lin mclean-第3节

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〃We　had　music　and　dancing　at　Thanksgiving　and　such　times；〃　said　Lin；　his

wiry　length　stretched　on　the　grass　beside　the　seated　Sabina。　He　was　not

looking　at　her；　but　she　took　a　pleasure　in　watching　him；　his　curly　head

and　bronze　face；　against　which　the　young　mustache　showed　to　its　full

advantage。



〃I　expect　you　used　to　dance　a　lot；〃　remarked　Sabina；　for　a　subject。



〃Yes。　Do　yu'　know　the　Portland　Fancy？〃



Sabina　did　not；　and　her　subject　died　away。



〃Did　anybody　ever　tell　you　you　had　good　eyes？〃　she　inquired　next。



〃Why；　sure；〃　said　Lin；　waking　for　a　moment；　〃but　I　like　your　color　best。

A　girl's　eyes　will　mostly　beat　a　man's。〃



〃Indeed；　I　don't　think　so！〃　exclaimed　poor　Sabina；　too　much　expectant　to

perceive　the　fatal　note　of　routine　with　which　her　transient　admirer

pronounced　this　gallantry。　He　informed　her　that　hers　were　like　the　sea；

and　she　told　him　she　had　not　yet　looked　upon　the　sea。



〃Never？〃　said　he。　〃It's　a　turruble　pity　you've　never　saw　salt　water。　It's

different　from　fresh。　All　around　home　it's　blueawful　blue　in　July

around　Swampscott　and　Marblehead　and　Nahant；　and　around　the　islands。　I've

swam　there　lots。　Then　our　home　bruck　up　and　we　went　to　board　in　Boston。〃

He　snapped　off　a　flower　in　reach　of　his　long　arm。　Suddenly　all　dreaminess

left　him。



〃I　wonder　if　you'll　be　settin'　the　colonel's　table　when　I　come　back？〃　he

said。



Miss　Stone　was　at　a　loss。



〃I'm　goin'　East　to…morrowEast；　to　Boston。〃



Yesterday　he　had　told　her　that　sixteen　miles　to　Lander　was　the　farthest

journey　from　the　post　that　he　intended　to　makethe　farthest　from　the

post　and　her。



〃I　hope　nothing　ain't　happened　to　your　folks？〃　said　she。



〃I　ain't　got　no　folks；〃　replied　Lin；　〃barring　a　brother。　I　expect　he　is

taking　good　care　of　himself。〃



〃Don't　you　correspond？〃



〃Well；　I　guess　he　would　if　there　was　anything　to　say。　There　ain't　been

nothin'。〃



Sabina　thought　they　must　have　quarrelled；　but　learned　that　they　had　not。

It　was　time　for　her　now　to　return　and　set　the　colonel's　table；　so　Lin

rose　and　went　to　bring　her　horse。　When　he　had　put　her　in　her　saddle　she

noticed　him　step　to　his　own。



〃Why；　I　didn't　know　you　were　lame！〃　cried　she。



〃Shucks！〃　said　Lin。　〃It　don't　cramp　my　style　any。〃　He　had　sprung　on　his

horse；　ridden　beside　her；　leaned　and　kissed　her　before　she　got　any

measure　of　his　activity。



〃That's　how；〃　said　he；　and　they　took　their　homeward　way　galloping。　〃No；〃

Lin　continued；　〃Frank　and　me　never　quarrelled。　I　just　thought　I'd　have　a

look　at　this　Western　country。　Frank；　he　thought　dry…goods　was　good　enough

for　him；　and　so　we're　both　satisfied；　I　expect。　And　that's　a　lot　of　years

now。　Whoop　ye！〃　he　suddenly　sang　out；　and　fired　his　six…shooter　at　a

jack…rabbit；　who　strung　himself　out　flat　and　flew　over　the　earth。



Both　dismounted　at　the　parade…ground　gate；　and　he　kissed　her　again　when

she　was　not　looking；　upon　which　she　very　properly　slapped　him；　and　he

took　the　horses　to　the　stable。　He　sat　down　to　tea　at　the　hotel；　and　found

the　meal　consisted　of　black　potatoes；　gray　tea；　and　a　guttering　dish　of

fat　pork。　But　his　appetite　was　good；　and　he　remarked　to　himself　that

inside　the　first　hour　he　was　in　Boston　he　would　have　steamed　Duxbury

clams。　Of　Sabina　he　never　thought　again；　and　it　is　likely　that　she　found

others　to　take　his　place。　Fort　Washakie　was　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles

from　the　railway；　and　men　there　were　many　and　girls　were　few。



The　next　morning　the　other　passengers　entered　the　stage　with　resignation；

knowing　the　thirty…six　hours　of　evil　that　lay　before　them。　Lin　climbed　up

beside　the　driver。　He　had　a　new　trunk　now。



〃Don't　get　full；　Lin；〃　said　the　clerk；　putting　the　mail…sacks　in　at　the

store。



〃My　plans　ain't　settled　that　far　yet；〃　replied　Mr。　McLean。



〃Leave　it　out　of　them；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　bishop；　laughing；　inside

the　stage。



It　was　a　cool；　fine　air。　Gazing　over　the　huge　plain　down　in　which　lies

Fort　Washakie；　Lin　heard　the　faint　notes　of　the　trumpet　on　the　parade

ground；　and　took　a　good…bye　look　at　all　things。　He　watched　the　American

flag　grow　small；　saw　the　circle　of　steam　rising　away　down　by　the　hot

springs；　looked　at　the　bad　lands　beyond；　chemically　pink　and　rose　amid

the　vast；　natural；　quiet…colored　plain。　Across　the　spreading　distance

Indians　trotted　at　wide　spaces；　generally　two　large　bucks　on　one　small

pony；　or　a　squaw　and　pappoosea　bundle　of　parti…colored　rags。　Presiding

over　the　whole　rose　the　mountains　to　the　west；　serene；　lifting　into　the

clearest　light。　Then　once　again　came　the　now　tiny　music　of　the　trumpet。



〃When　do　yu'　figure　on　comin'　back？〃　inquired　the　driver。



〃Oh；　I'll　just　look　around　back　there　for　a　spell；〃　said　Lin。　〃About　a

month；　I　guess。〃



He　had　seven　hundred　dollars。　At　Lander　the　horses　are　changed；　and

during　this　operation　Lin's　friends　gathered　and　said；　where　was　any

sense　in　going　to　Boston　when　you　could　have　a　good　time　where　you　were？

But　Lin　remained　sitting　safe　on　the　stage。　Toward　evening；　at　the　bottom

of　a　little　dry　gulch　some　eight　feet　deep；　the　horses　decided　it　was　a

suitable　place　to　stay。　It　was　the　bishop　who　persuaded　them　to　change

their　minds。　He　told　the　driver　to　give　up　beating；　and　unharness。　Then

they　were　led　up　the　bank；　quivering；　and　a　broken　trace　was　spliced　with

rope。　Then　the　stage　was　forced　on　to　the　level　ground；　the　bishop

proving　a　strong　man；　familiar　with　the　gear　of　vehicles。　They　crossed

through　the　pass　among　the　quaking　asps　and　the　pines；　and；　reaching

Pacific　Springs；　came　down　again　into　open　country。　That　afternoon　the

stage　put　its　passengers　down　on　the　railroad　platform　at　Green　River；

this　was　the　route　in　those　days　before　the　mid…winter　catastrophes　of

frozen　passengers　led　to　its　abandonment。　The　bishop　was　going　west。　His

robes　had　passed　him　on　the　up　stage　during　the　night。　When　the　reverend

gentleman　heard　this　he　was　silent　for　a　very　short　moment；　and　then

laughed　vigorously　in　the　baggage…room。



〃I　can　understand　how　you　swear　sometimes；〃　he　said　to　Lin　McLean；　〃but　I

can't；　you　see。　Not　even　at　this。〃



The　cow…puncher　was　checking　his　own　trunk　to　Omaha。



〃Good…bye　and　good　luck　to　you；〃　continued　the　bishop；　giving　his　hand　to

Lin。　〃And　look　heredon't　you　think　you　might　leave　that　'getting　full'

out　of　your　plans？〃



Lin　gave　a　slightly　shamefaced　grin。　〃I　don't　guess　I　can；　sir；〃　he　said。

〃I'm　givin'　yu'　straight　goods；　yu'　see；〃　he　added



〃That's　right。　But　you　look　like　a　man　who　could　stop　when　he'd　had

enough。　Try　that。　You're　man　enoughand　come　and　see　me　whenever　we're

in　the　same　place。〃



He　went　to　the　hotel。　There　were　several　hours　for　Lin　to　wait。　He　walked

up　and　down　the　platform　till　the　stars　came　out　and　the　bright　lights　of

the　town　shone　in　the　saloon　windows。　Over　across　the　way　piano…music

sounded　through　one　of　the　many　open　doors。



〃Wonder　if　the　professor's　there　yet？〃　said　Lin；　and　he　went　across　the

railroad　tracks。　The　bartender　nodded　to　him　as　he　passed　through　into

the　back　room。　In　that　place　were　many　tables；　and　the　flat　clicking　and

rattle　of　ivory　counters　sounded　pleasantly　through　the　music。　Lin　did

not　join　the　stud…poker　game。　He　stood　over　a　table　at　which　sat　a　dealer

and　a　player；　very　silent；　opposite　each　other；　and　whereon　were　painted

sundry　cards；　numerals；　and　the　colors　red　and　black　in　squares。　The

legend　〃Jacks　pay〃　was　also　clearly　painted。　The　player　placed　chips　on

whichever　insignia　of　fortune　he　chose；　and　the　dealer　slid　cards　（quite

fairly）　from　the　top　of　a　pack　that　lay　held　within　a　skeleton　case　made

with　some　clamped　bands　of　tin。　Sometimes　the　player's　pile　of　chips　rose

high；　and　sometimes　his　sumptuous　pillar　of　gold　pieces　was　lessened　by

one。　It　was　very　interesting　and　pretty　to　see；　Lin　had　much　better　have

joined　the　game　of　stud…poker。　Presently　the　eye　of　the　dealer　met　the

eye　of　the　player。　After　that　slight　incident　the　player's　chip　pile

began　to　rise；　and　rose　steadily；　till　the　dealer　made　admiring　comments

on　such　a　run　of　luck。　Then　the　player　stopped；　cashed　in；　and　said

good…night；　having　nearly　doubled　the　number　of　his　gold　pieces。



〃Five　dollars'　worth；〃　said　Lin；　sitting　down　in　the　vacant　seat。　The

chips　were　counted　out　to　him。　He　played　with　unimportant　shiftings　of

fortune　until　a　short　while　before　his　train　was　due；　and　then；

singularly　enough；　he　discovered　he　was　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars

behind　the　game。



〃I　guess　I'll　leave　the　train　go　without　me；〃　said　Lin；　buying　five

dollars〃　worth　more　of　ivory　counters。　So　that　train　came　and　went；

removing　eastward　Mr。　McLean's　trunk。



During　the　hour　that　followed　his　voice　grew　dogged　and　his　remarks

briefer；　as　he　continually　purchased　more　chips　from　the　now　surprised

and　sympathetic　dealer。　It　was　really　wonderful　how　steadily　Lin　lost

just　as　steadily　as　his　predecessor　had　won