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〃Of course they wouldn't；〃 said Tommy； haughtily。
〃Oh； there's nothing in it；〃 said Lin； dismissing the subject。
〃Have yu' been to the opera since we went to Cheyenne； Mrs。 Taylor？〃
Mrs。 Taylor had not。
〃Lin；〃 said the Virginian； 〃did yu ever see that opera Cyarmen？〃
〃You bet。 Fellow's girl quits him for a bullfighter。 Gets him up in the
mountains； and quits him。 He wasn't much goodnot in her class o' sports；
smugglin' and such。〃
〃I reckon she was doubtful of him from the start。 Took him to the
mount'ins to experiment； where they'd not have interruption；〃 said the
Virginian。
〃Talking of mountains；〃 said Tommy； 〃this range here used to be a
great place for Indians till we ran 'em out with Terry。 Pumped lead into the
red sons…of…guns。〃
〃You bet；〃 said Lin。 〃Do yu' figure that girl tired of her bull…fighter and
quit him； too？〃
〃I reckon；〃 replied the Virginian； 〃that the bull…fighter wore better。〃
〃Fans and taverns and gypsies and sportin'；〃 said Lin。 〃My！ but I'd like
to see them countries with oranges and bull…fights！ Only I expect Spain；
maybe； ain't keepin' it up so gay as when 'Carmen' happened。〃
The table…talk soon left romance and turned upon steers and alfalfa； a
grass but lately introduced in the country。 No further mention was made of
the hostile Crows； and from this I drew the false conclusion that Tommy
had not come up to their hopes in the matter of reciting his campaigns。 But
when the hour came for those visitors who were not spending the night to
take their leave； Taylor drew Tommy aside with me； and I noticed the
Virginian speaking with Molly Wood； whose face showed diversion。
〃Don't seem to make anything of it；〃 whispered Taylor to Tommy； 〃but
the ladies have got their minds on this Indian truck。〃
〃Why； I'll just explain〃 began Tommy。
〃Don't；〃 whispered Lin； joining us。 〃Yu' know how women are。 Once
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they take a notion； why； the more yu' deny the surer they get。 Now； yu' see；
him and me〃 （he jerked his elbow towards the Virginian） 〃must go back to
camp； for we're on second relief。〃
〃And the ladies would sleep better knowing there was another man in
the house；〃 said Taylor。
〃In that case；〃 said Tommy； 〃I〃
〃Yu' see；〃 said Lin； 〃they've been told about Ten Sleep being burned
two nights ago。〃
〃It ain't！〃 cried Tommy。
〃Why； of course it ain't；〃 drawled the ingenious Lin。 〃But that's what I
say。 You and I know Ten Sleep's all right； but we can't report from our own
knowledge seeing it all right； and there it is。 They get these nervous
notions。〃
〃Just don't appear to make anything special of not going back to
Riverside；〃 repeated Taylor； 〃but〃
〃But just kind of stay here；〃 said Lin。
〃I will！〃 exclaimed Tommy。 〃Of course； I'm glad to oblige。〃
I suppose I was slow…sighted。 All this pains seemed to me larger than
its results。 They had imposed upon Tommy； yes。 But what of that？ He was
to be kept from going back to Riverside until morning。 Unless they
proposed to visit his empty cabin and play tricksbut that would be too
childish； even for Lin McLean； to say nothing of the Virginian； his
occasional partner in mischief。
〃In spite of the Crows；〃 I satirically told the ladies； 〃I shall sleep
outside； as I intended。 I've no use for houses at this season。〃
The cinches of the horses were tightened； Lin and the Virginian laid a
hand on their saddle…horns； swung up； and soon all sound of the galloping
horses had ceased。 Molly Wood declined to be nervous and crossed to her
little neighbor cabin； we all parted； and （as always in that blessed country）
deep sleep quickly came to me。
I don't know how long after it was that I sprang from my blankets in
half…doubting fright。 But I had dreamed nothing。 A second long； wild yell
now gave me （I must own to it） a horrible chill。 I had no pistol nothing。
In the hateful brightness of the moon my single thought was 〃House！
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House！〃 and I fled across the lane in my underclothes to the cabin； when
round the corner whirled the two cow…punchers； and I understood。 I saw
the Virginian catch sight of me in my shirt； and saw his teeth as he smiled。
I hastened to my blankets； and returned more decent to stand and watch
the two go shooting and yelling round the cabin； crazy with their youth。
The door was opened； and Taylor courageously emerged； bearing a
Winchester。 He fired at the sky immediately。
〃B' gosh！〃 he roared。 〃That's one。〃 He fired again。 〃Out and at 'em。
They're running。〃
At this； duly came Mrs。 Taylor in white with a pistol； and Miss Peck in
white； staring and stolid。 But no Tommy。 Noise prevailed without； shots by
the stable and shots by the creek。 The two cow…punchers dismounted and
joined Taylor。 Maniac delight seized me； and I； too； rushed about with
them； helping the din。
〃Oh； Mr。 Taylor！〃 said a voice。 〃I didn't think it of you。〃 It was Molly
Wood； come from her cabin； very pretty in a hood…and…cloak arrangement。
She stood by the fence； laughing； but more at us than with us。
〃Stop； friends！〃 said Taylor； gasping。 〃She teaches my Bobbie his A B
C。 I'd hate to have Bobbie〃
〃Speak to your papa；〃 said Molly； and held her scholar up on the fence。
〃Well； I'll be gol…darned；〃 said Taylor； surveying his costume； 〃if Lin
McLean hasn't made a fool of me to…night！〃
〃Where has Tommy got？〃 said Mrs。 Taylor。
〃Didn't yus see him？〃 said the biscuit…shooter speaking her first word
in all this。
We followed her into the kitchen。 The table was covered with tin plates。
Beneath it； wedged knelt Tommy with a pistol firm in his hand； but the
plates were rattling up and down like castanets。
There was a silence among us； and I wondered what we were going to
do。
〃Well；〃 murmured the Virginian to himself； 〃if I could have foresaw；
I'd notit makes yu' feel humiliated yu'self。〃
He marched out； got on his horse； and rode away。 Lin followed him；
but perhaps less penitently。 We all dispersed without saying anything； and
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presently from my blankets I saw poor Tommy come out of the silent
cabin； mount； an