Having found her coffee quickly enough Harriet sipped it while meandering over to her medicine counters. In one of the drawers she opened there was a stack of tidy papers. Pulling one sheaf out and spreading it on the counter top she glanced through the window to see what was happening. 

The posse was still being form, it was surprising to the nurse that it was taking this long. Normally people around here were eager to go off and chase Indians. Her warm eyes drifted to Mr. Ross who was seemingly conversing with his horse, then to a man hustling to the sheriff.  Pressing her lips together in a small frown Harriet moved her coffee cup from her left to her right hand and fished a pencil out of her apron pocket. 

She put the pencil tip down as if to write, then thinking better of it shook her head. Putting the paper away and stowing the pencil back in the apron pocket Harriet had another sip of her coffee as she carefully opened the door into the small room they had deposited the boy into. He was still out. Counting the rise and fall of his breaths the nurse was satisfied with his status and closed the door. 

Another look out the window would tell her that Mr. Ross was returning, but he stopped just outside the door, apparently taking up his station there. Very well…

Harriet turned so her backside was to the door and pulled a small ledger out of another drawer. Setting her cup down the nurse gripped her pencil in her left hand and found a clean empty page in the ledger.  Jotting down the date in a tidy quick hand she then began to write.

[i]Young boy, approximately 8-12 years of age.  Appeared in town, Indian attack. Fainted. No obvious injuries. Dehydration, sun exposure and exhaustion . Treated skin and put to rest. Will hydrate when awake next.[/i]

A new page was found and Harriet added the date once more.

[i]Mr. Benjamin Ross. Approximate age28-34 years.  Previous injury acquired in the line of duty. Severe break of the Fibula and Tibia? Reconstruction done in  military hospital. Amputation suggested but patient denied.[/i]

Her dark eyes drifted over her shoulder to Mr. Ross who was still standing guard with his rifle. 

[i]Patient denied. Medial Condyle affected. Intense muscular tension and damage. Administered 3-6 minutes of deep tissue massage. Patient reported some relief.  Stronger pain relief suggested, patient seemed uninterested. [/i] 

Harriet smiled at this and closed the ledger, stowing it back in the drawer it lived in and her pencil back in her apron pocket.  Plucking up her empty coffee cup she moved past the front door where Mr. Ross was lingering to take the cup back into the kitchen suits. 

Upon her return she paused by the door to look out at the group finally gathering. “Took them a while didn’t it?” She commented conversationally. Warm eyes moved to Mr. Ross’ rifle and then to his horse who stood ready. 

“You know… We finished with the boy so quickly… I had asked for your assistance thinking the posse would have already ridden out by now…” But obviously they hadn’t. “I see no reason why you ought to stay here Mr. Ross.” Other than that Mr. Cothran had told him to stay, but surely that had mostly been to aid Harriet? The likeliness of another attack, within in the town proper, was low.  She didn’t need a guard. 

Her brows rose questioningly. Did he want to go?