lin mclean-第35节

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〃I'll　take　them。　Letters　for　Judge　Henry's。〃　He　knew　the　judge's　office

was　seventy　miles　from　here。



〃Any　for　the　C。　Y。？〃　muttered　another；　likewise　knowing　better。



It　was　a　happy；　if　simple；　thought；　and　most　of　them　inquired　for　the

mail。　Jessamine　sought　carefully；　making　them　repeat　their　names；　which

some　did　guiltily：　they　foresaw　how　soon　the　lady　would　find　out　no

letters　ever　came　for　these　names！



There　was　no　letter　for　any　one　present。



〃I'm　sorry；　truly；〃　said　Jessamine　behind　the　railing。　〃For　you　seemed

real　anxious　to　get　news。　Better　luck　next　time！　And　if　I　make　mistakes；

please　everybody　set　me　straight；　for　of　course　I　don't　understand　things

yet。〃



〃Yes；　m'm。〃



〃Good…day；　m'm。〃



〃Thank　yu'；　m'm。'



They　got　themselves　out　of　the　station　and　into　their　saddles。



〃No；　she　don't　understand　things　yet；〃　soliloquized　the　Virginian。　〃Oh

dear；　no。〃　He　turned　his　slow；　dark　eyes　upon　us。　〃You　Lin　McLean；〃　said

he；　in　his　gentle　voice；　〃you　have　cert'nly　fooled　me　plumb　through　this

mawnin'。〃



Then　the　horde　rode　out　of　town；　chastened　and　orderly　till　it　was　quite

small　across　the　sagebrush；　when　reaction　seized　it。　It　sped　suddenly　and

vanished　in　dust　with　far；　hilarious　cries　and　here　were　Lin　and　I；　and

here　towered　the　water…tank；　shining　and　shining。



Thus　did　Separ's　vigilante　take　possession　and　vindicate　Lin's　knowledge

of　his　kind。　It　was　not　three　days　until　the　Virginian；　that　lynx

observer；　fixed　his　grave　eyes　upon　McLean　〃'Neighbor'　is　as　cute　a　name

for　a　six…shooter　as　ever　I　heard；〃　said　he。　〃But　she'll　never　have　need

of　your　gun　in　Separonly　to　shoot　up　peaceful　playin'…cyards　while　she

hearkens　to　your　courtin'。〃



That　was　his　way　of　congratulation　to　a　brother　lover。　〃Plumb　strange；〃

he　said　to　me　one　morning　after　an　hour　of　riding　in　silence；　〃how　a　man

will　win　two　women　while　another　man　gets　aged　waitin'　for　one。〃



〃Your　hair　seems　black　as　ever；〃　said　I。



〃My　hopes　ain't　so　glossy　any　more；〃　he　answered。　〃Lin　has　done　better

this　second　trip。〃



〃Mrs。　Lusk　don't　count；〃　said　I。



〃I　reckon　she　counted　mighty　plentiful　when　he　thought　he'd　got　her

clamped　to　him　by　lawful　marriage。　But　Lin's　lucky。〃　And　the　Virginian

fell　silent　again。



Lucky　Lin　bestirred　him　over　his　work；　his　plans；　his　ranch　on　Box　Elder

that　was　one　day　to　be　a　home　for　his　lady。　He　came　and　went；　seeing　his

idea　triumph　and　his　girl　respected。　Not　only　was　she　a　girl；　but　a　good

shot　too。　And　as　if　she　and　her　small；　neat　home　were　a　sort　of

possession；　the　cow…punchers　would　boast　of　her　to　strangers。　They　would

have　dealt　heavily　now　with　the　wretch　who　should　trifle　with　the

water…tank。　When　camp　came　within　visiting　distance；　you　would　see　one　or

another　shaving　and　parting　his　hair。　They　wrote　unnecessary　letters；　and

brought　them　to　mail　as　excuses　for　an　afternoon　call。　Honey　Wiggin；　more

original；　would　look　in　the　door　with　his　grin；　and　hold　up　an　ace　of

clubs。　〃I　thought　maybe　yu'　could　spare　a　minute　for　a　shootin'…match；〃

he　would　insinuate；　and　Separ　now　heard　no　more　objectionable　shooting

than　this。　Texas　brought　her　presents　of　gameantelope；　sage…chickens

but；　shyness　intervening；　he　left　them　outside　the　door；　and　entering；

dressed　in　all　the　〃Sunday〃　that　he　had；　would　sit　dumbly　in　the　lady's

presence。　I　remember　his　emerging　from　one　of　these　placid　interviews

straight　into　the　hands　of　his　tormentors。



〃If　she　don't　notice　your　clothes；　Texas；〃　said　the　Virginian；　〃just

mention　them　to　her。〃



〃Now　yer've　done　offended　her；〃　shrilled　Manassas　Donohoe。　〃She　heard

that。〃



〃She'll　hear　you　singin'　sooprano；〃　said　Honey　Wiggin。　〃It's　good　this

country　has　reformed；　or　they'd　have　you　warblin'　in　some　dance…hall　and

corrupt　your　morals。〃



〃You　sca'cely　can　corrupt　the　morals　of　a　soprano　man；〃　observed　the

Virginian。　〃Go　and　play　with　Billy　till　you　can　talk　bass。〃



But　it　was　the　boldest　adults　that　Billy　chose　for　playmates。　Texas　he

found　immature。　Moreover；　when　next　he　came；　he　desired　play　with　no　one。

Summer　was　done。　September's　full　moon　was　several　nights　ago；　he　had

gone　on　his　hunt　with　Lin；　and　now　spelling…books　were　at　hand。　But　more

than　this　clouded　his　mind；　he　had　been　brought　to　say　good…bye　to

Jessamine　Buckner；　who　had　scarcely　seen　him；　and　to　give　her　a

wolverene…skin；　a　hunting　trophy。　〃She　can　have　it；〃　he　told　me。　〃I　like

her。〃　Then　he　stole　a　look　at　his　guardian。　〃If　they　get　married　and　send

me　back　to　mother；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　run　away　sure。〃　So　school　and　this　old

dread　haunted　the　child；　while　for　the　man；　Lin　the　lucky；　who　suspected

nothing　of　it；　time　was　ever　bringing　love　nearer　to　his　hearth。　His

Jessamine　had　visited　Box　Elder；　and　even　said　she　wanted　chickens　there；

since　when　Mr。　McLean　might　occasionally　have　been　seen　at　his　cabin；

worrying　over　barn…yard　fowls；　feeding　and　cursing　them　with　equal　care。

Spring　would　see　him　married；　he　told　me。



〃This　time　right！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃And　I　want　her　to　know　Billy　some　more

before　he　goes　to　Bear　Creek。〃



〃Ah；　Bear　Creek！〃　said　Billy；　acidly。　〃Why　can't　I　stay　home？〃



〃Home　sounds　kind　o'　slick；〃　said　Lin　to　me。　〃Don't　it；　now？　'Home'　is

closer　than　'neighbor；'　you　bet！　Billy；　put　the　horses　in　the　corral；　and

ask　Miss　Buckner　if　we　can　come　and　see　her　after　supper。　If　you're　good；

maybe　she'll　take　yu'　for　a　ride　to…morrow。　And；　kid；　ask　her　about

Laramie。〃



Again　suspicion　quivered　over　Billy's　face；　and　he　dragged　his　horses

angrily　to　the　corral。



Lin　nudged　me；　laughing。　〃I　can　rile　him　every　time　about　Laramie；〃　said

he；　affectionately。　〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　the　kid　set　so　much　store

by　me。　Nor　I　didn't　need　to　ask　Jessamine　to　love　him　for　my　sake。　What

do　yu'　suppose？　Before　I'd　got　far　as　thinking　of　Billy　at　all　right

after　Edgeford；　when　my　head　was　just　a　whirl　of　joyJessamine　says　to

me　one　day；　'Read　that。'　It　was　Governor　Barker　writin'　to　her　about　her

brother　and　her　sorrow。〃　Lin　paused。　〃And　about　me。　I　can't　never　tell

youbut　he　said　a　heap　I　didn't　deserve。　And　he　told　her　about　me

picking　up　Billy　in　Denver　streets　that　time；　and　doing　for　him　because

his　own　home　was　not　a　good　one。　Governor　Barker　wrote　Jessamine　all

that；　and　she　said；　'Why　did　you　never　tell　me？'　And　I　said　it　wasn't

anything　to　tell。　And　she　just　said　to　me；　'It　shall　be　as　if　he　was　your

son　and　I　was　his　mother。'　And　that's　the　first　regular　kiss　she　ever

gave　me　I　didn't　have　to　take　myself。　God　bless　her！　God　bless　her！〃



As　we　ate　our　supper；　young　Billy　burst　out　of　brooding　silence：　〃I

didn't　ask　her　about　Laramie。　So　there！〃



〃Well；　well；　kid；〃　said　the　cow…puncher；　patting　his　head；　〃yu'　needn't

to；　I　guess。〃



But　Billy's　eye　remained　sullen　and　jealous。　He　paid　slight　attention　to

the　picture…book　of　soldiers　and　war　that　Jessamine　gave　him　when　we　went

over　to　the　station。　She　had　her　own　books；　some　flowers　in　pots；　a

rocking…chair；　and　a　cosey　lamp　that　shone　on　her　bright　face　and　dark

dress。　We　drew　stools　from　the　office　desks；　and　Billy　perched　silently

on　one。



〃Scanty　room　for　company！〃　Jessamine　said。　〃But　we　must　make　out　this

waytill　we　have　another　way。〃　She　smiled　on　Lin；　and　Billy's　face

darkened。　〃Do　you　know；〃　she　pursued　to　me；　〃with　all　those　chickens　Mr。

McLean　tells　me　about；　never　a　one　has　he　thought　to　bring　here。〃



〃Livin'　or　dead　do　you　want　'em？〃　inquired　Lin。



〃Oh；　I'll　not　bother　you。　Mr。　Donohoe　says　he　will〃



〃Texas？　Chickens？　Him？　Then　he'll　have　to　steal　'em！〃　And　we　all　laughed

together。



〃You　won't　make　me　go　back　to　Laramie；　will　you？〃　spoke　Billy；　suddenly；

from　his　stool。



〃I'd　like　to　see　anybody　try　to　make　you？〃　exclaimed　Jessamine。　〃Who　says

any　such　thing？〃



〃Lin　did；〃　said　Billy。



Jessamine　looked　at　her　lover　reproachfully。　〃What　a　way　to　tease　him！〃

she　said。　〃And　you　so　kind。　Why；　you've　hurt　his　feelings！〃



〃I　never　thought；〃　said　Lin　the　boisterous。　〃I　wouldn't　have。〃



〃Come　sit　here；　Billy；〃　said　Jessamine。　〃Whenever　he　teases；　you　tell　me；

and　we'll　make　him　behave。〃



〃Honest？〃　persisted　Billy。



〃Shake　hands　on　it；〃　said　Jessamine。



〃Cause　I'll　go　to　school。　But　I　won't　go　back　to　Laramie　for　no　one。　And

you're　a…going　to　be　Lin's　wife；　honest？〃



〃Honest！　Honest！〃　And　Jessamine；　laughing；　grew　red　beside　her　lamp。



〃Then　I　guess　mother　can't　never　come　back　to　Lin；　either；〃　stated　Billy；

relieved。



Jessamine　let　fall　the　child's　hand。



〃Cause　she　liked　him　onced；　and　he　liked　her。〃



Jessamine　gazed　at　Lin。



〃It's　simple；〃　said　the　cow…puncher。　〃It's　all　right。〃



But　Jessamine　sat　by　her　lamp；　very　pale。



〃It's　all　right；〃　repeated　Lin　in　the　silence；　shifting　his　foot　and

looking　down。　〃Once　I　made　a　fool　of　myself。　Worse　than　usual。〃



〃Billy？〃　whispered　Jessamine。　〃Then　youBut　his