Maggie's Valley (Strong Hearts, Open Spirits Book 1)

by Danni Roan

  Casually she opened her Bible, not really looking for any particular verse or promise and her eyes came to rest on

  Matthew 25:35

  “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

  “What’s it say Miss Maggie?” Chaz asked looking at her soft smile.

  “It says we’re doing the right thing Chaz.” She said and read the verse to him.

  “Well I’ll be, you mean that what we do for other folks is like the same as if we did if for God hisself?”

  “Yes, Chaz that’s exactly what it means, it means that every act of kindness, every time we help we are doing His work. Now you make up your bed by the fire and try to get some sleep. We’ll have to be up early to check on the stock in the morning and who knows what the night will bring.”

  With that she closed her Bible, blew out the light and walked to her room. Dressing in her heavy night dress, she slipped between the sheets and said the only prayer that would come to her stunned mind.

  Now I lay me down to sleep,

  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

  If I should die before I wake,

  I pray the Lord my soul to take.

  Then she drifted off to sleep.

  Only a few short hours later Chaz’s soft knock on her door woke Maggie. Climbing out of bed she donned her dressing gown and stepped out. He’d stoked up the fire in the fire place and a soft glow spread across the room. “What is it Chaz?” She asked quietly.

  “The man there, he seems restless like, and now he’s sweatin’ somethin’ fierce. It ain’t so hot in here he should be sweatin’ so I figure somethin’ was wrong and I’d better fetch you.”

  “You did well Chaz, he must have a fever. I’ll need to check his wound again and clean it. Can you get the water boiling again but this time put in a good scoop of salt?”

  “Yes ma’am.” The boy whispered and walked to the kitchen.

  Maggie moved to the stranger’s bed side and could see the sweat on his brow. Carefully she placed her hand on his forehead and felt the heat radiating from him. Taking a cloth, she had left hanging by the bed, she mopped his face then pulled back the blankets. A small circle of blood had appeared on the bandages but not much considering the extent of his injury. Taking out her sewing scissors she cut away the bandages then waited for Chaz to bring the hot water before trying to loosen the heavy pad she had placed over the wound. Once she had the water, she dampened the bandage until it came loose without opening the wound further. The large hole at the front now looked red and puckered and she realized that infection was setting in.

  Dipping a heavy cloth into the hot salt water, she let it cool a little and then applied it to the wound. The water was still quite hot, and as it touched the injury, the man moaned and tossed his head, but she held it there letting the heat and salt draw the infection out.

  Over and over again she pressed the hot compress to his side waiting until it had cooled completely to remove it. As the water was beginning to lose its heat she wrung out the rag then used it as the wound cover before she and Chaz once again wrapped the bandages tight around the man’s waist. The rest of the night proceeded that way.

  Every few hours she would rise, soak the wound and re-wrap the bandages with the compress still in place, then return to her bed for what rest she could find. Chaz dozed in the chair by the fire with Moxi, curled up on his lap until it was time to bring more hot salt water.

  A weak morning light filtering through the chinks cut in the shutters woke Maggie. She was weary, and her eyes felt as if they were full of sand, but she rose and dressed for the day. Quietly she stepped up to the stove and started making breakfast.

  Chaz woke with the smell of coffee drifting across the room. He’d drifted off in the wee hours of the morning and a cup of coffee sure was a nice thing to wake up to. For a few minutes he wondered why he was sitting in the chair instead of in his own bed but then he remembered and jumped to his feet to see that the stranger was indeed real and that he was still asleep. With a huge yawn, he walked over to the kitchen area and began setting the table.

  “What do you reckon Miss Maggie? You think he’s some sort an’ outlaw or somethin’?” Chaz said indicating the sleeping man.

  “I’d rather not guess Chaz, he could be anyone. Did you find anything indicating who he was on his horse?”

  “No ma’am, but I guess I’d better go out and see to the stock any way while you cook us up some breakfast, and I’ll bring in the eggs and milk the goat. Bet she’s mad at havin’ to wait too. You just stay in here where it’s nice and warm.” Then donning his coat he swept out into the cold gray morning, letting in a draft of bitter air as he went.

  The storm had passed in the night and Chaz was thankful that it hadn’t been a big one. He didn’t know how he felt about this stranger but he’d do his best to make sure he was no threat to Maggie. He couldn’t believe his luck turning up like he did on her door step. The only reason he’d found his way here was that Clara had stumbled onto an old Indian trail in the storm and then must have followed her nose to the other horses.

  He wondered, not for the first time about this praying and such that Maggie did too. She seemed to think it was just like asking a friend for something. Well maybe it was but he didn’t know just yet. Upon entering the barn he saw that the gray horse was quietly munching hay where he’d left it the night before.

  Quickly he gathered up the pails and went out to bust the ice from the watering trough. He then brought water for all of the animals. By now the Nanny goat was bleating loudly, having weaned her kid she now expected to be milked every morning and night. He finished milking then covered the milk bucket with a wooden cap walked out to gather the eggs into a large basket. They had a nice little brood of chickens now and aside from killing the occasional rooster they had not butchered very many so they had plenty of eggs.

  Walking back to the barn to collect the milk pail Chaz looked once more at the big gray horse. It was a tall horse and not stocky like some. It had good long legs and looked like it was fast when you needed it. He wondered again if the man were an outlaw. Who else would have a fast horse like that and be all shot up like he was. Hesitating only a minute he walked to the man’s saddle bags and opened them. There he found the usual items, a small frying pan, coffee pot and a small stash of provisions. Spare ammunition and clothes. Then tucked into a spare shirt, he saw something silver glinting in the pale light.

  Maggie had bacon frying and was slicing bread as she waited for Chaz to return with the eggs and milk. Every now and then she would look toward the man in the bed watching for signs that his fever was back but for the moment at least he seemed to be sleeping peacefully, if soundly. She heard Chaz’s boots on the front porch and waited for him to stomp the snow off of his boots before he came in with a thump.

  “Miss Maggie!” He called excitedly, “We don’t got to worry about this fella no more, I mean about him being a no good or such. See what I found in his saddle bags?” he exclaimed holding up a small round silver badge. “He’s a Marshall, Miss Maggie. A Marshall!”

  For a long moment Maggie didn’t know if she should be relieved or if she should scold Chaz for going through the stranger’s saddle bags. After all they were his possessions but on the other hand it was a relief to know he was a law man. Of course what in the world was a U.S. Marshal doing all the way out here and how had he gotten shot? It seemed that every answer brought more questions.

  “Chaz I’m not sure you should have gone through his saddle bags, but I think your heart was in the right place so we’ll say no more about that. Now do you mind bringing me the eggs and milk and I’ll finish up our breakfast?”

  Chaz grinned at her and hefted the basket and the pail and brought them to the soap stone counter top by the sink. Maggie took the fresh eggs and cracked five of them into the pan she had just finished the bacon in. Chaz could easily eat three eggs and
she never skimped on the boy. Soon the eggs, bacon and fresh bread with butter and homemade jam were on the table and they sat down to eat. Maggie bowed her head over there food and said grace before they ate. After breakfast she put the dishes in the sink but instead of washing up asked Chaz to help her change the stranger’s bandages. Placing her hand on his forehead again she noted that he was not as hot as he had been the night before and that although warm he was not sweating anymore. She hoped that meant that the worse was past.

  “I wonder what he’s doing out this way?” Chaz queried as they worked. “Maybe he’s after some outlaw gang, or a bank robber or such!” The boy’s excitement made Maggie smile. “I bet he’s shot loads of bad men in his life. Maybe when he’s better he’ll tell us where he’s comin’ from and such.” He looked hopefully at Maggie.

  “I think we’ll just have to wait and see Chaz. In the meantime let’s try to get him all healed up.”

  Throughout the afternoon Maggie sat by the fire knitting while Chaz turned the stock out in the corral and watched to see that the gray horse didn’t cause problems. As she sat quietly she kept finding her eyes drawn to the sleeping man’s face. In the light of day it was obvious he had a strong face. He had a square jaw line and dark hair with a bit of a wave in it due to the fact that it looked like it had been a long time since he’d had it cut. His face, although pale from the loss of blood now had been browned by the sun and she could just see fine lines around his eyes. She wondered if they crinkled up when he smiled. He had full lips for a man but not so full to be less masculine. He was tall, probably over six feet tall and his feet hung just slightly over the end of Chaz’s cot. She also wondered where he had come from, but tried to put those thoughts away.

  Moxi came down from the cupboard and began playing with the yarn she was using to knit. She smiled at the antics of the bobcat and laughed as she watched the animal get tangled up in the string. She was sitting there smiling at the animal when suddenly she felt eyes on her. Slowly she turned to look at the stranger to find his eye wide open and staring at her with an intense blue gaze. Startled she gasped meeting his eyes with her own for a long moment. Then gathering her wits about her she rose and brought him a glass of water.

  “You must be thirsty.” She said softly. He didn’t say a word but continued to weigh her with his eyes. Gently she helped him lift his head and take a sip of the water. “You don’t want too much now; you’ve been very sick.” Her voice shook a little as he continued to stare at her while she let his head come to rest on the pillow. “I’m Maggie, Maggie Weston.” She said. “This is my place, you, you came in the storm last night.”

  Slowly his eyes moved around the place taking everything in, while Maggie sat on the side of the cot holding the glass of water. Curious now, Moxi crept up to the bed and raising herself up on her back legs placed her front paws on the slats to look at the stranger, sniffing softly. For just a moment Maggie saw a look of shock pass over the man’s face, then a twinkle entered his eye.

  Just then the front door swung open as Chaz came in carrying saddle bags on his shoulder. No sooner had the door begun to swing closed than Mawl leaped from the top of the cupboard with a snarl and landed right on Chaz’s head. The boy let out a roar and danced around as the large bob cat raced away.

  “Dog-gone-it, you crazy cat!” Chaz bellowed, “Someday you’re gonna be the death of someone.” From where Maggie sat on the bed a deep rumble emanated from the man beside her as he softly chuckled.

  “Hey! You’re awake!” Chaz said, moving to the bed. “I brought your gear in. Your horse is just fine, I turned him out with the others and he’s just dandy. How long you been awake? How you feelin’? Can I get you something? Are you really a law man…?” Maggie held her hand up stopping the barrage of questions.

  “Chaz, our guest has just now woken, please don’t wear him out with questions. This is Chaz, he’s my partner. If you’re up to it could you at least give us your name so we know how to address you?” She waited for his reply, then he just nodded to the water in her hand. She helped him take a sip before he answered, his voice sounding rusty.

  “My name’s Danvers, ma’am. Jason Danvers, and thank you for takin’ me in.” Maggie could tell he was worn out just telling her that much and suspected that between the fever and the loss of blood the man was still even weaker than he cared to admit.

  “Well Mr. Danvers, I’m glad you found us when you did, but right now I don’t want you wearing yourself out talking. I’m going to make you some broth and we’ll see if we can’t get that into you. Chaz will you go down to the cellar and get me some of that venison so I can get it started.” She offered Mr. Danvers another drink then got up and moved to the stove.

  She had just gotten the water on the stove when she heard his soft snores coming from the cot and she knew he was asleep, but this time it was a normal sleep, and hopefully a healing one. Carefully Maggie chopped up potatoes, carrots and onions then added some of the dried herbs she’d been able to collect in the fall.

  Chaz returned with a piece of the flank from the deer and she cut that into cubes before tossing it into the pot and adding the vegetables. She also took down a few strips of beef jerky to strengthen the soup and set everything on the back of the stove to simmer. For Mr. Danvers she only wanted broth but she set a pan of beans on the stove as well to soak so that she could add them to the pot for herself and Chaz.

  After everything was simmering she took the pot of hot water from the back of the stove where it had been heating and added the salt. Thankful that she had brought plenty back with her from Sawbrush on their last trip.

  Setting down on the edge of the bed again, she looked down at the sleeping man, who opened his eyes as he felt her weight next to him. “I need to check your wound and change the bandages again. If it’s looking better we should be able to leave it for a day or two before we have to do it again.”

  He nodded silently and let her pull the blankets down exposing his bare chest. “Chaz, can you come and help him sit up? Bring the pillows from my bed and he can lean on those.”

  Chaz brought the pillows and together they helped Mr. Danvers sit up. Maggie could see that Chaz was bursting with questions but he kept still as they unwound the bandages.

  Maggie eased the large pad away from the wound, careful not to start it bleeding again. It looked much less red than it had the night before but just the same she prepared the salt water compress again.

  “I’m afraid this is going to hurt.” She said looking the man in the face. Again he just nodded. Wringing the soft cloth out as best she could with it still practically scalding she eased it over the wound at both the front and the back and held it there. A quick hiss of air through teeth was the only response she got from her patient.

  Again and again, she wrung out the compress and applied it to the wound. Mr. Danvers sat completely still and never once complained. With the water losing heat rapidly she pressed them to his side one more time and then she and Chaz wrapped the long strips of sheet around his waist.

  “There,” Maggie said standing up. “Let’s hope that does the trick. Infection is the thing we have to worry about most. The bullet seems to have gone straight through and it looks like a clean wound.” Only then did Maggie realize she had said that it was a bullet wound and she turned to look at the man on the cot. He looked exhausted just from changing the bandages but he met her eyes.

  “Yes, ma’am it was a bullet. I believe your young friend here already found my badge so you know I’m a marshal. I don’t know exactly what happened out on the trail but for now I’m just thankful you took me in. Son,” he added turning to Chaz, “I don’t know how you found out I was a law man but I reckon I would have wanted to know if I were in your shoes so don’t you worry none about that.”

  Maggie could tell how weary the man was so she interrupted. “Chaz went through your bags, I’m sorry but I do think he did the right thing in this case. Now I think you should lay back down and try to get
some sleep. If you need any help with anything, you just let me know.” She then helped ease him back down on to the bed and pulled the blankets up for him.

  Chaz came in from chores for lunch. Maggie had mixed some of the broth with the beans and they had a hearty soup with biscuits. He then helped their new house guest with his needs as discretely as possible while Maggie waited outside.

  After that Maggie brought the man his broth and carefully spooned it into him. She could see that he was still pale and sweaty from just the little bit of effort he’d needed throughout the day and hoped that the meaty broth would help to restore him after losing so much blood. They checked his wound one more time and this time rewound the bandages without the compresses against his skin. He then went back to sleep.

  Maggie and Chaz ate their dinner quietly while watching Moxi and Mawl, investigate the injured man. She suspected they could smell his wound and that the smell of sickness had put them off up until this time. She didn’t wake him to feed him more broth, but just kept it hot on the stove for when he would wake. “You think he’ll be alright now?” Chaz asked softly. “I never did know nobody who got shot before.”

  “He seems to be doing better.” Maggie replied “At least he doesn’t have a fever like last night and he’s just sleeping normally. That’s what he needs more than anything. When I was in the hospital in Philadelphia, I saw many things. Various illnesses and injuries. One man had lost part of his leg in a terrible accident and had bled so much they didn’t know if he would make it at all. The nurse told me the best thing for people like that is rich meaty foods with plenty of salt and lots of sleep. She said the body had to make new blood. I don’t really understand it all but I believed her.”

  “Did he live?” Chaz asked quizzically.

  Maggie smiled, “Yes, he lived. They even made him a leg out of wood so he could get around when he was healed up.” Just then she noticed that Moxi had climbed up onto the cot next to Mr. Danvers and was sniffing tentatively at his bandages, she also noticed that the slight disturbance had woken him, and now he and the big cat were eyeing each other curiously.