Hosea grabbed his bag, and walked to where Arthur was laying.
The table, in the kitchen, had been used too often for this sort of thing lately, he thought.
"Hang on in there, my boy" he spoke quietly.
Susan Grimshaw, rushed back into the kitchen, closely followed by Tilly. They had boiling water and bandages ready. Susan, pulled a shotgun cartridge from her pocket, and a candle.
She turned to look at Tilly. "If you'd rather go, Tilly, its Ok"
Tilly straightened herself, in an attempt to make herself look taller. "No, Miss Grimshaw, I'll stay...I'll help, if I can." She said, as calmly as she could.
"Do exactly as Mr Matthews says. I need to try and keep Arthur's shoulder still."
Hosea handed Tilly a bottle of whisky, tweezers, and a needle and thread.
"Put them in the boiling water, for a few minutes, then pour some whisky over them." He said, trying to smile, to reassure the young woman.
Tilly handed the tweezers back to Hosea, knowing that he would have to use them to dig out the bullet.
Susan Grimshaw, pulled the clothing away from Arthur's shoulders, and held his shoulder firmly.
Hosea started to dig around in the hole, and finally found the bullet. Arthur groaned, but had little strength to struggle against the pain, so Susan Grimshaw was able to keep him still.
Once the bullet was out, Hosea stemmed the flow of blood with some cloth, then proceeded to cauterize it, with the gunpowder and the candle.
"Are you Ok Tilly?" He asked.
Tilly nodded, and handed him the needle and thread.
Hosea finished stitching up Arthur's shoulder, and left Tilly and Susan to bandage it up.
"I'll go and get Bill and Pearson, to help me move Arthur into bed." he said, as he left the ladies in the kitchen.
Tilly looked at Arthur, the normally strong outlaw looked as weak as a child.
"I can sit with him tonight Miss Grimshaw." She volunteered.
Susan Grimshaw, smiled at Tilly. "You've done plenty, Tilly. I'll get Mary-Beth to sit with him tonight, you go and get some rest."
"Do you think, he'll be Ok?" She asked, concern in her voice.
"We can only hope, Tilly." She replied, looking at the unconscious man.
Casie, in hindsight, thought telling Colm O'Driscoll, to go to hell, was probably not the best thing to say, considering her position.
She soon found out, that she was right.
Colm, punched Casie in the kidneys. The pain Casie felt, was severe. So much so, she screamed, as her eyes watered.
"For you Casie, this is hell, or will be, if you don't tell me what I want to know." He laughed, "now, where were we, ah yes, you were just about to tell me the location of your camp."
Colm waiting for a few moments, before grabbing Casie by the hair and tilted her head backward sharply.
"You will tell me, I promise you." He whispered, Malevolently.
Casie didn't say a word, but was inwardly bracing herself, for what was to come.
The next thing Casie new, her shirt was being ripped off her back. Leaving her back, and shoulders bare.
Colm ran his finger, down the skin on her back.
"Ya see Casie, I know the Sheriff in Valentine, gave you a good thrashing, after he hung your daddy. But that ain't gonna be nothing, compared to what I'm about to do, unless you tell me, what I want to know. This is your last chance?" He growled.
Colm saw Casie stiffen, but she remained silent.
He removed his belt. He started to beat Casie, across her back and shoulders, with the leather belt. She tried not to scream, but after the fifth strike the pain was too much, and with each strike, her screams, echoed around the cabin. Each time the belt made contact, the skin on her backand shoulders, turned red, and eventually started to bleed, as the skin was ripped off of her body. After every ten strikes, he would ask her the same question, and she would say nothing. She wanted to beg him to stop, but knew it would be pointless. Besides she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
Eventually Colm saw her body sag, as she fell unconscious. He threw his belt on the floor, in anger, and stormed out of the building, leaving Casie hanging on the wall.
Dutch, and the rest of the gang, reached the ranch, just as the sun was setting. They hitched the horses, in a wooded area, just north of the ranch.
Charles looked at Dutch, as they had got closer to the ranch, the look of anger on the his face, had increased.
"Dutch, I know that your the boss, but I would advise a stealthy approach." He suggested, quietly, "for the sake of Casie's safety."
Dutch Scowled at Charles, and was about to snap. But instead, he thought for a moment, and realised the sense in his words.
"I agree, Charles. What do you suggest?"
Micah rolled his eyes, but listened, none the less.
"Its getting dark, I suggest we take out the perimeter guards first. We can then, search the buildings one at a time, until we find Casie. Once she's safe, then we can let them have it." Charles suggested.
Dutch nodded. "You and Javier, take out the guards silently. Once the compound is clear. We search the buildings one by one, for Casie."
Charles and Javier approached the ranch. They took out the two guards on the main entrance, with knives and bows, poisoned with Oleander Sage. They dragged the bodies out of sight, in case anyone spotted them, and became suspicious.
There were a few more dotted around the perimeter, which they dealt with in the same way.
Javier, motioned to Charles, two more guards outside a building, which didn't appear to have any windows.
"I bet that's where Casie is," he whispered to Charles.
Charles nodded.
Charles and Javier, crept round the back of the building, and then they crept round, opposite sides of the building, taking out the two guards simultaneously. They dragged the corpses to the back of the building, and entered the windowless shack.
The inside of the building was virtually pitch black, Charles grabbed a small lantern out of his bag.
In the dim light, they saw Casie, still chained to the wall. The men exchanged glances, neither were sure if she was dead or alive.
Javier shook his head, seeing the state of Casie's back. He hadn't seen damage like this, since leaving Mexico, and certainly never on a child.
He gently lifted Casie from the wall, whilst Charles released the shackles.
Charles slowly opened the door, and checked the compound. It was still clear. Javier carefully picked up Casie, and they headed back towards the woods, where the rest of the gang were waiting.
Charles reached the rest of the gang, slightly before Javier. He needed to warn, both Dutch and Micah, before they had a chance to see Casie, and react.
"We're going to have to change the plan, we've found Casie...but she's in a bad way," he added, looking at Dutch, and then at Micah.
"What do you mean?" Dutch demanded, "how bad?"
"See for your self," Charles, nodded towards Javier, who was walking towards Dutch, carrying Casie.
Dutch looked at Casie, and the colour drained from his face. "Fucking bastard, I'm gonna kill him!"
"We have to think of Casie, first," Javier said, calmly.
Micah rested his hand on Dutch's shoulder. "As much as I hate to admit it, Javier is right. This is his base, he's gonna be here for a while. If we don't tend to Casie, very soon, she may not be."
Dutch nodded. "We need to get away from here, find somewhere to tend to those wounds...Charles?"
"There's a cabin, just south of here, just the other side of the creek. We can tend to Casie, and rest for a while. I think we should then head back, regroup, then make an assault on the O'Driscoll base."
Javier pulled a blanket, out of his saddle bag, removed the remnants of Casie's shirt, and wrapped her in the blanket. Once Dutch had mounted his horse, he passed Casie's semi lifeless body, to Dutch.
Her breathing was shallow, but at least she was breathing, Dutch thought, as they followed Charles, heading towards the cabin, just south of Little Creek.
Dutch carried Casie into the cabin. It was a small place, with a bed, a stove, a washstand and a few cupboards.
As he put Casie on the bed, she moaned. He stroked he hair. "Casie...honey, I'm here," he whispered.
Casie's eyelids fluttered, and she opened her eyes. "I wouldn't tell him..." She groaned. "he tried...but..I..didn't."
Dutch bit his lip, he had to be strong for Casie, but his heart was breaking. For what Colm had done to her. For the fact that John had so easily betrayed him. How Casie would have died, rather than betray him, or the gang.
Charles, had already boiled some water, and brought it over to where Casie was laying.
He looked at the wounds on Casie's back, and shook his head.
Javier, put his hand on Charles shoulder. "I'll do it," he said quietly "I've dealt with this sort of thing before."
Charles nodded, and let Javier deal with Casie.
Dutch looked at Javier. "Please be as gentle, as you can be Javier."
Javier nodded. He slowly removed the blanket, which had already started to stick to the open cuts, on Casie's back and shoulders.
Javier spoke quietly, "Casie, I won't lie to you. This is going to be painful. I will be as gentle as I can be." He wasn't sure if Casie had heard what he said, as there was no reaction, to his words.
Javier started to bath Casie's back with the warm water, removing the dried blood, and fresh blood, that was still coming from the cuts. Casie, Squeezed her eyes closed, but couldn't help but cry out, in pain, as the wounds were bathed. She felt someone hold onto her hands, and as each wave of pain, racked her body, she squeezed them tightly. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Micah, kneeling by the bedside, it was his hands, she had been squeezing. A tear rolled down her cheek, "Micah...I"
"Sshhh...just be brave," he whispered.
Javier looked at Dutch, and beckoned him over.
Dutch stroked Casie's face. "I'll be back, in a little while." He whispered.
Dutch walked towards Javier, and they stood out of earshot, of Casie.
"I've done the best I can, Dutch," the Mexican, whispered, "but we need to get her back to camp, sooner, rather than later."
Dutch nodded, and walked back over to the bed. "Casie, we have to go, honey. Can you try and get up?"
Micah stood up and helped Casie sit up. As she did, she let out a whimper, and tears rolled down her cheeks. Her back felt like it was on fire. "I...I...can't, it...it hurts, so bad." She cried.
Micah, held her face, in his hands "Casie, you can do this, you know you can." he said, sternly.
He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a bottle of whisky. "Here, drink this," he said, handing the bottle to Casie.
Casie, gulped the whisky down, more than she had ever drunk before, the liquid, warming her throat, until she felt the bottle being pulled out of her hand.
"Go steady, don't want you falling off the horse, drunk on ya way home." Micah said, grinning.
Casie took a deep breath, and gritted her teeth. "find me something to god damn wear then, I can't walk around with no shirt on."
Javier, rummaged around in the cupboards, and found a large shirt, it was way too big for Casie, but it would have to do, besides it would be loose on her back.
He handed the shirt to Micah, who helped Casie put it on.
Casie gasped, as the shirt touched her back, but the whisky was having its effect, and the pain was slightly less.
Micah and Dutch, supported Casie, one each side, as she slowly walked out side.
Casie, with the help of the men, mounted The Count, then Dutch, sat behind her.
"Arthur!" Casie, suddenly exclaimed. "Colm shot him!"
"I know, he's back at camp, Hosea is looking after him" Dutch said quietly.
"Please tell me, he's gonna be Ok, Dutch. This is all my fault!"
"Its not your fault, Colm is a vindictive bastard, who likes to hurt people." Dutch paused, not wanting to lie to Casie. "He lost a lot of blood, I left him with Hosea. I don't know if he made it." he sighed.
The riders left the cabin, and headed back to Shady Belle.
Dutch's focus, taken away from killing Colm O'Driscoll, as he thought about how close he had come to losing Casie, again. Not knowing if he had lost Arthur, or if he had survived.
All he knew, was that he wasn't prepared to risk losing either one of them again.