Chapter Twenty-One

Dimly, as if from a great distance, Slim heard voices. He felt several pairs of strong hands and arms lift him up and place him on a stretcher. Then he felt himself moving. He couldn't open his eyes, though, he was too weak from all the weeks of headaches and dizzy spells which had culminated in his fall that morning. He just relaxed and slipped into unconsciousness again.

The elderly Doctor Hansen was not pleased with Slim's visible condition nor was he pleased with Jess' reports of dizzy spells and that Slim had fainted while sitting in the witness chair. He let his displeasure be known by barking orders at people.

"Kyle, get a bucket from the kitchen and get me some ice from the ice house. You'll find the ice pick is already there."

He turned to Brad next. "Get me some hot water."

Then it was Jess' turn.

"Help me get his clothes off. I need to check him for broken bones that may be sticking out and see what kind of bruising he's got."

It didn't take long and Slim never stirred the whole time. Kyle Everett was back within twenty minutes with the ice. Brad Fulton brought in the hot water and poured it into the basin Doc Hansen indicated. They were then banished from the examination room as was Jess.

As he gave Slim a thorough examination he found no broken bones but a lot of bruises from the fall that morning. The blond cowboy's left knee was swollen to twice its normal size. As the medical man applied ice to the knee Sherman began to regain consciousness.

"Uh! That's cold!" he mumbled.

"That's right - it's cold," Doc said. "You twisted your knee very badly and it's very swollen. The ice will help with the pain and reduce the swelling. As for your hip, it's badly bruised but nothing's broken. You must have landed on a rock." He scowled at his patient now that he was awake to see it. "I'm more concerned about this head injury you seem to have sustained! How long have you been having dizzy spells?"

"Who says I'm having dizzy spells?" Slim asked.

"Jess and half a dozen other people including Kyle Everett, Brad Fulton and several lawmen!" Doc snapped. "Now out with it! How long?"

"About a month I guess," Slim admitted reluctantly. "Since the day John MacLean was lynched."

Doctor Hansen's face got red. He took a deep breath before speaking again.

"A month. You've let this go on for a month without coming in to see me about it/"

"Yes, sir. I thought it would go away on its own."

The doctor shook his head disapprovingly.

"It might have if you'd taken it easy for a few days but you didn't. I know you've been doing all the usual hard work around your place and not sparing yourself - especially with Jonesy and Andy not around to take up some of the slack where they can."

Out in the front room Jess, Kyle Everett, and Brad Fulton found Deputies Swihart and Taylor, as well as their boss, Marshal Walker waiting for word of Slim's condition. The only people missing, other than most of the spectators from the trial were Judge Fenady, who was in his hotel room looking over his own notes and the clerk's record of the trial , and Laramie's temporary sheriff and his deputies who were at the sheriff's office keeping an eye on their prisoners and making sure that there were no attempts to free them.

Marshal Walker looked up as the three men exited the examination room.

"How is he?"

Jess shook his head.

"Don't know yet. Doc had us get hot water, ice and get Slim out of his clothes so he could check him over. Won't know anything until he comes out."

All of the men, except the anxious Texan, took seats. Fulton and Everett exchanged looks as the young man began pacing, picking things up and putting them down and staring anxiously at the door willing it to open and the doctor to come out and give them the news on Slim's condition.

They actually didn't have too long to wait. About thirty minutes later, the elderly man came out of the room with a frown on his face that scared Jess.

"Doc? How is he?"

"Sit down, Jess, while I explain everything."

Reluctantly the dark haired cowboy sat in one of the chairs but he leaned forward anxiously while he waited for the doctor to speak.

"He's got a very nasty bruise on his left hip. It will heal in time but it will be very uncomfortable for him for a while. The knee is badly twisted and very swollen."

He looked directly at Jess as he explained the treatment.

"Put hot compresses on the hip three times a day and put ice on the knee three, or four, times a day to get that swelling down. He's not to try and walk on it until I say so."

Taking a deep breath he continued, "The dizzy spells are accompanied by headaches he's been hiding from you - or trying to. If I know you, Jess Harper, you've noticed but had no recourse but to believe him. He's got a concussion. It's not as bad as it could have been but whatever Jim Hedrick hit him from caused a greater injury that even Slim believed."

"Can I take him home?" Jess asked.

"He's getting dressed at the moment. I want him to rest, in my office, for at least thirty minutes, before you move him. And he's not to mount a horse, or go anywhere unaccompanied, for at least a month. He's already protesting so it's up to you to make sure he follows orders."

"I will. Can I go in and see him?"

"Yes, but only for a few minutes. When I say rest I mean with no interruptions. He risked his health and his safety by hiding the seriousness of his condition. He thought it would just go away on his own and kept trying to do whatever needed doing."

"When you get him home he's to go straight to bed and he's to stay there for at least a week. He's not allowed near the barn or the corral or the stages. He's to rest, in bed, and only get up to take care of the necessary. personal needs. You see to that. Get Ben and Jud to manage the stages while you check on the cattle. Andy and Jonesy are due back soon aren't they?"

"Yeah. In a few weeks."

"Good. Jonesy will take over the housekeeping again. Andy can do the chores he usually does and keep his brother entertained by reading to him or playing games."

"I'll go rent a buckboard at the livery to take him home," Jess said. "Just as soon as I see Slim."

Brad Fulton spoke up. The tall redhead smiled at his young neighbor and said, "No need to rent one Jess. I came into town expecting to pick up some supplies after I testified. What little bit I got will hardly take up any space at all. We can lay a couple of mattresses down, in the back. and a couple of pillows and blankets. He should ride fairly easy."

"What about your testimony at the trial?"

"Thompson's going to resume tomorrow. I'm to testify as to the problems with Jim Hedrick and Kyle will attest to the suicide note being written by the Judge. We both knew the Hedricks long enough to testify as to Jim being a bully and the judge being overzealous."

When Jess opened his mouth to thank them, Kyle cut him off.

"No need to thank us, Jess. We care for Slim as if he were our own. His pa was a good friend and Slim has kept up the friendship just by being himself and pitching in when he could. He'd do the same if it were one of us."

So saying he and Brad departed for the livery and the hotel Kyle intended to bully the hotel manager out of three good mattresses plus blankets and pillows while Brad was going to get his rig ready and meet him there. Deputies Taylor and Swihart went with Everett to ensure that there was no trouble getting the bedding for the injured man. He was, after all, one of the territory's star witnesses and had been injured trying to prevent a heinous crime. Besides that he was a good guy and they liked him.