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〃I'll be plumb proud to have yu'；〃 the cow…puncher assented。
〃I'm going to get my ticket to Chicago right now；〃 said Jessamine； again
laughing； sunny and defiant。
〃You bet you are！〃 said the incorrigible McLean。 He let her go into the
station serenely。 〃You can't get used to new ideas in a minute；〃 he
remarked to me。 〃I've figured on all that； of course。 But that's why；〃 he
broke out； impetuously； 〃I quit you on Bear Creek so sudden。 'When she
goes back away home；' I'd been saying to myself every day； 'what'll you
do then； Lin McLean？' Well； I knew I'd go to Kentucky too。 Just knew I'd
have to； yu' see； and it was inconvenient； turruble inconvenientBilly
here and my ranch； and the beef round…up comin'but how could I let her
go and forget me？ Take up； maybe； with some Blue…grass son…of…a…gun back
there？ And I hated the fix I was in till that morning； getting up； I was
joshin' the Virginia man that's after Miss Wood。 I'd been sayin' no
educated lady would think of a man who talked with an African accent。
'It's repotted you have a Southern rival yourself；' says he； joshin'
back。 So I said I guessed the rival would find life uneasy。 'He does；'
says he。 'Any man with his voice broke in two halves； and one down in his
stomach and one up among the angels； is goin' to feel uneasy。 But Texas
talks a heap about his lady vigilante in the freight…car。' 'Vigilante！' I
said； and I must have jumped； for they all asked where the lightning had
struck。 And in fifteen minutes after writing you I'd hit the trail for
Separ。 Oh； I figured things out on that ride！〃 （Mr。 McLean here clapped
me on the back。） 〃Got to Separ。 Got the sheriff's address the sheriff
that saw her that night they held up the locomotive。 Got him to meet me
at Edgeford and make a big talk to the superintendent。 Made a big talk
myself。 I said； 'Put that girl in charge of Separ； and the boys'll quit
shooting your water…tank。 But Tubercle can't influence 'em。' 'Tubercle？'
says the superintendent。 'What's that？' And when I told him it was the
agent； he flapped his two hands down on the chair arms each side of him
and went to rockin' up and down。 I said the agent was just a temptation
to the boys to be gay right along； and they'd keep a…shooting。 'You can
choose between Tubercle and your tank；' I said； 'but you've got to move
one of 'em from Separ if yu' went peace。' The sheriff backed me up good；
too。 He said a man couldn't do much with Separ the way it was now； but a
decent woman would be respected there； and the only question was if she
could conduct the business。 So I spoke up about Shawhan； and when the
whole idea began to soak into that superintendent his eyeballs jingled
and he looked as wise as a work…ox。 'I'll see her；' says he。 And he's
going to see her。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃you deserve success after thinking of a thing like that！
You're wholly wasted punching cattle。 But she's going to Chicago。 By
eleven o'clock she will have passed by your superintendent。〃
〃Why； so she will！〃 said Lin； affecting surprise。
He baffled me； and he baffled Jessamine。 Indeed； his eagerness with her
parcels； his assistance in checking her trunk； his cheerful examination
of check and ticket to be sure they read over the same route； plainly
failed to gratify her。
Her firmness about going was sincere； but she had looked for more
dissuasion； and this sprightly abettal of her departure seemed to leave
something vacant in the ceremonies She fell singularly taciturn during
supper at the Hotel Brunswick； and presently observed； 〃I hope I shall
see Mr。 Donohoe。〃
〃Texas？〃 said Lin。 〃I expect they'll have tucked him in bed by now up at
the ranch。 The little fellow is growing yet。〃
〃He can walk round a freight…car all night；〃 said Miss Buckner； stoutly。
〃I've always wanted to thank him for looking after me。〃
Mr。 McLean smiled elaborately at his plate
〃Well； if he's not actually thinking he'll tease me！〃 cried out Jessamine
〃Though he claims not to be foolish like Mr。 Donohoe。 Why； Mr。 McLean；
you surely must have been young once！ See if you can't remember！〃
〃Shucks！〃 began Lin。
But her laughter routed him。 〃Maybe you didn't notice you were young；〃
she said。 〃But don't you reckon perhaps the men around did？ Why； maybe
even the girls kind o' did！〃
〃She's hard to beat； ain't she？〃 inquired Lin； admiringly； of me。
In my opinion she was。 She had her wish； too about Texas； for we found
him waiting on the railroad platform； dressed in his best； to say
good…bye。 The friendly things she told him left him shuffling and
repeating that it was a mistake to go； a big mistake； but when she said
the butter was not good enough； his laugh cracked joyously up into the
treble。 The train's arrival brought quick sadness to her face； but she
made herself bright again with a special farewell for each acquaintance。
〃Don't you ride any more cow…catchers；〃 she warned Billy Lusk； 〃or I'll
have to come back and look after you。〃
〃You said you and me were going for a ride； and we ain't；〃 shouted the
long…memoried nine…year…old。 〃You will；〃 murmured Mr。 McLean； oracularly。
As the train's pace quickened he did not step off； and Miss Buckner cried
〃Jump！〃
〃Too late；〃 said he； placidly。 Then he called to me； 〃I'm hard to beat；
too！〃 So the train took them both away； as I might have guessed was his
intention all along。
〃Is that marriage again？〃 said Billy； anxiously。 〃He wouldn't tell me
nothing。〃
〃He's just seeing Miss Buckner as far as Edgeford；〃 said the agent。 〃Be
back to…morrow。〃
〃Then I don't see why he wouldn't take me along；〃 Billy complained。 And
Separ laughed。
But the lover was not back to…morrow。 He was capable of anything； gossip
remarked； and took up new themes。 The sun rose and set； the two trains
made their daily slight event and gathering； the water…tank； glaring
bulkily in the sun beaconed unmolested； and the agent's natural sleep was
unbroken by pistols； for the cow…boys did not happen to be in town。 Separ
lay a clot of torpor that I was glad to leave behind me for a while。 But
news is a strange； permeating substance； and it began to be sifted
through the air that Tubercle was going to God's country。
That is how they phrased it in cow…camp； meaning not the next world； but
the Eastern States。
〃It's certainly a shame him leaving after we've got him so good and used
to us；〃 said the Virginian。
〃We can't tell him good…bye；〃 said Honey Wiggin。 〃Separ'll be slow。〃
〃We can give his successor a right hearty welcome；〃 the Virginian
suggested。
〃That's you！〃 said Honey。 〃Schemin' mischief away ahead。 You're the
leadin' devil in this country； and just because yu' wear a
faithful…looking face you're tryin' to fool a poor school…marm。〃
〃Yes；〃 drawled the Southerner； 〃that's what I'm aiming to do。〃
So now they were curious about the successor； planning their hearty
welcome for that official； and were encour