lin mclean-第23章

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moved　off。　Barker　had　walked　out　too　in　his　surprise；　and　as　he　stared

after　the　last　car；　Mr。　McLean　waved　his　wide　hat　defiantly　and　went

inside　the　door。



〃And　he　says　he's　got　maturity；〃　Barker　muttered。　〃I've　known　him　since

seventy…nine；　and　he's　kept　about　eight　years　old　right　along。〃　The

Governor　was　cross；　and　sorry；　and　presently　crosser。　His　jokes　about

Lin's　marriage　came　back　to　him　and　put　him　in　a　rage　with　the　departed

fool。　〃Yes；　about　eight。　Or　six；〃　said　his　Excellency；　justifying　himself

by　the　past。　For　he　had　first　known　Lin；　the　boy　of　nineteen；　supreme　in

length　of　limb　and　recklessness；　breaking　horses　and　feeling　for　an　early

mustache。　Next；　when　the　mustache　was　nearly　accomplished；　he　had　mended

the　boy's　badly　broken　thigh　at　Drybone。　His　skill　（and　Lin's　utter

health）　had　wrought　so　swift　a　healing　that　the　surgeon　overflowed　with

the　pride　of　science；　and　over　the　bandages　would　explain　the　human　body

technically　to　his　wild…eyed　and　flattered　patient。　Thus　young　Lin　heard

all　about　tibia；　and　comminuted；　and　other　glorious　new　words；　and　when

sleepless　would　rehearse　them。　Then；　with　the　bone　so　nearly　knit　that

the　patient　might　leave　the　ward　on　crutches　to　sit　each　morning　in

Barker's　room　as　a　privilege；　the　disobedient　child　of　twenty…one　had

slipped　out　of　the　hospital　and　hobbled　hastily　to　the　hog　ranch；　where

whiskey　and　variety　waited　for　a　languishing　convalescent。　Here　he　grew

gay；　and　was　soon　carried　back　with　the　leg　refractured。　Yet　Barker's

surgical　rage　was　disarmed；　the　patient　was　so　forlorn　over　his　doctor's

professional　chagrin。



〃I　suppose　it　ain't　no　better　this　morning；　Doc？〃　he　had　said；　humbly；

after　a　new　week　of　bed　and　weights。



〃Your　right　leg's　going　to　be　shorter。　That's　all。〃



〃Oh；　gosh！　I've　been　and　spoiled　your　comminuted　fee…mur！　Ain't　I　a

son…of…a…gun？〃



You　could　not　chide　such　a　boy　as　this；　and　in　time's　due　course　he　had

walked　jauntily　out　into　the　world　with　legs　of　equal　length　after　all

and　in　his　stride　the　slightest　halt　possible。　And　Doctor　Barker　had

missed　the　child's　conversation。　To…day　his　mustache　was　a　perfected

thing；　and　he　in　the　late　end　of　his　twenties。



〃He'll　wake　up　about　noon　to…morrow　in　a　dive；　without　a　cent；〃　said

Barker。　〃Then　he'll　come　back　on　a　freight　and　begin　over　again。〃



At　the　Denver　station　Lin　McLean　passed　through　the　shoutings　and

omnibuses；　and　came　to　the　beginning　of　Seventeenth　Street；　where　is　the

first　saloon。　A　customer　was　ordering　Hot　Scotch；　and　because　he　liked

the　smell　and　had　not　thought　of　the　mixture　for　a　number　of　years；　Lin

took　Hot　Scotch。　Coming　out　upon　the　pavement；　he　looked　across　and　saw　a

saloon　opposite　with　brighter　globes　and　windows　more　prosperous。　That

should　have　been　his　choice；　lemon　peel　would　undoubtedly　be　fresher　over

there；　and　over　he　went　at　once；　to　begin　the　whole　thing　properly。　In

such　frozen　weather　no　drink　could　be　more　timely；　and　he　sat；　to　enjoy

without　haste　its　mellow　fitness。　Once　again　on　the　pavement；　he　looked

along　the　street　toward　up…town　beneath　the　crisp；　cold　electric　lights；

and　three　little　bootblacks　gathered　where　he　stood　and　cried　〃Shine？

Shine？〃　at　him。　Remembering　that　you　took　the　third　turn　to　the　right　to

get　the　best　dinner　in　Denver；　Lin　hit　on　the　skilful　plan　of　stopping　at

all　Hot　Scotches　between；　but　the　next　occurred　within　a　few　yards；　and

it　was　across　the　street。　This　one　being　attained　and　appreciated；　he

found　that　he　must　cross　back　again　or　skip　number　four。　At　this　rate　he

would　not　be　dining　in　time　to　see　much　of　the　theatre；　and　he　stopped　to

consider。　It　was　a　German　place　he　had　just　quitted；　and　a　huge　light

poured　out　on　him　from　its　window；　which　the　proprietor's　father…land

sentiment　had　made　into　a　show。　Lights　shone　among　a　well…set　pine

forest；　where　beery；　jovial　gnomes　sat　on　roots　and　reached　upward　to

Santa　Claus；　he；　grinning；　fat；　and　Teutonic；　held　in　his　right　hand

forever　a　foaming　glass；　and　forever　in　his　left　a　string　of　sausages

that　dangled　down　among　the　gnomes。　With　his　American　back　to　this；　the

cow…puncher；　wearing　the　same　serious；　absent　face　he　had　not　changed

since　he　ran　away　from　himself　at　Cheyenne；　considered　carefully　the　Hot

Scotch　question；　and　which　side　of　the　road　to　take　and　stick　to；　while

the　little　bootblacks　found　him　once　more　and　cried；　〃Shine？　Shine？〃

monotonous　as　snow…birds。　He　settled　to　stay　over　here　with　the

south…side　Scotches；　and　the　little　one…note　song　reaching　his　attention；

he　suddenly　shoved　his　foot　at　the　nearest　boy；　who　lightly　sprang　away。



〃Dare　you　to　touch　him！〃　piped　a　snow…bird；　dangerously。　They　were　in

short　trousers；　and　the　eldest　enemy；　it　may　be；　was　ten。



〃Don't　hit　me；〃　said　Mr。　McLean　〃I'm　innocent。〃



〃Well；　you　leave　him　be；〃　said　one。



〃What's　he　layin'　to　kick　you　for；　Billy？　'Tain't　yer　pop；　is　it？〃



〃New！〃　said　Billy；　in　scorn。　〃Father　never　kicked　me。　Don't　know　who　he

is。〃



〃He's　a　special！〃　shrilled　the　leading　bird；　sensationally。　〃He's　got　a

badge；　and　he's　goin'　to　arrest　yer。〃



Two　of　them　hopped　instantly　to　the　safe　middle　of　the　street；　and

scattered　with　practiced　strategy；　but　Billy　stood　his　ground。　〃Dare　you

to　arrest　me！〃　said　he。



〃What'll　you　give　me　not　to？〃　inquired　Lin；　and　he　put　his　hands　in　his

pockets；　arms　akimbo。



〃Nothing；　I've　done　nothing；〃　announced　Billy；　firmly。　But　even　in　the

last　syllable　his　voice　suddenly　failed；　a　terror　filled　his　eyes；　and

he；　too；　sped　into　the　middle　of　the　street。



〃What's　he　claim　you　lifted？〃　inquired　the　leader；　with　eagerness。　〃Tell

him　you　haven't　been　inside　a　store　to…day。　We　can　prove　it！〃　they

screamed　to　the　special　officer。



〃Say；〃　said　the　slow…spoken　Lin　from　the　pavement；　〃you're　poor　judges　of

a　badge；　you　fellows。〃



His　tone　pleased　them　where　they　stood；　wide　apart　from　each　other。



Mr。　McLean　also　remained　stationary　in　the　bluish　illumination　of　the

window。　〃Why；　if　any　policeman　was　caught　wearin'　this　here；〃　said　he；

following　his　sprightly　invention；　〃he'd　get　arrested　himself。〃



This　struck　them　extremely。　They　began　to　draw　together；　Billy　lingering

the　last。



〃If　it's　your　idea；〃　pursued　Mr。　McLean；　alluringly；　as　the　three　took

cautious　steps　nearer　the　curb；　〃that　blue；　clasped　hands　in　a　circle　of

red　stars　gives　the　bearer　the　right　to　put　folks　in　the　jugwhy；　I'll

get　somebody　else　to　black　my　boots　for　a　dollar。〃



The　three　made　a　swift　rush；　fell　on　simultaneous　knees；　and　clattering

their　boxes　down；　began　to　spit　in　an　industrious　circle。



〃Easy！〃　wheedled　Mr。　McLean；　and　they　looked　up　at　him；　staring　and

fascinated。　〃Not　having　three　feet；〃　said　the　cow…puncher；　always　grave

and　slow；　〃I　can　only　give　two　this　here　job。〃



〃He's　got　a　big　pistol　and　a　belt！〃　exulted　the　leader；　who　had

precociously　felt　beneath　Lin's　coat。



〃You're　a　smart　boy；〃　said　Lin；　considering　him；　〃and　yu'　find　a　man　out

right　away。　Now　you　stand　off　and　tell　me　all　about　myself　while　they　fix

the　bootsand　a　dollar　goes　to　the　quickest　through。〃



Young　Billy　and　his　tow…headed　competitor　flattened　down；　each　to　a　boot；

with　all　their　might；　while　the　leader　ruefully　contemplated　Mr。　McLean。



〃That's　a　Colt　。45　you've　got；〃　ventured　he。



〃Right　again。　Some　day；　maybe；　you'll　be　wearing　one　of　your　own；　if　the

angels　don't　pull　yu'　before　you're　ripe。〃



〃I'm　through！〃　sang　out　Towhead；　rising　in　haste。



Small　Billy　was　struggling　still；　but　leaped　at　that；　the　two　heads

bobbing　to　a　level　together；　and　Mr。　McLean；　looking　down；　saw　that　the

arrangement　had　not　been　a　good　one　for　the　boots。



〃Will　you　kindly　referee；〃　said　he；　forgivingly；　to　the　leader；　〃and

decide　which　of　them　smears　is　the　awfulest？〃



But　the　leader　looked　the　other　way　and　played　upon　a　mouth…organ。



〃Well；　that　saves　me　money；〃　said　Mr。　McLea