lin mclean-第27部分

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Waiting　no　more　explanations；　they　swarmed　against　the　locomotive；　and

McLean　pulled　himself　up　on　the　step。　The　loud　talking　fell　at　a　stroke

to　let　business　go　on；　and　in　this　silence　came　the　noise　of　a

sliding…door。　At　that　I　looked；　and　they　all　looked；　and　stood　harmless；

like　children　surprised。　For　there　on　the　threshold　of　the　freight…car；

with　the　interior　darkness　behind　her；　and　touched　by　the　headlight's

diverging　rays；　stood　Jessamine　Buckner。



〃Will　you　gentlemen　do　me　a　favor？〃　said　she。　〃Strangers；　maybe；　have　no

right　to　ask　favors；　but　I　reckon　you'll　let　that　pass　this　time。　For　I'm

real　sleepy！〃　She　smiled　as　she　brought　this　out。　〃I've　been　four　days

and　nights　on　the　cars；　and　to…morrow　I've　got　to　stage　to　Buffalo。　You

see　I'll　not　be　here　to　spoil　your　fun　to…morrow　night；　and　I　want　boys

to　be　boys　just　as　much　as　ever　they　can。　Won't　you　put　it　off　till

to…morrow　night？〃



In　their　amazement　they　found　no　spokesman；　but　I　saw　Lin　busy　among

them；　and　that　some　word　was　passing　through　their　groups。　After　the

brief　interval　of　stand…still　they　began　silently　to　get　on　their　horses；

while　the　looming　engine　glowed　and　pumped　its　breath；　and　the　sheriff

and　engineer　remained　as　they　were。



〃Good…night；　lady；〃　said　a　voice　among　the　moving　horsemen；　but　the

others　kept　their　abashed　native　silence；　and　thus　they　slowly　filed　away

to　the　corrals。　The　figures；　in　their　loose　shirts　and　leathern　chaps；

passed　from　the　dimness　for　a　moment　through　the　cone　of　light　in　front

of　the　locomotive；　so　that　the　metal　about　them　made　here　and　there　a

faint；　vanishing　glint；　and　here　and　there　in　the　departing　column　a

bold；　half…laughing　face　turned　for　a　look　at　the　girl　in　the　doorway；

and　then　was　gone　again　into　the　dimness。



The　sheriff　in　the　cab　took　off　his　hat　to　Miss　Buckner；　remarking　that

she　should　belong　to　the　force；　and　as　the　bell　rang　and　the　engine

moved；　off　popped　young　Billy　Lusk　from　his　cow…catcher。　With　an

exclamation　of　horror　she　sprang　down；　and　Mr。　McLean　appeared；　and；　with

all　a　parent's　fright　and　rage；　held　the　boy　by　the　arm　grotesquely　as

the　sheriff　steamed　by。



〃I　ain't　a…going　to　chase　it；〃　said　young　Billy；　struggling。



〃I've　a　mind　to　cowhide　you；〃　said　Lin。



But　Miss　Buckner　interposed。　〃Oh；　well；〃　said　she；　〃next　time；　if　he　does

it　next　time。　It's　so　late　to…night！　You'll　not　frighten　us　that　way

again　if　he　lets　you　off？〃　she　asked　Billy。



〃No；〃　said　Billy；　looking　at　her　with　interest。　〃Father　'd　have　cowhided

me　anyway；　I　guess；〃　he　added；　meditatively。



〃Do　you　call　him　father？〃



〃Ah；　father's　at　Laramie；〃　said　Billy；　with　disgust。　〃He'd　not　stop　for

your　asking。　Lin　don't　bother　me　much。〃



〃You　quit　talking　and　step　up　there！〃　ordered　his　guardian。　〃Well；　m'm；　I

guess　yu'　can　sleep　good　now　in　there。〃



〃If　it　was　only　an　'L。　and　N。'　I'd　not　have　a　thing　against　it！

Good…night；　Mr。　McLean；　good…night；　young　Mr。〃



〃I'm　Billy　Lusk。　I　can　ride　Chalkeye's　pinto　that　bucked　Honey　Wiggin。〃



〃I　am　sure　you　can　ride　finely；　Mr。　Lusk。　Maybe　you　and　I　can　take　a　ride

together。　Pleasant　dreams！〃



She　nodded　and　smiled　to　him；　and　slid　her　door　to；　and　Billy　considered

it；　remarking：　〃I　like　her。　What　makes　her　live　in　a　car？〃



But　he　was　drowsing　while　I　told　him；　and　I　lifted　him　up　to　Lin；　who

took　him　in　his　own　blankets；　where　he　fell　immediately　asleep。　One

distant　whistle　showed　how　far　the　late　engine　had　gone　from　us。　We　left

our　car　open；　and　I　lay　enjoying　the　cool　air。　Thus　was　I　drifting　off；

when　I　grew　aware　of　a　figure　in　the　door。　It　was　Lin；　standing　in　his

stockings　and　not　much　else；　with　his　pistol。　He　listened；　and　then

leaped　down；　light　as　a　cat。　I　heard　some　repressed　talking；　and　lay　in

expectancy；　but　back　he　came；　noiseless　in　his　stockings；　and　as　he　slid

into　bed　I　asked　what　the　matter　was。　He　had　found　the　Texas　boy；

Manassas　Donohoe；　by　the　girl's　car；　with　no　worse　intention　than　keeping

a　watch　on　it。　〃So　I　gave　him　to　understand；〃　said　Lin；　〃that　I　had　no

objection　to　him　amusing　himself　playing　picket…line；　but　that　I　guessed

I　was　enough　guard；　and　he　would　find　sleep　healthier　for　his　system。〃

After　this　I　went　to　sleep　wholly；　but；　waking　once　in　the　night；　thought

I　heard　some　one　outside；　and　learned　in　the　morning　from　Lin　that　the

boy　had　not　gone　until　the　time　came　for　him　to　join　his　outfit　at　the

corrals。　And　I　was　surprised　that　Lin；　the　usually　good…hearted；　should

find　nothing　but　mirth　in　the　idea　of　this　unknown；　unthanked　young

sentinel。　〃Sleeping's　a　heap　better　for　them　kind　till　they　get　their

growth；〃　was　his　single　observation。



But　when　Separ　had　dwindled　to　toys　behind　us　in　the　journeying　stage　I

told　Miss　Jessamine；　and　although　she　laughed　too；　it　was　with　a　note

that　young　Texas　would　have　liked　to　hear；　and　she　hoped　she　might　see

him　upon　her　return；　to　thank　him。



〃Any　Jack　can　walk　around　all　night；〃　said　Mr。　McLean；　disparagingly。



〃Well；　then；　and　I　know　a　Jack　who　didn't；〃　observed　the　young　lady。



This　speech　caused　her　admirer　to　be　full　of　explanations；　so　that　when

she　saw　how　readily　she　could　perplex　him；　and　yet　how　capable　and

untiring　he　was　about　her　comfort；　helping　her　out　or　tucking　her　in　at

the　stations　where　we　had　a　meal　or　changed　horses；　she　enjoyed　the　hours

very　much；　in　spite　of　their　growing　awkwardness。



But　oh；　the　sparkling；　unbashful　Lin！　Sometimes　he　sat　himself　beside　her

to　be　close；　and　then　he　would　move　opposite；　the　better　to　behold　her。



Never；　except　once　long　after　（when　sorrow　manfully　borne　had　still

further　refined　his　clay）；　have　I　heard　Lin's　voice　or　seen　his　look　so

winning。　No　doubt　many　a　male　bird　cares　nothing　what　neighbor　bird

overhears　his　spring　song　from　the　top　of　the　open　tree；　but　I　extremely

doubt　if　his　lady…love；　even　if　she　be　a　frank；　bouncing　robin；　does　not

prefer　to　listen　from　some　thicket；　and　not　upon　the　public　lawn。

Jessamine　grew　silent　and　almost　peevish；　and　from　discourse　upon　man　and

woman　she　hopped；　she　skipped；　she　flew。　When　Lin　looked　at　his　watch　and

counted　the　diminished　hours　between　her　and　Buffalo；　she　smiled　to

herself；　but　from　mention　of　her　brother　she　shrank；　glancing　swiftly　at

me　and　my　well…assumed　slumber。



And　it　was　with　indignation　and　self…pity　that　I　climbed　out　in　the　hot

sun　at　last　beside　the　driver　and　small　Billy。



〃I　know　this　road；〃　piped　Billy；　on　the　box



〃'I　camped　here　with　father　when　mother　was　off　that　time。　You　can　take　a

left…hand　trail　by　those　cottonwoods　and　strike　the　mountains。〃



So　I　inquired　what　game　he　had　then　shot。



〃Ah；　just　a　sage…hen。　Lin's　a…going　to　let　me　shoot　a　bear；　you　know。

What　made　Lin　marry　mother　when　father　was　around？〃



The　driver　gave　me　a　look　over　Billy's　head；　and　I　gave　him　one；　and　I

instructed　Billy　that　people　supposed　his　father　was　dead。　I　withheld

that　his　mother　gave　herself　out　as　Miss　Peck　in　the　days　when　Lin　met

her　on　Bear　Creek。



The　formidable　nine…year…old　pondered。　〃The　geography　says　they　used　to

have　a　lot　of　wives　at　Salt　Lake　City。　Is　there　a　place　where　a　woman　can

have　a　lot　of　husbands？〃



〃It　don't　especially　depend　on　the　place；〃　remarked　the　driver　to　me。



〃Because；〃　Billy　went　on；　〃Bert　Taylor　told　me　in　recess　that　mother'd

had　a　lot；　and　I　told　him　he　lied；　and　the　other　boys　they　laughed　and　I

blacked　Bert's　eye　on　him；　and　I'd　have　blacked　the　others　too；　only　Miss

Wood　came　out。　I　wouldn't　tell　her　what　Bert　said；　and　Bert　wouldn't；　and

Sophy　Armstrong　told　her。　Bert's　father　found　out；　and　he　come　round；　and

I　thought　he　was　a…going　to　lick　me　about　the　eye；　and　he　licked　Bert！

Say；　am　I　Lin's；　honest？〃



〃No；　Billy；　you're　not；〃　I　said。



〃Wish　I　was。　They　couldn't　get　me　back　to　Laramie　then；　but；　oh；　bother！

I'd　not　go　for　'em！　I'd　like　to　see　'em　try！　Lin　wouldn't　leave　me　go。

You　ain't　married；　are　you？　No　more　is　Lin　now；　I　guess。　A　good　many　are；

but　I　wouldn't　want　to。　I　don't　think　anything　of　'em。　I've　seen　mother

take　'pothecary　stuff　on　the　sly。　She's　whaled　me　worse　than　Lin　ever

does。　I　guess　he　wouldn't　want　to　be　mother's　husband　again；　and　if　he

does；〃　said　Billy；　his　voice　suddenly　vindictive；　〃I'll　quit　him　and

skip。〃



〃No　danger；　Bill；〃　said　I。



〃How　would　the　nice　lady　inside　please　you？〃　inquired　the　driver。



〃Ah；　pshaw！　she　ain't　after　Lin！〃　sang　out　Billy；　loud　and　scornful。

〃She's　after　her　brother。　She's　all　right；　though；〃　he　added；

approvingly。



At　this　all　talk　stopped　short　inside；　reviving　in　a　casual；　scanty

manner；　while　unconscious　Billy　Lusk；　tired　of　the　one　subject；　now　spoke

cheerfully　of　birds'　eggs。



Who　knows　the　child…soul；　young　in　days；　yet　old　as　Adam　and　the　hills？

That　school…yard　slur　about　his　mother　was　as　dim　to　his　understanding　as

to　the　offender's；　yet　mysterious　nature　had　bid　him　go　to　instant　war！

How　foreseeing　in　Lin　to　choke　the　unfounded　jest　about　his　relation　to

Billy　Lusk；　in　hopes　to　save　the　boy's　ever　awakening　to　the　facts　of　his

mother's　life！　〃Though；〃　said　the　driver；　an　easygoing　cynic；　〃folks　with

lots　of　fathers　will　find　heaps　of　brothers　in　this　country！〃　But

presently　he　let　Billy　hold　the　reins；　and　at　the　next　station　carefully

lifted　him　down　and　up。　〃I've　knowed　that　woman；　too；〃　he　whispered　to

me。　〃Sidney；　Nebraska。　Lusk　was　off　half　the　time。　We　laughed　when　she

fooled　Lin　into　marryin'　her。　Come　to　think；〃　he　mused；　as　twilight

deepened　around　our　clanking　stage；　and　small　Billy　slept　sound　between

us；　〃there's　scarcely　a　thing　in　life　you　get　a　laugh　out　of　that　don't

make　soberness　for　somebody。〃



Soberness　had　now　visited　the　pair　behind　us；　even　Lin's　lively　talk　had

quieted；　and　his　tones　were　low　and　few。　But　though　Miss　Jessamine　at　our

next　change　of　horses　〃hoped〃　I　would　come　inside；　I　knew　she　d