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第59章

lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第59章

小说: lin mclean(林·迈林恩) 字数: 每页4000字

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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 



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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;〃   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 



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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 



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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 

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