THE BRONC PEELER 12

THE NEXT DAY BILL RODE INTO THE HEADQUARTERS YARd. HE HAD HIS BED PACKED ON ONE OF THE BRONCS AND THE REST WERE TIED HEAD TO TAIL. IN A LEAD STRING. HE STOPPED AT THE HOUSE TO UNLOAD HIS BED ROLL ON THE PORCH AND THEN RODE ON DOWN TO THE CORRALS. THERE DIDNT SEEM TO BE ANYONE AROUND. THE BUCKBOARD WAS GONE, AND KATES FAVORITE MOUNT THE BLACK WAS NOT IN THE CORRAL. AFTER PUTTING HIS HORSES A wAY HE AMBLED TO THE HOUSE. THERE HE FOUND A NOTE PINED TO THE DOOR TELLING HIM TO FIX HIMSELF LUNCH. bill went back to the barn and the corrals and puttered around there the rest of the afternoon waitting for kate to come in. he was patching a corral fence when he saw her approaching on the big black horse she favoured. but when she rode up to the barn he could tell she was in pain . he walked over and took hold of the horse and helped her dismount. " whats wrong gal?" he asked " i dont know, i got a pain in my gut . started a few hours ago and has been getting worse" she backed up to the barn and slid down the wall to a sitting position. bill stripped the saddle from the black and turned him into a corral. when he came back he helped her to her feet and walked her to the house. she was holding her belly with one arm across it and would occasionally grunt when a stab of pain hit her. " what did you eat this morning?" bill asked her. " a cut from a roast with some eggs." she answered through gritted teeth. bill sat her on her bed and went into the kitchen. he found the roast she had ate a slice of, it was green in color. no good. he threw it out. returning to her he found she had rolled over on the bed drawing her knees to her belly. he went back to the kitchen and rummaged around until he found a box of bakeing soda. he didnt know if it would help but he had nothing else. he mixed it into a glass of water , he made it extra strong. then takeing it back to her he held her up and told her to drink it. after a sip she tryed to push it away, but bill pushed it back to her mouth" all of it now!" kate finally gulped it down makeing a face. as bill stood up she began to heaveing. he pulled a bed pan over to her. twice she heaved and emptied her stomach. after the second time bill wiped her mouth and layed her back on her bed. she was a sleep in seconds. he took the pot out to the out house and emptied it, then washed it out before going back in the house. kate was snoreing back in her bed room. bill put the chamber pot by the bed and slowley closed the door. and went out and did the chores. the next morning bill was frying some bacon when he heard her stirring . she opened her door and came to the kitchen table and sat down her color was pale and her hair was disarrayed. bill looked over at her" better this morning?' " some. i feel like i been turned wrong side out.what caused that?" she asked " bad meat i think. what you want right now?" he asked. " water and more sleep" kate answered. bill put a tall glass of water in front of her. " go back to bed. ill be around if you need something. rest will be best. no more fresh meat, we will use jerky. when you feel like eating let me know, ill fix you something." kate drank the water then got up and wobbled back to her bedroom closeing the door behind her. bill ate his breakfast then cleaned the kitchen before he went out to do the chores he stepped to her door and cracked it to check on her. she ws rolled up in her blanket and snoring. her boots at the foot of her bed. shakeing his head he went out to do his chores.