lin mclean-第14节
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her too； thoughtfully。
〃Say； Lin；〃 I said； 〃if you stay here long enough you'll see a big show。〃
And his eye livened into something of its native jocularity as I told him
of the rain…maker。
〃Shucks！〃 said he； springing from his horse impetuously； and hugely
entertained at our venture。 〃Three hundred and fifty dollars？ Let me come
in〃； and before I could tell him that we had all the money raised； he was
hauling out a wadded lump of bills。
〃Well； I ain't going to starve here in the road； I guess；〃 spoke the
image； with the suddenness of a miracle。 I think we all jumped； and I
know that Lin did。 The image continued： 〃Some folks and their money are
soon parted〃she meant me； her searching tones came straight at me； I
was sure from the first that she knew all about me and my unfavorable
opinion of her〃but it ain't going to be you this time； Lin McLean。 Ged
ap！〃 This last was to the horse； I maintain； though the Governor says the
husband immediately started off on a run。
At any rate； they were gone to their hotel； and Ogden was seated on some
railroad ties； exclaiming： 〃Oh； I like Wyoming！ I am certainly glad I
came。〃
〃That's who she is！〃 said the Governor； remembering Mrs。 McLean all at
once。 〃I know her。 She used to be at Sidney。 She's got another husband
somewhere。 She's one of the boys。 Oh； that's nothing in this country！〃 he
continued to the amazed Ogden； who had ejaculated 〃Bigamy！〃 〃Lots of them
marry； live together awhile； get tired and quit； travel； catch on to a
new man； marry him； get tired and quit； travel； catch on〃
〃One moment； I beg；〃 said Ogden； adjusting his glasses。 〃What does the
law〃
〃Law？〃 said the Governor。 〃Look at that place！〃 He swept his hand towards
the vast plains and the mountains。 〃Ninety…five thousand square miles of
that； and sixty thousand people in it。 We haven't got policemen yet on
top of the Rocky Mountains。〃
〃I see；〃 said the New…Yorker。 〃Butbutwell let A and B represent
first and second husbands； and X represent the woman。 Now； does A know
about B？ or does B know about A？ And what do they do about it？〃
〃Can't say；〃 the Governor answered； jovially。 〃Can't generalize。 Depends
on heaps of things lovemoney Did you go to college？ Well； let A
minus X equal B plus X； then if A and B get squared〃
〃Oh； come to lunch；〃 I said。 〃Barker； do you really know the first
husband is alive？〃
〃Wasn't dead last winter。〃 And Barker gave us the particulars。 Miss Katie
Peck had not served long in the restaurant before she was wooed and won
by a man who had been a ranch cook； a sheep…herder； a bar…tender； a
freight hand； and was then hauling poles for the government。 During his
necessary absences from home she； too； went out…of…doors。 This he often
discovered； and would beat her； and she would then also beat him。 After
the beatings one of them would always leave the other forever。 Thus was
Sidney kept in small…talk until Mrs。 Lusk one day really did not come
back。 〃Lusk；〃 said the Governor； finishing his story； 〃cried around the
saloons for a couple of days； and then went on hauling poles for the
government； till at last he said he'd heard of a better job south； and
next we knew of him he was round Leavenworth。 Lusk was a pretty poor
bird。 Owes me ten dollars。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃none of us ever knew about him when she came to stay
with Mrs。 Taylor on Bear Creek。 She was Miss Peck when Lin made her Mrs。
McLean。〃
〃You'll notice；〃 said the Governor； 〃how she has got him under in three
weeks。 Old hand； you see。〃
〃Poor Lin！〃 I said。
〃Lucky； I call him；〃 said the Governor。 〃He can quit her。〃
〃Supposing McLean does not want to quit her？〃
〃She's educating him to want to right now； and I think he'll learn pretty
quick。 I guess Mr。 Lin's romance wasn't very ideal this trip。 Hello！ here
comes Jode。 Jode； won't you lunch with us？ Mr。 Ogden； of New York； Mr。
Jode。 Mr。 Jode is our signal…service officer； Mr。 Ogden。〃 The Governor's
eyes were sparkling hilariously； and he winked at me。
〃Gentlemen； good…morning。 Mr。 Ogden； I am honored to make your
acquaintance；〃 said the signal…service officer。
〃Jode； when is it going to rain？〃 said the Governor； anxiously。
Now Jode is the most extraordinarily solemn man I have ever known。 He has
the solemnity of all science； added to the unspeakable weight of
representing five of the oldest families in South Carolina。 The Jodes
themselves were not old in South Carolina； but immensely so inI think
he told me it was Long Island。 His name is Poinsett Middleton Manigault
Jode。 He used to weigh a hundred and twenty…eight pounds then； but his
health has strengthened in that climate。 His clothes were black； his face
was white； with black eyes sharp as a pin； he had the shape of a spout
the same narrow size all the way downand his voice was as dry and light
as an egg…shell。 In his first days at Cheyenne he had constantly
challenged large cowboys for taking familiarities with his dignity； and
they； after one moment's bewilderment； had concocted apologies that
entirely met his exactions； and gave them much satisfaction also。 Nobody
would have hurt Jode for the world。 In time he came to see that Wyoming
was a game invented after his book of rules was published； and he looked
on； but could not play the game。 He had fallen； along with other
incongruities； into the roaring Western hotch…pot； and he passed his
careful； precise days with barometers and weather…charts。
He answered the Governor with official and South Carolina impressiveness。
〃There is no indication of diminution of the prevailing pressure；〃 he
said。
〃Well； that's what I thought；〃 said the joyous Governor； 〃so I'm going to
whoop her up。〃
〃What do you expect to whoop up； sir？〃
〃Atmosphere； and all that；〃 said the Governor。 〃Whole business has got to
get a move on。 I've sent for a rain…maker。〃
〃Governor； you are certainly a wag； sir；〃 said Jode； who enjoyed Barker
as some people enjoy a symphony； without understanding it。 But after we
had reached the club and were lunching； and Jode realized that a letter
had actually been written telling Hilbrun to come and bring his showers
with him； the punctilious signal…service officer stated his position。
〃Have your joke； sir；〃 he said； waving a thin； clean hand； 〃but I decline
to meet him。〃
〃Hilbrun？〃 said the Governor； staring。
〃If that's his nameyes； sir。 As a member of the Weather Bureau and the
Meteorological Society I can have nothing to do with the fellow。〃
〃Glory！〃 said the Governor。 〃Well； I suppose not。 I see your point； Jode。
I'll be careful to keep you apart。 As a member of the College of
Physicians I've felt that way about homeopathy and the faith…cure。 All
very well if patients will call 'em in； but can't meet 'em in
consultation。 But three months' drought annually； Jode！ It's slowtoo
slow。 The Western people feel that this conservative method the Zodiac
does its business by is out of date。〃
〃I am quite serious； sir；〃 said Jode。 〃And let me express my
gratification that you do see my point。〃 So we changed the subject。
Our weather scheme did not at first greatly move the public。 Beyond those
who made up the purse； few of our acquaintances expressed curiosity about
Hilbrun； and next afternoon Lin McLean told me in the street that he was
disgusted with Cheyenne's coldness toward the enterprise。 〃But the boys
would fly right at it and stay with it if the round…up was near town； you
bet；〃 said he。
He was walking alone。 〃How's Mrs。 McLean to…day？〃 I inquired。
〃She's well；〃 said Lin； turning his eye from mine。 〃Who's your friend all
bugged up in English clothes？〃
〃About as good a man as you；〃 said I； 〃and more cautious。〃
〃Him and his eye…glasses！〃 said the sceptical puncher； still looking away
from me and surveying Ogden； who was approaching with the Governor。 That
excellent man； still at long range； broke out smiling till his teeth
shone； and he waved a yellow paper at us。
〃Telegram from Hilbrun；〃 he shouted； 〃be here to…morrow〃； and he hastened
up。
〃Says he wants a cart at the depot； and a small building where he can be
private；〃 added Ogden。 〃Great； isn't it？〃
〃You bet！〃 said Lin； brightening。 The New Yorker's urbane but obvious
excitement mollified Mr。 McLean。 〃Ever seen rain made； Mr。 Ogden？〃 said
he。
〃Never。 Have you？〃
Lin had not。 Ogden offered him a cigar； which the puncher pronounced
excellent； and we all agreed to see Hilbrun arrive。
〃We're going to show the telegram to Jode；〃 said the Governor； and he and
Ogden departed on this mission to the signal service。
〃Well； I must be getting along myself；〃 said Lin； but he continued
walking slowly with me。 〃Where're yu' bound？〃 he said。
〃Nowhere in particular；〃 said I。 And we paced the board sidewalks a
little more。
〃You're going to meet the train to…morrow？〃 said he。
〃T
