Read Online Belle of Batoche by Jacqueline Guest - Free Book Online Page A

there. “I must go for the doctor!” she whispered, but they both knew that was not possible.
    Sarah got up and moved closer to the light so that she could see Madame Tourond’s hands. “This is terrible,” she moaned. “Who will take care of us if your hands are all burnt?” She began crying again. “I want my mama and papa. They will know what to do.”
    Belle took a deep breath. She looked from Sarah’s red, tear-stained face, to little Samuel on the floor and then to her mother. She could see her mother biting back the pain.
    She remembered her mother’s words: One day, you will have no choice, Belle. People will be counting on you. She straightened up, feeling strangely older and somehow, stronger.
    â€œSarah, stop that crying or I will throw you out for the soldiers to use for target practice!” Shocked, Sarah abruptly shut up. Belle’s voice softened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. We have to work together now. You and I are going to take care of my mama and Samuel.” She thought Sarah was going to protest, but all she did was nod her head.
    Belle checked on Samuel. His breathing was strained. “Samuel!” she called, shaking him. “Samuel, wake up!” But the small boy didn’t respond. “Sarah, come and watch over your brother. If he wakes, call me.”
    Still sniffing, Sarah sat beside her brother.
    Belle moved around the cellar using the lantern to check into dark corners for any other treasures that may have been overlooked. There wasn’t much left in the old cellar, but she did find a tattered blanket to put over Samuel.
    â€œMama, you have to have medicine for your hands, and we’ll need supplies if we’re going to stay here.” She couldn’t believe that she was saying these things to her mother.
    Her mother smiled reassuringly at her, but the corners of her mouth were pinched. “I know, Belle. But we cannot go out into the fighting. It’s too dangerous. You could be injured or …” Her voice trailed off.
    Belle knew her mother was thinking about Papa and Patrice. She was worried too, but she couldn’t let that stop her. She thought for a moment. There was only one way. “Later tonight, when it is dark, I’m going back to our house and gather what we need. It’s not far, and I’ll be very careful.”
    She and her mother looked at each other. They both knew if they were to stay hiding here, they would have to have food and water.
    â€œAre you sure you can do it?” her mother asked.
    Belle smiled confidently. “Of course I can! I know every inch of prairie around here and,thanks to always being late getting home, I also know every shortcut to our house.”
    As the afternoon wore on, Belle sat on the cold ground, waiting for nightfall. Her mother was resting, but her hands were now oozing a foul fluid.
    Sarah, who had been pacing the dirt floor, became more anxious as the hours dragged by. “We can’t possibly stay here. It’s not safe. There’s no food, and Samuel needs a doctor.” She seemed to be talking to herself, and then she looked over at Belle. “How are we going to live in this oversized gopher hole? We should have waited for my parents.”
    Belle looked up at Sarah. “And where would you have waited? The last time I looked there wasn’t much left of your house.”
    Sarah opened her mouth to say something more, but instead, she went to check on her brother. After a while, she straightened up and stomped back over to Belle. “My parents went to Duck Lake on business very early this morning beforeall this, this …” She waved her arm in the direction of the cellar door. “This craziness began. They weren’t coming back until tomorrow, but what if they heard about the fighting and tried to return for us? They could be caught in the gunfire!”
    Belle heard the panic in Sarah’s