lin mclean-第34部分

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〃Oh！〃　Billy　pondered。　〃And　so　I　said　to　Lin；〃　he　continued；　〃why　didn't

he　send　down　his　own　clothes；　too；　an'　let　you　fix　'em　all。　And　Honey

Wiggin　laughed　right　in　his　coffee…cup　so　it　all　sploshed　out。　And　the

cook　he　asked　me　if　mother　used　to　mend　Lin's　clothes。　But　I　guess　she

chucked　'em　like　she　always　did　father's　and　mine。　I　was　with　father；　you

know；　when　mother　was　married　to　Lin　that　time。〃　He　paused　again；　while

his　thoughts　and　fears　struggled。　〃But　Lin　says　I　needn't　ever　go　back；〃

he　went　on；　reasoning　and　confiding　to　her。　〃Lin　don't　like　mother　any

more；　I　guess。〃　His　pondering　grew　still　deeper；　and　he　looked　at

Jessamine　for　some　while。　Then　his　face　wakened　with　a　new　theory。　〃Don't

Lin　like　you　any　more？〃　he　inquired。



〃Oh；〃　cried　Jessamine；　crimsoning；　〃yes！　Why；　he　sent　you　to　me！〃



〃Well；　he　got　hot　in　camp　when　I　said　that　about　sending　his　clothes　to

you。　He　quit　supper　pretty　soon；　and　went　away　off　a　walking。　And　that's

another　time　they　said　I　was　too　young。　But　Lin　don't　come　to　see　you　any

more。〃



〃Why；　I　hope　he　loves　me；〃　murmured　Jessamine。　〃Always。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　so　too；〃　said　Billy；　earnestly。　〃For　I　like　you。　When　I

seen　him　show　you　our　cabin　on　Box　Elder；　and　the　room　he　had　fixed　for

you；　I　was　glad　you　were　coming　to　be　my　mother。　Mother　used　to　be　awful。

I　wouldn't　'a'　minded　her　licking　me　if　she'd　done　other　things。　Ah；

pshaw！　I　wasn't　going　to　stand　that。〃　Billy　now　came　close　to　Jessamine。

〃I　do　wish　you　would　come　and　live　with　me　and　Lin；〃　said　he。　〃Lin's

awful　nice。〃



〃Don't　I　know　it？〃　said　Jessamine；　tenderly。



〃Cause　I　heard　you　say　you　were　going　to　marry　him；〃　went　on　Billy。　〃And

I　seen　him　kiss　you　and　you　let　him　that　time　we　went　away　when　you　found

out　about　mother。　And　you're　not　mad；　and　he's　not；　and　nothing　happens

at　all；　all　the　same！　Won't　you　tell　me；　please？〃



Jessamine's　eyes　were　glistening；　and　she　took　him　in　her　lap。　She　was

not　going　to　tell　him　that　he　was　too　young　this　time。　But　whatever

things　she　had　shaped　to　say　to　the　boy　were　never　said。



Through　the　noise　of　the　gale　came　the　steadier　sound　of　the　train；　and

the　girl　rose　quickly　to　preside　over　her　ticket…office　and　duties　behind

the　railing　in　the　front　room　of　the　station。　The　boy　ran　to　the　window

to　watch　the　great　event　of　Separ's　day。　The　locomotive　loomed　out　from

the　yellow　clots　of　drift；　paused　at　the　water…tank；　and　then　with　steam

and　humming　came　slowly　on　by　the　platform。　Slowly　its　long　dust…choked

train　emerged　trundling　behind　it；　and　ponderously　halted。　There　was　no

one　to　go。　No　one　came　to　buy　a　ticket　of　Jessamine。　The　conductor　looked

in　on　business；　but　she　had　no　telegraphic　orders　for　him。　The　express

agent　jumped　off　and　looked　in　for　pleasure。　He　received　his　daily　smile

and　nod　of　friendly　discouragement。　Then　the　light　bundle　of　mail　was

flung　inside　the　door。　Separ　had　no　mail　to　go　out。　As　she　was　picking　up

the　letters　young　Billy　passed　her　like　a　shadow；　and　fled　out。　Two

passengers　had　descended　from　the　train；　a　man　and　a　large　woman。　His

clothes　were　loose　and　careless　upon　him。　He　held　valises；　and　stood

uncertainly　looking　about　him　in　the　storm。　Her　firm；　heavy　body　was

closely　dressed。　In　her　hat　was　a　large；　handsome　feather。　Along　between

the　several　cars　brakemen　leaned　out；　watched　her；　and　grinned　to　each

other。　But　her　big；　hard…shining　blue　eyes　were　fixed　curiously　upon　the

station　where　Jessamine　was。



〃It's　all　night　we　may　be　here；　is　it？〃　she　said　to　the　man；　harshly。



〃How　am　I　to　help　that？〃　he　retorted。



〃I'll　help　it。　If　this　hotel's　the　sty　it　used　to　be；　I'll　walk　to

Tommy's。　I've　not　saw　him　since　I　left　Bear　Creek。〃



She　stalked　into　the　hotel；　while　the　man　went　slowly　to　the　station。　He

entered；　and　found　Jessamine　behind　her　railing；　sorting　the　slim　mail。



〃Good…evening；〃　he　said。　〃Excuse　me。　There　was　to　be　a　wagon　sent　here。〃



〃For　the　telegraph…mender？　Yes；　sir。　It　came　Tuesday。　You're　to　find　the

pole…wagon　at　Drybone。〃



This　news　was　good；　and　all　that　he　wished　to　know。　He　could　drive　out

and　escape　a　night　at　the　Hotel　Brunswick。　But　he　lingered；　because

Jessamine　spoke　so　pleasantly　to　him。　He　had　heard　of　her　also。



〃Governor　Barker　has　not　been　around　here？〃　he　said。



〃Not　yet；　sir。　We　understand　he　is　expected　through　on　a　hunting…trip。〃



〃I　suppose　there　is　room　for　two　and　a　trunk　on　that　wagon？〃



〃I　reckon　so；　sir。〃　Jessamine　glanced　at　the　man；　and　he　took　himself

out。　Most　men　took　themselves　out　if　Jessamine　so　willed；　and　it　was

mostly　achieved　thus；　in　amity。



On　the　platform　the　man　found　his　wife　again。



〃Then　I　needn't　to　walk　to　Tommy's；〃　she　said。　〃And　we'll　eat　as　we

travel。　But　you'll　wait　till　I'm　through　with　her。〃　She　made　a　gesture

toward　the　station。



〃Whywhywhat　do　you　want　with　her。　Don't　you　know　who　she　is？〃



〃It　was　me　told　you　who　she　was；　James　Lusk。　You'll　wait　till　I've　been

and　asked　her　after　Lin　McLean's　health；　and　till　I've　saw　how　the　likes

of　her　talks　to　the　likes　of　me。〃



He　made　a　feeble　protest　that　this　would　do　no　one　any　good。



〃Sew　yourself　up；　James　Lusk。　If　it　has　been　your　idea　I　come　with　yus

clear　from　Laramie　to　watch　yus　plant　telegraph…poles　in　the　sage…brush；

why　you're　off。　I　ain't　heard　much　'o　Lin　since　the　day　he　learned　it　was

you　and　not　him　that　was　my　husband。　And　I've　come　back　in　this　country

to　have　a　look　at　my　old　friendsand〃　（she　laughed　loudly　and　nodded　at

the　station）　〃my　old　friends'　new　friends！〃



Thus　ordered；　the　husband　wandered　away　to　find　his　wagon　and　the　horse。



Jessamine；　in　the　office；　had　finished　her　station　duties　and　returned　to

her　needle。　She　sat　contemplating　the　scorched　sock　of　Billy's；　and　heard

a　heavy　step　at　the　threshold。　She　turned；　and　there　was　the　large　woman

with　the　feather　quietly　surveying　her。　The　words　which　the　stranger

spoke　then　were　usual　enough　for　a　beginning。　But　there　was　something　of

threat　in　the　strong　animal　countenance；　something　of　laughter　ready　to

break　out。　Much　beauty　of　its　kind　had　evidently　been　in　the　face；　and

now；　as　substitute　for　what　was　gone；　was　the　brag　look　of　assertion　that

it　was　still　all　there。　Many　stranded　travellers　knocked　at　Jessamine's

door；　and　now；　as　always；　she　offered　the　hospitalities　of　her　neat

abode；　the　only　room　in　Separ　fit　for　a　woman。　As　she　spoke；　and　the

guest　surveyed　and　listened；　the　door　blew　shut　with　a　crash。



Outside；　in　a　shed；　Billy　had　placed　the　wagon　between　himself　and　his

father。



〃How　you　have　grown！〃　the　man　was　saying；　and　he　smiled。　〃Come；　shake

hands。　I　did　not　think　to　see　you　here。〃



〃Dare　you　to　touch　me！〃　Billy　screamed。　〃No；　I'll　never　come　with　you。

Lin　says　I　needn't　to。〃



The　man　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead；　and　leaned　against　the

wheel。　〃Lord；　Lord！〃　he　muttered。



His　son　warily　slid　out　of　the　shed　and　left　him　leaning　there。







PART　II



Lin　McLean；　bachelor；　sat　out　in　front　of　his　cabin；　looking　at　a　small

bright　pistol　that　lay　in　his　hand。　He　held　it　tenderly；　cherishing　it；

and　did　not　cease　slowly　to　polish　it。　Revery　filled　his　eyes；　and　in　his

whole　face　was　sadness　unmasked；　because　only　the　animals　were　there　to

perceive　his　true　feelings。　Sunlight　and　waving　shadows　moved　together

upon　the　green　of　his　pasture；　cattle　and　horses　loitered　in　the　opens　by

the　stream。　Down　Box　Elder's　course；　its　valley　and　golden…chimneyed

bluffs　widened　away　into　the　level　and　the　blue　of　the　greater　valley。

Upstream　the　branches　and　shining；　quiet　leaves　entered　the　mountains

where　the　rock　chimneys　narrowed　to　a　gateway；　a　citadel　of　shafts　and

turrets；　crimson　and　gold　above　the　filmy　emerald　of　the　trees。　Through

there　the　road　went　up　from　the　cotton…woods　into　the　cool　quaking　asps

and　pines；　and　so　across　the　range　and　away　to　Separ。　Along　the

ridge…pole　of　the　new　stable；　two　hundred　yards　down…stream；　sat　McLean's

turkeys；　and　cocks　and　hens　walked　in　front　of　him　here　by　his　cabin　and

fenced　garden。　Slow　smoke　rose　from　the　cabin's　chimney　into　the　air；　in

which　were　no　sounds　but　the　running　water　and　the　afternoon　chirp　of

birds。　Amid　this　framework　of　a　home　the　cow…puncher　sat；　lonely；

inattentive；　polishing　the　treasured　weapon　as　if　it　were　not　already

long　clean。　His　target　stood　some　twenty　steps　in　front　of　hima　small

cottonwood…tree；　its　trunk　chipped　and　honeycombed　with　bullets　which　he

had　fired　into　it　each　day　for　memory's　sake。　Presently　he　lifted　the

pistol　and　looked　at　its　namethe　word　〃Neighbor〃　engraved　upon　it。



〃I　wonder；〃　said　he；　aloud；　〃if　she　keeps　the　rust　off　mine？〃　Then　he

lifted　it　slowly　to　his　lips　and　kissed　the　word　〃Neighbor。〃



The　clank　of　wheels　sounded　on　the　road；　and　he　put　the　pistol　quickly

down。　Dreaminess　vanished　from　his　face。　He　looked　around　alertly；　but　no

one　had　seen　him。　The　clanking　was　still　among　the　trees　a　little

distance　up　Box　Elder。　It　approached　deliberately；　while　he　watched　for

the　vehicle　to　emerge　upon　the　open　where　his　cabin　stood；　and　then　they

came；　a　man　and　a　woman。　At　sight　of　her　Mr。　McLean　half　rose；　but　sat

down　again。　Neither　of　them　had　noticed　him；　sitting　as　they　were　in

silence　and　the　drowsiness　of　a　long　drive。　The　man　was　weak…faced；　with

good　looks　sallowed　by　dissipation；　and　a　vanquished　glance　of　the　eye。

As　the　woman　had　stood　on　the　platform　at　Separ；　so　she　sat　now；　upright；

bold；　and　massive。　The　brag　of　past　beauty　was　a　habit　settled　upon　her

stolid　features。　Both　sat　inattentive　to　each　other　and　to　everything

around　them。　The　wheels　turned　slowly　and　with　a　dry；　dead　noise；　the

reins　bellied　loosely　to　the　shafts；　the　horse's　head　hung　low。　So　they

drew　close。　Then　the　man　saw　McLean；　and　color　came　into　his　face　and

went　away。



〃Good…evening；〃　said　he；　clearing　his　throat。　〃We　he