lin mclean-第9部分

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marble　eye。　Her　abrupt　laugh；　something　beyond　gay；　was　now　sounding　in

response　to　Mr。　McLean's　lively　sallies；　and　I　found　him　fanning　her　into

convalescence　with　his　hat。　She　herself　made　but　few　remarks；　but　allowed

the　cow…puncher　to　entertain　her；　merely　exclaiming　briefly　now　and　then；

〃I　declare！〃　and　〃If　you　ain't！〃　Lin　was　most　certainly　engaging；　if　that

was　the　lady's　meaning。　His　wide…open　eyes　sparkled　upon　her；　and　he　half

closed　them　now　and　then　to　look　at　her　more　effectively。　I　suppose　she

was　worth　it　to　him。　I　have　forgotten　to　say　that　she　was　handsome　in　a

large　California…fruit　style。　They　made　a　good…looking　pair　of　animals。

But　it　was　in　the　presence　of　Tommy　that　Master　Lin　shone　more

energetically　than　ever；　and　under　such　shining　Tommy　was　transparently

restless。　He　tried；　and　failed；　to　bring　the　conversation　his　way；　and

took　to　rearranging　the　mail　and　the　furniture。



〃Supper's　ready；〃　he　said；　at　length。　〃Come　right　in；　Miss　Peck；　right　in

here。　This　is　your　seatthis　one；　please。　Now　you　can　see　my　fields　out

of　the　window。〃



〃You　sit　here；〃　said　the　biscuit…shooter　to　Lin；　and　thus　she　was　between

them。　〃Them's　elegant！〃　she　presently　exclaimed　to　Tommy。　〃Did　you　cook

'em？〃



I　explained　that　the　apricots　were　of　my　preparation。



〃Indeed！〃　said　she；　and　returned　to　Tommy；　who　had　been　telling　her　of

his　ranch；　his　potatoes；　his　horses。　〃And　do　you　punch　cattle；　too？〃　she

inquired　of　him。



〃Me？〃　said　Tommy；　slightingly；　〃gave　it　up　years　ago；　too　empty　a　life

for　me。　I　leave　that　to　such　as　like　it。　When　a　man　owns　his　own

property〃Tommy　swept　his　hand　at　the　whole　landscape〃　he　takes　to

more　intellectual　work。〃



〃Lickin'　postage…stamps；〃　Mr。　McLean　suggested；　sourly。



〃You　lick　them　and　I　cancel　them；〃　answered　the　postmaster；　and　it　does

not　seem　a　powerful　rejoinder。　But　Miss　Peck　uttered　her　laugh。



〃That's　one　on　you；〃　she　told　Lin。　And　throughout　this　meal　it　was　Tommy

who　had　her　favor。　She　partook　of　his　generous　supplies；　she　listened　to

his　romantic　inventions；　the　trails　he　had　discovered；　the　bears　he　had

slain；　and　after　supper　it　was　with　Tommy；　and　not　with　Lin；　that　she

went　for　a　little　walk。



〃Katie　was　ever　a　tease；〃　said　Mrs。　Taylor　of　her　childhood　friend；　and

Mr。　Taylor　observed　that　there　was　always　safety　in　numbers。　〃She'll　get

used　to　the　ways　of　this　country　quicker　than　our　little　school…marm；〃

said　he。



Mr。　McLean　said　very　little；　but　read　the　new…arrived　papers。　It　was　only

when　bedtime　dispersed　us；　the　ladies　in　the　cabin　and　the　men　choosing

various　spots　outside；　that　he　became　talkative　again　for　a　while。　We　lay

in　the　blankwe　had　spread　on　some　soft；　dry　sand　in　preference　to　the

stable；　where　Taylor　and　Tommy　had　gone。　Under　the　contemplative

influence　of　the　stars；　Lin　fell　into　generalization。



〃Ever　notice；〃　said　he；　〃how　whiskey　and　lyin'　act　the　same　on　a　man？〃



I　did　not　feel　sure　that　I　had。



〃Just　the　same　way。　You　keep　either　of　'em　up　long　enough；　and　yu'　get　to

require　it。　If　Tommy　didn't　lie　some　every　day；　he'd　get　sick。〃



I　was　sleepy；　but　I　murmured　assent　to　this；　and　trusted　he　would　not　go

on。



〃Ever　notice；〃　said　he；　〃how　the　victims　of　the　whiskey　and　lyin'　habit

get　to　increasing　the　dose？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　I。



〃Him　roping　six　bears！〃　pursued　Mr。　McLean；　after　further　contemplation。

〃Or　any　bear。　Ever　notice　how　the　worser　a　man's　lyin'　the　silenter　other

men'll　get？　Why's　that；　now？〃



I　believe　that　I　made　a　faint　sound　to　imply　that　I　was　following　him。



〃Men　don't　get　took　in。　But　ladies　now；　they〃



Here　he　paused　again；　and　during　the　next　interval　of　contemplation　I

sank　beyond　his　reach。



In　the　morning　I　left　Riverside　for　Buffalo；　and　there　or　thereabouts　I

remained　for　a　number　of　weeks。　Miss　Peck　did　not　enter　my　thoughts；　nor

did　I　meet　any　one　to　remind　me　of　her；　until　one　day　I　stopped　at　the

drug…store。　It　was　not　for　drugs；　but　gossip；　that　I　went。　In　the　daytime

there　was　no　place　like　the　apothecary's　for　meeting　men　and　hearing　the

news。　There　I　heard　how　things　were　going　everywhere；　including　Bear

Creek。



All　the　cow…punchers　liked　the　new　girl　up　there；　said　gossip。　She　was　a

great　addition　to　society。　Reported　to　be　more　companionable　than　the

school…marm；　Miss　Molly　Wood；　who　had　been　raised　too　far　east；　and

showed　it。　Vermont；　or　some　such　dude　place。　Several　had　been　in　town

buying　presents　for　Miss　Katie　Peck。　Tommy　Postmaster　had　paid　high　for　a

necklace　of　elk…tushes　the　government　scout　at　McKinney　sold　him。　Too　bad

Miss　Peck　did　not　enjoy　good　health。　Shorty　had　been　in　only　yesterday　to

get　her　medicine　again。　Third　bottle。　Had　I　heard　the　big　joke　on　Lin

McLean？　He　had　promised　her　the　skin　of　a　big　bear　he　knew　the　location

of；　and　Tommy　got　the　bear。



Two　days　after　this　I　joined　one　of　the　roundup　camps　at　sunset。　They　had

been　working　from　Salt　Creek　to　Bear　Creek；　and　the　Taylor　ranch　was　in

visiting　distance　from　them　again；　after　an　interval　of　gathering　and

branding　far　across　the　country。　The　Virginian；　the　gentle…voiced

Southerner；　whom　I　had　last　seen　lingering　with　Miss　Wood；　was　in　camp。

Silent　three…quarters　of　the　time；　as　was　his　way；　he　sat　gravely

watching　Lin　McLean。　That　person　seemed　silent　also；　as　was　not　his　way

quite　so　much。



〃Lin；〃　said　the　Southerner；　〃I　reckon　you're　failin'。〃



Mr。　McLean　raised　a　sombre　eye；　but　did　not　trouble　to　answer　further。



〃A　healthy　man's　laigs　ought　to　fill　his　pants；〃　pursued　the　Virginian。

The　challenged　puncher　stretched　out　a　limb　and　showed　his　muscles　with

young　pride。



〃And　yu'　cert'nly　take　no　comfort　in　your　food；〃　his　ingenious　friend

continued；　slowly　and　gently。



〃I'll　eat　you　a　match　any　day　and　place　yu'　name；〃　said　Lin。



〃It　ain't　sca'cely　hon'able；〃　went　on　the　Virginian；　〃to　waste　away

durin'　the　round…up。　A　man　owes　his　strength　to　them　that　hires　it。　If　he

is　paid　to　rope　stock　he　ought　to　rope　stock；　and　not　leave　it　dodge　or

pull　away。〃



〃It's　not　many　dodge　my　rope；〃　boasted　Lin；　imprudently。



〃Why；　they　tell　me　as　how　that　heifer　of　the　Sidney…Nebraska　brand　got

plumb　away　from　yu'；　and　little　Tommy　had　to　chase　afteh　her。〃



Lin　sat　up　angrily　amid　the　laughter；　but　reclined　again。　〃I'll　improve；〃

said　he；　〃if　yu'　learn　me　how　yu'　rope　that　Vermont　stock　so　handy。　Has

she　promised　to　be　your　sister　yet？〃　he　added。



〃Is　that　what　they　do？〃　inquired　the　Virginian；　serenely。　〃I　have　never

got　related　that　way。　Why；　that'll　make　Tommy　your　brother…in…law；　Lin！〃



And　now；　indeed；　the　camp　laughed　a　loud；　merciless　laugh。



But　Lin　was　silent。　Where　everybody　lives　in　a　glass…house　the　victory　is

to　him　who　throws　the　adroitest　stone。　Mr。　McLean　was　readier　witted　than

most；　but　the　gentle；　slow　Virginian　could　be　a　master　when　he　chose。



〃Tommy　has　been　recountin'　his　wars　up　at　the　Taylors'；〃　he　now　told　the

camp。　〃He　has　frequently　campaigned　with　General　Crook；　General　Miles；

and　General　Ruger；　all　at　onced。　He's　an　exciting　fighter；　in

conversation；　and　kep'　us　all　scared　for　mighty　nigh　an　hour。　Miss　Peck

appeared　interested　in　his　statements。〃



〃What　was　you　doing　at　the　Taylors'　yourself？〃　demanded　Lin。



〃Visitin'　Miss　Wood；〃　answered　the　Virginian；　with　entire　ease。　For　he

also　knew　when　to　employ　the　plain　truth　as　a　bluff。　〃You'd　ought　to

write　to　Tommy's　mother；　Lin；　and　tell　her　what　a　dare…devil　her　son　is

gettin'　to　be。　She　would　cut　off　his　allowance　and　bring　him　home；　and

you　would　have　the　runnin'　all　to　yourself。〃



〃I'll　fix　him　yet；〃　muttered　Mr。　McLean。　〃Him　and　his　wars。〃



With　that　he　rose　and　left　us。



The　next　afternoon　he　informed　me　that　if　I　was　riding　up　the　creek　to

spend　the　night　he　would　go　for　company。　In　that　direction　we　started；

therefore；　without　any　mention　of　the　Taylors　or　Miss　Peck。　I　was

puzzled。　Never　had　I　seen　him　thus　disconcerted　by　woman。　With　him　woman

had　been　a　transient　disturbance。　I　had　witnessed　a　series　of　flighty

romances；　where　the　cow…puncher　had　come；　seen；　often　conquered；　and

moved　on。　Nor　had　his　affairs　been　of　the　sort　to　teach　a　young　man

respect。　I　am　putting　it　rather　mildly。



For　the　first　part　of　our　way　this　afternoon　he　was　moody；　and　after　that

began　to　speak　with　appalling　wisdom　about　life。　Life；　he　said；　was　a

serious　matter。　Did　I　realize　that？　A　man　was　liable　to　forget　it。　A　man

was　liable　to　go　sporting　and　helling　around　till　he　waked　up　some　day

and　found　all　his　best　pleasures　had　become　just　a　business。　No　interest；

no　surprise；　no　novelty　left；　and　no　cash　in　the　bank。　Shorty　owed　him

fifty　dollars。　Shorty　would　be　able　to　pay　that　after　the　round…up；　and

he；　Lin；　would　get　his　time　and　rustle　altogether　some　five　hundred

dollars。　Then　there　was　his　homestead　claim　on　Box　Elder；　and　the

surveyors　were　coming　in　this　fall。　No　better　location　for　a　home　in　this

country　than　Box　Elder。　Wood；　water；　fine　land。　All　it　needed　was　a　house

and　ditches　and　buildings　and　fences；　and　to　be　planted　with　crops。　Such

chances　and　considerations　should　sober　a　man　and　make　him　careful　what

he　did。　〃I'd　take　in　Cheyenne　on　our　wedding…trip；　and　after　that　I'd

settle　right　down　to　improving　Box　Elder；〃　concluded　Mr。　McLean；

suddenly。



His　real　intentions　flashed　upon　me　for　the　first　time。　I　had　not

remotely　imagined　such　a　step。



〃Marry　her！〃　I　screeched　in　dismay。　〃Marry　her！〃



I　don't　know　which　word　was　the　worse　to　emphasize　at　such　a　moment；　but

I　emphasized　both　thoroughly。



〃I　didn't　expect　yu'd　act　that　way；〃　said　the　lover。　He　dropped　behind　me

fifty　yards　and　spoke　no　more。



Not　at　once　did　I　beg　his　pardon　for　the　brutality　I　had　been　surprised

into。　It　is　one　of　those　speeches　that；　once　said；　is　said　forever。



But　it　was　not　that　which　withheld　me。　As　I　thought　of　the