lin mclean-第47章

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Slaghammer's。　From　the　multitude　and　vigor　of　the　sounds　there；　the　dance

was　being　done　regularly。　〃Regularly〃　meant　that　upon　the　conclusion　of

each　set　the　gentleman　led　his　lady　to　the　bar　and　invited　her　to　choose

and　it　was　also　regular　that　the　lady　should　choose。　Beer　and　whiskey

were　the　alternatives。



Lin　McLean's　horse　took　him　across　the　square　without　guiding　from　the

cow…puncher；　who　sat　absently　with　his　hands　folded　upon　the　horn　of　his

saddle。　This　horse；　too；　was　patient　and　experienced；　and　could　not　know

what　remote　thoughts　filled　his　master's　mind。　He　looked　around　to　see

why　his　master　did　not　get　off　lightly；　as　he　had　done　during　so　many

gallant　years；　and　hasten　in　to　the　conviviality。　But　the　lonely

cow…puncher　sat　mechanically　identifying　the　horses　of　acquaintances。



〃Toothpick　Kid　is　here；〃　said　he；　〃and　Limber　Jim；　and　the　Doughie。　You'd

think　he'd　stay　away　after　the　trouble　heI　expect　that　pinto　is　Jerky

Bill's。〃



〃Go　home！〃　said　a　hearty　voice。



McLean　eagerly　turned。　For　the　moment　his　face　lighted　from　its

sombreness。　〃I'd　forgot　you'd　be　here；〃　said　he。　And　he　sprang　to　the

ground。　〃It's　fine　to　see　you。〃



〃Go　home！〃　repeated　the　Governor　of　Wyoming；　shaking　his　ancient　friend's

hand。　〃You　in　Drybone　to…night；　and　claim　you're　reformed？



〃Yu'　seem　to　be　on　hand　yourself；〃　said　the　cow…puncher；　bracing　to　be

jocular；　if　he　could。



〃Me！　I've　gone　fishing。　Don't　you　read　the　papers？　If　we　poor　governors

can't　lock　up　the　State　House　and　take　a　whirl　now　and　then〃



〃Doc；〃　interrupted　Lin；　〃it's　plumb　fine　to　see　yu'！〃　Again　he　shook

hands。



〃Why；　yes！　we've　met　here　before；　you　and　I。〃　His　Excellency　the　Hon。

Amory　W。　Barker；　M。D。；　stood　laughing；　familiar　and　genial；　his　sound

white　teeth　shining。　But　behind　his　round　spectacles　he　scrutinized

McLean。　For　in　this　second　hand…shaking　was　a　fervor　that　seemed　a　grasp；

a　reaching　out；　for　comfort。　Barker　had　passed　through　Separ。　Though　an

older　acquaintance　than　Billy；　he　had　asked　Jessamine　fewer　and　different

questions。　But　he　knew　what　he　knew。　〃Well；　Drybone's　the　same　old

Drybone；〃　said　he。　〃Sweet…scented　hole　of　iniquity！　Let's　see　how　you

walk　nowadays。〃



Lin　took　a　few　steps。



〃Pooh！　I　said　you'd　never　get　over　it。〃　And　his　Excellency　beamed　with

professional　pride。　In　his　doctor　days　Barker　had　set　the　boy　McLean's

leg；　and　before　it　was　properly　knit　the　boy　had　escaped　from　the

hospital　to　revel　loose　in　Drybone　on　such　another　night　as　this。　Soon　he

had　been　carried　back；　with　the　fracture　split　open　again。



〃It　shows；　does　it？〃　said　Lin。　〃Well；　it　don't　usually。　Not　except　when

I'mwhen　I'm〃



〃Down？〃　suggested　his　Excellency。



〃Yes；　Doc。　Down；〃　the　cow…puncher　confessed。



Barker　looked　into　his　friend's　clear　hazel　eyes。



Beneath　their　dauntless　sparkle　was　something　that　touched　the　Governor's

good　heart。　〃I've　got　some　whiskey　along　on　the　tripEastern　whiskey；〃

said　he。　〃Come　over　to　my　room　awhile。〃



〃I　used　to　sleep　all　night　onced；〃　said　McLean；　as　they　went。　〃Then　I

come　to　know　different。　But　I'd　never　have　believed　just　mere　thoughts

could　make　yu'make　yu'　feel　like　the　steam　was　only　half　on。　I　eat；　yu'

know！〃　he　stated；　suddenly。　〃And　I　expect　one　or　two　in　camp　lately　have

not　found　my　muscle　lacking。　Feel　me；　Doc。〃



Barker　dutifully　obeyed；　and　praised　the　excellent　sinews。



Across　from　the　dance…hall　the　whining　of　the　fiddle　came；　high　and　gay；

feet　blurred　the　talk　of　voices；　and　voices　rose　above　the　trampling　of

feet。　Here　and　there　some　lurking　form　stumbled　through　the　dark　among

the　rubbish；　and　clearest　sound　of　all；　the　light　crack　of　billiard　balls

reached　dry　and　far　into　the　night　Barker　contemplated　the　stars　and　calm

splendid　dimness　of　the　plain。　〃'Though　every　prospect　pleases；　and　only

man　is　vile；'〃　he　quoted。　〃But　don't　tell　the　Republican　party　I　said　so。〃



〃It's　awful　true；　though；　Doc。　I'm　vile　myself。　Yu'　don't　know。　Why；　I

didn't　know！〃



And　then　they　sat　down　to　confidences　and　whiskey；　for　so　long　as　the

world　goes　round　a　man　must　talk　to　a　man　sometimes；　and　both　must　drink

over　it。　The　cow…puncher　unburdened　himself　to　the　Governor；　and　the

Governor　filled　up　his　friend's　glass　with　the　Eastern　whiskey；　and

nodded　his　spectacles；　and　listened；　and　advised；　and　said　he　should　have

done　the　same；　and　like　the　good　Governor　that　he　was；　never　remembered

he　was　Governor　at　all　with　political　friends　here　who　had　begged　a　word

or　two。　He　became　just　Dr。　Barker　again；　the　young　hospital　surgeon　（the

hospital　that　now　stood　a　ruin）；　and　Lin　was　again　his　patientLin；

the　sun…burnt　free…lance　of　nineteen；　reckless；　engaging；　disobedient；

his　leg　broken　and　his　heart　light；　with　no　Jessamine　or　conscience　to

rob　his　salt　of　its　savor。　While　he　now　told　his　troubles；　the　quadrilles

fiddled　away　careless　as　ever；　and　the　crack　of　the　billiard　balls

sounded　as　of　old。



〃Nobody　has　told　you　about　this；　I　expect；〃　said　the　lover。　He　brought

forth　the　little　pistol；　〃Neighbor。〃　He　did　not　hand　it　across　to　Barker；

but　walked　over　to　Barker's　chair；　and　stood　holding　it　for　the　doctor　to

see。　When　Barker　reached　for　it　to　see　better；　since　it　was　half　hidden

in　the　cow…puncher's　big　hand；　Lin　yielded　it　to　him；　but　still　stood　and

soon　drew　it　back。　〃I　take　it　around；〃　he　said；　〃and　when　one　of　those

stories　comes　along；　like　there's　plenty　of；　that　she　wants　to　get　rid　of

me；　I　just　kind　o'　take　a　look　at　'Neighbor'　when　I'm　off　where　it's

handy；　and　it　busts　the　story　right　out　of　my　mind。　I　have　to　tell　you

what　a　fool　I　am。〃



〃The　whiskey's　your　side；〃　said　Barker。　〃Go　on。〃



〃But；　Doc；　my　courage　has　quit　me。　They　see　what　I'm　thinking　about　just

like　I　was　a　tenderfoot　trying　his　first　bluff。　I　can't　stick　it　out　no

more；　and　I'm　going　to　see　her；　come　what　will。



I've　got　to。　I'm　going　to　ride　right　up　to　her　window　and　shoot　off

'Neighbor；'　and　if　she　don't　come　out　I'll　know〃



A　knocking　came　at　the　Governor's　room；　and　Judge　Slaghammer　entered。

〃Not　been　to　our　dance；　Governor？〃　said　he。



The　Governor　thought　that　perhaps　he　was　tired；　that　perhaps　this　evening

he　must　forego　the　pleasure。



〃It　may　be　wiser。　In　your　position　it　may　be　advisable；〃　said　the

coroner。　〃They're　getting　on　rollers　over　there。　We　do　not　like　trouble

in　Drybone；　but　trouble　comes　to　usas　everywhere。〃



〃Shooting；〃　suggested　his　Excellency；　recalling　his　hospital　practice。



〃Well；　Governor；　you　know　how　it　is。　Our　boys　are　as　big…hearted　as　any

in　this　big…hearted　Western　country。　You　know；　Governor。　Those　generous；

warm…blooded　spirits　are　ever　ready　for　anything。〃



〃Especially　after　Mrs。　Slaghammer's　whiskey；〃　remarked　the　Governor。



The　coroner　shot　a　shrewd　eye　at　Wyoming's　chief　executive。　It　was　not

politically　harmonious　to　be　reminded　that　but　for　his　wife's　liquor　a

number　of　fine　young　men；　with　nothing　save　youth　untrained　and　health

the　matter　with　them；　would　to…day　be　riding　their　horses　instead　of

sleeping　on　the　hill。　But　the　coroner　wanted　support　in　the　next

campaign。　〃Boys　will　be　boys；〃　said　he。　〃They　ain't　pulled　any　guns

to…night。　But　I　come　away；　though。　Some　of　'em's　making　up　pretty　free　to

Mrs。　Lusk。　It　ain't　suitable　for　me　to　see　too　much。　Lusk　says　he's　after

you；〃　he　mentioned　incidentally　to　Lin。　〃He's　fillin'　up；　and　says　he's

after　you。〃　McLean　nodded　placidly；　and　with　scant　politeness。　He　wished

this　visitor　would　go。　But　Judge　Slaghammer　had　noticed　the　whiskey。　He

filled　himself　a　glass。　〃Governor；　it　has　my　compliments；〃　said　he。

〃Ambrosier。　Honey…doo。〃



〃Mrs。　Slaghammer　seems　to　have　a　large　gathering；〃　said　Barker。



〃Good　boys；　good　boys！〃　The　judge　blew　importantly；　and　waved　his　arm。

〃Bull…whackers；　cow…punchers；　mule…skinners；　tin…horns。　All　spending

generous。　Governor；　once　more！　Ambrosier。　Honey…doo。〃　He　settled　himself

dee