Fourteen
With Alma's help, Molly and Katie were ready to travel by the next morning. The task had been made more difficult by Katie's restlessness. Terrified to be left alone, she screamed until Molly brought the baby crib into her room.
After an emotional farewell with Alma, Dr. Tucker drove Molly and Katie to the train depot. Mutti and young Kurt were in their buggy waiting for them at the station. Mutti waved and called, "Guten Tag !" as Kurt offered her a hand out of the carriage. As Kurt pulled his mother's carpetbag from the buggy, Mutti hurried to Molly.
While Molly tried to deal with a fussy Katie, Doc Bill purchased the tickets. The baby's cheeks were flushed and Molly thought she felt a wee bit warm to the touch. Dr. Tucker had noticed the flushed cheeks at breakfast, "Katie must be teething again," he'd observed.
Mutti caught up with Molly and Katie and with Kurt's help they climbed on board the train. With the baggage in his arms Doc Bill followed the ladies down the aisle until they found their seats. He stowed their bags on the overhead rack. Then turned to give Molly a brotherly hug that included Katie.
"Now, don't forget to use that ointment I sent along for Katie's gums. It should relieve her of some discomfort. Have a safe trip, and give our best to Matt and Kitty, tell them to hurry back to Yellow River where they belong."
Hugging his mother, Kurt felt a twinge of uneasiness. This didn't seem like such a good idea, sending these women folk out into the world alone. From his mother's shoulder he glanced at Doc Bill, he could see his own worry mirrored on the face of the physician.
"Don't be looking so worried now, you two, Mutti and I can do a fine job of taking care of ourselves and young Katie."
"Auch, dats right, ve will be just fine. Kurt, you be good boy and look after tings." Her motherly smile lit her face as she took her son's cheeks in her gloved hands, pulling his face close enough for a kiss.
"All aboard," the conductor cried.
"I guess we'd better get off the train so you can be on your way. Send word when you get to Dodge, so we know everything's alright."
"Ja, ve vill," Mutti assured him.
Molly shifted Katie in her arms; the baby had finally fallen asleep. Doc Bill gave a satisfied nod, "That's a good sign."
The conductor was walking down the aisle taking tickets. "You gents got your tickets?" he asked.
"We were just leaving." Bill tipped his hat and Kurt gave a small wave of his hand, and they walked down the aisle and stepped off the train.
The train slowly began to move, gradually picking up speed. Steam billowed from its boiler while gray smoke puffed from the smokestack. The wheels clattered by with a cadence that became a faster rhythm until the beat was silenced by the loud blast of the steam engine's whistle. Before Doc Bill and Kurt could blink a half dozen times, the train had passed. The clickety clack became fainter, the image shrinking until it was out of sight.
Kurt Hermann felt the reassuring hand of Doc Bill wrap around his shoulder. "Your mother's right, son, they will be just fine."
The young man sighed uneasily, "Ja sure," he said. "A stubborn German voman und a strong tempered Irish lady." He shook his head and rolled his eyes in the age-old expression of youth, "und da got a cranky baby to look after. Ja, dey vill be just fine."
"Let's hope it is a safe and easy trip for the three of them, and that Harland Scharpf doesn't find out about this."
GSGSGSGSGSGS
Doc Bill climbed into his buggy and had just grabbed the reins when he heard his name being shouted.
A bald man of portly proportions was running toward him. He wore a black suit with a clerical collar around his neck. Perspiration glistened from his flushed face.
"Doctor Tucker," he panted, "I've been looking all over town for you." He leaned against the buggy struggling to catch his breath.
Doc Bill's first concern was for the minister who looked in danger of heat exhaustion, "Rev Abbott, take it easy and catch your breath," he ordered.
"It's Hobart, he's sick. Mrs. Abbot can't bring his fever down. She 's been up with him for the last two nights. I'm afraid she's taken with the fever too. She's not feeling so pert. You have got to come Doctor."
Bill offered a hand to the minister, pulling him into the buggy. "Climb on up Reverend, and we'll be on our way."
GSGSGSGSGSGS
Molly propped her arm against the basket carrying sandwiches and cheese. The baby wasn't a heavy load, but her arm was becoming a bit fatigued with the effort of holding the sleeping child.
"Goot ting she sleeps." Mutti said, smiling at the infant. Pulling yarn from a bag at her feet her she busied her fingers with the making of winter socks. Soon the needles clicked with the steady rhythm of knit one pearl two.
"She hasn't had an easy week, and now with the teeth she be getting . . . it will be a good thing when she be resting in her own mother's arms." Molly leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to capture a little of the sleep lost the night before.
Even in sleep, Katie was aware that it was Molly's arms that held her. The thought she was not alone gave her comfort. Her sleep was troubled and her dreams confusing. Cowboys and toy bears were dancing with her in the summer sunshine, while smelly nasty men lurked in shadows waiting to grab her from the safety of her crib. The scenes of the dream changed swiftly, and suddenly it was Mrs. Abott with Hobart trailing after her, wiping his snotty nose on his shirtsleeve. The cruel lady grabbed the bear away from Katie holding him just out of her grasp. She cried for her Bow-bo, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't reach him.
She whimpered in her sleep, "Bow-bo," asking for her bear and her daddy. Her voice sounded funny to her, and her throat burned with the effort to speak.
Mutti poured a little cup of water and handed it to the baby, but Katie shook her head. Molly insisted, and said sternly. "Katie you be drinking some of that water now."
Obediently, Katie tried, but her throat hurt, she began to cry, and the crying made her throat hurt more and that made her cough. "There, there Katie my love, tis alright." Molly soothed, bringing her lips down to kiss the baby's forehead. "Holy angels!"Molly swore as her lips touched the baby's brow. "Mutti she be burning up!"
Mutti reached for the baby. "I hold her for a while. Ve are friends Katie und me."
Katie's sobs stilled as she snuggled against Mutti's soft bosom. Her thumb found its way to her mouth. But even the sucking hurt. "Bow-bo." Katie whispered.
Molly picked up the toy from the seat and placed him in Katie's arms. The baby's eyes were clouded, and she was shivering from the fever induced chills. "Bow-bo cold," she murmured hoarsely. Mutti took the shawl from her shoulders and wrapped it around Katie. "Vevarm up da Bow-bo, Ja Katie?"
Katie squeezed Bow-bo in her arms, her throat burned, her head pounded and her ears ached with an intense pain. She was cold and no matter how many layers were wrapped around her she couldn't warm Bow-bo, she couldn't help but worry he must be feeling as miserable as she. "Poor Bow-bo," she thought. The baby summoned enough strength to give the bear a small pat with her little hand.
Throughout the long night the ladies took turns holding the sick child. Each trying to coax her to drink a little water or some of the weak tea the conductor had prepared for her.
Trying to be a good baby she would take a tiny sip, but the pain would prevent her from taking more. She would shake her head, and in a small raspy voice say, "owie." Then the coughing would start again and her tiny body would shake with the force.
The small towns, which marked the whistle stops along the way, had no physicians, for at each stop either Molly or Mutti would get off the train to inquire. "Try Dodge City," they were advised. "They got a doctor there."
"How soon until ve get to Dodge City?" Mutti asked the conductor.
The conductor was a kind man, who knew the power fever and infection had over a young child. "Is the little one doing no better? He asked. Holding the baby closer to her breast and kissing the burning brow was Mutti's wordless answer.
"It won't be long now." the conductor encouraged. "Just a few more hours. They got that new young doctor there, and old Doc Adams is still around somewhere too. One of 'em is sure to be there to help the baby." The conductor reached out and ran a finger along the little hand clinging desperately to the small wooly bear.
"She's a tough little mite, anyone can see that. She'll make it."
But, there wasn't enough strength left in Katie to fight much longer. The fever had sapped her of even the power to hold the bear. He slipped from her arms and fell to the floor.