by Al Lacy
A smile was in place as she greeted the first patient. Dr. Fraser took the man into the back room, and moments later, more patients began coming in. There was a steady stream of them as the morning progressed.
It was almost eleven o’clock when the regularly scheduled stagecoach from Denver arrived in town. A few minutes later, Central City’s Wells Fargo agent, Cliff Ames, came into the office with a copy of the Rocky Mountain News in hand. Tharyn and Dr. Fraser were talking together at Tharyn’s desk.
Cliff unfolded the newspaper to expose the front page. “How about this?” he said with a smile.
Tharyn and the elderly physician noted the bold headline:
UTE CHIEF TANDO SIGNS PEACE TREATY!
“Looks good!” said Tharyn.
“Let me read the article to you.” Cliff read every word to them, which told of the peace treaty signed last Tuesday at Fort Junction, as reported by General Joseph G. Dayton. The article went on to praise Dr. Dane Logan of Central City, whose kindness and compassion to the wounded son of Chief Tando had led to the chief’s signing the treaty.
When Cliff finished reading, Tharyn smiled. “My dear husband is going to be embarrassed by General Dayton’s accolades.”
Dr. Fraser laughed. “Well, Tharyn, dear, even if Dr. Dane does get embarrassed, he most certainly deserves those accolades!”
THIRTEEN
as the hours passed on Friday, people came into Dr. Dane Logan’s office just to talk about the Rocky Mountain News article in the light of yesterday’s incident over Chief Tando, Nandano, and Latawga being allowed in the office. Each time, Tharyn had to explain that her husband was out making house calls. The people then asked her to pass their comments on to Dr. Dane. Tharyn found herself extremely proud of her husband.
Late that afternoon, Tharyn was at her desk taking payment from a woman who had just been treated for a sore throat. As Tharyn placed the money into the cash drawer and thanked the woman, the front door opened and Tharyn saw Kirby Holton come in.
The wealthy owner of the Holton Coal Mine just west of town smiled at the woman and held the door open for her as she moved outside.
Tharyn smiled up at Kirby. “Hello, Mr. Holton. Dr. Logan isn’t in at the moment, but Dr. Fraser is here.”
Kirby grinned and shook his head. “I don’t need a doctor’s attention today, thank goodness. I just came by to commend your husband for being instrumental in bringing about the signing of the peace treaty by Chief Tando. Last night I heard about yesterday’s incident with the crowd and all, and I just read the article in the Rocky Mountain News. Dr. Logan did us all a favor, and I’m anxious to tell him how much I appreciate him for it. Will he be back soon?”
“Well, it will be a while yet. He’s out making house calls. But I certainly will tell him that you came by.”
“You go ahead and do that, but I’ll come back tomorrow so I can talk to him personally. I’m very much relieved to know that the vicious Chief Tando is now at peace with us white folks. I hope Chiefs Yukana and Antono will soon give up their war on us also.”
Tharyn nodded. “I’ve heard lots of people here in town talk about how hateful and brutal those two chiefs and their warriors are toward white people.”
The door opened, and Tharyn looked past Kirby Holton to see Pastor Mark Shane step in. The pastor closed the door and smiled at the mine owner. “Howdy, Mr. Holton.”
Kirby nodded. “Hello, Pastor Shane.”
“I just read General Dayton’s report in the Denver newspaper, Tharyn. I came by to tell the good doctor once more how much I appreciate his part in all of it.”
“He’s not here right now, Pastor. He’s making house calls today.”
“Oh. Well, I have a busy day of visitation tomorrow, but I’ll talk to him about it on Sunday.” The preacher turned to Kirby Holton. “I keep looking for you to come to church, Mr. Holton. You promised me you would when I came to your house after your son Greg’s funeral in July. Remember?”
Kirby avoided the preacher’s searching eyes.
“And you also promised me you’d come to church on the other occasions when I came to visit you since then.”
Kirby looked down at his feet and cleared his throat. “I … ah … I plan to come to church one of these Sundays.”
Shane smiled. “Good. My people will welcome you with open arms. As you know, even some of your miners are members.”
Kirby nodded and raised his eyes to once again meet the pastor’s gaze. “Yes, sir. Well, I need to be getting back to the mine. I’ll drop back by here tomorrow, Tharyn, and try to catch your husband.”
“I’m sure it will mean a lot to him. I’ll tell him you were here, and why … and that you’ll be back tomorrow.”
Kirby bid the pastor good day and hurried out the door.
While they were still discussing Greg’s untimely death, Dr. Robert Fraser came out of the back room with a middle-aged man named Cletus Thornton, who was employed at the Central City Lumber Company. Thornton had cut his finger with a saw. The finger was wrapped with a large white bandage.
Tharyn told Thornton that she would send the bill for his treatment to the Lumber Company. He thanked her and left.
Dr. Fraser rubbed his chin and said, “Tharyn, was Kirby Holton here? I thought I heard his voice.”
“Yes, he was. He had read the article in the Rocky Mountain News this morning, and he came by to compliment Dr. Dane.”
The aging physician rubbed his chin again. “I wish Kirby would come to church. If he would just hear some of your strong gospel preaching, Pastor, he might see his need to be saved, and do something about it.”
“Kirby’s a tough nut to crack, Doctor,” Shane said. “I’ve been up to his big mansion on the mountainside several times since Greg died, but he brushed me off each time by saying he has his own religion.”
Tharyn nodded. “Dane told me of two occasions when he talked to Kirby about the Lord and quoted Scripture to him, but he turned a deaf ear. You’d think with his wife having died several years ago, and then Greg dying just last summer, he’d be more concerned about facing death, himself.”
“Seems to me,” Dr. Fraser said, “that since both you and Dr. Dane have witnessed to him and he’s turned a deaf ear, he’s hardening his heart against the Lord.”
Pastor Shane set his jaw and nodded. “It’s so sad the way so many people harden their hearts toward the Lord and His Word. And they think they’re right to do so. Proverbs 21:2 hits the nail right on the head. ‘Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.’ And when God ponders those hearts, He finds so much rebellion against Him.”
Dr. Fraser nodded. “When it comes right down to it, I believe every motive we have and every important decision we make in this life is a heart matter. Our lives are shaped by what’s in our hearts.”
“You’re right, Doctor. It is quite plain in Scripture that there’s a big difference between the heart and the mind of a human being. In fact, that’s exactly what I’m going to preach about on Sunday morning.”
The elderly doctor’s bushy eyebrows arched. “Really?”
“Really. My basic text is Proverbs 4:23. ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’ God doesn’t say to keep our mind with all diligence, but our heart. He doesn’t say that out of our minds are the issues of life, but out of our hearts are the issues of life.”
Tharyn smiled. “I’ll be looking forward to hearing your sermon.”
Dr. Fraser pressed a hand to his lower back, rolled his shoulders slightly to ease the pain he was feeling, and chuckled. “That’s good, Pastor. God doesn’t say that out of our minds are the issues of life. If we don’t make and keep our hearts right with Him, we are out of our minds!”
At closing time, as the last patient was leaving, Tharyn was at her desk, and Dr. Fraser was standing over her. She noticed that he was pressing a hand to his back again. She was about to say something about it when both of them saw Dr. Da
ne pull up at the hitch rail in his buggy.
As the young doctor left the buggy, medical bag in hand, the elderly doctor said, “He looks a bit tired, doesn’t he?”
“That he does.”
“Well, I can understand. I had those long days of house calls for many, many years. It’s wearisome on both the mind and the body.”
Dr. Dane came through door, smiled at both of them, and said, “Is this what I pay you two to do? Wait for the boss to arrive, and gawk through the window at him when he does?”
Dr. Fraser winked at Tharyn, pressed the hand to his lower back once more, and said, “I do love this young man. What would this town do without him?”
“I don’t know,” she said giggling, “but I certainly would be a mess without him!”
Dane smiled at her, then noted the lines of pain etched on his friend’s face as he took his hand from his back. Placing steady eyes on the elderly man, he said, “Your back’s hurting, isn’t it?”
Dr. Fraser forced a grin. “A little.”
Dr. Dane ran his gaze between them. “Has it been a busy day?”
“That it has,” Tharyn said. “A very busy day.”
Dr. Fraser forced another grin. “When you’re my age, dear boy, even an unbusy day seems busy!”
“I know you’ll be happy when you can retire completely,” Dane said. “I can see the toll that coming into the office and helping us when you’re needed is taking on you. I hope within a few months that need will be remedied.”
Dr. Fraser looked up at him. “You mean you’re considering hiring another doctor to come with you full-time?”
“I think it’s about time, don’t you?”
“Well, yes, I do. But until that happens, young fellow, I want to help you around here the same as I’ve been doing. And don’t you start feeling sorry for me and try to get along without me when I’m needed, understand?”
Dr. Dane placed his hands on the stooped shoulders of his elderly friend and looked deep into his eyes. “I understand, and both of us appreciate it. But if on any given day we ask you to come in, and you’re just not up to it, you tell us, all right?”
“I’ll do that.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, sir. I promise.”
“All right. Tharyn and I will drop you off at your house on the way home. Okay?”
“Okay.” With that, Dr. Fraser went to the hooks on the wall and exchanged his white frock for his coat and hat.
Dane helped Tharyn into her coat, and the three of them stepped out the door onto the boardwalk. The sun had dropped down behind the mountains to the west, and the air already had a bite to it.
Dane locked the door, and the elderly physician shuffled alongside them as Dane guided Tharyn to the buggy and helped her in. Dr. Fraser climbed in next to her. Dane climbed in beside Tharyn, took the reins in hand, and put Pal in motion.
Moments later, they drew up in front of the Fraser house. The aging physician stepped out, then turned and smiled at both of them. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Our pleasure,” said Dr. Dane. “You get yourself some rest this evening. And give our love to Esther.”
“Will do. God bless you both.”
They waited as Dr. Fraser shuffled his way toward the house, trying valiantly to hold his shoulders up, and mounted the porch. He opened the door, then turned and waved at them.
As they rode on down the street, Dane said, “Honey, I’m really concerned about his failing health.”
“I am, too. If Dr. Tim accepts your offer, then that dear old man can fully retire and not place so much stress on himself. And I really do feel sure that Dr. Tim will accept your offer, don’t you?”
Dane grinned at her. “Yes, I’ve gotten well enough acquainted with him to know what he’s made of. He would fit in so perfectly here, and once we’ve gone over all the good things about Central City and this entire area, he’ll see how well he could fit in. He’s going to want to come. Melinda’s love and devotion to you would be a factor, too. Another factor is that I really believe the Lord wants them to come here. I have peace about this whole thing.”
On Saturday morning, Dr. Dane and Tharyn opened the office at eight o’clock, and within an hour, almost all of the chairs in the waiting room were filled.
It was just after noon when the last patients with morning appointments and the walk-ins were all treated for their ailments. Dr. Dane and Tharyn sat down at her desk to eat lunch, and were just finishing when they heard horses blow, and looked out the large front window to see a cavalry unit draw to a halt. Captain Darrell Redmond was in the lead. The captain said something to his men, dismounted, and headed toward the office door.
“Looks like we’ve got company.” Dane opened the door just as the captain was stepping up on the boardwalk, and said, “Captain Redmond! Nice to see you!”
“You, too, Doctor. I have some good news I want to share with you, if you have a couple minutes.”
“Sure. Mrs. Logan and I just finished eating lunch, and we have about forty-five minutes before the next scheduled patient is to be here.”
Dr. Dane introduced the captain to Tharyn. Redmond greeted her politely, then said, “Dr. Logan, I felt that since you were instrumental in causing Chief Tando to change his mind about making war with the whites, you should know that the last two renegade Ute chiefs are no longer at war with us, either.”
Dane and Tharyn looked at each other, eyes wide, then the doctor said, “Chief Antono and Chief Yukana.”
“Yes!”
“Tell us about them.”
“Well, it’s quite simple. On Wednesday of this week, my cavalry unit and I met up with Chief Yukana. He and a band of his warriors were killing ranchers in the mountains and burning their homes, and we were on their trail. There was a gun battle. We had some casualties, I’m sorry to say, but our Gatling guns made the difference. Chief Yukana and the whole band were killed. His subchiefs and his people have made peace with us, saying they want no more war.”
“And Chief Antono?”
“Well, some of Yukana’s men went to Chief Antono’s village, told them about Yukana and his band being killed, and tried to reason with them and convince them to stop making war on the whites before the same thing happened to them. And it worked!”
Tharyn gasped. “Really?”
Redmond smiled. “Really. Just yesterday, Chief Antono and two of his subchiefs appeared at Fort Junction carrying a white flag. It was late in the afternoon, and I happened to be there at the time. Antono told the guards at the gate that he wanted to sign a peace treaty. Less than a half-hour later, Colonel Perry Smith and I sat down with Chief Antono, and he signed the treaty.”
“Wonderful!” exclaimed the doctor. “Captain, this indeed is good news. Will you go with me to Mayor Anderson’s office and tell him? He will see to it that word of this is spread all over town.”
“Oh, yes!” said Tharyn. “This good news will make everything better in Central City!”
Redmond chuckled. “It’s already made things better at Fort Junction, I assure you.”
Dr. Dane patted Tharyn’s arm. “Honey, I won’t be long. I should be back before our first scheduled patient arrives.”
“It’s okay, darling. To coin a phrase that Captain Redmond will appreciate—I’ll hold the fort till you get back.”
Both men laughed as they went out the door.
Dr. Dane Logan did not quite make it back in time, but hurried to the back room to find his wife doing her best to make an elderly male patient comfortable while they waited for the doctor to show up.
Two hours passed, with the Logans caring for patients who were all talking about Chiefs Yukana and Antono. They were in the front office when they saw Kirby Holton come through the door.
Kirby was sporting a wide smile as he said, “Ah! The good doctor is in!”
Dr. Dane shook his hand, “Tharyn told me you were here yesterday, and why.”
“I just had to come in and tell you in person
how much I appreciated your role in bringing Chief Tando to make peace with us white people.”
The doctor blushed. “Thank you, Kirby. There’s more good news, too.”
Eyes brightening, the mine owner said, “You mean about Chief Yukana being killed and his people making peace on Wednesday … and about Chief Antono signing the peace treaty at Fort Junction yesterday?”
“Yes. I knew it was all over town by now, but I didn’t know if you had heard about it up at the mine yet.”
“Two of my men came into town to get some lumber, and they heard about it at the lumber company. They hurried back to the mine with the news. This is really great!”
“The people of Colorado and Wyoming can breathe easier about the Utes now,” said Tharyn. “And I’m sure Chief Ouray is rejoicing, too.”
Dr. Dane met Kirby’s gaze. “So how are things at the mine these days?”
Kirby’s face beamed. “Oh, listen, we’re really doing well. We found a rich new vein a few days ago, and already it’s producing even more coal than we had expected.”
“I’m glad to hear that. You could use some good things happening there, after that cave-in last July and all the tragedies that went with it.”
Kirby’s brow furrowed. “Yes. And I want to thank you once more for how helpful you were in it all, Doctor. Especially when you were trapped down there yourself.”
“I … I just wish I could have saved Greg’s life, Kirby. But at least I’m glad I had the joy of leading him to the Lord before he died. I know he’s in heaven with Jesus. That’s the main thing.”
Kirby slipped his pocket watch out of his jacket, glanced at it, and said, “I … ah … need to get back to the mine.”
Dr. Dane looked him square in the eye. “Kirby, on that day when Greg was buried, I told you that unless you open your own heart to Jesus, you will never see Greg again. He’s in heaven, but if you don’t get saved, you’ll spend eternity in hell. God’s Word says so.”
Kirby’s hands trembled. His voice shook as he said, “I really must be going, Doctor.”