Chapter 21

Jess managed to stay on Traveler as he rode up to the hitching post in front of the ranch house. He felt awful. Traveler came to a full stop; however, Jess did not try to dismount. He didn't even try to sit up straight. He hoped that if he jest stayed still for a minute or two he could muster up the strength to git off his horse. He tried to raise his head off of Traveler's neck since he thought he heard the sound off someone at the barn door; however, when he tried to turn toward the sound, he fell off of Traveler and passed out.

When Andy heard someone ride up to the house, he slowly headed toward the barn door, being a little more cautious than he normally would be since both Slim and Jonesy had gone into town. Slim was going to talk with the bank manager while Jonesy was going to see if the store would let them put a little more on the tab.

Slim had all but given up on Jess coming back with the loan repayment from Ellen Miller. Jess had had plenty of time to return with the money, and yet they had heard nothing from him. Two days ago Jonesy had decided that they would never see or hear from Jess Harper again. It was only this morning that Slim had finally agreed that Jonesy was most likely right. Since Mose had told them when the noon stage had come through that there would only be one afternoon stage today, Slim felt that Andy could handle changing the horses with the driver's help for that one stage. And Slim didn't think he could wait any longer to talk with the bank. They had been gone for several hours now, but the sound that Andy had heard while he was in the barn had clearly been one slow moving horse, definitely not the sound of the buckboard with Jonesy and his brother returning to the ranch.

As soon as Andy saw that it was Traveler in front of the house and that Jess was on the ground beside his horse, the teenager ran quickly toward his friend, "Jess, Jess, what's wrong, Jess?" Andy knelt down beside his friend and struggled to turn him over on his back.

Jess stirred a little as Andy rolled him over. He tried to open his eyes and focus on Andy's face. After a second or two, Jess could tell that Andy was once again a teenager, not the thirty year old doctor that he had last seen in the Laramie of 1889. "Andy" was the only thing that Jess could get out when he tried to talk.

Andy tried to look Jess over the best he could. He didn't think Jess was shot, but he asked anyway, "Have ya been shot, Jess?"

"No. . .sick." was all that Jess could croak out.

"Kin ya help me git ya into the house?" Andy asked as he tied Traveler to the hitching post.

"Not sure." Jess muttered as Andy tried to help him get up.

They struggled for a few minutes, but Jess finally got to his feet although he was leaning heavily on Andy. Jess barely made it inside the house, and he practically fell on the couch under the front window. Andy took his boots off and helped him get his legs up on the couch. As soon as that was done, Andy ran into the bedroom and grabbed the pillow and blanket off of Jess's bed. He gently lifted Jess's head up enough to slide the pillow in place. Then he went into the kitchen and got a glass of water; however, when he returned to the couch, he saw that Jess had once again passed out.

Just then Andy heard the sound of the buckboard outside. Running through the front door, he yelled, "Jess is back and he's very sick!"

Slim and Jonesy exchanged glances before they both quickly got out of the wagon and ran into the house. As soon as Jonesy felt Jess's forehead, he turned to Slim, "I wish I had known he was so sick when I saw Doc Hanson in the store today."

Slim turned to Andy, "Go saddle your horse, Andy. Ride into town and ask Doc Hanson to come out here right away. I think you could be back here by dark. That small shower we had earlier didn't make too much of a mess outta the road. You should be able to make good time."

As Andy ran toward the barn, Jonesy stood up, "I'm gonna git some water. We gotta try to git this fever down some."

As soon as Jonesy left Jess's side, Slim drug a chair over to the couch. Sitting beside the younger man, Slim felt Jess's forehead for himself.

As Slim touched him, Jess roused a little and opened his eyes, "Slim."

"Jess, glad you're back, Pard."

Jess struggled to speak, but he was determined to ensure Slim that he brought the loan repayment, "Money's in the money belt. . . under. . .my shirt."

Jonesy returned with a bowl full of cool water and a cloth just in time to hear what Jess said. He looked at Slim and it was obvious that Jonesy was embarrassed that he had convinced Slim that Jess had run off with the money.

Slim stood up to give Jonesy room to put the wet cloth on Jess's forehead, but he looked straight at the younger man, "Thanks, Jess. You saved the ranch for us."