Chapter 4

Colin was reading a book that afternoon when the girl began to stir again. 'Afternoon, Josie.

Josie. She opened her eyes in amazement, she had not been called that for ages. 'How. Do. You. Know. My. Name?'

Colin held up her bible. 'Our neighbour brought your gray mare over, and it fell out of the saddle bag.'

Josie smiled weakly. 'I. Haven't. Been. Called. That. For. A. Long. Time.' She looked at him. 'Its. Good. To. Hear. It. Again.' she sighed deeply. Talking exhausted her so much.

'Do you want some water?'

Josie nodded. 'Please.'

Colin lifted her head, and she drank the entire cup again. 'Steady.' he giggled as water dripped down her cheeks. 'You'll drown yourself.'

'It. Just. Feels. Good. To. Drink. Something.' She explained as he laid her back. 'I. Feel. Really. Hot.'

'You have a fever.' Colin explained as Emily and Montana walked in. 'She's awake.'

'Hi Josie.' Emily said as she put the basin with the poultice mixture on the bed. 'I'm Emily, Collins wife.'

Josie looked at her cheekily. 'Your. Too. Pretty. To. Be. A. Reverends. Wife.'

Emily raised her eyebrows. 'Really? What makes you say that?'

'The. Church. That. I. Went. To. The. Ministers. Wife. Was. Ugly.' Josie giggled a little as she remembered the pranks she used to play on her. 'And. Mean.'

Colin laughed at Josie's statement. 'Well, Emily's not mean, and neither am I or Montana.' He winked at his wife. 'And yes, she is pretty.'

'I'm going to change the dressings on your wounds now Josie.' Emily said as she pulled the blankets back. 'Montana here is going to help me.'

'Hi Josie.' Montana walked over to the other side of the bed. 'You and that panther certainly had a good tussle. What happened anyway?'

'It. Jumped. On. Me. While. I. Was. Riding.' Josie explained as they began to clean and re-dress the stitched wounds. 'I. Feel. So. Tired.'

'Then sleep Josie.' Emily said as she worked on the girls leg. 'We'll be done soon. Okay?' she saw the girl nod and close her eyes, then as she unwrapped the worst wound on the girls thigh, she groaned. 'Colin.'

Colin looked at her and got up, then he saw the wound. It had started to go gangrene, and it smelt bad. 'I'm going to get the doctor.' he whispered. 'He should have already been here by now.'

Emily nodded. 'Thanks Colin.' He left the room then a few minutes later she heard the hoof-beats of his horse as he left for the town.

Montana looked at Emily. 'It's going to have to be cauterized. It's the only way get rid of the infection.'

'I know.' Emily whispered back. 'Lets just do the other wounds and leave that one to air. There's nothing we can do about it till the doctor gets here.' She unwrapped the other bandages on the girls and pulled away the blood crusted dressings. 'This ones been bleeding again.'

'So has this one.' Montana pulled the dressings away and looked at the stitches. 'The wound has opened up.'

'Grab the colloidal silver and clean it out.' Emily placed the oatmeal on one of the lesser infected wounds. 'We'll get the Doc to re-stitch it.' She heard hoof-beats coming back and went to the window. 'Colin's back, with the Doc.'

'Thank goodness.' Montana grabbed a cloth and soaked it in the silver, then began to clean out the wound. 'I think her fever is going up Emily.'

Emily placed her hand on the girls forehead. 'It is.' She saw the girls eyes flutter open. 'Sorry to wake you Josie.'

'Its. Fine.' Josie assured. 'Water. Please.'

'Alright.' Emily gave her a drink, then she heard Colin and the Doc walk in. 'Her fever has gone up.'

The Doc saw the wound and raised his eyebrow. 'No wonder.' He looked at the girl. 'Your feeling pretty awful, aren't you.' He saw the girl nod. 'I'm here to make you feel better, okay.' He saw her nod again. 'I might just grab a cup of coffee, Colin.' He walked out, Colin and Montana getting the gist. 'It's going to need to be cauterized, and soon.'

Colin nodded. 'I thought as much. When is it going to be need to be done?'

'Now Colin. If we wait any longer, she could end up losing her leg, or worse.'

'Is there anything I can do?' Emily asked as she walked out. 'I used to be a nurse for awhile.'

'You can assist me.' Doc Peirce looked at Montana. 'I'll need you to boil as much water as you can. Colin, you'll need to hold her down and keep her calm.' He glanced at Colin. 'Do you want me to tell her?'

Colin shook his head. 'I'll tell her.'

'Alright, go tell her. I'll get everything ready.'

Colin walked into the room and sat beside Josie. 'Josie, one of the wounds on your leg has gone gangrene. The Doc is going to need to operate.' Josie groaned as she realized what that meant.

'I wish that he didn't have to, but if he doesn't do it know, you could lose your leg.'

'I. Know. What. Gangrene. Does.' Josie winced as she remembered what happened to one of the stock-men back on the station. 'I. Had. To. Cauterize. A. Wound. Once. When. One. Of. The. Stock-men. Got. Hurt.'

'Then you know what happens.' He saw the girl nod her head, then heard the doctor and Emily walking back in. 'I've told her.'

'Alright.' The Doc looked at Josie. 'I'm not promising this is not going to hurt, because it is, so if you want to you can yell.'

'I. Don't. Yell.' She rolled her eyes. 'Give. Me. A. Handkerchief. Too. Bite. I'll. Be. Fine.'

'Alright.' Colin got a clean cloth and rolled it up for her, then looked at the Doc. 'Where do you want me?'

'Hold her head if that's okay, you just need to keep her calm.' the Doc replied as he tied a tourniquet around her leg. 'Everyone ready?'

Colin gently got on the bed and held Josie's head on his lap, then gave her the cloth to bite. 'Ready.'

Emily stood on the other side with Montana. 'Ready.'

'Ready Josie?' the Doc looked at her and saw her nod. 'Alright.' he grabbed his scalpel and opened the wound, feeling the girl flinch.

As the doctor worked, Colin stared at the girl in amazement. She was biting on the rolled up cloth like her life depended on it, but didn't make a sound as the Doc cut away the dead flesh. Suddenly Colin felt her head go limp, and realized the girl had fainted without so much as a whimper. 'She's fainted.'

The Doc looked at the girl as he finished cutting away the flesh. 'It's better that she has Colin, cause the next part isn't pleasant.' he grabbed the cauterizing instrument out of the fireplace, then proceed to place it against the wound, burning out the infection. 'Done.'

'Thank goodness.' Montana muttered as she held her nose. 'That smelt worse than branding a calf.'

Emily looked at Montana. 'That's nothing compared to working in a hospital in Adelaide.' she looked at the pale girl. 'But I'm glad for her sake it's over.'

'Me too.' Colin gently placed her head back down on the pillow and got off the bed. 'There's a couple wounds on her back that you probably should look at too, and I think Emily said one needed to be re-stitched.'

'Alright.' He quickly re-stitched the opened wound. 'help me roll her onto her side.' The Doc and Colin rolled her over, then he looked at her back. 'This child has been whipped.'

Colin nodded. 'That's what I thought, but I wanted your opinion.'

Doc Pierce looked at the wounds, then turned his attention to the scars. 'Judging by her skin, I'd say this has been happening for about a year and a half.' he glanced back at Colin. 'Do you know who did this to her?'

Colin shook his head. 'Not yet, but I'm going to find out.'

'If you want, I can write a letter from a professional opinion about it.'

I'd appreciate that.' Colin helped him roll Josie back onto her back. 'Do you think she will be okay now?'

'The main thing is to get her fever down.' He looked at Emily. 'Willow bark tea is good, if you have it.'

'I have some.' Emily replied. 'I was also thinking some marshmallow tea and maybe dandelion poultices might help too.'

'It definitely would help.' He handed her some more lardinum and some quinine. 'This is for her pain, and the quinine for the fever if the teas don't work, but use it sparingly. I have to return to Melbourne tomorrow afternoon, but I will be back to check on her before I leave.'

'Thanks Doc.' Colin said as Emily walked him out. 'Thanks for helping to Montana.'

'My pleasure.' She looked at the girl affectionately. 'Colin, you really need to get some rest. Why don't you go have a sleep? I'll stay with her.'

Colin nodded as he suddenly realized how tired he was. 'I'll take you up on the offer.' He quite left the room, Montana sitting down beside the girl.

Montana still couldn't believe that the child hasn't even whimpered when the doctor had cut the wound open. The girl was stronger then she looked, and she was fighting, fighting to live.

As the hours wore on, Kathleen and the kids returned, Kathleen relieving Montana of her post and watching the girl so Colin could continue to sleep when the girl began to wake again.

Josie could feel that there was someone else in the room as she slowly came out of the blackness, and opened her eyes, wondering who it was. 'Can. I. Have. A. Drink. Please?' she asked, out of breath from the pain.

Kathleen put the news paper she was reading down and picked up the cup. 'Sure, honey.' she put the cup to the girls lips. 'That enough?'

Josie nodded as Kathleen took the cup away. 'Thanks.' She looked around the room, confused. 'Wheres. Colin?'

'Oh, he's sleeping.' Kathleen explained. 'I'm Kathleen, by the way, Colin's adopted mother-in-law.' She saw the dog get up and walk over to them. 'I think someone wants to see you.'

Josie smiled weakly as the dog jumped up onto the bed. 'Lass.' The dog laid down beside her, and Josie tried to pat her dog, but she was too weak to move.

Kathleen saw it and gently moved the girls arm so that she could place her fingers though the dogs fur. 'There you go.' she saw how exhausted the girl looked. 'You need to sleep now, alright.'

'Alright.' Josie closed her eyes and went to sleep, her hand still on her pet.

Thunder snorted as he stood hidden in the trees, watching the house where Josie was. He shook his head, the sunset light reflecting off his mane as he fought inside himself. Should he go down or should he stay here?

Finally the urge to see Josie won and he cantered down the slope to the house. When he got there, he looked around for a way up and found the stairs, climbing them carefully. As he went onto the verandah, he began to walk around the house, looking in through the windows till he found Josie.

Carefully he nudged against the glass door with his head, but it didn't budge. He looked at the doors for a moment, then saw the handle and pulled on it with his teeth. The door opened. Sticking his head in the room, he looked around before walked in over to the bed. He snorted as he looked down at the girl in it. This didn't look like his Josie, but it smelt like her. It had to be her. He brushed his muzzle gently against her cheek, trying to wake her.

Josie felt something nudging her and she opened her eyes. 'Thunder! What. Are. You. Doing. In. Here?'

Thunder nudged he again, asking for a pat, but then he realized she was too weak to even do that, so he placed his muzzle in her hand, savoring the feel of it.

'Thunder. You. Need. To. Go.' Josie gently touched his nose with her finger tips. 'Go.'

Thunder shook his head. He wasn't leaving her again, then he heard footsteps coming as the door opened up.

Danni couldn't believe her eyes as she looked at the stallion. 'Colin! Dad! Come look at this!'

Colin raised his eyebrows at the family sitting eating dinner as he heard Danni. He put his fork down as he stood up. 'We better go see what's up.' He walked in the direction her voice had come from as the rest of them followed, then saw Danni standing in the doorway of his room. 'What?'

'Look.' Danni said as he came closer. 'It's the stallion. Inside our house.'

Thunder looked up as he heard more footsteps coming, then he saw the men at the door. He bared his teeth and went to charge at them, thinking they were going to hurt Josie.

Josie saw Thunders behaviour change and knew what it meant. 'Thunder. No. Leave. Them. Alone. ' she tried to raise her hand to grab him, but couldn't. 'No.'

Thunder looked at them, then at Josie, then back at them, finally getting what she meant. He bowed his head and nuzzled her cheek again, making her girls as his whiskers tickled her face.

Colin cautiously walked into the room to the stallion. 'I see you have a visitor, Josie.'

Josie smiled at Thunder. 'He. Missed. Me.'

'Missing you or not, a horse doesn't belong in here.' Emily said as she walked over. 'Come on Thunder, out you go.' she tried to get him to move back out the door but the stubborn horse refused to move.

'"Go. On. Thunder.' Josie saw that Emily wanted him out. 'Go. On.'

Thunder shook his head, his long mane flying as he backed out the doors, then stamped his hoof as she closed the door on him. Okay, so maybe he wasn't allowed in, but he was happy to play their game. Looking through the doors, he laid down on the verandah and waiting, watched.

Colin shook his head in amazement as he looked at the stallion, then he walked over to Josie. 'Feeling any better?'

'No.'she croaked as she moved her head into a more comfortable position.

'Do you want some pain killers?' He saw her nod, so he mixed the lardinum in with water and gave it to her. 'Back to sleep now. You need the rest.' He pulled up the covers around her neck and sat down again.

Josie was still sleeping when the doctor came by the next day to check on her, not even moving when he had to cut open and clean one of the wounds.

Colin looked at her strangely. 'She should have at least flinched at that.'

'Yes, she should have.' The Doc finished cleaning the wound he was on, then lifted the girls eyelids. 'Colin, how long has she been like this?'

'Like what?' Colin didn't get what he was meaning.

'Colin, she's unconscious again.' He felt the girls face. 'No wonder, her fever is rising again. The infection has more of a hold then I first thought.'

'What can we do about it?'

'Not much really.' He rubbed the back of his neck. 'Just keep her comfortable. When she's awake, give her as much fluids as you can. Get Emily to make more of that willow bark tea.' He looked at Colin. 'Other than that, nothing.'

Colin read between the lines. 'So what you're saying is she's' he paused. 'Not going to make it.'

The Doc nodded. 'I'm sorry Colin, but unless there's a miracle.' His voice trailed off. 'There's nothing else we can do.' He patted him on the shoulder. 'I'll see myself out.'

Colin didn't even seem to notice him leave as he sat down beside her bed again, then he heard footsteps coming back in.

'The doc told us about Josie.' Rob said as he walked in and stood beside Colin, his hand on his brothers shoulder. 'Are you okay?'

Colin shook his head. 'No child should have to die like this.' He looked down at the girl. 'She has so much to live for.' His voice broke down as a tear slid down his cheek.

'Maybe you have to remind her of that.' Rob looked out the door at the stallion who was still lying there. 'Like Thunder, Lass.'

'Yeh.' Colin didn't look convinced as he looked at his brother. 'Would you mind getting Emily to make more tea up? I'll try and get her to have some if she wakes up.'

Rob could see Colin wanted to be left alone. 'Alright.' He quietly walked out the door, leaving Colin to pray. 'Emily, Colin wants you to make more tea up for Josie.'

Emily nodded as she got up from her sewing, Kathleen and the kids already left for town. 'He's taking it hard then?'

Rob nodded. 'Yeh. I think he just wants to be left alone with her for a bit.'

Matt looked up from his bookwork. 'That's understandable, he's gotten really attached to Josie.'

'I know.' Emily added as she walked in from the kitchen where she had put water on to boil. 'He has.'

Matt stood up. 'I'm going to go tell Montana. Rob, the cattle need to be taken off the bluff today. If you could go take a couple men, that would be great.'

'Sure Dad.' Rob grabbed his coat and followed his father out of the house.

Emily sighed after they left, then quietly walked into the room where the girl was. 'Colin?'

Colin looked up at his wife. 'Emily.'

Emily didn't say anything as she walked over to him and sat down, placing her arm around him, knowing if Colin wanted to talk, he would.

'I just don't understand God sometimes.' Colin said as he looked at the girl. 'I know that I've always told my congregation that all things work together for good for those who love God, but it's so hard to believe this could be what he wants.'

Emily nodded as she rubbed his back. 'I don't know what his plan is, but that is where trust comes in, trust that it will be for the best.'

'How can her dying be for the best?' He looked at his wife. 'It's times like this that I wish I hadn't become a minister when I'm supposed to be the one with the answers and not the questions.'

'Colin, you don't always have to have the answers. No one can tell what the higher plan is, try as they might.'

'I know.' He held onto her hands. 'But Emily, who is going to have hold her funeral?'

'Oh Colin.' Emily suddenly realized what he was getting at. 'I didn't realize.'

'Neither did I till the Doc said she won't make it.' He felt Emily squeeze his hands. 'It feels like I'm losing a sister. She's so young, with her entire life infront of her that she'll never get to live.'

Emily wiped the tears from off his cheeks with her hand and looked deep into Colin's eyes. 'If it is God's will for her to recover, then not even the doctor saying she won't make it can affect that. There is still hope that he will work a miracle before it's too late. You just have to believe. Believe that God will make the best decision possible.'

Colin nodded. 'Thank you Emily. I needed to hear that.' He glanced back at the girl. 'I just hope he works a miracle soon.'

Emily gave him a hug. 'I hope he does too. I'm going to go get the tea and broth I've made, so if she wakes up, you can give it to her.' She walked out, Colin getting out of his chair and kneeling beside the bed.

Gently taking her hand in his, he began to pray. 'Lord, I know you can see this child down here, and I know that you have a plan for even though I can't see it, but I'm pleading with you God to heal her. She's been through so much already, she deserves a second chance, to live with a family who won't abuse her and keep her safe, and love her. Even though she's only been in our lives for a few days, she already has a place in our hearts.' He didn't seem to even notice Emily come in, then leave again. 'She needs healing Lord. While you were on earth, you made the blind see and the dead come back to life, and I know that you can heal her. Please heal her God, please. Amen.'

Josie could hear Colin, and she could feel him holding her hand, but she felt too weak to even open her eyes. She moaned softly as a wave of pain swept over her, she felt too tired, to exhausted to even resist it.

Colin heard her moan and quickly looked at her 'Josie? Josie? Josie, can you hear me?'

She could hear him, but couldn't reply. She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't cooperate, barely fluttering, but it was enough for him to to know she was awake.

Colin saw her eyelid quiver and knew she could hear him, even though she was too weak to talk. He squeezed her hand, then stood up and grabbed the bowl of broth Emily had left. 'Josie, I'm going to give you some broth now, you need to swallow it, alright.' He lifted her head and spooned a little bit into her mouth. 'Swallow it Josie, come on.'

Josie felt the broth in her mouth and swallowed slowly, too exhausted to resist the automatic reaction. She tried to talk again, but all that came out was another moan.

'Don't try and talk Josie.' Colin carefully poured another spoonful into her mouth. 'Just focus on having as much of this as you can. Your severely dehydrated sweetie, and that's not good.' He continued till the bowl was about half empty, then grabbed the cup of water and placed some quinine in it. 'Just some more Josie, then your finished.'

Josie felt him lift her head again and place the cup to her lips. She swallowed as the liquid trickled in, feeling a little bit of strength coming back, just enough to talk as he put her down again. 'Colin. Promise. Me. You'll. Look. After. My. Pets.' she could feel herself almost fainting as another wave of pain took hold.

Colin could feel his heart breaking as she pled for him to take her pets, but he knew he had to stay strong for her. 'Josie, you are going to get well, and you can look after them yourself sweetie. Your not going anywhere, just focus on getting better, alright.'

Josie could hear the worry in his voice as he spoke, and tried to reply, but couldn't as everything went dark again, her body going limp.

Colin saw her slip back into unconsciousness and sighed. She was fighting, but was it going to be enough? He heard Montana walk in softly and placed the girls hand back on the bed. 'Montana.'

'Hi Colin.' Montana quietly whispered as she walked over to him. 'Rob came and got me. How is she?'

Colin shook his head. 'Not great Montana. She was awake for a little bit, and I got some fluids into her, but she's unconscious again. It's really not looking good.'

'I'm sorry to hear that Colin.' She sat down next to him, selling how exhausted he looked. 'Colin, you need to have a sleep.'

'No, I'm fine.'

'You don't look fine.'

'Then stop looking.' He grabbed a cloth and wet it in the basin, then began to wipe the girls face and neck down. 'I'm not leaving her.'