lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第17章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
pursued； settling himself so his long legs were stretched and comfortable；
〃and they tell yu' things； and you tell them things。 And when it don't make
no particular matter one way or the other； yu' give 'em your honest opinion
and talk straight to 'em； and they'll come to you the same way。 So that
when yu're ridin' the range alone sometimes； and thinkin' a lot o' things
over on top maybe of some dog…goned hill； you'll say to yourself about
some fellow yu' know mighty well； 'There's a man is a good friend of
mine。' And yu' mean it。 And it's so。 Yet when matters is serious； as onced
72
… Page 73…
LIN McLEAN
in a while they're bound to get； and yu're in a plumb hole； where is the
man thenyour good friend？ Why； he's where yu' want him to be。 Standin'
off； keepin' his mouth shut； and lettin' yu' find your own trail out。 If he
tried to show it to yu'； yu'd likely hit him。 But shucks！ Circumstances have
showed me the trail this time； you bet！〃 And the puncher's face； which had
been sombre； grew lively； and he laid a friendly hand on my knee。
〃The trail's pretty simple；〃 said I。
〃You bet！ But it's sure a queer world。 Tell yu'；〃 said Lin； with the air of
having made a discovery； 〃when a man gets down to bed…rock affairs in
this life he's got to do his travellin' alone； same as he does his dyin'。 I
expect even married men has thoughts and hopes they don't tell their
wives。〃
〃Never was married；〃 said I。
〃Wellno more was I。 Let's go to bed。〃 And Lin shook my hand； and
gave me a singular； rather melancholy smile。
At Salt Lake City； which Ogden was glad to include in his Western
holiday； we found both Mormon and Gentile ready to give us odds against
rainonly I noticed that those of the true faith were less free。 Indeed； the
Mormon； the Quaker； and most sects of an isolated doctrine have a nice
prudence in money。 During our brief stay we visited the sights： floating in
the lake； listening to pins drop in the gallery of the Tabernacle； seeing
frescos of saints in robes speaking from heaven to Joseph Smith in the
Sunday clothes of a modern farm…hand； and in the street we heard at a
distance a strenuous domestic talk between the new or perhaps I should
say the original husband and wife。
〃She's corralled Sidney's cash！〃 said the delighted Lin。 〃He can't bet
nothing on this shower 〃
And then； after all； this timeit didn't rain！
Stripped of money both ways； Cheyenne； having most fortunately
purchased a return ticket； sought its home。 The perplexed rain…maker went
somewhere else； without his assistant。 Lusk's exulting wife； having the
money； retained him with her。
〃Good luck to yu'； Sidney！〃 said Lin； speaking to him for the first time
since Cheyenne。 〃I feel a heap better since I've saw yu' married。〃 He paid
73
… Page 74…
LIN McLEAN
no attention to the biscuit…shooter； or the horrible language that she threw
after him。
Jode also felt 〃a heap better。〃 Legitimate science had triumphed。 To…
day； most of Cheyenne believes with Jode that it was all a coincidence。
South Carolina had bet on her principles； and won from Lin the few
dollars that I had lent the puncher。
〃And what will you do now？〃 I said to Lin。
〃Join the beef round…up。 Balaam's payin' forty dollars。 I guess that'll
keep a single man。〃
74
… Page 75…
LIN McLEAN
A JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF
CHRISTMAS
The Governor descended the steps of the Capitol slowly and with
pauses； lifting a list frequently to his eye。 He had intermittently pencilled it
between stages of the forenoon's public business； and his gait grew absent
as he recurred now to his jottings in their accumulation； with a slight pain
at their number； and the definite fear that they would be more in seasons to
come。 They were the names of his friends' children to whom his excellent
heart moved him to give Christmas presents。 He had put off this
regenerating evil until the latest day； as was his custom； and now he was
setting forth to do the whole thing at a blow； entirely planless among the
guns and rocking…horses that would presently surround him。 As he reached
the highway he heard himself familiarly addressed from a distance； and；
turning； saw four sons of the alkali jogging into town from the plain。 One
who had shouted to him galloped out from the others； rounded the
Capitol's enclosure； and； approaching with radiant countenance leaned to
reach the hand of the Governor； and once again greeted him with a
hilarious 〃Hello； Doc！〃
Governor Barker； M。D。； seeing Mr。 McLean unexpectedly after several
years； hailed the horseman with frank and lively pleasure； and； inquiring
who might be the other riders behind； was told that they were Shorty；
Chalkeye； and Dollar Bill； come for Christmas。 〃And dandies to hit town
with；〃 Mr。 McLean added。 〃Red…hot。〃
〃I am acquainted with them；〃 assented his Excellency。
〃We've been ridin' trail for twelve weeks；〃 the cow…puncher continued；
〃makin' our beds down anywheres； and eatin' the same old chuck every
day。 So we've shook fried beef and heifer's delight； and we're goin' to feed
high。〃
Then Mr。 McLean overflowed with talk and pungent confidences； for
the holidays already rioted in his spirit； and his tongue was loosed over
their coming rites。
〃We've soured on scenery；〃 he finished； in his drastic idiom。 〃We're
75
… Page 76…
LIN McLEAN
sick of moonlight and cow…dung； and we're heeled for a big time。〃
〃Call on me；〃 remarked the Governor； cheerily； 〃when you're ready for
bromides and sulphates。〃
〃I ain't box…headed no more；〃 protested Mr。 McLean； 〃I've got
maturity； Doc； since I seen yu' at the rain…making； and I'm a heap older
than them hospital days when I bust my leg on yu'。 Three or four glasses
and quit。 That's my rule。〃
〃That your rule； too？〃 inquired the Governor of Shorty； Chalkeye； and
Dollar Bill。 These gentlemen of the saddle were sitting quite
expressionless upon their horses。
〃We ain't talkin'； we're waitin'；〃 observed Chalkeye； and the three
cynics smiled amiably。
〃Well； Doc； see yu' again；〃 said Mr。 McLean。 He turned to accompany
his brother cow…punchers； but in that particular moment Fate descended or
came up from whatever place she dwells in and entered the body of the
unsuspecting Governor。
〃What's your hurry？〃 said Fate； speaking in the official's hearty
manner。 〃Come along with me。〃
〃Can't do it。 Where are yu' goin'？〃
〃Christmasing；〃 replied Fate。
〃Well； I've got to feed my horse。 Christmasing； yu' say？〃
〃Yes； I'm buying toys。〃
〃Toys！ You？ What for？〃
〃Oh； some kids。〃
〃Yourn？〃 screeched Lin； precipitately。
His Excellency the jovial Governor opened his teeth in pleasure at this；
for he was a bachelor； and there were fifteen upon his list； which he held
up for the edification of the hasty McLean。 〃Not mine； I'm happy to say。
My friends keep marrying and settling； and their kids call me uncle； and
climb around and bother； and I forget their names； and think it's a girl； and
the mother gets mad。 Why； if I didn't remember these little folks at
Christmas they'd be wonderingnot the kids； they just break your toys and
don't notice； but the mother would wonder'What's the matter with Dr。
Barker？ Has Governor Barker gone back on us？'that's where the strain
76
… Page 77…
LIN McLEAN
comes！〃 he broke off； facing Mr。 McLean with another spacious laugh。
But the cow…puncher had ceased to smile； and now； while Barker ran
on exuberantly； McLean's wide…open eyes rested upon him； singular and
intent； and in their hazel depths the last gleam of jocularity went out。
〃That's where the strain comes； you see。 Two sets of acquaintances。
Grateful patients and loyal voters； and I've got to keep solid with both
outfits； especially the wives and mothers。 They're the people。 So it's drums；
and dolls； and sheep on wheels； and games； and monkeys on a stick； and
the saleslady shows you a mechanical bear； and it costs too much； and you
forget whether the Judge's second girl is Nellie or Susie； andwell； I'm
just in for my annual circus this afternoon！ You're in luck。 Christmas don't
trouble a chap fixed like you。〃
Lin McLean prolonged the sentence like a distant echo。
〃A chap fixed like you！〃 The cow…puncher said it slowly to himself。
〃No； sure。〃 He seemed to be watching Shorty； and Chalkeye； and Dollar
Bill going down the road。 〃That's a new ideaChristmas；〃 he murmured；
for it was one of his oldest； and he was recalling the Christmas when he
wore his first long trousers。
〃Comes once a year pretty regular；〃 remarked the prosperous
Governor。 〃Seems often when you pay the bill。〃
〃I haven't made a Christmas gift；〃 pursued the cow…puncher； dreamily；
〃not forforLord！ it's a hundred years； I guess。 I don't know anybody
that has any right to look for such a thing from me。〃 This was indeed a
new idea； and it did not stop the chill that was spreading in his heart。
〃Gee whiz！〃 said Barker； briskly； 〃there goes twelve o'clock。 I've got to
make a start。 Sorry you can't come and help me。 Good…bye！〃
His Excellency left the rider sitting motionless； and forgot him at once
in his own preoccupation。 He hastened upon his journey to the shops with
the list； not in his pocket； but held firmly； like a plank in the imminence of
shipwreck。 The Nellies and Susies pervaded his
