lin mclean-第15部分

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husband　rushed　about　Cheyenne；　entirely　his　own　old　self　again；　his　wad

of　money　staked　and　in　Jode's　keeping。　Many　citizens　bitterly　lamented

their　lack　of　ready　money。　But　it　was　a　good　thing　for　these　people　that

it　was　Sunday；　and　the　banks　closed。



The　church…bells　ceased；　the　congregations　sat　inside；　but　outside　the

hot　town　showed　no　Sunday　emptiness　or　quiet。　The　metal　tube；　the

possible　smell；　Jode's　sustained　and　haughty　indignation；　the

extraordinary　assurance　of　Lusk；　all　this　had　ended　by　turning　every　one

restless　and　eccentric。　A　citizen　came　down　the　street　with　an　umbrella。

In　a　moment　the　by…standers　had　reduced　it　to　a　sordid　tangle　of　ribs。

Old　Judge　Burrage　attempted　to　address　us　at　the　corner　about　the　vast

progress　of　science。　The　postmaster　pinned　a　card　on　his　back　with　the

well…known　legend；　〃I　am　somewhat　of　a　liar　myself。〃　And　all　the　while

the　sun　shone　high　and　hot；　while　Jode　grew　quieter　and　colder　under　the

certainty　of　victory。　It　was　after　twelve　o'clock　when　the　people　came

from　church；　and　no　change　or　sign　was　to　be　seen。　Jode　told　us；　with　a

chill　smile；　that　he　had　visited　his　instruments　and　found　no　new

indications。　Fifteen　minutes　after　that　the　sky　was　brown。　Sudden；

padded；　dropsical　clouds　were　born　in　the　blue　above　our　heads。　They

blackened；　and　a　smart　shower；　the　first　in　two　months；　wet　us　all；　and

ceased。　The　sun　blazed　out；　and　the　sky　came　blue　again；　like　those

rapid；　unconvincing　weather　changes　of　the　drama。



Amazement　at　what　I　saw　happening　in　the　heavens　took　me　from　things　on

earth；　and　I　was　unaware　of　the　universal　fit　that　now　seized　upon

Cheyenne　until　I　heard　the　high　cry　of　Jode　at　my　ear。　His　usual

punctilious　bearing　had　forsaken　him；　and　he　shouted　alike　to　stranger

and　acquaintance：　〃It　is　no　half…inch；　sir！　Don't　you　tell　me〃'　And　the

crowd　would　swallow　him；　but　you　could　mark　his　vociferous　course　as　he

went　proclaiming　to　the　world。　〃A　failure；　sir！　The　fellow's　an　impostor；

as　I　well　knew。　It's　no　half…inch！〃　Which　was　true。



〃What　have　you　got　to　say　to　that？〃　we　asked　Hilbrun；　swarming　around

him。



〃If　you'll　just　keep　cool；〃　said　he〃it's　only　the　first　instalment。　In

about　two　hours　and　a　half　I'll　give　you　the　rest。〃



Soon　after　four　the　dropsical　clouds　materialized　once　again　above

open…mouthed　Cheyenne。　No　school　let　out　for　an　unexpected　holiday；　no

herd　of　stampeded　range　cattle；　conducts　itself　more　miscellaneously。

Gray；　respectable　men；　with　daughters　married；　leaped　over　fences　and

sprang　back；　prominent　legislators　hopped　howling　up　and　down　door…steps；

women　waved　handkerchiefs　from　windows　and　porches；　the　chattering　Jode

flew　from　anemometer　to　rain…gauge；　and　old　Judge　Burrage　apostrophized

Providence　in　his　front　yard；　with　the　postmaster's　label　still　pinned　to

his　back。　Nobody　minded　the　sluicing　downpourthis　second　instalment　was

much　more　of　a　thing　than　the　firstand　Hilbrun　alone　kept　a　calm

exteriorthe　face　of　the　man　who　lifts　a　heavy　dumb…bell　and　throws　an

impressive　glance　at　the　audience。　Assistant　Lusk　was　by　no　means　thus

proof　against　success　I　saw　him　put　a　bottle　back　in　his　pocket；　his　face

already　disintegrated　with　a　tipsy　leer。　Judge　Burrage；　perceiving　the

rain…maker；　came　out　of　his　gate　and　proceeded　toward　him；　extending　the

hand　of　congratulation。　〃Mr。　Hilbrun；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　Judge　Burragethe

Honorable　T。　Coleman　Burrageand　I　will　say　that　I　am　most　favorably

impressed　with　your　shower。〃



〃His　shower！〃　yelped　Jode；　flourishing　measurements。



〃Why；　yu'　don't　claim　it's　yourn；　do　yu'？〃　said　Lin　McLean；　grinning。



〃I　tell　you　it's　no　half…inch　yet；　gentlemen；〃　said　Jode；　ignoring　the

facetious　puncher。



〃You're　mistaken；〃　said　Hilbrun；　sharply。



〃It's　a　plumb　big　show；　half…inch　or　no　half…inch；〃　said　Lin。



〃If　he's　short　he　don't　get　his　money；〃　said　some　ignoble　subscriber



〃Yes；　he　will；〃　said　the　Governor；〃or　I'm　a　short。　He's　earned　it。〃



〃You　bet　〃'　said　Lin。　〃Fair　and　square。　If　they're　goin'　back　on　yu'；

doctor；　I'll　chipShucks！〃　Lin's　hand　fell　from　the　empty　pocket；　he

remembered　his　wad　in　the　stake…holder's　hands；　and　that　he　now　possessed

possibly　two　dollars　in　silver；　all　told。　〃I　can't　chip　in；　doctor；〃　he

said。　〃That　hobo　over　there　has　won　my　cash；　an'　he's　filling　up　on　the

prospect　right　now。　I　don't　care！　It's　the　biggest　show　I've　ever　saw。

You're　a　dandy；　Mr。　Hilbrun！　Whoop！〃　And　Lin　clapped　the　rain…maker　on

the　shoulder；　exulting。　He　had　been　too　well　entertained　to　care　what　he

had　in　his　pocket；　and　his　wife　had　not　yet　occurred　to　him。



They　were　disputing　about　the　rainfall；　which　had　been　slightly　under

half　an　inch　in　a　few　spots；　but　over　it　in　many　others；　and　while　we

stood　talking　in　the　renewed　sunlight；　more　telegrams　were　brought　to

Jode；　saying　that　there　was　no　moisture　anywhere；　and　simultaneously　with

these；　riders　dashed　into　town　with　the　news　that　twelve　miles　out　the

rain　had　flattened　the　grain　crop。　We　had　more　of　such　reports　from　as

far　as　thirty　miles；　and　beyond　that　there　had　not　been　a　drop　or　a

cloud。　It　staggered　one's　reason；　the　brain　was　numb　with　surprise。



〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　rain…maker；　〃I'm　packed　up；　and　my　train'll

be　along　soonwould　have　been　along　by　this；　only　it's　late。　What's　the

word　as　to　my　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars？〃



Even　still　there　were　objections　expressed。　He　had　not　entirely　performed

his　side　of　the　contract。



〃I　think　different；　gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃But　I'll　unpack　and　let　that

train　go。　I　can't　have　the　law　on　you；　I　suppose。　But　if　you　don't　pay

me〃　（the　rain…maker　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　leaned　against　the

fence）　〃I'll　flood　your　town。〃



In　earthquakes　and　eruptions　people　end　by　expecting　anything；　and　in　the

total　eclipse　that　was　now　over　all　Cheyenne's　ordinary　standards　and

precedents　the　bewildered　community　saw　in　this　threat　nothing　more

unusual　than　if　he　had　said　twice　two　made　four。　The　purse　was　handed

over。



〃I'm　obliged；〃　said　Hilbrun；　simply。



〃If　I　had　foreseen；　gentlemen；〃　said　Jode；　too　deeply　grieved　now　to　feel

anger；　〃that　I　would　even　be　indirectly　associated　with　your　losing　your

money　through　thisthis　absurd　occurrence；　I　would　have　declined　to　help

you。　It　becomes　my　duty；〃　he　continued；　turning　coldly　to　the　inebriated

Lusk；　〃to　hand　this　to　you；　sir。〃　And　the　assistant　lurchingly　stuffed

his　stakes　away。



〃It's　worth　it；〃　said　Lin。　〃He's　welcome　to　my　cash。〃



〃What's　that　you　say；　Lin　McLean？〃　It　was　the　biscuit…shooter；　and　she

surged　to　the　front。



〃I'm　broke。　He's　got　it。　That's　all；〃　said　Lin；　briefly。



〃Broke！　You！〃　She　glared　at　her　athletic　young　lord；　and　she　uttered　a

preliminary　howl。



At　that　long…lost　cry　Lusk　turned　his　silly　face。　〃It's　my　darling　Kate；〃

he　said。　〃Why；　Kate！〃



The　next　thing　that　I　knew　Ogden　and　I　were　grappling　with　Lin　McLean；

for　everything　had　happened　at　once。　The　bride　had　swooped　upon　her　first

wedded　love　and　burst　into　tears　on　the　man's　neck；　which　Lin　was　trying

to　break　in　consequence。　We　do　not　always　recognize　our　benefactors　at

sight。　They　all　came　to　the　ground；　and　we　hauled　the　second　husband　off。

The　lady　and　Lusk　remained　in　a　heap；　he　foolish；　tearful；　and

affectionate；　she　turned　furiously　at　bay；　his　guardian　angel；

indifferent　to　the　onlooking　crowd；　and　hurling　righteous　defiance　at

Lin。　〃Don't　yus　dare　lay　yer　finger　on　my　husband；　you　sage…brush

bigamist！〃　is　what　the　marvelous　female　said。



〃Bigamist？〃　repeated　Lin；　dazed　at　this　charge。　〃I　ain't；〃　he　said　to

Ogden　and　me。　〃I　never　did。　I've　never　married　any　of　'em　before　her。〃



〃Little　good　that'll　do　yus；　Lin　McLean！　Me　and　him　was　man　and　wife

before　ever　I　come　acrosst　yus。〃



〃You　and　him？〃　murmured　the　puncher。



〃Her　and　me；〃　whimpered　Lusk。　〃Sidney。〃　He　sat　up　with　a　limp；　confiding

stare　at　everybody。



〃Sidney　who？〃　said　Lin。



〃No；　no；〃　corrected　Lusk；　crossly〃Sidney；　Nebraska。〃



The　stakes　at　this　point　fell　from　his　pocket　which　he　did　not　notice。

But　the　bride　had　them　in　safe…keeping　at　once。



〃Who　are　yu'；　anywaywhen　yu'　ain't　drunk？〃　demanded　Lin。



〃He's　as　good　a　man　as　you；　and　better；〃　snorted　the　guardian　angel。

〃Give　him　a　pistol；　and　he'll　make　you　hard　to　find。〃



〃Well；　you　listen　to　me；　Sidney　Nebraska〃　Lin　began。



〃No；　no；〃　corrected　Lusk　once　more；　as　a　distant　whistle　blew〃Jim。〃



〃Good…bye；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　rain…maker。　〃That's　the　west…bound。　I'm

perfectly　satisfied　with　my　experiment　here；　and　I'm　off　to　repeat　it　at

Salt　Lake　City。〃



〃You　are？〃　shouted　Lin　McLean。　〃Him　and　Jim's　going　to　work　it　again！　For

goodness'　sake；　somebody　lend　me　twenty…five　dollars！〃



At　this　there　was　an　instantaneous　rush。　Ten　minutes　later；　in　front　of

the　ticket…windows　there　was　a　line　of　citizens　buying　tickets　for　Salt

Lake　as　if　it　had　been　Madame　Bernhardt。　Some　rock　had　been　smitten；　and

ready　money　had　flowed　forth。　The　Governor　saw　us　off；　sad　that　his

duties　should　detain　him。　But　Jode　went！



〃Betting　is　the　fool's　argument；　gentlemen；〃　said　he　to　Ogden；　McLean；

and　me；　〃and　it's　a　weary　time　since　I　have　had　the　pleasure。〃



〃Which　way　are　yu'　bettin'？〃　Lin　asked。



〃With　my　principles；　sir；〃　answered　the　little　signal…service　officer。



〃I　expect　I　ain't　got　any；〃　said　the　puncher。　〃It's　Jim　I'm　backin'　this

time。〃



〃See　here；〃　said　I；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃　We　went　into　another　car；

and　I　did。



〃And　so　yu'　knowed　about　Lusk　when　we　was　on　them　board　walks？〃　the

puncher　said。



〃Do　you　mean　I　ought　to　have〃



〃Shucks！　no。　Yu'　couldn't。　Nobody　couldn't。　It's　a　queer　world；　all　the

same。　Yu'　have　good　friends；　and　all　that。〃　He　looked　out　of　the　window。〃

Laramie　already！〃　he　commented；　and　got　out　and　walked　by　himself　on　the

platform　until　we　had　started　again。　〃