Chapter 4: Nellie and Sparks
Injured
After the shock of seeing his sister on the ground and out cold and Sparks wrapped up in a fence barb wire Willie runs back to his house and tells his mother and father what happened, "Mother, Father there's been an accident Sparks and Nellie are hurt bad."
Laura and Mary were at the Mercantile and overheard and Laura says, "I will go get Dr. Baker."
Laura gets Dr. Baker and they ride out to where Sparks and Nellie are. Nellie was beginning to come too but Sparks was laying still. Nels brought with him a wire cutter and was able to free Sparks of the wire and Dr. Baker cleaned up the blood on Spark's wounds. After the blood was cleaned up Dr. Baker noticed that Sparks had a broken left leg.
Dr Baker also examined Nellie and found she had a broken arm. Dr Baker and Nels Oleson gets Sparks and Nellie on Dr Baker's wagon comfortably to take them back into Town.
Sparks is now in the Barn across from the Oleson's Mercantile his leg left leg is bandaged up and Nellie is in her bedroom with a cast on her arm and she says to her mother, "Mother how is Sparks? Is he going to be able to run in the race in a month, and me?"
Mrs. Oleson doesn't say anything but Dr Baker says, "Sparks is bruised up and has a broken leg but should mend and you should be too in time."
Nellie responds as she looks at Laura, "Good! I hope so. I want Sparks to win!"
Laura feels sorry for Nellie and Sparks but she is also wondering if Nellie is faking again like she did the first time when she fell off her horse, Bunny. Laura doesn't say it but thinks, "Nellie are you faking again?"
Three weeks pass and there is only one week left to the rematch. Nellie doctored Sparks constantly and learned alot from when Doctor Baker was over all the time helping out. Nellie took off his bandages and changed them quite often. Nels helped also.
One day Nellie was checking on Sparks after school she says, "Father, Father! Come look look at Sparks!"
Nels came to her aid and says, "What is it, Nellie?"
Nellie says, "Feel his leg Father I think its almost healed."
Nellie was all smiles as Nels says to her, "Well I think so. I'll see Dr. Baker later today and ask him to come out to check."
Nellie runs to her Father and gives him a big hug and says, "Thanks father, you think Sparks will heal for the race?"
Nels says, "I hope so."
Nels than asks "How is your arm?''
Nellie answers, "Its getting there I probably shouldn't mess with itching it should I Father?"
Nels says, "It will take time to get rid of the itch dear but at least the cast is gone."
Nellie asks, "Why does it itch?"
Nels answers, "Its healing."
After supper that evening Dr. Baker came over to look at Nellie Oleson and her Horse Sparks and Dr. Baker tells them they where both recovered.
Nellie wasn't faking her injury this time and now has her cast is off. Spark's leg cast is off and is able to go back to training for the rematch, so they think.
The day of the rematch is approaching. Will Sparks make it?
To Be Continued
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