For personal use and select distribution only © July 1998 by S.L. Snyder

THE RESCUE
by S. L. Snyder

Timeline: May 1873


Sully came walking down the street from the train station. He had just seen two senators off who he had taken into the forest to see where he and Welland Smith wanted to make a park. They enjoyed the trip and wanted to bring their families back in the summer. He had also sent a telegram to Welland to tell him of the success of the trip. Sully was feeling good about this job. He didn't have to really be gone much, no more most of the time than when he would go hunting for a few days.

As he reached the barbershop, Jake came walking out. "Sully, have ya got a minute I can talk to ya?" Jake asked.

"Sure."

"How 'bout we go to Grace's and have a cup of coffee, on me?" asked Jake.

Sully nodded and they headed toward Grace's. They sat down at a table and were served their coffee.

"I'd like to have my say to the end before you say anthin', Sully, if that's okay with you?"

"Sure."

"Teresa and I paid off the mortgage on her land. So now I want to build her a house. The night before Colleen's wedding, I spent the whole night drawing the house I want for her and she liked it. I ain't a builder and I want the best for her. I know you stopped working on Preston's house and that ya got a job working for that Washington feller now and then, but I was hoping you'd help build our house. I'd like to hire you and Matthew and Robert E. I wanna help too, but I need someone to tell me what to do. I know I can draw the outside well, but not how it really looks inside. Robert E did the schoolhouse and you did your place, so I figure between you two, our house could be real nice. What 'ya think?"

Sully looked at Jake and Jake could tell Sully was thinking about it. So Jake didn't say anything and let Sully mull it over. Finally, Sully said, "Well, Jake, that ain't a bad idea. I know Matthew can use the money and it wouldn't hurt me either. I don't know about Robert E. We can go talk with them. Since Robert E and me already have jobs, you oughta make Matthew the foreman, so to speak. We can draw the plans and then when we ain't available, you and Matthew would know what to do."

Jake smiled, "Thanks, Sully. Knowing the past, I was afraid you wouldn't wanta listen or take the job."

"I think Miss Teresa has made a big change in you. You ain't the Jake that's been around all these years. And ya did help get Cloud Dancin' back here. I'm willing to work with you until the old Jake shows up, which I hope he never does."

"Thanks. I hope he don't come back either. Teresa's the best thing that ever happened to me. I look at her and thank the Lord every day for bringing her my way."

"I know the feelin'," Sully said with a smile. "Hey, here comes Matthew. Matthew," Sully called out, "come here a minute."

Matthew came over and joined them. Sully told Matthew about Jake's request and Matthew agreed to help build the house. Then Jake asked Matthew to be the foreman, "And I'll do whatever you ask. I'll be there as much as I can be, but I still need to keep the barbershop open a little bit every day."

"Okay, Jake. Let's go talk to Robert E," said Matthew. They went to the livery and talked to Robert E. He agreed with the plan. Jake told them how many rooms and what he wanted and to let him know when the plan was done and what supplies to order. Jake went back to the shop, feeling so good about the house. He wished he could tell Teresa about it right away, but he knew he shouldn't go interrupt the school classes. He'd just have to wait until this evening.


Michaela was updating her patient records, when someone knocked at the door.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened. "Dr. Mike," Grace said, "have you got a minute for me?"

"Certainly, Grace," Michaela replied.

Grace came in and looked over to Katie in the play area Sully had set up for her. "Good morning, Katie. How's my darlin' goddaughter?" Katie smiled and cooed at Grace.

Michaela smiled, "Now Grace, what can I do for you?"

"I think I'm pregnant," replied Grace, "and I would like you to tell me for sure. At Colleen's wedding I told Robert E that I was, then I got to thinking that I could be wrong."

"Okay, Grace. Let's see." Michaela examined Grace.

After the examination, Grace looked at Michaela and knew the answer. "I'm right, aren't I, Dr. Mike?"

"Happily yes, Grace, you are definitely pregnant!" Michaela said, smiling with happiness. "It looks like the baby is due this summer."

"Oh, Dr. Mike! It's just so hard to believe. We tried so hard and then when Anthony came along, we stopped thinking about it."

"Which is probably why it happened. When people try so hard, the wife can get very stressed out and that makes it harder to conceive. So when you relaxed and stopped thinking about it, you were able to conceive."

"So in a way, we owe this to Anthony?"

"Yes. He definitely had a hand in helping you stop worrying about children."

Grace smiled with tears and said, "Even though he has gone to the Lord, he still keeps giving me happiness. Wait til I tell Robert E you have confirmed it."

There came a knock on the door and Michaela went to open it. Robert E stood in the doorway. "I was looking for Grace and one of her helpers said she had come to see you. Is she all right?" he asked.

"Yes. Come in, Robert E," Michaela replied.

Robert E came in and saw Grace sitting on the examination table. "Grace, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Robert E. After telling you that I was pregnant, I got scared and thought I might be wrong. I wanted Dr. Mike to tell me for sure and she has. Our baby is due in the summer!"

Robert E smiled with tears in his eyes, then looked to Michaela for confirmation.

"It's true, Robert E. Now, Grace, you're going to need to cut back on your hours standing at the café. I am well aware that you can over due it. Take it from me and my example, you need to take care of yourself for the sake of the baby."

"Don't worry, Dr. Mike, she will take it easy. Things will be changin' around here," said Robert E. He turned and looked over at Grace. "We'll have a little desk area at the café where you can sit and make out your menus and direct your help. If need be, we'll hire more help and rely more on the helpers you already have. In fact, we'll make it a little place where the diners can come and pay you for their meals before leaving the café. Yes, changes are in order."

Laughing, Grace said, "Let's not overdue it, Robert E!"

"Where you and our baby are concerned, there's no overdoing it," Robert E replied. "Now, let's go to the café and talk to your help. Thank you, Dr. Mike. Here's a dollar, that's right ain't it?"

"Yes, thank you. Grace, I want to check on you every two weeks until the 7th month and then every week."

Grace nodded and she and Robert E left the clinic arm in arm.

Michaela was so happy for one of her best friends. She knew it was probably the one thing that would help ease the pain over losing Anthony. Michaela looked at Katie and found her happily playing with her toys. The door opened and Sully and Matthew came in.

"We just saw Grace and Robert E and they told us about the baby," Sully said.

"Isn't it wonderful," replied Michaela.

They told her about helping Jake build his house. "That's so nice. They seem real happy and Teresa has worked out so well as the teacher."

"Papa!" said Katie. Sully turned and saw his daughter holding out her arms for him. He went over and picked Katie up.

"So, Miss Katherine, have you been a good girl today?" She giggled and snuggled against her pa's chest. "Would you like to have lunch with your ma and pa and big brother?"

Katie reached up and put her little arms around Sully's neck. "I guess that means yes," Sully said. They all laughed and went to lunch at Grace's.


After school, Brian helped Teresa clean up the school room. Then he walked with her towards the barbershop so he could explain to her about a project he was thinking of working on for science.


At the same time, six outlaws were holding up Preston at the bank. "Come on, banker, open up the safe or prepare ta meet yur maker!" said the leader as he cocked his gun and put it to Preston's head. Preston turned pale and quickly decided his life was worth more than the money. He turned the dials and swung open the safe. "That's more like it. Two of the outlaws cleaned the money out of the safe, then went out the door while the others backed out, with their guns still on Preston, his teller and two customers in the bank.

The outlaws turned to run to their horses and Teresa and Brian were just coming down the street when Preston ran out of the bank yelling, "I've been robbed! There they go!"

Daniel was in his office and came running out. The outlaw nearest Teresa saw the sheriff, grabbed Teresa and put a gun to her head. The next outlaw, the leader, grabbed Brian. "Back off, sherif', or the woman and the kid are gonna get it," he shouted at Daniel.

Jake came out of his shop when he heard the commotion and saw Teresa in trouble. "Teresa!" he yelled. Another outlaw pointed his gun at Jake and shot him. Teresa screamed as she saw her husband fall to the ground and she saw the blood.

Daniel put his gun down, "All right now, let's all calm down."

"That's right, keep 'em back or there'll be trouble. Now we're gonna ride out of here with these two. Anyone tries to stop us and they're dead," the leader said.

Just then Matthew and Sully came around the corner, after hearing the gunshot. Matthew started toward Brian, but Sully stopped him.

"That's right, boy," the leader said to Matthew, "we don't want no dead heroes here!"

"Let the woman and the boy go and I'll let you ride out of town," Daniel said.

"We ain't dumb, sherif", you might not shoot, but someone would if we didn't have hostages. Now BACK OFF!"

Sully, Daniel and the rest knew these guys meant business, so they backed off and watched them ride out of town.

"Matthew, get Dr. Mike for Jake," Sully shouted as he ran toward Jake.

Matthew ran to the clinic and found Michaela in a corner with Katie. "Dr. Mike, are you both okay?"

"Yes, what happened?"

"Outlaws robbed the bank, shot Jake, and ma, they took Miss Teresa and Brian!"

"Brian!?"

"Yeh, but we'll find him, ma, I promise. But right now Jake needs you. I didn't even stop to see how bad he'd been shot. Sully's with him. Here, give me Katie."

Michaela grabbed her bag and headed for the door. Just as she got there, the door opened and Sully and Daniel were helping Jake in. "He got shot in the leg, Michaela," Daniel said.

They put Jake on the table and Michaela checked him out. The bullet had ricocheted off the femur, breaking it and then exiting the leg. She set his leg and stitched the wounds.. "It missed anything important, Jake. Your leg should heal fine, but you need to stay off it and have bed rest for a few days."

Jake looked at her with tears in his eyes, "But they got Teresa! And Brian!"

"I know. Matthew told me," Michaela replied, looking over at Sully with tears in her eyes.

"I promise, Michaela, we'll get them both back," Sully said, putting his arms around his wife. "Jake, don't worry, we'll go after them right now."

"I'm going too," said Jake.

"Jake, no. If you ride, your wound may bleed again, it could ever cost you your life. Teresa wouldn't want that," said Michaela.

"But, Dr. Mike! Teresa's my life."

Just then Hank burst in. "I heard what happened! I'm ready to go, sheriff. Jake, you okay?"

"Yeh, but they got Teresa!"

"Michaela, I want you and Katie to stay here at the clinic until we get back," Sully said.

"Okay, Sully. Just please get our son back," said Michaela as she turned into Sully's arms.

"I will, darlin', I promise."

As they were leaving the clinic, Dorothy and Cloud Dancing came up. "I heard. I will ride with you to find Brian and Mrs. Slicker," Cloud Dancing said, as Dorothy went in to help Michaela.


The outlaws decided to split up when they reached a fork in the road, after they split up the cash. Three of them took Brian and the left fork, the other three took Teresa and the right fork. A few miles further, the outlaws decided to leave Brian behind as they could make better time without him. They put Brian on the ground without harming him and took off. Brian turned and started going back toward where he last saw Teresa. When he got to the fork, he looked down the road toward town, then decided to follow after Teresa.


The posse reached the fork and saw that the outlaws had split up. Sully, Matthew and Cloud Dancing took the right fork, while Daniel, Hank and Robert E took the left fork.

It was getting dark and Sully was getting worried about Brian and Teresa as it had been 4 hours since the holdup. Wolf was just out ahead of them, when he started whimpering. "Hold up," Sully whispered, "Wolf's on to somethin'"

The men stopped and started to get off their hoses.

"Pa," a whisper came, "is that you?"

"Brian!" Sully said, jumping down and grabbing Brian. Wolf was jumping all over Brian. Matthew reached him and hugged his little brother tight. "Are you alright?"

"Yeh. The other guys just let me go awhile ago. So I headed this way, where the others went with Miss Teresa. I was sure hopin' you'd find us. But I want to go with you to get Miss Teresa, okay pa? And is Jake okay?"

Sully nodded, "Jake's fine, just a broken leg and a bullet wound. And you must promise to stay back."

"I promise."

"Here, Brian," said Matthew, "come ride with me."

Brian got up behind Matthew and they headed off on the trail toward Teresa and the outlaws.

A few miles later, they could smell wood smoke. They stopped, got off the horses, and crept toward the fire they saw. When they got close, they saw Teresa sitting against a rock, with her hands tied behind her. The three outlaws were sitting by the fire, playing cards.

"The winner gets the woman first," said the leader.

"Sounds good," said the other two, laughing.

Sully signaled Brian to stay with Wolf. They knew they had to be careful so the outlaws, who had their guns laying at their sides, wouldn't shoot Teresa before they could rescue her. Using hand signals, it was decided that Cloud Dancing would go around and try and get Teresa. Sully and Matthew would get closer to the outlaws and try to capture them once they knew Teresa was safe.

Teresa was terrified. She was more worried about Jake than herself. There was so much blood and she couldn't see where he was shot. Please Lord, she thought, let him be okay. She knew she might get hurt, but if Jake was dead, she didn't want to live. She couldn't stand the pain of losing another husband, a man she had come to love so much.

She heard a noise behind her. Her first thought was a dangerous animal, then she realized the outlaws were also dangerous animals! Then she heard a whisper, "Don't move. I'm going to cut the ropes around your wrists."

A few seconds later, Teresa felt the cold blade of a knife slip between her wrists and then the ropes fell off. She concentrated on keeping her hands together, like they were still tied, praying that her savior was not one of the other outlaws. Then the voice said, "Slowly start sliding toward my voice. As soon as you are in the clear and I can help you, I will pull you back."

Teresa gave a slight nod of her head and very slowly, she started moving toward the voice. When she got far enough to know she was past the rock, two hands grabbed her arms and pulled her into the darkness. She looked up in the moonlight and saw the Indian, the one who was friends with Dr. Mike and her husband. Teresa felt relieved. Then the Indian put his hands to his mouth and made a sound like a bird. A few seconds later, she heard another bird.

Cloud Dancing stood up and lifted Teresa to her feet. He put his finger to his lips and led her toward the horses, Brian and Wolf. When Brian saw Teresa, he ran forward and hugged her. "Miss Teresa," he whispered, "are you okay?"

"Yes Brian, Gracias." She smiled up at Cloud Dancing and said "Gracias."

"Miss Teresa, pa said Jake was only wounded, in the leg. He's okay!" Brian whispered.

"Gracias," Teresa whispered, with a choke in her throat and tears in her eyes. God had answered her prayers.


Once they heard and answered Cloud Dancing's call, Sully and Matthew stepped into the firelight. Matthew with his gun drawn and Sully with his tomahawk and knife in his hands. "Don't move," said Matthew. The leader went for his gun, but Sully's tomahawk got there first. The outlaws then realized they didn't have a chance and raised their hands. Sully and Matthew tied them up and led them and their horses to where Cloud Dancing was waiting with Teresa, Brian and Wolf.

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Slicker," said Sully.

Teresa smiled and was barely able to choke out another "Gracias." Sully could tell they needed to get her back to town soon. She was starting to tremble. Sully had brought a blanket along with him and he took it off his horse and put it around Teresa's shoulders. She nodded her thanks.

Matthew brought up the outlaw's horses. He made two of the outlaws get up on one horse, one outlaw on the second horse and helped Teresa up on the third. Brian got up behind Sully and they all started off toward town. A few minutes later they heard a horse coming up the trail. They rode into the bushes to wait and see who it was. Daniel came around the corner, Sully called to him and they rode out of the bushes.

"Sully, are you all alright?" asked Daniel.

"Yes. We have Brian and Mrs. Slicker, plus the outlaws. Did you get the others?"

"Yes. We found them camped out up the road and we got them with no trouble. They said these others took the woman and they had let the boy go. I rode on ahead to find you. Robert E and Hank are bringing the others back and will wait for us at the fork."

"Good. We need to get Mrs. Slicker back to town as soon as we can," said Sully. "So let's go."

They headed toward the fork and found the others waiting for them. The group headed back to town and arrived around midnight. Daniel, Matthew, Hank and Robert E took the six outlaws to jail, while the rest headed for the clinic.

Michaela and Dorothy had heard the horses and came running out. Sully let Brian down and he ran into Michaela's arms. She hugged her son tightly and asked, "Are you okay, Brian?"

"Yeh, ma. They didn't hurt me. Miss Teresa's a little shook up. Can you help her?"

"Of course!" Michaela replied as Sully brought Teresa up to the clinic. Michaela let go of Brian, and she and Dorothy put their arms around Teresa and took her into the clinic. "Sully, please go up and let Jake know....he's in a recovery room. Tell him I'll be up soon," she said as Dorothy closed the clinic door.

Sully went up to tell Jake, while Brian and Cloud Dancing sat down to wait. A few minutes later, Dorothy came out carrying a sleeping Katie, "Teresa's fine. Just a little scratched, cold and scared about Jake. Michaela's taking her up to Jake now."


Sully was sitting with Jake, telling him about the rescue, when the door opened and Michaela brought Teresa into the room. With a glad cry, Teresa ran to the bed and into Jake's open arms.

Sully put his arm around Michaela and they left the room. As she was closing the door, Michaela said to Sully, "I told Teresa she and Jake should stay here tonight. If they want to go home tomorrow, Jake will need help. But I also told her they could stay here as long as they needed to." As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Michaela told Sully, "You reached her in time. The men never touched her."

Sully smiled and pulled Michaela to him for a kiss. "Let's get our children and go home now," he said.


The End

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