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back。　〃Lusk；〃　said　the　Governor；　finishing　his　story；　〃cried　around　the

saloons　for　a　couple　of　days；　and　then　went　on　hauling　poles　for　the

government；　till　at　last　he　said　he'd　heard　of　a　better　job　south；　and

next　we　knew　of　him　he　was　round　Leavenworth。　Lusk　was　a　pretty　poor

bird。　Owes　me　ten　dollars。〃



〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃none　of　us　ever　knew　about　him　when　she　came　to　stay

with　Mrs。　Taylor　on　Bear　Creek。　She　was　Miss　Peck　when　Lin　made　her　Mrs。

McLean。〃



〃You'll　notice；〃　said　the　Governor；　〃how　she　has　got　him　under　in　three

weeks。　Old　hand；　you　see。〃



〃Poor　Lin！〃　I　said。



〃Lucky；　I　call　him；〃　said　the　Governor。　〃He　can　quit　her。〃



〃Supposing　McLean　does　not　want　to　quit　her？〃



〃She's　educating　him　to　want　to　right　now；　and　I　think　he'll　learn　pretty

quick。　I　guess　Mr。　Lin's　romance　wasn't　very　ideal　this　trip。　Hello！　here

comes　Jode。　Jode；　won't　you　lunch　with　us？　Mr。　Ogden；　of　New　York；　Mr。

Jode。　Mr。　Jode　is　our　signal…service　officer；　Mr。　Ogden。〃　The　Governor's

eyes　were　sparkling　hilariously；　and　he　winked　at　me。



〃Gentlemen；　good…morning。　Mr。　Ogden；　I　am　honored　to　make　your

acquaintance；〃　said　the　signal…service　officer。



〃Jode；　when　is　it　going　to　rain？〃　said　the　Governor；　anxiously。



Now　Jode　is　the　most　extraordinarily　solemn　man　I　have　ever　known。　He　has

the　solemnity　of　all　science；　added　to　the　unspeakable　weight　of

representing　five　of　the　oldest　families　in　South　Carolina。　The　Jodes

themselves　were　not　old　in　South　Carolina；　but　immensely　so　inI　think

he　told　me　it　was　Long　Island。　His　name　is　Poinsett　Middleton　Manigault

Jode。　He　used　to　weigh　a　hundred　and　twenty…eight　pounds　then；　but　his

health　has　strengthened　in　that　climate。　His　clothes　were　black；　his　face

was　white；　with　black　eyes　sharp　as　a　pin；　he　had　the　shape　of　a　spout

the　same　narrow　size　all　the　way　downand　his　voice　was　as　dry　and　light

as　an　egg…shell。　In　his　first　days　at　Cheyenne　he　had　constantly

challenged　large　cowboys　for　taking　familiarities　with　his　dignity；　and

they；　after　one　moment's　bewilderment；　had　concocted　apologies　that

entirely　met　his　exactions；　and　gave　them　much　satisfaction　also。　Nobody

would　have　hurt　Jode　for　the　world。　In　time　he　came　to　see　that　Wyoming

was　a　game　invented　after　his　book　of　rules　was　published；　and　he　looked

on；　but　could　not　play　the　game。　He　had　fallen；　along　with　other

incongruities；　into　the　roaring　Western　hotch…pot；　and　he　passed　his

careful；　precise　days　with　barometers　and　weather…charts。



He　answered　the　Governor　with　official　and　South　Carolina　impressiveness。

〃There　is　no　indication　of　diminution　of　the　prevailing　pressure；〃　he

said。



〃Well；　that's　what　I　thought；〃　said　the　joyous　Governor；　〃so　I'm　going　to

whoop　her　up。〃



〃What　do　you　expect　to　whoop　up；　sir？〃



〃Atmosphere；　and　all　that；〃　said　the　Governor。　〃Whole　business　has　got　to

get　a　move　on。　I've　sent　for　a　rain…maker。〃



〃Governor；　you　are　certainly　a　wag；　sir；〃　said　Jode；　who　enjoyed　Barker

as　some　people　enjoy　a　symphony；　without　understanding　it。　But　after　we

had　reached　the　club　and　were　lunching；　and　Jode　realized　that　a　letter

had　actually　been　written　telling　Hilbrun　to　come　and　bring　his　showers

with　him；　the　punctilious　signal…service　officer　stated　his　position。

〃Have　your　joke；　sir；〃　he　said；　waving　a　thin；　clean　hand；　〃but　I　decline

to　meet　him。〃



〃Hilbrun？〃　said　the　Governor；　staring。



〃If　that's　his　nameyes；　sir。　As　a　member　of　the　Weather　Bureau　and　the

Meteorological　Society　I　can　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　fellow。〃



〃Glory！〃　said　the　Governor。　〃Well；　I　suppose　not。　I　see　your　point；　Jode。

I'll　be　careful　to　keep　you　apart。　As　a　member　of　the　College　of

Physicians　I've　felt　that　way　about　homeopathy　and　the　faith…cure。　All

very　well　if　patients　will　call　'em　in；　but　can't　meet　'em　in

consultation。　But　three　months'　drought　annually；　Jode！　It's　slowtoo

slow。　The　Western　people　feel　that　this　conservative　method　the　Zodiac

does　its　business　by　is　out　of　date。〃



〃I　am　quite　serious；　sir；〃　said　Jode。　〃And　let　me　express　my

gratification　that　you　do　see　my　point。〃　So　we　changed　the　subject。



Our　weather　scheme　did　not　at　first　greatly　move　the　public。　Beyond　those

who　made　up　the　purse；　few　of　our　acquaintances　expressed　curiosity　about

Hilbrun；　and　next　afternoon　Lin　McLean　told　me　in　the　street　that　he　was

disgusted　with　Cheyenne's　coldness　toward　the　enterprise。　〃But　the　boys

would　fly　right　at　it　and　stay　with　it　if　the　round…up　was　near　town；　you

bet；〃　said　he。



He　was　walking　alone。　〃How's　Mrs。　McLean　to…day？〃　I　inquired。



〃She's　well；〃　said　Lin；　turning　his　eye　from　mine。　〃Who's　your　friend　all

bugged　up　in　English　clothes？〃



〃About　as　good　a　man　as　you；〃　said　I；　〃and　more　cautious。〃



〃Him　and　his　eye…glasses！〃　said　the　sceptical　puncher；　still　looking　away

from　me　and　surveying　Ogden；　who　was　approaching　with　the　Governor。　That

excellent　man；　still　at　long　range；　broke　out　smiling　till　his　teeth

shone；　and　he　waved　a　yellow　paper　at　us。



〃Telegram　from　Hilbrun；〃　he　shouted；　〃be　here　to…morrow〃；　and　he　hastened

up。



〃Says　he　wants　a　cart　at　the　depot；　and　a　small　building　where　he　can　be

private；〃　added　Ogden。　〃Great；　isn't　it？〃



〃You　bet！〃　said　Lin；　brightening。　The　New　Yorker's　urbane　but　obvious

excitement　mollified　Mr。　McLean。　〃Ever　seen　rain　made；　Mr。　Ogden？〃　said

he。



〃Never。　Have　you？〃



Lin　had　not。　Ogden　offered　him　a　cigar；　which　the　puncher　pronounced

excellent；　and　we　all　agreed　to　see　Hilbrun　arrive。



〃We're　going　to　show　the　telegram　to　Jode；〃　said　the　Governor；　and　he　and

Ogden　departed　on　this　mission　to　the　signal　service。



〃Well；　I　must　be　getting　along　myself；〃　said　Lin；　but　he　continued

walking　slowly　with　me。　〃Where're　yu'　bound？〃　he　said。



〃Nowhere　in　particular；〃　said　I。　And　we　paced　the　board　sidewalks　a

little　more。



〃You're　going　to　meet　the　train　to…morrow？〃　said　he。



〃The　train？　Oh　yes。　Hilbrun's。　To…morrow。　You'll　be　there？〃



〃Yes；　I'll　be　there。　It's　sure　been　a　dry　spell；　ain't　it？〃



〃Yes。　Just　like　last　year。　In　fact；　like　all　the　years。〃



〃Yes。　I've　never　saw　it　rain　any　to　speak　of　in　summer。　I　expect　it's　the

rule。　Don't　you？〃



〃I　shouldn't　wonder。〃



〃I　don't　guess　any　man　knows　enough　to　break　such　a　rule。　Do　you？〃



〃No。　But　it'll　be　fun　to　see　him　try。〃



〃Sure　fun！　Well；　I　must　be　getting　along。　See　yu'　to…morrow。〃



〃See　you　to…morrow；　Lin。〃



He　left　me　at　a　corner；　and　I　stood　watching　his　tall；　depressed　figure。

A　hundred　yards　down　the　street　he　turned；　and　seeing　me　looking　after

him；　pretended　he　had　not　turned；　and　then　I　took　my　steps　toward　the

club；　telling　myself　that　I　had　been　something　of　a　skunk；　for　I　had

inquired　for　Mrs。　McLean　in　a　certain　tone；　and　I　had　hinted　to　Lin　that

he　had　lacked　caution；　and　this　was　nothing　but　a　way　of　saying　〃I　told

you　so〃　to　the　man　that　is　down。　Down　Lin　certainly　was；　although　it　had

not　come　so　home　to　me　until　our　little　walk　together　just　now　along　the

boards。



At　the　club　I　found　the　Governor　teaching　Ogden　a　Cheyenne　specialtya

particular　drink；　the　Allston　cocktail。　〃It's　the　bitters　that　does　the

trick；〃　he　was　saying；　but　saw　me　and　called　out：　〃You　ought　to　have　been

with　us　and　seen　Jode。　I　showed　him　the　telegram；　you　know。　He　read　it

through；　and　just　handed　it　back　to　me；　and　went　on　monkeying　with　his

anemometer。　Ever　seen　his　instruments？　Every　fresh　jigger　they　get　out　he

sends　for。　Well；　he　monkeyed　away；　and　wouldn't　say　a　word；　so　I　said；

'You　understand；　Jode；　this　telegram　comes　from　Hilbrun。'　And　Jode；　he

quit　his　anemometer　and　said；　'I　make　no　doubt；　sir；　that　your　despatch

is　genuwine。'　Oh；　South　Carolina's　indignant　at　me！〃　And　the　Governor

slapped　his　knee。　〃Why；　he's　so　set　against　Hilbrun；〃　he　continued；　〃I

guess　if　he　knew　of　something　he　could　explode　to　stop　rain　he'd　let　her

fly！〃



〃No；　he　wouldn't；〃　said　I。　〃He'd　not　consider　that　honorable。〃



〃That's　so；〃　the　Governor　assented。　〃Jode'll　play　fair。〃



It　was　thus　we　had　come　to　look　at　our　enterprisea　game　between　a

well…established；　respectable　weather　bureau　and　an　upstart　charlatan。

And　it　was　the　charlatan　had　our　sympathyas　all　charlatans；　whether

religious；　military；　medical；　political；　or　what　not；　have　with　the

average　American。　We　met　him　at　the　station。　That　is；　Ogden；　McLean；　and

I；　and　the　Governor；　being　engaged；　sent　（unofficially）　his　secretary　and

the　requested　cart。　Lin　was　anxious　to　see　what　would　be　put　in　the　cart；

and　I　was　curious　about　how　a　rain…maker　would　look。　But　he　turned　out　an

unassuming；　quiet　man　in　blue　serge；　with　a　face　you　could　not　remember

afterwards；　and　a　few　civil；　ordinary　remarks。　He　even　said　it　was　a　hot

day；　as　if　he　had　no　relations　with　the　weather；　and　what　he　put　into　the

cart　were　only　two　packing…boxes　of　no　special　significance　to　the　eye。

He　desired　no　lodging　at　the　hotel；　but　to　sleep　with　his　apparatus　in

the　building　provided　for　him；　and　we　set　out　for　it　at　once。　It　was　an

untenanted　barn；　and　he　asked　that　he　and　his　assistant　might　cut　a　hole

in　the　roof；　upon　which　we　noticed　the　assistant　for　the　first　timea

tallish；　good…looking　young　man；　but　with　a　weak　mouth。　〃This　is　Mr。

Lusk；〃　said　the　rain…maker；　and　we　shook　hands；　Ogden　and　I　exchanging　a

glance。　Ourselves　and　the　cart　marched　up　Hill　Streetor　Capitol　Avenue；

as　it　has　become　named　since　Cheyenne　has　grown　fuller　of　pomp　and

emptier　of　prosperityand　I　thought　we　made　an　unusual　procession：　the

Governor's　secretary；　unofficially　leading　the　way　to　the　barn；　the　cart；

and　the　rain…maker　beside　it；　guarding　his　packed…up　mysteries；　McLean

and　Lusk；　walking　together　in　unconscious　bigamy；　and　in　the　rear；　Odgen

nudging　me　in　the　ribs。　That　it　was　the　correct　Lusk　we　had　with　us　I

felt　sure　from　his　incompetent；　healthy；　vacant　appearance；　stro