lin mclean-第25部分

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I　guess　I　know　some　things　yu'　haven't　got　to　yet　yourself　Why；　there's

a　girl！〃



〃That　there　is！〃　said　I。　〃And　certainly　the　world　owes　her　a　better〃



〃She's　a　fine…looker；〃　interrupted　Mr。　McLean；　paying　me　no　further

attention。　Here　the　decrepit；　straw…hatted　proprietor　of　the　Hotel

Brunswick　stuck　his　beard　out　of　the　door　and　uttered　〃Supper！〃　with　a

shrill　croak；　at　which　the　girl　rose。



〃Come！〃　said　Lin；　〃let's　hurry！〃



But　I　hooked　my　fingers　in　his　belt；　and　in　spite　of　his　plaintive　oaths

at　my　losing　him　the　best　seat　at　the　table；　told　him　in　three　words　the

sister's　devoted　journey。



〃Nate　Buckner！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Him　with　a　decent　sister！〃



〃It's　the　other　way　round；〃　said　I。　〃Her　with　him　for　a　brother！〃



〃He　goes　to　the　penitentiary　this　week；〃　said　Lin。　〃He　had　no　more　cash

to　stake　his　lawyer　with；　and　the　lawyer　lost　interest　in　him。　So　his

sister　could　have　waited　for　her　convict　away　back　at　Joliet；　and　saved

time　and　money。　How　did　she　act　when　yu'　told　her？〃



〃I've　not　told　her。〃



〃Not？　Too　kind　o'　not　your　business？　Well；　well！　You'd　ought　to　know

better　'n　me。　Only　it　don't　seem　right　to　let　herno；　sir；　it's　not

right；　either。　Put　it　her　brother　was　dead　（and　Miss。　Fligg's　husband

would　like　dearly　to　make　him　dead）；　you'd　not　let　her　come　slap　up

against　the　news　unwarned。　You　would　tell　her　he　was　sick；　and　start　her

gently。〃



〃Death's　different；〃　said　I。



〃Shucks！　And　she's　to　find　him　caged；　and　waiting　for　stripes　and　a

shaved　head？　How　d'　yu'　know　she　mightn't　hate　that　worse　'n　if　he'd　been

just　shot　like　a　man　in　a　husband　scrape；　instead　of　jailed　like　a　skunk

for　thieving？　No；　sir；　she　mustn't。　Think　of　how　it'll　be。　Quick　as　the

stage　pulls　up　front　o'　the　Buffalo　post…office；　plump　she'll　be　down

ahead　of　the　mail…sacks；　inquiring　after　her　brother；　and　all　that　crowd

around　staring。　Why；　we　can't　let　her　do　that；　she　can't　do　that。　If　you

don't　feel　so　interfering；　I'm　good　for　this　job　myself。〃　And　Mr。　McLean

took　the　lead　and　marched　jingling　in　to　supper。



The　seat　he　had　coveted　was　vacant。　On　either　side　the　girl　were　empty

chairs；　two　or　three；　for　with　that　clean；　shy　respect　of　the　frontier

that　divines　and　evades　a　good　woman；　the　dusty　company　had　sat　itself　at

a　distance；　and　Mr。　McLean's　best　seat　was　open　to　him。　Yet　he　had　veered

away　to　the　other　side　of　the　table；　and　his　usually　roving　eye　attempted

no　gallantry。　He　ate　sedately；　and　it　was　not　until　after　long　weeks　and

many　happenings　that　Miss　Buckner　told　Lin　she　had　known　he　was　looking

at　her　through　the　whole　of　this　meal。　The　straw…hatted　proprietor　came

and　went；　bearing　beefsteak　hammered　flat　to　make　it　tender。　The　girl

seemed　the　one　happy　person　among　us；　for　supper　was　going　forward　with

the　invariable　alkali　etiquette；　all　faces　brooding　and　feeding　amid　a

disheartening　silence　as　of　guilt　or　bereavement　that　springs　from　I　have

never　been　quite　sure　whatperhaps　reversion　to　the　native　animal

absorbed　in　his　meat；　perhaps　a　little　from　every　guest's　uneasiness　lest

he　drink　his　coffee　wrong　or　stumble　in　the　accepted　uses　of　the　fork。

Indeed；　a　diffident；　uncleansed　youth　nearest　Miss　Buckner　presently

wiped　his　mouth　upon　the　cloth；　and　Mr。　McLean；　knowing　better　than　that；

eyed　him　for　this　conduct　in　the　presence　of　a　lady。　The　lively　strength

of　the　butter　must；　I　think；　have　reached　all　in　the　room；　at　any　rate；

the　table…cloth　lad；　troubled　by　Mr。　McLean's　eye；　now　relieved　the

general　silence　by　observing；　chattily：



〃Say；　friends；　that　butter　ain't　in　no　trance。〃



〃If　it's　too　rich　for　you；〃　croaked　the　enraged　proprietor；　〃use

axle…dope。〃



The　company　continued　gravely　feeding；　while　I　struggled　to　preserve　the

decorum　of　sadness；　and　Miss　Buckner's　face　was　also　unsteady。　But

sternness　mantled　in　the　countenance　of　Mr。　McLean；　until　the　harmless

boy；　embarrassed　to　pieces；　offered　the　untasted　smelling…dish　to　Lin；　to

me；　helped　himself；　and　finally　thrust　the　plate　at　the　girl；　saying；　in

his　Texas　idiom；



〃Have　butter。〃



He　spoke　in　the　shell　voice　of　adolescence；　and　on　〃butter〃　cracked　an

octave　up　into　the　treble。　Miss　Buckner　was　speechless；　and　could　only

shake　her　head　at　the　plate。



Mr。　McLean；　however；　thought　she　was　offended。　〃She　wouldn't　choose　for

none；〃　he　said　to　the　youth；　with　appalling　calm。　〃Thank　yu'　most　to

death。〃



〃I　guess；〃　fluted　poor　Texas；　in　a　dove　falsetto；　〃it　would　go　slicker

rubbed　outside　than　swallered。〃



At　this　Miss　Buckner　broke　from　the　table　and　fled　out　of　the　house。



〃You　don't　seem　to　know　anything；〃　observed　Mr。　McLean。　〃What　toy…shop

did　you　escape　from？〃



〃Wind　him　up！　Wind　him　up！〃　said　the　proprietor；　sticking　his　head　in

from　the　kitchen。



〃Ah；　what's　the　matter　with　this　outfit？〃　screamed　the　boy；　furiously。

〃Can't　yu'　leave　a　man　eat？　Can't　yu'　leave　him　be？　You　make　me　sick！〃

And　he　flounced　out　with　his　young　boots。



All　the　while　the　company　fed　on　unmoved。　Presently　one　remarked；



〃Who's　hiring　him？〃



〃The　C。　Y。　outfit；〃　said　another。



〃Half…circle　L。；〃　a　third　corrected。



〃I　seen　one　like　him　onced；〃　said　the　first；　taking　his　hat　from　beneath

his　chair。　〃Up　in　the　Black　Hills　he　was。　Eighteen　seventy…nine。　Gosh！〃

And　he　wandered　out　upon　his　business。　One　by　one　the　others　also

silently　dispersed。



Upon　going　out；　Lin　and　I　found　the　boy　pacing　up　and　down；　eagerly　in

talk　with　Miss　Buckner。　She　had　made　friends　with　him；　and　he　was　now

smoothed　down　and　deeply　absorbed；　being　led　by　her　to　tell　her　about

himself。　But　on　Lin's　approach　his　face　clouded；　and　he　made　off　for　the

corrals；　displaying　a　sullen　back；　while　I　was　presenting　Mr。　McLean　to

the　lady。



Overtaken　by　his　cow…puncher　shyness；　Lin　was　greeting　her　with　ungainly

ceremony；　when　she　began　at　once；　〃You'll　excuse　me；　but　I　just　had　to

have　my　laugh。〃



〃That's　all　right；　m'm；〃　said　he；　〃don't　mention　it。〃



〃For　that　boy；　you　know〃



〃I'll　fix　him；　m'm。　He'll　not　insult　yu'　no　more。　I'll　speak　to　him。〃



〃Now；　please　don't！　Whywhyyou　were　every　bit　as　bad！〃　Miss　Buckner

pealed　out；　joyously。　〃It　was　the　two　of　you。　Oh　dear！〃



Mr。　McLean　looked　crestfallen。　〃I　had　noI　didn't　go　to〃



〃Why；　there　was　no　harm！　To　see　him　mean　so　well　and　you　mean　so　well；

andI　know　I　ought　to　behave　better！〃



〃No；　yu'　oughtn't！〃　said　Lin；　with　sudden　ardor；　and　then；　in　a　voice　of

deprecation；　〃You'll　think　us　plumb　ignorant。〃



〃You　know　enough　to　be　kind　to　folks；〃　said　she。



〃We'd　like　to。〃



〃It's　the　only　thing　makes　the　world　go　round！〃　she　declared；　with　an

emotion　that　I　had　heard　in　her　tone　once　or　twice　already。　But　she

caught　herself　up；　and　said　gayly　to　me；　〃And　where's　that　house　you　were

going　to　build　for　a　lone　girl　to　sleep　in？〃



〃I'm　afraid　the　foundations　aren't　laid　yet；〃　said　I。



〃Now　you　gentlemen　needn't　bother　about　me。〃



〃We'll　have　to；　m'm。　You　ain't　used　to　Separ。〃



〃Oh；　I　am　notenderfoot；　don't　you　call　them？〃　She　whipped　out　her

pistol；　and　held　it　at　the　cow…puncher；　laughing。



This　would　have　given　no　pleasure　to　me；　but　over　Lin's　features　went　a

glow　of　delight；　and　he　stood　gazing　at　the　pointed　weapon　and　the　girl

behind　it。　〃My！〃　he　said；　at　length；　almost　in　a　whisper；　〃she's　got　the

drop　on　me！〃



〃I　reckon　I'd　be　afraid　to　shoot　that　one　of　yours；〃　said　Miss　Buckner。

〃But　this　hits　a　target　real　good　and　straight　at　fifteen　yards。〃　And　she

handed　it　to　him　for　inspection。



He　received　it；　hugely　grinning；　and　turned　it　over　and　over。　〃My！〃　he

murmured　again。　〃Why；　shucks！〃　He　looked　at　Miss　Buckner　with　stark

rapture；　caressing　the　polished　revolver　at　the　same　time　with　a　fond；

unconscious　thumb。　〃You　hold　it　just　as　steady　as　I　could；〃　he　said　with

pride；　and　added；　insinuatingly；　〃I　could　learn　yu'　the　professional　drop

in　a　morning。　This　here　is　a　little　dandy　gun。〃



〃You'd　not　trade；　though；〃　said　she；　〃for　all　your　flattery。〃



〃Will　yu'　trade？〃　pounced　Lin。　〃Won't　yu'？〃



〃Now；　Mr。　McLean；　I　am　afraid　you're　thoughtless。　How　could　a　girl　like

me　ever　hold　that　awful　。45　Colt　steady？〃



〃She　knows　the　brands；　too！〃　cried　Lin；　in　ecstasy。　〃See　here；〃　he

remarked　to　me　with　a　manner　that　smacked　of　command；　〃we're　losing　time

right　now。　You　go　and　tell　the　agent　to　hustle　and　fix　his　room　up　for　a

lady；　and　I'll　bring　her　along。〃



I　found　the　agent　willing；　of　course；　to　sleep　on　the　floor　of　the

office。　The　toy　station　was　also　his　home。　The　front　compartment　held　the

ticket　and　telegraph　and　mail　and　express　chattels；　and　the　railing；　and

room　for　the　public　to　stand；　through　a　door　you　then　passed　to　the

sitting；　dining；　and　sleeping　box；　and　through　another　to　a　cooking…stove

in　a　pigeon…hole。　Here　flourished　the　agent　and　his　lungs；　and　here　the

company's　strict　orders　bade　him　sleep　in　charge；　so　I　helped　him　put　his

room　to　rights。　But　we　need　not　have　hurried　ourselves。　Mr。　McLean　was　so

long　in　bringing　the　lady　that　I　went　out　and　found　him　walking　and

talking　with　her；　while　fifty　yards　away　skulked　poor　Texas；　alone。　This

boy's　name　was；　like　himself；　of　the　somewhat　unexpected　order；　being

Manassas　Donohoe。



As　I　came　towards　the　new　friends　they　did　not　appear　to　be　joking；　and

on　seeing　me　Miss　Buckner　said　to　Lin；　〃Did　he　know？〃



Lin　hesitated。



〃You　did　know！〃　she　exclaimed；　but　lost　her　resentment　at　once；　and

continued；　very　quietly　and　with　a　friendly　tone；　〃I　reckon　you　don't

like　to　have　to　tell　folks　bad　news。〃



It　was　I　that　now　hesitated。



〃Not　to　a　strange　girl；　anyway！〃　said　she。　〃Well；　now　I　have　good　news　to

tell　you。　You　would　not　have　given　me　any　shock　if　you　had　said　you　knew

about　poor　Nate；　for　that's　the　reasonOf　course　those　things　can't　be

secrets！　Why；　he's　only　twenty；　sir！　How　should　he　know