lin mclean-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



just　the　same；　except　when　you're　worse；　and　that　Lin　McLean　is　going　to

know　what　I　think　of　him　next　time　we　meet。〃



He　did。　On　that　occasion　the　kind　old　dame　told　him　he　was　the　best　boy

in　the　country；　and　stood　on　her　toes　and　kissed　him。　But　meanwhile　we

did　not　know　why　he　had　gone；　and　Jessamine　（though　he　was　never　subtle

or　cruel　enough　to　plan　such　a　thing）　missed　him；　and　thus　in　her

loneliness　had　the　chance　to　learn　how　much　he　had　been　to　her。



Though　pressed　to　stay　indefinitely　beneath　Mrs。　Pierce's　hospitable

roof；　the　girl；　after　lingering　awhile；　and　going　often　to　that　nook　in

the　hill　by　Riverside；　took　her　departure。　She　was　restless；　yet　clung　to

the　neighborhood。　It　was　with　a　wrench　that　she　fixed　her　going　when　I

told　her　of　my　own　journey　back　to　the　railroad。　In　Buffalo　she　walked　to

the　court…house　and　stood　a　moment　as　if　bidding　this　site　of　one

life…memory　farewell；　and　from　the　stage　she　watched　and　watched　the

receding　town　and　mountains。　〃It's　awful　to　be　leaving　him！〃　she　said。

〃Excuse　me　for　acting　so　in　front　of　you。〃　With　the　poignant　emptiness

overcoming　her　in　new　guise；　she　blamed　herself　for　not　waiting　in

Illinois　until　he　had　been　sent　to　Joliet；　for　then；　so　near　home；　he

must　have　gone　with　her。



How　could　I　tell　her　that　Nate's　death　was　the　best　end　that　could　have

come　to　him？　But　I　said：　〃You　know　you　don't　think　it　was　your　fault。　You

know　you　would　do　the　same　again。〃　She　listened　to　me；　but　her　eyes　had

no　interest　in　them。　〃He　never　knew　pain；〃　I　pursued；　〃and　he　died　doing

the　thing　he　liked　best　in　the　world。　He　was　happy　and　enjoying　himself；

and　you　gave　him　that。　It's　bad　only　for　you。　Some　would　talk　religion；

but　I　can't。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃I　can　think　of　him　so　glad　to　be　free。　Thank　you

for　saying　that　about　religion。　Do　you　think　it's　wicked　not　to　want　it

to　hate　it　sometimes？　I　hope　it's　not。　Thank　you；　truly。〃



During　our　journey　she　summoned　her　cheerfulness；　and　all　that　she　said

was　wholesome。　In　the　robust；　coarse　soundness　of　her　fibre；　the　wounds

of　grief　would　heal　and　leave　no　sicknessperhaps　no　higher

sensitiveness　to　human　sufferings　than　her　broad　native　kindness　already

held。　We　touched　upon　religion　again；　and　my　views　shocked　her　Kentucky

notions；　for　I　told　her　Kentucky　locked　its　religion　in　an　iron　cage

called　Sunday；　which　made　it　very　savage　and　fond　of　biting　strangers。

Now　and　again　I　would　run　upon　that　vein　of　deep…seated　prejudice　that

was　in　her　character　like　some　fine　wire。　In　short；　our　disagreements

brought　us　to　terms　more　familiar　than　we　had　reached　hitherto。　But　when

at　last　Separ　came；　where　was　I？　There　stood　Mr。　McLean　waiting；　and　at

the　suddenness　of　him　she　had　no　time　to　remember　herself；　but　stepped

out　of　the　stage　with　such　a　smile　that　the　ardent　cow…puncher　flushed

and　beamed。



〃So　I　went　away　without　telling　you　goodbye！〃　he　began；　not　wisely。　〃Mrs。

Pierce　has　been　circulating　war　talk　about　me；　you　bet！〃



The　maiden　in　Jessamine　spoke　instantly。　〃Indeed？　There　was　no　special

obligation　for　you　to　call　on　me；　or　her　to　notice　if　you　didn't。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Lin；　crestfallen。　〃Yu'　sure　don't　mean　that？〃



She　looked　at　him；　and　was　compelled　to　melt。　〃No；　neighbor；　I　don't　mean

it。〃



〃Neighbor！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　again；　〃Neighbor；〃　much　pleased。　〃Now　it

would　sound　kind　o'　pleasant　if　you'd　call　me　that　for　a　steady　thing。〃



〃It　would　sound　kind　of　odd；　Mr。　McLean；　thank　you。〃



〃Blamed　if　I　understand　her；〃　cried　Lin。　〃Blamed　if　I　do。　But　you're

going　to　understand　me　sure　quick！〃　He　rushed　inside　the　station；　spoke

sharply　to　the　agent；　and　returned　in　the　same　tremor　of　elation　that　had

pushed　him　to　forwardness　with　his　girl；　and　with　which　he　seemed　near

bursting。　〃I've　been　here　three　days　to　meet　you。　There's　a　letter；　and　I

expect　I　know　what's　in　it。　Tubercle　has　got　it　here。〃　He　took　it　from

the　less　hasty　agent　and　thrust　it　in　Jessamine's　hand。　〃You　needn't　to

fear。　Please　open　it；　it's　good　news　this　time；　you　bet！〃　He　watched　it

in　her　hand　as　the　boy　of　eight　watches　the　string　of　a　Christmas　parcel

he　wishes　his　father　would　cut　instead　of　so　carefully　untie。　〃Open　it；〃

he　urged　again。　〃Keeping　me　waiting　this　way！〃



〃What　in　the　world　does　all　this　mean？〃　cried　Jessamine；　stopping　short

at　the　first　sentence。



〃Read；〃　said　Lin。



〃You've　done　this！〃　she　exclaimed。



〃Read；　read！〃



So　she　read；　with　big　eyes。　It　was　an　official　letter　of　the　railroad；

written　by　the　division　superintendent　at　Edgeford。　It　hoped　Miss　Buckner

might　feel　like　taking　the　position　of　agent　at　Separ。　If　she　was　willing

to　consider　this；　would　she　stop　over　at　Edgeford；　on　her　way　east；　and

talk　with　the　superintendent？　In　case　the　duties　were　more　than　she　had

been　accustomed　to　on　the　Louisville　and　Nashville；　she　could　continue

east　with　the　loss　of　only　a　day。　The　superintendent　believed　the　salary

could　be　arranged　satisfactorily。　Enclosed　please　to　find　an　order　for　a

free　ride　to　Edgeford。



Jessamine　turned　her　wondering　eyes　on　Lin。　〃You　did　do　this；〃　she

repeated；　but　this　time　with　extraordinary　quietness。



〃Yes；〃　said　he。　〃And　I　am　plumb　proud　of　it。〃



She　gave　a　rich　laugh　of　pleasure　and　amusement；　a　long　laugh；　and

stopped。　〃Did　anybody　ever！〃　she　said。



〃We　can　call　each　other　neighbors　now；　yu'　see；〃　said　the　cow…puncher。



〃Oh　no！　oh　no！〃　Jessamine　declared。　〃Though　how　am　I　ever　to　thank　you？〃



〃By　not　argufying；〃　Lin　answered。



〃Oh　no；　no！　I　can　do　no　such　thing。　Don't　you　see　I　can't？　I　believe　you

are　crazy。〃



〃I've　been　waiting　to　hear　yu'　say　that；〃　said　the　complacent　McLean。

〃I'm　not　argufying。　We'll　eat　supper　now。　The　east…bound　is　due　in　an

hour；　and　I　expect　you'll　be　wanting　to　go　on　it。〃



〃And　I　expect　I'll　go；　too；〃　said　the　girl。



〃I'll　be　plumb　proud　to　have　yu'；〃　the　cow…puncher　assented。



〃I'm　going　to　get　my　ticket　to　Chicago　right　now；〃　said　Jessamine；　again

laughing；　sunny　and　defiant。



〃You　bet　you　are！〃　said　the　incorrigible　McLean。　He　let　her　go　into　the

station　serenely。　〃You　can't　get　used　to　new　ideas　in　a　minute；〃　he

remarked　to　me。　〃I've　figured　on　all　that；　of　course。　But　that's　why；〃　he

broke　out；　impetuously；　〃I　quit　you　on　Bear　Creek　so　sudden。　'When　she

goes　back　away　home；'　I'd　been　saying　to　myself　every　day；　'what'll　you

do　then；　Lin　McLean？'　Well；　I　knew　I'd　go　to　Kentucky　too。　Just　knew　I'd

have　to；　yu'　see；　and　it　was　inconvenient；　turruble　inconvenientBilly

here　and　my　ranch；　and　the　beef　round…up　comin'but　how　could　I　let　her

go　and　forget　me？　Take　up；　maybe；　with　some　Blue…grass　son…of…a…gun　back

there？　And　I　hated　the　fix　I　was　in　till　that　morning；　getting　up；　I　was

joshin'　the　Virginia　man　that's　after　Miss　Wood。　I'd　been　sayin'　no

educated　lady　would　think　of　a　man　who　talked　with　an　African　accent。

'It's　repotted　you　have　a　Southern　rival　yourself；'　says　he；　joshin'

back。　So　I　said　I　guessed　the　rival　would　find　life　uneasy。　'He　does；'

says　he。　'Any　man　with　his　voice　broke　in　two　halves；　and　one　down　in　his

stomach　and　one　up　among　the　angels；　is　goin'　to　feel　uneasy。　But　Texas

talks　a　heap　about　his　lady　vigilante　in　the　freight…car。'　'Vigilante！'　I

said；　and　I　must　have　jumped；　for　they　all　asked　where　the　lightning　had

struck。　And　in　fifteen　minutes　after　writing　you　I'd　hit　the　trail　for

Separ。　Oh；　I　figured　things　out　on　that　ride！〃　（Mr。　McLean　here　clapped

me　on　the　back。）　〃Got　to　Separ。　Got　the　sheriff's　address　the　sheriff

that　saw　her　that　night　they　held　up　the　locomotive。　Got　him　to　meet　me

at　Edgeford　and　make　a　big　talk　to　the　superintendent。　Made　a　big　talk

myself。　I　said；　'Put　that　girl　in　charge　of　Separ；　and　the　boys'll　quit

shooting　your　water…tank。　But　Tubercle　can't　influence　'em。'　'Tubercle？'

says　the　superintendent。　'What's　that？'　And　when　I　told　him　it　was　the

agent；　he　flapped　his　two　hands　down　on　the　chair　arms　each　side　of　him

and　went　to　rockin'　up　and　down。　I　said　the　agent　was　just　a　temptation

to　the　boys　to　be　gay　right　along；　and　they'd　keep　a…shooting。　'You　can

choose　between　Tubercle　and　your　tank；'　I　said；　'but　you've　got　to　move

one　of　'em　from　Separ　if　yu'　went　peace。'　The　sheriff　backed　me　up　good；

too。　He　said　a　man　couldn't　do　much　with　Separ　the　way　it　was　now；　but　a

decent　woman　would　be　respected　there；　and　the　only　question　was　if　she

could　conduct　the　business。　So　I　spoke　up　about　Shawhan；　and　when　the

whole　idea　began　to　soak　into　that　superintendent　his　eyeballs　jingled

and　he　looked　as　wise　as　a　work…ox。　'I'll　see　her；'　says　he。　And　he's

going　to　see　her。〃



〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃you　deserve　success　after　thinking　of　a　thing　like　that！

You're　wholly　wasted　punching　cattle。　But　she's　going　to　Chicago。　By

eleven　o'clock　she　will　have　passed　by　your　superintendent。〃



〃Why；　so　she　will！〃　said　Lin；　affecting　surprise。



He　baffled　me；　and