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！
〃Lord！ lots。〃
〃Honest？ Silver…tips？〃
〃Silver…tips； cinnamon； black； and I roped a cub onced。〃
〃O…h！ I never shot a bear。〃
〃You'd ought to try it。〃
〃I'm a…going to。 I'm a…going to camp out in the mountains。 I'd like to
see you when you camp。 I'd like to camp with you。 Mightn't I some time？〃
Billy had drawn nearer to Lin； and was looking up at him adoringly。
〃You bet！〃 said Lin； and though he did not； perhaps； entirely mean this；
it was with a curiously softened face that he began to look at Billy。 As
with dogs and his horse； so always he played with what children he met
the few in his sage…brush world； but this was ceasing to be quite play
for him； and his hand went to the boy's shoulder。
〃Father took me camping with him once； the time mother was off。 Father
gets awful drunk； too。 I've quit Laramie for good。〃
Lin sat up； and his hand gripped the boy。 〃Laramie！〃 said he； almost
shouting it。 〃Yu'yu'is your name Lusk？〃
But the boy had shrunk from him instantly。 〃You're not going to take me
home？〃 he piteously wailed。
〃Heaven and heavens！〃 murmured Lin McLean。 〃So you're her kid！〃
He relaxed again； down in his chair； his legs stretched their straight
length below the chair in front。 He was waked from his bewilderment by a
brushing under him； and there was young Billy diving for escape to the
aisle； like the cornered city mouse that he was。 Lin nipped that poor
little attempt and had the limp Billy seated inside again before the two
in discussion beyond had seen anything。 He had said not a word to the
boy； and now watched his unhappy eyes seizing upon the various exits and
dispositions of the theatre； nor could he imagine anything to tell him
that should restore the perished confidence。 〃Why did yu' lead him off？〃
he asked himself unexpectedly； and found that he did not seem to know；
but as he watched the restless and estranged runaway he grew more and
more sorrowful。 〃I just hate him to think that of me；〃 he reflected。 The
curtain rose； and he saw Billy make up his mind to wait until they should
all be going out in the crowd。 While the children of Captain Grant grew
hotter and hotter upon their father's geographic trail； Lin sat saying to
himself a number of contradictions。 〃He's nothing to me； what's any of
them to me？〃 Driven to bay by his bewilderment； he restated the facts of
the past。 〃Why； she'd deserted him and Lusk before she'd ever laid eyes
on me。 I needn't to bother myself。 He wasn't never even my step…kid。〃 The
past； however； brought no guidance。 〃Lord； what's the thing to do about
this？ If I had any home This is a stinkin' world in some respects；〃
said Mr。 McLean； aloud； unknowingly。 The lady in the chair beneath which
the cow…puncher had his legs nudged her husband。 They took it for emotion
over the sad fortune of Captain Grant； and their backs shook。 Presently
each turned； and saw the singular man with untamed； wide…open eyes
glowering at the stage； and both backs shook again。
Once more his hand was laid on Billy。 〃Say！〃 The boy glanced at him； and
quickly away。
〃Look at me； and listen。〃
Billy swervingly obeyed。
〃I ain't after yu'； and never was。 This here's your business； not mine。
Are yu' listenin' good？〃
The boy made a nod； and Lin proceeded； whispering： 〃You've got no call to
believe what I say to yu'yu've been lied to； I guess； pretty often。 So
I'll not stop yu' runnin' and hidin'； and I'll never give it away I saw
yu'； but yu' keep doin' what yu' please。 I'll just go now。 I've saw all I
want； but you and your friends stay with it till it quits。 If yu' happen
to wish to speak to me about that pistol or bears； yu' come around to
Smith's Palacethat's the boss hotel here； ain't it？and if yu' don't
come too late I'll not be gone to bed。 But this time of night I'm liable
to get sleepy。 Tell your friends good…bye for me； and be good to
yourself。 I've appreciated your company。〃
Mr。 McLean entered Smith's Palace； and； engaging a room with two beds in
it； did a little delicate lying by means of the truth。 〃It's a lost boy
a runaway；〃 he told the clerk。 〃He'll not be extra clean； I expect； if
he does come。 Maybe he'll give me the slip； and I'll have a job cut out
to…morrow。 I'll thank yu' to put my money in your safe。〃
The clerk placed himself at the disposal of the secret service； and Lin
walked up and down； looking at the railroad photographs for some ten
minutes； when Master Billy peered in from the street。
〃Hello！〃 said Mr。 McLean； casually； and returned to a fine picture of
Pike's Peak。
Billy observed him for a space； and； receiving no further attention； came
stepping along。 〃I'm not a…going back to Laramie；〃 he stated； warningly。
〃I wouldn't；〃 said Lin。 〃It ain't half the town Denver is。 Well；
good…night。 Sorry yu' couldn't call soonerI'm dead sleepy。〃
〃O…h！〃 Billy stood blank。 〃I wish I'd shook the darned old show。 Say；
lemme black your boots in the morning？〃
〃Not sure my train don't go too early。〃
〃I'm up！ I'm up！ I get around to all of 'em。〃
〃Where do yu' sleep？〃
〃Sleeping with the engine…man now。 Why can't you put that on me
to…night？〃
〃Goin' up…stairs。 This gentleman wouldn't let you go up…stairs。〃
But the earnestly petitioned clerk consented； and Billy was the first to
hasten into the room。 He stood rapturous while Lin buckled the belt round
his scanty stomach； and ingeniously buttoned the suspenders outside the
accoutrement to retard its immediate descent to earth。
〃Did it ever kill a man？〃 asked Billy； touching the six…shooter。
〃No。 It ain't never had to do that； but I expect maybe it's stopped some
killin' me。〃
〃Oh； leave me wear it just a minute！ Do you collect arrow…heads？ I think
they're bully。 There's the finest one you ever seen。〃 He brought out the
relic； tightly wrapped in paper； several pieces。 〃I foun' it myself；
camping with father。 It was sticking in a crack right on top of a rock；
but nobody'd seen it till I came along。 Ain't it fine？〃
Mr。 McLean pronounced it a gem。
〃Father an' me found a lot； an' they made mother mad laying around； an'
she throwed 'em out。 She takes stuff from Kelley's。〃
〃Who's Kelley？〃
〃He keeps the drug…store at Laramie。 Mother gets awful funny。 That's how
she was when I came home。 For I told Mr。 Perkins he lied； an' I ran then。
An' I knowed well enough she'd lick me when she got through her spell
an' father can't stop her； an' Iah； I was sick of it！ She's lamed me up
twice beating mean' Perkins wanting me to say 'God bless my mother！'
a…getting up and a…going to bedhe's a flubdub！ An' so I cleared out。
But I'd just as leaves said for God to bless fatheran' you。 I'll do it
now if you say it's any sense。〃
Mr。 McLean sat down in a chair。 〃Don't yu' do it now；〃 said he。
〃You wouldn't like mother；〃 Billy continued。 〃You can keep that。〃 He came
to Lin and placed the arrow…head in his hands； standing beside hi