The Alaska Brides Collection Part 61

George bit his lip but refused to cry out. "I'm a sinner, G.o.d. Forgive me," he said and looked up at Julie.

Julie nodded and continued, "George wants to accept Your Son, Jesus, so that he might have eternal life."

"I want eternal life," George murmured. "I want Your Son, Jesus."

"And Lord," Julie said as she poured disinfectant over the mangled limb, "help me to mend George's arm. Amen."

George nodded, too weak to speak. Julie poured a liberal amount of chloroform on a clean cloth. "I'm going to put you to sleep now, George." She placed the cloth over George's nose and mouth.

Instantly, George was rendered unconscious, and Julie flew into action. She picked her way through the strips of flesh, cleaning each one thoroughly and moving on to the deep gashes.

Tanana held a lantern to one side. Periodically, Julie felt for George's pulse and respiration. He was doing well, and Julie felt confident that his relative good health and G.o.d's direction would see her through the situation.

After two hours, Julie stood back and a.s.sessed her work. Barring infection, George would retain full use of his arm. She decided to stay on in the village until she felt confident the wounds were free from contamination.

Dragging her weary body to bed, Julie thanked G.o.d for His direction. She fell asleep listening to George's rhythmic breathing.

With George well on the way to recovering and Christmas only three days away, Julie readied once again to return to Nome. She was determined to be home for Christmas, but she hadn't managed to do any Christmas shopping yet.

She was rechecking the dogs' harness when Tanana approached her. "You have my grat.i.tude for saving George's life. I thanked your white G.o.d, too."

"He can be your G.o.d as well, Tanana," Julie said as she turned from the dogs.

Tanana nodded and held out several packages. "I'll think about your words, Nurse Julie. These are for you. They are payment for George. I know your Christmas is coming soon, and maybe you will need things for your father and brother. I have made two pairs of sealskin mukluks. They have fox fur inside to make them extra warm."

"Thank you, Tanana. I'll give them to my father and brother for Christmas and tell them that you made them."

The woman smiled broadly and backed up a step. "You are welcome here anytime. We'll look forward to seeing you after your celebration."

Julie nodded and rallied her team. "Hike!" she called out and held onto the sled handle as the dogs, eager to be on the trail, moved out.

Nome looked the same as when Julie had left. She knew she ought to go directly to Dr. Welch's office at the Merchants and Miners Bank of Alaska, but keeping in mind that it was Christmas Eve, she took time, instead, to do a bit of shopping.

She searched through several shops, looking for just the right gifts for Vern and August. She finally settled on some tools for her father and a guitar for August. She smiled as she brought the items out to her sled. August had always wanted to learn to play the guitar, and now Julie would hound him until he could play her a tune.

Julie wrapped the gifts safely inside a large fur pelt and loaded them onto the sled. She started to walk down the street to the hospital when something in the store window caught her attention. A handsome, ivory-handled knife was prominently displayed.

Julie went inside and asked to see it in order to better study the detail of the carving. A talented craftsman had skillfully transformed the ivory into an intricate piece of art. The outline of a dog driver with his sled team was highlighted on the handle of the knife.

Impulsively, Julie purchased the knife for Sam. She hadn't seen him in seven weeks, but the urge to buy him a Christmas gift overruled her better judgment.

Adding the knife to the other gifts on the sled, Julie went in search of Dr. Welch.

Chapter 8.

Julie found Dr. Welch, and after quickly exchanging her paperwork and personal a.s.sessments of the villages she'd visited, she bid him a Merry Christmas and received permission to go home for the holidays.

"You know," Dr. Welch said as he followed Julie outside, "we're having a bit of a Christmas Eve party, and I know Lula would love for you to join us."

"I've never been one for parties," Julie answered honestly. "I'm just a home girl. I want to be with my family."

"I understand," Dr. Welch said with a smile. "You have a well-deserved rest, and I'll see you the day after New Year's."

"I'll be here," Julie replied with a wave.

Making her way to the dogs, Julie started thinking of Sam. Would he make an appearance on Christmas, and if he did, would she be happy to see him? She tried to forget about him and concentrate on getting home, but nothing could get him out of her thoughts.

Julie looked over each of her dogs, checking their paws and bellies for signs of freezing. They were tired and deserved a good rest, but Julie had no alternative but to drive them home.

"Your team looks a bit spent."

Julie smiled before straightening up to meet Sam's bearded face. "I'll give you that much," she said, pus.h.i.+ng her parka hood back. Her black hair had been neatly braided when she'd started out that morning, but now wisps of it blew around her face.

"Is that all?" Sam said with a grin. "I haven't seen you in nearly two months. I was beginning to think I'd scared you off. Thought I might have to come find you."

Julie put her hands on her hips. "Same old Sam."

Sam laughed and watched Julie as she finished with her dogs. "I've been thinking about you," he said. "Now that I know what it is to have you in my arms, I couldn't stop thinking about it."

Julie stiffened slightly. She was unprepared for Sam's boldness. How should she react? Nervously, she s.h.i.+fted from one foot to the other. "I certainly hope you don't plan to repeat the scene here in the middle of Nome's Front Street."

"Why not?" Sam said as he took a step toward Julie.

"Oh, no," Julie said, backing up. "You can't mean it. I have a reputation to preserve, if not for myself, for my career."

Sam stopped and shook his head. "I'm never going to do anything but honor and love you. I would throttle any man, or woman, for that matter, who might blemish your reputation. However, I think your dogs have earned a rest. Let's take them over to my cabin. I'll hitch my dogs, and we'll give yours a break. There's a snow building up, and I don't want you out here alone. I'll take you home."

"No," Julie protested. "My dogs will be fine. It's only another twelve miles. I couldn't ask you to-"

"You didn't ask, and I am telling you," Sam said as he pointed to the sled. "I expect you to get in the basket while I drive these dogs to my house. If you don't get in on your own, I'll put you there myself. Then we'll just see how your reputation withstands the talk."

"I will not," Julie said as she moved to the back of her sled. She thought to jump on the runners and order Dusty into action, but Sam outmaneuvered her and took hold of Dusty's tugline.

Sam raised a questioning eyebrow and waited for Julie to respond. Julie matched his stare. Her breathing quickened as a smile played at the corner of Sam's lips. He waved his hand in front of him and motioned Julie to the sled.

"All right," Julie said and carefully climbed into the sled basket, narrowly avoiding the gifts she'd purchased. "I give up. You win. Take me home."

Sam laughed and dropped the tugline. He walked down the side of the dog team and leaned over Julie. "That's a good girl," he said and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

Julie squirmed away, blushed, and pulled her hood back in place so that Sam couldn't see her face. She wondered who all in Nome had seen Sam's actions, but before she could glance around, Sam moved the dogs out.

While Julie enjoyed the ride to Sam's house on the outskirts of Nome, she was also nervous. Just knowing that Sam stood on the runners behind her made Julie apprehensive. She tried to concentrate on the excitement of seeing her father and brother and celebrating Christmas.

When Sam stopped in front of the two-story clapboard house, Julie was impressed. It wasn't the type of place she'd pictured Sam in.

"We're home," Sam said in a jovial way. "One day I'll say that, and it'll be true."

Julie tried to appear unaffected by Sam's words, but when he reached down to help her from the basket, she nearly jumped out the opposite side of the sled.

"I wish you'd stop," she said and pushed back her parka hood to better see Sam. "I don't know why you insist on doing this, but I want to go home, and if you aren't going to behave, then I'll drive myself." She was determined to stand her ground.

"You're tired, Julie," Sam said, ignoring her protest. "Why don't you go inside and make yourself comfortable?"

"I can wait out here," Julie said anxiously.

"I know you can wait out here. I know you can drive dogs through bitter cold and horrible blizzards. I know, too, that you have a mind of your own, but I'm every bit as stubborn, and I'm telling you to go in the house and warm up." Sam's words were stern, yet Julie knew they were given out of concern for her welfare.

"I'm touched that you care, Sam, but-"

In three long strides, Sam was at Julie's side. He hoisted her over his shoulder as if he were carrying a sack of grain.

"Put me down," Julie yelled and pounded against Sam's back.

"I'll put you down when we're in the house. We're wasting what few daylight hours we have because you can't cooperate," Sam said as he carried Julie into his house.

Once they were inside, Sam put Julie down. She expected him to try to kiss her again, so she moved quickly away. "All right, you've had your way," she said with a trembling voice.

"Not hardly," Sam said with a grin. "I haven't married you yet." He turned with a laugh and walked out the front door.

Once he was outside, Sam stopped laughing. He'd come very close to pulling Julie into his arms and was still trembling himself when he went to unharness the dogs.

He thought about what he'd done as he fed and watered Julie's team. Sam had never imagined that he'd see Julie in Nome. It had been his plan to question Dr. Welch about her schedule and surprise her for Christmas. But the surprise had been his when he found her standing on Front Street preparing to leave town.

Sam rubbed his beard and sighed. She was a beautiful woman, but more than that, she was intelligent and self-confident, although a bit too stubborn. She was exactly everything that he'd prayed for, everything and more.

"Thank You, G.o.d, for sending Julie into my life. I feel sure she's the one You would have me marry. I've prayed so long for a Christian wife, and if Julie is the right one, Lord, then I pray You will help her to see me as the man You have chosen for her. Above all else, Lord, protect her from harm. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Sam glanced back at the house. The woman he planned to marry was sitting inside the home he hoped to one day share with her. He would have loved nothing more than to go inside and share her company in the comfort of his home, but he knew it would only make Julie more uncomfortable, so he put the thought aside.

Sam finished harnessing his eager dogs to Julie's sled. He gave his lead dog, Kodiak, a brief pat on the head before going inside to retrieve Julie.

"You're anxious to be on the road, aren't you, boy?" Kodiak whined as though answering, and Sam laughed. "I'm going. I'm going. I just have to go get our girl, and we'll be off."

Sam bounded up the front steps and peered cautiously through the doorway in case Julie planned to throw anything at him. The sight that caught his eye caused Sam to stop in his tracks. Julie lay innocently sleeping on the couch.

Sam called her name, but Julie slept too deeply to hear him. He approached her sleeping form and gently stroked her cheek. It was rosy from the wind, but soft-just as he remembered from the time he'd last kissed her.

Avoiding the memory, Sam went outside and made a place in the basket for Julie. Once he'd placed several blankets in the basket, Sam went back inside. He threw several of his own things into a pack and loaded it onto the sled. Finally, Sam trudged through the snow to the house of his neighbor, Joe Morely, a bachelor who often traded favors with Sam.

Sam let Joe know he'd be gone for several days and asked if he'd mind tending the dogs. After receiving Joe's promise to watch over the house and animals, Sam went back to his house.

Julie slept soundly as Sam lifted her into his arms and carried her to the sled. The cold air caused her to stir and nestle her face against his chest, but she slept on, dreaming of warm arms and a man named Sam.

Chapter 9.

Julie woke up just as Sam led the dog team down the embankment of the Nome River. She couldn't believe that he had packed her into the sled to sleep away the miles between Nome and the Eriksson homestead. Wiping sleep from her eyes, Julie worked her way out of the covers and sat up.

The sky was gray and heavy with snow. Julie knew it would only be a matter of time before those clouds would open up and dump another white blanketing on the Alaskan coastline.

"We're nearly there," Sam said as he moved out on the river ice.

"I hope we're not about to repeat scenes from our last shared trip across the Nome," Julie called up from the basket.

Sam laughed good-naturedly. "You'd better mind your manners, or I'll make you get out and walk, and we both know your ability on ice is questionable."

Julie laughed. "I can manage."

"No doubt," Sam said as he reached the opposite bank. He jumped off the runners and pushed as his ten-dog team pulled. Within seconds they were over the top.

In the fading light, Julie could see the welcoming sight of her home. She would be home with her family for Christmas. In the distance the dogs yipped and howled as Sam's team drew near, alerting Vern and August to their arriving visitors.

Sam halted the sled at the back door and helped Julie from the sled. "You go on in, and I'll unload the basket and take care of the dogs."

Julie started into the house but remembered her gifts. "I need to unpack some of it myself," she said as she turned back to the sled.

"I can take care of it," Sam insisted.

"Look, I'm not just being stubborn this time," an exasperated Julie tried to reason. "I have to take care of some of it myself. It is Christmas Eve, after all."

"I see," Sam said with a grin. "Anything for me?"

"That's a rather presumptuous question," Julie replied. "You'll just have to wait and see." She took a step back and crossed her arms against her body.

"I'm not good at waiting," Sam teased. "Especially when I want something and set my mind to get it."

Julie pretended not to understand his meaning. "You must have caused your family a great deal of trouble on Christmas morning."

"I was a perfect child," Sam said, grinning.

"I'm sure."

"Sure of what?" August asked as he came out the back door.