Dr. Woodard and Dimar carried Joe as quickly as they could. As soon as they got to the hospital a nurse there tried to stop them. Dimar spoke to her in Cherokee and she quickly let them into a room.

"Does she speak English?" Dr. Woodard asked Dimar without looking up from Joe.

"No she does not." Dimar responded.

"Ask her for bandages, all of their surgical equipment and ether." Dr. Woodard ordered.

Dimar quickly turned to the nurse and relayed the command. She hurried to gather what the Dr. had asked for.

"I need you to help me during the operation." Dr Woodard told Dimar.

Dimar nodded. Joe was still conscious and his breathing was getting rapid and high pitched. He yelled out in pain as they moved him onto a bed.

When the nurse returned with the supplies, the Dr wasted no time.

"Hold the ether over his nose and mouth." He instructed Dimar. Dr. Woodard looked into his son's eyes.

"It's alright Joe, you are going to be alright." he gripped his son's hand tightly until it went limp and the Dr. knew he was unconscious. Dimar handed the Dr. tools and put pressure on bleeding wound as he was instructed with the clean white cloths the nurse kept bringing.

Finally Dr Woodard spoke. "The bullet went through his diaphragm and it lodged in his lung." Dimar was no doctor but he knew that could not be good news. Dr Woodard worked steadily for hours until he finished the last stitch on Joe's large chest wound.

"Well, he made it through the surgery. All we can do is hope and pray he comes to... and that there is no infection."

He wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Worry plagued his face.

"I will help you clean up and then I will go to Ned's to tell everyone." Dimar said.

"Thank you Dimar," The doctor laid his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Why don't you wait til the morning though, it is late. I'm sure everyone will be sleeping at this hour."

John and Mandie rode home in silence only broken by Mandie sniffling. John helped her down and with his arm around her quaking shoulders, led her into the house.

"Papoose!" Uncle Ned held his arms out to her. She buried her face in his deerskin jacket and sobbed. Uncle Ned looked at John for an explanation.

"Joe was shot in the chest. He has been badly wounded." John shook his head sadly. "Dr Woodard is doing what he can. But I am afraid he's" He stopped not wanting to upset Mandie and softened what he was originally going to say. "very hurt." he ended.

Sallie came over to her and put her hand on her friend's back. She didn't know what to say that would make Mandie feel better. Uncle Ned spoke. "Sallie, take papoose upstairs, Rest.

"Yes, Grandfather," Sallie replied as she led Mandie over to the ladder of the loft.

Mandie climbed it shakily and collapsed on her make shift bed on the floor. She was exhausted from crying but her heart hurt so much she couldn't do anything else. Visions of Joe's pained face and bleeding, heaving chest played over and over in her mind. She eventually cried herself to sleep.

She woke the next morning. Everyone was downstairs getting ready for breakfast.

Sallie peeked her head above the floor of the loft. "Mandie, it's time to get up, come downstairs"

Mandie sat up abruptly. "Have you heard any news about Joe?" She quickly asked.

"No, We have not heard anything," Sallie replied

Mandie slowly got dressed and trudged downstairs. She felt hollow inside and her eyes were swollen and red.

"Sit, eat!" Morning Star commanded. Mandie sat down at the long dining table. She stared at the food placed before her but it held no enticement to her nervous stomach.

"Eat your breakfast Amanda." John gently encouraged.

"I'm not hungry Uncle John." Mandie replied as she stood up. "Excuse me please".

She hurried out the door. She needed some fresh air and she wanted to be alone. To her surprise she saw Dimar riding up the path to the house.

"Dimar!" Mandie called. As he approached she ran to meet him.

"Dimar, is Joe alright?" She was so anxious she almost didn't want to know the answer.

Dimar dismounted his horse and walked it next to Mandie as he continued on to the house.

"Dr Woodard was able to get the bullet out of his lung and he is breathing easier now but, he is not waking up. He lost a lot of blood and is very weak" He finished.

"I'm so glad he is okay!" Mandie exclaimed.

Dimar finished tying the horse to the post outside the house and took her hands in his.

"Mandie. I don't want to upset you but I don't want you to have false hope." He looked her squarely in the eyes.

"Joe is alive, yes. But he is far from okay. He is still in very critical condition."

Mandie looked down as tears flooded her eyes.

Dimar squeezed her hands. "I'm sorry Mandie." He tried to lead her inside the house but she refused and sat down on the porch.

"Dimar! " Uncle John exclaimed. "Any news? How is Joe?"

Dimar relayed the message of Joe's condition to everyone.

"Dr Woodard asked me to bring back some of his clothes and some food." Dimar explained.

Morning Star understood and was already preparing a basket for the doctor.

Dimar left promising to return if he had any news. Mandie sat on the porch chair the entire day staring out into the woods that surrounded Uncle Ned's cabin. Sallie went out to try to talk to her but Mandie just stared straight ahead like she didn't even know Sallie was there. Uncle John brought her lunch out to her but she never made an attempt to look at him let alone eat. Uncle John came out in the evening to try to talk to her.

"Amanda, why don't you come in and have some supper." When she did respond he put his hand on her shoulder. "Amanda.?" Mandie startled and looked at him. "Come in for supper Dear." John repeated.

Mandie shook her head. "I'm not hungry Uncle John." She replied. John gave her hand a tug. "You haven't eaten since yesterday morning." Worry lines crossed his face. "Come, you'll feel better."

"No I won't!" Mandie retorted. "The only thing that will make me feel better is seeing Joe well again." She tugged her hand back. She felt like crying but she had cried so much that she had run out of tears. Now her eyes just ached.

John wasn't sure what to do. He decided this was a job for Uncle Ned and turned to go back in the house. As bedtime approached Uncle Ned came out and found her asleep in the chair. He gently carried her up to her bed and laid her down for the night.

Mandie woke with a start. She had been dreaming that Joe was calling to her. She quietly got out of bed and crept down the ladder. Everyone was asleep. She carefully opened the front door so as not to make a sound and slipped out. She didn't know what time it was exactly but by looking at the stars she figured it was an hour two before dawn. She shivered in the cold mountain air and then headed off in the direction of the hospital. As she approached the white building she realized that the door would probably be locked. To her surprise it opened easily and she found herself in the waiting area of the hospital.

"Which room would he be in?" She thought he would probably be on the first floor. Dr Woodard would have taken in him in the closest room when they came in. She checked the first room, Empty, Then the one across the hall. Sure enough she could see Dr Woodard asleep in a chair by the window. Mandie crept across the room to where Joe lie. In the moonlight she could see how pale-gray he was.

"Joe" she whispered to herself. She tenderly brushed his unruly brown hair off his forehead.

"Joe, I'm here." she whispered close to his ear. Joe lay lifeless. Mandie sat next to him and laid her head on the bed, holding his hand and praying. Suddenly she was startled by a strong hand on her shoulder. She turned to see it was Dr Woodard.

"Amanda, what are you doing here?" He wasn't cross but more concerned.

"I, I, came to see Joe." Mandie stammered. "I had to see if he was still alive." Tears pooled in her eyes. Dr Woodard kneeled down next to her and looked at his son. Mandie could tell he was overcome by worry and grief. To her surprise he didn't say anything or make her leave. He checked Joe's pulse and listened to his chest with his stethoscope. Then without a word returned to his chair.