the women let their guard down. He never even realized what the journey into town had cost him as he fell into an immediate slumber. Buck was out like a light as well. Doctor Connors looked at the three women and decided that it was time for him to remind them that he was the doctor and they were the nurses. Half an hour later he joined JD in the dining room.
"They throw you out, too?" JD spoke around a spoonful of stew in his mouth. John Henry and Dal grinned around mouths full of chocolate cake. Jules took a bowl of stew and handed it to the older man.
"Thank you, my dear, Jules is it?" When the girl smiled shyly at him he returned it and turned to JD. "I prefer to think of it as a strategic retreat, my boy."
"Well I'll be damned. Neil Connors, is that you? I thought you'd be dead for sure by now."
"Charles! My God, man! I haven't seen you in forty years! Don't tell me you're the Big Foot everyone's been talking about!"
The two men shook hands while Bull and the kids looked on in amazement. Big Foot turned to everyone and explained. "Me and this ole coot went to medical school together. I decided to sign on with a whaling vessel and see the world and Neil decided to get married.' Then it hit Big Foot. "You ain't that blue-eyed Comanche's long lost kin are ya?"
"If you mean Vin Tanner, yes I am. JD told me you and Bull had the boy with you after the Army took him from his Indian family. Damn, Charles, if I'd known you were in the West instead of some exotic port of call I would have told you. I only learned you had left the whaling vessel to study in China after your first book was published on Chinese herbal medicine. I tried to track you down, but they said you were researching Native American medicine for a new book. I found some of it most helpful in my medical practice."
JD looked on in disbelief as did Bull and the kids. "Hell, I should a known the way you were always spoutin' poetry and such you could read and write. Never saw ya write anything tho. Vin sure liked to listen to ya talk that poetry stuff. So did I. When'd you write them books?"
"Remember when Vin joined up with those lawmen to chase down those men that killed the Jasper family back in El Paso, an' we split up so's you could go hunt gold in the mountains? That's when I wrote the book on herbal medicines of the Indians. I used that money to stake us to that claim where we finally struck gold. No one never asked if I was a real doctor, so I never thought to mention it." The mystery of Big Foot was finally revealed to everyone, even his best friend. JD couldn't wait to tell the others. Then it hit him.
"What kinda a poetry did Vin like to listen to?"
Big Foot and Bull both snorted. "I think you got enough stories on Vin outa us. We tell you any more an' that boy just might scalp us." Bull was grinning ear to ear. There were some stories best left to the man himself to tell. If JD wanted to ask Vin about poetry, Bull and Big Foot wanted to be around to see the sparks fly. Now that Vin was going to be fine, he could relax and concentrate on his kids. He was definitely going to move them to Four Corners. Way Mrs. Travis talked, there would be a school and a teacher come the fall, and Big Foot sure seemed to like Miz Nettie. Bull heard the widowed Mrs. B not only was identical to her sister but she just as good a cook. Bull liked a handsome woman who could cook, but he'd also heard that nice Miz Potter was still without a husband. Four Corners was sounding better and better to him. The kids already knew Billy, and Bull wanted to meet these twins everyone kept talking about. Bull wanted to see if those two little gals were just like their cousin, full of good-natured spunk.
Just as Nettie had predicted, Vin's fever dissipated as his body no longer had to fight the poison from the abscess. He was sleeping peacefully as were the others, so it was decided that Nettie would stay with them until around ten when Nathan had the next dose of medicine scheduled. Once that was given, Nettie would retire and let Alexandra and Mary take the night shift. They had insisted that they would be more apt to wake if one of the men needed them, and the wounded would be less likely to give them grief. Nathan couldn't argue with their logic, and his catnaps had done little to ease the exhaustion his constant care of his friends had given him. It was Alexandra who succeeded in exacting Buck's solemn promise that he would indeed take the bed across the hall and do nothing more than sleep the rest of the night. Once Nathan had poked, prodded, dressed, and declared the flesh wound to be healing nicely, Buck was willing to take the small dose of laudanum to help stop the throbbing all the attention had garnered.
Vin woke long enough and was lucid enough to eat some of the thick, beefy broth they had kept warm for him and take the dose of medicine Nathan had carefully measured out. He mumbled something about the ditch water causing his foot to hurt, but other than that he took it without fuss, shifted into a more comfortable position, which was difficult with broken ribs and an infected foot, and then he, too, was out for the rest of the night. Vin did not notice or even feel Nathan replace the soiled gauze that had been packing the small wound between his toes with clean gauze soaked in fresh carbolic nor did he wake when Nathan checked the wound under his arm. Vin's rhythmic breathing assured everyone, especially the medical men, that he was indeed on his way to a complete recovery. He still had a lingering cough and would have for a while, but it was his broken ribs that would need another five weeks to heal completely. Neil expressed his gratitude that it would be Nathan who would have the unpleasant task of informing Vin that he could not ride a horse or do anything strenuous for that length of time.
Ezra sought then to interject the need for a pool to see how long Vin would suffer under doctor's orders, but Nathan got the same look in his eyes from his earlier rant. The gambler decided that betting on a friend's recovery was just not suitable for a man of his talents. It was fortunate Nathan turned to examine Chris's leg at that precise moment for Josiah looked at Ezra and mouthed four weeks and tossed Ezra a five-dollar gold piece. Standing at the door, Nettie and Buck took a look at one another as she had been elected to make certain the ladies' man made it to the room across the hall. Nettie nodded and Buck held up one hand as Nathan was busy checking the stitches in Chris's leg. Three fingers indicated their choice. When Ezra held up Josiah's bet, Buck grinned. He and Nettie shook hands agreeing silently to each put up half of their bet, and then they exited the room.
Mary shook her head as she carried a bottle of carbolic acid and clean cloth over to Nathan. She dropped a small piece of paper on Ezra's lap. It had written on it her name, four and a half weeks, and five dollars. The gambler grinned in delight. If his friends insisted on placing a bet then it was his duty to accommodate them. Alexandra finally waved five fingers at Ezra. His eyebrow shot up, and she grinned. Then, she mouthed ten. Ezra held up the gold piece and two fingers. His amazement that Alexandra was betting ten dollars that Vin would remain inactive for five more weeks was written all over his face. For once he forgot to maintain his poker face. The others looked astonished as well, but Alexandra just grinned and indicated Ezra should either take the bet or fold. He took the bet with apparent regret but consoled himself that she could at least afford to lose that much.
Chris had been watching all of them as he was trying his best to ignore Nathan's ministrations. His leg still hurt like hell, and every time he moved without thinking the stitches pulled along the length of his wounded leg. Despite the sweat beaded on his forehead he made his decision while Nathan was still engrossed with bandaging his leg. He held up five fingers. Ezra's eyebrows shot up again. When Chris grinned and held up another five fingers, Ezra sighed and shook his head. Apparently Mr. Larabee's sharp intellect had been affected by not only his wound but by the constant worry for his best friend. Ezra looked at Chris one more time giving his friend an unexpected chance to change his mind. Chris shook his head no at the offer. Ezra reluctantly wrote down the bet. It was a pity his friend had insisted Ezra take his money for Chris knew Vin better than anyone, but who was Ezra Standish to tell Chris Larabee he was making a sucker's bet? Ezra would just have to let Chris learn the hard way. A pity, but one had to maintain one's standards, and Ezra had already allowed the lovely Alexandra and Mr. Larabee both a moment to reconsider their ill-advised wagers.
Nathan finally looked up pronouncing that if Chris would follow his advice, he would be up and walking with assistance within the week. Chris scowled at Nathan but true to his earlier promise to himself, Chris was going to follow Nathan's orders to the letter. Nathan merely laughed and handed Chris the medicine Doc Connors had measured out for him. Big Foot had entered with Bull at that time having heard about the bet from Nettie. Bull dropped his, JD's, and Big Foot's bets on Ezra's lap as he walked over to see about Josh. Big Foot happily distracted Nathan asking about his patients. Bull set the tray of soup and sandwiches down on the table by the bed. The boy was quick to accept Bull's hug and ruffling of his hair.
When Nathan announced his intention of checking Ezra next, both Mary and Alexandra announced their decision to check on the other children. Ezra saluted the women in thanks for their regard for his privacy. They smiled and promised to be back as soon as Nathan sent someone to fetch them. That way all of the men could take care of any necessary business before they took over their shift. Chris actually sighed gratefully as the two women left the room. Josiah laughed as he moved over to help Chris, and Ezra chose that moment to step behind the screen with Big Foot's help. Josh chattered away to Bull and Nathan completely oblivious as to why the men were so grateful the ladies had left the room. Josh happened to like being fussed over by two beautiful women who made certain he had all the food he wanted to eat. What more could a man ask for?
Josh was by far Nathan's easiest patient as he ate the sandwich and soup Bull had brought him. He never fussed as Nathan checked his broken arm and the security of the splints binding it. Taking the watered down laudanum put him out within ten minutes of eating. He was curled on the end of the bed propped up on pillows with a blanket tucked around him. As long as he had someone near with whom he felt totally safe, Josh could and often did sleep wherever he wanted. Since he knew Larabee could not move his injured leg at all without a lot of pain still, he had chosen to protect his hero's wounded limb by sleeping next to it. His reasoning was quite logical. This way Mr. Chris could turn over and not fall out of bed because Josh could stop him. Chris could find no argument for that; and, since the crooked grin and sincere brown eyes indicated how proud Josh was that he could do this, Chris could not find it in his heart to order the boy off the bed. Nathan smiled at the young boy and then turned a stern eye on his friends.
"I don't want no arguments from anyone. And don't let me hear you gave those sweet ladies any trouble." He glared at Chris as the man rolled his eyes.
"Nathan, those two are about as nice as rattlesnakes tied in a sack when they're in that mother mode. You think I'm givin' either one of them a reason to nag at me, you're in sad shape."
Ezra, who had returned to his bed with Big Foot's help, couldn't help but interject. "I myself intend to enjoy the comforting embrace of this very fine feather bed. I doubt if I shall have the energy to so much as cause one wrinkle of worry to mar the lovely brows of those two enchanting women."
Nathan snorted and looked over at Josiah. "Soon as I get Ezra's hip checked out, you can go and get Mary an' Alexandra."
Josiah nodded in agreement and then added, "I think I'll stay up for a while with them. Vin might wake up and need some help, and I actually got some sleep today. I'm not real tired right now."
"Wonderful, Josiah. Maybe we can play a few quiet games of chance to while the time away? I am in truth feeling quite energetic at the moment. You won't mind, will you, Doctor?" Ezra turned his most winning smile on Nathan.
"Not a bit, Ezra, so long as you spot me two and a half weeks for free." The man laughed as Ezra sputtered indignantly.
"How could you know? You were busy and we were very quiet."
Nathan grinned gleefully and pointed to the mirror across the room. Nathan had watched them all in the mirror that gave a full view of Ezra's bed. The gambler looked at the mirror and back at Nathan. He started laughing as he shook his finger in Nathan's face. "I believe this is extortion. However, since you are about to have me at your mercy during this examination," Ezra proceeded to write Nathan's name down with a flourish, "and I have witnessed your prowess with a needle, I suppose that I shall be happy to write you down for two and a half weeks at five dollars, paid in full."
"Why thank ya, Ezra, for being so danged considerate. Now, if y'all don't mind, I need to see that hip a yours."
With a loud sigh, Ezra presented his hip wound to Nathan. "I trust that as a doctor you will refrain from commenting upon the location of my wound, unlike a certain scoundrel we all know. My mother would not understand how I could have presented such a target, if you understand my dilemma?"
Ezra heard the others laughing. He looked over to see Chris grinning at him. It was that grin that made his enemies tremble and his friends a little nervous. "Don't worry, Ezra. I'll shoot the first man who tells Maude you got shot in the butt." Ezra groaned and dropped his face into his pillow.
"Just end it now, Nathan. Just put me out of their amusement." Only Nathan saw the gambler hiding his grin. He winked at him as he proceeded to remove the bandage. After cleaning it, putting a fresh bandage on it, and giving Ezra a dose of the medicine he was giving Vin and Chris for infection and pain, he left the gambler alone.
Big Foot helped him put his supplies away, and Bull went with Josiah to get the ladies. Nathan had just finished and was turning the lights down low as Josiah returned with Mary and Alexandra. Ezra was shuffling the cards, and Chris had drifted off to sleep as well. Josiah raised a questioning eyebrow at the two women while Nathan checked Vin for fever one more time. He listened once more to the sleeping man's chest and then smiled at the people around Ezra's bed. Mary and Alexandra each held a hand of cards as did Josiah and Ezra. As he was shutting the door he heard Alexandra ask Ezra if the twins could be used as an ante. He was laughing as Big Foot held up a bottle of whiskey.
"You want to come down for a drink an' some food and tell me an' Neil what's in that potion of yours? I ain't never seen somethin' like that work as well or so fast on pneumonia."
Nathan had heard from Neil Connors how Charles Lowery was the same man who had written the book on Indian herbal medicines that Nathan had saved so much money to buy. To have a man like him treat him, a former slave who was self-taught, with the same respect any other colleague would garner made Nathan feel like a true doctor. True, his friends always referred to him as a doctor and came to him with all their ailments like all the other townspeople, but he was always quick to point out he wasn't a real doctor. However, in the company of real doctors like Neil Connors and Charles Lowery, Nathan felt like an equal. They allowed him to make the final decisions on the treatment of his friends. They consulted him and offered advice, but they allowed him to make the final decisions about treatment. That in itself made Nathan feel like a true professional, a real doctor. He shyly nodded his head in agreement.
"I'd like that. I surely would, Doctor Lowery." Big Foot laughed and slapped Nathan on the back.
"Ya know, me an' Neil have been friends for years, and we're both licensed physicians. He's been talkin' to me about what this here territory requires for a man to become a doctor. We're gonna have to talk abut that, too." He was still talking to Nathan as they got to the dining room, which was normally closed at this hour. Since Neil Connors and Big Foot had taken care of the few citizens of the town who had needed them while Nathan was busy with Vin, Mrs. Stoneham had made certain there was food and drink for the men who were covering their town's medical needs. Nathan gratefully accepted a big sandwich and bowl of hot soup. He opted for a beer instead of whiskey, but he happily spent an hour talking medicine with the two older men. They asked and answered many a medical question in that one hour, so much so that Nathan's mind was fairly bursting with medical terminology as he finally lay down to sleep. He spent his last few minutes of consciousness mulling it over as he drifted off. It hit him right as he finally succumbed to exhaustion. They had asked him far more questions about healing than he asked them. He literally smiled in his sleep.
Continued in Part Four
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