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                         LIN McLEAN 



 LIN McLEAN 



                                By 

             OWEN WISTER 



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                                    LIN McLEAN 



                          DEDICATION 



    MY DEAR HARRY MERCER: When Lin McLean was only a hero in 

manuscript;   he   received   his   first   welcome   and   chastening   beneath   your 

patient roof。 By none so much as by you has he in private been helped and 

affectionately disciplined; an now you must stand godfather to him upon 

this public page。 

    Always yours; 

    OWEN WISTER 

    Philadelphia; 1897 



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                                          LIN McLEAN 



     HOW LIN McLEAN WENT EAST 



     In the old days; the happy days; when Wyoming was a Territory with a 

future instead of a State with a past; and the unfenced cattle grazed upon 

her ranges by prosperous thousands; young Lin McLean awaked early one 

morning in cow camp; and lay staring out of his blankets upon the world。 

He would be twenty…two this week。 He was the youngest cow…puncher in 

camp。   But   because   he   could   break   wild   horses;   he   was   earning   more 

dollars   a   month   than   any   man   there;   except   one。   The   cook   was   a   more 

indispensable   person。   None   save   the   cook   was   up;   so   far;   this   morning。 

Lin's   brother   punchers   slept   about   him  on   the   ground;   some   motionless; 

some shifting their prone heads to burrow deeper from the increasing day。 

The busy work of spring was over; that of the fall; or beef round…up; not 

yet   come。   It   was   mid…July;   a   lull   for   these   hard…riding   bachelors   of   the 

saddle;   and   many   unspent   dollars   stood   to   Mr。   McLean's   credit   on   the 

ranch books。 

     〃What's     the   matter    with   some    variety?〃    muttered     the   boy   in  his 

blankets。 

     The long   range   of the   mountains lifted clear in the   air。 They  slanted 

from the purple folds and furrows of the pines that richly cloaked them; 

upward into rock and grassy bareness until they broke remotely into bright 

peaks; and filmed into the distant lavender of the north and the south。 On 

their western side the streams ran into Snake or into Green River; and so at 

length met the Pacific。 On this side; Wind River flowed forth from them; 

descending out of the Lake of the Painted Meadows。 A mere trout…brook it 

was up there at the top of the divide; with easy riffles and stepping…stones 

in   many  places;   but down here;   outside   the   mountains;   it   was   become   a 

streaming   avenue;   a   broadening   course;   impetuous   between   its   two   tall 

green walls of cottonwood…trees。 And so it wound away like a vast green 

ribbon across the lilac…gray sage…brush and the yellow; vanishing plains。 

     〃Variety; you bet!〃 young Lin repeated; aloud。 

     He unrolled himself from his bed; and brought from the garments that 

made   his   pillow   a   few   toilet   articles。   He   got   on   his   long   boy   legs   and 

limped   blithely   to   the   margin。   In   the   mornings   his   slight   lameness   was 



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                                          LIN McLEAN 



always more visible。 The camp was at Bull Lake Crossing; where the fork 

from     Bull   Lake    joins  Wind     River。   Here    Lin   found   some    convenient 

shingle…stones; with dark; deepish water against them; where he plunged 

his face and energetically washed; and came up with the short curly hair 

shining   upon   his   round   head。 After   enough   looks   at   himself   in   the   dark 

water;   and   having   knotted   a   clean;   jaunty   handkerchief   at   his   throat;   he 

returned   with   his   slight   limp   to   camp;   where   they   were   just   sitting   at 

breakfast to the rear of the cook…shelf of the wagon。 

     〃Bugged up to kill!〃 exclaimed one; perceiving Lin's careful dress。 

     〃He sure has not shaved again?〃 another inquired; with concern。 

     〃I ain't got my opera…glasses on;〃 answered a third。 

     〃He has spared that pansy…blossom mustache;〃 said a fourth。 

     〃My spring crop;〃 remarked young Lin; rounding on this last one; 〃has 

juicier   prospects   than   that   rat…eaten   catastrophe   of   last   year's   hay   which 

wanders out of your face。〃 

     〃Why;   you'll   soon   be   talking   yourself   into   a   regular   man;〃   said   the 

other。 

     But the camp laugh remained on the side of young Lin till breakfast 

was ended; when the ranch foreman rode into camp。 

     Him Lin McLean at once addressed。 〃I was wantin' to speak to you;〃 

said he。 

     The   experienced       foreman   noticed     the   boy's  holiday   appearance。      〃I 

understand you're tired of work;〃 he remarked。 

     〃Who told you?〃 asked the bewildered Lin。 

     The   foreman   touched   the   boy's   pretty   handkerchief。   〃Well;   I   have   a 

way of taking things in at a glance;〃 said he。 〃That's why I'm foreman; I 

expect。 So you've had enough work?〃 

     〃My system's full of it;〃 replied Lin; grinning。 As the foreman stood 

thinking; he added; 〃And I'd like my time。〃 

     Time; in the cattle idiom; meant back…pay up to date。 

     〃It's good we're not busy;〃 said the foreman。 

     〃Meanin' I'd quit all the same?〃 inquired Lin; rapidly; flushing。 

     〃Nonot meaning any offence。 Catch up your horse。 I want to make 

the post before it gets hot。〃 



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                                         LIN McLEAN 



     The   foreman   had   come   down   the   river   from   the   ranch   at   Meadow 

Creek;   and   the   post;   his   goal;   was   Fort   Washakie。   All   this   part   of   the 

country  formed   the   Shoshone   Indian   Reservation;   where;   by  permission; 

pastured the herds whose owner would pay Lin his time at Washakie。 So 

the young cow…puncher flung on his saddle and mounted。 

     〃So…long!〃   he   remarked   to   the   camp;   by   way   of   farewell。   He   might 

never be going to see any of them again; but the cow…punchers were not 

demonstrative by habit。 

     〃Going to stop long at Washakie?〃 asked one。 

     〃Alma is not waiter…girl at the hotel now;〃 another mentioned。 

     〃If there's a new girl;〃 said a third; 〃kiss her one for me; and tell her 

I'm handsomer than you。〃 

     〃I ain't a deceiver of women;〃 said Lin。 

     〃That's why you'll tell her;〃 replied his friend。 

     〃Say; Lin; why are you quittin' us so sudden; anyway?〃 asked the cook; 

grieved to lose him。 

     〃I'm after some variety;〃 said the boy。 

     〃If you pick up more than you can use; just can a little of it for me!〃 

shouted the cook at the departing McLean。 

     This was the last of camp by Bull Lake Crossing; and in the foreman's 

company young Lin now took the road for his accumulated dollars。 

     〃So   you're   leaving   your   bedding   and   stuff   with   the   outfit?〃   said   the 

foreman。 

     〃Brought my tooth…brush;〃 said Lin; showing it in the breast…pocket of 

his flannel shirt。 

     〃Going to Denver?〃 

     〃Why; maybe。〃 

     〃Take in San Francisco?〃 

     〃Sounds slick。〃 

     〃Made any plans?〃 

     〃Gosh; no!〃 

     〃Don't want anything on your brain?〃 

     〃Nothin'   except   my   hat;   I   guess;〃   said   Lin;   and   broke   into   cheerful 

song: 



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                                          LIN McLEAN 



                                    〃'Twas         a       nasty       baby        anyhow; 

And it only died to spite us;                                       'Twas afflicted with 

the cerebrow                                            Spinal meningitis!'〃 

     They  wound   up   out   of   the   magic   valley   of   Wind   River;   through   the 

bastioned      gullies   and    the  gnome…like      mystery     of   dry   water…courses; 

upward and up to the level of the huge sage…brush plain above。 Behind lay 

the deep valley they had climbed   from;  mighty; expanding; its trees like 

bushes; its cattle like pebbles; its opposite side towering also to the edge of 

this upper plain。 There it lay; another world。 One step farther away from 

its rim; and the two edges of the plain had flowed together over it like a 

closing sea; covering without a sign or ripple the great country which lay 

sunk beneath。 

     〃A man might think he'd dreamed he'd saw that place;〃 said Lin to the 

foreman;   and      wheeled     his  horse   to   the  edge   again。   〃She's   sure   there; 

though;〃      he  added;    gazing    down。     For   a  moment      his  boy    face   grew 

thoughtful。  

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