Free Belle of Batoche by Jacqueline Guest

securely behind her. With the soldiers so close, she wasn’t taking any chances.
    â€œBelle! Thank heavens!” Her mother was still sitting in the same place. Her face looked very white in the pale light cast by the old lantern.
    â€œI had no trouble,” Belle said, not bothering to mention the patrol. She unloaded her supplies and lit the second lantern. “This will give us more light and,” she grinned at Sarah, “take the chill off our oversized gopher hole.”
    Belle walked over to her mother with the bandages and salve. “I hope this will ease the pain.” She held the medicine out to her mother, then realized that wouldn’t work. Her mother’s hands were too damaged. “Tell me what to do, Mama.”
    Her mother smiled at her. “Oui, ma petite fille, we begin …” Her mother told her what to do, and Belle set to work cleaning hermother’s burns and applying the soothing salve. She was careful to keep the bandages loose so that she could remove them easily. She knew from the way the burns were still weeping that the bandages would need changing by morning.
    â€œThat is perfect, Belle. You did a fine job.” Her mother looked tired as Belle returned the medicine and bandages to the pouch.
    â€œDoes it hurt much?” she asked, looking at the bandages.
    â€œIt is much better now. Merci, cherie.” Her mother closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. Belle went over to where Sarah sat next to her brother. “How’s he doing?” she asked, feeling the little boy’s forehead.
    â€œHe’s the same.” Sarah looked at Belle with fear in her eyes. “Is he going to die?” she asked.
    Belle heard the quaver in her voice. “Of course not!” she said firmly. “We’re going to nurse him back to health.” She poured cool water into an old bowl, soaked a cloth in it and handed Sarah the cloth. “Put this on his forehead and talk to him. When ourhorses are sick, my Papa speaks to them and tells them everything is going to be alright, and you know what?”
    Sarah shook her head.
    â€œEverything usually is! I think horses and little brothers like being fussed over and talked to.”
    She left Sarah cooing to her brother and went to the old carpetbag. Pulling the food and blankets out, Belle gave some of each to Sarah and tucked two extra blankets around Samuel. After this, she busied herself feeding her mother bits of bannock and meat and offering sips of water.
    When she finally turned the lantern out, she was very very tired.

14
Living in a Gopher Hole
    As near as Belle could tell, it was just after noon on their second day in the root cellar. She had changed the dressing on her mother’s hands, and though they still looked terrible, her mother didn’t think the infection was getting worse.
    As the afternoon worn on, the noise of the guns became constant and the strain was very hard to take. Samuel had fallen into a feverish sleep, tossing and turning fitfully as his breathing became raspy.
    Sarah hovered over her brother, jumping up and down, replacing the cloth on his forehead and peering at his pale, still face.
    Belle could understand her concern. If that had been her brother Patrice, she wouldhave been worried too. Thinking of Patrice made the knot in her stomach tighten. Please let Patrice and Papa be all right, she prayed. She gave her body a shake. When she spoke, her voice was soft. “Let him rest, Sarah. Your fussing is wearing me out.”
    Sarah’s chin wobbled. “This is all my fault,” she said.
    Belle was confused. “Why? You didn’t set your house on fire.”
    Sarah shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. After mother and father left, Samuel began complaining that he felt sickly. I thought he was just being a baby and I teased him.” She wiped at her face. “But he’s always getting sick. Mother says it’s