lin mclean-第38部分

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older　acquaintance　than　Billy；　he　had　asked　Jessamine　fewer　and　different

questions。　But　he　knew　what　he　knew。　〃Well；　Drybone's　the　same　old

Drybone；〃　said　he。　〃Sweet…scented　hole　of　iniquity！　Let's　see　how　you

walk　nowadays。〃



Lin　took　a　few　steps。



〃Pooh！　I　said　you'd　never　get　over　it。〃　And　his　Excellency　beamed　with

professional　pride。　In　his　doctor　days　Barker　had　set　the　boy　McLean's

leg；　and　before　it　was　properly　knit　the　boy　had　escaped　from　the

hospital　to　revel　loose　in　Drybone　on　such　another　night　as　this。　Soon　he

had　been　carried　back；　with　the　fracture　split　open　again。



〃It　shows；　does　it？〃　said　Lin。　〃Well；　it　don't　usually。　Not　except　when

I'mwhen　I'm〃



〃Down？〃　suggested　his　Excellency。



〃Yes；　Doc。　Down；〃　the　cow…puncher　confessed。



Barker　looked　into　his　friend's　clear　hazel　eyes。



Beneath　their　dauntless　sparkle　was　something　that　touched　the　Governor's

good　heart。　〃I've　got　some　whiskey　along　on　the　tripEastern　whiskey；〃

said　he。　〃Come　over　to　my　room　awhile。〃



〃I　used　to　sleep　all　night　onced；〃　said　McLean；　as　they　went。　〃Then　I

come　to　know　different。　But　I'd　never　have　believed　just　mere　thoughts

could　make　yu'make　yu'　feel　like　the　steam　was　only　half　on。　I　eat；　yu'

know！〃　he　stated；　suddenly。　〃And　I　expect　one　or　two　in　camp　lately　have

not　found　my　muscle　lacking。　Feel　me；　Doc。〃



Barker　dutifully　obeyed；　and　praised　the　excellent　sinews。



Across　from　the　dance…hall　the　whining　of　the　fiddle　came；　high　and　gay；

feet　blurred　the　talk　of　voices；　and　voices　rose　above　the　trampling　of

feet。　Here　and　there　some　lurking　form　stumbled　through　the　dark　among

the　rubbish；　and　clearest　sound　of　all；　the　light　crack　of　billiard　balls

reached　dry　and　far　into　the　night　Barker　contemplated　the　stars　and　calm

splendid　dimness　of　the　plain。　〃'Though　every　prospect　pleases；　and　only

man　is　vile；'〃　he　quoted。　〃But　don't　tell　the　Republican　party　I　said　so。〃



〃It's　awful　true；　though；　Doc。　I'm　vile　myself。　Yu'　don't　know。　Why；　I

didn't　know！〃



And　then　they　sat　down　to　confidences　and　whiskey；　for　so　long　as　the

world　goes　round　a　man　must　talk　to　a　man　sometimes；　and　both　must　drink

over　it。　The　cow…puncher　unburdened　himself　to　the　Governor；　and　the

Governor　filled　up　his　friend's　glass　with　the　Eastern　whiskey；　and

nodded　his　spectacles；　and　listened；　and　advised；　and　said　he　should　have

done　the　same；　and　like　the　good　Governor　that　he　was；　never　remembered

he　was　Governor　at　all　with　political　friends　here　who　had　begged　a　word

or　two。　He　became　just　Dr。　Barker　again；　the　young　hospital　surgeon　（the

hospital　that　now　stood　a　ruin）；　and　Lin　was　again　his　patientLin；

the　sun…burnt　free…lance　of　nineteen；　reckless；　engaging；　disobedient；

his　leg　broken　and　his　heart　light；　with　no　Jessamine　or　conscience　to

rob　his　salt　of　its　savor。　While　he　now　told　his　troubles；　the　quadrilles

fiddled　away　careless　as　ever；　and　the　crack　of　the　billiard　balls

sounded　as　of　old。



〃Nobody　has　told　you　about　this；　I　expect；〃　said　the　lover。　He　brought

forth　the　little　pistol；　〃Neighbor。〃　He　did　not　hand　it　across　to　Barker；

but　walked　over　to　Barker's　chair；　and　stood　holding　it　for　the　doctor　to

see。　When　Barker　reached　for　it　to　see　better；　since　it　was　half　hidden

in　the　cow…puncher's　big　hand；　Lin　yielded　it　to　him；　but　still　stood　and

soon　drew　it　back。　〃I　take　it　around；〃　he　said；　〃and　when　one　of　those

stories　comes　along；　like　there's　plenty　of；　that　she　wants　to　get　rid　of

me；　I　just　kind　o'　take　a　look　at　'Neighbor'　when　I'm　off　where　it's

handy；　and　it　busts　the　story　right　out　of　my　mind。　I　have　to　tell　you

what　a　fool　I　am。〃



〃The　whiskey's　your　side；〃　said　Barker。　〃Go　on。〃



〃But；　Doc；　my　courage　has　quit　me。　They　see　what　I'm　thinking　about　just

like　I　was　a　tenderfoot　trying　his　first　bluff。　I　can't　stick　it　out　no

more；　and　I'm　going　to　see　her；　come　what　will。



I've　got　to。　I'm　going　to　ride　right　up　to　her　window　and　shoot　off

'Neighbor；'　and　if　she　don't　come　out　I'll　know〃



A　knocking　came　at　the　Governor's　room；　and　Judge　Slaghammer　entered。

〃Not　been　to　our　dance；　Governor？〃　said　he。



The　Governor　thought　that　perhaps　he　was　tired；　that　perhaps　this　evening

he　must　forego　the　pleasure。



〃It　may　be　wiser。　In　your　position　it　may　be　advisable；〃　said　the

coroner。　〃They're　getting　on　rollers　over　there。　We　do　not　like　trouble

in　Drybone；　but　trouble　comes　to　usas　everywhere。〃



〃Shooting；〃　suggested　his　Excellency；　recalling　his　hospital　practice。



〃Well；　Governor；　you　know　how　it　is。　Our　boys　are　as　big…hearted　as　any

in　this　big…hearted　Western　country。　You　know；　Governor。　Those　generous；

warm…blooded　spirits　are　ever　ready　for　anything。〃



〃Especially　after　Mrs。　Slaghammer's　whiskey；〃　remarked　the　Governor。



The　coroner　shot　a　shrewd　eye　at　Wyoming's　chief　executive。　It　was　not

politically　harmonious　to　be　reminded　that　but　for　his　wife's　liquor　a

number　of　fine　young　men；　with　nothing　save　youth　untrained　and　health

the　matter　with　them；　would　to…day　be　riding　their　horses　instead　of

sleeping　on　the　hill。　But　the　coroner　wanted　support　in　the　next

campaign。　〃Boys　will　be　boys；〃　said　he。　〃They　ain't　pulled　any　guns

to…night。　But　I　come　away；　though。　Some　of　'em's　making　up　pretty　free　to

Mrs。　Lusk。　It　ain't　suitable　for　me　to　see　too　much。　Lusk　says　he's　after

you；〃　he　mentioned　incidentally　to　Lin。　〃He's　fillin'　up；　and　says　he's

after　you。〃　McLean　nodded　placidly；　and　with　scant　politeness。　He　wished

this　visitor　would　go。　But　Judge　Slaghammer　had　noticed　the　whiskey。　He

filled　himself　a　glass。　〃Governor；　it　has　my　compliments；〃　said　he。

〃Ambrosier。　Honey…doo。〃



〃Mrs。　Slaghammer　seems　to　have　a　large　gathering；〃　said　Barker。



〃Good　boys；　good　boys！〃　The　judge　blew　importantly；　and　waved　his　arm。

〃Bull…whackers；　cow…punchers；　mule…skinners；　tin…horns。　All　spending

generous。　Governor；　once　more！　Ambrosier。　Honey…doo。〃　He　settled　himself

deep　in　a　chair；　and　closed　his　eyes。



McLean　rose　abruptly。　〃Good…night；〃　said　he。　〃I'm　going　to　Separ。〃



〃Separ！〃　exclaimed　Slaghammer；　rousing　slightly。　〃Oh；　stay　with　us；　stay

with　us。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　again；　but　sustained　his　smile　of　office。



〃You　know　how　well　I　wish　you；〃　said　Barker　to　Lin。　〃I'll　just　see　you

start。〃



Forthwith　the　friends　left　the　coroner　quiet　beside　his　glass；　and　walked

toward　the　horses　through　Drybone's　gaping　quadrangle。　The　dead　ruins

loomed　among　the　lights　of　the　card…halls；　and　always　the　keen　jockey

cadences　of　the　fiddle　sang　across　the　night。　But　a　calling　and　confusion

were　set　up；　and　the　tune　broke　off。



〃Just　like　old　times！〃　said　his　Excellency。　〃Where's　the　dump…pile！〃　It

was　where　it　should　be；　close　by；　and　the　two　stepped　behind　it　to　be

screened　from　wandering　bullets。　〃A　man　don't　forget　his　habits；〃

declared　the　Governor。　〃Makes　me　feel　young　again。〃



〃Makes　me　feel　old；〃　said　McLean。　〃Hark！〃



〃Sounds　like　my　name；〃　said　Barker。　They　listened。　〃Oh　yes。　Of　course。

That's　it。　They're　shouting　for　the　doctor。　But　we'll　just　spare　them　a

minute　or　so　to　finish　their　excitement。〃



〃I　didn't　hear　any　shooting；〃　said　McLean。　〃It's　something；　though。〃



As　they　waited；　no　shots　came；　but　still　the　fiddle　was　silent；　and　the

murmur　of　many　voices　grew　in　the　dance…hall；　while　single　voices

wandered　outside；　calling　the　doctor's　name。



〃I'm　the　Governor　on　a　fishing…trip；〃　said　he。　〃But　it's　to　be　done；　I

suppose。〃



They　left　their　dump…hill　and　proceeded　over　to　the　dance。　The　musician

sat　high　and　solitary　upon　two　starch…boxes；　fiddle　on　knee；　staring　and

waiting。　Half　the　floor　was　bare；　on　the　other　half　the　revellers　were

densely　clotted。　At　the　crowd's　outer　rim　the　young　horsemen；　flushed　and

swaying；　retained　their　gaudy　dance　partners　strongly　by　the　waist；　to　be

ready　when　the　music　should　resume。　〃What　is　it？〃　they　asked。　〃Who　is

it？〃　And　they　looked　in　across　heads　and　shoulders；　inattentive　to　the

caresses　which　the　partners　gave　them。



Mrs。　Lusk　was　who　it　was；　and　she　had　taken　poison　here　in　their　midst；

after　many　dances　and　drinks。



〃Here's　Doc！〃　cried　an　older　one。



〃Here's　Doc！〃　chorused　the　young　blood　that　had　come　into　this　country

since　his　day。　And　the　throng　caught　up　the　words：　〃Here's　Doc！　here's

Doc！〃



In　a　moment　McLean　and　Barker　were　sundered　from　each　other　in　this

flood。　Barker；　sucked　in　toward　the　centre　but　often　eddied　back　by　those

who　meant　to　help　him；　heard　the　mixed　explanations　pass　his　ear

unfinishedversions；　contradictions；　a　score　of　facts。　It　had　been

wolf…poison。　It　had　been　〃Rough　on　Rats。〃　It　had　been　something　in　a

bottle。　There　was　little　steering　in　this　clamorous　sea；　but　Barker

reached　his　patient；　where　she　sat　in　her　new　dress；　hailing　him　with

wild　inebriate　gayety。



〃I　must　get　her　to　her　room；　friends；〃　said　he。



〃He　must　get　her　to　her　room；〃　went　the　word。　〃Leave　Doc　get　her　to　her

room。〃　And　they　tangled　in　their　eagerness　around　him　and　his　patient。



〃Give　us　'Buffalo　Girls！'〃　shouted　Mrs。　Lusk。。。。　〃'Buffalo　Girls；'　you

fiddler！〃



〃We'll　come　back；〃　said　Barker　to　her。



〃'Buffalo　Girls；'　I　tell　yus。　Ho！　There's　no　sense　looking　at　that

bottle；　Doc。　Take　yer　dance　while　there's　time！〃　She　was　holding　the

chair。



〃Help　him！〃　said　the　crowd。　〃Help　Doc。〃



They　took　her　from　her　chair；　and　she　fought；　a　big　pink　mass　of　ribbons；

fluttering　and　wrenching　itself　among　them。



〃She　has　six　ounces　of　laudanum　in　her；〃　Barker　told　them　at　the　top　of

his　voice。　〃It　won't　wait　all　night。〃



〃I'm　a　whirlwind！〃　said　Mrs。　Lusk。　〃That's　my　game！　And　you　done　your

share；〃　she　cried　to　the　fiddler。　〃Here's　my　regards；　old　man！　'Buffalo

Girls'　once　more！〃



She　flung　out　her　hand；　and　from　it　fell　notes　and　coins；　rolling　and

ringing　around　the　starch　boxes。　Some　dragged　her　on；　while　some　fiercely