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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 Creek。〃
〃Ah； Bear Creek！〃 said Billy； acidly。 〃Why can't I stay home？〃
〃Home sounds kind o' slick；〃 said Lin to me。 〃Don't it； now？ 'Home' is
closer than 'neighbor；' you bet！ Billy； put the horses in the corral； and ask
Miss Buckner if we can come and see her after supper。 If you're good；
maybe she'll take yu' for a ride to…morrow。 And； kid； ask her about
Laramie。〃
Again suspicion quivered over Billy's face； and he dragged his horses
angrily to the corral。
Lin nudged me； laughing。 〃I can rile him every time about Laramie；〃
said he； affectionately。 〃I wouldn't have believed the kid set so much store
by me。 Nor I didn't need to ask Jessamine to love him for my sake。 What
do yu' suppose？ Before I'd got far as thinking of Billy at all right after
Edgeford； when my head was just a whirl of joyJessamine says to me
one day； 'Read that。' It was Governor Barker writin' to her about her
brother and her sorrow。〃 Lin paused。 〃And about me。 I can't never tell you…
…but he said a heap I didn't deserve。 And he told her about me picking up
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Billy in Denver streets that time； and doing for him because his own home
was not a good one。 Governor Barker wrote Jessamine all that； and she
said； 'Why did you never tell me？' And I said it wasn't anything to tell。
And she just said to me； 'It shall be as if he was your son and I was his
mother。' And that's the first regular kiss she ever gave me I didn't have to
take myself。 God bless her！ God bless her！〃
As we ate our supper； young Billy burst out of brooding silence： 〃I
didn't ask her about Laramie。 So there！〃
〃Well； well； kid；〃 said the cow…puncher； patting his head； 〃yu' needn't
to； I guess。〃
But Billy's eye remained sullen and jealous。 He paid slight attention to
the picture…book of soldiers and war that Jessamine gave him when we
went over to the station。 She had her own books； some flowers in pots； a
rocking…chair； and a cosey lamp that shone on her bright face and dark
dress。 We drew stools from the office desks； and Billy perched silently on
one。
〃Scanty room for company！〃 Jessamine said。 〃But we must make out
this waytill we have another way。〃 She smiled on Lin； and Billy's face
darkened。 〃Do you know；〃 she pursued to me； 〃with all those chickens Mr。
McLean tells me about； never a one has he thought to bring here。〃
〃Livin' or dead do you want 'em？〃 inquired Lin。
〃Oh； I'll not bother you。 Mr。 Donohoe says he will〃
〃Texas？ Chickens？ Him？ Then he'll have to steal 'em！〃 And we all
laughed together。
〃You won't make me go back to Laramie； will you？〃 spoke Billy；
suddenly； from his stool。
〃I'd like to see anybody try to make you？〃 exclaimed Jessamine。 〃Who
says any such thing？〃
〃Lin did；〃 said Billy。
Jessamine looked at her lover reproachfully。 〃What a way to tease
him！〃 she said。 〃And you so kind。 Why； you've hurt his feelings！〃
〃I never thought；〃 said Lin the boisterous。 〃I wouldn't have。〃
〃Come sit here； Billy；〃 said Jessamine。 〃Whenever he teases； you tell
me； and we'll make him behave。〃
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〃Honest？〃 persisted Billy。
〃Shake hands on it；〃 said Jessamine。
〃Cause I'll go to school。 But I won't go back to Laramie for no one。
And you're a…going to be Lin's wife； honest？〃
〃Honest！ Honest！〃 And Jessamine； laughing； grew red beside her lamp。
〃Then I guess mother can't never come back to Lin； either；〃 stated
Billy； relieved。
Jessamine let fall the child's hand。
〃Cause she liked him onced； and he liked her。〃
Jessamine gazed at Lin。
〃It's simple；〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃It's all right。〃
But Jessamine sat by her lamp； very pale。
〃It's all right；〃 repeated Lin in the silence； shifting his foot and looking
down。 〃Once I made a fool of myself。 Worse than usual。〃
〃Billy？〃 whispered Jessamine。 〃Then youBut his name is Lusk！〃
〃Course it is；〃 said Billy。 〃Father and mother are living in Laramie。〃
〃It's all straight；〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃I never saw her till three
years ago。 I haven't anything to hide； onlyonlyonly it don't come easy
to tell。〃
I rose。 〃Miss Buckner；〃 said I； 〃he will tell you。 But he will not tell
you he paid dearly for what was no fault of his。 It has been no secret。 It is
only something his friends and his enemies have forgotten。〃
But all the while I was speaking this； Jessamine's eyes were fixed on
Lin； and her face remained white。
I left the girl and the man and the little boy together； and crossed to the
hotel。 But its air was foul； and I got my roll of camp blankets to sleep in
the clean night； if sleeping…time should come； meanwhile I walked about
in the silence To have taken a wife once in good faith； ignorant she was
another's； left no stain； raised no barrier。 I could have told Jessamine the
same old story myselfor almost； but what had it to do with her at all？
Why need she know？ Reasoning thus； yet with something left uncleared
by reason that I could not state； I watched the moon edge into sight； heavy
and rich…hued； a melon…slice of glow； seemingly near； like a great lantern
tilted over the plain。 The smell of the sage…brush flavored the air； the hush
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of Wyoming folded distant and near things； and all Separ but those three
inside the lighted window were in bed。 Dark windows were everywhere
else； and looming above rose the water…tank； a dull mass in the night； and
forever somehow to me a Sphinx emblem； the vision I instantly see when I
think of Separ。 Soon I heard a door creaking。 It was Billy； coming alone；
and on seeing me he walked up and spoke in a half…awed voice。
〃She's a…crying；〃 said he。
I withheld from questions； and as he kept along by my side he said：
〃I'm sorry。 Do you think she's mad with Lin for what he's told her？ She
just sat； and when she started crying he made me go away。〃
〃I don't believe she's mad；〃 I told Billy； and I sat down on my blanket；
he beside me； talking while the moon grew small as it rose over the plain；
and