lin mclean-第17部分

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face　with　Mr。　McLean。



〃The　boys　are　seein'　after　my　horse；〃　Lin　rapidly　began；　〃and　I've　got　to

meet　'em　sharp　at　one。　We're　twelve　weeks　shy　on　a　square　meal；　yu'　see；

and　this　first　has　been　a　date　from　'way　back。　I'd　like　to〃　Here　Mr。

McLean　cleared　his　throat；　and　his　speech　went　less　smoothly。　〃Doc；　I'd

like　just　for　a　while　to　watch　yu'　gettin'them　monkeys；　yu'　know。〃



The　Governor　expressed　his　agreeable　surprise　at　this　change　of　mind；　and

was　glad　of　McLean's　company　and　judgment　during　the　impending

selections。　A　picture　of　a　cow…puncher　and　himself　discussing　a　couple　of

dolls　rose　nimbly　in　Barker's　mental　eye；　and　it　was　with　an　imperfect

honesty　that　he　said；　〃You'll　help　me　a　heap。〃



And　Lin；　quite　sincere；　replied；　〃Thank　yu'。〃



So　together　these　two　went　Christmasing　in　the　throng。　Wyoming's　Chief

Executive　knocked　elbows　with　the　spurred　and　jingling　waif；　one　man　as

good　as　another　in　that　raw；　hopeful；　full…blooded　cattle　era；　which　now

the　sobered　West　remembers　as　the　days　of　its　fond　youth。　For　one　man　has

been　as　good　as　another　in　three　placesParadise　before　the　Fall；　the

Rocky　Mountains　before　the　wire　fence；　and　the　Declaration　of

Independence。　And　then　this　Governor；　beside　being　young；　almost　as　young

as　Lin　McLean　or　the　Chief　Justice　（who　lately　had　celebrated　his

thirty…second　birthday）；　had　in　his　doctoring　days　at　Drybone　known　the

cow…puncher　with　that　familiarity　which　lasts　a　lifetime　without　breeding

contempt；　accordingly　he　now　laid　a　hand　on　Lin's　tall　shoulder　and　drew

him　among　the　petticoats　and　toys。



Christmas　filled　the　windows　and　Christmas　stirred　in　mankind。　Cheyenne；

not　over…zealous　in　doctrine　or　litanies；　and　with　the　opinion　that　a

world　in　the　hand　is　worth　two　in　the　bush；　nevertheless　was　flocking

together；　neighbor　to　think　of　neighbor；　and　every　one　to　remember　the

children；　a　sacred　assembly；　after　all；　gathered　to　rehearse　unwittingly

the　articles　of　its　belief；　the　Creed　and　Doctrine　of　the　Child。　Lin　saw

them　hurry　and　smile　among　the　paper　fairies；　they　questioned　and

hesitated；　crowded　and　made　decisions；　failed　utterly　to　find　the　right

thing；　forgot　and　hastened　back；　suffered　all　the　various　desperations　of

the　eleventh　hour；　and　turned　homeward；　dropping　their　parcels　with　that

undimmed　good…will　that　once　a　year　makes　gracious　the　universal　human

face。　This　brotherhood　swam　and　beamed　before　the　cow…puncher's　brooding

eyes；　and　in　his　ears　the　greeting　of　the　season　sang。　Children　escaped

from　their　mothers　and　ran　chirping　behind　the　counters　to　touch　and

meddle　in　places　forbidden。　Friends　dashed　against　each　other　with

rabbits　and　magic　lanterns；　greeted　in　haste；　and　were　gone；　amid　the

sound　of　musical　boxes。



Through　this　tinkle　and　bleating　of　little　machinery　the　murmur　of　the

human　heart　drifted　in　and　out　of　McLean's　hearing；　fragments　of　home

talk；　tendernesses；　economies；　intimate　first　names；　and　dinner　hours；

and　whether　it　was　joy　or　sadness；　it　was　in　common；　the　world　seemed

knit　in　a　single　skein　of　home　ties。　Two　or　three　came　by　whose　purses

must　have　been　slender；　and　whose　purchases　were　humble　and　chosen　after

much　nice　adjustment；　and　when　one　plain　man　dropped　a　word　about　both

ends　meeting；　and　the　woman　with　him　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm；　saying　that

his　children　must　not　feel　this　year　was　different；　Lin　made　a　step

toward　them。　There　were　hours　and　spots　where　he　could　readily　have

descended　upon　them　at　that；　played　the　role　of　clinking　affluence；　waved

thanks　aside　with　competent　blasphemy；　and　tossing　off　some　infamous

whiskey；　cantered　away　in　the　full　self…conscious　strut　of　the　frontier。

But　here　was　not　the　moment；　the　abashed　cow…puncher　could　make　no　such

parade　in　this　place。　The　people　brushed　by　him　back　and　forth；　busy　upon

their　errands；　and　aware　of　him　scarcely　more　than　if　he　had　been　a

spirit　looking　on　from　the　helpless　dead；　and　so；　while　these　weaving

needs　and　kindnesses　of　man　were　within　arm's　touch　of　him；　he　was　locked

outside　with　his　impulses。　Barker　had；　in　the　natural　press　of　customers；

long　parted　from　him；　to　become　immersed　in　choosing　and　rejecting；　and

now；　with　a　fair　part　of　his　mission　accomplished；　he　was　ready　to　go　on

to　the　next　place；　and　turned　to　beckon　McLean。　He　found　him　obliterated

in　a　corner　beside　a　life…sized　image　of　Santa　Claus；　standing　as　still

as　the　frosty　saint。



〃He　looks　livelier　than　you　do；〃　said　the　hearty　Governor。　〃'Fraid　it's

been　slow　waiting。〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　cow…puncher；　thoughtfully。　〃No；　I　guess　not。〃



This　uncertainty　was　expressed　with　such　gentleness　that　Barker　roared。

〃You　never　did　lie　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃long　as　I've　known　you。　Well；　never

mind。　I've　got　some　real　advice　to　ask　you　now。〃



At　this　Mr。　McLean's　face　grew　more　alert。　〃Say　Doc；〃　said　he；　〃what　do

yu'　want　for　Christmas　that　nobody's　likely　to　give　yu'？〃



〃A　big　practicebig　enough　to　interfere　with　my　politics。〃



〃What　else？　Things　and　truck；　I　mean。〃



〃Ohnothing　I'll　get。　People　don't　give　things　much　to　fellows　like　me。〃



〃Don't　they？　Don't　they？〃



〃Why；　you　and　Santa　Claus　weren't　putting　up　any　scheme　on　my　stocking？〃



〃Well〃



〃I　believe　you're　in　earnest！〃　cried　his　Excellency。　〃That's　simply

rich！〃　Here　was　a　thing　to　relish！　The　Frontier　comes　to　town　〃heeled　for

a　big　time；〃　finds　that　presents　are　all　the　rage；　and　must　immediately

give　somebody　something。　Oh；　childlike；　miscellaneous　Frontier！　So

thought　the　good…hearted　Governor；　and　it　seems　a　venial　misconception。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　added；　meaning　as　well　as　possible；　〃I　don't　want

you　to　spend　your　money　on　me。〃



〃I've　got　plenty　all　right；〃　said　Lin；　shortly。



〃Plenty's　not　the　point。　I'll　take　as　many　drinks　as　you　please　with　you。

You　didn't　expect　anything　from　me？〃



〃That　ain'tthat　don't〃



〃There！　Of　course　you　didn't。　Then；　what　are　you　getting　proud　about？

Here's　our　shop。〃　They　stepped　in　from　the　street　to　new　crowds　and

counters。　〃Now；〃　pursued　the　Governor；　〃this　is　for　a　very　particular

friend　of　mine。　Here　they　are。　Now；　which　of　those　do　you　like　best？〃



They　were　sets　of　Tennyson　in　cases　holding　little　volumes　equal　in

number；　but　the　binding　various；　and　Mr。　McLean　reached　his　decision

after　one　look。　〃That；〃　said　he；　and　laid　a　large　muscular　hand　upon　the

Laureate。　The　young　lady　behind　the　counter　spoke　out　acidly；　and　Lin

pulled　the　abject　hand　away。　His　taste；　however；　happened　to　be　sound；

or；　at　least；　it　was　at　one　with　the　Governor's；　but　now　they　learned

that　there　was　a　distressing　variance　in　the　matter　of　price。



The　Governor　stared　at　the　delicate　article　of　his　choice。　〃I　know　that

Tennyson　is　what　sheis　what's　wanted；〃　he　muttered；　and；　feeling

himself　nudged；　looked　around　and　saw　Lin's　extended　fist。　This　gesture

he　took　for　a　facetious　sympathy；　and；　dolorously　grasping　the　hand；

found　himself　holding　a　lump　of　bills。　Sheer　amazement　relaxed　him；　and

the　cow…puncher's　matted　wealth　tumbled　on　the　floor　in　sight　of　all

people。　Barker　picked　it　up　and　gave　it　back。　〃No；　no；　no！〃　he　said；

mirthful　over　his　own　inclination　to　be　annoyed；　〃you　can't　do　that。　I'm

just　as　much　obliged；　Lin；〃　he　added。



〃Just　as　a　loan；　Docsome　of　it。　I'm　grass…bellied　with　spot…cash。〃



A　giggle　behind　the　counter　disturbed　them　both；　but　the　sharp　young　lady

was　only　dusting。　The　Governor　at　once　paid　haughtily　for　Tennyson's

expensive　works；　and　the　cow…puncher　pushed　his　discountenanced　savings

back　into　his　clothes。　Making　haste　to　leave　the　book　department　of　this

shop；　they　regained　a　mutual　ease；　and　the　Governor　became　waggish　over

Lin's　concern　at　being　too　rich。　He　suggested　to　him　the　list　of

delinquent　taxpayers　and　the　latest　census　from　which　to　select　indigent

persons。　He　had　patients；　too；　whose　inveterate　pennilessness　he　could

swear　cheerfully　to〃since　you　want　to　bolt　from　your　own　money；〃　he

remarked。



〃Yes；　I'm　a　green　horse；〃　assented　Mr。　McLean；　gallantly；　〃ain't　used　to

the　looks　of　a　twenty…dollar　bill；　and　I　shy　at　'em。〃



From　his　facethat　jocular　maskone　might　have　counted　him　the　most

serene　and　careless　　of　vagrants；　and　in　his　words　only　the　ordinary

voice　of　banter　spoke　to　the　Governor。　A　good　woman；　it　may　well　be；

would　have　guessed　before　this　the　sensitive　soul　in　the　blundering　body；

but　Barker　saw　just　the　familiar；　whimsical；　happy…go…lucky　McLean　of　old

days；　and　so　he　went　gayly　and　innocently　on；　treading　upon　holy　ground。

〃I've　got　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃give　your　wife　something。〃



The　ruddy　cow…puncher　grinned。　He　had　passed　through　the　world　of　woman

with　but　few　delays；　rejoicing　in　informal　and　transient　entanglements；

and　he　welcomed　the　turn　which　the　conversation　seemed　now　to　be　taking。

〃If　you'll　give　me　her　name　and　address；〃　said　he；　with　the　future

entirely　in　his　mind。



〃Why；　Laramie！〃　and　the　Governor　feigned　surprise。



〃Say；　Doc；〃　said　Lin；　uneasily；　〃none　of　'em　ain't　married　me　since　I　saw

yu'　last。〃



〃Then　she　hasn't　written　from　Laramie；〃　said　the　hilarious　Governor；　and

Mr。　McLean　understood　and　winced　in　his　spirit　deep　down。　〃Gee　whiz！〃

went　on　Barker；　〃I'll　never　forget　you　and　Lusk　that　day！〃



But　the　mask　fell　now。　〃You're　talking　of　his　wife；　not　mine；〃　said　the

cow…puncher　very　quietly；　and　smiling　no　more；　〃and；　Doc；　I'm　going　to

say　a　word　to　yu'；　for　I　know　yu've　always　been　my　good　friend。　I'll

never　forget　that　day　myselfbut　I　don't　want　to　be　reminded　of　it。〃



〃I'm　a　fool；　Lin；〃　said　the　Governor；　generous　instantly。　〃I　never

supposed〃



〃I　know　yu'　didn't；　Doc。　It　ain't　you　that's　the　fool。　And　in　a　wayin　a

way〃　Lin's　speech　ended　among　his　crowding　memories；　and　Barker；　seeing

how　wistful　his　face　had　turned；　waited。　〃But　I　ain't　quite　the　same　fool

I　was　before　that　happened　to　me；〃　the　cow…puncher　resumed；　〃tho