lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第34节
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she would not。 〃Well； then； we must rustle some other private place for
you。 How's the section…house？〃
〃Rank；〃 said the agent； 〃since those Italians used it。 The pump
engineer has been scouring； but he's scared to bunk there yet himself。〃
〃Too bad you couldn't try my plan of a freight…car！〃 said I。
〃An empty？〃 she cried。 〃Is there a clean one？〃
〃You've sure never done that？〃 Lin burst out。
〃So you're scandalized；〃 said she； punishing him instantly。 〃I reckon it
does take a decent girl to shock you。〃 And while she stood laughing at him
with robust irony； poor Lin began to stammer that he meant no offence。
〃Why； to be sure you didn't！〃 said she。 〃But I do enjoy you real
thoroughly。〃
〃Well； m'm；〃 protested the wincing cow…puncher； driven back to
addressing her as 〃ma'am；〃 〃we ain't used〃
〃Don't tangle yourself up worse； Mr。 McLean。 No more am I 'used。' I
have never slept in an empty in my life。 And why is that？ Just because I've
never had to。 And there's the difference between you boys and us。 You do
lots of things you don't like； and tell us。 And we put up with lots of things
we don't like； but we never let you find out。 I know you meant no
offense；〃 she continued； heartily； softening towards her crushed protector；
〃because you're a gentleman。 And lands！ I'm not complaining about an
empty。 That will be richif I can have the door shut。〃
Upon this she went out to view the cars； Mr。 McLean hovering behind
her with a devoted； uneasy countenance； and frequently muttering
〃Shucks！〃 while the agent and I followed with a lamp； for the dark was
come。 With our help she mounted into the first car； and then into the next；
taking the lamp。 And while she scanned the floor and corners； and slid the
door back and forth； Lin whispered in my ear： 〃Her name's Jessamine。 She
told me。 Don't yu' like that name？〃 So I answered him； 〃Yes； very much；〃
thinking that some larger flowerbut still a flowermight have been more
apt。
〃Nobody seems to have slept in these；〃 said she； stepping down； and
on learning that even the tramp avoided Separ when he could； she
exclaimed； 〃What lodging could be handier than this！ Only it would be so
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cute if you had a Louavull an' Nashvull car；〃 said she。 〃Twould seem like
my old Kentucky home！〃 And laughing rather sweetly at her joke； she held
the lamp up to read the car's lettering。 〃'D。 and R。 G。' Oh； that's a way…off
stranger！ I reckon they're all strange。〃 She went along the train with her
lamp。 〃Yes； 'B。 and M。' and 'S。 C。 and P。' Oh； this is rich！ Nate will laugh
when he hears。 I'll choose 'C。； B。 and Q。' That's a little nearer my country。
What time does the stage start？ Porter； please wake 'C。； B。 and Q。' at six；
sharp；〃 said she to Lin。
From this point of the evening on； I think of our doingstheir doings
with a sort of unchanging homesickness。 Nothing like them can ever
happen again； I know； for it's all gonesettled； sobered； and gone。 And
whatever wholesomer prose of good fortune waits in our cup； how I thank
my luck for this swallow of frontier poetry which I came in time for！
To arrange some sort of bed for her was the next thing； and we made a
good shake…downclean straw and blankets and a pillow； and the agent
would have brought sheets； but though she would not have these； she did
not resistwhat do you suppose？a looking…glass for next morning！ And
we got a bucket of water and her valise。 It was all one to her； she said； in
what car Lin and I put up； and let it be next door； by all means； if it
pleased him to think he could watch over her safety better so； and she shut
herself in； bidding us good…night。 We began spreading straw and blankets
for ourselves； when a whistle sounded far and long； and its tone rose in
pitch as it came。
〃I'll get him to run right to the corrals；〃 said the agent； 〃so the sheriff
can tell the boys he's not after them。〃
〃That'll convince 'em he is；〃 said Lin。 〃Stop him here； or let him go
through。〃
But we were not to steer the course that events took now。 The rails of
the main line beside us brightened in wavering parallels as the headlight
grew down upon us； and in this same moment the shootings at the corrals
chorused in a wild； hilarious threat。 The burden of the coming engine
heavily throbbed in the air and along the steel； and met and mixed with the
hard； light beating of hoofs。 The sounds approached together like a sort of
charge； and I stepped between the freight…cars； where I heard Lin ordering
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the girl inside to lie down flat； and could see the agent running about in the
dust； flapping his arms to signal with as much coherence as a chicken with
its head off。 I had very short space for wonder or alarm。 The edge of one
of my freight…cars glowed suddenly with the imminent headlight； and
galloping shots invaded the place。 The horsemen flew by； overreaching；
and leaning back and lugging against their impetus。 They passed in a
tangled swirl； and their dust coiled up thick from the dark ground and
luminously unfolded across the glare of the sharp…halted locomotive。 Then
they wheeled； and clustered around it where it stood by our cars； its air…
brake pumping deep breaths； and the internal steam humming through its
bowels； and I came out in time to see Billy Lusk climb its front with
callow； enterprising shouts。 That was child's play； and the universal yell
now raised by the horsemen was their child's play too； but the whole thing
could so precipitately reel into the fatal that my thoughts stopped。 I could
only look when I saw that they had somehow recognized the man on the
engine for a sheriff。 Two had sprung from their horses and were making
boisterously toward the cab； while Lin McLean； neither boisterous nor
joking； was going to the cab from my side； with his pistol drawn； to keep
the peace。 The engineer sat with a neutral hand on the lever； the fireman
had run along the top of the coal in the tender and descended and crouched
somewhere； and the sheriff； cool； and with a good…natured eye upon all
parties； was just beginning to explain his errand； when some rider from the
crowd cut him short with an invitation to get down and have a drink。 At
the word of ribald endearment by which he named the sheriff； a passing
fierceness hardened the officer's face； and the new yell they gave was less
playful。 Waiting no more explanations； they swarmed against the
locomotive； and McLean pulled himself up on the step。 The loud talking
fell at a stroke to let business go on； and in this silence came the noise of a
sliding…door。 At that I looked； and they all looked； and stood harmless； like
children surprised。 For there on the threshold of the freight…car； with the
interior darkness behind her； and touched by the headlight's diverging rays；
stood Jessamine Buckner。
〃Will you gentlemen do me a favor？〃 said she。 〃Strangers； maybe；
have no right to ask favors； but I reckon you'll let that pass this time。 For
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I'm real sleepy！〃 She smiled as she brought this out。 〃I've been four days
and nights on the cars； and to…morrow I've got to stage to Buffalo。 You see
I'll not be here to spoil your fun to…morrow night； and I want boys to be
boys just as much as ever they can。 Won't you put it off till to…morrow
night？〃
In their amazement they found no spokesman； but I saw Lin busy
among them； and that some word was passing through their groups。 After
the brief interval of stand…still they began silently to get on their horses；
while the looming engine glowed and pumped its breath； and the sheriff
and engineer remained as they were。
〃Good…night； lady；〃 said a voice among the moving horsemen； but the
others kept their abashed native silence； and thus they slowly filed away to
the corrals。 The figures； in their loose shirts and leathern chaps； passed
from the dimness for a moment thr
