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lin mclean-第14章

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I was near screeching out again; but saved myself。 He was not quite

twenty…five; and I remembered Mrs。 Taylor's unprejudiced computation of

the biscuit…shooter's years。 It is a lady's prerogative; however; to

estimate her own age。



〃She had her twenty…seventh birthday last month;〃 said Lin; with

sentiment; bringing his horse entirely abreast of mine。 〃I promised her a

bear…skin。〃



〃Yes;〃 said I; 〃I heard about that in Buffalo。〃



Lin's face grew dusky with anger。 〃No doubt yu' heard about it;〃 said

he。 〃I don't guess yu' heard much about anything else。 I ain't told the

truth to any of 'embut her。〃 He looked at me with a certain hesitation。

〃I think I will;〃 he continued。 〃I don't mind tellin' you。〃



He began to speak in a strictly business tone; while he evened the coils

of rope that hung on his saddle。



〃She had spoke to me about her birthday; and I had spoke to her about

something to give her。 I had offered to buy her in town whatever she

named; and I was figuring to borrow from Taylor。 But she fancied the

notion of a bear…skin。 I had mentioned about some cubs。 I had found the

cubs where the she…bear had them cached by the foot of a big boulder in

the range over Ten Sleep; and I put back the leaves and stuff on top o'

them little things as near as I could the way I found them; so that the

bear would not suspicion me。 For I was aiming to get her。 And Miss Peck;

she sure wanted the hide for her birthday。 So I went back。 The she…bear

was off; and I crumb up inside the rock; and I waited a turruble long

spell till the sun travelled clean around the canyon。 Mrs。 Bear come home

though; a big cinnamon; and I raised my gun; but laid it down to see what

she'd do。 She scrapes around and snuffs; and the cubs start whining; and

she talks back to 'em。 Next she sits up awful big; and lifts up a cub and

holds it to her close with both her paws; same as a person。 And she

rubbed her ear agin the cub; and the cub sort o' nipped her; and she

cuffed the cub; and the other cub came toddlin'; and away they starts

rolling all three of 'em! I watched that for a long while。 That big thing

just nursed and played with them little cubs; beatin' em for a change

onced in a while; and talkin'; and onced in a while she'd sit up solemn

and look all around so life…like that I near busted。 Why; how was I goin'

to spoil that? So I come away; very quiet; you bet! for I'd have hated to

have Mrs。 Bear notice me。 Miss Peck; she laughed。 She claimed I was

scared to shoot。〃



〃After you had told her why it was?〃 said I。



〃Before and after。 I didn't tell her first; because I felt kind of

foolish。 Then Tommy went and he killed the bear all right; and she has

the skin now。 Of course the boys joshed me a heap about gettin' beat by

Tommy。〃



〃But since she has taken you?〃 said I。



〃She ain't said it。 But she will when she understands Tommy。〃



I fancied that the lady understood。 The once I had seen her she appeared

to me as what might be termed an expert in men; and one to understand

also the reality of Tommy's ranch and allowance; and how greatly these

differed from Box Elder。 Probably the one thing she could not understand

was why Lin spared the mother and her cubs。 A deserted home in Dubuque; a

career in a railroad eating…house; a somewhat vague past; and a present

lacking contextindeed; I hoped with all my heart that Tommy would win!



〃Lin;〃 said I; 〃I'm backing him。〃



〃Back away!〃 said he。 〃Tommy can please a womanhim and his blue eyes

but he don't savvy how to make a woman want him; not any better than he

knows about killin' Injuns。〃



〃Did you hear about the Crows?〃 said I。



〃About young bucks going on the war…path? Shucks! That's put up by the

papers of this section。 They're aimin' to get Uncle Sam to order his

troops out; and then folks can sell hay and stuff to 'em。 If Tommy

believed any Crows〃 he stopped; and suddenly slapped his leg。



〃What's the matter now?〃 I asked。



〃Oh; nothing。〃 He took to singing; and his face grew roguish to its full

extent。 〃What made yu' say that to me?〃 he asked; presently。



〃Say what?〃



〃About marrying。 Yu' don't think I'd better。〃



〃I don't。〃



〃Onced in a while yu' tell me I'm flighty。 Well; I am。 Whoop…ya!〃



〃Colts ought not to marry;〃 said I。



〃Sure!〃 said he。 And it was not until we came in sight of the Virginian's

black horse tied in front of Miss Wood's cabin next the Taylors' that Lin

changed the lively course of thought that was evidently filling his mind。



〃Tell yu';〃 said he; touching my arm confidentially and pointing to the

black horse; 〃for all her Vermont refinement she's a woman just the same。

She likes him dangling round her so earnesthim that no body ever saw

dangle before。 And he has quit spreein' with the boys。 And what does he

get by it? I am glad I was not raised good enough to appreciate the Miss

Woods of this world;〃 he added; defiantly〃except at long range。〃



At the Taylors' cabin we found Miss Wood sitting with her admirer; and

Tommy from Riverside come to admire Miss Peck。 The biscuit…shooter might

pass for twenty…seven; certainly。 Something had agreed with herwhether

the medicine; or the mountain air; or so much masculine company; whatever

had done it; she had bloomed into brutal comeliness。 Her hair looked

curlier; her figure was shapelier; her teeth shone whiter; and her cheeks

were a lusty; overbearing red。 And there sat Molly Wood talking sweetly

to her big; grave Virginian; to look at them; there was no doubt that he

had been 〃raised good enough〃 to appreciate her; no matter what had been

his raising!



Lin greeted every one jauntily。 〃How are yu'; Miss Peck? How are yu';

Tommy?〃 said he。 〃Hear the news; Tommy? Crow Injuns on the war…path。〃



〃I declare!〃 said the biscuit…shooter。



The Virginian was about to say something; but his eye met Lin's; and then

he looked at Tommy。 Then what he did say was; 〃I hadn't been goin' to

mention it to the ladies until it was right sure。〃



〃You needn't to be afraid; Miss Peck;〃 said Tommy。 〃There's lots of men

here。〃



〃Who's afraid?〃 said the biscuit…shooter。



〃Oh;〃 said Lin; 〃maybe it's like most news we get in this country。 Two

weeks stale and a lie when it was fresh。〃



〃Of course;〃 said Tommy。



〃Hello; Tommy!〃 called Taylor from the lane。 〃Your horse has broke his

rein and run down the field。〃



Tommy rose in disgust and sped after the animal。



〃I must be cooking supper now;〃 said Katie; shortly。



〃I'll stir for yu';〃 said Lin; grinning at her。



〃Come along then;〃 said she; and they departed to the adjacent kitchen。



Miss Wood's gray eyes brightened with mischief。 She looked at her

Virginian; and she looked at me。



〃Do you know;〃 she said; 〃I used to be so afraid that when Bear Creek

wasn't new any more it might become dull!〃



〃Miss Peck doesn't find it dull either;〃 said I。



Molly Wood immediately assumed a look of doubt。 〃
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