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played…out body to stand up to a man。 We'll eat here。 Get down。〃
The husband stepped to the ground。 〃I didn't suppose you'd want〃
〃Ho！ want？ What's Lin； or you； or anything to me？ Help me out。〃
Both men came forward。 She descended； leaning heavily upon each；
her blue staring eyes fixed upon the cow…puncher。
〃No； yus ain't changed；〃 she said。 〃Same in your looks and same in
your actions。 Was you expecting you could scare me； you； Lin McLean？〃
〃I just wanted chickens for supper；〃 said he。
Mrs。 Lusk gave a hard high laugh。 〃I'll eat 'em。 It's not I that cares。 As
for〃 She stopped。 Her eye had fallen upon the pistol and the name
〃Neighbor。〃 〃As for you；〃 she continued to Mr。 Lusk； 〃don't you be
standing dumb same as the horse。〃
〃Better take him to the stable； Lusk；〃 said McLean。
He picked the chickens up； showed the woman to the best chair in his
room； and went into his kitchen to cook supper for three。 He gave his
guests no further attention； nor did either of them come in where he was；
nor did the husband rejoin the wife。 He walked slowly up and down in the
air； and she sat by herself in the room。 Lin's steps as he made ready round
the stove and table； and Lusk's slow tread out in the setting sunlight； were
the only sounds about the cabin。 When the host looked into the door of the
next room to announce that his meal was served； the woman sat in her
chair no longer； but stood with her back to him by a shelf。 She gave a
slight start at his summons； and replaced something。 He saw that she had
been examining 〃Neighbor；〃 and his face hardened suddenly to fierceness
as he looked at her； but he repeated quietly that she had better come in。
Thus did the three sit down to their meal。 Occasionally a word about
handing some dish fell from one or other of them； but nothing more； until
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Lusk took out his watch and mentioned the hour。
〃Yu've not ate especially hearty；〃 said Lin； resting his arms upon the
table。
〃I'm going；〃 asserted Lusk。 〃Governor Barker may start out。 I've got
my interests to look after。〃
〃Why； sure；〃 said Lin。 〃I can't hope you'll waste all your time on just
me。〃
Lusk rose and looked at his wife。 〃It'll be ten now before we get to
Drybone；〃 said he。 And he went down to the stable。
The woman sat still； pressing the crumbs of her bread。 〃I know you
seen me；〃 she said； without looking at him。
〃Saw you when？〃
〃I knowed it。 And I seen how you looked at me。〃 She sat twisting and
pressing the crumb。 Sometimes it was round； sometimes it was a cube；
now and then she flattened it to a disk。 Mr。 McLean seemed to have
nothing that he wished to reply。
〃If you claim that pistol is yourn；〃 she said next； 〃I'll tell you I know
better。 If you ask me whose should it be if not yourn； I would not have to
guess the name。 She has talked to me； and me to her。〃
She was still looking away from him at the bread…crumb； or she could
have seen that McLean's hand was trembling as he watched her leaning on
his arms。
〃Oh yes； she was willing to talk to me！〃 The woman uttered another
sudden laugh。 〃I knowed about herall。 Things get heard of in this world。
Did not all about you and me come to her knowledge in its own good time；
and it done and gone how many years？ My； my； my！〃 Her voice grew slow
and absent。 She stopped for a moment； and then more rapidly resumed： 〃It
had travelled around about you and her like it always will travel。 It was
known how you had asked her； and how she had told you she would have
you； and then told you she would not when she learned about you and me。
Folks that knowed yus and folks that never seen yus in their lives had to
have their word about her facing you down you had another wife； though
she knowed the truth about me being married to Lusk and him livin' the
day you married me； and ten and twenty marriages could not have tied you
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and me up； no matter how honest you swore to no hinderance。 Folks said it
was plain she did not want yus。 It give me a queer feelin' to see that girl。 It
give me a wish to tell her to her face that she did not love yus and did not
know love。 Waitwait； Lin！ Yu' never hit me yet。〃
〃No；〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃Nor now。 I'm not Lusk。〃
〃Yu' looked soso bad； Lin。 I never seen yu' look so bad in old days。
Wait； now； and I must tell it。 I wished to laugh in her face and say； 'What
do you know about love？' So I walked in。 Lin； she does love yus！〃
〃Yes；〃 breathed McLean。
〃She was sittin' back in her room at Separ。 Not the ticket…office； but〃
〃I know；〃 the cow…puncher said。 His eyes were burning。 〃It's snug；
the way she has it。 'Good…afternoon；' I says。 'Is this Miss Jessamine
Buckner？'〃
At his sweetheart's name the glow in Lin's eyes seemed to quiver to a
flash。
〃And she spoke pleasant to mepleasant and gay…like。 But a woman
can tell sorrow in a woman's eyes。 And she asked me would I rest in her
room there； and what was my name。 'They tell me you claim to know it
better than I do；' I says。 'They tell me you say it is Mrs。 McLean。' She put
her hand on her breast； and she keeps lookin' at me without never speaking。
'Maybe I am not so welcome now；' I says。 'One minute；' says she。 'Let me
get used to it。' And she sat down。
〃Lin； she is a square…lookin' girl。 I'll say that for her。
〃I never thought to sit down onced myself； I don't know why； but I
kep' a…standing； and I took in that room of hers。 She had flowers and
things around there； and I seen your picture standing on the table； and I
seen your six…shooter right by itand； oh； Lin； hadn't I knowed your face
before ever she did； and that gun you used to let me shoot on Bear Creek？
It took me that sudden！ Why； it rushed over me so I spoke right out
different from what I'd meant and what I had ready fixed up to say。
〃'Why did you do it？' I says to her； while she was a…sitting。 'How could
you act so； and you a woman？' She just sat； and her sad eyes made me
madder at the idea of her。 'You have had real sorrow；' says I； 'if they report
correct。 You have knowed your share of death； and misery； and hard work；
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