The Heart Remembers (17 page)

Anderson smiled. “Doc, I’m really glad to know this. I’ll go out there right now and tell that upset crowd about it.”

The doctor looked at the mayor and said, “I’ll be through here in about five minutes. I’d like to go out there and face the people with you.”

Anderson grinned. “Sure. I’ll wait.”

It took just over five minutes for Dr. Dane to finish putting the bandage on Latawga’s wound after lancing and draining it. He gave his patient a sedative, and told him to relax and let it work.

Then with Mayor Anderson at his side, Dane stepped out of the curtained section and approached the Indians, who immediately rose to their feet.

“Chief Tando,” said the doctor, “I’m sure you could hear what my wife told me, and what Mayor Anderson and I have discussed.”

Tando nodded.

“I would like for you to come outside with us and tell the crowd of people that you are no longer their enemy, and that you signed the peace treaty.”

“I will do that, Dr. Dane Logan.”

Dr. Dane turned to Nandano. “Will you stay with Latawga and watch over him? He should be sleeping soon, but I don’t want him to be alone.”

“I will do that.”

“If there is any problem, you come and get me in a hurry, all right?”

“Yes.”

When Dr. Dane, Chief Tando, and the mayor came into the office, Tharyn was standing by the outside door. Dane told her what the chief had agreed to do.

Tharyn smiled. “That will be good. Do you mind if I come out with you?”

“Of course not.”

When the four of them stepped out onto the boardwalk, they heard Marshal Merrell telling a man to cool down and get a grip on his temper. Deputy Len Kurtz was at the marshal’s side. Both lawmen turned to see the mayor, the doctor, the nurse, and the Ute chief step up close to them.

There was fire in the eyes of many of the people in the crowd. Fear showed in the faces of many others.

Mayor Anderson said loud enough for everyone to hear, “I want all of you to listen to what Dr. Logan has to say to you.”

One middle-aged man, face beet red, yelled, “What if we don’t want to listen to the doc? We just want those dirty savages out of our town!”

Merrell pointed a stiff finger at him. “If you continue to act like this, Stuart, you’ll find out what the inside of my jail looks like. Now just pipe down and listen.” The marshal then turned to the doctor. “All right, sir. The floor is yours.”

Dr. Dane stepped forward a bit and said, “I ask that you give me your attention. If you will just listen, your anger and your fear will be gone.”

The doctor then told them the whole story, starting with his being at the Drummond ranch delivering Sherrie’s baby boy when the small band of Utes from Chief Tando’s village tried to steal some of the Drummond cattle. He explained how Chet and Sam Drummond opened fire on them, hitting one warrior, and how the cavalry patrol from Fort Junction pursued the other Utes.

“I wish to explain,” Dr. Dane went on, “that the warrior that was wounded was the son of Chief Tando. His name is Latawga.” He paused for a second or two, then pointed to the Indian who stood a step behind him. “This man right here is Chief Tando. He will be speaking to you in a moment.”

The crowd remained silent, for which Dr. Dane was glad.

Dr. Dane said, “Latawga’s wound was in one of his legs. It was bleeding profusely. In order to save his life, I did the necessary surgery to repair and stitch up the wound at the Drummond ranch house. Latawga then asked me to take him home to the village, which I did.”

A grim-faced man in his late forties named Elmer Dines said loudly, “Doc, how could you bring yourself to save the life of a savage Indian who was at war with white people, and who no doubt has killed many whites? He had just tried to steal cattle from the
Drummonds. Why didn’t you just let him die?”

“Well, Elmer, as a Christian, I couldn’t just stand by and let Latawga die, even though he was an enemy of the whites. You are a Civil War veteran, Elmer.”

“What’s that got to do with this situation?”

“In the Civil War, when men on either side came upon wounded soldiers of the enemy army, they did what they could to give them medical attention, ease their suffering, and save their lives. Right?”

Dines’s face was a mask of petulance. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

Dines held his lips pressed tightly.

The doctor squinted at him. “I asked you a question, Elmer.”

Dines cleared his throat. “Well, this was done in the Civil War because—because it was the humane thing to do.”

“That’s right. When I became a physician and surgeon, I took the Hippocratic oath, which states in the very first line, ‘I swear I will prescribe treatment to the best of my ability and judgment for the good of the sick.’ Elmer, it doesn’t say ‘for the good of the sick unless they are my enemies.’ It says ‘for the good of the sick.’ As a Christian, as a human being, and as a doctor who was serious about my oath, I treated Latawga’s wound because it was the right thing to do.”

Another man in the crowd called out, “God bless you, Dr. Logan! From what Marshal Merrell has told us, because of your compassion, Chief Tando and his people will never again make war against us!”

Chief Tando stepped up beside the doctor, raised his hand as if making a promise, and smiled.

Suddenly the crowd broke into cheers and people called out their blessings on Dr. Dane Logan.

Tharyn stood behind her husband and wept with pride and joy.

Mayor Anderson looked at Tharyn’s tears, then stepped to the forefront and said to the crowd, “I’m so glad that God sent Dr. Logan and his dear wife to our town!”

Standing close by were Pastor Mark Shane and his wife.

People were cheering the mayor’s words when Pastor Shane stepped on the boardwalk and asked the mayor if he could say something. Anderson motioned for him to do so, and took a step back.

“Folks,” Shane said loud enough for all to hear, “I must say with Mayor Anderson that I am glad the Lord brought Dr. Logan and Tharyn to Central City. Together they are such a blessing to the people of this town and this part of the mountains.”

There were loud cheers.

While the cheering was going on, Tharyn moved up and took hold of her husband’s hand, smiling up at him.

Dane squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead, then turned toward the crowd. He waited for the cheering to subside, then said, “Folks, before we came out of the office, I asked Chief Tando if he would speak to you. He graciously agreed to do so. Please listen to him. When he is finished, you will all understand why I asked him to address you.”

The chief stepped up beside the doctor, ran his gaze over the faces of the crowd, and cleared his throat nervously.

TWELVE
 

C
hief Tando ran his dark gaze over the faces of the crowd and saw a mixture of friendliness, hatred, and skepticism. His heart pounded wildly and felt heavy in his chest.

He cleared his throat again and said, “I … I wish to tell all of you how Dr. Dane Logan so deeply touched me, my squaw, and the people of my village.” He turned and looked at Dr. Dane. “This white doctor not only did his best to save my son Latawga’s life, but he actually brought him home, not knowing for sure what we—his avowed enemies—would do to him. He showed us genuine love.

“I want to say that it was Dr. Dane Logan’s love and kindness to my son that showed me that all white people do not hate the Indians.”

The chief drew a shaky breath. “I want to tell you that earlier this week I went to Fort Junction with Dr. Dane Logan and Chief Ouray. It was Chief Ouray who tried to persuade me to make peace with the white men many grasses ago. At Fort Junction, I signed a peace treaty before General Joseph G. Dayton and Colonel Perry Smith. My people and I are at peace with the whites, and you can all thank Dr. Dane Logan for it.”

Several people applauded, calling out the name of Central City’s physician.

The chief then turned and shook hands with the doctor white-man style. The people cheered, and the applause grew louder.

Mayor Mike Anderson stepped to the forefront again, shook hands with the chief, then waited for the applause and cheering to subside.

When he was sure everybody could hear him, Anderson said, “Well, folks, this has been a banner day in our town. And when the news spreads, there’ll be banner days all over this part of the country.” He paused briefly. “It’s time, now, to get on with our business.”

There was a rumble of voices as the crowd broke up and people began moving away.

Elmer Dines stepped up to the physician and said, “Dr. Logan, I want to apologize for my crass words about letting the Indian die. I was wrong.”

Dr. Dane smiled at him and shook his hand. “Apology accepted, Elmer.”

For several minutes Central City’s citizens approached Dr. Dane and Tharyn individually and in small groups, speaking their words of love and appreciation for them.

Moments later, Nandano carried Latawga out of the office under Dr. Dane’s guidance and placed him on the travois as the few citizens left looked on. In Latawga’s hand was another bottle of carbolic acid.

Already feeling better, Latawga looked up at the physician and said, “Thank you, Dr. Dane Logan, for your kindness once again.”

Dr. Dane smiled and laid a hand on Latawga’s head. “You are very welcome. If you should need me again, your father knows to bring you back.”

Chief Tando finished tying his son to the travois, then turned to Tharyn, looking at her with soft eyes. “I wish to thank you for being a helper to your husband.”

She smiled and nodded.

Tando then turned to the doctor. “Dr. Dane Logan, I must agree with what was said here today by Mayor Mike Anderson and that other man. I am very glad that white man’s God brought you and your wife to Central City.”

Dr. Dane glanced at Pastor Mark Shane, who was standing near with Peggy. Pointing with his chin at Shane, he said, “The other man, Chief Tando, is my pastor. His name is Mark Shane.”

The preacher stepped up and offered his hand, and Tando shook it.

Dr. Dane felt Tharyn squeeze his arm. He looked down at her, and she smiled. He smiled back, then set his gaze on the Indian. “Chief Tando, I appreciate what you said about white man’s God, but let me say to you that white man’s God is also red man’s God. There is only one true God, and He created us all.”

Pastor Shane said, “Chief Tando, the one true God gave us a Book to guide us to Him, and to guide us through this life. We call it the Bible. You spoke of Dr. Logan’s genuine love that was shown to you and your people, his avowed enemies.”

Chief Tando nodded.

“I want you to know, Chief, that when Dr. Logan saved your son’s life and brought him to your village—even though he was not sure what you and your people would do to him—that genuine love you saw was a result of what God’s Bible taught him.

“Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is quoted in God’s Bible as saying to His followers, ‘Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you.’ The Bible also says, ‘If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink.’ ”

Tando met the preacher’s steady gaze. “This is very good. I have never heard such words before.”

Dr. Dane laid a tender hand on the chief’s shoulder. “Chief Tando, I would like to talk to you sometime about my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His Book.”

The chief let a smile curve his lips. “This that I have heard
today has captured my interest. You are welcome to come to my village at anytime.”

“Thank you. I want to come and look at Latawga’s wound in a week or so. When I come, you and I can talk.”

“I will look forward to your visit, Dr. Dane Logan.”

The Logans and the Shanes stood side by side and watched as the Indians mounted up and rode south out of town.

Tharyn looked up at her husband with misty eyes. “I have a feeling the Lord is going to use you to bring Chief Tando to Him.”

“Me, too,” said Pastor Shane.

“I feel that way, myself,” Dane said. “We’ll pray to that end.”

The two couples bid each other good day, and as Dane and Tharyn headed back for the office, he put his arm around her and drew her up close to his side. “Before I go to Chief Tando’s village, you and I should spend a good deal of time praying about it.”

“We will, sweetheart,” she said softly.

As they passed through the door, Dane said, “I’ll certainly need the power of the Holy Spirit when I talk to Chief Tando. He and his precious people are so steeped in their pagan religion, it won’t be an easy task to break down their false beliefs. Their pagan gods are all they’ve known.”

As Dane closed the door, Tharyn looked at him with her soft blue eyes. “Well, at least the chief is willing to talk to you about the Lord and His Bible, and that says a lot.”

“It’s so good to know that the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It drew you to Jesus, and it did the same for me. God can use it to draw Chief Tando and his people to Jesus, too.”

Tears misted Tharyn’s eyes again. “It takes prayer, too. And you and I will make it a matter of earnest prayer. Almighty God, alone, can do the necessary work in the chief’s heart. And the fact that you took the time and the care to cultivate a friendship with the chief will speak volumes to him, I’m sure.” Tharyn reached up
and cupped his face in her hands. “Oh, Dane, I’m so proud of you. And you know what else?”