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down the silent road。 They had not many miles to go； and after the first
two lay behind them； when the horses were limbered and had been put to a
canter； they made time quickly。 They had soon passed out of the trees and
pastures of Box Elder and came among the vast low stretches of the
greater valley。 Not even by day was the river's course often discernible
through the ridges and cheating sameness of this wilderness； and beneath
this half…darkness of stars and a quarter moon the sage spread shapeless
to the looming mountains； or to nothing。
〃I will ask you one thing；〃 said Lin； after ten miles。
The woman made no sign of attention as she rode beside him。
〃Did I understand that sheMiss Buckner； I meanmentioned she might be
going away from Separ？〃
〃How do I know what you understood？〃
〃I thought you said〃
〃Don't you bother me； Lin McLean。〃 Her laugh rang out； loud and forlorn
one brief burst that startled the horses and that must have sounded far
across the sage…brush。 〃You men are rich；〃 she said。
They rode on； side by side； and saying nothing after that。 The Drybone
road was a broad trail； a worn strip of bareness going onward over the
endless shelvings of the plain； visible even in this light； and
presently； moving upon its grayness on a hill in front of them； they made
out the wagon。 They hastened and overtook it。
〃Put your carbine down；〃 said McLean to Lusk。 〃It's not robbers。 It's
your wife I'm bringing you。〃 He spoke very quietly。
The husband addressed no word to the cow…puncher 〃Get in； then；〃 he said
to his wife。
〃Town's not far now；〃 said Lin。 〃Maybe you would prefer riding the balance
of the way？〃
〃I'd〃 But the note of pity that she felt in McLean's question overcame
her； and her utterance choked。 She nodded her head； and the three
continued slowly climbing the hill together。
From the narrows of the steep； sandy； weather…beaten banks that the road
slanted upward through for a while； they came out again upon the
immensity of the table…land。 Here； abruptly like an ambush； was the whole
unsuspected river close below to their right； as if it had emerged from
the earth。 With a circling sweep from somewhere out in the gloom it cut
in close to the lofty mesa beneath tall clean…graded descents of sand；
smooth as a railroad embankment。 As they paused on the level to breathe
their horses； the wet gulp of its eddies rose to them through the
stillness。 Upstream they could make out the light of the Drybone bridge；
but not the bridge itself； and two lights on the farther bank showed
where stood the hog…ranch opposite Drybone。 They went on over the
table…land and reached the next herald of the town； Drybone's chief
historian； the graveyard。 Beneath its slanting headboards and
wind…shifted sand lay many more people than lived in Drybone。 They passed
by the fence of this shelterless acre on the hill； and shoutings and high
music began to reach them。 At the foot of the hill they saw the sparse
lights and shapes of the town where ended the gray strip of road。 The
many soundsfeet； voices； and musicgrew clearer； unravelling from
their muffled confusion； and the fiddling became a tune that could be
known。〃
〃There's a dance to…night；〃 said the wife to the husband。 〃Hurry。〃
He drove as he had been driving。 Perhaps he had not heard her。
〃I'm telling you to hurry；〃 she repeated。 〃My new dress is in that wagon。
There'll be folks to welcome me here that's older friends than you。〃
She put her horse to a gallop down the broad road toward the music and
the older friends。 The husband spoke to his horse； cleared his throat and
spoke louder； cleared his throat again and this time his sullen voice
carried； and the animal started。 So Lusk went ahead of Lin McLean；
following his wife with the new dress at as good a pace as he might。 If
he did not want her company； perhaps to be alone with the cow…puncher was
still less to his mind。
〃It ain't only her he's stopped caring for；〃 mused Lin； as he rode slowly
along。 〃He don't care for himself any more。〃
PART III
To…day； Drybone has altogether returned to the dust。 Even in that day its
hour could have been heard beginning to sound； but its inhabitants were
rather deaf。 Gamblers； saloon…keepers； murderers； outlaws male and
female； all were so busy with their cards； their lovers； and their
bottles as to make the place seem young and vigorous； but it was second
childhood which had set in。
Drybone had known a wholesome adventurous youth； where manly lives and
deaths were plenty。 It had been an army post。 It had seen horse and foot；
and heard the trumpet。 Brave wives had kept house for their captains upon
its bluffs。 Winter and summer they had made the best of it。 When the War
Department ordered the captains to catch Indians； the wives bade them
Godspeed。 When the Interior Department ordered the captains to let the
Indians go again； still they made the best of it。 You must not waste
Indians。 Indians were a source of revenue to so many people in Washington
and elsewhere。 But the process of catching Indians； armed with weapons
sold them by friends of the Interior Department； was not entirely
harmless。 Therefore there came to be graves in the Drybone graveyard。 The
pale weather…washed head…boards told all about it： 〃Sacred to the memory
of Private So…and…So； killed on the Dry Cheyenne； May 6； 1875。〃 Or it
would be； 〃Mrs。 So…and…So； found scalped on Sage Creek。〃 But even the
financiers at Washington could not wholly preserve the Indian in
Drybone's neighborhood。 As the cattle by ten thousands came treading with
the next step of civilization into this huge domain； the soldiers were
taken away。 Some of them went West to fight more Indians in Idaho；
Oregon； or Arizona。 The battles of the others being done； they went East
in better coffins to sleep where their mothers or their comrades wanted
them。 Though wind and rain wrought changes upon the hill； the ready…made
graves and boxes which these soldiers left behind proved heirlooms as
serviceable in their way as were the tenements that the living had
bequeathed to Drybone。 Into these empty barracks came to dwell and do
business every joy that made the cow…puncher's holiday； and every hunted
person who was baffling the sheriff。 For the sheriff must stop outside
the line of Drybone； as shall presently be made clear。 The captain's
quarters were a saloon now； professional cards were going in the
adjutant's office night and day； and the commissary building made a good
dance…hall and hotel。 Instead of guard…mounting； you would see a
horse…race on the parade…ground； and there was no provost…sergeant to
gather up the broken bottles and old boots。 Heaps of these choked the
rusty fountain。 In the tufts of yellow； ragged grass that dotted the
place plentifully were lodged many aces and queens and ten…spots； which
the Drybone wind had blown wide from the doors out of which they had been
thrown wh