Carrie's Montana Love: New Montana Brides (New Montana Bride Series) (5 page)

chapter Ten

A Serious Problem

“I’m going home this weekend to see if I can help Pop. Would you like to go with me?” CP asked.

“No, I’m going to hold out until Easter. Will you be coming back Sunday or Monday?”

“Probably Sunday, I hate to miss classes.”

Friday…

CP boarded the 1:00PM train. He would be in Helena in slightly under two hours. His father met the train. “Carrie didn’t come?” he asked.

“No, she said she’s trying to save money. Her time in Chicago depleted their savings, and she feels guilty about it.” I offered to get her ticket, but she doesn’t want charity.”

“We need to see what we can do about increasing Jack’s pay. We actually get the services of both
of them for the price of one. I’ll look into it.”

“That would be good, Pop.”

Saturday morning, the hands split up and checked on the various herds. Case had loaded the wagon with hay several times and distributed it. Foraging was difficult with the grass covered with a layer of snow. CP had been paired with one of the younger hands to search for strays.

The wind had a bite to it, and the young cowboy’s winter coat was not as good as the one CP was wearing. “Clay,” CP said, go on back to the bunkhouse. I’m going up this canyon and see if there’s anything in there, then I’ll be on along.” “Are you sure?” the cowboy asked.
“Mr. Case says we should stay paired up.”

“Go ahead, you’re freezing, I’ll be along in a few minutes?”

“If you’re sure it’s all right,” the grateful cowboy said, and wheeled his horse around and headed for the warmth of the bunkhouse.

CP rode to the end of the box canyon without seeing an
ything. He had just turned and started back when his horse stepped into a hole, and broke his leg, throwing CP to the hard ground, then falling on top of him, knocking him unconscious and pinning him to the ground, beneath. The body of the horse broke CP’s leg just below the knee.

When he regained consciousness, he couldn’t move. The pain in the leg was excruciating. He tried dragging himself from under the horse, but his good leg was trapped and he had no strength in the other.
Well, CP, this is a fine mess you’ve got yourself into this time,
he said. He drifted in and out of his fog. The intense cold dulled the pain from the leg, but he was cold, and getting colder. The wind velocity picked up to a howl.

He fought to keep his eyes open, but they drifted shut. The blowing snow soon covered his face with ice.
So sleepy
, he murmured.

Back at the Lazy J, Case came in. His wife handed him a cup of hot tea. “This feels good,” he said. I think I’ll just wrap my hands around the cup to warm them up.”

“You go sit in front of the fire, and I’ll get a blanket for you. Where’s CP?”

“He’s not home yet?” Case asked.

“No, Carrie said. I’ve been here all afternoon, and he couldn’t have gotten by me.”

“He was with young Clay. “I’ll go check on him.” He pulled on his heavy coat, and boots, and went to the
bunkhouse. Clay was sitting by the stove, still chilled. There was no sign of CP.

“Clay, where’s CP?”

The question startled the cowboy. “He’s not back yet? He was going down the box canyon back there and told me to come on back, said he would be right behind me.”

“You left him?” said an incredulous Case.

“Mr. Case, he told me twice to come on back.”

“Son, you don’t ever leave your partner, especially in the winter. Come on boys, let’s go find him, if he’s still alive. I’ll take the wagon in case we need it.

Thirty minutes later, they entered the canyon, calling out his name. “Fan out, and let’s go all the way to the end,” Case said. They were close to the end wall of the canyon when one of the cowboys called out, “Over here. They’re down.” Case wheeled the wagon in the direction of the voice. He jumped down, and ran to the two bodies.

“The horse’s leg is broken and Mr. CP is trapped unde
rneath,” the man said.

Okay, you three lift the horse, and I’ll drag him out. Once he’s out from under the horse, Luke, you take one of the men, change horses at the ranch
, and go get Doctor Palmer. And hurry.”

“
Yessir.”

CP emitted a weak
scream when his father dragged him from under the horse. The two riders left to get the doctor.

“He’s alive,” said Case. “Thank God for that. Let’s lift him into the wagon. Be careful now, it looks like his leg is broken. They laid him in the hay that had been left in the wagon. Case covered him with the blankets he had put in the wagon before he left the house.

“Somebody put the horse down, Case said, and shortly thereafter, a shot rang out, the sound echoing against the walls of the canyon, over and over. Case
rode in the back of the wagon, holding his son, while one of his hands drove the wagon as fast as safely possible.

They were met at the back door. “Is he…?” she
asked, unable to say the word,

“Her husband said, “He’s alive, barely. His leg is broken,  but the bone didn’t come through. “Maude,
start some blankets warming. He was covered in snow and ice. We have to be careful, he may be frost bitten. The horse’s body kept most of his body warm, and he had gloves on.”

An hour and one half passed before they heard the sounds of a wagon. Doctor Carter Palmer came hurrying into the house. “Where is he?” he asked. “Has he lost any blood?”

Case said, Carter, his leg is broken, but the bone didn’t come through the skin. The horse fell on him after it appa
rently stepped into a hole. His face was covered with ice. He was barely conscious, and when we moved him, he screamed.”

The doctor pulled the blankets back so he could do a complete examination. He did quick checks by scraping the edge of a tongue depressor against the bottom of the foot. The toes curled under, a good sign. He moved up the body.
“I don’t see any signs of frostbite on the hands, there may be some on the tips of the ears. “Did he have them covered?”

“Yes,” Case said. “He had a bandana on, but it had been pulled down when we got there.”

Palmer said, “He has a lump on his head. He may have a concussion. His temperature is still a good bit below normal, and there’s no telling how low it got. You did the right thing with the warm blankets.

“I’m going to have to set the leg. Carrie, it might be best if you leave. This is not going to be a pretty sight.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Carter,” she said adamantly” You do what you have to. Can’t you knock him out?”

“It wouldn’t be a good idea, with his temperature so low.
If he has a concussion, it wouldn’t be good to sedate him. Ether would slow the heart rate and we don’t need that.

“
You men hold him down, and I mean hold him down, I’m going to set the leg.” He cut the boot down the side to make for an easier removal. Next, he cut the leg of the pants off, and gently peeled it down the leg.

With four men holding CP, the doctor pulled on the leg, feeling the break point. CP let out a scream. “Hold him again. He pulled and felt the bone go in as well as it would without open surgery.
He then encased the leg in a cast.

With the leg
cast, and CP’s temperature nearing normal, Dr. Palmer felt it safe give CP laudanum to dull the pain.

“I am going to
leave some laudanum, but don’t give him any yet. I wouldn’t mind him sleeping for forty-eight hours. It doesn’t look as if there’s any serious frostbite, but I want to keep an eye on the tips of his ears. I’ll be back out tomorrow to check.

“What about Carrie Elizabeth?” Do you want me to tell
Letty so she can get word to her.?”

“If you would, please. They’ve had some problems lately, but she should know. And please let Lucy know. She’s one of CP’s favorite people.”

“Mine too,” Carter said and smiled

.

chapter Eleven

Word Gets Out

Carrie recei
ved a letter from Lucy. It read in part,
Girl, you are out of your mind. If you’re not careful, you could lose the nicest thing that ever happened to you. If I thought for one minute, he would have me; I would ditch this school and be on the next train. If you don’t want him, I’d take it as a personal favor if you told him I’m available.

She’s serious,
Carrie thought.
I always wondered why she never paid any attention to boys. I just thought it was medicine.
She had it for CP.

When Carter returned to town, he stopped by the Owens home and told them about CP’s accident. “Carrie thought you might want to let Carrie Elizabeth know. I think he’ll be all right, but I’m keeping him sedated for now.”

“Thanks, Carter. We’ll ride out tomorrow and see if there’s anything we can do,” Jack said.

Letty
said, “I’ll write Carrie now. She should get the letter tomorrow or the next day.”

Typically, Carrie did not check her mail every day.
She had wondered why she hadn’t seen CP on Monday or Tuesday. When there was no sign of him on Wednesday, her concern grew. She decided he had gotten held up at the ranch.

After classes on Thursday, she stopped by the
post office and found she had a letter from her mother. She decided to wait until she was in her room to open it.

Dearest Carrie,

I doubt that you heard, but I have some bad news. CP has been in an accident. He was out looking for strays, when his horse broke his leg, then fell on top of him, in the process breaking his left leg below the knee. He was alone at the time and it was two or three hours before they found him.

Carter told us he nearly froze to death. He has been in a coma
since Sunday, probably the result of hitting his head on the frozen ground when he fell off the horse. He said the coma was the body’s way of protecting itself, so the healing can take place. Papa and I have been out to visit twice, but he was still unconscious. His temperature was dangerously low when they found him.

Carrie asked us to let you know. It would be nice if you came home and visited. Of course, that’s up to you.

Love,

Mama and Papa

The color drained from her face as she read the letter. Stunned, she sat on her bed.

“Carrie, are you okay?” asked Laura, her roommate. “Is it bad news?”

Her voice barely above a whisper, she said, “Yes, it’s CP. He’s been in an accident and is in a coma. I have to go home. She pulled her carpet bag from under the bed and began cramming things in it.”

“Let me do that for you. You’re in shock. You can’t get a train until tomorrow, so take it easy.”

“I’ve never even told him I love him, and I do. He can’t die. He can’t. I need to tell him.” Her tears wouldn’t come. She sat there, her lips were moving, but no words came. Not feeling like eating, she skipped dinner, and spent the evening reading and rereading the letters from her mother and Lucy.

As she read the letter from her mother, it dawned on her, though unvoiced, her mother was unsure what to expect.

Sleep never came that night. As the first light of dawn peeked around the curtains, she got out of bed, washed her face in the basin on the dresser.

Carrie intended to be on the early train to Helena that would arrive in Helena shortly after noon. Awakened by the noise, Laura asked,
“Are you leaving now?”

“Yes, I can get the early train. Would you do
me a favor and tell the school I had to go home, and don’t know when I will come back?”

“Yes, of course.
I’ll say a prayer for him. And you.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it. I need to get going.”

“Want me to come with you?”

“No, that’s okay, but thanks
anyway. I’ll see you when I get back… if I come back.”

“Don’t talk that way. Things will work out.”

“I hope so.”

The boarding platform at the depot was nearly empty when she arrived. Two men were the only passengers boar
ding, and ad the train left the station on time.

Anguish and recriminations filled Carrie’s during the
two hour trip. When the train braked to a stop in Helena, she was the first one off. Clutching her bag, she hurried home.

“Mama,” she called out.

“Carrie, I didn’t expect you to come,” her mother said.

“I had to. Mama, is he still alive?”

“We were there yesterday, and he was still in a coma. Carter said it wasn’t as deep as it had been, so he may be coming out of it. I’m sure we would have heard if anything happened.”

“I have to go to him, Mama. He told me before he left, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, and I just stood there, without saying anything. I love him, and didn’t tell him. I have to tell him. He has to know.”

“Oh Honey, I’m glad you came, and he will be too. We can go out there as soon as your Papa comes back. You haven’t eaten, have you? You look a fright. Why don’t you  go wash up and brush your hair while I fix us some lunch.”

“I couldn’t eat anything.” She said. My nerves are shot. I didn’t sleep at all last night. Laura even packed my bag for me.

“What if he wakes up and doesn’t know me or doesn’t want to see me? What if Aunt Carrie doesn’t want him to see me?”

“Honey, get hold of yourself. You know Carrie is not like that.”

She washed her face, changed dresses, and brushed her hair. When she returned to the kitchen, her mother placed a bowl of soup in front of her, and said, “Now eat.”

She forced herself to take a few
spoonfuls of soup, and realized how hungry she was. Her mother retrieved biscuits and bacon left from breakfast, and put them on a saucer in front of her. Would you like a glass of milk to go with it?” she asked. 

“Yes, please.
Mama, I’ve had so many doubts lately. I didn’t know if I could live on a ranch and be a good wife, I didn’t even know if I wanted to live here. I missed the excitement of Chicago. I talked to Laura about it, and even wrote Lucy.”

“What did Lucy say?” her mother asked.

“She told me I was crazy. She said if CP wanted her, she would drop medical school and get here as fast as she could. I never even dreamed she felt that way.”

“CP is one in a million, Honey. You would never know he is from one of the richest families in the state. He’s just like his parents, as down to earth as Case, and as kind and loving as his mother.”

Jack came into the kitchen, and smiled when he saw his daughter. “You came,” he said.

“As fast as I could, Papa. Will you take me out there?”

“Of course, baby. Just let me get a bite to eat, and we’ll go.”