lin mclean-第33部分

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〃Tell　her？　Nothin'；　I　guess。　I　don't　remember　getting　out　of　the　room。

Why；　here's　actually　her　pistol；　and　she's　got　mine！〃



〃Man；　man！〃　said　I；　〃go　back　and　tell　her　to　keep　it；　and　that　you'll

wait　tooalways！〃



〃Would　yu'？〃



〃Look！〃　I　pointed　to　Jessamine　standing　in　the　door。



I　saw　his　face　as　he　turned　to　her；　and　I　walked　toward　Billy　and　the

horses。　Presently　I　heard　steps　on　the　wooden　station；　and　from　its

black；　brief　shadow　the　two　came　walking；　Lin　and　his　sweetheart；　into

the　moonlight。　They　were　not　speaking；　but　merely　walked　together　in　the

clear　radiance；　hand　in　hand；　like　two　children。　I　saw　that　she　was

weeping；　and　that　beneath　the　tyranny　of　her　resolution　her　whole　loving；

ample　nature　was　wrung。　But　the　strange；　narrow　fibre　in　her　would　not

yield！　I　saw　them　go　to　the　horses；　and　Jessamine　stood　while　Billy　and

Lin　mounted。　Then　quickly　the　cow…puncher　sprang　down　again　and　folded

her　in　his　arms。



〃Lin；　dear　Lin！　dear　neighbor！〃　she　sobbed。　She　could　not　withhold　this

last　good…bye。



I　do　not　think　he　spoke。　In　a　moment　thehorses　started　and　were　gone；

flying；　rushing　away　into　the　great　plain；　until　sight　and　sound　of　them

were　lost；　and　only　the　sage…brush　was　there；　bathed　in　the　high；　bright

moon。　The　last　thing　I　remember　as　I　lay　in　my　blankets　was　Jessamine's

window　still　lighted；　and　the　water…tank；　clear…lined　and　black；　standing

over　Separ。







DESTINY　AT　DRYBONE





PART　I



Children　have　many　special　endowments；　and　of　these　the　chiefest　is　to

ask　questions　that　their　elders　must　skirmish　to　evade。　Married　people

and　aunts　and　uncles　commonly　discover　this；　but　mere　instinct　does　not

guide　one　to　it。　A　maiden　of　twenty…three　will　not　necessarily　divine　it。

Now　except　in　one　unhappy　hour　of　stress　and　surprise；　Miss　Jessamine

Buckner　had　been　more　than　equal　to　life　thus　far。　But　never　yet　had　she

been　shut　up　a　whole　day　in　one　room　with　a　boy　of　nine。　Had　this

experience　been　hers；　perhaps　she　would　not　have　written　to　Mr。　McLean

the　friendly　and　singular　letter　in　which　she　hoped　he　was　well；　and　said

that　she　was　very　well；　and　how　was　dear　little　Billy？　She　was　glad　Mr。

McLean　had　stayed　away。　That　was　just　like　his　honorable　nature；　and　what

she　expected　of　him。　And　she　was　perfectly　happy　at　Separ；　and　〃yours

sincerely　and　always；　'Neighbor。'　〃Postscript。　Talking　of　Billy　Luskif

Lin　was　busy　with　gathering　the　cattle；　why　not　send　Billy　down　to　stop

quietly　with　her。　She　would　make　him　a　bed　in　the　ticket…office；　and

there　she　would　be　to　see　after　him　all　the　time。　She　knew　Lin　did　not

like　his　adopted　child　to　be　too　much　in　cow…camp　with　the　men。　She　would

adopt　him；　too；　for　just　as　long　as　convenient　to　Linuntil　the　school

opened　on　Bear　Creek；　if　Lin　so　wished。　Jessamine　wrote　a　good　deal　about

how　much　better　care　any　woman　can　take　of　a　boy　of　Billy's　age　than　any

man　knows。　The　stage…coach　brought　the　answer　to　this　remarkably　soon

young　Billy　with　a　trunk　and　a　letter　of　twelve　pages　in　pencil　and　ink

the　only　writing　of　this　length　ever　done　by　Mr。　McLean。



〃I　can　write　a　lot　quicker　than　Lin；〃　said　Billy；　upon　arriving。　〃He　was

fussing　at　that　away　late　by　the　fire　in　camp；　an'　waked　me　up　crawling

in　our　bed。　An'　then　he　had　to　finish　it　next　night　when　he　went　over　to

the　cabin　for　my　clothes。〃



〃You　don't　say！〃　said　Jessamine。　And　Billy　suffered　her　to　kiss　him

again。



When　not　otherwise　occupied　Jessamine　took　the　letter　out　of　its　locked

box　and　read　it；　or　looked　at　it。　Thus　the　first　days　had　gone　finely　at

Separ；　the　weather　being　beautiful　and　Billy　much　out…of…doors。　But

sometimes　the　weather　changes　in　Wyoming；　and　now　it　was　that　Miss

Jessamine　learned　the　talents　of　childhood。



Soon　after　breakfast　this　stormy　morning　Billy　observed　the　twelve　pages

being　taken　out　of　their　box；　and　spoke　from　his　sudden　brain。　〃Honey

Wiggin　says　Lin's　losing　his　grip　about　girls；〃　he　remarked。　〃He　says　you

couldn't　'a'　downed　him　onced。　You'd　'a'　had　to　marry　him。　Honey　says　Lin

ain't　worked　it　like　he　done　in　old　times。〃



〃Now　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　he　was　right；〃　said　Jessamine；　buoyantly。　〃And　

that　being　the　case；　I'm　going　to　set　to　work　at　your　things　till　it　

clears；　and　then　we'll　go　for　our　ride。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Billy。　When　does　a　man　get　too　old　to　marry？〃



〃I'm　only　a　girl；　you　see。　I　don't　know。〃



〃Yes。　Honey　said　he　wouldn't　'a'　thought　Lin　was　that　old。　But　I　guess　he

must　be　thirty。〃



〃Old！〃　exclaimed　Jessamine。　And　she　looked　at　a　photograph　upon　her

table。



〃But　Lin　ain't　been　married　very　much；〃　pursued　Billy。　〃Mother's　the　only

one　they　speak　of。　You　don't　have　to　stay　married　always；　do　you？〃



〃It's　better　to；〃　said　Jessamine。



〃Ah；　I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Billy；　with　disparagement。　〃You　ought　to　see

mother　and　father。　I　wish　you　would　leave　Lin　marry　you；　though；〃　said

the　boy；　coming　to　her　with　an　impulse　of　affection。　〃Why　won't　you　if　he

don't　mind？〃



She　continued　to　parry　him；　but　this　was　not　a　very　smooth　start　for

eight　in　the　morning。　Moments　of　lull　there　were；　when　the　telegraph

called　her　to　the　front　room；　and　Billy's　young　mind　shifted　to　inquiries

about　the　cipher　alphabet。　And　she　gained　at　least　an　hour　teaching　him

to　read　various　words　by　the　sound。　At　dinner；　too；　he　was　refreshingly

silent。　But　such　silences　are　unsafe；　and　the　weather　was　still　bad。　Four

o'clock　found　them　much　where　they　had　been　at　eight。



〃Please　tell　me　why　you　won't　leave　Lin　marry　you。〃　He　was　at　the　window；

kicking　the　wall。



〃That's　nine　times　since　dinner；〃　she　replied；　with　tireless　good　humor。

〃Now　if　you　ask　me　twelve〃



〃You'll　tell？〃　said　the　boy；　swiftly。



She　broke　into　a　laugh。　〃No。　I'll　go　riding　and　you'll　stay　at　home。　When

I　was　little　and　would　ask　things　beyond　me；　they　only　gave　me　three

times。〃



〃I've　got　two　more；　anyway。　Ha…ha！〃



〃Better　save　'em　up；　though。〃



〃What　did　they　do　to　you？　Ah；　I　don't　want　to　go　a…riding。　It's　nasty　all

over。〃　He　stared　out　at　the　day　against　which　Separ's　doors　had　been

tight　closed　since　morning。　Eight　hours　of　furious　wind　had　raised　the

dust　like　a　sea。　〃I　wish　the　old　train　would　come；〃　observed　Billy；

continuing　to　kick　the　wall。　〃I　wish　I　was　going　somewheres。〃　Smoky；

level；　and　hot；　the　south　wind　leapt　into　Separ　across　five　hundred

unbroken　miles。　The　plain　was　blanketed　in　a　tawny　eclipse。　Each　minute

the　near　buildings　became　invisible　in　a　turbulent　herd　of　clouds。　Above

this　travelling　blur　of　the　soil　the　top　of　the　water…tank　alone　rose

bulging　into　the　clear　sun。　The　sand　spirals　would　lick　like　flames　along

the　bulk　of　the　lofty　tub；　and　soar　skyward。　It　was　not　shipping　season。

The　freight…cars　stood　idle　in　a　long　line。　No　cattle　huddled　in　the

corrals。　No　strangers　moved　in　town。　No　cow…ponies　dozed　in　front　of　the

saloon。　Their　riders　were　distant　in　ranch　and　camp。　Human　noise　was

extinct　in　Separ。　Beneath　the　thunder　of　the　sultry　blasts　the　place　lay

dead　in　its　flapping　shroud　of　dust。　〃Why　won't　you　tell　me？〃　droned

Billy。　For　some　time　he　had　been　returning；　like　a　mosquito　brushed　away。



〃That's　ten　times；〃　said　Jessamine；　promptly。



〃Oh；　goodness！　Pretty　soon　I'll　not　be　glad　I　came。　I'm　about　twiced　as

less　glad　now。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Jessamine；　〃there's　a　man　coming　to…day　to　mend　the

government　telegraph…line　between　Drybone　and　McKinney。　Maybe　he　would

take　you　back　as　far　as　Box　Elder；　if　you　want　to　go　very　much。　Shall　I

ask　him？〃



Billy　was　disappointed　at　this　cordial　seconding　of　his　mood。　He　did　not

make　a　direct　rejoinder。　〃I　guess　I'll　go　outside　now；〃　said　he；　with　a

threat　in　his　tone。



She　continued　mending　his　stockings。　Finished　ones　lay　rolled　at　one　side

of　her　chair；　and　upon　the　other　were　more　waiting　her　attention。



〃And　I'm　going　to　turn　back　hand…springs　on　top　of　all　the　freight…cars；〃

he　stated；　more　loudly。



She　indulged　again　in　merriment；　laughing　sweetly　at　him；　and　without

restraint。



〃And　I'm　sick　of　what　you　all　keep　a…saying　to　me！〃　he　shouted。　〃Just　as

if　I　was　a　baby。〃



〃Why；　Billy；　who　ever　said　you　were　a　baby？〃



〃All　of　you　do。　Honey；　and　Lin；　and　you；　now；　and　everybody。　What　makes

you　say　'that's　nine　times；　Billy；　oh；　Billy；　that's　ten　times；'　if　you

don't　mean　I'm　a　baby？　And　you　laugh　me　off；　just　like　they　do；　and　just

like　I　was　a　regular　baby。　You　won't　tell　me〃



〃Billy；　listen。　Did　nobody　ever　ask　you　something　you　did　not　want　to

tell　them？〃



〃That's　not　a　bit　the　same；　becausebecausebecause　I　treat　'em　square

and　because　it's　not　their　business。　But　every　time　I　ask　anybody　'most

anything；　they　say　I'm　not　old　enough　to　understand；　and　I'll　be　ten

soon。　And　it　is　my　business　when　it's　about　the　kind　of　a　mother　I'm

agoing　to　have。　Suppose　I　quit　acting　square；　an'　told　'em；　when　they

bothered　me；　they　weren't　young　enough　to　understand！　Wish　I　had。　Guess　I

will；　too；　and　watch　'em　step　around。〃　For　a　moment　his　mind　dwelt　upon

this；　and　he　whistled　a　revengeful　strain。



〃Goodness；　Billy！〃　said　Jessamine；　at　the　sight　of　the　next　stocking。

〃The　whole　heel　is　scorched　off。〃



He　eyed　the　ruin　with　indifference。　〃Ah；　that　was　last　month　when　I　and

Lin　shot　the　bear　in　the　swamp　willows。　He　made　me　dry　off　my　legs。　Chuck

it　away。〃



〃And　spoil　the　pair？　No；　indeed！〃



〃Mother　always　chucked　'em；　an'　father'd　buy　new　ones　till　I　skipped　from

home。　Lin　kind　o'　mends　'em。〃



〃Does　he？〃　said　Jessamine；　softly。　And　she　looked　at　the　photograph。



〃Yes。　What　made　you　write　him　for　to　let　me　come　and　bring　my　stockin's

and　things？〃



〃Don't　you　see；　Billy；　there　is　so　little　work　at　this　station　that　I'd

be　looking　out　of　the　window　all　day　just　the　pitiful　way　you　do？〃



〃Oh！〃　Billy　pondered。　〃And　so　I　said　to　Lin；〃　he　continued；　〃why　didn