October 11, 1900

Pearce.

I walked down the street today and grinned when I saw all the horses. I realized the soldiers were doing their payroll run. 

“Morning sweetie!” Miss Angeles waved at me and I waved back. 

“Thanks for being here Nat,” Miss Bree smiled. 

“I wanna work Miss Bree,” I told her. “Figure I go where people go.” 

Miss Angel waved at me too and then Mr. Finesmith walked out of the bank towards me. “I didn’t see you in class this morning young lady!” he looked firmly at me. 

“Um…” I looked down. “I was workin’.” 

“Poppycock. We’ll be preparing for the Celebrations at the end of the month,” he said. “It will be fun.” 

“I been real behind, Mr. Finesmith,” I backed up a bit. 

“Every time they ask for homework I dun have it done cause I wasn’t there last time. So then I feel bad.” 

“I will see you at my Etiquette class, yes? I will yes?” he looked at me. 

“Diamond will celebrate on the 24th,” Miss Bree nodded. 

“It’s tonight Paden?” Miss Angeles asked. 

“Um…” I shifted from one foot to another. 

“Oh wonderful Miss Breezes,” Mr. Finesmith smiled at her and then looked at me. “Not um…” 

“Well see… We been real scared to go into town lately since uh… Since Mr. James and Miss Lisa chased us all around town,” I started. 

“What did I teach you?” he asked me. “Hmm?” 

“No excuses, Nat. Behind means work harder,” Miss Bree told me. 

“And said they was gonna eat us,” I went on. “We had to hide.” 

“You will be at my etiquette class. And you answer?” Mr. Finesmith asked. 

“But…” I looked down. 

“No buts," he shook his head. 

“Adults aren’t etqiuettey all the time. Maybe they should go to your class,” I insisted. 

“You will be at my ettiquette class.. and you say?” Mr. Finesmith asked. 

“Mr. Finesmith... Sir…” I looked at him. “Jimmy and I we’re… We’re tryin’ to figure out how to get them backs. Without bein too... violent.” 

“This is simple- it is the first thing I teach each class,” Mr. Finesmith said. 

“And if they see us goin’ to school they’ll…” 

“You will be at my ettiquette class, and you say….” Mr. Finesmith leaned in. 

“He not listening, Miss Bree,” I sighed. 

“I would like to volunteer my office for the class on housecleaning!” Mr. Tully shouted. 

I watched as Mr. Finesmith walked away and frowned, looking at Miss Bree as the soldiers rode off. “See? He talk bout etiquette but he don’t listen to anythin I say. So why bother goin to his silly class? He don’t care.” 

“Yeah I know the feeling Nat.” 

“No one cares how adults treat us kids. We just try to behave and… It ain’t fair!!!!” 

“I sure do you come to me if need,” she said. 

“SS Cootie gonna take care of it,” I sighed. “No one else will.” 

Miss Bree headed off and I headed back to Tombstone.  

Tombstone. 

I went to the clinic to get some work done and saw Miss Nim and Mr. Free inside. Mr. Free was holding onto his leg and Mr. Spin was helping Mr. Seth into the clinic. “Hello Miss Natalie,” Miss Nim greeted me. 

“Hi you two. Can I make some tea?” I asked. 

“With a little honey in it, yea, think that would be all the sweet I will get this morning,” Miss Nim nodded. 

“Coffee here please,” Mr. Free grinned. 

“Seth there is bed,” Mr. Spin said and Mr. Seth went over to the bed, holding onto his shoulder. Miss Nim looked around and sighed. 

“Okay I make some tea,” I went to wash my hands. I went to boil some water on the stove as Miss Starling helped Mr. Wedge on the cot and washed her hands too. “What kind of tea you guys want?” I asked. 

Miss Suzy helped Miss Angel on a bed and I looked over. “Hi Mrs Starling. I making tea.” 

“Vat shall ve do vith the box miz?” Miss Angel asked. 

“Arrest them for shooting soldiers and drawing in town,” Miss Suzy said. 

Mrs. Starling got her knife and some willow bark and gave the willow bark to Mr. Wedge to chew. 

“I planned on it.. but the payroll box mis..” Miss Angel said. “Vould you like to take it to the fort?” 

Mrs. Starling checked the wound to see if the bullet was still inside while I made some willow tea for them both and brought the cups over on the tray. 

“Who’s next?” Doc Freja asked.

I made some tea for Mr. Seth, not having seen him till now as Doc Freja asked Mr. Free for his name. “Ok everyone has tea,” I announced. 

“Thank you Natalie! Hello Free....let me get a look at this leg of yours,” Doc Freja said and started to get to work as Mrs. Starling worked on another patient. 

I stayed quiet as they all talked and the doctors worked on their patients. I waited until someone told me to do something and watched everything carefully. 

“Natalie....can you get me some gauze to help tie up his bandage?” Doc Freja asked me. 

“Uh huh!” 

“Thanks!” she said and I went to the cabinet and reached for some gauze, handing it to Doc Freja. She thanked me for it and continued to work on Mr. Free’s leg. 

I saw Mr. Wedge come into the clinic then and put some pillows out for him, telling him, “Lay down, Mr. Wedge.” 

Mr. Wedge tried to shake his head and looked around, asking if everyone was alright. I looked at him and told him to sit down on the bed. He was more concerned that his people were doing okay. 

“So how is my Captain young lady?” Mr. Wedge asked me. 

I looked over and then looked back to him. “Angeles been quiet. I dunno if she okay.” 

“You going to be avlright vedgie?” Miss Angel asked him. 

“Yeah....nasty head ache tho,” he nodded. 

“I not heard her say a thing.” 

“Vell the payroll box iz safe,” Miss Angel nodded. 

“She’s shot, isn’t she?” Mr. Wedge asked. 

I walked over and asked, “Miss Angeles??” 

“Spin...can you get my Captain to a bed?” Mr. Wedge asked. 

“Sure can,” he nodded and helped Miss Angeles over to the bed. 

“Deputy...let me go get my horse....we need to secure the box,” Mr. Wedge said and Miss Angel nodded as Miss Angeles breathed shallowly. 

“Spin, can you take over vatching thease two?” Miss Angel asked him. 

I looked around with worry as things started to get scary and I wondered if Miss Angeles would be okay. I walked over to Miss Starling and looked for something to do, since everyone was ignoring me. 

“Hey, you got and picks?” Mr. Free asked me. 

“Natalie could you get a cup of tea for the Major here please?” Mrs. Starling asked me. 

“Miss Starling I already did,” I told her. “It’s on the tray. I made her some willow tea.” 

“Oh, okay sorry I missed it,” she nodded. 

I looked around then and when Mr. Free looked at Miss Nim, he said, “Seems one is dead…” 

I went to make some willow tea for Mr. Seth and put it beside his bed. “There you go Mr Seth. That’ll help you feel betters.” He grasped the cup and started drinking it slowly. 

“Thanks for your help, Natalie!” Doc Freja smiled at me. 

“You’re welcome, Doc Freja. Is what I here for,” I said. 

“Thank you little nurse,” Mr. Seth smiled at me. “Can see her growing up to be a good doctor.”

I beamed at that and Ms. Starling said, “Yes Seth, she is a good little helper.” 

I went to clean up the other beds and put the dirty sheets in the basket. I replaced the old dirty sheets with new clean ones and then told Mr. Seth, “Be careful Mr. Seth. Don’t get hurted again.” 

“Tell that to those that surprised me,” Mr. Seth said as he got up on his feet. 

“Yes sir Mr. Seth,” I nodded. “At least they gots arrested.” I looked around, seeing that the lawmen had brought the bad people to jail already. 

“Don’t go overdoing that wound mind,” Mrs. Starling told him and then looked at me. “Natalie have you cleaned all the equipment that was used?” 

I went to replace the sheets on Mr. Seth’s bed and put the new ones on the bed in its place. “I will, Doc Starling. Just finished changing the beds.” 

I gathered up all the equipment and put it on a tray. I went to boil another kettle of water and then poured the boiling water into a pot. I took the heavy pot to the counter and started dipping the tools into the hot water to sterilize them. I set the clean tools on a towel to dry when they were clean. I stepped back and looked at Doc Starling. “All done! Now what?” 

“You could sweep the floor,” she suggested. 

I nodded and went to get the broom, sweeping the floor to make sure to get around the beds and in the corners. I swept the dirt and stuff out the door and said, “Ok now I write about the patients again.” 

“Can you remember how many there was?” 

“Um… Miss Angeles, but she was killed… No one got to her in time.” 

“We were all busy in here,” she said. 

“Then um Miss Nim… Where was she shot in?” 

“Her leg.” 

“And who looked at her? That was you right? Or Doc Freja?” 

“That was Doc Freja.” 

“Then Mr. Seth. Where he shot?” 

“He was shot in the stomach and his shoulder.” 

“That was you right? Who healeded him?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then um… Wedge? Or Spin?” 

“There was Mr Wedge.” 

“Or both? Where he shot?” 

“Just Mr Wedge. He was shot in his right arm at the top. Just before his shoulder.” 

“Who looked at him?” 

“I looked after him also.” 

“Okay. That all right?” I asked and put the notes in Doc Freja’s mailbox on the desk cause she was in charge. 

“Was Deputy Angel hit?” 

“Um… I don’t think so she was movin round lots.” 

“I think Doc Freja helped her.” 

“Did she?”

“I think it was just a scratch.”

“Yeah I no think she got healed or anythin’ cause she was all over tha place.” 

“That Angel,” Doc Starling smiled. 

“Oh and Mr Free!” 

“Well that would be Doc Freja who helped him.” 

“He shot in leg I think.” 

“Yes, so do I.” 

“Ok there, now we done!” 

“Yep, all done and dusted for now,” Miss Starling smiled. 

“Now we go play?” I grinned and she nodded so I ran outside to have some fun.