The Firecracker Gets Her Man Read Online Free

Papa!” She darted around him and was opening the door before he could stop her!
    “Miss Rachel, hello! Is Doc here? I got me a bad wounded man in my wagon!”
    “Let’s get him inside Papa’s examination room,” she said, taking charge. She ran outside to the wagon, and jumped up inside the wagon bed to examine the man. “Who did this?” she asked.
    “I don’t know, Miss Rachel. I done found this guy lyin’ in the road as I was drivin’ into town. I knowed I couldn’t do anythin’ for him, so I brung him to Doc.”
    “You did the right thing, Maynard. Help me get him inside. We don’t want to be rough with him, or the bullet could move. Lance, please go and wake Papa.”
    “You go and wake your father, and I will help carry this man inside. He is too heavy for you to carry with any safety, and what would happen if you dropped him? Now, don’t fuss at me. Go get your father,” he bossed in a firm tone.
    By the time Lance and Maynard carried the man inside, Caleb was downstairs and in his office, alert and wide-awake. “Sure glad you’re here, Doc.”
    “Thanks for bringing him in, Maynard. We’ll do our best for him.”
    “I knowed that, Doc. I’ll go and tell the sheriff what happened, and I reckon he’ll come by to talk to him – if he wakes up.”
    “Tell him it will be some time before he can talk. I need to dig out the bullet and he will sleep after.”
    “Sure will tell him, Doc.” Maynard ran out of the house and climbed up on the seat of his wagon.
    “Lance, there is nothing more you can do in here,” Caleb stated. “Please wait in the parlor if you wish to stay.”
    “I need to know who this man is, who shot him and why. I don’t believe it is a coincidence that he has been shot at this time when we know that Jared Cane is in the area.”
    “As soon as we know what happened to him we will tell you, son. Now please go and help yourself to some coffee and let me try to save this man’s life.”
    Lance got his coffee and went outside to have a seat on the porch.
    It was just a short time later that the sheriff came walking up on the porch. “I saw you down watching the stage this afternoon. What are you doing here now?” the man demanded, frowning and trying to intimidate Lance.
    “I saw you at the stage too, and you were being rude to Miss Waterford. What did she do to earn that, Sheriff?” Lance purposely baited the man.
    “That ain’t none of your concern, mister. You can start by tellin’ me your name and who that shot up man is to you?”
    “My name is Lance Underwood, and I don’t know the man. I was hoping you could tell me who would do something like this?”
    “Now, how would I know that? I ain’t talked to the guy yet.” He started to head for the doctor’s office, and Lance moved to stop him.
    “The doctor doesn’t want anyone in there. He asked me to tell you to have a seat in the parlor and wait. The man won’t wake up for a while after surgery.”
    “Just who the hell do you think you are, mister? You been in this town one damn day and you’re tellin’ me what I can and can’t do?” The sheriff was furious.
    “I’m only doing what Doc said to do. If you have a problem with that, then too bad. The doctor doesn’t want to be interrupted while he is holding a man’s life in his hands.”
    “Why are you in town?”
    “I’m here to visit with Miss Waterford. She is a good friend of mine. She saved my sister’s life when things went wrong with having her baby.”
    “You’d do better to look elsewhere. That one ain’t no good.”
    “Oh?” Lance felt his temper soar. “Would you clear that up, Sheriff? I guess I ought to warn you that I’m not going to like it if you slander the lady.”
    “Slander? I don’t know what that means,” the sheriff sputtered angrily. “All I know is that one ran off with a man after her Pa done told her not to. She ain’t no good for marryin’ up with.”
    “And now you have slandered Miss Waterford. You