Ryan Read Free Page B

looked at
him.
    “Is
Maggie around?” he asked.
    “Out
back,” said one of the girls.
    “Go
get her and hurry. The poor girl’s at death’s door.”
    The
girl got up and ran out back and soon Maggie was standing there.
    “For
heaven’s sake Ryan, don’t you just stand there, bring the girl upstairs.”
    He
took the stairs two at a time. Maggie opened up one of the rooms and he gently
set the girl down on the bed.
    “Where
did you find her?” asked Maggie.
    “Up in the canyon. She was laying by a rock.”
    “You
go get the doc and I’ll get her out of these wet clothes. Hurry now. If I’m any
judge this girl’s not got much longer to live.”

 
     
    Chapter Four
     
    Voices, all Gracie
could hear were people talking. Unfamiliar ones. Not
her pa, not the people they’d been riding with in the carriage.   Two women. She tried
to see who they were but her eyeballs ached and she didn’t have even enough
strength left in her to open them.
    Just
where was she? She seemed to be floating around in nothingness. And she was hot
and then cold. Her head was riddled with pain and her face ached. Maybe she was
in heaven. How come heaven made you hurt so badly?
    Gracie.
    It
was her father. Now she could see him.
    Now
she remembered the coach careening over the edge of the ravine.
    Be brave. You
have your whole life ahead of you but you have to wake up.
    Gracie
shook her head.
    She
didn’t want to because she knew she’d be all alone in the world. No other
family, no money, no prospects. Not even the trunk with her pretty dresses and
her mother’s pillow.
    Wake up, sweet
girl.
    No.
    Please for me. For Pa.
    Gracie
tried to get her eyes to open. They fluttered a few times but closing them shut
felt a whole lot better.
    “Maybe
shut those drapes and it might be easier for the poor girl to focus on her
surroundings.” That hadn’t been her father’s voice.
    Someone
touched her arm. She tried once more to open her eyes and this time the right
one cooperated. It hurt so she squinted.
    “Hello,
welcome back to the world.”
    It
was a woman’s voice. Someone touched her arm again.
    Gracie
opened her eyes, trying to focus on her surroundings.
    A
woman sat beside her. She didn’t know her. She had a red scar on her right cheek.
Maye she’d been in the carriage too. Maybe someone had brought all the injured
people here, wherever here was.
    “ It’s okay honey, you’re safe here. It’s so wonderful to see
you back in the world,” she said. Gracie tried to sit up but her head hurt.
    “No,
don’t try and get up. We’re all going to take good care of you until you’re
strong again.”
    A
bed, she was in a bed. Floral wall trimmings were all around the room. A girl
stood on the other side of the bed.
    “Ruth,
you go along and get the doc and tell him that the young lady’s awake.”
    “Can
you tell me your name?” asked the woman.
    “ Grac …”
    Her
voice was hoarse and it hurt like never before.
    “Gracie,”
she managed to get out.
    “Hi Gracie. I’m Maggie McGuire.”
    “Miss
Maggie, the doc’s here. He was just across the way in the feed store.”
    Gracie
saw an older man with a moustache enter the room.
    “This
is Gracie. Gracie, this is Doc Singleton.”
    “Well,
young lady, you finally decided to wake up. Must be all this pampering Maggie
and her girls have been giving you.”
    “How
long have I been here?” asked Gracie. Wherever here was.
    “Three
days,” said Maggie. “Sheriff Doyle brought you here.”
    She
did vaguely remember a man talking to her and riding on a horse in the rain but
she thought she’d fallen asleep and was dreaming.  
    “I’m
guessing he’ll want to know that Gracie is awake,” said the doctor. “How are
you feeling?” he asked, taking her wrist and feeling her pulse.
    “Tired and sleepy.”
    “And
you will be, but Maggie here is going to continue to watch over you.”
    “Is
it okay if I get her some bread and broth?” asked Maggie.
    “I
think that will be