lin mclean-第40部分

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I've　known　you　were　a　man　since　I　knew　you！〃　said　the　hearty　Governor。

And　he　helped　the　still　unsteady　six…foot　to　a　chair。　〃As　for　your　nerve；

I'll　bring　you　some　whiskey　now。　And　after〃he　glanced　at　the　bed〃　and

tomorrow　you'll　go　try　if　Miss　Jessamine　won't　put　the　nerve〃



〃Yes；　Doc；　I'll　go　there；　I　know。　But　don't　yu'don't　let's　while　she's

I'm　going　to　be　glad　about　this；　Doc；　after　awhile；　but〃



At　the　sight　of　a　new…comer　in　the　door；　he　stopped　in　what　his　soul　was

stammering　to　say。　〃What　do　you　want；　Judge？〃　he　inquired；　coldly。



〃I　understand；〃　began　Slaghammer　to　Barker〃I　am　informed〃



〃Speak　quieter；　Judge；〃　said　the　cow…puncher。



〃I　understand；〃　repeated　Slaghammer；　more　official　than　ever；　〃that　there

was　a　case　for　the　coroner。〃



〃You'll　be　notified；〃　put　in　McLean　again。　〃Meanwhile　you'll　talk　quiet

in　this　room。〃



Slaghammer　turned；　and　saw　the　breathing　mass　on　the　bed。



〃You　are　a　little　early；　Judge；〃　said　Barker；　〃but〃



〃But　your　ten　dollars　are　safe；〃　said　McLean。



The　coroner　shot　one　of　his　shrewd　glances　at　the　cow…puncher；　and　sat

down　with　an　amiable　countenance。　His　fee　was；　indeed；　ten　dollars；　and

he　was　desirous　of　a　second　term。



〃Under　the　apprehension　that　it　had　already　occurredthe

misapprehensionI　took　steps　to　impanel　a　jury；〃　said　he；　addressing

both　Barker　and　McLean。　〃They　areahwaiting　outside。　Responsible　men；

Governor；　and　have　sat　before。　Drybone　has　few　responsible　men　to…night；

but　I　procured　these　at　a　little　game　where　they　wereahlosing。　You

may　go　back；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　going　to　the　door。　〃I　will　summon　you

in　proper　time。〃　He　looked　in　the　room　again。　〃Is　the　husband　not

intending〃



〃That's　enough；　Judge；〃　said　McLean。　〃There's　too　many　here　without

adding　him。〃



〃Judge；〃　spoke　a　voice　at　the　door；　〃ain't　she　ready　yet？〃



〃She　is　still　passing　away；〃　observed　Slaghammer；　piously。



〃Because　I　was　thinking；〃　said　the　man　〃I　was　justYou　see；　us　jury　is

dry　and　dead　broke。　Doggonedest　cards　I've　held　this　year；　andJudge；

would　there　be　anything　out　of　the　way　in　me　touching　my　fee　in　advance；

if　it's　a　sure　thing？〃



〃I　see　none；　my　friend；〃　said　Slaghammer；　benevolently；　〃since　it　must

be。〃　He　shook　his　head　and　nodded　it　by　turns。　Then；　with　full…blown

importance；　he　sat　again；　and　wrote　a　paper；　his　coroner's　certificate。

Next　door；　in　Albany　County；　these　vouchers　brought　their　face　value　of

five　dollars　to　the　holder；　but　on　Drybone's　neutral　soil　the　saloons

would　always　pay　four　for　them；　and　it　was　rare　that　any　jury…man　could

withstand　the　temptation　of　four　immediate　dollars。　This　one　gratefully

received　his　paper；　and；　cherishing　it　like　a　bird　in　the　hand；　he　with

his　colleagues　bore　it　where　they　might　wait　for　duty　and　slake　their

thirst。



In　the　silent　room　sat　Lin　McLean；　his　body　coming　to　life　more　readily

than　his　shaken　spirit。　Barker；　seeing　that　the　cow…puncher　meant　to

watch　until　the　end；　brought　the　whiskey　to　him。　Slaghammer　drew

documents　from　his　pocket　to　fill　the　time；　but　was　soon　in　slumber　over

them。　In　all　precincts　of　the　quadrangle　Drybone　was　keeping　it　up　late。

The　fiddle；　the　occasional　shouts；　and　the　crack　of　the　billiard…balls

travelled　clear　and　far　through　the　vast　darkness　outside。　Presently

steps　unsteadily　drew　near；　and　round　the　corner　of　the　door　a　voice；

plaintive　and　diffident；　said；　〃Judge；　ain't　she　most　pretty　near　ready？〃



〃Wake　up；　Judge！〃　said　Barker。　〃Your　jury　has　gone　dry　again。〃



The　man　appeared　round　the　doora　handsome；　dishevelled　fellowwith　hat

in　hand；　balancing　himself　with　respectful　anxiety。　Thus　was　a　second

voucher　made　out；　and　the　messenger　strayed　back　happy　to　his　friends。

Barker　and　McLean　sat　wakeful；　and　Slaghammer　fell　at　once　to　napping。

From　time　to　time　he　was　roused　by　new　messengers；　each　arriving　more

unsteady　than　the　last；　until　every　juryman　had　got　his　fee　and　no　more

messengers　came。　The　coroner　slept　undisturbed　in　his　chair。　McLean　and

Barker　sat。　On　the　bed　the　mass；　with　its　pink　ribbons；　breathed　and

breathed；　while　moths　flew　round　the　lamp；　tapping　and　falling　with　light

sounds。　So　did　the　heart　of　the　darkness　wear　itself　away；　and　through

the　stone…cold　air　the　dawn　began　to　filter　and　expand。



Barker　rose；　bent　over　the　bed；　and　then　stood。　Seeing　him；　McLean　stood

also。



〃Judge；〃　said　Barker；　quietly；　〃you　may　call　them　now。〃　And　with　careful

steps　the　judge　got　himself　out　of　the　room　to　summon　his　jury。



For　a　short　while　the　cow…puncher　stood　looking　down　upon　the　woman。　She

lay　lumped　inher　gaudiness；　the　ribbons　darkly　stained　by　the　laudanum；

but　into　the　stolid；　bold　features　death　had　called　up　the　faint…colored

ghost　of　youth；　and　McLean　remembered　all　his　Bear　Creek　days。　〃Hind

sight　is　a　turruble　clear　way　o'　seein'　things；〃　said　he。　〃I　think　I'll

take　a　walk。〃



〃Go；〃　said　Barker。　〃The　jury　only　need　me；　and　I'll　join　you。〃



But　the　jury　needed　no　witness。　Their　long　waiting　and　the　advance　pay

had　been　too　much　for　these　responsible　men。　Like　brothers　they　had

shared　each　others'　vouchers　until　responsibility　had　melted　from　their

brains　and　the　whiskey　was　finished。　Then；　no　longer　entertained　and

growing　weary　of　Drybone；　they　had　remembered　nothing　but　their　distant

beds。　Each　had　mounted　his　pony；　holding　trustingly　to　the　saddle；　and

thus；　unguided；　the　experienced　ponies　had　taken　them　right。　Across　the

wide　sagebrush　and　up　and　down　the　river　they　were　now　asleep　or　riding；

dispersed　irrevocably。　But　the　coroner　was　here。　He　duly　received

Barker's　testimony；　brought　his　verdict　in；　and　signed　it；　and　even　while

he　was　issuing　to　himself　his　own　proper　voucher　for　ten　dollars　came

Chalkeye　and　Toothpick　Kid　on　their　ponies；　galloping；　eager　in　their

hopes　and　good　wishes　for　Mrs。　Lusk。　Life　ran　strong　in　them　both。　The

night　had　gone　well　with　them。　Here　was　the　new　day　going　to　be　fine。　It

must　be　well　with　everybody。



〃You　don't　say！〃　they　exclaimed；　taken　aback。　〃Too　bad。〃



They　sat　still　in　their　saddles；　and　upon　their　reckless；　kindly　faces

thought　paused　for　a　moment。　〃Her　gone！〃　they　murmured。　〃Hard　to　get　used

to　the　idea。　What's　anybody　doing　about　the　coffin？〃



〃Mr。　Lusk；〃　answered　Slaghammer；　〃doubtless〃



〃Lusk！　He'll　not　know　anything　this　forenoon。　He's　out　there　in　the

grass。　She　didn't　think　nothing　of　him。　Tell　Billnot　Dollar　Bill；　Jerky

Bill；　yu'　know；　he's　over　the　bridgeto　fix　up　a　hearse；　and　we'll　be

back。〃　The　two　drove　their　spurs　in　with　vigorous　heels；　and　instantly

were　gone　rushing　up　the　road　to　the　graveyard。



The　fiddle　had　lately　ceased；　and　no　dancers　stayed　any　longer　in　the

hall。　Eastward　the　rose　and　gold　began　to　flow　down　upon　the　plain　over

the　tops　of　the　distant　hills。　Of　the　revellers；　many　had　never　gone　to

bed；　and　many　now　were　already　risen　from　their　excesses　to　revive　in　the

cool　glory　of　the　morning。　Some　were　drinking　to　stay　their　hunger　until

breakfast；　some　splashed　and　sported　in　the　river；　calling　and　joking；

and　across　the　river　some　were　holding　horse…races　upon　the　level　beyond

the　hog…ranch。　Drybone　air　rang　with　them。　Their　lusty；　wandering　shouts

broke　out　in　gusts　of　hilarity。　Their　pistols；　aimed　at　cans　or　prairie

dogs　or　anything；　cracked　as　they　galloped　at　large。　Their　speeding；

clear…cut　forms　would　shine　upon　the　bluffs；　and；　descending；　merge　in

the　dust　their　horses　had　raised。　Yet　all　this　was　nothing　in　the

vastness　of　the　growing　day。



Beyond　their　voices　the　rim　of　the　sun　moved　above　the　violet　hills；　and

Drybone；　amid　the　quiet；　long；　new　fields　of　radiance；　stood　august　and

strange。



Down　along　the　tall；　bare　slant　from　the　graveyard　the　two　horsemen　were

riding　back。　They　could　be　seen　across　the　river；　and　the　horse…racers

grew　curious。　As　more　and　more　watched；　the　crowd　began　to　speak。　It　was

a　calf　the　two　were　bringing。　It　was　too　small　for　a　calf。　It　was　dead。

It　was　a　coyote　they　had　roped。　See　it　swing！　See　it　fall　on　the　road！



〃It's　a　coffin；　boys！〃　said　one；　shrewd　at　guessing。



At　that　the　event　of　last　night　drifted　across　their　memories；　and　they

wheeled　and　spurred　their　ponies。　Their　crowding　hoofs　on　the　bridge

brought　the　swimmers　from　the　waters　below　and；　dressing；　they　climbed

quickly　to　the　plain　and　followed　the　gathering。　By　the　door　already　were

Jerky　Bill　and　Limber　Jim　and　the　Doughie　and　always　more；　dashing　up

with　their　ponies；　halting　with　a　sharp　scatter　of　gravel　to　hear　and

comment。　Barker　was　gone；　but　the　important　coroner　told　his　news。　And　it

amazed　each　comer；　and　set　him　speaking　and　remembering　past　things　with

the　others。　〃Dead！〃　each　one　began。　〃Her；　does　he　say？〃



〃Why；　pshaw！〃



〃Why；　Frenchy　said　Doc　had　her　cured！〃



Jack　Saunders　claimed　she　had　rode　to　Box　Elder　with　Lin　McLean。　

〃Dead？　Why；　pshaw！〃



〃Seems　Doc　couldn't　swim　her　out。〃



〃Couldn't　swim　her　out？〃



〃That's　it。　Doc　couldn't　swim　her　out。〃



〃Wellthere's　one　less　of　us。〃



〃Sure！　She　was　one　of　the　boys。〃



〃She　grub…staked　me　when　I　went　broke　in　'84。〃



〃She　gave　me　fifty　dollars　onced　at　Lander；　to　buy　a　saddle。〃



〃I　run　agin　her　when　she　was　a　biscuit…shooter。〃



〃Sidney；　Nebraska。　I　run　again　her　there；　too。〃



〃I　knowed　her　at　Laramie。〃



〃Where's　Lin？　He　knowed　her　all　the　way　from　Bear　Creek　to　Cheyenne。〃



They　laughed　loudly　at　this。



〃That's　a　lonesome　coffin；〃　said　the　Doughie。　〃That　the　best　you　could

do？〃



〃You'd　say　so！〃　said　Toothpick　Kid。



〃Choices　are　getting　scarce　up　there；〃　said　Chalkeye。　〃We　looked　the　lot

over。〃



They　were　arriving　from　their　search　among　the　old　dug…up　graves　on　the

hill。　Now　they　descended　from　their　ponies；　with　the　box　roped　and

rattling　between　them。　〃Where's　your　hearse；　Jerky？〃　asked　Chalkeye。



〃Have　her　round　in　a　minute；〃　s