COCHISE STATION 21

ignacio and jeb helped the man to the ground who made a grunting sound when they reached around behind him to help support him. petra brought a canteen of cool fresh water and the man began gulping down big swallows . ignacio looked over the man at jeb and held his hand up, it was coated in blood. jeb eased his hand back from the mans shoulder and on the way felt hard lumps under his shirt and red was showing through the cheap cotton shirt. " you better get in this wagon and we will take you to a doctor."jeb very quietly said. the man s head jerked up right and he clawed for his pistol" no , no ill be ok" but when he grabbed at his holster he found it empty. ignacio had slipped it out stuck it behind his waist band of his pants. the man glared all around and almost screamed no once more. " two things friend, your festering pretty bad and the other is your wanted by the law. you ignore either and you could die. i wont be responsable"jeb said . he nodded to petra who went to the wagon and was speading blankets on the wagon floor. " i know what you were involved in. so you just as well take what comes. first things first get you to a doctor." when they lifted him up into the wagon he groaned again but he passed out. petra did the best she could to settle him onto the pallett. when ignacio mounted the mans horse he rode up to jeb. "that man held me while his friend whipped me with a rope. do you think......?" " yes , they tried to rob the train. those hard lumps under his shirt must be imbedded coins. he will die without help. " jeb whipped up the team and struck a trott toward cochise station. after a few miles jeb realized this man might not ever make willcox. he traded with ignacio and took the saddle horse and struck a lope to the station. when he got there he sent off a wire to willcox asking for the doctor to come to cochise. before ignacio and the wagon reached them the key went to clacking. the station man scribbled madley then turned to jeb " they say make him comfortable and the doc will catch the next west bound in a couple hours."ignacio pulled the wagon and team up under a large mesquite tree so the wagon bed was shaded. then un hitched the team and put them in the railroad corralls. after, a while the mans eyes opened and he looked around." am i gonna die?" his voice a cracking croak. " doc is on the way, just rest." jeb tried to quiet the man. the outlaw looked at jeb," we didnt do it, we just held the horses, i told them to not bother that woman. i told them." "just rest man, i dont know what your talking about."jeb pushed aginst the mans shoulder. " it was the others i swear. all we did was hold the horses. ime the last one but ime telling you i didnt bother that woman. i just held the horses." the mans eyes flickered shut and he breathed heavy. "you know what he is talking about jeb?" the station man asked. maybe, but it was a long time ago now. keep him still." jeb got out of the wagon and walked out into the surrounding desert. in the distance he could hear the train comming.