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But when one of the men slashed his leg with an ax, everyone crowded around him to help, two men helped him inside. Blood was everywhere, and the man's face has gone very pale.
Margaret did what she could, but she wasn't sure it was enough.
Snow Bird saw the concern on the Rose's face and went up to her. "I have a medicine that might work, if you will let me doctor him."
"What is it?" Rose looked at her seriously now.
"An old Indian remedy for cuts. It heals the skin better, with no infection."
"Will you help him then?" Rose asked, her voice lowering with worry.
"If you like."
Rose nodded. "He is a good man."
Everyone gathered around Snow Bird as she brought the medicine she mixed up like a paste and plastered his leg with it. Then she wrapped it.
"You must leave this on, it will itch, that means it is healing. In seven days, you may wash it off him." She told Rose.
Rose nodded.
Days passed, and the man said it was itching him badly. "You must not remove the wrap yet. Wait until the seventh day." She told Rose.
Matt looked at Snow Bird. "Will it work?"
"If he does not remove it, yes." Snow Bird nodded. "If he removes it, he will get a poison in the leg and it will need to come off."
"I sure hope they listen." Matt shook his head.
"Indians can heal a lot of things that whites can't." Ferg nodded.
"I guess you are right."
On the seventh day, Snow Bird looked at Rose. "Now you can remove it."
Rose took the bandage off and the leg was healing and there was no sign of blood poisoning.
Rose stared for a long time, then looked and Snow Bird and smiled. "It's healing! It really is healing. How did you know…?"
Snow Bird smiled. "Our people have used it for years. As long as it is left alone for seven days, it will heal, if not, it won't. Don't bandage it now, let the air finish healing it. He will walk again in a few days."
As she was about to leave Rose caught her by the arm, "I want to thank you…" she said with a smile.
"You are welcome. I am glad he has healed." Snow Bird grinned.
Margaret nodded. "Looks like you made a friend now, with Rose."
Snow Bird nodded. "I think so."
As they sat down for supper that night Ferg looked quite thoughtful.
"You know, this place could use a smokehouse." Ferg commented one day. Some of the other men heard him and gathered about him to discuss it.
"Perhaps you could build one, come spring?" Snow Bird offered.
"That's a thought, yeah. Maybe before we leave, we could build it and so next year we'd have one. That's a good idea."
Still there were ample dried beans that the women could cook and cornbread they could make. When the cornmeal ran out, Snow Bird showed the other ladies how to make a flat bread. The men appreciated it. Rose didn't know how to make it, so she watched her and copied her. It was a good thing that she and Rose had finally become friends. Now the women could talk to each other. The Mexican woman did not join them though and kept completely to herself.
