“One shot, through the chest,” Priest said, looking up at them. “Clean.”
They all looked up at the rapidly dwindling figure of Sam McCall.
“Ah,” Hitchcock said, “let him go.”
“Yeah,” Priest said, standing up, “maybe he let us go, huh?”
Sam stopped only long enough to press his bandanna to the wound and tie it there with his belt. Either it was getting dark, or he was in danger of passing out. If he passed out he only hoped that the horse would find its way back to town.
“It’s getting dark,” Serena said, looking out the front window.
“She’s worried about Sam,” Jubal said to Dude Miller.
“You’re not?” Miller asked.
“Sam can take care of himself,” Evan said.
“Sure,” Serena said, folding her arms beneath her breasts, “we saw that earlier in the week, didn’t we?”
“Serena,” Miller said, “take it easy.”
“I’ll take it easy when he gets back,” she said, turning back to the window.
“Maybe she’s right,” Evan said to Jubal. “Maybe we should go and look for him.”
“Sam’s all right, Evan,” Jubal said. “He don’t need us to look after him. I still think he woulda handled all seven of those—”
“Someone’s coming,” Serena said, suddenly. “On a horse.”
Evan looked at Jubal and said, “Why wouldn’t he take his horse to the livery?”
Rising, Jubal said, “Why don’t we go ask him?”
The four of them went out the front door to meet whoever was approaching. Serena was the first out the door, and as the horse was reined in she ran up to it.
“Sam,” she said, putting her hand on his thigh, “we were so worried.”
She felt something wet and sticky on her hand but before she could say anything Sam suddenly started to fall toward her.
“Sam!”
“Watch out!” Evan said.
He moved Serena out of the way in time to catch Sam before he hit the ground. Jubal rushed forward and took some of his older brother’s weight.
“What’s wrong with him?” Serena asked.
“He’s been shot,” Evan said. “Jube, get the doctor.”
“Dude, help Evan,” Jubal said.
“I’ll get the doctor,” Serena said.
“No, Serena,” Evan said. “Stay here.”
Dude Miller came forward and took Sam’s legs from Jubal, who left to get help.
“Let’s get him inside and see how bad he’s hurt,” Evan said.
Serena went ahead and opened the door, and Miller and Evan carried Sam in.
“Is he all right?” she asked anxiously.
“He’s unconscious,” Evan said.
“Should we take him upstairs?” Miller asked.
“No, no, put him on the sofa,” Evan said, “on the sofa.
Serena, get some water and some clean cloths.”
Serena ran into the kitchen while Evan located the wound. When he found it he removed Sam’s belt and bandanna and tore Sam’s pants so he could look at it.
When Serena came back she said, “Shouldn’t we wait for Doc Leader?”
“At Doc’s age it could take him some time to get here,” Evan said. “I just want to see what we’ve got.”
He grabbed a cloth, wet it, and washed the area around the wound.
“How bad?” Serena asked.
“Could be worse,” Evan said. “It could have hit his horse.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Serena demanded.
Evan looked at her and said, “It means if the bullet had killed his horse he wouldn’t have been able to get away.”
Serena looked contrite and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Evan said.
He took another cloth, folded it, and pressed it to the wound.
“Serena, hold this here,” he said, “we’ve got to slow the bleeding until Doc arrives.”
Serena got down on her knees next to the sofa and pressed her hand to the wound. The torn pants legs was soaked in blood, and Evan tore it the rest of the way down and folded it away from Sam’s leg so he could check for breaks.
“His leg isn’t broken,” Evan said.
“Glad to hear it,” Doc Leader said, entering the room.
“Now everyone out except Serena.”
“Doc—” Serena said.
“And if you’re gonna stay, you’re gonna have to keep quiet.”
Doc hunkered down next to Serena, then looked up at the other men.
“You heard me…out!”
Evan looked at Miller and Jubal and said, “Let’s make some coffee.”
Evan, Jubal and Miller were sitting at the kitchen table when Doc Leader came in.
“He’s fine,” Doc said. He put a basin down on the table. It contained bloody water and a spent bullet. He wiped his hands on a white cloth. “The wound is clean, I got thebullet, and there’s no infection. He’ll be fine. Who’s payin’ my bill?”
“I am,” Evan said.
“I should—” Miller said, but Evan cut him off.
“He’s my brother.”
“We’ll pay the bill,” Jubal said, standing up.
Doc Leader nodded and said, “Put him upstairs in a bed and leave Serena with him. She’ll be a better nurse than any of you.”
“All right, Doc,” Evan said, “thanks.”
“Don’t thank me until I tell you how much I’m charging.”
“Doc,” Evan said, “I don’t care how much you charge.”
Doc Leader grinned and it wasn’t a pretty sight.
“You’re gonna be sorry you said that.”
Chapter Fifteen
When Sam woke up the first thing he saw was Serena’s face.
“Thank God,” he said.
“What?” she asked.
“I thought when I opened my eyes I’d see one of my brothers,” he said. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. “I much prefer this.”
“Sam,” she said, “I think that’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I must be delirious,” he said, and passed out again.
The next time he woke up he saw Evan.
“I knew it was too good to be true.”
“Serena sat up all night with you,” Evan said. “But now she needs some sleep.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“You want to tell me what happened?”
