lin mclean-第6部分

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a　deep　hatred　of　the　crowded；　scrambling　East。　So　he　suddenly　bought　a

ticket　for　Green　River；　Wyoming；　and　escaped　from　the　city　that　seemed　to

numb　his　good　humor。



When；　after　three　days；　the　Missouri　lay　behind　him　and　his　holiday；　he

stretched　his　legs　and　took　heart　to　see　out　of　the　window　the　signs　of

approaching　desolation。　And　when　on　the　fourth　day　civilization　was

utterly　emptied　out　of　the　world；　he　saw　a　bunch　of　cattle；　and；

galloping　among　them；　his　spurred　and　booted　kindred。　And　his　manner　took

on　that　alertness　a　horse　shows　on　turning　into　the　home　road。　As　the

stage　took　him　toward　Washakie；　old　friends　turned　up　every　fifty　miles

or　so；　shambling　out　of　a　cabin　or　a　stable；　and　saying；　in　casual　tones；

〃Hello；　Lin；　where've　you　been　at？〃



At　Lander；　there　got　into　the　stage　another　old　acquaintance；　the　Bishop

of　Wyoming。　He　knew　Lin　at　once；　and　held　out　his　hand；　and　his　greeting

was　hearty。



〃It　took　a　week　for　my　robes　to　catch　up　with　me；〃　he　said；　laughing。

Then；　in　a　little　while；　〃How　was　the　East？〃



〃First…rate；〃　said　Lin；　not　looking　at　him。　He　was　shy　of　the

conversation's　taking　a　moral　turn。　But　the　bishop　had　no　intention　of

revertingat　any　rate；　just　nowto　their　last　talk　at　Green　River；　and

the　advice　he　had　then　given。



〃I　trust　your　friends　were　all　well？〃　he　said。



〃I　guess　they　was　healthy　enough；〃　said　Lin。



〃I　suppose　you　found　Boston　much　changed？　It's　a　beautiful　city。〃



〃Good　enough　town　for　them　that　likes　it；　I　expect；〃　Lin　replied。



The　bishop　was　forming　a　notion　of　what　the　matter　must　be；　but　he　had　no

notion　whatever　of　what　now　revealed　itself。



〃Mr。　Bishop；〃　the　cow…puncher　said；　〃how　was　that　about　that　fellow　you

told　about　that's　in　the　Bible　somewheres？he　come　home　to　his　folks；

and　theywell　there　was　his　father　saw　him　comin'〃He　stopped；

embarrassed。



Then　the　bishop　remembered　the　wide…open　eyes；　and　how　he　had　noticed

them　in　the　church　at　the　agency　intently　watching　him。　And；　just　now；

what　were　best　to　say　he　did　not　know。　He　looked　at　the　young　man

gravely。



〃Have　yu'　got　a　Bible？〃　pursued　Lin。　〃For；　excuse　me；　but　I'd　like　yu'　to

read　that　onced。〃



So　the　bishop　read；　and　Lin　listened。　And　all　the　while　this　good

clergyman　was　perplexed　how　to　speakor　if　indeed　to　speak　at　this　time

at　allto　the　heart　of　the　man　beside　him　for　whom　the　parable　had　gone

so　sorely　wrong。　When　the　reading　was　done；　Lin　had　not　taken　his　eyes

from　the　bishop's　face。



〃How　long　has　that　there　been　wrote？〃　he　asked。



He　was　told　about　how　long。



〃Mr。　Bishop；〃　said　Lin；　〃I　ain't　got　good　knowledge　of　the　Bible；　and　I

never　figured　it　to　be　a　book　much　on　to　facts。　And　I　tell　you　I'm　more

plumb　beat　about　it's　having　that　elder　brother；　and　him　being　angry；

down　in　black　and　white　two　thousand　years　ago；　thanthan　if　I'd　seen　a

man　turn　water　into　wine；　for　I'd　have　knowed　that　ain't　so。　But　the

elder　brother　is　factsdead…sure　facts。　And　they　knowed　about　that；　and

put　it　down　just　the　same　as　life　two　thousand　years　ago！〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　bishop；　wisely　ignoring　the　challenge　as　to　miracles；　〃I

am　a　good　twenty　years　older　than　you；　and　all　that　time　I've　been

finding　more　facts　in　the　Bible　every　day　I　have　lived。〃



Lin　meditated。　〃I　guess　that　could　be；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　after　that　yu've

been　a…readin'；　and　what　I　know　for　myself　that　I　didn't　know　till

lately；　I　guess　that　could　be。〃



Then　the　bishop　talked　with　exceeding　care；　nor　did　he　ask　uncomfortable

things；　or　moralize　visibly。　Thus　he　came　to　hear　how　it　had　fared　with

Lin　his　friend；　and　Lin　forgot　altogether　about　its　being　a　parson　he　was

delivering　the　fulness　of　his　heart　to。　〃And　come　to　think；〃　he

concluded；　〃it　weren't　home　I　had　went　to　back　East；　layin'　round　them

big　cities；　where　a　man　can't　help　but　feel　strange　all　the　week。　No；

sir！　Yu'　can　blow　in　a　thousand　dollars　like　I　did　in　New　York；　and　it'll

not　give　yu'　any　more　home　feelin'　than　what　cattle　has　put　in　a

stock…yard。　Nor　it　wouldn't　have　in　Boston　neither。　Now　this　country

here〃　（he　waved　his　hand　towards　the　endless　sage…brush）；　〃seein'　it

onced　more；　I　know　where　my　home　is；　and　I　wouldn't　live　nowheres　else。

Only　I　ain't　got　no　father　watching　for　me　to　come　up　Wind　River。〃



The　cow…puncher　stated　this　merely　as　a　fact；　and　without　any　note　of

self…pity。　But　the　bishops　face　grew　very　tender；　and　he　looked　away　from

Lin。　Knowing　his　manfor　had　he　not　seen　many　of　this　kind　in　his　desert

diocese？he　forbore　to　make　any　text　from　that　last　sentence　the

cow…puncher　had　spoken。　Lin　talked　cheerfully　on　about　what　he　should　now

do。　The　round…up　must　be　somewhere　near　Du　Noir　Creek。　He　would　join　it

this　season；　but　next　he　should　work　over　to　the　Powder　River　country。

More　business　was　over　there；　and　better　chances　for　a　man　to　take　up

some　land　and　have　a　ranch　of　his　own。　As　they　got　out　at　Fort　Washakie；

the　bishop　handed　him　a　small　book；　in　which　he　had　turned　several　leaves

down；　carefully　avoiding　any　page　that　related　of　miracles。



〃You　need　not　read　it　through；　you　know；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃just　read

where　I　have　marked；　and　see　if　you　don't　find　some　more　facts。　Goodbye

and　always　come　and　see　me。〃



The　next　morning　he　watched　Lin　riding　slowly　out　of　the　post　towards

Wind　River；　leading　a　single　pack…horse。　By…and…by　the　little　moving　dot

went　over　the　ridge。　And　as　the　bishop　walked　back　into　the

parade…ground；　thinking　over　the　possibilities　in　that　untrained　manly

soul；　he　shook　his　head　sorrowfully。







THE　WINNING　OF　THE　BISCUIT…SHOOTER



It　was　quite　clear　to　me　that　Mr。　McLean　could　not　know　the　news。　Meeting

him　to…day　had　been　unforeseenunforeseen　and　so　pleasant　that　the　thing

had　never　come　into　my　head　until　just　now；　after　both　of　us　had　talked

and　dined　our　fill；　and　were　torpid　with　satisfaction。



I　had　found　Lin　here　at　Riverside　in　the　morning。　At　my　horse's　approach

to　the　cabin；　it　was　he　and　not　the　postmaster　who　had　come　precipitately

out　of　the　door。



〃I'm　turruble　pleased　to　see　yu'；〃　he　had　said；　immediately。



〃What's　happened？〃　said　I；　in　some　concern　at　his　appearance。



And　he　piteously　explained：　〃Why；　I've　been　here　all　alone　since

yesterday！〃



This　was　indeed　all；　and　my　hasty　impressions　of　shooting　and　a　corpse

gave　way　to　mirth　over　the　child　and　his　innocent　grievance　that　he　had

blurted　out　before　I　could　get　off　my　horse。



Since　when；　I　inquired　of　him；　had　his　own　company　become　such　a　shock　to

him？



〃As　to　that；〃　replied　Mr。　McLean；　a　thought　ruffled；　〃when　a　man　expects

lonesomeness　he　stands　it　like　he　stands　anything　else；　of　course。　But

when　he　has　figured　on　finding　companysay〃　he　broke　off　（and

vindictiveness　sparkled　in　his　eye）〃when　you're　lucky　enough　to　catch

yourself　alone；　why；　I　suppose　yu'　just　take　a　chair　and　chat　to　yourself

for　hours。You've　not　seen　anything　of　Tommy？〃　he　pursued　with　interest。



I　had　not；　and　forthwith　Lin　poured　out　to　me　the　pent…up　complaints　and

sociability　with　which　he　was　bursting。　The　foreman　had　sent　him　over

here　with　a　sackful　of　letters　for　the　post；　and　to　bring　back　the　week's

mail　for　the　ranch。　A　day　was　gone　now；　and　nothing　for　a　man　to　do　but

sit　and　sit。　Tommy　was　overdue　fifteen　hours。　Well；　you　could　have

endured　that；　but　the　neighbors　had　all　locked　their　cabins　and　gone　to

Buffalo。　It　was　circus　week　in　Buffalo。　Had　I　ever　considered　the　money

there　must　be　in　the　circus　business？　Tommy　had　taken　the　outgoing

letters　early　yesterday。　Nobody　had　kept　him　waiting。　By　all　rules　he

should　have　been　back　again　last　night。　Maybe　the　stage　was　late　reaching

Powder　River；　and　Tommy　had　had　to　lay　over　for　it。　Well；　that　would

justify　him。　Far　more　likely　he　had　gone　to　the　circus　himself　and　taken

the　mail　with　him。　Tommy　was　no　type　of　man　for　postmaster。　Except

drawing　the　allowance　his　mother　in　the　East　gave　him　first　of　every

month；　he　had　never　shown　punctuality　that　Lin　could　remember。　Never　had

any　second　thoughts；　and　awful　few　first　ones。　Told　bigger　lies　than　a

small　man　ought；　also。



〃Has　successes；　though；〃　said　I；　wickedly。



〃Huh！〃　went　on　Mr。　McLean。　〃Successes！　One　ice…cream…soda　success。　And

she〃Lin's　still　wounded　male　pride　made　him　plaintive〃why；　even　that

girl　quit　him；　once　she　got　the　chance　to　appreciate　how　insignificant　he

was　as　compared　with　the　size　of　his　words。　No；　sir。　Not　one　of　'em

retains　interest　in　Tommy。〃



Lin　was　unsaddling　and　looking　after　my　horse；　just　because　he　was　glad

to　see　me。　Since　our　first　acquaintance；　that　memorable　summer　of

Pitchstone　Canyon　when　he　had　taken　such　good　care　of　me　and　such　bad　care

of　himself；　I　had　learned　pretty　well　about　horses　and　camp　craft　in

general。　He　was　an　entire　boy　then。　But　he　had　been　East　since；　East　by　a

route　of　his　own　discoveringand　from　his　account　of　that　journey　it　had

proved；　I　think；　a　sort　of　spiritual　experience。　And　then　the　years　of

our　friendship　were　beginning　to　roll　up。　Manhood　of　the　body　he　had

always　richly　possessed；　and　now；　whenever　we　met　after　a　season's

absence　and　spoke　those　invariable　words　which　all　old　friends　upon　this

earth　use　to　each　other　at　meeting〃You　haven't　changed；　you　haven't

changed　at　all！〃I　would　wonder　if　manhood　had　arrived　in　Lin's　boy

soul。　And　so　to…day；　while　he　attended　to　my　horse　and　explained　the

nature　of　Tommy　（a　subject　he　dearly　loved　just　now）；　I　looked　at　him　and

took　an　intimate；　superior　pride　in　feeling　how　much　more　mature　I　was

than　he；　after　all。



There's　nothing　like　a　sense　of　merit　for　making　one　feel　aggrieved；　and

on　our　return　to　the　cabin　Mr。　McLean　pointed　with　disgust　to　some

firewood。



〃Look　at　those　sorrowful　toothpicks；〃　said　he：　〃Tommy's　work。〃



So　Lin；　the　excellent　hearted；　had　angrily　busied　himself；　and　chopped　a

pile　of　real