Chapter 17 Home
The woman cautiously approached the bay, seeing he was uneasy. "Can you get down?" Mrs. Byrd asked the stranger holding Jess in the saddle.
The Texan opened his eyes at the sound of the familiar voice. "Mrs. Byrd, where's Bill?"
"He left 'bout and hour ago, Jess," she explained.
Hank slid down from behind the saddle. Once on the ground he reached up and took hold of Jess. "I'm gonna help you down, Skinny. Can you calm this horse of yours down?"
Jess laid a hand on Trav's neck, whispering softly. The horse stood perfectly still.
"OK, Hank. Help me down will ya? Mrs. Byrd, I caught a bullet in my leg. I got it ta stop bleedin' but it seems to have started up again." Jess explained.
Jonesy limped to the edge of the porch using a cane for support. Seeing Jess, a look of concern crossed his wrinkled face.
Hank helped Jess stagger to the porch and set him down in the porch rocker.
"Thanks," Jess whispered. "You two see to the horses? Take a rifle with ya, in case them wolves followed us."
"Sure, Skinny, whatever you say." Hank agreed.
The tall stranger turned to the woman and old man. "I'm Hank Johnson." he introduced himself. "This here is, Carl Thomas. Jess, as you called him, well he managed to get us safely down the mountain, even with a wolf attacking us."
"I'm Mrs. Byrd and this is Jonesy. What happened to Jess?" she asked, again.
"Skinny, how come that woman keeps calling you, Jess?" Carl questioned.
"Never mind what she's callin' me, just get the horses in the barn and fed. Hurry up it's getting' dark. Make sure you close the barn door tight." Jess warned.
"Come on Carl lets take care of the horses." Hank grabbed his horse's reins along with the spare horses and headed towards the barn.
"Jess." Jonesy approached Jess. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I hate ta tell ya this boy, specially now, but I seen bear tracks yesterday, and the stage driver reported a half-eaten calf laying alongside the stage road. Come on, let's get you inside and patch you up."
Once inside, Mrs. Byrd took the Texan's hat and hung it on the peg by the door. Jess handed her his gun belt.
"Jonesy," she asked, "think you can help Jess out of his clothes. I'll have those fellas bring up the tub so we can clean him up. He might have ta soak off those bloody trousers and looks like his arm is bleedin'."
As, Jonesy hobbled over using a cane, Jess noted the lump of a dressing under his shirt, the foreman's left arm was in a sling and he was limping more than usual.
"Now, Jess, I know it ain't Saturday, but we need to get ya cleaned up. Let's see if we can get you out of those pants or iffin' there stuck tight to that wounded leg of yours. Sides you smell somethin' awful."
Jess was to tired to argue. Jonesy was right, a bath would feel good and probably the only way to get him out of his pants.
"Seems, all I've been around lately, is dead critters. The line shack was surrounded with drying bear skins and antlers. Those city dudes" Jess looked to see if the men had returned from the barn, "they was killin' just to collect trophies. They're out of here on the morning stage."
The two men returned from the barn, so Mrs. Byrd had them bring the wash tub into the kitchen. She filled the tub with hot water. Carl and Hank perked up thinking the bath was for them.
"Jonesy, the tub's ready." she called.
Jonesy helped Jess into the kitchen and sat him down in one of the chairs.
"Hank, pull these boots offa me will ya?" he asked. As he unbutton his shirt. Jonesy helped him pull the shirt off his injured arm. Luckily, they were able to get his trousers off as the fresh blood had loosened the fabric from his skin. Jonesy, set the trousers on the chair. "Can one of you help him into the tub?" he asked. Hank helped get Jess' injured leg over the top of the tub and settled down in the warm water. He grimaced as the water penetrated his wounded thigh. He washed up with the cloth Jonesy had given him.
Jonesy returned with a clean towel and helped Jess step out of the tub trying to support him so he wasn't putting weight on his wounded leg. Once he was dried, Jessshrugged into one of Slim's old robes.
Jess peered over at the two Easterners. "Thanks for bringin' in the water."
"A good soak will sure feel good." Carl smiled thinking their turn was next.
"We ain't runnin' a hotel here. Bath's was for me. Jonesy here seen some fresh bear tracks yesterday. Soon as I get dressed, we got work to do. Sides, you're leavin' on the mornin' stage. You can take a bath in town." Jess informed the two men.
Jonesy returned to the kitchen. "I brought ya one of Slim's shirts and a pair of his trousers to wear. You ain't gonna be able to pull those tight pants of yours up over that leg once I get ya bandaged."
He called in Mrs. Byrd and the two of them worked on Jess' leg. Using alcohol, they cleaned and stitched his leg wound. When they finished, Myra stepped out and Jonesy helped Jess pull on Slims pants. Mrs. Byrd laughed when she came back in the room to see Jess' pants legs dragging on the floor. She helped roll up the pants legs so he wouldn't trip.
"There you are son."
Noting that Jonesy. Sitting in one of the rockers and was yawning, she smiled. "Jonesy, you best go lay down and rest. I'll finish up here."
Mrs. Byrd stitched the Texan's wounded arm and wrapped it with a thick dressing. She handed him a clean shirt and helped him pull it over his injured left arm. Jess noted the thick dressing.
"You kinda overdid it, didn't ya?"
"I know you, Jess, it's not likely you'll be careful. Nothing's getting through this dressing."
"Thanks ma'am." Jess returned her smile. It felt good to feel human again,.
"You two," he told Carl and Hank, "get that tub emptied and lay it against the house."
He limped over to the kitchen table and sat. Mrs. Byrd ran a hand over his forehead, pushing a wet lock of hair out of his eyes. She looked at the stitches over his eye, "I think White Owl's remedy worked Jess. Your face is pretty much healed and that eye isn't nearly as swollen."
"Hate to say it, but my face felt much better after that medicine man smeared that junk on it, but the smell was horrible. 'Most as bad as Jonesy's liniment. It's still itchin'." he told her.
"Probably your whisker's that are itching. Maybe Jonesy can help ya shave later." she suggested."I warmed up a plate of stew for ya and there's homemade bread. Are you hungry?
"Yes ma'am."
Myra dished out a plate of stew and cut him a large slice of bread.
"You're not runnin' a fever. Your leg and arm should heal quickly. You'll probably favor that sore leg for a while, otherwise if you keep them wounds from getting infected, you'll be fine. I'll take the stitches outta your brow when you're done eating."
"Your stew tasted mighty fine, Mrs. Byrd." Jess pushed his plate away.
"If you can pull those stitches now, I'd sure appreciate it, ma'am."
"Sure, Jess." she agreed and went to fetch Jonesy's scissors.
