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！
persons。 He had patients； too； whose inveterate pennilessness he could
swear cheerfully to〃since you want to bolt from your own money；〃 he
remarked。
〃Yes； I'm a green horse；〃 assented Mr。 McLean； gallantly； 〃ain't used to
the looks of a twenty…dollar bill； and I shy at 'em。〃
From his facethat jocular maskone might have counted him the most
serene and careless of vagrants； and in his words only the ordinary
voice of banter spoke to the Governor。 A good woman； it may well be；
would have guessed before this the sensitive soul in the blundering body；
but Barker saw just the familiar； whimsical； happy…go…lucky McLean of old
days； and so he went gayly and innocently on； treading upon holy ground。
〃I've got it！〃 he exclaimed； 〃give your wife something。〃
The ruddy cow…puncher grinned。 He had passed through the world of woman
with but few delays； rejoicing in informal and transient entanglements；
and he welcomed the turn which the conversation seemed now to be taking。
〃If you'll give me her name and address；〃 said he； with the future
entirely in his mind。
〃Why； Laramie！〃 and the Governor feigned surprise。
〃Say； Doc；〃 said Lin； uneasily； 〃none of 'em ain't married me since I saw
yu' last。〃
〃Then she hasn't written from Laramie；〃 said the hilarious Governor； and
Mr。 McLean understood and winced in his spirit deep down。 〃Gee whiz！〃
went on Barker； 〃I'll never forget you and Lusk that day！〃
But the mask fell now。 〃You're talking of his wife； not mine；〃 said the
cow…puncher very quietly； and smiling no more； 〃and； Doc； I'm going to
say a word to yu'； for I know yu've always been my good friend。 I'll
never forget that day myselfbut I don't want to be reminded of it。〃
〃I'm a fool； Lin；〃 said the Governor； generous instantly。 〃I never
supposed〃
〃I know yu' didn't； Doc。 It ain't you that's the fool。 And in a wayin a
way〃 Lin's speech ended among his crowding memories； and Barker； seeing
how wistful his face had turned； waited。 〃But I ain't quite the same fool
I was before that happened to me；〃 the cow…puncher resumed； 〃though maybe
my actions don't show to be wiser。 I know that there was better luck than
a man like me had any call to look for。〃
The sobered Barker said； simply； 〃Yes； Lin。〃 He was put to thinking by
these words from the unsuspected inner man。
Out in the Bow Leg country Lin McLean had met a woman with thick； red
cheeks； calling herself by a maiden name； and this was his whole
knowledge of her when he put her one morning astride a Mexican saddle and
took her fifty miles to a magistrate and made her his lawful wife to the
best of his ability and belief。 His sage…brush intimates were confident
he would never have done it but for a rival。 Racing the rival and beating
him had swept Mr。 McLean past his own intentions； and the marriage was an
inadvertence。 〃He jest bumped into it before he could pull up；〃 they
explained； and this casualty； resulting from Mr。 McLean's sporting blood；
had entertained several hundred square miles of alkali。 For the new…made
husband the joke soon died。 In the immediate weeks that came upon him he
tasted a bitterness worse than in all his life before； and learned also
how deep the woman； when once she begins； can sink beneath the man in
baseness。 That was a knowledge of which he had lived innocent until this
time。 But he carried his outward self serenely； so that citizens in
Cheyenne who saw the cow…puncher with his bride argued shrewdly that men
of that sort liked women of that sort； and before the strain had broken
his endurance an unexpected first husband； named Lusk； had appeared one
Sunday in the street； prosperous； forgiving； and exceedingly drunk。 To
the arms of Lusk she went back in the public street； deserting McLean in
the presence of Cheyenne； and when Cheyenne saw this； and learned how she
had been Mrs。 Lusk for eight long； if intermittent； years； Cheyenne
laughed loudly。 Lin McLean laughed； too； and went about his business；
ready to swagger at the necessary moment； and with the necessary kind of
joke always ready to shield his hurt spirit。 And soon； of course； the
matter grew stale； seldom raked up in the Bow Leg country where Lin had
been at work； so lately he had begun to remember other things beside the
smouldering humiliation。
〃Is she with him？〃 he asked Barker； and musingly listened while Barker
told him。 The Governor had thought to make it a racy story； with the
moral that the joke was now on Lusk； but that inner man had spoken and
revealed the cow…puncher to him in a new and complicated light； hence he
quieted the proposed lively cadence and vocabulary of his anecdote about
the house of Lusk； but instead of narrating how Mrs。 beat Mr。 on Mondays；
Wednesdays； and Fridays； and Mr。 took his turn the odd days； thus getting
one ahead of his lady； while the kid Lusk had outlined his opinion of the
family by recently skipping to parts unknown； Barker detailed these
incidents more gravely； adding that Laramie believed Mrs。 Lusk addicted
to opium。
〃I don't guess I'll leave my card on 'em；〃 said McLean； grimly； 〃if I
strike Laramie。〃
〃You don't mind my saying I think you're well out of that scrape？〃 Barker
ventured。
〃Shucks； no！ That's all right； Doc。 Onlyyu' see now。 A man gets tired
pretendingonced in a while。〃
Time had gone while they were in talk； and it was now half after one and
Mr。 McLean late for that long…plotted first square meal。 So the friends
shook hands； wishing each other Merry Christmas； and the cow…puncher
hastened toward his chosen companions through the stirring cheerfulness
of the season。 His play…hour had made a dull beginning among the toys。 He
had come upon people engaged in a pleasant game； and waited； shy and well
disposed； for some bidding to join； but they had gone on playing with
each other and left him out。 And now he went along in a sort of hurry to
escape from that loneliness where his human promptings had been lodged
with him useless。 Here was Cheyenne； full of holiday for sale； and he
with his pockets full of money to buy； and when he thought of Shorty； and
Chalkeye； and Dollar Bill； those dandies to hit a town with； he stepped
out with a brisk； false hope。 It was with a mental hurrah and a foretaste
of a good time coming that he put on his town clothes； after shaving and
admiring himself； and sat down to the square meal。 He ate away and drank
with a robust imitation of enjoyment that took in even himself at first。
But the sorrowful process of his spirit went on； for all he could do。 As
he groped for the contentment which he saw around him he began to receive
the jokes with counterfeit mirth。 Memories took the place of
anticipation； and through their moody shiftings he began to feel a
distaste for the company of his friends and a shrinking from their lively
voices。 He blamed them for this at once。 He was surprised to think he had
never recognized before how light a weight was Shorty； and here was