Not having to be anywhere on a schedule sure was nice. He let his horse set the pace. In the distance, two boys rode their horses across the prairie with two dogs racing beside them. He could tell the boys were laughing. Even the dogs acted happy.
Apparently they saw him because they waved. Concentrating on them, he failed to watch where his horse was going. Suddenly, his mount whinnied and shied. Bret spotted a snake slithering away that must have startled his horse.
Bret tried to right himself but he fell. His head hit something hard. Pain shot through him and he thought his head had exploded.
***
Davie drew back on the reins. “Did you see what happened to that man?”
Jimmy stood in his stirrups. “He fell off his horse. You reckon maybe he’s drunk or dead?”
“We’d better go see. He’s not moving.” He kneed his horse and rode toward the man.
When they reached him and dismounted, Davie cautiously approached and leaned over the man. “He doesn’t smell drunk.”
Jimmy waited beside his horse. “Is he dead?”
Davie kneeled and checked the unconscious man. “He’s hurt bad ’cause his head hit this rock and there’s blood.” He tried to move the man. “He’s big and I can’t move him to get him up on his horse.”
He stood. “We can’t just leave him here like this. You’d better go get Mama. Can you get home by yourself?”
Jimmy acted insulted. “Sure I can. But will you be all right? What if he wakes up and is mad?”
“He’s hurt pretty bad. I don’t think he’ll wake up soon. He waved at us so he must not be the kind of person who would be mad at us. Hurry, Jimmy. Take the Buster and Billy.”
***
Charlotte supervised while Susie completed the second of two dresses for her doll.
“I’m really proud of you. Your stitches have improved so much that I think you’re ready to sew a dress for you.”
Susie clapped her hands. “Really? Do we have fabric?”
“I’ve saved two lengths for you. I’d planned to sew them but I think you’re—”
The sound of a horse galloping into the yard sent her heart pounding. Her breath caught in her throat. She stood and walked to a window. When she heard familiar barking, she sighed with relief.
Jimmy ran into the room. “Mama, Mama, this man fell off his horse and he hurt his head and there’s blood and he won’t wake up but he isn’t dead. Davie sent me to get you.”
Her relief fled and she retrieved the pistol from the cupboard. Who knew what kind of person Davie guarded?
“We’ll need the wagon. Where did you see this man?” She pulled on her leather gloves.
Jimmy looked at the floor. “That stretch of grass at the bottom of the bluff.”
She grabbed her hat. “You weren’t supposed to go that far from home. We’ll talk about this later. Get my medicine box while I hitch the horses to the wagon. Susie, get the blanket we use for picnics.”
Susie brought the blanket to the barn and placed it in the wagon. “Mama, please let me stay here so I can finish my doll’s dress. Please, please, please.”
“Do you promise to stay inside the house and work on your sewing?”
“I will, I promise.”
“All right, but this is a test, dear.”
Charlotte and Jimmy climbed into the wagon with their items. With a snap of the reins, they were out of the barn and bouncing across the pasture. When they reached Davie, the mysterious victim still stretched on the grass.
Davie stood to greet her. “He hasn’t moved. I think he’s hurt pretty bad. I couldn’t lift him to get him on his horse.”
He gestured to the mount. “I looked in his saddle bags and learned his name is Bret Craig.”
“I hope we can get him into the wagon. I’ll spread the blanket before we try.” She folded the blanket in half so it would offer more padding against the bumps and jolts on the route to the house.
“You boys take off this side while I check Mr. Craig.”
Once she looked at his wound, she shook her head. “I’ll wait until we’re home. Help me, Davie, and let’s see if we can get him into the wagon.”
Mr. Craig must be several inches over six feet and was quite handsome. Charlotte was tall for a woman but this man would be much taller than her if he were standing. Davie helped Charlotte move the unconscious man toward the wagon.
Once there, she eyed the distance they had to lift the injured person. “I can’t lift him, even with your help. He’s a big man and dead weight. Maybe if you get on the wagon bed while Jimmy and I push him up to you, we can get him on the blanket without killing him.”
Jimmy took his brother’s place while Davie climbed onto the wagon bed.
“Boys, when I say three, we all work together. One, two, threeee.”
Davie yelped and almost fell from the vehicle.
The unconscious man flopped back against Charlotte with a moan. She landed on the ground with him sprawled across her.
Davie jumped down to help. “Mama, are you hurt? His shirt slipped right out of my fingers.”
“I’m frustrated but otherwise all right. Obviously we need a better plan. Let’s think about this.” She let Davie help her slide out from under Mr. Craig. “Poor man, as if being knocked out cold wasn’t enough.”
Davie looked at his horse. “What if we tie my lasso around him under his arms and then have Scout pull him into the wagon?”
Charlotte stared at the wagon then at the man. “That might work. We’ll have to guide him so he doesn’t
