Ch 7

Lou was making her run in record time. She was roaring down the trail when she saw it coming. The stage was rolling at a high rate of speed. Lou jerked her horse to a stop. She saw the bandits surrounding the stage. She counted nine of them. She turned her horse off to the side of the trail. She didn't know what to do to help these people. One of the men saw her before she could hide. She raced away with two men on her heels. She saw them kill the driver as the stage rolled close by her. Suddenly her relay horse fell throwing her to the side. She fell onto the dirt as the horse rolled coming to land on top of her. She yelled out as the horse thrashed around on her legs pushing her further into the dirt. She was being crushed. She couldn't breathe. She lifted her head to look over at the coach. Men were shooting innocent people. She looked at one man laughing on his horse. Ike. She tried to focus again as her vision blurred. It was the last thing she saw.

Buck and Kid never left Jimmy's side that night. They couldn't figure out a way to move him to the fire. They packed his wound as best they could. They both sat huddled next to him trying to give him some warmth. As the sun rose, so did Buck. He woke Kid.

"I'm going to see if I can find a way out of here." Said Kid.

Buck leaned over Jimmy removing the shirt that he had packed his wound with last night.

"He's still bleeding. He ain't gonna last much longer like this."

"What are we gonna do?"

"There has to be a way to get our horses down here. If we can, then we can ride this floor all the way back out. I hope. Right now, I need a fire."

Kid looked around at all the mud. Seeing a dry bank on the other side, he pointed.

"There."

"See if you can get me a fire. Then go get the horses down here."

Kid did as he asked. It took him awhile but he got one started. Buck walked over.

"I'm going to get the horses. I think I see a way. I'll be right back."

Kid climbed up and got the horses. After tying them together, he found he could lead them down the steep incline onto smaller paths that were cutting across. As he was leading them down, he found the mail. It was torn open and scattered everywhere. He started walking again and soon had them at the bottom. Buck had his knife in the fire. Kid knew what was going to happen.

"This is the only way." Mumbled Buck.

"God I don't want to this."

"He is dying Kid. We will lose him if we don't." Buck said taking in the red soaked shirt.

Kid nodded knowing Buck was right. Jimmy was pale and his breathing had slowed during the night. Buck took his knife as Kid laid Jimmy flat. Kid pulled off the bloody shirt revealing the bullet hole. Jimmy was shivering. Kid placed his knees slightly on Jimmy's shoulders. He nodded at Buck. Buck sat on Jimmy's legs as he laid the hot blade across his gunshot wound. Jimmy's face creased in pain but he didn't even open his eyes. Buck removed the knife and looked. They flipped him over and did the same to his back.

"Get my clean shirt. I'm going to wrap it and his arm. Then we are outta here."

"On my way down, I found the mail. It was ripped open and tossed everywhere."

"Let's get him home and get Teaspoon."

Buck finished. Kid and Buck managed to lift Jimmy enough to get him on Kid's horse. Buck held him in place as Kid mounted behind. They followed the flat canyon floor until they came out in an old riverbed. They climbed the walls and saw the plain stretching before them. They kicked their horses into a gallop.

Lou opened her eyes. She laid in a clouded fog for a while. She finally remembered what had happened. She tried to lift her head. Pains ran down her spine. She let it flop back down. She breathed steady for a few minutes to calm herself. She looked again. The stage was burning and no one was around. She reached up and dug her hands in the dirt. She strained as she tried to pull herself out from under the dead horse. She felt the most horrible pains in her legs. She laid her head back down and cried. She tried to move out once again. The pain in her legs growing. She felt nausea rising up. She blinked her eyes to try to clear them. She couldn't. Soon she let the darkness take hold.

Teaspoon paced the station yard while Rachel looked on. Cody and Ike had their horses ready to go look for Lou. She didn't show from her run. He saw riders coming in fast from the south.

"Riders comin." Said Cody.

"Who is it?" Asked Teaspoon.

"It's Buck and Kid!" Yelled Rachel.

They all ran to meet the two in the yard. Teaspoon saw Kid barely able to hold Jimmy up in front of him. He ran over while Buck came off his horse to help. Ike raced over. Cody didn't ask. He just swung up on his horse and headed into town for help. They carried Jimmy over to Rachel's.

"Oh my God!" Yelled Rachel as she took in the sight of him.

"It's bad." Said Kid.

"Jimmy, hold on son. We got help coming." Muttered Teaspoon.

Cody came back with the doctor. Rachel stayed in to help. Teaspoon walked outside with the others.

"Where was he?"

"Bottom of table rock canyon. We didn't find him til after dark." Said Kid.

Buck just stood and stared at the door. Teaspoon walked over and put his arm on his shoulder.

"You ok?"

"Not really. He was dying. I had to burn the wound shut to stop the bleeding."

"It's ok. You did what you had to do to try to save him."

"I know but still it's an awful thing."

"It is son. It is."

"Teaspoon. I was talking to him, telling him that he would be alright. He said it wouldn't be. Then he said Ike." Said Kid.

"Ike?"

"Yeah. That was it."

Ike looked up in the faces of his friends and shook his head.

"Hopefully he will pull through and we can find out more. Ike was here with us the whole time so it weren't him."

Doc Barnes made his way out later wiping bloody hands on a rag. He looked at Teaspoon.

"Good?"

"Not really. He lost way too much blood. I had to cut the wound back open. Some of the lead was still in there. I got it out but again he bled more. I stitched him back up as well as his arm. He didn't break anything thank God but he has a bad sprain to his ankle with a good bit of swelling. I tell you, he sure is lucky if he did indeed fall down a cliff. He isn't out of the woods yet. He has taken a fever. I've left it to Rachel. She will finish cleaning him up. Get me if any change."

Teaspoon put his hands on his hips and sighed. Kid walked over.

"We're going to ride back out where we found him. See if we find any clues."

"I'm going. Ike, help Rachel with Jimmy please. Cody stay here as well, wait for Lou."

Cody watched as the group left the station. Kid and Buck led Teaspoon back to the trail where they found Jimmy. Teaspoon picked up all the mail.

"They were definitely looking for something. Problem is, I don't have a clue what he could have been carrying. Buck, ride back over to Kearney. See if you can find out if he was carrying anything of importance."

"I'll be back as quick as I can." Buck said as he swung up and kicked his horse."

Teaspoon watched him go. He walked over and looked at the steep incline shaking his head.

"He was down there?"

"Yeah."

"My Lord. Kid, let's head on back. We need to see if Lou's made it in yet."

"You should have told me before we left."

"Son, I needed you here. She isn't that late."

"Sure." Said Kid as he mounted up.

Teaspoon and Kid were almost back to the station when Cody met them on the plain.

"Teaspoon!"

"Yeah!"

"Another stage was held up outside of town. A man rode in and told Barnett. Said he needed you there."

"Damn. Come on boys."

Teaspoon and the others made it to the stage within a few hours. It was the same as all the others. The coach was burning and all the people dead.

"There's a horse out on the plain. I'm going to check it out." Said Kid.

"Maybe they got one of em this time." Said Cody.

Kid walked over and screamed.

"Help me! It's Lou!"

Teaspoon and Cody stopped to run over. Kid was kneeling beside Louise. He acted like he was scared to touch her. Teaspoon pulled him out the way.

"Lou?" He said nudging her.

She moaned and opened her eyes a little.

"Lou? We're gonna get you out from under there. Cody ride in to town. Get the wagon and the undertaker."

"You need my help here first."

"You can't lift with that arm. Get the help."

Cody nodded and ran back to his horse. Kid was falling apart. Teaspoon grabbed his shoulders.

"Stop this shit right now. We have to help her."

"I know. I know."

"First off. Get Katy. Let's see if we can move this dead horse without hurting Lou more."

Kid ran to get Katy. He threw his rope to Teaspoon. Teaspoon tied the rope around the dead horses head. He knelt down by Lou.

"Louise? Honey?"

Lou looked up at him.

"We are going to try to pull this horse a little ways off of ya. I ain't gonna lie. It's gonna hurt."

Lou nodded her head, letting her tears fall.

"Alright Kid! Nice and slow!"

Kid walked Katy forward pulling the rope tight. Slowly the dead horse was being moved. Lou let out a gut wrenching scream. Kid went to pull his horse to a stop.

"Don't stop! Almost there!"

Kid tried to ignore her screams as he pulled the horse farther.

"That's it!"

Kid jumped from Katy and ran to Lou. Teaspoon already by her side. They carefully rolled her over.

"She passed out. Looks like at least one of her legs is broken." Said Teaspoon.

"Louise." Cried Kid as he sat cradling her head.