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child's play； and the universal yell now raised by the horsemen was their
child's play too； but the whole thing could so precipitately reel into
the fatal that my thoughts stopped。 I could only look when I saw that
they had somehow recognized the man on the engine for a sheriff。 Two had
sprung from their horses and were making boisterously toward the cab；
while Lin McLean； neither boisterous nor joking； was going to the cab
from my side； with his pistol drawn； to keep the peace。 The engineer sat
with a neutral hand on the lever； the fireman had run along the top of
the coal in the tender and descended and crouched somewhere； and the
sheriff； cool； and with a good…natured eye upon all parties； was just
beginning to explain his errand； when some rider from the crowd cut him
short with an invitation to get down and have a drink。 At the word of
ribald endearment by which he named the sheriff； a passing fierceness
hardened the officer's face； and the new yell they gave was less playful。
Waiting no more explanations； they swarmed against the locomotive； and
McLean pulled himself up on the step。 The loud talking fell at a stroke
to let business go on； and in this silence came the noise of a
sliding…door。 At that I looked； and they all looked； and stood harmless；
like children surprised。 For there on the threshold of the freight…car；
with the interior darkness behind her； and touched by the headlight's
diverging rays； stood Jessamine Buckner。
〃Will you gentlemen do me a favor？〃 said she。 〃Strangers； maybe； have no
right to ask favors； but I reckon you'll let that pass this time。 For I'm
real sleepy！〃 She smiled as she brought this out。 〃I've been four days
and nights on the cars； and to…morrow I've got to stage to Buffalo。 You
see I'll not be here to spoil your fun to…morrow night； and I want boys
to be boys just as much as ever they can。 Won't you put it off till
to…morrow night？〃
In their amazement they found no spokesman； but I saw Lin busy among
them； and that some word was passing through their groups。 After the
brief interval of stand…still they began silently to get on their horses；
while the looming engine glowed and pumped its breath； and the sheriff
and engineer remained as they were。
〃Good…night； lady；〃 said a voice among the moving horsemen； but the
others kept their abashed native silence； and thus they slowly filed away
to the corrals。 The figures； in their loose shirts and leathern chaps；
passed from the dimness for a moment through the cone of light in front
of the locomotive； so that the metal about them made here and there a
faint； vanishing glint； and here and there in the departing column a
bold； half…laughing face turned for a look at the girl in the doorway；
and then was gone again into the dimness。
The sheriff in the cab took off his hat to Miss Buckner； remarking that
she should belong to the force； and as the bell rang and the engine
moved； off popped young Billy Lusk from his cow…catcher。 With an
exclamation of horror she sprang down； and Mr。 McLean appeared； and； with
all a parent's fright and rage； held the boy by the arm grotesquely as
the sheriff steamed by。
〃I ain't a…going to chase it；〃 said young Billy； struggling。
〃I've a mind to cowhide you；〃 said Lin。
But Miss Buckner interposed。 〃Oh； well；〃 said she； 〃next time； if he does
it next time。 It's so late to…night！ You'll not frighten us that way
again if he lets you off？〃 she asked Billy。
〃No；〃 said Billy； looking at her with interest。 〃Father 'd have cowhided
me anyway； I guess；〃 he added； meditatively。
〃Do you call him father？〃
〃Ah； father's at Laramie；〃 said Billy； with disgust。 〃He'd not stop for
your asking。 Lin don't bother me much。〃
〃You quit talking and step up there！〃 ordered his guardian。 〃Well； m'm； I
guess yu' can sleep good now in there。〃
〃If it was only an 'L。 and N。' I'd not have a thing against it！
Good…night； Mr。 McLean； good…night； young Mr。〃
〃I'm Billy Lusk。 I can ride Chalkeye's pinto that bucked Honey Wiggin。〃
〃I am sure you can ride finely； Mr。 Lusk。 Maybe you and I can take a ride
together。 Pleasant dreams！〃
She nodded and smiled to him； and slid her door to； and Billy considered
it； remarking： 〃I like her。 What makes her live in a car？〃
But he was drowsing while I told him； and I lifted him up to Lin； who
took him in his own blankets； where he fell immediately asleep。 One
distant whistle showed how far the late engine had gone from us。 We left
our car open； and I lay enjoying the cool air。 Thus was I drifting off；
when I grew aware of a figure in the door。 It was Lin； standing in his
stockings and not much else； with his pistol。 He listened； and then
leaped down； light as a cat。 I heard some repressed talking； and lay in
expectancy； but back he came； noiseless in his stockings； and as he slid
into bed I asked what the matter was。 He had found the Texas boy；
Manassas Donohoe； by the girl's car； with no worse intention than keeping
a watch on it。 〃So I gave him to understand；〃 said Lin； 〃that I had no
objection to him amusing himself playing picket…line； but that I guessed
I was enough guard； and he would find sleep healthier for his system。〃
After this I went to sleep wholly； but； waking once in the night； thought
I heard some one outside； and learned in the morning from Lin that the
boy had not gone until the time came for him to join his outfit at the
corrals。 And I was surprised that Lin； the usually good…hearted； should
find nothing but mirth in the idea of this unknown； unthanked young
sentinel。 〃Sleeping's a heap better for them kind till they get their
growth；〃 was his single observation。
But when Separ had dwindled to toys behind us in the journeying stage I
told Miss Jessamine； and although she laughed too； it was with a note
that young Texas would have liked to hear； and she hoped she might see
him upon her return； to thank him。
〃Any Jack can walk around all night；〃 said Mr。 McLean； disparagingly。
〃Well； then； and I know a Jack who didn't；〃 observed the young lady。
This speech caused her admirer to be full of explanations； so that when
she saw how readily she could perplex him； and yet how capable and
untiring he was about her comfort； helping her out or tucking her in at
the stations where we had a meal or changed horses； she enjoyed the hours
very much； in spite of their growing awkwardness。
But oh； the sparkling； unbashful Lin！ Sometimes he sat himself beside her
to be close； and then he would move opposite； the better to behold her。
Never； except once long after （when sorrow manfully borne had still
further refined his clay）； have I heard Lin's voice or seen his look so
winning。 No doubt many a male bird cares nothing what neighbor bird
overhears his spring song from the top of the open tree； but I extremely
doubt if his lady…love； even if she be a frank； bouncing robin； does not
prefer to listen from some thicket； and not upo