the cool cotton cloth across his hot forehead and down his chest and arms. Though she worked quickly, he seemed to get more agitated by the minute. He thrashed about, mumbling incoherently.
Sarah, distressed by his actions, began to whimper.
“It’s all right, honey, don’t worry.” Gabe lifted the child,hugging her close. She curled up against his chest and popped her fingers into her mouth. “I’ll get her some of the bread you were slicing. Are you hungry, Jessie?”
“No. My stomach feels like it’s full of horseshoes. But you two go ahead and eat something.”
“In the morning, I think I should take Cody and fetch the buck I told you about,” Gabe called from the other room.
Jessie paused, her hand lingering on Chase’s shoulder. The heat of his feverish body radiated up through her fingertips.
“We don’t know who tried to kill Chase, or whether the perpetrator is still around. You don’t think it was the Indians?”
“I don’t think so.” Gabe was back in the doorway, Sarah still in his arms. “Why would they come and warn us? Or for that matter, why return Cody? If I take the horse, I can be there and back in two hours. Shouldn’t be too dangerous then.”
When she didn’t answer right away, Gabe continued. “It’s settled. I’ll leave at dawn and be back in time for breakfast.”
When Sarah and Gabe were asleep for the night, Jessie returned to sit with Chase. Her cheek on his forehead told her his fever was far worse. He thrashed about so much Jessie worried he might actually fall from the bed.
“Molly.”
“Shhh,” Jessie whispered, stroking his head with the cool rag.
“Molly,” he sighed again.
His voice held such anguish. Whatever he was reliving was terribly painful.
Chase loved a girl named Molly. That was clear by the tone of his voice. Jessie reminded herself sternly she had no reason to feel anything for Chase, except gratitude for his help. Besides, he was doing right by Nathan. But it was hard not to be drawn to him. If she had a lick of sense, she’d bestremember that he was leaving. As soon as he was well, God willing, he’d be getting on with his life.
Jessie dipped the cloth in cool water and continued to bathe his face and shoulders. She wet each arm and stopped at his fingertips. Gradually, Chase began to relax. His breathing evened out, and he seemed to be resting more easily. She took the opportunity to check his head wound. It had stopped bleeding, but the skin around the wound was red and puffy.
As the eldest of the girls in the orphanage, she’d been the one to do all the doctoring. She’d frequently had to look after the needs of the other children, especially since there were no funds for a physician.
Though she was used to patching people up, she was thankful the bullet had only grazed the skin. She didn’t want to think about what it might have been like if she’d had to dig it out.
The night passed slowly. Chase didn’t regain consciousness. He thrashed about, and once in his delirium he had taken her hand and held it to his lips.
“Sorry…Molly…” His voice cracked, and Jessie feared he might even cry.
“Shhh. Everything’s all right now. Just rest. I don’t know what has you so sad, but you must remember that inside every dark cloud is a silver lining. Sometimes it’s hard to find, but it’s there. You just have to look very closely.”
His eyelids fluttered, and then Chase opened his eyes briefly, tried to focus, and then closed them again. He’d finally calmed in the early-morning hours. Exhausted, Jessie sat sleeping by his side.
Gabe tapped her shoulder. “How is he?”
“Better, I think. Cooler. But he’s still asleep and…” Jessie’s voice broke and she looked away.
“He’ll wake up any minute. He’s just weak is all.”
Jessie tried to smile. “Thank you, Gabe.”
“Sarah’s still asleep. I’m off to get the deer.”
Jessie nodded. “Be careful.”
“Wake up, Chase. Please…open your
Sarah, distressed by his actions, began to whimper.
“It’s all right, honey, don’t worry.” Gabe lifted the child,hugging her close. She curled up against his chest and popped her fingers into her mouth. “I’ll get her some of the bread you were slicing. Are you hungry, Jessie?”
“No. My stomach feels like it’s full of horseshoes. But you two go ahead and eat something.”
“In the morning, I think I should take Cody and fetch the buck I told you about,” Gabe called from the other room.
Jessie paused, her hand lingering on Chase’s shoulder. The heat of his feverish body radiated up through her fingertips.
“We don’t know who tried to kill Chase, or whether the perpetrator is still around. You don’t think it was the Indians?”
“I don’t think so.” Gabe was back in the doorway, Sarah still in his arms. “Why would they come and warn us? Or for that matter, why return Cody? If I take the horse, I can be there and back in two hours. Shouldn’t be too dangerous then.”
When she didn’t answer right away, Gabe continued. “It’s settled. I’ll leave at dawn and be back in time for breakfast.”
When Sarah and Gabe were asleep for the night, Jessie returned to sit with Chase. Her cheek on his forehead told her his fever was far worse. He thrashed about so much Jessie worried he might actually fall from the bed.
“Molly.”
“Shhh,” Jessie whispered, stroking his head with the cool rag.
“Molly,” he sighed again.
His voice held such anguish. Whatever he was reliving was terribly painful.
Chase loved a girl named Molly. That was clear by the tone of his voice. Jessie reminded herself sternly she had no reason to feel anything for Chase, except gratitude for his help. Besides, he was doing right by Nathan. But it was hard not to be drawn to him. If she had a lick of sense, she’d bestremember that he was leaving. As soon as he was well, God willing, he’d be getting on with his life.
Jessie dipped the cloth in cool water and continued to bathe his face and shoulders. She wet each arm and stopped at his fingertips. Gradually, Chase began to relax. His breathing evened out, and he seemed to be resting more easily. She took the opportunity to check his head wound. It had stopped bleeding, but the skin around the wound was red and puffy.
As the eldest of the girls in the orphanage, she’d been the one to do all the doctoring. She’d frequently had to look after the needs of the other children, especially since there were no funds for a physician.
Though she was used to patching people up, she was thankful the bullet had only grazed the skin. She didn’t want to think about what it might have been like if she’d had to dig it out.
The night passed slowly. Chase didn’t regain consciousness. He thrashed about, and once in his delirium he had taken her hand and held it to his lips.
“Sorry…Molly…” His voice cracked, and Jessie feared he might even cry.
“Shhh. Everything’s all right now. Just rest. I don’t know what has you so sad, but you must remember that inside every dark cloud is a silver lining. Sometimes it’s hard to find, but it’s there. You just have to look very closely.”
His eyelids fluttered, and then Chase opened his eyes briefly, tried to focus, and then closed them again. He’d finally calmed in the early-morning hours. Exhausted, Jessie sat sleeping by his side.
Gabe tapped her shoulder. “How is he?”
“Better, I think. Cooler. But he’s still asleep and…” Jessie’s voice broke and she looked away.
“He’ll wake up any minute. He’s just weak is all.”
Jessie tried to smile. “Thank you, Gabe.”
“Sarah’s still asleep. I’m off to get the deer.”
Jessie nodded. “Be careful.”
“Wake up, Chase. Please…open your
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