lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第14部分
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myself。
But Ogden said 〃with irrigation〃 for me； and I was entirely sorry he
had come。
We reached the Governor's office； and sat down while he looked his
letters over。
〃Here you are； Ogden；〃 said he。 〃Here's the way we hump ahead out
here。〃 And he read us the following：
〃MAGAW； KANSAS； July 5； 188
〃Hon。 Amory W。 Baker：
〃Sir；Understanding that your district is suffering from a prolonged
drought； I write to say that for necessary expenses paid I will be glad to
furnish you with a reasonably shower。 I have operated successfully in
Australia； Mexico； and several States of the Union； and am anxious to
exhibit my system。 If your Legislature will appropriate a sum to cover； as I
said； merely my necessary expensessay 350 （three hundred and fifty
dollars）for half an inch I will guarantee you that quantity of rain or
forfeit the money。 If I fail to give you the smallest fraction of the amount
contracted for； there is to be no pay。 Kindly advise me of what date will be
most convenient for you to have the shower。 I require twenty…four hours'
preparation。 Hoping a favorable reply；
〃I am； respectfully yours；
〃Robert Hilbrun〃
〃Will the Legislature do it？〃 inquired Ogden in good faith。
The Governor laughed boisterously。 〃I guess it wouldn't be
constitutional；〃 said he。
〃Oh； bother！〃 said Ogden。
〃My dear man；〃 the Governor protested； 〃I know we're new； and our
women vote； and we're a good deal of a joke； but we're not so
progressively funny as all that。 The people wouldn't stand it。 Senator
Warren would fly right into my back hair。〃 Barker was also new as
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Governor。
〃Do you have Senators here too？〃 said Ogden； raising his eyebrows。
〃What do they look like？ Are they females？〃 And the Governor grew more
boisterous than ever； slapping his knee and declaring that these Eastern
men were certainly out of sight。〃 Ogden； however； was thoughtful。
〃I'd have been willing to chip in for that rain myself；〃 he said。
〃That's an idea！〃 cried the Governor。 〃Nothing unconstitutional about
that。 Let's see。 Three hundred and fifty dollars〃
〃I'll put up a hundred；〃 said Ogden； promptly。 〃I'm out for a Western
vacation； and I'll pay for a good specimen。〃
The Governor and I subscribed more modestly； and by noon； with the
help of some lively minded gentlemen of Cheyenne； we had the purse
raised。 〃He won't care；〃 said the Governor； 〃whether it's a private
enterprise or a municipal step； so long as he gets his money。〃
〃He won't get it； I'm afraid；〃 said Ogden。 〃But if he succeeds in
tempting Providence to that extent； I consider it cheap。 Now what do you
call those people there on the horses？〃
We were walking along the track of the Cheyenne and Northern； and
looking out over the plain toward Fort Russell。 〃That is a cow…puncher and
his bride；〃 I answered； recognizing the couple。
〃Real cow…puncher？〃
〃Quite。 The puncher's name is Lin McLean。〃
〃Real bride？〃
〃I'm afraid so。〃
〃She's riding straddle！〃 exclaimed the delighted Ogden； adjusting his
glasses。 〃Why do you object to their union being holy？〃
I explained that my friend Lin had lately married an eating…house lady
precipitately and against my advice。
〃I suppose he knew his business；〃 observed Ogden。
〃That's what he said to me at the time。 But you ought to see herand
know him。〃
Ogden was going to。 Husband and wife were coming our way。
Husband nodded to me his familiar offish nod； which concealed his
satisfaction at meeting with an old friend。 Wife did not look at me at all。
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But I looked at her； and I instantly knew that Linthe fool！had confided
to her my disapproval of their marriage。 The most delicate specialty upon
earth is your standing with your old friend's new wife。
〃Good…day； Mr。 McLean；〃 said the Governor to the cow…puncher on
his horse。
〃How're are yu'； doctor；〃 said Lin。 During his early days in Wyoming
the Governor； when as yet a private citizen； had set Mr。 McLean's broken
leg at Drybone。 〃Let me make yu' known to Mrs。 McLean；〃 pursued the
husband。
The lady； at a loss how convention prescribes the greeting of a bride to
a Governor； gave a waddle on the pony's back； then sat up stiff； gazed
haughtily at the air； and did not speak or show any more sign than a cow
would under like circumstances。 So the Governor marched cheerfully at
her； extending his hand； and when she slightly moved out toward him her
big； dumb； red fist； he took it and shook it； and made her a series of
compliments； she maintaining always the scrupulous reserve of the cow。
〃I say；〃 Ogden whispered to me while Barker was pumping the hand
of the flesh image； 〃I'm glad I came。〃 The appearance of the puncher…
bridegroom also interested Ogden； and he looked hard at Lin's leather
chaps and cartridge…belt and so forth。 Lin stared at the New…Yorker； and
his high white collar and good scarf。 He had seen such things quite often；
of course； but they always filled him with the same distrust of the man that
wore them。
〃Well；〃 said he； 〃I guess we'll be pulling for a hotel。 Any show in town？
Circus come yet？〃
〃No；〃 said I。 〃Are you going to make a long stay？〃
The cow…puncher glanced at the image； his bride of three weeks。 〃Till
we're tired of it； I guess；〃 said he； with hesitation。 It was the first time that
I had ever seen my gay friend look timidly at any one； and I felt a rising
hate for the ruby…checked； large…eyed eating…house lady； the biscuit…
shooter whose influence was dimming this jaunty； irrepressible spirit。 I
looked at her。 Her bulky bloom had ensnared him； and now she was going
to tame and spoil him。 The Governor was looking at her too； thoughtfully。
〃Say； Lin；〃 I said； 〃if you stay here long enough you'll see a big show。〃
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And his eye livened into something of its native jocularity as I told him of
the rain…maker。
〃Shucks！〃 said he； springing from his horse impetuously； and hugely
entertained at our venture。 〃Three hundred and fifty dollars？ Let me come
in〃； and before I could tell him that we had all the money raised； he was
hauling out a wadded lump of bills。
〃Well； I ain't going to starve here in the road； I guess；〃 spoke the image；
with the suddenness of a miracle。 I think we all jumped； and I know that
Lin did。 The image continued： 〃Some folks and their money are soon
parted〃she meant me； her searching tones came straight at me； I was sure
from the first that she knew all about me and my unfavorable opinion of
her〃but it ain't going to be you this time； Lin McLean。 Ged ap！〃 This last
was to the horse； I maintain； though the Governor says the husband
immediately started off on a run。
At any rate； they were gone to their hotel； and Ogden was seated on
some railroad ties； exclaiming： 〃Oh； I like Wyoming！ I am certainly glad I
came。〃
〃That's who she is！〃 said the Governor； remembering Mrs。 McLean all
at once。 〃I know her。 She used to be at Sidney。 She's got another husband
somewhere。 She's one of the boys。 Oh； that's nothing in this country！〃 he
continued to the amazed Ogden； who had ejaculated 〃Bigamy！〃 〃Lots of
them marry； live together awhile； get tired and quit； travel； catch on to a
new man； marry him； get tired and quit； travel； catch on〃
〃One moment； I beg；〃 said Ogden； adjusting his glasses。 〃What does
the law〃
〃Law？〃 said the Governor。 〃Look at that place！〃 He swept his hand
towards the vast plains and the mountains。 〃Ninety…five thousand square
miles of that； and sixty thousand people in it。 We haven't got policemen
yet on top of the Rocky Mountains。〃
〃I see；〃 said the New…Yorker。 〃Butbutwell let A and B represent
first and second husbands； and X represent the woman。 Now； does A know
about B？ or does B know about A？ And what do they do about it？〃
〃Can't say；〃 the Governor answered； jovially。 〃Can't generalize。
Depends on heaps of things lovemoney Did you go to college？ Well；
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let A minus X equal B plus X； then if A and B get squared〃
〃Oh； come to lunch；〃 I said。 〃Barker； do you really know the first
husband is alive？〃
〃Wasn't dead last winter。〃 And Barker gave us the particulars。 Miss
Katie Peck had not served long in the restaurant before she was wooed and
won by a man who had been a ranch cook； a sheep…herder； a bar…tender； a
freight hand； and was then hauling poles for the government。 During his
necessary absences from home she； too； went out…of…doors。 This he often
discovered； and would beat her； and
