The Way Home

It took over an hour to get back to the ranch. I had to go real slow �cause of the dark, and holdin� on to Jess. I couldn�t see him �cause there was no moon, but he was still limp. He was also feelin� cold. That worried me. I just hoped an� prayed that the bleeding had stopped.

I was powerful relieved to see the lights of the house as we approached. Looked like Mister Jonesy had ever� lamp in the place burnin� bright. They musta heard us comin� �cause Jonesy and Andy came out the front door like the house was afire.

�Macy! You alright?� Andy said breathlessly as he ran up to the horse. He stopped and his voice got quiet. �What�s wrong with Jess?�

Jess was slumped forward over the horse�s neck and his left arm, still all bloody and wet, hung down the side. I hate the boy had to see that. �I�m just fine, Andy. And Jess will be too as soon as we put him to bed and get him fixed up.�

I slid off the back of the horse, and pulled Jess down into my arms. �Slim�s comin� right along with the doctor an� ever�thing�s gonna be just fine.�

Mister Jonesy had come off the porch and had his hand on Jess� bad arm. A look of fear mixed with concern flashed on his face as he locked eyes with mine. I smiled at him and turned to carry Jess into the house.

Behind me I heard Mister Jonesy telling Andy to go get a pile of towels and his big wash basin out of the other bedroom. Andy scooted in the door past us an� started gettin� stuff together. I laid Jess down back on the same bed he had occupied for the last couple of days, and then stepped out of the way. Mister Jonesy went around to the other side of the bed, and got to work on that arm.

Jonesy started tearing the shirt sleeve off. �Tell me what happened, Macy.� He glanced up at me. �And make it the short version.�

�Early�s dead. Slim is taking Jake to jail and fetchin� the doctor. They tried to hang Slim and Jess stopped �em. Got hisself cut pretty bad in the process.� I bent over and peered at the arm. �It�s gonna be alright ain�t it, Mister Jonesy?�

�Well now, it�s hard to say until�� Andy walked in with the supplies just then. ��until I get this all cleaned up. Looks like it�ll need sewin� though. I shore hope that doc gets here soon. I can dig out bullets and such, but I ain�t no good at sewin�.�

Slim an� the doc arrived about fifteen minutes after we did. The doctor seemed like a friendly sort, but he was all business. He tipped his hat when Slim introduced me, then he shooed ever�one out except Mister Jonesy and went right to work on Jess. Slim an� Andy an� me sat at the table and bit our fingernails. Slim got up an� paced some. Andy put his head down on the table, but he wasn�t sleepin�. Poor kid musta been exhausted though.

We didn�t talk much. We just waited. Slim went outside for awhile sayin� he was gonna take care of the horses. I think he did that, but he also was out there hittin� somethin�. Probably had to get shed of some violent feelins. When he came back in, his knuckles was red and raw. So was his eyes.

After about an hour an� a half, Mister Jonesy come out an� said we could go in an� see him. We didn�t waste no time, neither. If Jess had woke up just then, he would�a seen a buncha worried faces hangin� over his bed an� the way some of us looked, it woulda shocked him into a coma.

Jess was almost as white as the pillow that his head was restin� on. The doc had wrapped his whole left arm up in snowy white bandages so thick that his arm looked twice its normal size, an� only his fingers was showin�. His arm was layin� up on two pillows at his side, an� he was tucked in tight. No tellin� how many quilts he had over him, but it was more�n one. I was so relieved there was no more blood. There was no blood anywhere that I could see.

Slim was the first to say anythin�. His voice was hoarse, �What do you think, Doc? Is he gonna be alright?�

The doctor was putting his tools an� stuff in his bag. �Yes, Slim, I think he�s gonna be alright.� He wiped his hands off on a rag and continued, �Oh, it�s gonna take awhile. He�ll need lots of rest�

Andy was standing close to Slim with his arm around Slim�s waist. He looked like he needed a lot of reassurance that night. He�d almost lost his brother and his best friend, and he wasn�t sure yet that he still wouldn�t. �He sure lost a lot of blood,� he said, almost to himself.

�That he did, Andy, � the doctor replied, �but the body makes more. He�ll make some more. It�ll just take time,� He paused, and then winked at Jonesy, �and some of Jonesy's good food. He finished packing up his stuff, then rolled down his sleeves and reached for his hat.

Mister Jonesy remembered his manners. �Uh, can we offer you some supper, Doc? Maybe some coffee?�

The doc was already heading for the door. �No thanks, Jonesy. Margaret has my supper waitin� for me. � He stopped at the door to the bedroom and turned. �Now you keep him real warm. When he wakes up, make him drink and maybe eat a little. Everytime he wakes up, he needs to drink.� He put his tall hat on his head and headed for the front door. �I�ll be back in the morning to check him.� Then he turned and addressed us all. �I�ll let myself out,� he said with a grin, and left.