lin mclean-第11节

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into。　It　is　one　of　those　speeches　that；　once　said；　is　said　forever。



But　it　was　not　that　which　withheld　me。　As　I　thought　of　the　tone　in　which

my　friend　had　replied；　it　seemed　to　me　sullen；　rather　than　deeply　angry

or　woundedresentment　at　my　opinion　not　of　her　character　so　much　as　of

his　choice！　Then　I　began　to　be　sorry　for　the　fool；　and　schemed　for　a

while　how　to　intervene。　But　have　you　ever　tried　intervention？　I　soon

abandoned　the　idea；　and　took　a　way　to　be　forgiven；　and　to　learn　more。



〃Lin；〃　I　began；　slowing　my　horse；　〃you　must　not　think　about　what　I　said。〃



〃I'm　thinkin'　of　pleasanter　subjects；〃　said　he；　and　slowed　his　own　horse。



〃Oh；　look　here！〃　I　exclaimed。



〃Well？〃　said　he。　He　allowed　his　horse　to　come　within　about　ten　yards。



〃Astonishment　makes　a　man　say　anything；〃　I　proceeded。　〃And　I'll　say　again

you're　too　good　for　herand　I'll　say　I　don't　generally　believe　in　the

wife　being　older　than　the　husband。〃



〃What's　two　years？〃　said　Lin。



I　was　near　screeching　out　again；　but　saved　myself。　He　was　not　quite

twenty…five；　and　I　remembered　Mrs。　Taylor's　unprejudiced　computation　of

the　biscuit…shooter's　years。　It　is　a　lady's　prerogative；　however；　to

estimate　her　own　age。



〃She　had　her　twenty…seventh　birthday　last　month；〃　said　Lin；　with

sentiment；　bringing　his　horse　entirely　abreast　of　mine。　〃I　promised　her　a

bear…skin。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　heard　about　that　in　Buffalo。〃



Lin's　face　grew　dusky　with　anger。　〃No　doubt　yu'　heard　about　it；〃　said

he。　〃I　don't　guess　yu'　heard　much　about　anything　else。　I　ain't　told　the

truth　to　any　of　'embut　her。〃　He　looked　at　me　with　a　certain　hesitation。

〃I　think　I　will；〃　he　continued。　〃I　don't　mind　tellin'　you。〃



He　began　to　speak　in　a　strictly　business　tone；　while　he　evened　the　coils

of　rope　that　hung　on　his　saddle。



〃She　had　spoke　to　me　about　her　birthday；　and　I　had　spoke　to　her　about

something　to　give　her。　I　had　offered　to　buy　her　in　town　whatever　she

named；　and　I　was　figuring　to　borrow　from　Taylor。　But　she　fancied　the

notion　of　a　bear…skin。　I　had　mentioned　about　some　cubs。　I　had　found　the

cubs　where　the　she…bear　had　them　cached　by　the　foot　of　a　big　boulder　in

the　range　over　Ten　Sleep；　and　I　put　back　the　leaves　and　stuff　on　top　o'

them　little　things　as　near　as　I　could　the　way　I　found　them；　so　that　the

bear　would　not　suspicion　me。　For　I　was　aiming　to　get　her。　And　Miss　Peck；

she　sure　wanted　the　hide　for　her　birthday。　So　I　went　back。　The　she…bear

was　off；　and　I　crumb　up　inside　the　rock；　and　I　waited　a　turruble　long

spell　till　the　sun　travelled　clean　around　the　canyon。　Mrs。　Bear　come　home

though；　a　big　cinnamon；　and　I　raised　my　gun；　but　laid　it　down　to　see　what

she'd　do。　She　scrapes　around　and　snuffs；　and　the　cubs　start　whining；　and

she　talks　back　to　'em。　Next　she　sits　up　awful　big；　and　lifts　up　a　cub　and

holds　it　to　her　close　with　both　her　paws；　same　as　a　person。　And　she

rubbed　her　ear　agin　the　cub；　and　the　cub　sort　o'　nipped　her；　and　she

cuffed　the　cub；　and　the　other　cub　came　toddlin'；　and　away　they　starts

rolling　all　three　of　'em！　I　watched　that　for　a　long　while。　That　big　thing

just　nursed　and　played　with　them　little　cubs；　beatin'　em　for　a　change

onced　in　a　while；　and　talkin'；　and　onced　in　a　while　she'd　sit　up　solemn

and　look　all　around　so　life…like　that　I　near　busted。　Why；　how　was　I　goin'

to　spoil　that？　So　I　come　away；　very　quiet；　you　bet！　for　I'd　have　hated　to

have　Mrs。　Bear　notice　me。　Miss　Peck；　she　laughed。　She　claimed　I　was

scared　to　shoot。〃



〃After　you　had　told　her　why　it　was？〃　said　I。



〃Before　and　after。　I　didn't　tell　her　first；　because　I　felt　kind　of

foolish。　Then　Tommy　went　and　he　killed　the　bear　all　right；　and　she　has

the　skin　now。　Of　course　the　boys　joshed　me　a　heap　about　gettin'　beat　by

Tommy。〃



〃But　since　she　has　taken　you？〃　said　I。



〃She　ain't　said　it。　But　she　will　when　she　understands　Tommy。〃



I　fancied　that　the　lady　understood。　The　once　I　had　seen　her　she　appeared

to　me　as　what　might　be　termed　an　expert　in　men；　and　one　to　understand

also　the　reality　of　Tommy's　ranch　and　allowance；　and　how　greatly　these

differed　from　Box　Elder。　Probably　the　one　thing　she　could　not　understand

was　why　Lin　spared　the　mother　and　her　cubs。　A　deserted　home　in　Dubuque；　a

career　in　a　railroad　eating…house；　a　somewhat　vague　past；　and　a　present

lacking　contextindeed；　I　hoped　with　all　my　heart　that　Tommy　would　win！



〃Lin；〃　said　I；　〃I'm　backing　him。〃



〃Back　away！〃　said　he。　〃Tommy　can　please　a　womanhim　and　his　blue　eyes

but　he　don't　savvy　how　to　make　a　woman　want　him；　not　any　better　than　he

knows　about　killin'　Injuns。〃



〃Did　you　hear　about　the　Crows？〃　said　I。



〃About　young　bucks　going　on　the　war…path？　Shucks！　That's　put　up　by　the

papers　of　this　section。　They're　aimin'　to　get　Uncle　Sam　to　order　his

troops　out；　and　then　folks　can　sell　hay　and　stuff　to　'em。　If　Tommy

believed　any　Crows〃　he　stopped；　and　suddenly　slapped　his　leg。



〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh；　nothing。〃　He　took　to　singing；　and　his　face　grew　roguish　to　its　full

extent。　〃What　made　yu'　say　that　to　me？〃　he　asked；　presently。



〃Say　what？〃



〃About　marrying。　Yu'　don't　think　I'd　better。〃



〃I　don't。〃



〃Onced　in　a　while　yu'　tell　me　I'm　flighty。　Well；　I　am。　Whoop…ya！〃



〃Colts　ought　not　to　marry；〃　said　I。



〃Sure！〃　said　he。　And　it　was　not　until　we　came　in　sight　of　the　Virginian's

black　horse　tied　in　front　of　Miss　Wood's　cabin　next　the　Taylors'　that　Lin

changed　the　lively　course　of　thought　that　was　evidently　filling　his　mind。



〃Tell　yu'；〃　said　he；　touching　my　arm　confidentially　and　pointing　to　the

black　horse；　〃for　all　her　Vermont　refinement　she's　a　woman　just　the　same。

She　likes　him　dangling　round　her　so　earnesthim　that　no　body　ever　saw

dangle　before。　And　he　has　quit　spreein'　with　the　boys。　And　what　does　he

get　by　it？　I　am　glad　I　was　not　raised　good　enough　to　appreciate　the　Miss

Woods　of　this　world；〃　he　added；　defiantly〃except　at　long　range。〃



At　the　Taylors'　cabin　we　found　Miss　Wood　sitting　with　her　admirer；　and

Tommy　from　Riverside　come　to　admire　Miss　Peck。　The　biscuit…shooter　might

pass　for　twenty…seven；　certainly。　Something　had　agreed　with　herwhether

the　medicine；　or　the　mountain　air；　or　so　much　masculine　company；　whatever

had　done　it；　she　had　bloomed　into　brutal　comeliness。　Her　hair　looked

curlier；　her　figure　was　shapelier；　her　teeth　shone　whiter；　and　her　cheeks

were　a　lusty；　overbearing　red。　And　there　sat　Molly　Wood　talking　sweetly

to　her　big；　grave　Virginian；　to　look　at　them；　there　was　no　doubt　that　he

had　been　〃raised　good　enough〃　to　appreciate　her；　no　matter　what　had　been

his　raising！



Lin　greeted　every　one　jauntily。　〃How　are　yu'；　Miss　Peck？　How　are　yu'；

Tommy？〃　said　he。　〃Hear　the　news；　Tommy？　Crow　Injuns　on　the　war…path。〃



〃I　declare！〃　said　the　biscuit…shooter。



The　Virginian　was　about　to　say　something；　but　his　eye　met　Lin's；　and　then

he　looked　at　Tommy。　Then　what　he　did　say　was；　〃I　hadn't　been　goin'　to

mention　it　to　the　ladies　until　it　was　right　sure。〃



〃You　needn't　to　be　afraid；　Miss　Peck；〃　said　Tommy。　〃There's　lots　of　men

here。〃



〃Who's　afraid？〃　said　the　biscuit…shooter。



〃Oh；〃　said　Lin；　〃maybe　it's　like　most　news　we　get　in　this　country。　Two

weeks　stale　and　a　lie　when　it　was　fresh。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Tommy。



〃Hello；　Tommy！〃　called　Taylor　from　the　lane。　〃Your　horse　has　broke　his

rein　and　run　down　the　field。〃



Tommy　rose　in　disgust　and　sped　after　the　animal。



〃I　must　be　cooking　supper　now；〃　said　Katie；　shortly。



〃I'll　stir　for　yu'；〃　said　Lin；　grinning　at　her。



〃Come　along　then；〃　said　she；　and　they　departed　to　the　adjacent　kitchen。



Miss　Wood's　gray　eyes　brightened　with　mischief。　She　looked　at　her

Virginian；　and　she　looked　at　me。



〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　〃I　used　to　be　so　afraid　that　when　Bear　Creek

wasn't　new　any　more　it　might　become　dull！〃



〃Miss　Peck　doesn't　find　it　dull　either；〃　said　I。



Molly　Wood　immediately　assumed　a　look　of　doubt。　〃But　mightn't　it　become

justjust　a　little　trying　to　have　two　gentlemen　so　verydetermined；　you

know？〃



〃Only　one　is　determined；〃　said　the　Virginian



Molly　looked　inquiring。



〃Lin　is　determined　Tommy　shall　not　beat　him。　That's　all　it　amounts　to。〃



〃Dear　me；　what　a　notion！〃



〃No；　ma'am；　no　notion。　Tommywell；　Tommy　is　considered　harmless；　ma'am。

A　cow…puncher　of　reputation　in　this　country　would　cert'nly　never　let

Tommy　get　ahaid　of　him　that　way。〃



〃It's　pleasant　to　know　sometimes　how　much　we　count！〃　exclaimed　Molly。



〃Why；　ma'am；〃　said　the　Virginian；　surprised　at　her　flash　of　indignation；

〃where　is　any　countin'　without　some　love？〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　Mr。　McLean　does　not　care　for　Miss　Peck？〃



〃I　reckon　he　thinks　he　does。　But　there　is　a　mighty　wide　difference

between　thinkin'　and　feelin'；　ma'am。〃



I　saw　Molly's　eyes　drop　from　his；　and　I　saw　the　rose　deepen　in　her

cheeks。　But　just　then　a　loud　voice　came　from　the　kitchen。



〃You；