Only 06 - Winter Fire

my bed.”
    â€œCase, huh?” Conner asked.
    He grabbed the big, blood-streaked boots and straightened under the weight. Ute did the same with Case’s shoulders. Together they carried him toward the cabin.
    â€œIs this the hombre who walked you home night before last?” Conner asked.
    â€œYes,” she said absently. Then, startled, “How did you know?”
    â€œI saw him.”
    â€œWhat were you doing up at that time of night?”
    â€œWhen Ute is gone, I sleep real light,” Conner said simply.
    Sarah turned aside to hide her suddenly bright cheeks.
    Did Conner see Case kiss me? she wondered.
    â€œLola!” she called loudly. “Where in blazes are you?”
    â€œI’m coming, gal. Some of us ain’t as spry as others.”
    The words came from the direction of the wickiup where Ute and Lola made their home.
    â€œPut him on my bed,” Sarah said.
    Conner looked doubtfully from the bloody man to his sister’s spotless bedding.
    â€œDo it!” she snapped.
    â€œShoot,” he muttered. “Who put a weasel in your henhouse?”
    They lowered Case to the bedding, which lay on a pallet of woven reeds.
    â€œDraw fresh water from the creek,” Sarah said to Conner. “Ute, bring those clean rags in from the laundry line.”
    Both males hurried to obey her. When she got that fierce gleam in her eyes, it was easier just to take orders than to argue.
    She knelt next to Case. As carefully as she could, she dragged off his boots and socks. Though he made no sound, she knew he was still alive, because blood was still oozing from his wounds. When a man’s heartbeat stopped, so did any bleeding.
    Too much blood , she thought fearfully, feeling the slipperiness of the boots. Too damned much!
    She untangled the chin strap of his hat and tossed it onto a nearby chest made of woven willow branches. With quick motions she unbuttoned his shirt, peeled it from his limp body, and went to work on his undershirt.
    When she was finished, she had a clear view of the wedge of black hair that spread from his collarbone to his belt. Blood matted the hair along his right side.
    Delicately she ran her fingers over his chest, seeking any wounds beneath the blood. She found none except the one she had already noticed on the inside of his right arm.
    Shallow wound , she thought, relieved. Bloody but otherwise not much damage .
    She undid his belt. Then she eased his pants and underwear down his torso, fearing every bit of the way what she would discover.
    Please, God, not a gut wound , she prayed silently.
    The only blood on his abdomen had dripped down from the wound on his arm.
    She let out a rush of pent-up breath. With great care she peeled his pants down his legs.
    The wounds on his thigh made her stomach clench.
    â€œLordy, but that’s a prime lot of male flesh,” Lola said from behind Sarah.
    â€œLordy, but he looks more like stew meat than steak at the moment,” she shot back. “Get my uncle’s medical bag, please.”
    Laughing, Lola went to the willow-branch chest, opened it, and pulled out an old black leather bag.
    â€œWhat do you need?” she asked.
    â€œA miracle,” Sarah said.
    â€œDidn’t know you stored ’em in this bag.”
    â€œNeither did I.”
    After that there was silence except for the splash of water while Sarah gently cleaned Case’s wounds. She started with his arm. As she had hoped, the wound was more bloody than serious.
    â€œThat’s not worth stitching,” Lola commented.
    All Sarah said was, “Hot water, please. Soap. And more rags. He’s a mess.”
    â€œUte!” Lola called.
    â€œI hear you,” he answered gruffly. “But why you bother with all that scrubbing when—”
    â€œQuit grousing,” Lola interrupted. “She saved your sorry hide once, didn’t she?”
    Muttering, Ute stoked up the fire and checked the pot hanging on the trivet over the flames.
    â€œGetting there,” he said.
    â€œThank you,” Sarah answered without looking up.
    He watched her work with reverent black eyes. At some wordless level of his being he was convinced that she wasa cinnamon-haired angel put on earth to help creatures that couldn’t help themselves.
    It was something he rarely spoke about, but it was more real to him than any words he knew.
    While water heated, Sarah gently cleaned blood from Case’s body. When she was