Two Sisters Logging Part 2
Chapter 1 The Recovery
"Whoa, Nelly, seems as if we have a horse in pain. I wonder where the rider is!" the voice said as the wagon he was driving slowed to a stop. He took out his rifle and before he shot the horse, he looked to see if someone were under the horse. He saw Katie and decided to help pull her out. She had fainted, from screaming and calling for help for what seemed a long time. He used 'Nelly' to help pull the horse off of her and then picked her up. She was unconscious and he put her into the wagon. Then he turned Nelly and the wagon around so that neither his horse nor the lady in the wagon could see what he was going to do. He shot the horse. Took the saddle and other accessories and put them in the wagon with the lady and left the horse's body for the scavengers. Then he took off around the dead horse and drove towards his farm. When he arrived, he had his two sons help him get the lady out of the wagon and carried her into the house. His daughter Amelia helped put the lady on the bed and then Amelia, sent her brothers and father out while she undressed the lady and placed her in the extra nightgown she had in the drawer. She noticed that there were no broken bones but a large bruise on her right leg. She used a cool rag to wipe her face and clean her a little. There were no other injuries to the lady. Amelia went out of the room and over to the kitchen and finished making the soup as well as heating water for some tea. By the time the soup was finished, her brothers and father were inside, and they were eating supper. Katie began to wake up and wondered where she was. She decided to get up out of the bed but as soon as she stood up, she sat back down.
"Oh, miss, please do not sit up so fast. You had a bad fall; your horse broke it's leg and papa had to shoot it. He then brought you back here since you were unconscious, and it was another hours ride to Seattle. He decided that you would be better off coming here first." Amelia said.
"Where am I? who are you?" Katie asked somewhat confused.
"You are here in papa's house. His name is Mr. Martinez, my brothers are Jose and Luis. My name is Amelia Maria Conchita. But you can call me Amelia. What is your name?" she said to Katie.
"It is Katie, Katie Furlong!" Katie said as she lay back on the pillow.
"I will bring you some tea and some broth, I made a good bean soup that should help you feel better!" Amelia said and went to get the tea and soup.
"So, what is the young Senorita's name?" Papa asked. Amelia poured the tea in the cup and then spooned the broth from the soup into a bowl. She placed some homemade bread on the plate with the soup bowl and said to Papa:
"Her name is Katie Furlong!" But please wait until she has had some more rest. You can ask questions later! Maybe José or Luis will be able to ride to Seattle and see if anyone knows her." Papa looked at her and said:
"I will send Jose; he knows Lottie and she would be able to help us find her family so we can let them know where she is." Papa said watching Amelia go back into the bedroom. It had been his and his wife's room but since Amelia was now a certain age, he had moved into the room with his boys and given her the room.
After José left, Amelia finished the supper dishes and made sure everything was in place for the morning. She closed the door to the bedroom and got ready for bed. She did not know how Katie would be if she woke up in the middle of the night with someone in bed with her, so Amelia took the nearby chair and made sure that that she had plenty of blankets to sleep with. Her father and brother Luis were in the next room. Jose would be gone overnight so they would not know anything until later the next day.
José arrived in Seattle around 11. He saw that Miss Lottie was closing the saloon doors. He hurried over to her:
"Señora, Por Favor, a room?" Jose said as he stepped off his horse and took his hat off. His father had taught him well how to talk to ladies and to make sure that they were always congenial to him.
"I have one room left; you may have it! Come in please!" she said as she waited for him to come in. He left his horse tied outside, she noticed and said:
"The livery stable is just down the street, Cobb Anderson will board the horse for you, I will keep the door unlocked until you return.
"Gracias Señora!" He said as he took his horse to the stable.
The next morning José spoke with Lottie and soon found out that She was better known at the other logging camp, and they would get a message to them. Meanwhile, when Jason came in José spoke to him about Katie.
"José, It is good to see you, how is your father and your sister?"
"They are fine Señor Bolt! However, a Senorita Katie has had an accident, and we have her at our home until we can find her family. Senora Lottie says she works at the Two Sisters Logging Camp, that I must go there to find someone who knows her?"
"Do not worry, Jose. I will wire to Mr. Benson to say where she is. Do you think I could ride over there with you today?" Jason asked just as Jeremy and Joshua were coming in.
"Ride where?" Asked Joshua as he got his beer and sat at the table
"Hello, José, ¿Como èsta?"
"Bien, Gracias, Y tú"
"¡Sí!" Joshua answered perfectly. Jason explained about Katie having an accident on her way over yesterday and she was at the Martinez'.
"I would like to go, instead of you Jason!" Joshua said.
"Why is that Josh?" Jason looked at him and waited for his answer. Joshua did not want to say anything in front of others, especially José, but he wanted to tell the truth to Jason who would figure it out anyway.
"Because I wanted to see what happened to Sally!" Jason nodded his head and understood there had been something unusual about the things that happened yesterday. He too wanted to find out but decided that Joshua should go. Jeremy on the other hand was more concerned with the project at hand and said:
"I am going back to the mountain; the guys want to know when to cut the trees on the south side. Jason, do can we start cutting today?"
"Yes, Jeremy, I will be up there in half an hour, you can get the men started, take your crew up to the south east side and start marking the trees to cut, every fourth tree and of course the scrub brush if there is any." Jason said. Jeremy said his goodbyes and walked out of the Saloon. Candy met him and asked if they had heard anything about Katie. When Jeremy said yes, she could go in and ask Jason about it. She kissed him and went inside.
It was decided that Candy and Joshua would go with José in the wagon to help bring Katie back. Ben came in and gave Jason the wire message from Mr. Benson, he said he would be willing to go as well. Candy, and Joshua would stop at the Two Sisters logging and pick up Mr. Benson and they would go to the Martinez' home from there.