lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第33章
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face you're tryin' to fool a poor school…marm。〃
〃Yes；〃 drawled the Southerner； 〃that's what I'm aiming to do。〃
So now they were curious about the successor； planning their hearty
welcome for that official； and were encouraged in this by Mr。 McLean。 He
reappeared in the neighborhood with a manner and conversation highly
casual。
〃Bring your new wife？〃 they inquired。
〃No； she preferred Kentucky；〃 Lin said。
〃Bring the old one？〃
〃No； she preferred Laramie。〃
〃Kentucky's a right smart way to chase after a girl；〃 said the Virginian。
〃Sure！〃 said Mr。 McLean。 〃I quit at Edgeford。〃
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He met their few remarks so smoothly that they got no joy from him；
and being asked had he seen the new agent； he answered yes； that Tubercle
had gone Wednesday； and his successor did not seem to be much of a man。
But to me Lin had nothing to say until noon camp was scattering from
its lunch to work； when he passed close； and whispered； 〃You'll see her to…
morrow if you go in with the outfit。〃 Then； looking round to make sure we
were alone in the sage…brush； he drew from his pocket； cherishingly； a
little shining pistol。 〃Hers；〃 said he； simply。
I looked at him。
〃We've exchanged；〃 he said。
He turned the token in his hand； caressing it as on that first night when
Jessamine had taken his heart captive。
〃My idea；〃 he added； unable to lift his eyes from the treasure。 〃See this；
too。〃
I looked； and there was the word 〃Neighbor〃 engraved on it。
〃Her idea；〃 said he。
〃A good one！〃 I murmured。
〃It's on both； yu' know。 We had it put on the day she settled to accept
the superintendent's proposition。〃 Here Lin fired his small exchanged
weapon at a cotton…wood； striking low。 〃She can beat that with mine！〃 he
exclaimed； proud and tender。 〃She took four days deciding at Edgeford；
and I learned her to hit the ace of clubs。〃 He showed me the cards they had
practiced upon during those four days of indecision； he had them in a book
as if they were pressed flowers。 〃They won't get crumpled that way；〃 said
he； and he further showed me a tintype。 〃She's got the other at Separ；〃 he
finished。
I shook his hand with all my might。 Yes； he was worthy of her！ Yes； he
deserved this smooth course his love was running！ And I shook his hand
again。 To tonic her grief Jessamine had longed for some activity； some
work； and he had shown her Wyoming might hold this for her as well as
Kentucky。 〃But how in the world；〃 I asked him； 〃did you persuade her to
stop over at Edgeford at all？〃
〃Yu' mustn't forget；〃 said the lover （and he blushed）； 〃that I had her
four hours alone on the train。〃
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But his face that evening round the fire； when they talked of their next
day's welcome to the new agent； became comedy of the highest； and he
was so desperately canny in the moments he chose for silence or for
comment！ He had not been sure of their ignorance until he arrived； and it
was a joke with him too deep for laughter。 He had a special eye upon the
Virginian； his mate in such a tale of mischiefs； and now he led him on。 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
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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；
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〃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
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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 wer
