“Thank you.” She packed ointment into the gash then pressed a folded pad of fabric over the area. As she unrolled the bandaging, she wrapped it around his head to hold the pad in place. When it was secure, the preacher carefully released his hold on Mr. Craig.
Charlotte placed the ointment and what was left of the bandage roll into the wooden box she used for medical supplies. She set the box in a corner, expecting she’d need it when it was time to change the bandage.
“Mr. Craig moaned once when we were getting him into the wagon. It worries me that he didn’t wake up while we moved him or now when I was working with the wound.”
“I’ll take this to the kitchen.” Mrs. Pendleton carried the bowl containing the cloth Charlotte had used and the now discolored water. “Then we had better hurry back to town and stop by Dr. Ross’ office.”
The three of them walked toward the kitchen.
“I’m grateful you chose today to look in on us. I don’t know how we would have managed without your help.”
Mrs. Pendleton set the bowl in the sink. “Knowing you, I’m sure you would have figured out something.”
The preacher nodded his agreement. “We’ll see you again soon, Charlotte. Good luck with your visitor. Let us know if you need help.”
She smiled with gratitude. “If you can get the doctor here, we should be all right.”
When the couple had gone, Charlotte prepared lunch for her children.
Once again, Susie was full of questions. “Why are you keeping that man in your room? Is he gonna die like Papa did?”
“I certainly hope not. He’s there because he’s hurt and needs a place to stay. He fell and hit his head.”
“Is he gonna be our new Papa?”
The question caused her to nick her finger with the knife. “Susie, I don’t even know the man. When Dr. Ross arrives and examines the patient, he’ll be able to give us a diagnosis.”
Susie turned to look at Charlotte. “The cake was good but not as good as yours. I didn’t tell Mrs. Pendleton that. I told her it was delicious and thanked her.”
“You’re remembering to use good manners. I’m proud of you.” In fact, she was proud of all three children. They’d been through a terrible time when they lost their mother and again when they lost their father, but they were still good kids.
Jimmy tugged on her sleeve. “I said thank you, too, Mama. Mrs. Pendleton said I was a good boy.”
“I’m glad you remembered your manners, Jimmy. You are a good boy.”
Jimmy smiled up at her, revealing the gap where his two front teeth were beginning to fill in. “Will you make us a cake or cookies soon?”
“Yes, I will. We can make cookies when I can manage time. With Mr. Craig to care for, we’ll each have to pitch in to help. In the meantime, I’m glad you’ve had a treat, thanks to Mrs. Pendleton.”
After lunch, the children went out to play and Charlotte checked on the patient. She laid her hand on his forehead, grateful to find it a normal temperature. Seeing his hand on the cover, she examined the skin.
What she found was that his skin was softer than hers. There were no calluses and the nails were neatly trimmed and unbroken. Whatever he did, Bret Craig did not work with his hands.
Chapter Seven
Charlotte was relieved when Dr. Ross arrived. “Have you had dinner?”
“Yes, my wife insisted I eat before I left home.” He grinned. “You probably think she’s sweet, but she can be a tyrant when she puts her mind to it.”
Charlotte chuckled and offered a wide smile. “Lillian certainly is sweet and I don’t blame her for insisting you eat when you had a chance. Your patient is back where you treated Ike.”
He followed her. “I understand your sons found him.”
“In fact, they saw him fall from his horse. He hasn’t regained consciousness since then. He’s moaned a bit but that’s all.”
In the bedroom, Davie sat in a chair near the bed. “He muttered again but he hasn’t opened his eyes.”
Dr. Ross set his medical bag on the bed and opened it. “Let me take a look at him. Looks as if you’ve bandaged him well, Charlotte.” He cut the bandage and rolled the patient to his side.
“Because I hoped you’ve be here soon I didn’t try to sew up his wound.”
The doctor nodded at Charlotte. “Can you get on the other side and hold him in this position while I examine the gash?”
Charlotte hurried to comply. “Davie found his name in his saddlebags. He’s Bret Craig but we don’t know why he was in the area. He had a second horse packed with supplies.”
“Any idea where he’s from?”
“I haven’t checked to see if I can learn anything else. There hasn’t been time, but I will so I can notify his family where he is and what’s happened.”
“There’ll be time for that later. Let me sew this up and get him bandaged. Must have been some rock he hit.”
Davie went to the foot of the bed. “It had a sharp ridge on it. I put it in the wagon to show anyone who needs to see it.”
A sudden thought struck Charlotte. “Son, Mr. Craig must have had food that needs to go in the cool space or be protected from mice or other pests. You’d better go see what you can find.”
“All right, Mama. I didn’t keep looking once I found his name. I wasn’t being nosy, but I thought we should know who he is. He could have been a famous robber or something.”
“I doubt we’d know if
