lin mclean-第13章

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Woods　of　this　world；〃　he　added；　defiantly〃except　at　long　range。〃



At　the　Taylors'　cabin　we　found　Miss　Wood　sitting　with　her　admirer；　and

Tommy　from　Riverside　come　to　admire　Miss　Peck。　The　biscuit…shooter　might

pass　for　twenty…seven；　certainly。　Something　had　agreed　with　herwhether

the　medicine；　or　the　mountain　air；　or　so　much　masculine　company；　whatever

had　done　it；　she　had　bloomed　into　brutal　comeliness。　Her　hair　looked

curlier；　her　figure　was　shapelier；　her　teeth　shone　whiter；　and　her　cheeks

were　a　lusty；　overbearing　red。　And　there　sat　Molly　Wood　talking　sweetly

to　her　big；　grave　Virginian；　to　look　at　them；　there　was　no　doubt　that　he

had　been　〃raised　good　enough〃　to　appreciate　her；　no　matter　what　had　been

his　raising！



Lin　greeted　every　one　jauntily。　〃How　are　yu'；　Miss　Peck？　How　are　yu'；

Tommy？〃　said　he。　〃Hear　the　news；　Tommy？　Crow　Injuns　on　the　war…path。〃



〃I　declare！〃　said　the　biscuit…shooter。



The　Virginian　was　about　to　say　something；　but　his　eye　met　Lin's；　and　then

he　looked　at　Tommy。　Then　what　he　did　say　was；　〃I　hadn't　been　goin'　to

mention　it　to　the　ladies　until　it　was　right　sure。〃



〃You　needn't　to　be　afraid；　Miss　Peck；〃　said　Tommy。　〃There's　lots　of　men

here。〃



〃Who's　afraid？〃　said　the　biscuit…shooter。



〃Oh；〃　said　Lin；　〃maybe　it's　like　most　news　we　get　in　this　country。　Two

weeks　stale　and　a　lie　when　it　was　fresh。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Tommy。



〃Hello；　Tommy！〃　called　Taylor　from　the　lane。　〃Your　horse　has　broke　his

rein　and　run　down　the　field。〃



Tommy　rose　in　disgust　and　sped　after　the　animal。



〃I　must　be　cooking　supper　now；〃　said　Katie；　shortly。



〃I'll　stir　for　yu'；〃　said　Lin；　grinning　at　her。



〃Come　along　then；〃　said　she；　and　they　departed　to　the　adjacent　kitchen。



Miss　Wood's　gray　eyes　brightened　with　mischief。　She　looked　at　her

Virginian；　and　she　looked　at　me。



〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　〃I　used　to　be　so　afraid　that　when　Bear　Creek

wasn't　new　any　more　it　might　become　dull！〃



〃Miss　Peck　doesn't　find　it　dull　either；〃　said　I。



Molly　Wood　immediately　assumed　a　look　of　doubt。　〃But　mightn't　it　become

justjust　a　little　trying　to　have　two　gentlemen　so　verydetermined；　you

know？〃



〃Only　one　is　determined；〃　said　the　Virginian



Molly　looked　inquiring。



〃Lin　is　determined　Tommy　shall　not　beat　him。　That's　all　it　amounts　to。〃



〃Dear　me；　what　a　notion！〃



〃No；　ma'am；　no　notion。　Tommywell；　Tommy　is　considered　harmless；　ma'am。

A　cow…puncher　of　reputation　in　this　country　would　cert'nly　never　let

Tommy　get　ahaid　of　him　that　way。〃



〃It's　pleasant　to　know　sometimes　how　much　we　count！〃　exclaimed　Molly。



〃Why；　ma'am；〃　said　the　Virginian；　surprised　at　her　flash　of　indignation；

〃where　is　any　countin'　without　some　love？〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　Mr。　McLean　does　not　care　for　Miss　Peck？〃



〃I　reckon　he　thinks　he　does。　But　there　is　a　mighty　wide　difference

between　thinkin'　and　feelin'；　ma'am。〃



I　saw　Molly's　eyes　drop　from　his；　and　I　saw　the　rose　deepen　in　her

cheeks。　But　just　then　a　loud　voice　came　from　the　kitchen。



〃You；　Lin；　if　you　try　any　of　your　foolin'　with　me；　I'll　histe　yu's　over

the　jiste！〃



〃All　cow…punchers〃　I　attempted　to　resume。



〃Quit　now；　Lin　McLean；〃　shouted　the　voice；　〃or　I'll　put　yus　through　that

window；　and　it　shut。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Peck；　I'm　gettin'　most　a　full　dose　o'　this　treatment。　Ever

since　yu'　come　I've　been　doing　my　best。　And　yu'　just　cough　in　my　face。

And　now　I'm　going　to　quit　and　cough　back。〃



〃Would　you　enjoy　walkin'　out　till　supper；　ma'am？〃　inquired　the　Virginian

as　Molly　rose。　〃You　was　speaking　of　gathering　some　flowers　yondeh。〃



〃Why；　yes；〃　said　Molly；　blithely。　〃And　you'll　come？〃　she　added　to　me。



But　I　was　on　the　Virginian's　side。　〃I　must　look　after　my　horse；〃　said　I；

and　went　down　to　the　corral。



Day　was　slowly　going　as　I　took　my　pony　to　the　water。　Corncliff　Mesa；

Crowheart　Butte；　these　shone　in　the　rays　that　came　through　the　canyon。　The

canyon's　sides　lifted　like　tawny　castles　in　the　same　light。　Where　I　walked

the　odor　of　thousands　of　wild　roses　hung　over　the　margin　where　the

thickets　grew。　High　in　the　upper　air；　magpies　were　sailing　across　the

silent　blue。　Somewhere　I　could　hear　Tommy　explaining　loudly　how　he　and

General　Crook　had　pumped　lead　into　hundreds　of　Indians；　and　when　supper…

time　brought　us　all　back　to　the　door　he　was　finishing　the　account　to　Mrs。

Taylor。　Molly　and　the　Virginian　arrived　bearing　flowers；　and　he　was

saying　that　few　cow…punchers　had　any　reason　for　saving　their　money。



〃But　when　you　get　old？〃　said　she。



〃We　mostly　don't　live　long　enough　to　get　old；　ma'am；〃　said　he；　simply。

〃But　I　have　a　reason；　and　I　am　saving。〃



〃Give　me　the　flowers；〃　said　Molly。　And　she　left　him　to　arrange　them　on

the　table　as　Lin　came　hurrying　out。



〃I've　told　her；〃　said　he　to　the　Southerner　and　me；　〃that　I've　asked　her

twiced；　and　I'm　going　to　let　her　have　one　more　chance。　And　I've　told　her

that　if　it's　a　log　cabin　she's　marryin'；　why　Tommy　is　a　sure　good　wooden

piece　of　furniture　to　put　inside　it。　And　I　guess　she　knows　there's　not

much　wooden　furniture　about　me。　I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃　He　took　the

Virginian　round　the　corner。　But　though　he　would　not　confide　in　me；　I

began　to　discern　something　quite　definite　at　supper。



〃Cattle　men　will　lose　stock　if　the　Crows　get　down　as　far　as　this；〃　he

said；　casually；　and　Mrs。　Taylor　suppressed　a　titter。



〃Ain't　it　hawses　the're　repawted　as　running　off？〃　said　the　Virginian。



〃Chap　come　into　the　round…up　this　afternoon；〃　said　Lin。　〃But　he　was

rattled；　and　told　a　heap　o'　facts　that　wouldn't　square。〃



〃Of　course　they　wouldn't；〃　said　Tommy；　haughtily。



〃Oh；　there's　nothing　in　it；〃　said　Lin；　dismissing　the　subject。



〃Have　yu'　been　to　the　opera　since　we　went　to　Cheyenne；　Mrs。　Taylor？〃



Mrs。　Taylor　had　not。



〃Lin；〃　said　the　Virginian；　〃did　yu　ever　see　that　opera　Cyarmen？〃



〃You　bet。　Fellow's　girl　quits　him　for　a　bullfighter。　Gets　him　up　in　the

mountains；　and　quits　him。　He　wasn't　much　goodnot　in　her　class　o'

sports；　smugglin'　and　such。〃



〃I　reckon　she　was　doubtful　of　him　from　the　start。　Took　him　to　the

mount'ins　to　experiment；　where　they'd　not　have　interruption；〃　said　the

Virginian。



〃Talking　of　mountains；〃　said　Tommy；　〃this　range　here　used　to　be　a　great

place　for　Indians　till　we　ran　'em　out　with　Terry。　Pumped　lead　into　the

red　sons…of…guns。〃



〃You　bet；〃　said　Lin。　〃Do　yu'　figure　that　girl　tired　of　her　bull…fighter

and　quit　him；　too？〃



〃I　reckon；〃　replied　the　Virginian；　〃that　the　bull…fighter　wore　better。〃



〃Fans　and　taverns　and　gypsies　and　sportin'；〃　said　Lin。　〃My！　but　I'd　like

to　see　them　countries　with　oranges　and　bull…fights！　Only　I　expect　Spain；

maybe；　ain't　keepin'　it　up　so　gay　as　when　'Carmen'　happened。〃



The　table…talk　soon　left　romance　and　turned　upon　steers　and　alfalfa；　a

grass　but　lately　introduced　in　the　country。　No　further　mention　was　made

of　the　hostile　Crows；　and　from　this　I　drew　the　false　conclusion　that

Tommy　had　not　come　up　to　their　hopes　in　the　matter　of　reciting　his

campaigns。　But　when　the　hour　came　for　those　visitors　who　were　not

spending　the　night　to　take　their　leave；　Taylor　drew　Tommy　aside　with　me；

and　I　noticed　the　Virginian　speaking　with　Molly　Wood；　whose　face　showed

diversion。



〃Don't　seem　to　make　anything　of　it；〃　whispered　Taylor　to　Tommy；　〃but　the

ladies　have　got　their　minds　on　this　Indian　truck。〃



〃Why；　I'll　just　explain〃　began　Tommy。



〃Don't；〃　whispered　Lin；　joining　us。　〃Yu'　know　how　women　are。　Once　they

take　a　notion；　why；　the　more　yu'　deny　the　surer　they　get。　Now；　yu'　see；

him　and　me〃　（he　jerked　his　elbow　towards　the　Virginian）　〃must　go　back　to

camp；　for　we're　on　second　relief。〃



〃And　the　ladies　would　sleep　better　knowing　there　was　another　man　in　the

house；〃　said　Taylor。



〃In　that　case；〃　said　Tommy；　〃I〃



〃Yu'　see；〃　said　Lin；　〃they've　been　told　about　Ten　Sleep　being　burned　two

nights　ago。〃



〃It　ain't！〃　c