lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第13章
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Governor。
〃Do you have Senators here too？〃 said Ogden； raising his eyebrows。
〃What do they look like？ Are they females？〃 And the Governor grew more
boisterous than ever； slapping his knee and declaring that these Eastern
men were certainly out of sight。〃 Ogden； however； was thoughtful。
〃I'd have been willing to chip in for that rain myself；〃 he said。
〃That's an idea！〃 cried the Governor。 〃Nothing unconstitutional about
that。 Let's see。 Three hundred and fifty dollars〃
〃I'll put up a hundred；〃 said Ogden； promptly。 〃I'm out for a Western
vacation； and I'll pay for a good specimen。〃
The Governor and I subscribed more modestly； and by noon； with the
help of some lively minded gentlemen of Cheyenne； we had the purse
raised。 〃He won't care；〃 said the Governor； 〃whether it's a private
enterprise or a municipal step； so long as he gets his money。〃
〃He won't get it； I'm afraid；〃 said Ogden。 〃But if he succeeds in
tempting Providence to that extent； I consider it cheap。 Now what do you
call those people there on the horses？〃
We were walking along the track of the Cheyenne and Northern； and
looking out over the plain toward Fort Russell。 〃That is a cow…puncher and
his bride；〃 I answered； recognizing the couple。
〃Real cow…puncher？〃
〃Quite。 The puncher's name is Lin McLean。〃
〃Real bride？〃
〃I'm afraid so。〃
〃She's riding straddle！〃 exclaimed the delighted Ogden； adjusting his
glasses。 〃Why do you object to their union being holy？〃
I explained that my friend Lin had lately married an eating…house lady
precipitately and against my advice。
〃I suppose he knew his business；〃 observed Ogden。
〃That's what he said to me at the time。 But you ought to see herand
know him。〃
Ogden was going to。 Husband and wife were coming our way。
Husband nodded to me his familiar offish nod； which concealed his
satisfaction at meeting with an old friend。 Wife did not look at me at all。
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But I looked at her； and I instantly knew that Linthe fool！had confided
to her my disapproval of their marriage。 The most delicate specialty upon
earth is your standing with your old friend's new wife。
〃Good…day； Mr。 McLean；〃 said the Governor to the cow…puncher on
his horse。
〃How're are yu'； doctor；〃 said Lin。 During his early days in Wyoming
the Governor； when as yet a private citizen； had set Mr。 McLean's broken
leg at Drybone。 〃Let me make yu' known to Mrs。 McLean；〃 pursued the
husband。
The lady； at a loss how convention prescribes the greeting of a bride to
a Governor； gave a waddle on the pony's back； then sat up stiff； gazed
haughtily at the air； and did not speak or show any more sign than a cow
would under like circumstances。 So the Governor marched cheerfully at
her； extending his hand； and when she slightly moved out toward him her
big； dumb； red fist； he took it and shook it； and made her a series of
compliments； she maintaining always the scrupulous reserve of the cow。
〃I say；〃 Ogden whispered to me while Barker was pumping the hand
of the flesh image； 〃I'm glad I came。〃 The appearance of the puncher…
bridegroom also interested Ogden； and he looked hard at Lin's leather
chaps and cartridge…belt and so forth。 Lin stared at the New…Yorker； and
his high white collar and good scarf。 He had seen such things quite often；
of course； but they always filled him with the same distrust of the man that
wore them。
〃Well；〃 said he； 〃I guess we'll be pulling for a hotel。 Any show in town？
Circus come yet？〃
〃No；〃 said I。 〃Are you going to make a long stay？〃
The cow…puncher glanced at the image； his bride of three weeks。 〃Till
we're tired of it； I guess；〃 said he； with hesitation。 It was the first time that
I had ever seen my gay friend look timidly at any one； and I felt a rising
hate for the ruby…checked； large…eyed eating…house lady； the biscuit…
shooter whose influence was dimming this jaunty； irrepressible spirit。 I
looked at her。 Her bulky bloom had ensnared him； and now she was going
to tame and spoil him。 The Governor was looking at her too； thoughtfully。
〃Say； Lin；〃 I said； 〃if you stay here long enough you'll see a big show。〃
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And his eye livened into something of its native jocularity as I told him of
the rain…maker。
〃Shucks！〃 said he； springing from his horse impetuously； and hugely
entertained at our venture。 〃Three hundred and fifty dollars？ Let me come
in〃； and before I could tell him that we had all the money raised； he was
hauling out a wadded lump of bills。
〃Well； I ain't going to starve here in the road； I guess；〃 spoke the image；
with the suddenness of a miracle。 I think we all jumped； and I know that
Lin did。 The image continued： 〃Some folks and their money are soon
parted〃she meant me； her searching tones came straight at me； I was sure
from the first that she knew all about me and my unfavorable opinion of
her〃but it ain't going to be you this time； Lin McLean。 Ged ap！〃 This last
was to the horse； I maintain； though the Governor says the husband
immediately started off on a run。
At any rate； they were gone to their hotel； and Ogden was seated on
some railroad ties； exclaiming： 〃Oh； I like Wyoming！ I am certainly glad I
came。〃
〃That's who she is！〃 said the Governor； remembering Mrs。 McLean all
at once。 〃I know her。 She used to be at Sidney。 She's got another husband
somewhere。 She's one of the boys。 Oh； that's nothing in this country！〃 he
continued to the amazed Ogden； who had ejaculated 〃Bigamy！〃 〃Lots of
them marry； live together awhile； get tired and quit； travel； catch on to a
new man； marry him； get tired and quit； travel； catch on〃
〃One moment； I beg；〃 said Ogden； adjusting his glasses。 〃What does
the law〃
〃Law？〃 said the Governor。 〃Look at that place！〃 He swept his hand
towards the vast plains and the mountains。 〃Ninety…five thousand square
miles of that； and sixty thousand people in it。 We haven't got policemen
yet on top of the Rocky Mountains。〃
〃I see；〃 said the New…Yorker。 〃Butbutwell let A and B represent
first and second husbands； and X represent the woman。 Now； does A know
about B？ or does B know about A？ And what do they do about it？〃
〃Can't say；〃 the Governor answered； jovially。 〃Can't generalize。
Depends on heaps of things lovemoney Did you go to college？ Well；
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let A minus X equal B plus X； then if A and B get squared〃
〃Oh； come to lunch；〃 I said。 〃Barker； do you really know the first
husband is alive？〃
〃Wasn't dead last winter。〃 And Barker gave us the particulars。 Miss
Katie Peck had not served long in the restaurant before she was wooed and
won by a man who had been a ranch cook； a sheep…herder； a bar…tender； a
freight hand； and was then hauling poles for the government。 During his
necessary absences from home she； too； went out…of…doors。 This he often
discovered； and would beat her； and she would then also beat him。 After
the beatings one of them would always leave the other forever。 Thus was
Sidney kept in small…talk until Mrs。 Lusk one day really did not come back。
〃Lusk；〃 said the Governor； finishing his story； 〃cried around the saloons
for a couple of days； and then went on hauling poles for the government；
till at last he said he'd heard of a better job south； and next we knew of
him he was round Leavenworth。 Lusk was a pretty poor bird。 Owes me ten
dollars。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃none of us ever knew about him when she came to stay
with Mrs。 Taylor on Bear Creek。 She was Miss Peck when Lin made her
Mrs。 McLean。〃
〃You'll notice；〃 said the Governor； 〃how she has got him under in three
weeks。 Old hand； you see。〃
〃Poor Lin！〃 I said。
〃Lucky； I call him；〃 said the Governor。 〃He can quit her。〃
〃Supposing McLean does not want to quit her？〃
〃She's educating him to want to right now； and I think he'll learn pretty
quick。 I guess Mr。 Lin's romance wasn't very ideal this trip。 Hello！ here
comes Jode。 Jode； won't you lunch with us？ Mr。 Ogden； of New York； Mr。
Jode。 Mr。 Jode is our signal…service officer； Mr。 Ogden。〃 The Governor's
eyes were sparkling hilariously； and he winked at me。
〃Gentlemen； good…morning。 Mr。 Ogden； I am honored to make your
acquaintance；〃 said the signal…service officer。
〃Jode； when is it going to rain？〃 said the Governor； anxiously。
Now Jode is the most extraordinarily solemn man I have ever known。
He has the solemnity of all science； added to the unspeakable weight of
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representing five of the oldest families in South Carolina。 The Jodes
themselves were not old in South Carolina； but immensely so inI think
he told me it was Long Island。 His name is Poinsett Middleton Manigault
Jode。 He used to weigh a hundred and twenty…eight pounds then； but his
health has strengthened in that climate。 His clothes were black； his face
was white； with black eyes sharp as a pin； he had the shape of a spout the
same narrow size all the way downand his voice was as dry and light as
an egg…shell。 In his first days at Cheyenne he had constantly challenged
large cowboys for taking familiarities with his dignity； and they； after one
moment's bewilderment； had concocted apologies that entirely met his
exactions； and gave them much satisfaction also。 Nobody would have hurt
Jode for the world。 In time he came to see that Wyoming was a game
invented after his book of rules was published； and he looked on； but
could not play the game。 He had fallen； along with other incongruities；
into the roaring Western hotch…po
