CHAPTER 3
Rebecka and Adam rushed to the scene near where the explosion had occurred. The air was full of smoke as men began to exit the hole in the ground that only minutes ago was a vibrant silver mine. There was a strong stench of smoke in the air from the explosion.
Adam and Rebecka came upon an injured miner leaving the fragile mine entrance.
"What happened down there, old timer." Adam asked in disbelief at what he saw. "You're hurt, let the lady care for your wounds."
"I'm all right, mister. There are others down there who are worse off then I am. Do what ya can for them. It was terrible. Just plum terrible. I reckon we struck hell itself down there today. We broke into a new vein, must have had water and seam behind it, cuz hot water poured out every where. I'm surprised this many men got out at all.
More injured miners emerged.
"Adam, over here." Rebecka shouted.
Adam followed Rebecka to an injured man who was being carried from the mine.
"Sir, I'm a Doctoress. You were just in a mine explosion. May I look at you injured leg?" Rebecka asked politely.
"Where's doc Martin? He's my doc, not some uppity woman."
"Well, sir. Your doc Martin was also injured in the explosion back at his office, where we were meeting. You have a compound fracture of your leg. Let Adam help you to a table and we can see what we have."
The miner leaned on Adam to the nearest table and laid down.
After examining the miner's leg Rebecka walked over to Adam.
"Adam I need you and another man to help me. I'm going to try to set the bone in his leg so it healed properly. I don't think he needs whiskey for the pain. I have a apparatus in my bag. Keep him calm while I grab it. Adam did what Rebecka asked. She returned with a small, round device that Adam thought looked like a round box.
Rebecka talked to the injured miner while she prepared the tool.
"Now, This device will help me to mend your leg. Just put this over your mouth and nose and breath deeply."
"What in tarnation are you going to do with that contraption? Don't let me loose my leg. Please don't..."
Rebecka broke in to reassure the man.
"Sir, This device will let you sleep and I can set the bone properly in your leg and it will heal correctly."
"Then I won't loose my leg?" the miner asked.
"I don't do that kind of medicine, sir. There are lots of other things that we can do first."
Rebecka continued. The miner was asleep from the ether. Adam looked at Rebecka in amazement. He couldn't believe how she handled the situation. He was becoming more impressed with this woman by the minute.
"Hey you there. Come and help me for a minute." Rebecka called to an uninjured miner."
"Who me, lady?"
"Yeah, you, and it's Doctoress not lady." Rebecka replied sternly.
"What do you want with me, lady doctor?" the miner was having a conniption fit at the sound of a doc, a lady doc to boot giving him orders.
"I don't have time to explain things to you. I just need you to hold on to this man's upper leg while I set his broken bone properly."
The miner began to walk away.
"Now I believe that the lady asked you for help nicely. I promise you that I won't be so nice." Adam said pointing his pistil at the man.
The miner got Adam's message and did what Rebecka asked him to do.
"Adam, please hold his ankle and pull straight out in an even and smooth motion. I'll set the bone."
Rebecka, Adam and the reluctant miner did their work. Rebecka didn't have any bandage material so she ripped the bottom of her dress and soaked it in a small amount of carbolic acid that she had in her bag and wrapped the miners injured leg with it.
"Now that will help the leg to heal and hopefully keep it from becoming infected. I want somebody with him at all times now. Take him to his home then when he regains consciousness he is only to lay down or sit in a wheelchair that will be delivered to him. I will be by to bring him a wheelchair and to change that dressing."
Adam glanced at Rebecka. Her once beautiful dress was now torn and dirty. Her long, blonde hair was hanging loosely around her face. He felt the urge to kiss her, but decided to wait for a more appropriate moment. Rebecka's face was smudged with dirt, hiding the twinkle of her soft blue eyes.
Rebecka and Adam rushed to the scene near where the explosion had occurred. The air was full of smoke as men began to exit the hole in the ground that only minutes ago was a vibrant silver mine. There was a strong stench of smoke in the air from the explosion.
Adam and Rebecka came upon an injured miner leaving the fragile mine entrance.
"What happened down there, old timer." Adam asked in disbelief at what he saw. "You're hurt, let the lady care for your wounds."
"I'm all right, mister. There are others down there who are worse off then I am. Do what ya can for them. It was terrible. Just plum terrible. I reckon we struck hell itself down there today. We broke into a new vein, must have had water and seam behind it, cuz hot water poured out every where. I'm surprised this many men got out at all.
More injured miners emerged.
"Adam, over here." Rebecka shouted.
Adam followed Rebecka to an injured man who was being carried from the mine.
"Sir, I'm a Doctoress. You were just in a mine explosion. May I look at you injured leg?" Rebecka asked politely.
"Where's doc Martin? He's my doc, not some uppity woman."
"Well, sir. Your doc Martin was also injured in the explosion back at his office, where we were meeting. You have a compound fracture of your leg. Let Adam help you to a table and we can see what we have."
The miner leaned on Adam to the nearest table and laid down.
After examining the miner's leg Rebecka walked over to Adam.
"Adam I need you and another man to help me. I'm going to try to set the bone in his leg so it healed properly. I don't think he needs whiskey for the pain. I have a apparatus in my bag. Keep him calm while I grab it. Adam did what Rebecka asked. She returned with a small, round device that Adam thought looked like a round box.
Rebecka talked to the injured miner while she prepared the tool.
"Now, This device will help me to mend your leg. Just put this over your mouth and nose and breath deeply."
"What in tarnation are you going to do with that contraption? Don't let me loose my leg. Please don't..."
Rebecka broke in to reassure the man.
"Sir, This device will let you sleep and I can set the bone properly in your leg and it will heal correctly."
"Then I won't loose my leg?" the miner asked.
"I don't do that kind of medicine, sir. There are lots of other things that we can do first."
Rebecka continued. The miner was asleep from the ether. Adam looked at Rebecka in amazement. He couldn't believe how she handled the situation. He was becoming more impressed with this woman by the minute.
"Hey you there. Come and help me for a minute." Rebecka called to an uninjured miner."
"Who me, lady?"
"Yeah, you, and it's Doctoress not lady." Rebecka replied sternly.
"What do you want with me, lady doctor?" the miner was having a conniption fit at the sound of a doc, a lady doc to boot giving him orders.
"I don't have time to explain things to you. I just need you to hold on to this man's upper leg while I set his broken bone properly."
The miner began to walk away.
"Now I believe that the lady asked you for help nicely. I promise you that I won't be so nice." Adam said pointing his pistil at the man.
The miner got Adam's message and did what Rebecka asked him to do.
"Adam, please hold his ankle and pull straight out in an even and smooth motion. I'll set the bone."
Rebecka, Adam and the reluctant miner did their work. Rebecka didn't have any bandage material so she ripped the bottom of her dress and soaked it in a small amount of carbolic acid that she had in her bag and wrapped the miners injured leg with it.
"Now that will help the leg to heal and hopefully keep it from becoming infected. I want somebody with him at all times now. Take him to his home then when he regains consciousness he is only to lay down or sit in a wheelchair that will be delivered to him. I will be by to bring him a wheelchair and to change that dressing."
Adam glanced at Rebecka. Her once beautiful dress was now torn and dirty. Her long, blonde hair was hanging loosely around her face. He felt the urge to kiss her, but decided to wait for a more appropriate moment. Rebecka's face was smudged with dirt, hiding the twinkle of her soft blue eyes.