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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 were at hand。 But
more than this clouded his mind； he had been brought to say good…bye to
Jessamine Buckner； who had scarcely seen him； and to give her a
wolverene…skin； a hunting trophy。 〃She can have it；〃 he told me。 〃I like
her。〃 Then he stole a look at his guardian。 〃If they get married and send me
back to mother；〃 said he； 〃I'll run away sure。〃 So school and this old dread
haunted the child； while for the man； Lin the lucky； who suspected nothing
of it； time was ever bringing love nearer to his hearth。 His Jessamine had
visited Box Elder； and even said she wanted chickens there； since when
Mr。 McLean might occasionally have been seen at his cabin； worrying
over barn…yard fowls； feeding and cursing them with equal care。 Spring
would see him married； he told me。
〃This time right！〃 he exclaimed。 〃And I want her to know Billy some
more before he goes to Bear Cr