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Lin　McLean



by　Owen　Wister












DEDICATION



MY　DEAR　HARRY　MERCER：　When　Lin　McLean　was　only　a　hero　in　manuscript；　he

received　his　first　welcome　and　chastening　beneath　your　patient　roof。　By

none　so　much　as　by　you　has　he　in　private　been　helped　and　affectionately

disciplined；　an　now　you　must　stand　godfather　to　him　upon　this　public

page。



Always　yours；



OWEN　WISTER



Philadelphia；　1897









HOW　LIN　McLEAN　WENT　EAST



In　the　old　days；　the　happy　days；　when　Wyoming　was　a　Territory　with　a

future　instead　of　a　State　with　a　past；　and　the　unfenced　cattle　grazed

upon　her　ranges　by　prosperous　thousands；　young　Lin　McLean　awaked　early

one　morning　in　cow　camp；　and　lay　staring　out　of　his　blankets　upon　the

world。　He　would　be　twenty…two　this　week。　He　was　the　youngest　cow…puncher

in　camp。　But　because　he　could　break　wild　horses；　he　was　earning　more

dollars　a　month　than　any　man　there；　except　one。　The　cook　was　a　more

indispensable　person。　None　save　the　cook　was　up；　so　far；　this　morning。

Lin's　brother　punchers　slept　about　him　on　the　ground；　some　motionless；

some　shifting　their　prone　heads　to　burrow　deeper　from　the　increasing　day。

The　busy　work　of　spring　was　over；　that　of　the　fall；　or　beef　round…up；　not

yet　come。　It　was　mid…July；　a　lull　for　these　hard…riding　bachelors　of　the

saddle；　and　many　unspent　dollars　stood　to　Mr。　McLean's　credit　on　the

ranch　books。



〃What's　the　matter　with　some　variety？〃　muttered　the　boy　in　his　blankets。



The　long　range　of　the　mountains　lifted　clear　in　the　air。　They　slanted

from　the　purple　folds　and　furrows　of　the　pines　that　richly　cloaked　them；

upward　into　rock　and　grassy　bareness　until　they　broke　remotely　into

bright　peaks；　and　filmed　into　the　distant　lavender　of　the　north　and　the

south。　On　their　western　side　the　streams　ran　into　Snake　or　into　Green

River；　and　so　at　length　met　the　Pacific。　On　this　side；　Wind　River　flowed

forth　from　them；　descending　out　of　the　Lake　of　the　Painted　Meadows。　A

mere　trout…brook　it　was　up　there　at　the　top　of　the　divide；　with　easy

riffles　and　stepping…stones　in　many　places；　but　down　here；　outside　the

mountains；　it　was　become　a　streaming　avenue；　a　broadening　course；

impetuous　between　its　two　tall　green　walls　of　cottonwood…trees。　And　so　it

wound　away　like　a　vast　green　ribbon　across　the　lilac…gray　sage…brush　and

the　yellow；　vanishing　plains。



〃Variety；　you　bet！〃　young　Lin　repeated；　aloud。



He　unrolled　himself　from　his　bed；　and　brought　from　the　garments　that　made

his　pillow　a　few　toilet　articles。　He　got　on　his　long　boy　legs　and　limped

blithely　to　the　margin。　In　the　mornings　his　slight　lameness　was　always

more　visible。　The　camp　was　at　Bull　Lake　Crossing；　where　the　fork　from

Bull　Lake　joins　Wind　River。　Here　Lin　found　some　convenient

shingle…stones；　with　dark；　deepish　water　against　them；　where　he　plunged

his　face　and　energetically　washed；　and　came　up　with　the　short　curly　hair

shining　upon　his　round　head。　After　enough　looks　at　himself　in　the　dark

water；　and　having　knotted　a　clean；　jaunty　handkerchief　at　his　throat；　he

returned　with　his　slight　limp　to　camp；　where　they　were　just　sitting　at

breakfast　to　the　rear　of　the　cook…shelf　of　the　wagon。



〃Bugged　up　to　kill！〃　exclaimed　one；　perceiving　Lin's　careful　dress。



〃He　sure　has　not　shaved　again？〃　another　inquired；　with　concern。



〃I　ain't　got　my　opera…glasses　on；〃　answered　a　third。



〃He　has　spared　that　pansy…blossom　mustache；〃　said　a　fourth。



〃My　spring　crop；〃　remarked　young　Lin；　rounding　on　this　last　one；　〃has

juicier　prospects　than　that　rat…eaten　catastrophe　of　last　year's　hay

which　wanders　out　of　your　face。〃



〃Why；　you'll　soon　be　talking　yourself　into　a　regular　man；〃　said　the

other。



But　the　camp　laugh　remained　on　the　side　of　young　Lin　till　breakfast　was

ended；　when　the　ranch　foreman　rode　into　camp。



Him　Lin　McLean　at　once　addressed。　〃I　was　wantin'　to　speak　to　you；〃　said

he。



The　experienced　foreman　noticed　the　boy's　holiday　appearance。　〃I

understand　you're　tired　of　work；〃　he　remarked。



〃Who　told　you？〃　asked　the　bewildered　Lin。



The　foreman　touched　the　boy's　pretty　handkerchief。　〃Well；　I　have　a　way　of

taking　things　in　at　a　glance；〃　said　he。　〃That's　why　I'm　foreman；　I

expect。　So　you've　had　enough　work？〃



〃My　system's　full　of　it；〃　replied　Lin；　grinning。　As　the　foreman　stood

thinking；　he　added；　〃And　I'd　like　my　time。〃



Time；　in　the　cattle　idiom；　meant　back…pay　up　to　date。



〃It's　good　we're　not　busy；〃　said　the　foreman。



〃Meanin'　I'd　quit　all　the　same？〃　inquired　Lin；　rapidly；　flushing。



〃Nonot　meaning　any　offence。　Catch　up　your　horse。　I　want　to　make　the

post　before　it　gets　hot。〃



The　foreman　had　come　down　the　river　from　the　ranch　at　Meadow　Creek；　and

the　post；　his　goal；　was　Fort　Washakie。　All　this　part　of　the　country

formed　the　Shoshone　Indian　Reservation；　where；　by　permission；　pastured

the　herds　whose　owner　would　pay　Lin　his　time　at　Washakie。　So　the　young

cow…puncher　flung　on　his　saddle　and　mounted。



〃So…long！〃　he　remarked　to　the　camp；　by　way　of　farewell。　He　might　never　be

going　to　see　any　of　them　again；　but　the　cow…punchers　were　not

demonstrative　by　habit。



〃Going　to　stop　long　at　Washakie？〃　asked　one。



〃Alma　is　not　waiter…girl　at　the　hotel　now；〃　another　mentioned。



〃If　there's　a　new　girl；〃　said　a　third；　〃kiss　her　one　for　me；　and　tell　her

I'm　handsomer　than　you。〃



〃I　ain't　a　deceiver　of　women；〃　said　Lin。



〃That's　why　you'll　tell　her；〃　replied　his　friend。



〃Say；　Lin；　why　are　you　quittin'　us　so　sudden；　anyway？〃　asked　the　cook；

grieved　to　lose　him。



〃I'm　after　some　variety；〃　said　the　boy。



〃If　you　pick　up　more　than　you　can　use；　just　can　a　little　of　it　for　me！〃

shouted　the　cook　at　the　departing　McLean。



This　was　the　last　of　camp　by　Bull　Lake　Crossing；　and　in　the　foreman's

company　young　Lin　now　took　the　road　for　his　accumulated　dollars。



〃So　you're　leaving　your　bedding　and　stuff　with　the　outfit？〃　said　the

foreman。



〃Brought　my　tooth…brush；〃　said　Lin；　showing　it　in　the　breast…pocket　of

his　flannel　shirt。



〃Going　to　Denver？〃



〃Why；　maybe。〃



〃Take　in　San　Francisco？〃



〃Sounds　slick。〃



〃Made　any　plans？〃



〃Gosh；　no！〃



〃Don't　want　anything　on　your　brain？〃



〃Nothin'　except　my　hat；　I　guess；〃　said　Lin；　and　broke　into　cheerful　song：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Twas　a　nasty　baby　anyhow；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　it　only　died　to　spite　us；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Twas　afflicted　with　the　cerebrow

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Spinal　meningitis！'〃



They　wound　up　out　of　the　magic　valley　of　Wind　River；　through　the

bastioned　gullies　and　the　gnome…like　mystery　of　dry　water…courses；　upward

and　up　to　the　level　of　the　huge　sage…brush　plain　above。　Behind　lay　the

deep　valley　they　had　climbed　from；　mighty；　expanding；　its　trees　like

bushes；　its　cattle　like　pebbles；　its　opposite　side　towering　also　to　the

edge　of　this　upper　plain。　There　it　lay；　another　world。　One　step　farther

away　from　its　rim；　and　the　two　edges　of　the　plain　had　flowed　together

over　it　like　a　closing　sea；　covering　without　a　sign　or　ripple　the　great

country　which　lay　sunk　beneath。



〃A　man　might　think　he'd　dreamed　he'd　saw　that　place；〃　said　Lin　to　the

foreman；　and　wheeled　his　horse　to　the　edge　again。　〃She's　sure　there；

though；〃　he　added；　gazing　down。　For　a　moment　his　boy　face　grew

thoughtful。　〃Shucks！〃　said　he　then；　abruptly；　〃where's　any　joy　in　money

that's　comin'　till　it　arrives？　I　have　most　forgot　the　feel　o'　spot…cash。〃



He　turned　his　horse　away　from　the　far…winding　vision　of　the　river；　and

took　a　sharp　jog　after　the　foreman；　who　had　not　been　waiting　for　him。

Thus　they　crossed　the　eighteen　miles　of　high　plain；　and　came　down　to　Fort

Washakie；　in　the　valley　of　Little　Wind；　before　the　day　was　hot。



His　roll　of　wages　once　jammed　in　his　pocket　like　an　old　handkerchief；

young　Lin　precipitated　himself　out　of　the　post…trader's　store　and　away　on

his　horse　up　the　stream　among　the　Shoshone　tepees　to　an　unexpected

entertainmenta　wolf…dance。　He　had　meant　to　go　and　see　what　the　new

waiter…girl　at　the　hotel　looked　like；　but　put　this　off　promptly　to　attend

the　dance。　This　hospitality　the　Shoshone　Indians　were　extending　to　some

visiting　Ute　friends；　and　the　neighborhood　was　assembled　to　watch　the

ring　of　painted　naked　savages。



The　post…trader　looked　after　the　galloping　Lin。　〃What's　he　quitting　his

job　for？〃　he　asked　the　foreman。



〃Same　as　most　of　'em　quit。〃



〃Nothing？〃



〃Nothing。〃



〃Been　satisfactory？〃



〃Never　had　a　boy　more　so。　Good…hearted；　willing；　a　plumb　dare…devil　with

a　horse。〃



〃And　worthless；〃　suggested　the　post…trader。



〃Wellnot　yet。　He's　headed　that　way。〃



〃Been　punching　cattle　long？〃



〃Came　in　the　country　about　seventy…eight；　I　believe；　and　rode　for　the

Bordeaux　Outfit　most　a　year；　and　quit。　Blew　in　at　Cheyenne　till　he　went

broke；　and　worked　over　on　to　the　Platte。　Rode　for　the　C。　Y。　Outfit　most　a

year；　and　quit。　Blew　in　at　Buffalo。　Rode　for　Balaam　awhile　on　Butte

Creek。　Broke　his　leg。　Went　to　the　Drybone　Hospital；　and　when　the　fracture

was　commencing　to　knit　pretty　good　he　broke　it　again　at　the　hog…ranch

across　the　bridge。　Next　time　you're　in　Cheyenne　get　Dr。　Barker　to　tell

you　about　that。　McLean　drifted　to　Green　River　last　year　and　went　up　over

on　to　Snake；　and　up　Snake；　and　was　around　with　a　prospecting　outfit　on

Galena　Creek　by　Pitchstone　Canyon。　Seems　he　got　interested　in　some

Dutchwoman　up　there；　but　she　had　troubledied；　I　think　they　saidand　he

came　down　by　Meteetsee　to　Wind　River。　He's　liable　to　go　to　Mexico　or

Africa　next。〃



〃If　you　need　him；〃　said　the　post…trader；　closing　his　ledger；　〃you　can

offer　him　five　more　a　month。〃



〃That'll　not　hold　him。〃



〃Well；　let　him　go。　Have　a　cigar。　The　bishop　is　expected　for　Sunday；　and

I've　got　to　see　his　room　is　fixed　up　for　him。〃



〃The　bishop！〃　said　the　foreman。　〃I've　heard　him　highly　spoken