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the bearskins and saddles over his broad shoulders. A few minutes later, he had me put my mark on a bill of sale and I walked out with a beautiful used saddle, tack and blanket for my Stallion. I grinned at the fact that he may not know how to read but he was just fine reading and writing numbers. His mark on the bill of sale was just some loopy gibberish instead of an X, I'm sure he was used to dealing with people who could not read and wanted them to think he was a learned man.
    I hefted the saddle into the wagon with a smile. I had more than enough for the medicines now, even enough to have the doctor out to our place since I didn't wish mother to travel in her current state.
    I took off the brake and the man called out, “Young miss.”
    I called back, “Laney. Herder.”
    He said, “Laney, come by to deal anytime. Ask for Heath.”
    I waved at the man and traveled the twenty yards to the blacksmith and dismounted. I learned from my last mistake and had the letter at the ready as I stepped into the smithy. It was ungodly hot with the huge fire pit and bellows stoking the flames higher. Two men without shirts and more muscle and sweat than any four men should have, were pounding out metal on their anvils with skilled strikes of their huge hammers.
    One looked over toward me, then quenched the blade he was working on in a bucket. He smiled and started walking over, I sighed in resignation. It was Kyle Smith, the boy mother tried to marry me off to last season. I told mother that I would be betrothed to no man.
    He stepped up to me, he had certainly filled out and muscled up in the past year. “Laney! What brings you here?” There was hope in his eyes and I felt terrible for the man, he truly was a good person, I just had no want to court anyone.
    Before he got his hopes up. I handed him the letter as I nudged my head to Goliath out the big doors and said quickly, “My horse needs to be shod, is the farrier here today?”
    He looked at the letter and whistled. “You fought marauders?”
    I blushed and blurted, “Not by choice!”
    He chuckled. “Nobody fights marauders by choice.” He smiled and said, “You're quite a woman, Laney.” I wish he'd stop saying nice things, it made me feel guilty for not returning his affections.
    He seemed to sense my unease and said as he walked outside with me trailing behind. “I can handle it. No need for the farrier, he overcharges. I can have it done in an hour for... a penny a shoe?” He squinted at the price knowing how tight money was with mother down.
    I nodded and pulled out my coin purse then looked at all the iron strapped wagon wheels leaning against the smithy, then at the wagon. The wheels were in such disrepair, I'd hate to break a spoke while I was out scavenging or bringing things to market. I had coin now and more to come when I sold my salvage. I could look at this as an investment. “How much to refit new wheels?”
    He looked at me like I had just sprung a nut. Then looked at the wheels and said, “If you give us your old ones in trade, I could give you the new wheels and the shoes for... a silver?”
    I spit into my hand and offered it. “Done.”
    He spit in his. “Done!” And we shook.
    I held my coin purse close to me so he couldn't see the contents and I pulled out one of my bounty silvers and put it in his hand. He blinked at it then smiled at me and said, “Give me some time. Pick it up at noon?” I nodded and took some stuff from the wagon.
    He stepped up and looked under the canvas sheet in the wagon and whistled. “I heard you were scavenging now. A woman of many facets.”
    I shook a finger at him and squinted playfully, “It all better be there when I return.”
    He chuckled and held his hands up in surrender and headed back into the smithy. I turned toward the hospital and hurried on my way. This was my most important task for the day.
    I hated the hospital, it always smelled of herbs, antiseptic, alcohol, and sickness. But it was