lin mclean-第39章

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He　suggested　to　the　Southerner　that　caution　might　be　wise；　this　change　at

Separ　was　perhaps　some　new　trick　of　the　company's。



〃We　mostly　take　their　tricks；〃　observed　the　Virginian。



〃Yes；〃　said　Lin；　nodding　sagely　at　the　fire；　〃that's　so；　too。〃



Yet　not　he；　not　any　one；　could　have　foreseen　the　mortifying　harmlessness

of　the　outcome。　They　swept　down　upon　Separ　like　all　the　hordes　of　legend…

…more　egregiously；　perhaps；　because　they　were　play…acting　and　no　serious

horde　would　go　on　so。　Our　final　hundred　yards　of　speed　and　copious

howling　brought　all　dwellers　in　Separ　out　to　gaze　and　disappear　like

rabbitsall　save　the　new　agent　in　the　station。　Nobody　ran　out　or　in

there；　and　the　horde　whirled　up　to　the　tiny；　defenceless　building　and

leaped　to　earthexcept　Lin　and　me；　we　sat　watching。　The　innocent　door

stood　open　wide　to　any　cool　breeze　or　invasion；　and　Honey　Wiggin　tramped

in　foremost；　hat　lowering　over　eyes　and　pistol　prominent。　He　stopped

rooted；　staring；　and　his　mouth　came　open　slowly；　his　hand　went　feeling　up

for　his　hat；　and　came　down　with　it　by　degrees　as　by　degrees　his　grin

spread。　Then　in　a　milky　voice；　he　said：　〃Why；　excuse　me；　ma'am！

Good…morning。〃



There　answered　a　clear；　long；　rippling；　ample　laugh。　It　came　out　of　the

open　door　into　the　heat；　it　made　the　sun…baked　air　merry；　it　seemed　to

welcome　and　mock；　it　genially　hovered　about　us　in　the　dusty　quiet　of

Separ；　for　there　was　no　other　sound　anywhere　at　all　in　the　place；　and　the

great　plain　stretched　away　silent　all　round　it。　The　bulging　water…tank

shone　overhead　in　bland；　ironic　safety。



The　horde　stood　blank；　then　it　shifted　its　legs；　looked　sideways　at

itself；　and　in　a　hesitating　clump　reached　the　door；　shambled　in；　and

removed　its　foolish　hat。



〃Good…morning；　gentlemen；〃　said　Jessamine　Buckner；　seated　behind　her

railing；　and　various　voices　endeavored　to　reply　conventionally。



〃If　you　have　any　letters；　ma'am；〃　said　the　Virginian；　more　inventive；

〃I'll　take　them。　Letters　for　Judge　Henry's。〃　He　knew　the　judge's　office

was　seventy　miles　from　here。



〃Any　for　the　C。　Y。？〃　muttered　another；　likewise　knowing　better。



It　was　a　happy；　if　simple；　thought；　and　most　of　them　inquired　for　the

mail。　Jessamine　sought　carefully；　making　them　repeat　their　names；　which

some　did　guiltily：　they　foresaw　how　soon　the　lady　would　find　out　no

letters　ever　came　for　these　names！



There　was　no　letter　for　any　one　present。



〃I'm　sorry；　truly；〃　said　Jessamine　behind　the　railing。　〃For　you　seemed

real　anxious　to　get　news。　Better　luck　next　time！　And　if　I　make　mistakes；

please　everybody　set　me　straight；　for　of　course　I　don't　understand　things

yet。〃



〃Yes；　m'm。〃



〃Good…day；　m'm。〃



〃Thank　yu'；　m'm。'



They　got　themselves　out　of　the　station　and　into　their　saddles。



〃No；　she　don't　understand　things　yet；〃　soliloquized　the　Virginian。　〃Oh

dear；　no。〃　He　turned　his　slow；　dark　eyes　upon　us。　〃You　Lin　McLean；〃　said

he；　in　his　gentle　voice；　〃you　have　cert'nly　fooled　me　plumb　through　this

mawnin'。〃



Then　the　horde　rode　out　of　town；　chastened　and　orderly　till　it　was　quite

small　across　the　sagebrush；　when　reaction　seized　it。　It　sped　suddenly　and

vanished　in　dust　with　far；　hilarious　cries　and　here　were　Lin　and　I；　and

here　towered　the　water…tank；　shining　and　shining。



Thus　did　Separ's　vigilante　take　possession　and　vindicate　Lin's　knowledge

of　his　kind。　It　was　not　three　days　until　the　Virginian；　that　lynx

observer；　fixed　his　grave　eyes　upon　McLean　〃'Neighbor'　is　as　cute　a　name

for　a　six…shooter　as　ever　I　heard；〃　said　he。　〃But　she'll　never　have　need

of　your　gun　in　Separonly　to　shoot　up　peaceful　playin'…cyards　while　she

hearkens　to　your　courtin'。〃



That　was　his　way　of　congratulation　to　a　brother　lover。　〃Plumb　strange；〃

he　said　to　me　one　morning　after　an　hour　of　riding　in　silence；　〃how　a　man

will　win　two　women　while　another　man　gets　aged　waitin'　for　one。〃



〃Your　hair　seems　black　as　ever；〃　said　I。



〃My　hopes　ain't　so　glossy　any　more；〃　he　answered。　〃Lin　has　done　better

this　second　trip。〃



〃Mrs。　Lusk　don't　count；〃　said　I。



〃I　reckon　she　counted　mighty　plentiful　when　he　thought　he'd　got　her

clamped　to　him　by　lawful　marriage。　But　Lin's　lucky。〃　And　the　Virginian

fell　silent　again。



Lucky　Lin　bestirred　him　over　his　work；　his　plans；　his　ranch　on　Box　Elder

that　was　one　day　to　be　a　home　for　his　lady。　He　came　and　went；　seeing　his

idea　triumph　and　his　girl　respected。　Not　only　was　she　a　girl；　but　a　good

shot　too。　And　as　if　she　and　her　small；　neat　home　were　a　sort　of

possession；　the　cow…punchers　would　boast　of　her　to　strangers。　They　would

have　dealt　heavily　now　with　the　wretch　who　should　trifle　with　the

water…tank。　When　camp　came　within　visiting　distance；　you　would　see　one　or

another　shaving　and　parting　his　hair。　They　wrote　unnecessary　letters；　and

brought　them　to　mail　as　excuses　for　an　afternoon　call。　Honey　Wiggin；　more

original；　would　look　in　the　door　with　his　grin；　and　hold　up　an　ace　of

clubs。　〃I　thought　maybe　yu'　could　spare　a　minute　for　a　shootin'…match；〃

he　would　insinuate；　and　Separ　now　heard　no　more　objectionable　shooting

than　this。　Texas　brought　her　presents　of　gameantelope；　sage…chickens

but；　shyness　intervening；　he　left　them　outside　the　door；　and　entering；

dressed　in　all　the　〃Sunday〃　that　he　had；　would　sit　dumbly　in　the　lady's

presence。　I　remember　his　emerging　from　one　of　these　placid　interviews

straight　into　the　hands　of　his　tormentors。



〃If　she　don't　notice　your　clothes；　Texas；〃　said　the　Virginian；　〃just

mention　them　to　her。〃



〃Now　yer've　done　offended　her；〃　shrilled　Manassas　Donohoe。　〃She　heard

that。〃



〃She'll　hear　you　singin'　sooprano；〃　said　Honey　Wiggin。　〃It's　good　this

country　has　reformed；　or　they'd　have　you　warblin'　in　some　dance…hall　and

corrupt　your　morals。〃



〃You　sca'cely　can　corrupt　the　morals　of　a　soprano　man；〃　observed　the

Virginian。　〃Go　and　play　with　Billy　till　you　can　talk　bass。〃



But　it　was　the　boldest　adults　that　Billy　chose　for　playmates。　Texas　he

found　immature。　Moreover；　when　next　he　came；　he　desired　play　with　no　one。

Summer　was　done。　September's　full　moon　was　several　nights　ago；　he　had

gone　on　his　hunt　with　Lin；　and　now　spelling…books　were　at　hand。　But　more

than　this　clouded　his　mind；　he　had　been　brought　to　say　good…bye　to

Jessamine　Buckner；　who　had　scarcely　seen　him；　and　to　give　her　a

wolverene…skin；　a　hunting　trophy。　〃She　can　have　it；〃　he　told　me。　〃I　like

her。〃　Then　he　stole　a　look　at　his　guardian。　〃If　they　get　married　and　send

me　back　to　mother；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　run　away　sure。〃　So　school　and　this　old

dread　haunted　the　child；　while　for　the　man；　Lin　the　lucky；　who　suspected

nothing　of　it；　time　was　ever　bringing　love　nearer　to　his　hearth。　His

Jessamine　had　visited　Box　Elder；　and　even　said　she　wanted　chickens　there；

since　when　Mr。　McLean　might　occasionally　have　been　seen　at　his　cabin；

worrying　over　barn…yard　fowls；　feeding　and　cursing　them　with　equal　care。

Spring　would　see　him　married；　he　told　me。



〃This　time　right！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃And　I　want　her　to　know　Billy　some　more

before　he　goes　to　Bear　Creek。〃



〃Ah；　Bear　Creek！〃　said　Billy；　acidly。　〃Why　can't　I　stay　home？〃



〃Home　sounds　kind　o'　slick；〃　said　Lin　to　me。　〃Don't　it；　now？　'Home'　is

closer　than　'neighbor；'　you　bet！　Billy；　put　the　horses　in　the　corral；　and

ask　Miss　Buckner　if　we　can　come　and　see　her　after　supper。　If　you're　good；

maybe　she'll　take　yu'　for　a　ride　to…morrow。　And；　kid；　ask　her　about

Laramie。〃



Again　suspicion　quivered　over　Billy's　face；　and　he　dragged　his　horses

angrily　to　the　corral。



Lin　nudged　me；　laughing。　〃I　can　rile　him　every　time　about　Laramie；〃　said

he；　affectionately。　〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　the　kid　set　so　much　store

by　me。　Nor　I　didn't　need　to　ask　Jessamine　to　love　him　for　my　sake。　What

do　yu'　suppose？　Before　I'd　got　far　as　thinking　of　Billy　at　all　right

after　Edgeford；　when　my　head　was　just　a　whirl　of　joyJessamine　says　to

me　one　day；　'Read　that。'　It　was　Governor　Barker　w