按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Yus never loved me！〃 she exclaimed。
〃Shucks！〃
〃Lin； Lin； is it all over？ You know yus loved me on Bear Creek。 Say
you did。 Only say it was once that way。〃 And as he sat； she came and put
her arms round his neck。 For a moment he did not move； letting himself be
held； and then she kissed him。 The plates crashed as he beat and struck her
down upon the table。 He was on his feet； cursing himself。 As he went out
of the door； she lay where she had fallen beneath his fist； looking after him
and smiling。
166
… Page 167…
LIN McLEAN
McLean walked down Box Elder Creek through the trees toward the
stable； where Lusk had gone to put the horse in the wagon。 Once he leaned
his hand against a big cotton…wood； and stood still with half…closed eyes。
Then he continued on his way。 〃Lusk！〃 he called； presently； and in a few
steps more； 〃Lusk！〃 Then； as he came slowly out of the trees to meet the
husband he began； with quiet evenness； 〃Your wife wants to know〃 But
he stopped。 No husband was there。 Wagon and horse were not there。 The
door was shut。 The bewildered cow…puncher looked up the stream where
the road went； and he looked down。 Out of the sky where daylight and
stars were faintly shining together sounded the long cries of the night
hawks as they sped and swooped to their hunting in the dusk。 From among
the trees by the stream floated a cooler air； and distant and close by
sounded the splashing water。 About the meadow where Lin stood his
horses fed； quietly crunching。 He went to the door； looked in； and shut it
again。 He walked to his shed and stood contemplating his own wagon
alone there。 Then he lifted away a piece of trailing vine from the gate of
the corral； while the turkeys moved their heads and watched him from the
roof。 A rope was hanging from the corral； and seeing it； he dropped the
vine。 He opened the corral gate； and walked quickly back into the middle
of the field； where the horses saw him and his rope； and scattered。 But he
ran and herded them； whirling the rope； and so drove them into the corral；
and flung his noose over two。 He dragged two saddlesmen's saddles
from the stable； and next he was again at his cabin door with the horses
saddled。 She was sitting quite still by the table where she had sat during
the meal； nor did she speak or move when she saw him look in at the door。
〃Lusk has gone；〃 said he。 〃I don't know what he expected you would
do； or I would do。 But we will catch him before he gets to Drybone。〃
She looked at him with her dumb stare。 〃Gone？〃 she said。
〃Get up and ride；〃 said McLean。 〃You are going to Drybone。〃
〃Drybone？〃 she echoed。 Her voice was toneless and dull。
He made no more explanations to her； but went quickly about the
cabin。 Soon he had set it in order； the dishes on their shelves； the table
clean； the fire in the stove arranged； and all these movements she followed
with a sort of blank mechanical patience。 He made a small bundle for his
167
… Page 168…
LIN McLEAN
own journey； tied it behind his saddle； brought her horse beside a stump。
When at his sharp order she came out； he locked his cabin and hung the
key by a window； where travellers could find it and be at home。
She stood looking where her husband had slunk off。 Then she laughed。
〃It's about his size；〃 she murmured。
Her old lover helped her in silence to mount into the man's saddlethis
they had often done together in former yearsand so they took their way
down the silent road。 They had not many miles to go； and after the first
two lay behind them； when the horses were limbered and had been put to a
canter； they made time quickly。 They had soon passed out of the trees and
pastures of Box Elder and came among the vast low stretches of the
greater valley。 Not even by day was the river's course often discernible
through the ridges and cheating sameness of this wilderness； and beneath
this half…darkness of stars and a quarter moon the sage spread shapeless to
the looming mountains； or to nothing。
〃I will ask you one thing；〃 said Lin； after ten miles。
The woman made no sign of attention as she rode beside him。
〃Did I understand that sheMiss Buckner； I meanmentioned she
might be going away from Separ？〃
〃How do I know what you understood？〃
〃I thought you said〃
〃Don't you bother me； Lin McLean。〃 Her laugh rang out； loud and
forlorn one brief burst that startled the horses and that must have
sounded far across the sage…brush。 〃You men are rich；〃 she said。
They rode on； side by side； and saying nothing after that。 The Drybone
road was a broad trail； a worn strip of bareness going onward over the
endless shelvings of the plain； visible even in this light； and presently；
moving upon its grayness on a hill in front of them； they made out the
wagon。 They hastened and overtook it。
〃Put your carbine down；〃 said McLean to Lusk。 〃It's not robbers。 It's
your wife I'm bringing you。〃 He spoke very quietly。
The husband addressed no word to the cow…puncher 〃Get in； then；〃 he
said to his wife。
〃Town's not far now；〃 said Lin。 〃Maybe you would prefer riding the
168
… Page 169…
LIN McLEAN
balance of the way？〃
〃I'd〃 But the note of pity that she felt in McLean's question overcame
her； and her utterance choked。 She nodded her head； and the three
continued slowly climbing the hill together。
From the narrows of the steep； sandy； weather…beaten banks that the
road slanted upward through for a while； they came out again upon the
immensity of the table…land。 Here； abruptly like an ambush； was the whole
unsuspected river close below to their right； as if it had emerged from the
earth。 With a circling sweep from somewhere out in the gloom it cut in
close to the lofty mesa beneath tall clean…graded descents of sand； smooth
as a railroad embankment。 As they paused on the level to breathe their
horses； the wet gulp of its eddies rose to them through the stillness。
Upstream they could make out the light of the Drybone bridge； but not the
bridge itself； and two lights on the