lin mclean-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　otherwise　high…and…dry　mind。　Probably　he　meant　the

railroad　company；　certainly　something　large　had　happened。　Even　as　I

dismounted　at　the　platform　another　hilarious　cow…puncher　came　out　of　the

station；　and；　at　once　remarking；　〃They're　going　to　leave　us　alone；〃

sprang　on　his　horse　and　galloped　to　the　corrals　down　the　line；　where　some

cattle　were　being　loaded　into　a　train。　I　went　inside　for　my　mail；　and

here　were　four　more　cow…punchers　playing　with　the　agent。　They　had　got　a

letter　away　from　him；　and　he　wore　his　daily　look　of　anxiety　to　appreciate

the　jests　of　these　rollicking　people。　〃Read　it！〃　they　said　to　me；　and　I

did　read　the　private　document；　and　learned　that　the　railroad　was　going　to

waive　its　right　to　enforce　law　and　order　here；　and　would　trust　to　Separ's

good　feeling。　〃Nothing　more；〃　the　letter　ran；　〃will　be　done　about　the

initial　outrage　or　the　subsequent　vandalisms。　We　shall　pass　over　our

wasted　outlay　in　the　hope　that　a　policy　of　friendship　will　prove　our

genuine　desire　to　benefit　that　section。



〃'Initial　outrage；'〃　quoted　one　of　the　agent'　large　playmates。　〃Ain't

they　furgivin'？〃



〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃you　would　have　some　name　for　it　yourself　if　you　sent　a

deputy　sheriff　to　look　after　your　rights；　and　he　came　back　tied　to　the

cow…catcher！〃



The　man　smiled　luxuriously　over　this　memory。



〃We　didn't　hurt　him　none。　Just　returned　him　to　his　home。　Hear　about　the

label　Honey　Wiggin　pinned　on　to　him？　'Send　us　along　one　dozen　as　per

sample。'　Honey's　quaint！　Yes；〃　he　drawled　judicially；　〃I'd　be　mad　at

that。　But　if　you're　making　peace　with　a　man　because　it's　convenient　why；

your　words　must　be　pleasanter　than　if　you　really　felt　pleasant。〃　He　took

the　paper　from　me；　and　read；　sardonically：　〃'Subsequent　vandalisms　。。。

wasted　outlay。'　I　suppose　they　run　this　station　from　charity　to　the

cattle。　Saves　the　poor　things　walking　so　far　to　the　other　railroad

'Policy　of　friendship　。。。　genuine　desire'oh　mouth…wash！〃　And；　shaking

his　bold；　clever　head；　he　daintily　flattened　the　letter　upon　the　head　of

the　agent。　〃Tubercle；〃　said　he　（this　was　their　name　for　the　agent；　who

had　told　all　of　us　about　his　lungs）；　〃it　ain't　your　fault　we　saw　their

fine　letter。　They　just　intended　you　should　give　it　out　how　they　wouldn't

bother　us　any　more；　and　then　we'd　act　square。　The　boys'll　sit　up　late

over　this　joke。〃



Then　they　tramped　to　their　horses　and　rode　away。　The　spokesman　had　hit

the　vital　point　unerringly；　for　cow…punchers　are　shrewdly　alive　to

frankness；　and　it　often　draws　out　the　best　that　is　in　them；　but　its

opposite　affects　them　unfavorably；　and　I；　needing　sleep；　sighed　to　think

of　their　late　sitting　up　over　that　joke。　I　walked　to　the　board　box

painted　〃Hotel　Brunswick〃　〃hotel〃　in　small　italics　and　〃Brunswick〃in

enormous　capitals；　the　N　and　the　S　wrong　side　up。



Here　sat　a　girl　outside　the　door；　alone。　Her　face　was　broad；　wholesome；

and　strong；　and　her　eyes　alert　and　sweet。　As　I　came　she　met　me　with　a

challenging　glance　of　good…will。　Those　women　who　journeyed　along　the　line

in　the　wake　of　payday　to　traffic　with　the　men　employed　a　stare　well

known；　but　this　straight　look　seemed　like　the　greeting　of　some　pleasant

young　cowboy。　In　surprise　I　forgot　to　be　civil；　and　stepped　foolishly　by

her　to　see　about　supper　and　lodging。



At　the　threshold　I　perceived　all　lodging　bespoken。　On　each　of　the　four

beds　lay　a　coat　or　pistol　or　other　article　of　dress；　and　I　must　lodge

myself。　There　were　my　saddle…blanketsrather　wet；　or　Lin　McLean　might

ride　in　to…night　on　his　way　to　Riverside；　or　perhaps　down　at　the　corrals

I　could　find　some　other　acquaintance　whose　habit　of　washing　I　trusted　and

whose　bed　I　might　share。　Failing　these　expedients；　several　empties　stood

idle　upon　a　siding；　and　the　box…like　darkness　of　these　freight…cars　was

timely。　Nights　were　short　now。　Camping　out；　the　dawn　by　three　o'clock

would　flow　like　silver　through　the　universe；　and；　sinking　through　my

blankets；　remorselessly　pervade　my　buried　hair　and　brain。　But　with　clean

straw　in　the　bottom　of　an　empty；　I　could　sleep　my　fill　until　five　or　six。

I　decided　for　the　empty；　and　opened　the　supper…room　door；　where　the　table

was　set　for　more　than　enough　to　include　me；　but　the　smell　of　the　butter

that　awaited　us　drove　me　out　of　the　Hotel　Brunswick　to　spend　the

remaining　minutes　in　the　air。



〃I　was　expecting　you；〃　said　the　girl。　〃Well；　if　I　haven't　frightened

him！〃　She　laughed　so　delightfully　that　I　recovered　and　laughed　too。

〃Why；〃　she　explained；　〃I　just　knew　you'd　not　stay　in　there。　Which　side

are　you　going　to　butter　your　bread　this　evening？〃



〃You　had　smelt　it？〃　said　I；　still　cloudy　with　surprise。　〃Yes。

Unquestionably。　Very　rancid。〃　She　glanced　oddly　at　me；　and；　with　less

fellowship　in　her　tone；　said；　〃I　was　going　to　warn　you〃　when　suddenly；

down　at　the　corrals；　the　boys　began　to　shoot　at　large。　〃Oh；　dear！〃　she

cried；　starting　up。　〃There's　trouble。〃



〃Not　trouble；〃　I　assured　her。　〃Too　many　are　firing　at　once　to　be　in

earnest。　And　you　would　be　safe　here。〃



〃Me？　A　lady　without　escort？　Well；　I　should　reckon　so！　Leastways；　we　are

respected　where　I　was　raised。　I　was　anxious　for　the　gentlemen　ovah

yondah。　Shawhan；　K。　C。　branch　of　the　Louavull　an'　Nashvull；　is　my　home。〃

The　words　〃Louisville　and　Nashville〃　spoke　creamily　of　Blue…grass。



〃Unescorted　all　that　way！〃　I　exclaimed。



〃Isn't　it　awful？〃　said　she；　tilting　her　head　with　a　laugh；　and　showing

the　pistol　she　carried。　〃But　we've　always　been　awful　in　Kentucky。　Now　I

suppose　New　York　would　never　speak　to　poor　me　as　it　passed　by？〃　And　she

eyed　me　with　capable；　good…humored　satire。



〃Why　New　York？〃　I　demanded。　〃Guess　again。〃



〃Well；〃　she　debated；　〃well；　cowboy　clothes　and　city　languagehe's

English！〃　she　burst　out；　and　then　she　turned　suddenly　red；　and　whispered

to　herself；　reprovingly；　〃If　I'm　not　acting　rude！〃



〃Oh！〃　said　I；　rather　familiarly。



〃It　was；　sir；　and　please　to　excuse　me。　If　you　had　started　joking　so　free

with　me；　I'd　have　been　insulted。　When　I　saw　youthe　hat　and　everything

I　took　youYou　see　I've　always　been　that　used　to　talking　toto　folks

around！〃　Her　bright　face　saddened；　memories　evidently　rose　before　her；

and　her　eyes　grew　distant。



I　wished　to　say；　〃Treat　me　as　'folks　around；'〃　but　this　tall　country　girl

had　put　us　on　other　terms。　On　discovering　I　was　not　〃folks　around；〃　she

had　taken　refuge　in　deriding　me；　but　swiftly　feeling　no　solid　ground

there；　she　drew　a　firm；　clear　woman's　line　between　us。　Plainly　she　was　a

comrade　of　men；　in　her　buoyant　innocence　secure；　yet　by　no　means　in　the

dark　as　to　them。



〃Yes；　unescorted　two　thousand　miles；〃　she　resumed；　〃and　never　as　far　as

twenty　from　home　till　last　Tuesday。　I　expect　you'll　have　to　be

scandalized；　for　I'd　do　it　right　over　again　to…morrow。〃



〃You've　got　me　all　wrong；〃　said　I。　〃I'm　not　English；　I'm　not　New　York。　I

am　good　American；　and　not　bounded　by　my　own　farm　either。　No　sectional

line；　or　Mason　and　Dixon；　or　Missouri　River　tattoos　me。　But　you；　when　you

say　United　States；　you　mean　United　Kentucky！〃



〃Did　you　ever！〃　said　she；　staring　at　what　was　Greek　to　heras　it　is　to

most　Americans。　〃And　so　if　you　had　a　sister　back　East；　and　she　and　you

were　all　there　was　of　you　any　more；　and　she　hadn't　seen　you　sincenot

since　you　first　took　to　staying　out　nights；　and　she　started　to　visit　you；

you'd　not　tell　her　'Fie　for　shame'？〃



〃I'd　travel　my　money's　length　to　meet　her！〃　said　I。



A　wave　of　pain　crossed　her　face。　〃Nate　didn't　know；〃　she　said　then；

lightly。　〃You　see；　Nate's　only　a　boy；　and　regular　thoughtless　about

writing。〃



Ah！　So　this　Nate　never　wrote；　and　his　sister　loved　and　championed　him！

Many　such　stray　Nates　and　Bobs　and　Bills　galloped　over　Wyoming；　lost　and

forgiven。



〃I'm　starting　for　him　in　the　Buffalo　stage；〃　continued　the　girl。



〃Then　I'll　have　your　company　on　a　weary　road；〃　said　I；　for　my　journey　was

now　to　that　part　of　the　cattle　country。



〃To　Buffalo？〃　she　said；　quickly。　〃Then　maybe　youmaybeMy　brother　is

Nate　Buckner。〃　She　paused。　〃Then　you're　not　acquainted　with　him？〃



〃I　may　have　seen　him；〃　I　answered；　slowly。　〃But　faces　and　names　out　here

come　and　go。〃



I　knew　him　well　enough。　He　was　in　jail；　convicted　of　forgery　last　week；

waiting　to　go　to　the　penitentiary　for　five　years。　And　even　this　wild

border　community　that　hated　law　courts　and　punishments　had　not　been

sorry；　for　he　had　cheated　his　friends　too　often；　and　the　wide　charity　of

the　sage…brush　does　not　cover　that　sin。　Beneath　his　pretty　looks　and

daring　skill　with　horses　they　had　found　vanity　and　a　cold；　false　heart；

but　his　sister　could　not。　Here　she　was；　come　to　find　him　after　lonely

years；　and　to　this　one　soul　that　loved　him　in　the　world　how　was　I　to　tell

the　desolation　and　the　disgrace？　I　was　glad　to　hear　her　ask　me　if　the

stage　went　soon　after　supper。



〃Now　isn't　that　a　bother？〃　said　she；　when　I　answered　that　it　did　not

start　till　morning。　She　glanced　with　rueful　gayety　at　the　hotel。　〃Never

mind；〃　she　continued；　briskly；　〃I'm　used　to　things。　I'll　just　sit　up

somewhere。　Maybe　the　agent　will　let　me　stay　in　the　office。　You're　sure

all　that　shooting's　only　jollification？〃



〃Certain；〃　I　said。　〃But　I'll　go　and　see。〃



〃They　always　will　have　their　fun；〃　said　she。　〃But　I　hate　to　have　a　poor

boy　get　hurteven　him　deserving　it！〃



〃They　use　pistols　instead　of　fire…crackers；〃　said　I。　〃But　you　must　never

sleep　in　that　office。　I'll　see　what　we　can　do。〃



〃Why；　you're　real　kind！〃　she　exclaimed；　heartily。　And　I　departed；

wondering　what　I　ought　to　do。



Perhaps　I　should　have　told　you　before　that　Separ　was　a　place　oncea　sort

of　place；　but　you　will　relish　now；　I　am　convinced；　the　pithy　fable　of　its

name。



Midway　between　two　sections　of　this　still　unfinished　line　that；　ra