Hel Morgan

Three

Elizabeth was moving slowly up the lane from leaving Annabelle's house when she saw Shell coming up the street walking with a sure step, a dark look on his face. He'd not yet seen her and before he looked up he turned aside and stepped into the Silver Bar saloon. It wasn't his destination that made her pause, nor the look on his face but the dark stains on his shirt and sleeves. Blood. She knew it wasn't his, he was walking too easily to be injured, so that must mean...She turned around and headed toward Isaac Wellington's office. He was the local doctor, and if Victor Bayne was injured and still alive, Isaac would be tending him.

The bell on his office door jingled pleasantly as she entered, and through the next room Elizabeth caught sight of a pale form lying on a clean bed, young Timmy perched nearby. Wellington came in through the doorway that led to the kitchen drying his hands. He smiled when he recognized her.

"Evening Missus Morgan, you alright?"

"Fine Doctor, I just happened to see my husband and I thought, I hoped," her eyes strayed back to the other room.

"Yes, Victor," Isaac quietly went to the door and pulled it closed before turning back to her. "He's pretty bad off Missus Morgan, he's been shot in the back, and he's lost more blood than I think he can spare. That said, he's still alive and I've done what I can for him. If he manages to beat the fever and avoid a nasty infection, he might pull through."

"I see," and she did, clearly. "What about Timmy? Where is he going to sleep tonight, who's going to care for him until Victor is able?"

"I have a spare room," Isaac indicated another door, "but I don't think the boy will leave his pa's side. He's been here all afternoon."

"Thank you, Doctor, I'd like to come by in the morning, to check on them both,"

"Sure," he smiled, holding the outer door open for her. "I'm sure they'd take kindly to that."

Remembering her word to Judith, Elizabeth did not head home but walked along to the lane that ran between the marshal's office and the barber shop. Turning right she walked behind Wellington's office into the open space of housing and saw the Hauer's home, a neat little cottage-style building with a small white picket fence lined with flowers. She entered the yard, greeting the small dog that ran up to her, yapping happily. The front door opened and Abe Hauer stood framed in the doorway. His face lit into a pleased smile when he saw who it was.

"Evening Missus Morgan, Judith said you'd be stoppin' by."

"Good evening Abraham how are you?" she asked, straightening up from the leaping attention of the canine.

"I'm a happy man Missus Morgan, a right happy man, but I suspect Judith will want to tell you about that. I'm off for a bit, let you two womenfolk chat in private. Evenin' ma'am."

Elizabeth let him pass and walked up the steps, tapping lightly on the door as she entered.

"Judith, it's Elizabeth!" she called.

"Come in! I'm in the kitchen!" the friendly call came back.

Elizabeth entered the brightly painted and well lit kitchen and couldn't help but smile. Yellow paint colored the walls, printed over with small flickers of red, blue, and white, depicted in butterflies and flowers, stenciled on the walls. It was a cheerful and comfortable room. Judith turned around glowing with joy, a tray of freshly baked cookies in her hands.

"I'm so glad you could come! I've been busting at the seams to tell someone, but I wanted you to be the first, after Abe of course."

"Of course, husbands should always come first," Elizabeth couldn't quite keep all the bitterness from her tone, but fortunately Judith didn't hear it.