lin mclean-第21部分

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yourself。　I've　appreciated　your　company。〃



Mr。　McLean　entered　Smith's　Palace；　and；　engaging　a　room　with　two　beds　in

it；　did　a　little　delicate　lying　by　means　of　the　truth。　〃It's　a　lost　boy

a　runaway；〃　he　told　the　clerk。　〃He'll　not　be　extra　clean；　I　expect；　if

he　does　come。　Maybe　he'll　give　me　the　slip；　and　I'll　have　a　job　cut　out

to…morrow。　I'll　thank　yu'　to　put　my　money　in　your　safe。〃



The　clerk　placed　himself　at　the　disposal　of　the　secret　service；　and　Lin

walked　up　and　down；　looking　at　the　railroad　photographs　for　some　ten

minutes；　when　Master　Billy　peered　in　from　the　street。



〃Hello！〃　said　Mr。　McLean；　casually；　and　returned　to　a　fine　picture　of

Pike's　Peak。



Billy　observed　him　for　a　space；　and；　receiving　no　further　attention；　came

stepping　along。　〃I'm　not　a…going　back　to　Laramie；〃　he　stated；　warningly。



〃I　wouldn't；〃　said　Lin。　〃It　ain't　half　the　town　Denver　is。　Well；

good…night。　Sorry　yu'　couldn't　call　soonerI'm　dead　sleepy。〃



〃O…h！〃　Billy　stood　blank。　〃I　wish　I'd　shook　the　darned　old　show。　Say；

lemme　black　your　boots　in　the　morning？〃



〃Not　sure　my　train　don't　go　too　early。〃



〃I'm　up！　I'm　up！　I　get　around　to　all　of　'em。〃



〃Where　do　yu'　sleep？〃



〃Sleeping　with　the　engine…man　now。　Why　can't　you　put　that　on　me

to…night？〃



〃Goin'　up…stairs。　This　gentleman　wouldn't　let　you　go　up…stairs。〃



But　the　earnestly　petitioned　clerk　consented；　and　Billy　was　the　first　to

hasten　into　the　room。　He　stood　rapturous　while　Lin　buckled　the　belt　round

his　scanty　stomach；　and　ingeniously　buttoned　the　suspenders　outside　the

accoutrement　to　retard　its　immediate　descent　to　earth。



〃Did　it　ever　kill　a　man？〃　asked　Billy；　touching　the　six…shooter。



〃No。　It　ain't　never　had　to　do　that；　but　I　expect　maybe　it's　stopped　some

killin'　me。〃



〃Oh；　leave　me　wear　it　just　a　minute！　Do　you　collect　arrow…heads？　I　think

they're　bully。　There's　the　finest　one　you　ever　seen。〃　He　brought　out　the

relic；　tightly　wrapped　in　paper；　several　pieces。　〃I　foun'　it　myself；

camping　with　father。　It　was　sticking　in　a　crack　right　on　top　of　a　rock；

but　nobody'd　seen　it　till　I　came　along。　Ain't　it　fine？〃



Mr。　McLean　pronounced　it　a　gem。



〃Father　an'　me　found　a　lot；　an'　they　made　mother　mad　laying　around；　an'

she　throwed　'em　out。　She　takes　stuff　from　Kelley's。〃



〃Who's　Kelley？〃



〃He　keeps　the　drug…store　at　Laramie。　Mother　gets　awful　funny。　That's　how

she　was　when　I　came　home。　For　I　told　Mr。　Perkins　he　lied；　an'　I　ran　then。

An'　I　knowed　well　enough　she'd　lick　me　when　she　got　through　her　spell

an'　father　can't　stop　her；　an'　Iah；　I　was　sick　of　it！　She's　lamed　me　up

twice　beating　mean'　Perkins　wanting　me　to　say　'God　bless　my　mother！'

a…getting　up　and　a…going　to　bedhe's　a　flubdub！　An'　so　I　cleared　out。

But　I'd　just　as　leaves　said　for　God　to　bless　fatheran'　you。　I'll　do　it

now　if　you　say　it's　any　sense。〃



Mr。　McLean　sat　down　in　a　chair。　〃Don't　yu'　do　it　now；〃　said　he。



〃You　wouldn't　like　mother；〃　Billy　continued。　〃You　can　keep　that。〃　He　came

to　Lin　and　placed　the　arrow…head　in　his　hands；　standing　beside　him。　〃Do

you　like　birds'　eggs？　I　collect　them。　I　got　twenty…five　kindssage…hen；

an'　blue　grouse；　an'　willow…grouse；　an'　lots　more　kinds　harderbut　I

couldn't　bring　all　them　from　Laramie。　I　brought　the　magpie's；　though。　D'

you　care　to　see　a　magpie　egg？　Well；　you　stay　to…morrow　an'　I'll　show　you

that　en'　some　other　things　I　got　the　engine…man　lets　me　keep　there；　for

there's　boys　that　would　steal　an　egg。　An'　I　could　take　you　where　we　could

fire　that　pistol。　Bet　you　don't　know　what　that　is！〃



He　brought　out　a　small　tin　box　shaped　like　a　thimble；　in　which　were

things　that　rattled。



Mr。　McLean　gave　it　up。



〃That's　kinni…kinnic　seed。　You　can　have　that；　for　I　got　some　more　with

the　engine…man。〃



Lin　received　this　second　token　also；　and　thanked　the　giver　for　it。　His

first　feeling　had　been　to　prevent　the　boy's　parting　with　his　treasures；

but　something　that　came　not　from　the　polish　of　manners　and　experience

made　him　know　that　he　should　take　them。　Billy　talked　away；　laying　bare

his　little　soul；　the　street　boy　that　was　not　quite　come　made　place　for

the　child　that　was　not　quite　gone；　and　unimportant　words　and　confidences

dropped　from　him　disjointed　as　he　climbed　to　the　knee　of　Mr。　McLean；　and

inadvertently　took　that　cow…puncher　for　some　sort　of　parent　he　had　not

hitherto　met。　It　lasted　but　a　short　while；　however；　for　he　went　to　sleep

in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　with　his　head　upon　Lin's　breast。　The　man

held　him　perfectly　still；　because　he　had　not　the　faintest　notion　that

Billy　would　be　impossible　to　disturb。　At　length　he　spoke　to　him；

suggesting　that　bed　might　prove　more　comfortable；　and；　finding　how　it

was；　rose　and　undressed　the　boy　and　laid　him　between　the　sheets。　The　arms

and　legs　seemed　aware　of　the　moves　required　of　them；　and　stirred

conveniently；　and　directly　the　head　was　upon　the　pillow　the　whole　small

frame　burrowed　down；　without　the　opening　of　an　eye　or　a　change　in　the

breathing。　Lin　stood　some　time　by　the　bedside；　with　his　eyes　on　the　long；

curling　lashes　and　the　curly　hair。　Then　he　glanced　craftily　at　the　door

of　the　room；　and　at　himself　in　the　looking…glass。　He　stooped　and　kissed

Billy　on　the　forehead；　and；　rising　from　that；　gave　himself　a　hangdog

stare　in　the　mirror；　and　soon　in　his　own　bed　was　sleeping　the　sound　sleep

of　health。



He　was　faintly　roused　by　the　church　bells；　and　lay　still；　lingering　with

his　sleep；　his　eyes　closed；　and　his　thoughts　unshaped。　As　he　became

slowly　aware　of　the　morning；　the　ringing　and　the　light　reached　him；　and

he　waked　wholly；　and；　still　lying　quiet；　considered　the　strange　room

filled　with　the　bells　and　the　sun　of　the　winter's　day。　〃Where　have　I

struck　now？〃　he　inquired；　and　as　last　night　returned　abruptly　upon　his

mind；　he　raised　himself　on　his　arm。



There　sat　Responsibility　in　a　chair；　washed　clean　and　dressed；　watching

him。



〃You're　awful　late；〃　said　Responsibility。　〃But　I　weren't　a…going　without

telling　you　good…bye。〃



〃Go？〃　exclaimed　Lin。　〃Go　where？　Yu'　surely　ain't　leavin'　me　to　eat

breakfast　alone？〃　The　cow…puncher　made　his　voice　very　plaintive。　Set

Responsibility　free　after　all　his　trouble　to　catch　him？　This　was　more

than　he　could　do！



〃I've　got　to　go。　If　I'd　thought　you'd　want　for　me　to　staywhy；　you　said

you　was　a…going　by　the　early　train！〃



〃But　the　durned　thing's　got　away　on　me；〃　said　Lin；　smiling　sweetly　from

the　bed。



〃If　I　hadn't　a…promised　them〃



〃Who？〃



〃Sidney　Ellis　and　Pete　Goode。　Why；　you　know　them；　you　grubbed　with　them。〃



〃Shucks！〃



〃We're　a…going　to　have　fun　to…day。〃



〃Oh！〃



〃For　it's　Christmas；　an'　we've　bought　some　good　cigars；　an'　Pete　says

he'll　learn　me　sure。　O'　course　I've　smoked　some；　you　know。　But　I'd　just

as　leaves　stayed　with　you　if　I'd　only　knowed　sooner。　I　wish　you　lived

here。　Did　you　smoke　whole　big　cigars　when　you　was　beginning？〃



〃Do　you　like　flapjacks　and　maple　syrup？〃　inquired　the　artful　McLean。

〃That's　what　I'm　figuring　on　inside　twenty　minutes。〃



〃Twenty　minutes！　If　they'd　wait〃



〃See　here；　Bill。　They've　quit　expecting　yu'；　don't　yu'　think？　I'd　ought

to　waked；　yu'　see；　but　I　slep'　and　slep'；　and　kep'　yu'　from　meetin'　your

engagements；　yu'　seefor　you　couldn't　go；　of　course。　A　man　couldn't

treat　a　man　that　way　now；　could　he？〃



〃Course　he　couldn't；〃　said　Billy；　brightening。



〃And　they　wouldn't　wait；　yu'　see。　They　wouldn't　fool　away　Christmas；　that

only　comes　onced　a　year；　kickin'　their　heels　and　sayin'　'Where's　Billy？'

They'd　say；　'Bill　has　sure　made　other　arrangements；　which　he'll　explain

to　us　at　his　leesyure。'　And　they'd　skip　with　the　cigars。〃



The　advocate　paused；　effectively；　and　from　his　bolster　regarded　Billy

with　a　convincing　eye。



〃That's　so；〃　said　Billy。



〃And　where　would　yu'　be　then；　Bill？　In　the　street；　out　of　friends；　out　of

Christmas；　and　left　both　ways；　no　tobaccer　and　no　flapjacks。　Now；　Bill；

what　do　yu'　say　to　us　putting　up　a　Christmas　deal　together？　Just　you　and

me？〃



〃I'd　like　that；〃　said　Billy。　〃Is　it　all　day？〃



〃I　was　thinkin'　of　all　day；〃　said　Lin。　〃I'll　not　make　yu'　do　anything

yu'd　rather　not。〃



〃Ah；　they　can　smoke　without　me；〃　said　Billy；　with　sudden　acrimony。　〃I'll

see　'em　to…morro'。〃



〃That's　you！〃　cried　Mr。　McLean。　〃Now；　Bill；　you　hustle　down　and　tell　them

to　keep　a　table　for　us。　I'll　get　my　clothes　on　and　follow　yu'。〃



The　boy　went；　and　Mr。　McLean　procured　hot　water　and　dressed　himself；

tying　his　scarf　with　great　care。　〃Wished　I'd　a　clean　shirt；〃　said　he。

〃But　I　don't　look　very　bad。　Shavin'　yesterday　afternoon　was　a　good　move。〃

He　picked　up　the　arrow…head　and　the　kinni…kinnic；　and　was　particular　to

store　them　in　his　safest　pocket。　〃I　ain't　sure　whether　you're　crazy　or

not；〃　said　he　to　the　man　in　the　looking…glass。　〃I　ain't　never　been　sure。〃

And　he　slammed　the　door　and　went　down…stairs。



He　found　young　Bill　on　guard　over　a　table　for　four；　with　all　the　chairs

tilted　against　it　as　warning　to　strangers。　No　one　sat　at　any　other　table

or　came　into　the　room；　for　it　was　late；　and　the　place　quite　emptied　of

breakfasters；　and　the　several　entertained　waiters　had　gathered　behind

Billy's　important…looking　back。　Lin　provided　a　thorough　meal；　and　Billy

pronounced　the　flannel　cakes　superior　to　flapjacks；　which　were　not　upon

the　bill　of　fare。



〃I'd　like　to　see　you　often；〃　said　he。　〃I'll　come　and　see　you　if　you　don't

live　too　far。〃



〃That's　the　trouble；〃　said　the　cow…puncher。　〃I　do。　Awful　far。〃　He　stared

out　of　the　window。



〃Well；　I　might　come　some　time。　I　wish　you'd　write　me　a　letter。　Can　you

write？〃　〃What's　that？　Can　I　write？　Oh　yes。〃



〃I　can　write；　an'　I　can　read　too。　I've　been　to　school　in　Sidney；

Nebraska；　an'　Magaw；　Kansas；　an'　Salt　Lakethat's　the　finest　town　except

Denver。〃



Billy　fell　into　that　cheerful　strain　of　comment　which；　unreplied　to；　yet

goes　on　contented　and　self…sust