Chapter 21

"Scuse me," Bet said as she lightly tapped on the door of James' office. "Yes'm," I said with a smile as I swung my chair around to look at her. When I saw the look of shock on her face, I stood up and asked her what was wrong. "A little barefoot boy come to the backdoor askin' after you. I asked him what business he had and he said that Miz Maisy has done sent for you. Said to tell you they done had an outbreak of fever up on Mountain Top and she needed some help." "Where is he?" I asked. "He done mounted up on his horse and rode back that way. He asked for a drink of water and when he finished, just mounted up and rode off, fast as that horse could go." I reached for my bag and started packing items I thought I might need. "Please grab my coat and hat for me and have Thomas saddle my horse. I need to speak to Gabby and then I will be leaving." Bet went to the hall closet and got his traveling coat and riding hat and carried it out to the kitchen to let Thomas know what was going on.

Gabby was upstairs reading to the children, well reading to Ivy, the baby James or Jimmy as they called him was rolling around on a blanket on the floor. I paused for a moment to take in the sight before I entered the room. It had taken longer than Gabby wanted for her to conceive again, but finally the miracle happened and they all were pleased. His wife had a wonderful pregnancy with their son and an easy delivery. The baby was healthy and growing in leaps and bounds. Gabby already had her slim figure back and it had only been 6 months since the birth. Ivy was laying on her stomach across the bed staring intently at her mother as she read out loud to her. They all looked at up as I stepped in to the room. I reached down to pick up Jimmy and stepped across to sit on the bed next to Ivy. "Can he read yet?" I asked Ivy. She rolled her eyes at me, as only a precocious 4 year old could do and said, "He can't even talk yet, daddy, how can he read?' she asked in return. She reached up to pat her baby brother's hand as I turned to Gabby. "I have to ride out to Mountain Top," I said to her. "It seems there is some trouble and Maisy has sent for me." Gabby looked concern, " If she sent someone for you it must be bad?" she said, "Do you have any idea what it might be?" "The boy she sent said something about a fever and then headed back out, that's all I know," I replied. "How long do you think you will be gone?" she asked. "Hopefully I will be back by dark, I figure it's some minor problem and a few shots will get everyone back on an even keel," I said hopefully.

As I always did, when I reached the rise, I turned to look back at this family in the front yard playing. Ivy was still waving bye to me and Gabby was busy taking something out of Jimmy's mouth. I felt good as I turned to ride off towards Mountain Top, proud of my family and the way things were going. I tried to think of what would have possibly buffaloed Maisy into sending someone for me, that wasn't like her at all, I thought as I kicked my horse into a gallop.