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doubt if his lady…love； even if she be a frank； bouncing robin； does not
prefer to listen from some thicket； and not upon the public lawn。
Jessamine grew silent and almost peevish； and from discourse upon man and
woman she hopped； she skipped； she flew。 When Lin looked at his watch and
counted the diminished hours between her and Buffalo； she smiled to
herself； but from mention of her brother she shrank； glancing swiftly at
me and my well…assumed slumber。
And it was with indignation and self…pity that I climbed out in the hot
sun at last beside the driver and small Billy。
〃I know this road；〃 piped Billy； on the box
〃'I camped here with father when mother was off that time。 You can take a
left…hand trail by those cottonwoods and strike the mountains。〃
So I inquired what game he had then shot。
〃Ah； just a sage…hen。 Lin's a…going to let me shoot a bear； you know。
What made Lin marry mother when father was around？〃
The driver gave me a look over Billy's head； and I gave him one； and I
instructed Billy that people supposed his father was dead。 I withheld
that his mother gave herself out as Miss Peck in the days when Lin met
her on Bear Creek。
The formidable nine…year…old pondered。 〃The geography says they used to
have a lot of wives at Salt Lake City。 Is there a place where a woman can
have a lot of husbands？〃
〃It don't especially depend on the place；〃 remarked the driver to me。
〃Because；〃 Billy went on； 〃Bert Taylor told me in recess that mother'd
had a lot； and I told him he lied； and the other boys they laughed and I
blacked Bert's eye on him； and I'd have blacked the others too； only Miss
Wood came out。 I wouldn't tell her what Bert said； and Bert wouldn't； and
Sophy Armstrong told her。 Bert's father found out； and he come round； and
I thought he was a…going to lick me about the eye； and he licked Bert！
Say； am I Lin's； honest？〃
〃No； Billy； you're not；〃 I said。
〃Wish I was。 They couldn't get me back to Laramie then； but； oh； bother！
I'd not go for 'em！ I'd like to see 'em try！ Lin wouldn't leave me go。
You ain't married； are you？ No more is Lin now； I guess。 A good many are；
but I wouldn't want to。 I don't think anything of 'em。 I've seen mother
take 'pothecary stuff on the sly。 She's whaled me worse than Lin ever
does。 I guess he wouldn't want to be mother's husband again； and if he
does；〃 said Billy； his voice suddenly vindictive； 〃I'll quit him and
skip。〃
〃No danger； Bill；〃 said I。
〃How would the nice lady inside please you？〃 inquired the driver。
〃Ah； pshaw！ she ain't after Lin！〃 sang out Billy； loud and scornful。
〃She's after her brother。 She's all right； though；〃 he added；
approvingly。
At this all talk stopped short inside； reviving in a casual； scanty
manner； while unconscious Billy Lusk； tired of the one subject； now spoke
cheerfully of birds' eggs。
Who knows the child…soul； young in days； yet old as Adam and the hills？
That school…yard slur about his mother was as dim to his understanding as
to the offender's； yet mysterious nature had bid him go to instant war！
How foreseeing in Lin to choke the unfounded jest about his relation to
Billy Lusk； in hopes to save the boy's ever awakening to the facts of his
mother's life！ 〃Though；〃 said the driver； an easygoing cynic； 〃folks with
lots of fathers will find heaps of brothers in this country！〃 But
presently he let Billy hold the reins； and at the next station carefully
lifted him down and up。 〃I've knowed that woman； too；〃 he whispered to
me。 〃Sidney； Nebraska。 Lusk was off half the time。 We laughed when she
fooled Lin into marryin' her。 Come to think；〃 he mused； as twilight
deepened around our clanking stage； and small Billy slept sound between
us； 〃there's scarcely a thing in life you get a laugh out of that don't
make soberness for somebody。〃
Soberness had now visited the pair behind us； even Lin's lively talk had
quieted； and his tones were low and few。 But though Miss Jessamine at our
next change of horses 〃hoped〃 I would come inside； I knew she did not
hope very earnestly； and outside I remained until Buffalo。
Journeying done； her face revealed the strain beneath her brave
brightness； and the haunting care she could no longer keep from her eyes。
The imminence of the jail and the meeting had made her cheeks white and
her countenance seem actually smaller； and when； reminding me that we
should meet again soon； she gave me her hand； it was ice…cold。 I think
she was afraid Lin might offer to go with her。 But his heart understood
the lonely sacredness of her next half…hour； and the cow puncher；
standing aside for her to pass； lifted his hat wistfully and spoke never
a word。 For a moment he looked after her with sombre emotion； but the
court…house and prison stood near and in sight； and； as plain as if he
had said so； I saw him suddenly feel she should not be stared at going up
those steps； it must be all alone； the pain and the joy of that reprieve！
He turned away with me； and after a few silent steps said； 〃Wasted！ all
wasted！〃
〃Let us hope〃 I began。
〃You're not a fool；〃 he broke in； roughly。 〃You don't hope anything。〃
〃He'll start life elsewhere；〃 said I。
〃Elsewhere！ Yes； keep starting till all the elsewheres know him like
Powder River knows him。 But she！ I have had to sit and hear her tell and
tell about him； all about back in Kentucky playin' around the farm； and
how she raised him after the old folks died。 Then he got bigger and made
her sell their farm； and she told how it was right he should turn it into
money and get his half。 I did not dare say a word； for she'd have just
bit my head off； andand that would sure hurt me now！〃 Lin brought up
with a comical chuckle。 〃And she went to work； and he cleared out； and no
more seen or heard of him。 That's for five years； and she'd given up
tracing him； when one morning she reads in the paper about how her
long…lost brother is convicted for forgery。 That's the way she knows he's
not dead； and she takes her savings off her railroad salary and starts
for him。 She was that hasty she thought it was Buffalo； New York； till
she got in the cars and read the paper over again。 But she had to go as
far as Cincinnati； either way。 She has paid every cent of the money he
stole。〃 We had come to the bridge； and Lin jerked a stone into the quick
little river。 〃She's awful strict in some ways。 Thought Buffalo must be a
wicked place because of the shops bein' open Sunday。 Now if that was all
Buffalo's wickedness！ And she thinks divorce is mostly sin。 But her heart
is a shield for Nate。〃
〃Her face is as beautiful as her actions；〃 he added。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃and would you make such a villain your brother…in…law？〃
He whirled round and took both my shoulders。 〃Come walking！〃 he urged。 〃I
must talk some。〃 So we followed the stream out of town towards the
mountains。 〃I came awful near asking her in the stage；〃 said he。
〃Goodness； Lin！