Chapter Two

Previously: He'd wondered for years if 'the old Confederate soldier', who had probably really only been in his late thirties, had ever decided why he'd saved the life of a Union officer. It was a question Nick intended to have answered before the man and his granddaughter continued their journey to wherever they were going.

"Harumph"…Conner Londrach coughed and woke up. Only when he went to sit up, he found a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he looked up to see Nick looking down on him. That face, those eyes…he knew them from somewhere but where?

"Your granddaughter's fixing some soup for you. I suggest you stay on that cot and continue resting." Nick took his hand off the older man's shoulder and sat down in a chair that he'd pulled over to the cot…after promising Rachel he'd tend to her grandfather while she cooked.

Mr. Londrach, who knew how bad he'd been feeling, wondered how long he'd been asleep…or had he actually been worse off than he thought? "How long have I been out?"

Nick looked out the window. The sun had been up for awhile. "Well, I got here around ten last night…and you'd been in the cabin at least three hours. That is, from what Rachel tells me, that' s what I figure. So, I'd say somewhere between 10 and a half hours to thirteen." He also added that he expected Mr. Londrach and Rachel to stay at the cabin until the older gentleman was well. "My family's home isn't that far away. I will go fetch some more supplies, and I'm sure my mother will insist on coming out and helping out where she can—as will the others. You need to rest. From the sounds of it, I dare say you have pneumonia…or will have if you don't already. I'll send for Dr. Merar as well."

"No, no doctor!" Mr. Londrach snapped, and then coughed again. "Sorry, not tryin' to be ungrateful, lad. I know ye mean well only money is somethin' we have very little of. Rachel, the good lass, she knows her medicine as well as I do. Well, good enough to be doctorin' the likes of her grandfather when he can't do for himself."

"You don't have to worry about the cost," Nick put his hands on hips and smiled slightly, "I'm paying this time, Sergeant."

Sergeant? Conner Londrach, who was stunned to hear a title he hadn't had a reason to use for a number of years, stiffened and studied the man even closer than he had before. He knew California had been a Union state with sympathies for 'the other side' in the southern part of the state. He started to wonder if, by some chance, the gentleman before him had actually fought for the South. However, as he studied Nick's face and eyes, his eyes widened in shock. "You are that young Northern soldier I helped? Barkley, I believe?"

Nick smiled even wider. "Yes, Nick Barkley to be exact." He removed his hands off his hips and sat down on the foot of the bed. "Do you mind telling me if you ever decided why you took such a risk? You could have been shot as a traitor."

Conner Londrach waited to reply as his granddaughter walked towards the bed and then handed him a cup; she'd put the soup in it thinking her grandfather would have an easier time eating the food while he was confined to the bed if it wasn't in a bowl. He took a sip of the soup and shrugged his soldier. "You not be tellin' me anythin' I wasn't aware of." he turned his face towards the wall and coughed again.

Nick could see his former rescuer needed a doctor worse than he needed to answer Nick's question at the moment. Standing up, "I'm going turn around and ride into Stockton, see if Dr. Merar's available."

"Not before you eat somethin'," Mr. Londrach, who heard Nick's stomach growl, pointed towards the kitchen.

Nick wouldn't have argued-even if he wasn't hungry-only Rachel had already set a bowl on the table. "I'm sorry, not exactly what one would normally eat in the morning."

"Don't worry." Nick sat down and began eating the soup she'd placed before him. It was delicious! "As I said, I'll make sure both of you get some more food and anything else you need while you're here. And," he said as she started to object, "I don't want to hear any argument. I'd be dead years ago if it weren't for him." Nick gestured towards Mr. Londrach. "I owe him."

"That makes two of us. My father and two brothers were killed during the war, and mama died from Typhoid when I was fourteen. I've lived with Grandfather Londrach ever since." Rachel, who was keeping an eye on her grandfather-as he'd fallen back to sleep, looked at Nick. "Grandfather doesn't talk about the war. I never knew he'd helped anyone from the other side. May I ask just what he did for you?"

Nick told her of the skirmish he'd been in and how he'd been wounded. "I don't know how I crawled as far as I did, as he found me a good mile or two from where the fight took place. From what the couple that he took me to later told me, he'd taken care of me for a solid forty-eight hours. I don't know how he got away with it only I'll be forever grateful." He finished his soup, thanked her and stood up. "Sooner I get to town the sooner I can get Dr. Merar out here."

"Mr. Barkley…" Rachel quickly rose to her feet.

"Nick, the name is simply Nick. I have two brothers at home and one at college. Mr. Barkley will only confuse the issue; this is, if any of them stop to help." Nick told her, as he was ninety percent sure that at least one member-if not more – of his family would drop by. That is, once he told them what was going on.

"Do you have to tell anyone but the doctor and your family we're here? I promise you…we've broken no laws." Rachel knew her question would arouse his curiosity…maybe even make him think he shouldn't help them. Maybe… "You can ask the sheriff about us if you want. Like I just said, we've done nothing wrong."

Nick was indeed puzzled by the request he heard. If she wasn't afraid of him talking to the sheriff, why would she want him to keep quiet to others? Still…. "I'll talk to no one but my family and Dr. Merar." Nick looked toward her grandfather and then walked out the door telling himself the first place he was going to when he reached Stockton was Jarrod's office right -after talking to the good doctor.