lin mclean-第5节

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cow…puncher。　And　he　and　Honey　went　to　town。



Lin　found　a　job　in　twenty…five　minutes；　becoming　assistant　to　the

apothecary　in　Mesa。　Established　at　the　drug…store；　he　made　up　the　simpler

prescriptions。　He　had　studied　practical　pharmacy　in　Boston　between　the

ages　of　thirteen　and　fifteen；　and；　besides　this　qualification；　the

apothecary　had　seen　him　when　he　first　came　into　Mesa；　and　liked　him。　Lin

made　no　mistakes　that　he　or　any　one　ever　knew　of；　and；　as　the　mild

weather　began；　he　materially　increased　the　apothecary's　business　by

persuading　him　to　send　East　for　a　soda…water　fountain。　The　ladies　of　the

town　clustered　around　this　entertaining　novelty；　and　while　sipping

vanilla　and　lemon　bought　knickknacks。　And　the　gentlemen　of　the　town

discovered　that　whiskey　with　soda　and　strawberry　syrup　was　delicious；　and

produced　just　as　competent　effects。　A　group　of　them　were　generally

standing　in　the　shop　and　shaking　dice　to　decide　who　should　pay　for　the

next；　while　Lin　administered　to　each　glass　the　necessary　ingredients。

Thus　money　began　to　come　to　him　a　little　more　steadily　than　had　been　its

wont；　and　he　divided　with　the　penniless　Honey。



But　Honey　found　fortune　quickly；　too。　Through　excellent　card…playing　he

won　a　pinto　from　a　small　Mexican　horse…thief　who　came　into　town　from　the

South；　and　who　cried　bitterly　when　he　delivered　up　his　pet　pony　to　the

new　owner。　The　new　owner；　being　a　man　of　the　world　and　agile　on　his　feet；

was　only　slightly　stabbed　that　evening　as　he　walked　to　the　dance…hall　at

the　edge　of　the　town。　The　Mexican　was　buried　on　the　next　day　but　one。



The　pony　stood　thirteen　two；　and　was　as　long　as　a　steamboat。　He　had　white

eyelashes；　pink　nostrils；　and　one　eye　was　bright　blue。　If　you　spoke

pleasantly　to　him；　he　rose　instantly　on　his　hind…legs　and　tried　to　beat

your　face。　He　did　not　look　as　if　he　could　run；　and　that　was　what　made　him

so　valuable。　Honey　travelled　through　the　country　with　him；　and　every

gentleman　who　saw　the　pinto　and　heard　Honey　became　anxious　to　get　up　a

race。　Lin　always　sent　money　for　Wiggin　to　place；　and　he　soon　opened　a

bank　account；　while　Honey；　besides　his　racing…bridle；　bought　a

silver…inlaid　one；　a　pair　of　forty…dollar　spurs；　and　a　beautiful　saddle

richly　stamped。　Every　day　（when　in　Mesa）　Honey　would　step　into　the

drug…store　and　inquire；　〃Lin；　wher're　yu'　goin'？〃



But　Lin　never　answered　any　more。　He　merely　came　to　the　soda…water

fountain　with　the　whiskey。　The　passing　of　days　brought　a　choked　season　of

fine　sand　and　hard　blazing　sky。　Heat　rose　up　from　the　ground　and　hung

heavily　over　man　and　beast。　Many　insects　sat　out　in　the　sun　rattling　with

joy；　the　little　tearing　river　grew　clear　from　the　swollen　mud；　and　shrank

to　a　succession　of　standing　pools；　and　the　fat；　squatting　cactus　bloomed

everywhere　into　butter…colored　flowers　big　as　tulips　in　the　sand。　There

were　artesian　wells　in　Mesa；　and　the　water　did　not　taste　very　good；　but

if　you　drank　from　the　standing　pools　where　the　river　had　been；　you

repaired　to　the　drug…store　almost　immediately。　A　troop　of　wandering

players　came　dotting　along　the　railroad；　and；　reaching　Mesa；　played　a

brass…band　up　and　down　the　street；　and　announced　the　powerful　drama　of

〃East　Lynne。〃　Then　Mr。　McLean　thought　of　the　Lynn　marshes　that　lie

between　there　and　Chelsea；　and　of　the　sea　that　must　look　so　cool。　He

forgot　them　while　following　the　painful　fortunes　of　the　Lady　Isabel；　but；

going　to　bed　in　the　back　part　of　the　drug…store；　he　remembered　how　he

used　to　beat　everybody　swimming　in　the　salt　water。



〃I'm　goin'；〃　he　said。　Then　he　got　up；　and；　striking　the　light；　he

inspected　his　bank　account。　〃I'm　sure　goin'；〃　he　repeated；　blowing　the

light　out；　〃and　I　can　buy　the　fatted　calf　myself；　you　bet！〃　for　he　had

often　thought　of　the　bishop's　story。　〃You　bet！〃　he　remarked　once　more　in

a　muffled　voice；　and　was　asleep　in　a　minute。　The　apothecary　was　sorry　to

have　him　go；　and　Honey　was　deeply　grieved。



〃I'd　pull　out　with　yer；〃　he　said；　〃only　I　can　do　business　round　Yuma　and

westward　with　the　pinto。〃



For　three　farewell　days　Lin　and　Honey　roved　together　in　all　sorts　of

places；　where　they　were　welcome；　and　once　more　Lin　rode　a　horse　and　was

in　his　native　element。　Then　he　travelled　to　Deming；　and　so　through　Denver

to　Omaha；　where　he　was　told　that　his　trunk　had　been　sold　for　some　months。

Besides　a　suit　of　clothes　for　town　wear；　it　had　contained　a　buffalo　coat

for　his　brothersomething　scarce　to　see　in　these　days。



〃Frank'll　have　to　get　along　without　it；〃　he　observed；　philosophically；

and　took　the　next　eastbound　train。



If　you　journey　in　a　Pullman　from　Mesa　to　Omaha　without　a　waistcoat；　and

with　a　silk　handkerchief　knotted　over　the　collar　of　your　flannel　shirt

instead　of　a　tie；　wearing；　besides；　tall；　high…heeled　boots；　a　soft；　gray

hat　with　a　splendid　brim；　a　few　people　will　notice　you；　but　not　the

majority。　New　Mexico　and　Colorado　are　used　to　these　things。　As　Iowa；　with

its　immense　rolling　grain；　encompasses　you；　people　will　stare　a　little

more；　for　you're　getting　near　the　East；　where　cow…punchers　are　not

understood。　But　in　those　days　the　line　of　cleavage　came　sharp…drawn　at

Chicago。　West　of　there　was　still　tolerably　west；　but　east　of　there　was

east　indeed；　and　the　Atlantic　Ocean　was　the　next　important

stopping…place。　In　Lin's　new　train；　good　gloves；　patent…leathers；　and

silence　prevailed　throughout　the　sleeping…car；　which　was　for　Boston

without　change。　Had　not　home　memories　begun　impetuously　to　flood　his

mind；　he　would　have　felt　himself　conspicuous。　Town　clothes　and

conventions　had　their　due　value　with　him。　But　just　now　the　boy's　single…

hearted　thoughts　were　far　from　any　surroundings；　and　he　was　murmuring　to

himself；　〃To…morrow！　tomorrow　night！〃



There　were　ladies　in　that　blue　plush　car　for　Boston　who　looked　at　Lin　for

thirty　miles　at　a　stretch；　and　by　the　time　Albany　was　reached　the　next

day　one　or　two　of　them　commented　that　he　was　the　most　attractive…looking

man　they　had　ever　seen！　Whereas；　beyond　his　tallness；　and　wide…open；

jocular　eyes；　eyes　that　seemed　those　of　a　not　highly　conscientious　wild

animal；　there　was　nothing　remarkable　about　young　Lin　except　stage　effect。

The　conductor　had　been　annoyed　to　have　such　a　passenger；　but　the

cow…puncher　troubled　no　one；　and　was　extremely　silent。　So　evidently　was

he　a　piece　of　the　true　frontier　that　curious　and　hopeful

fellow…passengers；　after　watching　him　with　diversion；　more　than　once　took

a　seat　next　to　him。　He　met　their　chatty　inquiries　with　monosyllables　so

few　and　so　unprofitable　in　their　quiet　politeness　that　the　passengers

soon　gave　him　up。　At　Springfield　he　sent　a　telegram　to　his　brother　at　the

great　dry…goods　establishment　that　employed　him。



The　train　began　its　homestretch　after　Worcester；　and　whirled　and　swung　by

hills　and　ponds　he　began　to　watch　for；　and　through　stations　with　old

wayside　names。　These　flashed　on　Lin's　eye　as　he　sat　with　his　hat　off　and

his　forehead　against　the　window；　looking：　Wellesley。　Then；　not　long

after；　Riverside。　That　was　the　Charles　River；　and　did　the　picnic　woods

used　to　be　above　the　bridge　or　below？　West　Newton；　Newtonville；　Newton。

〃Faneuil's　next；〃　he　said　aloud　in　the　car；　as　the　long…forgotten

home…knowledge　shone　forth　in　his　recollection。　The　traveller　seated　near

said；　〃Beg　pardon？〃　but；　turning；　wondered　at　the　all…unconscious　Lin；

with　his　forehead　pressed　against　the　glass。　The　blue　water　flashed　into

sight；　and　soon　after　they　were　running　in　the　darkness　between　high

walls；　but　the　cow…puncher　never　moved；　though　nothing　could　be　seen。

When　the　porter　announced　〃Boston；〃　he　started　up　and　followed　like　a

sheep　in　the　general　exodus。　Down　on　the　platform　he　moved　along　with　the

slow　crowd　till　some　one　touched　him；　and；　wheeling　round；　he　seized　both

his　brother's　hands　and　swore　a　good　oath　of　joy。



There　they　stoodthe　long；　brown　fellow　with　the　silk　handkerchief

knotted　over　his　flannel　shirt；　greeting　tremendously　the　spruce

civilian；　who　had　a　rope…colored　mustache　and　bore　a　fainthearted

resemblance　to　him。　The　story　was　plain　on　its　face　to　the　passers…by；

and　one　of　the　ladies　who　had　come　in　the　car　with　Lin　turned　twice；　and

smiled　gently　to　herself。



But　Frank　McLean's　heart　did　not　warm。　He　felt　that　what　he　had　been

afraid　of　was　true；　and　he　saw　he　was　being　made　conspicuous。　He　saw　men

and　women　stare　in　the　station；　and　he　saw　them　staring　as　he　and　his

Western　brother　went　through　the　streets。　Lin　strode　along；　sniffing　the

air　of　Boston；　looking　at　all　things；　and　making　it　a　stretch　for　his

sleek　companion　to　keep　step　with　him。　Frank　thought　of　the　refined

friends　he　should　have　to　introduce　his　brother　to；　for　he　had　risen　with

his　salary；　and　now　belonged　to　a　small　club　where　the　paying…tellers　of

banks　played　cards　every　night；　and　the　head　clerk　at　the　Parker　House

was　president。　Perhaps　he　should　not　have　to　reveal　the　cow…puncher　to

these　shining　ones。　Perhaps　the　co