Chapter 4
Almanzo and Laura stared at each other.
"I'll go in first if it makes you feel better," Almanzo said.
Laura nodded and he kissed her lightly on the lips and headed into the barn.
The silence seemed like forever before she started for the barn. "Manly?" she called out softly as she walked toward the partially opened door. "Manly, are you…" but she never finished.
In front of them were two figures. One of them was Rose and she was resting her head on a curled up animal of some type, something small and pure white. It lifted his head and stared at the two strangers who had just entered.
"It's a white deer, Beth," Almanzo exclaimed, keeping his voice low. "I've never seen one before."
"It's so beautiful, Manly," Laura whispered. "What's it doing down here?"
Almanzo shook his head, but didn't say anything except call his daughter's name.
"Rose?" he asked as he crept closer, all the while the deer kept his brown eyes on Manly's every move.
"Rose, wake up," he called, as he reached out and shook her gently. "Rose?"
She stirred a little and her eyes fluttered open. "Papa?" she asked, trying to remember where she was. "Papa, is that you?"
Almanzo nodded his head and stepped closer, scooping her up in his arms and nuzzled her neck.
"Are you alright?" he asked, putting her down on the ground.
"I'm fine, Papa. I guess I just fell asleep out here is all."
The deer stood up and stared straight at Rose. It started to follow after her.
"We are goin' to have to let that deer go, Rose." Almanzo said. "We have to get it into the …" His voice trailed off.
"Papa, we can't let him go, not yet. He's lame. His leg is injured."
Laura nodded. "She's right, Manly. He seems to be favoring that right leg."
Almanzo inched closer. "Let's take a look at that leg." He bent down and stroked its side. "Seems to be fractured, not really broken."
"Shouldn't we get veterinarian?" Laura asked.
"Dr. Thomas is out of town the whole week," Almanzo said. "I'm sure we could make up a temporary splint. Beth, go get the wraps we use for the horses. Rose, get me two sticks of wood from the woodpile under my work table along with some rope. Let's see what we can do."
xxxxx
"Where did you find him, Rose?" Almanzo asked when they all sat down to breakfast of pancakes, sausages and potatoes.
"He was just standing out there, Papa," Rose answered. "Just between the house and the barn. He let me move him into the barn. I had never seen a white deer before; I thought it was a dream."
"Well, you don't see white deer as often, but they do exist. And they aren't all albinos either."
"Albinos, Papa?"
Almanzo nodded. "Albinos are all white, with pink noses and eyes."
"He didn't have those features, Manly," Laura said, sitting down. "He had brown eyes and a black nose, just like any other deer."
"Well, he's goin' to have to rest for now. I'll go take another look at him after we eat. I'm sure he'll be fine."
"We can't keep him, Papa?" Rose said, looking into her father's eyes. "You said that.."
Almanzo nodded. "No, we can't keep him, Rosey. He has to go back out into the wild as soon as possible. We are just goin to watch him for a few days until his leg mends."
"All right, Papa," Rose said, getting up from the table. "Can I go back out to the barn now, Mama Beth? I want to see him."
Laura smiled. "Sure, go on, but not until you get dressed, young lady."
Rose smiled. "Yes Mama," she answered before hurrying inside the door to her room.