lin mclean-第22部分

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goes　on　contented　and　self…sustaining；　while　Mr。　McLean　gave　amiable

signs　of　assent；　but　chiefly　looked　out　of　the　window；　and　when　the　now

interested　waiter　said　respectfully　that　he　desired　to　close　the　room；

they　went　out　to　the　office；　where　the　money　was　got　out　of　the　safe　and

the　bill　paid。



The　streets　were　full　of　the　bright　sun；　and　seemingly　at　Denver's　gates

stood　the　mountains　sparkling；　an　air　crisp　and　pleasant　wafted　from

their　peaks；　no　smoke　hung　among　the　roofs；　and　the　sky　spread　wide　over

the　city　without　a　stain；　it　was　holiday　up　among　the　chimneys　and　tall

buildings；　and　down　among　the　quiet　ground…stories　below　as　well；　and

presently　from　their　scattered　pinnacles　through　the　town　the　bells　broke

out　against　the　jocund　silence　of　the　morning。



〃Don't　you　like　music？〃　inquired　Billy。



〃Yes；〃　said　Lin。



Ladies　with　their　husbands　and　children　were　passing　and　meeting；　orderly

yet　gayer　than　if　it　were　only　Sunday；　and　the　salutations　of　Christmas

came　now　and　again　to　the　cow…puncher's　ears；　but　to…day；　possessor　of

his　own　share　in　this；　Lin　looked　at　every　one　with　a　sort　of　friendly

challenge；　and　young　Billy　talked　along　beside　him。



〃Don't　you　think　we　could　go　in　here？〃　Billy　asked。　A　church　door　was

open；　and　the　rich　organ　sounded　through　to　the　pavement。　〃They've　good

music　here；　an'　they　keep　it　up　without　much　talking　between。　I've　been

in　lots　of　times。〃



They　went　in　and　sat　to　hear　the　music。　Better　than　the　organ；　it　seemed

to　them；　were　the　harmonious　voices　raised　from　somewhere　outside；　like

unexpected　visitants；　and　the　pair　sat　in　their　back　seat；　too　deep　in

listening　to　the　processional　hymn　to　think　of　rising　in　decent　imitation

of　those　around　them。　The　crystal　melody　of　the　refrain　especially

reached　their　understandings；　and　when　for　the　fourth　time　〃Shout　the

glad　tidings；　exultingly　sing；〃　pealed　forth　and　ceased；　both　the

delighted　faces　fell。



〃Don't　you　wish　there　was　more？〃　Billy　whispered。



〃Wish　there　was　a　hundred　verses；〃　answered　Lin。



But　canticles　and　responses　followed；　with　so　little　talking　between　them

they　were　held　spellbound；　seldom　thinking　to　rise　or　kneel。　Lin's　eyes

roved　over　the　church；　dwelling　upon　the　pillars　in　their　evergreen；　the

flowers　and　leafy　wreaths；　the　texts　of　white　and　gold。　〃'Peace；　good…

will　towards　men；'〃　he　read。　〃That's　so。　Peace　and　good…will。　Yes；　that's

so。　I　expect　they　got　that　somewheres　in　the　Bible。　It's　awful　good；　and

you'd　never　think　of　it　yourself。〃



There　was　a　touch　on　his　arm；　and　a　woman　handed　a　book　to　him。　〃This　is

the　hymn　we　have　now；〃　she　whispered；　gently；　and　Lin；　blushing　scarlet；

took　it　passively　without　a　word。　He　and　Billy　stood　up　and　held　the　book

together；　dutifully　reading　the　words：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃It　came　upon　the　midnight　clear；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　glorious　song　of　old；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　From　angels　bending　near　the　earth

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　touch　their　harps　of　gold；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Peace　on　the　earth〃



This　tune　was　more　beautiful　than　all；　and　Lin　lost　himself　in　it；　until

he　found　Billy　recalling　him　with　a　finger　upon　the　words；　the　concluding

ones：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃And　the　whole　world　sent　back　the　song

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Which　now　the　angels　sing。〃



The　music　rose　and　descended　to　its　lovely　and　simple　end；　and；　for　a

second　time　in　Denver；　Lin　brushed　a　hand　across　his　eyes。　He　turned　his

face　from　his　neighbor；　frowning　crossly；　and　since　the　heart　has　reasons

which　Reason　does　not　know；　he　seemed　to　himself　a　fool；　but　when　the

service　was　over　and　he　came　out；　he　repeated　again；　〃'Peace　and

good…will。'　When　I　run　on　to　the　Bishop　of　Wyoming　I'll　tell　him　if　he'll

preach　on　them　words　I'll　be　there。〃



〃Couldn't　we　shoot　your　pistol　now？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Sure；　boy。　Ain't　yu'　hungry；　though？〃



〃No。　I　wish　we　were　away　off　up　there。　Don't　you？〃



〃The　mountains？　They　look　pretty；　so　white！　A　heap　better　'n　houses。　Why；

we'll　go　there！　There's　trains　to　Golden。　We'll　shoot　around　among　the

foothills。〃



To　Golden　they　immediately　went；　and　after　a　meal　there；　wandered　in　the

open　country　until　the　cartridges　were　gone；　the　sun　was　low；　and　Billy

was　walked　off　his　young　heelsa　truth　he　learned　complete　in　one　horrid

moment；　and　battled　to　conceal。



〃Lame！〃　he　echoed；　angrily。　〃I　ain't。〃



〃Shucks！〃　said　Lin；　after　the　next　ten　steps。　〃You　are；　and　both　feet。〃



〃Tell　you；　there's　stones　here；　an'　I'm　just　a…skipping　them。〃



Lin；　briefly；　took　the　boy　in　his　arms　and　carried　him　to　Golden。　〃I'm

played　out　myself；〃　he　said；　sitting　in　the　hotel　and　looking

lugubriously　at　Billy　on　a　bed。　〃And　I　ain't　fit　to　have　charge　of　a

hog。〃　He　came　and　put　his　hand　on　the　boy's　head。



〃I'm　not　sick；〃　said　the　cripple。　〃I　tell　you　I'm　bully。　You　wait　an'　see

me　eat　dinner。〃



But　Lin　had　hot　water　and　cold　water　and　salt；　and　was　an　hour　upon　his

knees　bathing　the　hot　feet。　And　then　Billy　could　not　eat　dinner！



There　was　a　doctor　in　Golden；　but　in　spite　of　his　light　prescription　and

most　reasonable　observations；　Mr。　McLean　passed　a　foolish　night　of　vigil；

while　Billy　slept；　quite　well　at　first；　and；　as　the　hours　passed；　better

and　better。　In　the　morning　he　was　entirely　brisk；　though　stiff。



〃I　couldn't　work　quick　to…day；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　guess　one　day　won't　lose

me　my　trade。〃



〃How　d'　yu'　mean？〃　asked　Lin。



〃Why；　I've　got　regulars；　you　know。　Sidney　Ellis　an'　Pete　Goode　has

theirs；　an'　we　don't　cut　each　other。　I've　got　Mr。　Daniels　an'　Mr。　Fisher

an'　lots；　an'　if　you　lived　in　Denver　I'd　shine　your　boots　every　day　for

nothing。　I　wished　you　lived　in　Denver。〃



〃Shine　my　boots？　Yu'll　never！　And　yu'　don't　black　Daniels　or　Fisher；　or

any　of　the　outfit。〃



〃Why；　I'm　doing　first…rate；〃　said　Billy；　surprised　at　the　swearing　into

which　Mr。　McLean　now　burst。　〃An'　I　ain't　big　enough　to　get　to　make　money

at　any　other　job。〃



〃I　want　to　see　that　engine…man；〃　muttered　Lin。　〃I　don't　like　your　smokin'

friend。〃



〃Pete　Goode？　Why；　he's　awful　smart。　Don't　you　think　he's　smart？〃



〃Smart's　nothin'；〃　observed　Mr。　McLean。



〃Pete　has　learned　me　and　Sidney　a　lot；〃　pursued　Billy；　engagingly。



〃I'll　bet　he　has！〃　growled　the　cow…puncher；　and　again　Billy　was　taken

aback　at　his　language。



It　was　not　so　simple；　this　case。　To　the　perturbed　mind　of　Mr。　McLean　it

grew　less　simple　during　that　day　at　Golden；　while　Billy　recovered；　and

talked；　and　ate　his　innocent　meals。　The　cow…puncher　was　far　too　wise　to

think　for　a　single　moment　of　restoring　the　runaway　to　his　debauched　and

shiftless　parents。　Possessed　of　some　imagination；　he　went　through　a　scene

in　which　he　appeared　at　the　Lusk　threshold　with　Billy　and　forgiveness；

and　intruded　upon　a　conjugal　assault　and　battery。　〃Shucks！〃　said　he。　〃The

kid　would　be　off　again　inside　a　week。　And　I　don't　want　him　there；

anyway。〃



Denver；　upon　the　following　day；　saw　the　little　bootblack　again　at　his

corner；　with　his　trade　not　lost；　but　near　him　stood　a　tall；　singular　man；

with　hazel　eyes　and　a　sulky　expression。　And　citizens　during　that　week

noticed；　as　a　new　sight　in　the　streets；　the　tall　man　and　the　little　boy

walking　together。　Sometimes　they　would　be　in　shops。　The　boy　seemed　as

happy　as　possible；　talking　constantly；　while　the　man　seldom　said　a　word；

and　his　face　was　serious。



Upon　New…year's　Eve　Governor　Barker　was　overtaken　by　Mr。　McLean　riding　a

horse　up　Hill　Street；　Cheyenne。



〃Hello！〃　said　Barker；　staring　humorously　through　his　glasses。　〃Have　a

good　drunk？〃



〃Changed　my　mind；〃　said　Lin；　grinning。　〃Proves　I've　got　one。　Struck

Christmas　all　right；　though。〃



〃Who's　your　friend？〃　inquired　his　Excellency。



〃This　is　Mister　Billy　Lusk。　Him　and　me　have　agreed　that　towns　ain't　nice

to　live　in。　If　Judge　Henry's　foreman　and　his　wife　won't　board　him　at　Sunk

Creekwhy；　I'll　fix　it　somehow。〃



The　cow…puncher　and　his　Responsibility　rode　on　together　toward　the　open

plain。



〃Sufferin　Moses！〃　remarked　his　Excellency。







SEPAR'S　VIGILANTE



We　had　fallen　half　asleep；　my　pony　and　I；　as　we　went　jogging　and　jogging

through　the　long　sunny　afternoon。　Our　hills　of　yesterday　were　a　pale…blue

coast　sunk　almost　away　behind　us；　and　ahead　our　goal　lay　shining；　a

little　island　of　houses　in　this　quiet　mid…ocean　of　sage…brush。　For　two

hours　it　had　looked　as　clear　and　near　as　now；　rising　into　sight　across

the　huge　dead　calm　and　sinking　while　we　travelled　our　undulating；

imperceptible　miles。　The　train　had　come　and　gone　invisibly；　except　for

its　slow　pillar　of　smoke　I　had　watched　move　westward　against　Wyoming's

stainless　sky。　Though　I　was　still　far　off；　the　water…tank　and　other

buildings　stood　out　plain　and　complete　to　my　eyes；　like　children's　blocks

arranged　and　forgotten　on　the　floor。　So　I　rode　along；　hypnotized　by　the

sameness　of　the　lazy；　splendid　plain；　and　almost　unaware　of　the　distant

rider；　till；　suddenly；　he　was　close　and　hailing　me。



〃They've　caved！〃　he　shouted。



〃Who？〃　I　cried；　thus　awakened。



〃Ah；　the　fool　company；〃　said　he；　quieting　his　voice　as　he　drew　near。

〃They've　shed　their　haughtiness；〃　he　added；　confidingly；　as　if　I　must

know　all　about　it。



〃Where　did　they　learn　that　wisdom？〃　I　asked；　not　knowing　in　the　least。



〃Experience；〃　he　called　over　his　shoulder　（for　already　we　had　met　and

passed）；　〃nothing　like　experience　for　sweating　the　fat　off　the　brain。〃



He　yelled　me　a　brotherly　good…bye；　and　I　am　sorry　never　to　have　known

more　of　him；　for　I　incline　to　value　any　stranger　so　joyous。　But　now　I

waked　the　pony　and　trotted　briskly；　surmising　as　to　the　company　and　its

haughtiness。　I　had　been　viewing　my　destination　across　the　sagebrush　for

so　spun…out　a　time　that　（as　constantly　in　Wyoming　journeys）　the　emotion

of　arrival　had　evaporated　long　before　the　event；　and　I　welcomed

employment　for　my　otherwis