lin mclean-第21节

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Santa　Claus；　he；　grinning；　fat；　and　Teutonic；　held　in　his　right　hand

forever　a　foaming　glass；　and　forever　in　his　left　a　string　of　sausages

that　dangled　down　among　the　gnomes。　With　his　American　back　to　this；　the

cow…puncher；　wearing　the　same　serious；　absent　face　he　had　not　changed

since　he　ran　away　from　himself　at　Cheyenne；　considered　carefully　the　Hot

Scotch　question；　and　which　side　of　the　road　to　take　and　stick　to；　while

the　little　bootblacks　found　him　once　more　and　cried；　〃Shine？　Shine？〃

monotonous　as　snow…birds。　He　settled　to　stay　over　here　with　the

south…side　Scotches；　and　the　little　one…note　song　reaching　his　attention；

he　suddenly　shoved　his　foot　at　the　nearest　boy；　who　lightly　sprang　away。



〃Dare　you　to　touch　him！〃　piped　a　snow…bird；　dangerously。　They　were　in

short　trousers；　and　the　eldest　enemy；　it　may　be；　was　ten。



〃Don't　hit　me；〃　said　Mr。　McLean　〃I'm　innocent。〃



〃Well；　you　leave　him　be；〃　said　one。



〃What's　he　layin'　to　kick　you　for；　Billy？　'Tain't　yer　pop；　is　it？〃



〃New！〃　said　Billy；　in　scorn。　〃Father　never　kicked　me。　Don't　know　who　he

is。〃



〃He's　a　special！〃　shrilled　the　leading　bird；　sensationally。　〃He's　got　a

badge；　and　he's　goin'　to　arrest　yer。〃



Two　of　them　hopped　instantly　to　the　safe　middle　of　the　street；　and

scattered　with　practiced　strategy；　but　Billy　stood　his　ground。　〃Dare　you

to　arrest　me！〃　said　he。



〃What'll　you　give　me　not　to？〃　inquired　Lin；　and　he　put　his　hands　in　his

pockets；　arms　akimbo。



〃Nothing；　I've　done　nothing；〃　announced　Billy；　firmly。　But　even　in　the

last　syllable　his　voice　suddenly　failed；　a　terror　filled　his　eyes；　and

he；　too；　sped　into　the　middle　of　the　street。



〃What's　he　claim　you　lifted？〃　inquired　the　leader；　with　eagerness。　〃Tell

him　you　haven't　been　inside　a　store　to…day。　We　can　prove　it！〃　they

screamed　to　the　special　officer。



〃Say；〃　said　the　slow…spoken　Lin　from　the　pavement；　〃you're　poor　judges　of

a　badge；　you　fellows。〃



His　tone　pleased　them　where　they　stood；　wide　apart　from　each　other。



Mr。　McLean　also　remained　stationary　in　the　bluish　illumination　of　the

window。　〃Why；　if　any　policeman　was　caught　wearin'　this　here；〃　said　he；

following　his　sprightly　invention；　〃he'd　get　arrested　himself。〃



This　struck　them　extremely。　They　began　to　draw　together；　Billy　lingering

the　last。



〃If　it's　your　idea；〃　pursued　Mr。　McLean；　alluringly；　as　the　three　took

cautious　steps　nearer　the　curb；　〃that　blue；　clasped　hands　in　a　circle　of

red　stars　gives　the　bearer　the　right　to　put　folks　in　the　jugwhy；　I'll

get　somebody　else　to　black　my　boots　for　a　dollar。〃



The　three　made　a　swift　rush；　fell　on　simultaneous　knees；　and　clattering

their　boxes　down；　began　to　spit　in　an　industrious　circle。



〃Easy！〃　wheedled　Mr。　McLean；　and　they　looked　up　at　him；　staring　and

fascinated。　〃Not　having　three　feet；〃　said　the　cow…puncher；　always　grave

and　slow；　〃I　can　only　give　two　this　here　job。〃



〃He's　got　a　big　pistol　and　a　belt！〃　exulted　the　leader；　who　had

precociously　felt　beneath　Lin's　coat。



〃You're　a　smart　boy；〃　said　Lin；　considering　him；　〃and　yu'　find　a　man　out

right　away。　Now　you　stand　off　and　tell　me　all　about　myself　while　they　fix

the　bootsand　a　dollar　goes　to　the　quickest　through。〃



Young　Billy　and　his　tow…headed　competitor　flattened　down；　each　to　a　boot；

with　all　their　might；　while　the　leader　ruefully　contemplated　Mr。　McLean。



〃That's　a　Colt　。45　you've　got；〃　ventured　he。



〃Right　again。　Some　day；　maybe；　you'll　be　wearing　one　of　your　own；　if　the

angels　don't　pull　yu'　before　you're　ripe。〃



〃I'm　through！〃　sang　out　Towhead；　rising　in　haste。



Small　Billy　was　struggling　still；　but　leaped　at　that；　the　two　heads

bobbing　to　a　level　together；　and　Mr。　McLean；　looking　down；　saw　that　the

arrangement　had　not　been　a　good　one　for　the　boots。



〃Will　you　kindly　referee；〃　said　he；　forgivingly；　to　the　leader；　〃and

decide　which　of　them　smears　is　the　awfulest？〃



But　the　leader　looked　the　other　way　and　played　upon　a　mouth…organ。



〃Well；　that　saves　me　money；〃　said　Mr。　McLean；　jingling　his　pocket。　〃I

guess　you've　both　won。〃　He　handed　each　of　them　a　dollar。　〃Now；〃　he

continued；　〃I　just　dassent　show　these　boots　uptown；　so　this　time　it's　a

dollar　for　the　best　shine。〃



The　two　went　palpitating　at　their　brushes　again；　and　the　leader　played

his　mouth…organ　with　brilliant　unconcern。　Lin；　tall　and　brooding　leaned

against　the　jutting　sill　of　the　window；　a　figure　somehow　plainly　strange

in　town；　while　through　the　bright　plate…glass　Santa　Claus；　holding　out

his　beer　and　sausages；　perpetually　beamed。



Billy　was　laboring　gallantly；　but　it　was　labor；　the　cow…puncher

perceived；　and　Billy　no　seasoned　expert。〃　See　here；〃　said　Lin；　stooping；

〃I'll　show　yu'　how　it's　done。　He's　playin'　that　toon　cross…eyed　enough　to

steer　anybody　crooked。　There。　Keep　your　blacking　soft；　and　work　with　a

dry　brush。〃



〃Lemme；〃　said　Billy。　〃I've　got　to　learn。〃　So　he　finished　the　boot　his　own

way　with　wiry　determination；　breathing　and　repolishing；　and　this　event

was　also　adjudged　a　dead　heat；　with　results　gratifying　to　both　parties。

So　here　was　their　work　done；　and　more　money　in　their　pockets　than　from

all　the　other　boots　and　shoes　of　this　day；　and　Towhead　and　Billy　did　not

wish　for　further　trade；　but　to　spend　this　handsome　fortune　as　soon　as

might　be。　Yet　they　delayed　in　the　brightness　of　the　window；　drawn　by

curiosity　near　this　new　kind　of　man　whose　voice　held　them　and　whose

remarks　dropped　them　into　constant　uncertainty。　Even　the　omitted　leader

had　been　unable　to　go　away　and　nurse　his　pride　alone。



〃Is　that　a　secret　society？〃　inquired　Towhead；　lifting　a　finger　at　the

badge。



Mr。　McLean　nodded。　〃Turruble；〃　said　he。



〃You're　a　Wells　&　Fargo　detective；〃　asserted　the　leader。



〃Play　your　harp；〃　said　Lin。



〃Are　you　aa　desperaydo？〃　whispered　Towhead。



〃Oh；　my！〃　observed　Mr。　McLean；　sadly；　〃what　has　our　Jack　been　readin'？〃



〃He's　a　cattle…man！〃　cried　Billy。　〃I　seen　his　heels。〃



〃That's　you！〃　said　the　discovered　puncher；　with　approval。　〃You'll　do。　But

I　bet　you　can't　tell　me　what　we　wearers　of　this　badge　have　sworn　to　do

this　night。〃



At　this　they　craned　their　necks　and　glared　at　him。



〃Wearesworndon't　yu'　jump；　now；　and　give　me　awaysworntoblow

off　three　bootblacks　to　a　dinner。〃



〃Ah；　pshaw！〃　They　backed　away；　bristling　with　distrust。



〃That's　the　oath；　fellows。　Yu'　may　as　well　make　your　minds　upfor　I　have

it　to　do！〃



〃Dare　you　to！　Ah！〃



〃And　after　dinner　it's　the　Opera…house；　to　see　〃The　Children　of　Captain

Cant'！〃



They　screamed　shrilly　at　him；　keeping　off　beyond　the　curb。



〃I　can't　waste　my　time　on　such　smart　boys；〃　said　Mr。　McLean；　rising

lazily　to　his　full　height　from　the　window…sill。　〃I　am　goin'　somewhere　to

find　boys　that　ain't　so　turruble　quick　stampeded　by　a　roast　turkey。〃



He　began　to　lounge　slowly　away；　serious　as　he　had　been　throughout；　and

they；　stopping　their　noise　short；　swiftly　picked　up　their　boxes；　and

followed　him。　Some　change　in　the　current　of　electricity　that　fed　the

window　disturbed　its　sparkling　light；　so　that　Santa　Claus；　with　his　arms

stretched　out　behind　the　departing　cow…puncher　seemed　to　be　smiling　more

broadly　from　the　midst　of　his　flickering　brilliance。



On　their　way　to　turkey；　the　host　and　his　guests　exchanged　but　few

remarks。　He　was　full　of　good…will；　and　threw　off　a　comment　or　two　that

would　have　led　to　conversation　under　almost　any　circumstances　save　these；

but　the　minds　of　the　guests　were　too　distracted　by　this　whole　state　of

things　for　them　to　be　capable　of　more　than　keeping　after　Mr。　McLean　in

silence；　at　a　wary　interval；　and　with　their　mouths；　during　most　of　the

journey；　open。　The　badge；　the　pistol；　their　patron's　talk；　and　the

unusual　dollars；　wakened　wide　their　bent　for　the　unexpected；　their　street

affinity　for　the　spur　of　the　moment；　they　believed　slimly　in　the　turkey

part　of　it；　but　what　this　man　might　do　next；　to　be　there　when　he　did　it；

and　not　to　be　trapped；　kept　their　wits　jumping　deliciously；　so　when　they

saw　him　stop；　they　stopped　instantly　too；　ten　feet　out　of　reach。　This　was

Denver's　most　civilized　restaurantthat　one　which　Mr。　McLean　had

remembered；　with　foreign　dishes　and　private　rooms；　where　he　had　promised

himself；　among　other　things；　champagne。　Mr。　McLean　had　never　been　inside

it；　but　heard　a　tale　from　a　friend；　and　now　he　caught　a　sudden　sight　of

people　among　geraniums；　with　plumes　and　white　shirt…fronts；　very　elegant。

It　must　have　been　several　minutes　that　he　stood　contemplating　the

entrance　and　the　luxurious　couples　who　went　in。



〃Plumb　French！〃　he　observed　at　length；　and　then；　〃Shucks！〃　in　a　key　less

confident；　while　his　guests　ten　feet　away　watched　him　narrowly。　〃They're

eatin'　patty　de　parley…voo　in　there；〃　he　muttered；　and　the　three

bootblacks　came　beside　him。　〃Say；　fellows；〃　said　Lin；　confidingly；　〃I

wasn't　raised　good　enough　for　them　dude　dishes。　What　do　yu'　say！　I'm

after　a　pla