lin mclean-第41部分

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



〃Have　her　round　in　a　minute；〃　said　the　cowboy；　and　galloped　away　with

three　or　four　others



〃Turruble　lonesome　coffin；　all　the　same；〃　repeated　the　Doughie。　And　they

surveyed　the　box　that　had　once　held　some　soldier。



〃She　did　like　fixin's；〃　said　Limber　Jim。



〃Fixin's！〃　said　Toothpick　Kid。　〃That's　easy。〃



While　some　six　of　them；　with　Chalkeye；　bore　the　light；　half…rotted　coffin

into　the　room；　many　followed　Toothpick　Kid　to　the　post…trader's　store。

Breaking　in　here；　they　found　men　sleeping　on　the　counters。　These　had　been

able　to　find　no　other　beds　in　Drybone；　and　lay　as　they　had　stretched

themselves　on　entering。　They　sprawled　in　heavy　slumber；　some　with　not

even　their　hats　taken　off　and　some　with　their　boots　against　the　rough

hair　of　the　next　one。　They　were　quickly　pushed　together；　few　waking；　and

so　there　was　space　for　spreading　cloth　and　chintz。　Stuffs　were　unrolled

and　flung　aside　till　many　folds　and　colors　draped　the　motionless

sleepers；　and　at　length　a　choice　was　made。　Unmeasured　yards　of　this　drab

chintz　were　ripped　off；　money　treble　its　worth　was　thumped　upon　the

counter；　and　they　returned；　bearing　it　like　a　streamer　to　the　coffin。

While　the　noise　of　their　hammers　filled　the　room；　the　hearse　came

tottering　to　the　door；　pulled　and　pushed　by　twenty　men。　It　was　an

ambulance　left　behind　by　the　soldiers；　and　of　the　old…fashioned　shape；

concave　in　body；　its　top　blown　away　in　winds　of　long　ago；　and　as　they

revolved；　its　wheels　dished　in　and　out　like　hoops　about　to　fall。　While

some　made　a　harness　from　ropes；　and　throwing　the　saddles　off　two　ponies

backed　them　to　the　vehicle；　the　body　was　put　in　the　coffin；　now　covered

by　the　chintz。　But　the　laudanum　upon　the　front　of　her　dress　revolted

those　who　remembered　their　holidays　with　her；　and　turning　the　woman　upon

her　face；　they　looked　their　last　upon　her　flashing；　colored　ribbons；　and

nailed　the　lid　down。　So　they　carried　her　out；　but　the　concave　body　of　the

hearse　was　too　short　for　the　coffin；　the　end　reached　out；　and　it　might

have　fallen。　But　Limber　Jim；　taking　the　reins；　sat　upon　the　other　end；

waiting　and　smoking。　For　all　Drybone　was　making　ready　to　follow　in　some

way。　They　had　sought　the　husband；　the　chief　mourner。　He；　however；　still

lay　in　the　grass　of　the　quadrangle；　and　despising　him　as　she　had　done；

they　left　him　to　wake　when　he　should　choose。　Those　men　who　could　sit　in

their　saddles　rode　escort；　the　old　friends　nearest；　and　four　held　the

heads　of　the　frightened　cow…ponies　who　were　to　draw　the　hearse。　They　had

never　known　harness　before；　and　they　plunged　with　the　men　who　held　them。

Behind　the　hearse　the　women　followed　in　a　large　ranch…wagon；　this　moment

arrived　in　town。　Two　mares　drew　this；　and　their　foals　gambolled　around

them。　The　great　flat…topped　dray　for　hauling　poles　came　last；　with　its

four　government　mules。　The　cow…boys　had　caught　sight　of　it　and　captured

it。　Rushing　to　the　post…trader's；　they　carried　the　sleeping　men　from　the

counter　and　laid　them　on　the　dray。　Then；　searching　Drybone　outside　and　in

for　any　more　incapable　of　following；　they　brought　them；　and　the　dray　was

piled。



Limber　Jim　called　for　another　drink　and；　with　his　cigar　between　his

teeth；　cracked　his　long　bull…whacker　whip。　The　ponies；　terrified；　sprang

away；　scattering　the　men　that　held　them；　and　the　swaying　hearse　leaped

past　the　husband；　over　the　stones　and　the　many　playing…cards　in　the

grass。　Masterfully　steered；　it　came　safe　to　an　open　level；　while　the

throng　cheered　the　unmoved　driver　on　his　coffin；　his　cigar　between　his

teeth。



〃Stay　with　it；　Jim！〃　they　shouted。　〃You're　a　king！〃



A　steep　ditch　lay　across　the　flat　where　he　was　veering；　abrupt　and　nearly

hidden；　but　his　eye　caught　the　danger　in　time；　and　swinging　from　it

leftward　so　that　two　wheels　of　the　leaning　coach　were　in　the　air；　he

faced　the　open　again；　safe；　as　the　rescue　swooped　down　upon　him。　The

horsemen　came　at　the　ditch；　a　body　of　daring；　a　sultry　blast　of　youth。

Wheeling　at　the　brink；　they　turned；　whirling　their　long　ropes。　The

skilful　nooses　flew；　and　the　ponies；　caught　by　the　neck　and　foot；　were

dragged　back　to　the　quadrangle　and　held　in　line。　So　the　pageant　started

the　wild　ponies　quivering　but　subdued　by　the　tightened　ropes；　and　the

coffin　steady　in　the　ambulance　beneath　the　driver。　The　escort；　in　their

fringed　leather　and　broad　hats；　moved　slowly　beside　and　behind　it；　many

of　them　swaying；　their　faces　full　of　health；　and　the　sun　and　the　strong

drink。　The　women　followed；　whispering　a　little；　and　behind　them　the　slow

dray　jolted；　with　its　heaps　of　men　waking　from　the　depths　of　their

whiskey　and　asking　what　this　was。　So　they　went　up　the　hill。　When　the

riders　reached　the　tilted　gate　of　the　graveyard；　they　sprang　off　and

scattered　among　the　hillocks；　stumbling　and　eager。　They　nodded　to　Barker

and　McLean；　quietly　waiting　there；　and　began　choosing　among　the　open；

weather…drifted　graves　from　which　the　soldiers　had　been　taken。　Their

figures　went　up　and　down　the　uneven　ridges；　calling　and　comparing。



〃Here；〃　said　the　Doughie；　〃here's　a　good　hole。〃



〃Here's　a　deep　one；〃　said　another。



〃We've　struck　a　well　here；〃　said　some　more。　〃Put　her　in　here。〃



The　sand…hills　became　clamorous　with　voices　until　they　arrived　at　a

choice；　when　some　one　with　a　spade　quickly　squared　the　rain…washed

opening。　With　lariats　looping　the　coffin　round；　they　brought　it　and　were

about　to　lower　it；　when　Chalkeye；　too　near　the　edge；　fell　in；　and　one　end

of　the　box　rested　upon　him。　He　could　not　rise　by　himself；　and　they　pulled

the　ropes　helplessly　above。



McLean　spoke　to　Barker。　〃I'd　like　to　stop　this；〃　said　he；　〃but　a　man

might　as　well〃



〃Might　as　well　stop　a　cloud…burst；〃　said　Barker。



〃Yes；　Doc。　But　it　feelsit　feels　like　I　was　looking　at　ten　dozen　Lin

McLeans。〃　And　seeing　them　still　helpless　with　Chalkeye；　he　joined　them

and　lifted　the　cow…boy　out。



〃I　think；〃　said　Slaghammer；　stepping　forward；　〃this　should　proceed　no

further　without　someperhaps　some　friend　would　recite　'Now　I　lay　me？〃'



〃They　don't　use　that　on　funerals；〃　said　the　Doughie。



〃Will　some　gentleman　give　the　Lord's　Prayer？〃　inquired　the　coroner。



Foreheads　were　knotted；　triad　mutterings　ran　among　them；　but　some　one

remembered　a　prayer　book　in　one　of　the　rooms　in　Drybone；　and　the　notion

was　hailed。　Four　mounted；　and　raced　to　bring　it。　They　went　down　the　hill

in　a　flowing　knot；　shirts　ballooning　and　elbows　flapping；　and　so

returned。　But　the　book　was　beyond　them。　〃Take　it；　you；　you　take　it；〃　each

one　said。　False　beginnings　were　made；　big　thumbs　pushed　the　pages　back

and　forth；　until　impatience　conquered　them。　They　left　the　book　and

lowered　the　coffin；　helped　again　by　McLean。　The　weight　sank　slowly；

decently；　steadily；　down　between　the　banks。　The　sound　that　it　struck　the

bottom　with　was　a　slight　sound；　the　grating　of　the　load　upon　the　solid

sand；　and　a　little　sand　strewed　from　the　edge　and　fell　on　the　box　at　the

same　moment。　The　rattle　came　up　from　below；　compact　and　brief；　a　single

jar；　quietly　smiting　through　the　crowd；　smiting　it　to　silence。　One

removed　his　hat；　and　then　another；　and　then　all。　They　stood　eying　each

his　neighbor；　and　shifting　their　eyes；　looked　away　at　the　great　valley。

Then　they　filled　in　the　grave；　brought　a　head…board　from　a　grave　near　by；

and　wrote　the　name　and　date　upon　it　by　scratching　with　a　stone。



〃She　was　sure　one　of　us；〃　said　Chalkeye。　〃Let's　give　her　the　Lament。〃



And　they　followed　his　lead：





　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Once　in　the　saddle；　I　used　to　go　dashing；

　　　　　　　　　　　　Once　in　the　saddle；　I　used　to　go　gay；

　　　　　　　　　　　　First　took　to　drinking；　and　then　to　card…playing；

　　　　　　　　　　　　Got　shot　in　the　body；　and　now　here　I　lay。



　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Beat　the　drum　slowly；　Play　the　fife　lowly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　Sound　the　dead　march　as　you　bear　me　along。

　　　　　　　　　　　　Take　me　to　Boot…hill；　and　throw　the　sod　over　me

　　　　　　　　　　　　I'm　but　a　poor　cow…boy；　I　know　I　done　wrong。〃





When　the　song　was　ended；　they　left　the　graveyard　quietly　and　went　down

the　hill。　The　morning　was　growing　warm。　Their　work　waited　them　across

many　sunny　miles　of　range　and　plain。　Soon　their　voices　and　themselves　had

emptied　away　into　the　splendid　vastness　and　silence；　and　they　were　gone

ready　with　all　their　might　to　live　or　to　die；　to　be　animals　or　heroes；　as

the　hours　might　bring　them　opportunity。　In　Drybone's　deserted　quadrangle

the　sun　shone　down　upon　Lusk　still　sleeping；　and　the　wind　shook　the　aces

and　kings　in　the　grass。





PART　IV



Over　at　Separ；　Jessamine　Buckner　had　no　more　stockings　of　Billy's　to

mend；　and　much　time　for　thinking　and　a　change　of　mind。　The　day　after　that

strange　visit；　when　she　had　been　told　that　she　had　hurt　a　good　man's

heart　without　reason；　she　took　up　her　work；　and　while　her　hands

despatched　it　her　thoughts　already　accused　her。　Could　she　have　seen　that

visitor　now；　she　would　have　thanked　her。　She　looked　at　the　photograph　on

her　table。　〃Why　did　he　go　away　so　quickly？〃　she　sighed。　But　when　young

Billy　returned　to　his　questions　she　was　buoyant　again；　and　more　than　a

match　for　him。　He　reached　the　forbidden　twelfth　time　of　asking　why　Lin

McLean　did　not　come　back　and　marry　her。　Nor　did　she　punish　him　as　she　had

threatened。　She　looked　at　him　confidentially；　and　he　drew　near；　full　of

hope。



〃Billy；　I'll　tell　you　just　why　it　is；〃　said　she。　〃Lin　thinks　I'm　not　a

real　girl。〃



〃Aah；〃　drawled　Billy；　backing　from　her　with　suspicion。



〃Indeed　that's　what　it　is；　Billy。　If　he　knew　I　was　a　real　girl〃



〃Aah；〃　went　the　boy；　entirely　angry。　〃Anybody　can　tell　you're　a　girl。〃

And　he　marched　out；　mystified；　and　nursing　a　sense　of　wrong。　Nor　did　his

dignity　allow　him　to　reopen　the　subject。



To…day；　two　miles　out　in　the　sage…brush　by　himself；　he　was　shooting

jack…rabbits；　but　began　suddenly　to　run　in　toward　Separ。　A　horseman　had

passed　him；　and　he　had