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So now they were curious about the successor； planning their hearty
welcome for that official； and were encouraged in this by Mr。 McLean。 He
reappeared in the neighborhood with a manner and conversation highly
casual。
〃Bring your new wife？〃 they inquired。
〃No； she preferred Kentucky；〃 Lin said。
〃Bring the old one？〃
〃No； she preferred Laramie。〃
〃Kentucky's a right smart way to chase after a girl；〃 said the Virginian。
〃Sure！〃 said Mr。 McLean。 〃I quit at Edgeford。〃
He met their few remarks so smoothly that they got no joy from him； and
being asked had he seen the new agent； he answered yes； that Tubercle had
gone Wednesday； and his successor did not seem to be much of a man。
But to me Lin had nothing to say until noon camp was scattering from its
lunch to work； when he passed close； and whispered； 〃You'll see her
to…morrow if you go in with the outfit。〃 Then； looking round to make sure
we were alone in the sage…brush； he drew from his pocket； cherishingly； a
little shining pistol。 〃Hers；〃 said he； simply。
I looked at him。
〃We've exchanged；〃 he said。
He turned the token in his hand； caressing it as on that first night when
Jessamine had taken his heart captive。
〃My idea；〃 he added； unable to lift his eyes from the treasure。 〃See
this； too。〃
I looked； and there was the word 〃Neighbor〃 engraved on it。
〃Her idea；〃 said he。
〃A good one！〃 I murmured。
〃It's on both； yu' know。 We had it put on the day she settled to accept
the superintendent's proposition。〃 Here Lin fired his small exchanged
weapon at a cotton…wood； striking low。 〃She can beat that with mine！〃 he
exclaimed； proud and tender。 〃She took four days deciding at Edgeford；
and I learned her to hit the ace of clubs。〃 He showed me the cards they
had practiced upon during those four days of indecision； he had them in a
book as if they were pressed flowers。 〃They won't get crumpled that way；〃
said he； and he further showed me a tintype。 〃She's got the other at
Separ；〃 he finished。
I shook his hand with all my might。 Yes； he was worthy of her！ Yes； he
deserved this smooth course his love was running！ And I shook his hand
again。 To tonic her grief Jessamine had longed for some activity； some
work； and he had shown her Wyoming might hold this for her as well as
Kentucky。 〃But how in the world；〃 I asked him； 〃did you persuade her to
stop over at Edgeford at all？〃
〃Yu' mustn't forget；〃 said the lover （and he blushed）； 〃that I had her
four hours alone on the train。〃
But his face that evening round the fire； when they talked of their next
day's welcome to the new agent； became comedy of the highest； and he was
so desperately canny in the moments he chose for silence or for comment！
He had not been sure of their ignorance until he arrived； and it was a
joke with him too deep for laughter。 He had a special eye upon the
Virginian； his mate in such a tale of mischiefs； and now he led him on。
He suggested to the Southerner that caution might be wise； this change at
Separ was perhaps some new trick of the company's。
〃We mostly take their tricks；〃 observed the Virginian。
〃Yes；〃 said Lin； nodding sagely at the fire； 〃that's so； too。〃
Yet not he； not any one； could have foreseen the mortifying harmlessness
of the outcome。 They swept down upon Separ like all the hordes of legend…
…more egregiously； perhaps； because they were play…acting and no serious
horde would go on so。 Our final hundred yards of speed and copious
howling brought all dwellers in Separ out to gaze and disappear like
rabbitsall save the new agent in the station。 Nobody ran out or in
there； and the horde whirled up to the tiny； defenceless building and
leaped to earthexcept Lin and me； we sat watching。 The innocent door
stood open wide to any cool breeze or invasion； and Honey Wiggin tramped
in foremost； hat lowering over eyes and pistol prominent。 He stopped
rooted； staring； and his mouth came open slowly； his hand went feeling up
for his hat； and came down with it by degrees as by degrees his grin
spread。 Then in a milky voice； he said： 〃Why； excuse me； ma'am！
Good…morning。〃
There answered a clear； long； rippling； ample laugh。 It came out of the
open door into the heat； it made the sun…baked air merry； it seemed to
welcome and mock； it genially hovered about us in the dusty quiet of
Separ； for there was no other sound anywhere at all in the place； and the
great plain stretched away silent all round it。 The bulging water…tank
shone overhead in bland； ironic safety。
The horde stood blank； then it shifted its legs； looked sideways at
itself； and in a hesitating clump reached the door； shambled in； and
removed its foolish hat。
〃Good…morning； gentlemen；〃 said Jessamine Buckner； seated behind her
railing； and various voices endeavored to reply conventionally。
〃If you have any letters； ma'am；〃 said the Virginian； more inventive；
〃I'll take them。 Letters for Judge Henry's。〃 He knew the judge's office
was seventy miles from here。
〃Any for the C。 Y。？〃 muttered another； likewise knowing better。
It was a happy； if simple； thought； and most of them inquired for the
mail。 Jessamine sought carefully； making them repeat their names； which
some did guiltily： they foresaw how soon the lady would find out no
letters ever came for these names！
There was no letter for any one present。
〃I'm sorry； truly；〃 said Jessamine behind the railing。 〃For you seemed
real anxious to get news。 Better luck next time！ And if I make mistakes；
please everybody set me straight； for of course I don't understand things
yet。〃
〃Yes； m'm。〃
〃Good…day； m'm。〃
〃Thank yu'； m'm。'
They got themselves out of the station and into their saddles。
〃No； she don't understand things yet；〃 soliloquized the Virginian。 〃Oh
dear； no。〃 He turned his slow； dark eyes upon us。 〃You Lin McLean；〃 said
he； in his gentle voice； 〃you have cert'nly fooled me plumb through this
mawnin'。〃
Then the horde rode out of town； chastened and orderly till it was quite
small across the sagebrush； when reaction seized it。 It sped suddenly and
vanished in dust with far； hilarious cries and here were Lin and I； and
here towered the water…tank； shining and shining。
Thus did Separ's vigilante take possession and vindicate Lin's knowledge
of his kind。 It was not three days until the Virginian； that lynx
observer； fixed his grave eyes upon McLean 〃'Neighbor' is as cute a name
for a six…shooter as ever I heard；〃 said he。 〃But she'll never have need
of your gun in Separonly to shoot up peaceful playin'…cyards while she
hearkens to your courtin'。〃
That was his way of congratulation to a brother lover。 〃Plumb strange；〃
he said to me one morning after an hour of riding in silence； 〃how a man
will win two women while another man gets aged waitin' for one。〃
〃Your hair seems black as ever；〃 said I。
〃My hopes ain't so glossy any more；