lin mclean-第43章

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with　the　feather　quietly　surveying　her。　The　words　which　the　stranger

spoke　then　were　usual　enough　for　a　beginning。　But　there　was　something　of

threat　in　the　strong　animal　countenance；　something　of　laughter　ready　to

break　out。　Much　beauty　of　its　kind　had　evidently　been　in　the　face；　and

now；　as　substitute　for　what　was　gone；　was　the　brag　look　of　assertion　that

it　was　still　all　there。　Many　stranded　travellers　knocked　at　Jessamine's

door；　and　now；　as　always；　she　offered　the　hospitalities　of　her　neat

abode；　the　only　room　in　Separ　fit　for　a　woman。　As　she　spoke；　and　the

guest　surveyed　and　listened；　the　door　blew　shut　with　a　crash。



Outside；　in　a　shed；　Billy　had　placed　the　wagon　between　himself　and　his

father。



〃How　you　have　grown！〃　the　man　was　saying；　and　he　smiled。　〃Come；　shake

hands。　I　did　not　think　to　see　you　here。〃



〃Dare　you　to　touch　me！〃　Billy　screamed。　〃No；　I'll　never　come　with　you。

Lin　says　I　needn't　to。〃



The　man　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead；　and　leaned　against　the

wheel。　〃Lord；　Lord！〃　he　muttered。



His　son　warily　slid　out　of　the　shed　and　left　him　leaning　there。







PART　II



Lin　McLean；　bachelor；　sat　out　in　front　of　his　cabin；　looking　at　a　small

bright　pistol　that　lay　in　his　hand。　He　held　it　tenderly；　cherishing　it；

and　did　not　cease　slowly　to　polish　it。　Revery　filled　his　eyes；　and　in　his

whole　face　was　sadness　unmasked；　because　only　the　animals　were　there　to

perceive　his　true　feelings。　Sunlight　and　waving　shadows　moved　together

upon　the　green　of　his　pasture；　cattle　and　horses　loitered　in　the　opens　by

the　stream。　Down　Box　Elder's　course；　its　valley　and　golden…chimneyed

bluffs　widened　away　into　the　level　and　the　blue　of　the　greater　valley。

Upstream　the　branches　and　shining；　quiet　leaves　entered　the　mountains

where　the　rock　chimneys　narrowed　to　a　gateway；　a　citadel　of　shafts　and

turrets；　crimson　and　gold　above　the　filmy　emerald　of　the　trees。　Through

there　the　road　went　up　from　the　cotton…woods　into　the　cool　quaking　asps

and　pines；　and　so　across　the　range　and　away　to　Separ。　Along　the

ridge…pole　of　the　new　stable；　two　hundred　yards　down…stream；　sat　McLean's

turkeys；　and　cocks　and　hens　walked　in　front　of　him　here　by　his　cabin　and

fenced　garden。　Slow　smoke　rose　from　the　cabin's　chimney　into　the　air；　in

which　were　no　sounds　but　the　running　water　and　the　afternoon　chirp　of

birds。　Amid　this　framework　of　a　home　the　cow…puncher　sat；　lonely；

inattentive；　polishing　the　treasured　weapon　as　if　it　were　not　already

long　clean。　His　target　stood　some　twenty　steps　in　front　of　hima　small

cottonwood…tree；　its　trunk　chipped　and　honeycombed　with　bullets　which　he

had　fired　into　it　each　day　for　memory's　sake。　Presently　he　lifted　the

pistol　and　looked　at　its　namethe　word　〃Neighbor〃　engraved　upon　it。



〃I　wonder；〃　said　he；　aloud；　〃if　she　keeps　the　rust　off　mine？〃　Then　he

lifted　it　slowly　to　his　lips　and　kissed　the　word　〃Neighbor。〃



The　clank　of　wheels　sounded　on　the　road；　and　he　put　the　pistol　quickly

down。　Dreaminess　vanished　from　his　face。　He　looked　around　alertly；　but　no

one　had　seen　him。　The　clanking　was　still　among　the　trees　a　little

distance　up　Box　Elder。　It　approached　deliberately；　while　he　watched　for

the　vehicle　to　emerge　upon　the　open　where　his　cabin　stood；　and　then　they

came；　a　man　and　a　woman。　At　sight　of　her　Mr。　McLean　half　rose；　but　sat

down　again。　Neither　of　them　had　noticed　him；　sitting　as　they　were　in

silence　and　the　drowsiness　of　a　long　drive。　The　man　was　weak…faced；　with

good　looks　sallowed　by　dissipation；　and　a　vanquished　glance　of　the　eye。

As　the　woman　had　stood　on　the　platform　at　Separ；　so　she　sat　now；　upright；

bold；　and　massive。　The　brag　of　past　beauty　was　a　habit　settled　upon　her

stolid　features。　Both　sat　inattentive　to　each　other　and　to　everything

around　them。　The　wheels　turned　slowly　and　with　a　dry；　dead　noise；　the

reins　bellied　loosely　to　the　shafts；　the　horse's　head　hung　low。　So　they

drew　close。　Then　the　man　saw　McLean；　and　color　came　into　his　face　and

went　away。



〃Good…evening；〃　said　he；　clearing　his　throat。　〃We　heard　you　was　in

cow…camp。〃



The　cow…puncher　noted　how　he　tried　to　smile；　and　a　freakish　change

crossed　his　own　countenance。　He　nodded　slightly；　and　stretched　his　legs

out　as　he　sat。



〃You　look　natural；〃　said　the　woman；　familiarly。



〃Seem　to　be　fixed　nice　here；〃　continued　the　man。　〃Hadn't　heard　of　it。

Well；　we'll　be　going　along。　Glad　to　have　seen　you。〃



〃Your　wheel　wants　greasing；〃　said　McLean；　briefly；　his　eye　upon　the　man。



〃Can't　stop。　I　expect　she'll　last　to　Drybone。　Good…evening。〃



〃Stay　to　supper；〃　said　McLean；　always　seated　on　his　chair。



〃Can't　stop；　thank　you。　I　expect　we　can　last　to　Drybone。〃　He　twitched　the

reins。



McLean　levelled　a　pistol　at　a　chicken；　and　knocked　off　its　head。　〃Better

stay　to　supper；〃　he　suggested；　very　distinctly。



〃It's　business；　I　tell　you。　I've　got　to　catch　Governor　Barker　before　he〃



The　pistol　cracked；　and　a　second　chicken　shuffled　in　the　dust。　〃Better

stay　to　supper；〃　drawled　McLean。



The　man　looked　up　at　his　wife。



〃So　yus　need　me！〃　she　broke　out。　〃Ain't　got　heart　enough　in　yer

played…out　body　to　stand　up　to　a　man。　We'll　eat　here。　Get　down。〃



The　husband　stepped　to　the　ground。　〃I　didn't　suppose　you'd　want〃



〃Ho！　want？　What's　Lin；　or　you；　or　anything　to　me？　Help　me　out。〃



Both　men　came　forward。　She　descended；　leaning　heavily　upon　each；　her　blue

staring　eyes　fixed　upon　the　cow…puncher。



〃No；　yus　ain't　changed；〃　she　said。　〃Same　in　your　looks　and　same　in　your

actions。　Was　you　expecting　you　could　scare　me；　you；　Lin　McLean？〃



〃I　just　wanted　chickens　for　supper；〃　said　he。



Mrs。　Lusk　gave　a　hard　high　laugh。　〃I'll　eat　'em。　It's　not　I　that　cares。

As　for〃　She　stopped。　Her　eye　had　fallen　upon　the　pistol　and　the　name

〃Neighbor。〃　〃As　for　you；〃　she　continued　to　Mr。　Lusk；　〃don't　you　be

standing　dumb　same　as　the　horse。〃



〃Better　take　him　to　the　stable；　Lusk；〃　said　McLean。



He　picked　the　chickens　up；　showed　the　woman　to　the　best　chair　in　his

room；　and　went　into　his　kitchen　to　cook　supper　for　three。　He　gave　his

guests　no　further　attention；　nor　did　either　of　them　come　in　where　he　was；

nor　did　the　husband　rejoin　the　wife。　He　walked　slowly　up　and　down　in　the

air；　and　she　sat　by　herself　in　the　room。　Lin's　steps　as　he　made　ready

round　the　stove　and　table；　and　Lusk's　slow　tread　out　in　the　setting

sunlight；　were　the　only　sounds　about　the　cabin。　When　the　host　looked　into

the　door　of　the　next　room　to　announce　that　his　meal　was　served；　the　woman

sat　in　her　chair　no　longer；　but　stood　with　her　back　to　him　by　a　shelf。

She　gave　a　slight　start　at　his　summons；　and　replaced　something。　He　saw

that　she　had　been　examining　〃Neighbor；〃　and　his　face　hardened　suddenly　to

fierceness　as　he　looked　at　her；　but　he　repeated　quietly　that　she　had

better　come　in。　Thus　did　the　three　sit　down　to　their　meal。　Occasionally　a

word　about　handing　some　dish　fell　from　one　or　other　of　them；　but　nothing

more；　until　Lusk　took　out　his　watch　and　mentioned　the　hour。



〃Yu've　not　ate　especially　hearty；〃　said　Lin；　resting　his　arms　upon　the

table。



〃I'm　going；〃　asserted　Lusk。　〃Governor　Barker　may　start　out。　I've　got　my

interests　to　look　after。〃



〃Why；　sure；〃　said　Lin。　〃I　can't　hope　you'll　waste　all　your　time　on　just

me。〃



Lusk　rose　and　looked　at　his　wife。　〃It'll　be　ten　now　before　we　get　to

Drybone；〃　said　he。　And　he　went　down　to　the　stable。



The　woman　sat　still；　pressing　the　crumbs　of　her　bread。　〃I　know　you　seen

me；〃　she　said；　without　looking　at　him。



〃Saw　you　when？〃



〃I　knowed　it。　And　I　seen　how　you　looked　at　me。〃　She　sat　twisting　and

pressing　the　crumb。　Sometimes　it　was　round；　sometimes　it　was　a　cube；　now

and　then　she　flattened　it　to　a　disk。　Mr。　McLean　seemed　to　have　nothing

that　he　wished　to　reply。



〃If　you　claim　that　pistol　is　yourn；〃　she　said　next；　〃I'll　tell　you　I　know

better。　If　you　ask　me　whose　should　it　be　if　not　yourn；　I　would　not　have

to　guess　the　name。　She