Adventure on the Oregon Trail

Chapter 6

"I didn't mean to get into trouble again."

His fingers gently trailed down the side of her face and he opened his mouth to speak, but the man he'd spoken to when he'd brought her back returned just then with a half full bottle of whiskey and a handful of bandages. Mr. Walker dropped his hand and rubbed his palm down his pant leg. "Can you sit up by yourself?" he asked.

Sarah nodded and watched as he pulled the cork free of the bottle.

"You'll probably want to drink some of this," he said, holding it out to her.

She could smell it and made a face, leaning back away from it. "I'm not drinking that." She said.

"Sarah, this is really going to hurt. I know it smells vile, but it'll take the edge off at least." His eyes were pleading. "Please."

She shook her head stubbornly. "I can handle it," she said.

"I know you can," he said, rubbing his forehead, "it's me I'm worried about."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Seeing the pained look on his face, she reached for the bottle and pulled it out of his hand. "Fine. But you're explaining it to my father,"

"Slowly," he murmured as she held the bottle to her lips and took several long gulps. He barely caught the bottle as she began coughing and held it out to him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she finally managed. "But I'm not ever drinking that again,"

"Where is he?" a voice said from somewhere behind him.

"Miss Lennon, I wouldn't suggest you go over-,"

"I beg your pardon," Miss Lennon snapped. "I shall go over there and not you or anyone else is going to stop me. I need to make sure Mr. Walker is alright,"

Mr. Walker's eyes met Sarah's and she noticed a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Then he put the bottle to his lips and downed half of what was left.

"Oh, there you are," Miss Lennon walked over and the voice that had sounded so sharp a moment ago turned to velvet. "I was so worried about you, out there with those Indians, all by yourself. What were you thinking? You could have been killed!"

"You'll have to excuse me, Miss Lennon," he said, "I have more pressing matters than to discuss what I was thinking."

The woman hadn't even bothered a glance in Sarah's direction as her attention was fully focused on Mr. Walker. She batted her eyes and fawned over him, but somehow he evaded her clingy hands and moved to Sarah's side.

Pulling the sharp knife from his belt, he tucked the blade under the cuff of her sleeve and carefully made a cut all the way to her shoulder. Pulling the material aside, he was able to see where the arrow had pierced her and he very gently felt around. Lifting her arm very slowly, he watched for her reaction.

"Ow!" she exclaimed. He quickly lowered her arm back down.

"I don't think it's through the bone," he said softly. "But it's going to hurt like a son of a -.....well, it's going to hurt when I pull it out."

"I'll be okay," Sarah murmured. "I survived it going it, I'm sure I'll survive it coming out."

"Don't you think a doctor should do that?" Miss Lennon suggested.

Mr. Walker let out a long sigh before he looked up at her where she stood over him. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." He said shortly. "So if you happen to see one close by, would you send him over?"

Miss Lennon let out a little huff, but stayed put. She stood over Mr. Walker as if to tell Sarah that he was hers. Sarah ignored her.

Mr. Walker used his knife to cut off the feathered end of the arrow and he checked closely to make sure it would pull through cleanly. Then he picked up the bottle of whiskey again and dribbled it down the back of her shoulder.