by Joe Corso
Clem holstered his pistol. “Come on, he’s done for. Let’s get out of here.”
“Yeah,” Jeb muttered. “I want to be as far away as possible when his body is found.”
“You fool,” Clem shot back. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. No one will ever find his body.”
Jeb was unconvinced. They had just killed a man and he didn’t feel comfortable. “Yeah, but I still want to be far away from here, just in case someone does happen to stumble upon him. Let’s head out to Horse Head Crossing and spend some of the co w boy ’ s money. I’m thirsty as a tongue-tied lizard and I’m hankering for a nice soft woman to warm my bed.”
“Sounds good. We got real lucky tonight. It’s a good thing I spotted the wad of money this jasper flashed in the general store in Denver . Horse Head Crossing sounds like a good place to spend some of it, Jeb,” Luke added.
Charlie was unconscious and didn’t hear the men leave, but he would never forget their faces.
Charlie woke with an aching hand and a splitting headache. The coffee was cold. The fire had gone out and he was hurting too much to light another, so he drank his coffee cold and ate hard tack just to get some nourishment into him. He felt his head and winced as his finger touched the channel the bullet had cut into his forehead. Then he looked at his hand. The bullet had gone clean through, but he found to his surprise that he could move his fingers. His first order of business would be to stitch the holes in his hand closed. He spotted his saddlebags lying near where he had hobbled Sable. The bandits had taken everything of value but left some of his clothes and the stuff that had no value, like his sewing kit. He wanted to clean his wound with alcohol but the bandits took the only bottle he had, so he had to think of something else. He remembered a wild plant Wild Eagle had showed him. There was a possibility it could be growing in the dense foliage that surrounded him.
He walked in a circle and before long spotted what might be the correct plant. He pulled off some leaves and took them to his camp. With the help of a flat rock which he used as a table he managed to squeeze sap from the leaves onto the rock. When he felt he had enough he dipped the narrow, branch end of the leaf into the liquid and coated both sides of his hand. Then, as an afterthought, he did the same with his head wound. With that accomplished he proceeded to stitch the wounds on his hand. Then he wrapped it with a piece of cloth he tore from his shirt. He couldn’t stitch his head wound without a mirror, but it had stopped bleeding so he paid it no mind. When he got to a town he’d see a doctor and let him have a go at fixing what needed to be fixed.
He put his sewing kit back in his saddlebags and checked to see if he had any money left to buy additional supplies and two guns. He sat down against a tree, filled with disappointment. He had no money. They had taken every cent. Then he remembered the diamonds. He had taken ten diamonds with him when he left Virginia City. He gave one to Sarah Bernhardt, the actress, so if the thieves hadn’t found them he should still have nine diamonds left in that little leather pouch. He rubbed his right hand over the watch pocket in his pants and was relieved to feel a slight, insignificant bump. Anyone who didn’t know better would think it was just the stitching of the pants. If the next town he visited had a jeweler, he could get enough money to buy two six guns, a Winchester repeating rifle and some supplies.
Charlie was no longer interested in going to California. All he was interested in now was to track down those three men and kill them. After he killed them, maybe he’d head back to Virginia City and stay there for a while. Maybe he’d stay there permanently. Charlie was in no condition to travel, but he was stubborn, and if he waited until he was completely healed he could lose their tracks. He tried to think clearly but it was difficult with the pain in his head. His only hope was Sable. If he could find his horse he figured he would eventually catch up to the bushwhackers.
Whenever he was alone with Sable he worked with him every day, using a carrot to get him used to his whistle and his voice. Sable had become used to Charlie’s command whether he whistled or called him by name. If Sable was still in the area Charlie was pretty sure he would respond to his voice, so he called out and waited. There was no response, so this time he whistled loudly. He was rewarded a few minutes later when the horse came crashing through the dense, wooded shrubs.
Sable seemed almost as glad to see Charlie as Charlie was to see him. “Come on, boy. Let’s get you saddled and then let’s get out of here.”
Sable was well rested and was raring to run. But Charlie wasn’t sure he could stay on him except at a slow walk, so that’s what they did. They walked slowly ahead, following the tracks made by the three bushwhackers.
Charlie noticed smoke in the distance from a campfire. Being weaponless he didn’t want to chance running into the three men who had jumped him, so he picketed Sable and made his way on foot to the source of the fire. He lay there quiet as a church mouse, listening for a moment to see if anyone had heard him. He waited a good five minutes and when no one came to investigate he pulled the shrubs carefully apart, so as not to alert whosever camp this was that someone was watching them. To his surprise it was Percy.
Percy had been following Charlie but lost his tracks when Charlie was bushwhacked, so he continued following the old Butterfield Overland Mail route.
Charlie went back to where he had tethered Sable, mounted her and headed to Percy’s camp.
“Hello, camp,” Charlie called out in a weak voice.
“Hello, rider. Come into the clearing where I can see you.”
Percy’s eyes widened when he saw it was Charlie. Then his eyes narrowed when he saw how badly injured Charlie was. “What happened to you, Charlie? Who did this to you?”
Charlie waved his concern away with his hand and said in a quivering voice, “I wouldn’t . . . have bothered you . . . but I was taken by surprise while I, while I . . . slept . . . by three bushwhackers. They took . . . they took all my money and weapons and left me for dead. Since you’re wearing a rig like mine you . . . you won’t need two guns because I’m taking one of them. I’ll give it back to you as . . .” Charlie leaned over, gasping for breath. “As soon as I can buy two Colts and a Winchester.”
“But you said the bushwhackers took all your money. If that’s true, how can you pay for the guns?”
Charlie didn’t want to say too much. He was very weak and getting weaker by the moment, and was having trouble remaining on his horse. “Never you mind how I’ll pay for them, just know that I can—and I will.”
“You’re in no condition to go chasing after those men. You need a doctor and complete rest.”
Charlie wanted to answer him, but he fell from his horse unconscious, into the arms of Percy, who dragged him close to the fire and placed a blanket over him to keep him warm.
Chapter 9
Charlie woke with a splitting headache, feeling dizzy and weak. He tried to sit up, but Percy pushed him back down and put a cold cloth over his forehead.
“Easy now. First let’s get some broth in you to get your strength back, and then if you feel up to it I’ll allow you to sit up.”
Charlie replied testily with a shaky voice. “Wait a minute. What do you mean you’ll allow me to sit up? Since when do you allow me to do anything?”
Percy smiled coyly as if he had a great secret to impart. “Yes, you’ll sit up when I allow you to because right now, under the circumstances, I’m your doctor.”
Charlie narrowed his eyes and looked at Percy. “My doctor?”
“Yes. I never had a chance to tell you but, you see, I graduated from medical school. But before I began my practice I had to scratch this itch I had about being you. I found the Aloa Ver a , which I’m assuming you used as a disinfectant. Am I correct?”
Charlie looked at him questioningly. “Yeah, that’s right.”
Percy checked Charlie’s pulse and his eyes. He put his hand on Charlie’s forehead to check if he had fever. “Well, your fever is gone, and that’s always a good sign.”
; “I had a fever?”
“You passed out and fell off your horse right after you asked me for one of my guns. Don’t you remember?”
Charlie scratched his head. “No I don’t. I recall seeing smoke and thinking it was the guys that tried to kill me who had set up camp here. But when I checked it out I discovered it was you. But what were you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?”
“I was following you.”
“But why?”
“I figured I owed you for what you did for me and I never got the chance to thank you for it. So I followed you, but always staying out of sight. Then I lost you. I guess I must have rode right past you, never knowing you were left for dead off the road.”
“I stitched my hand to stem the flow of blood.” Charlie could see Percy’s confusion when he mentioned his hand. “As the man called Luke pointed his gun at my head and pulled the trigger I instinctively raised my left hand and turned my face, and the bullet went right through my hand and cut a deep groove in my forehead. I guess the blood from my hand splattered all over my face and the cowards thought they’d killed me. They were wrong, and that mistake is going to get them killed.”
“I fixed your forehead as best I could with what I had with me.”
Charlie reached up and felt his head wound—and the stitches Percy used to close the wound and stop the loss of blood.
“When the hell did you stitch my head up?
“I did that the day after you arrived at my camp.”
“What? The day after? How the hell long have I been here?”
Percy grabbed Charlie’s shoulders and helped him sit up. “You slept for two days.”
“What?”
“That’s right. You slept for two full days.”
Charlie struggled to get to his feet.
“Whoa, you’re not well enough to ride.”
Charlie got to his feet and almost collapsed, but he managed to remain upright, trying hard not to show Percy just how weak he felt. He looked at Percy and waved his arm weakly. “Well, you might as well pack up and ride along with me. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
Percy smiled and rushed to get his gear packed. He found something of Charlie’s. “I found this necklace lodged between your shirt and your pants. It looks like it snapped off in the struggle and the robbers missed it.”
Charlie took it and secured it around his neck. “Thanks, this necklace could just save our lives.”
Percy wondered how that was possible but he didn’t question it.
They traveled leisurely along the old stage road, following the tracks left by the three men. The highwaymen had no idea they were being followed and much to Charlie’s delight they didn’t bother to cover their tracks. But they were now in Indian territory and heading for Fort Smith. They traveled on the old coach road for seven days and Charlie was getting stronger every day. His head wound no longer bothered him and his hand, although still very painful, was healing thanks to the excellent medical attention Percy gave him.
Charlie was beginning to shake the animosity he initially had for Percy. He smiled to himself, thinking how fortunate he was to have his own personal physician riding with him. Charlie pulled the reins on Sable and put his hand out to Percy for him to do the same.
“Why are we stopping?”
“Be quiet and hand me your Winchester.”
Percy pulled the rifle from under his stirrup and handed it to Charlie.
“Tell me this rifle is loaded, Percy.”
“It is. I loaded it last night, but what do you need it for?”
“Indians have been following us for the past hour. I think they’re waiting to ambush us up ahead.”
They approached a narrow pass when suddenly a group of Indians swooped down and surrounded them. “Don’t panic and let me do the talking.” Percy, as frightened as he was, just nodded.
Charlie raised his hand in friendship and a brave, who appeared to be their chief, approached them on a painted pony. The Indian rode slowly up to Charlie and stopped beside him, staring at the necklace he wore. The Indian pointed to it. “Where you get necklace, white man?”
“My friend Wild Eagle, Chief of the K aw tribe, gave me this necklace which I wear proudly.”
“Wild Eagle? We get smoke message Wild Eagle shot by Paiute.”
“Yes, Wild Eagle was shot by a Paiute brave when he stole back the horses the Paiute’s had stolen from his tribe. Wild Eagle was badly injured when I found him. I took care of him and nursed him back to health.” Charlie held out his hand palm up and showed the Shawnee chief the scar on the palm of his hand. “Wild Eagle and I became blood brothers and my brother gave me this necklace. He told me that the Shawnee would protect me traveling through your land.”
The Indian grunted. “My name is Black Elk and I am chief of the Shawnee. You go in peace and no worry about Shawnee. You not be hurt by us.”
“I am Charles Longstreet, also known as the Lone Jack Kid.” Charlie figured the Indian might have heard of him and it couldn’t hurt to throw his name out to him. The chief didn’t seem to recognize the name so Charlie pointed at Percy. “This man is Percy Williams and he is a great medicine man and a healer.”
Chief Black Elk raised an eyebrow and turned to Charlie. “You come with us.”
“Black Elk, didn’t you just say we could travel safely through Shawnee territory?”
“Yes, but first need healer in Shawnee village.”
Chapter 10
Black Elk hadn’t said a word during the journey to his village. The chief and his braves dismounted in front of a teepee situated beside a running stream. Black Elk pointed to Percy. “You come—need big medicine.”
Percy got off his horse and reached into his saddlebag for his black doctor’s bag. Before following Black Elk into the teepee he looked at Charlie. “I don’t have much experience as a doctor, having never practiced medicine before.”
“I thought you said you were a doctor,” Charlie said angrily. “You better know what you’re doing if you want to leave here alive.”
Percy shook his head. “I graduated medical school but, as I said, I never set up a practice and I don’t know what I’ll find in that teepee.”
Charlie tilted his head in the direction of the teepee. “Well, you better get in there and see what’s wrong and then pray to God that you can help the person that’s sick.”
Percy looked at Black Elk who looked impatient. “Well, let’s see what the problem is, Chief.”
Percy’s eyes took a minute to adjust to the dim light within the teepee. He saw three elderly women standing on either side of a woman lying on a buffalo robe, with her head resting on another soft animal skin. Percy saw her stomach and knew immediately that she was pregnant and that something was wrong. The squaws looked helplessly at him with pleading eyes, imploring him. Percy motioned for the squaws to move aside and give him room to examine the woman. When he saw what was wrong he stood and moved quickly outside.
“Black Elk, I need hot water and a fire started right away.”
The chief called to one of his braves and told him what he needed. While he waited for the fire to be started Percy told Charlie what the problem was. “The woman is going to have a baby but the baby is breach and I can’t turn it around. I’m going to have to do something very radical. Something no one has yet tried in this country.”
“What do you intend to do, Percy?”
“I attended a class in medical school once where a visiting doctor spoke about this very problem. He said that since the woman would most likely die trying to deliver a breach baby he suggested the doctor make a small incision in the lower part of the sto m ach and remove the baby safely from the mother. It’s just a theory, mind you, but at the time it made sense to me—and it makes sense now.”
“You think it will work?”
Percy shrugged his shoulders. “Look, she’ll die anyway if I don’t try this. And if this works she stands a chance of living to take care of her baby.”
>
Black Elk came running over. “Water come soon. Fire started behind teepee. What medicine man need now?”
“A very sharp knife, Black Elk.”
“What you need sharp knife for?”
Percy explained what he had to do in order to save the woman.”
“Not just woman. She Running Deer—Black Elk’s woman, and you no cut.”
“Then your woman will die, Black Elk. If I don’t cut she will die.”
“If you do cut she can die?”
Percy nodded. “There’s a chance that she could die, but there’s also the chance I can save her with the help of the Great Spirit.” He looked up at the sky. “It’s up to the Great Spirit to decide if he will help me save your woman.”
Black Elk was an intelligent man and he knew that his wife would die if something wasn’t done quickly. He weighed his options. If this man didn’t cut Running Deer she would die. The three old squaws told him as much. If he allowed this stranger to cut his woman she could die, but there was also the chance she could live. So that was what had to be done. The white medicine man would cut Running Deer and Black Elk was sure the Great Spirit would guide his hand.
Having made his decision Black Elk looked at Percy. “Wait here.” He ran into another teepee and came out with a short, sharp knife with an elk-bone handle. He handed it to Percy.
Charlie pointed to Percy’s black doctor’s bag. “Don’t you have a knife in there?”
“No. I just took the essentials, never figuring I’d be doing an operation, especially since I’ve never done one before. Well, there’s a first time for everything.” He placed the knife in the fire.
Black Elk looked confused. “Why you put knife in fire?”
“To kill germs that may be on the blade. I don’t want to infect Running Deer when I cut her.”
Black Elk didn’t understand the concept of germs but he liked the confidence Percy displayed. Percy pointed to the three old squaws and motioned for them to come with him into the teepee.