lin mclean-第17节

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〃You　bet　〃'　said　Lin。　〃Fair　and　square。　If　they're　goin'　back　on　yu'；

doctor；　I'll　chipShucks！〃　Lin's　hand　fell　from　the　empty　pocket；　he

remembered　his　wad　in　the　stake…holder's　hands；　and　that　he　now　possessed

possibly　two　dollars　in　silver；　all　told。　〃I　can't　chip　in；　doctor；〃　he

said。　〃That　hobo　over　there　has　won　my　cash；　an'　he's　filling　up　on　the

prospect　right　now。　I　don't　care！　It's　the　biggest　show　I've　ever　saw。

You're　a　dandy；　Mr。　Hilbrun！　Whoop！〃　And　Lin　clapped　the　rain…maker　on

the　shoulder；　exulting。　He　had　been　too　well　entertained　to　care　what　he

had　in　his　pocket；　and　his　wife　had　not　yet　occurred　to　him。



They　were　disputing　about　the　rainfall；　which　had　been　slightly　under

half　an　inch　in　a　few　spots；　but　over　it　in　many　others；　and　while　we

stood　talking　in　the　renewed　sunlight；　more　telegrams　were　brought　to

Jode；　saying　that　there　was　no　moisture　anywhere；　and　simultaneously　with

these；　riders　dashed　into　town　with　the　news　that　twelve　miles　out　the

rain　had　flattened　the　grain　crop。　We　had　more　of　such　reports　from　as

far　as　thirty　miles；　and　beyond　that　there　had　not　been　a　drop　or　a

cloud。　It　staggered　one's　reason；　the　brain　was　numb　with　surprise。



〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　rain…maker；　〃I'm　packed　up；　and　my　train'll

be　along　soonwould　have　been　along　by　this；　only　it's　late。　What's　the

word　as　to　my　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars？〃



Even　still　there　were　objections　expressed。　He　had　not　entirely　performed

his　side　of　the　contract。



〃I　think　different；　gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃But　I'll　unpack　and　let　that

train　go。　I　can't　have　the　law　on　you；　I　suppose。　But　if　you　don't　pay

me〃　（the　rain…maker　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　leaned　against　the

fence）　〃I'll　flood　your　town。〃



In　earthquakes　and　eruptions　people　end　by　expecting　anything；　and　in　the

total　eclipse　that　was　now　over　all　Cheyenne's　ordinary　standards　and

precedents　the　bewildered　community　saw　in　this　threat　nothing　more

unusual　than　if　he　had　said　twice　two　made　four。　The　purse　was　handed

over。



〃I'm　obliged；〃　said　Hilbrun；　simply。



〃If　I　had　foreseen；　gentlemen；〃　said　Jode；　too　deeply　grieved　now　to　feel

anger；　〃that　I　would　even　be　indirectly　associated　with　your　losing　your

money　through　thisthis　absurd　occurrence；　I　would　have　declined　to　help

you。　It　becomes　my　duty；〃　he　continued；　turning　coldly　to　the　inebriated

Lusk；　〃to　hand　this　to　you；　sir。〃　And　the　assistant　lurchingly　stuffed

his　stakes　away。



〃It's　worth　it；〃　said　Lin。　〃He's　welcome　to　my　cash。〃



〃What's　that　you　say；　Lin　McLean？〃　It　was　the　biscuit…shooter；　and　she

surged　to　the　front。



〃I'm　broke。　He's　got　it。　That's　all；〃　said　Lin；　briefly。



〃Broke！　You！〃　She　glared　at　her　athletic　young　lord；　and　she　uttered　a

preliminary　howl。



At　that　long…lost　cry　Lusk　turned　his　silly　face。　〃It's　my　darling　Kate；〃

he　said。　〃Why；　Kate！〃



The　next　thing　that　I　knew　Ogden　and　I　were　grappling　with　Lin　McLean；

for　everything　had　happened　at　once。　The　bride　had　swooped　upon　her　first

wedded　love　and　burst　into　tears　on　the　man's　neck；　which　Lin　was　trying

to　break　in　consequence。　We　do　not　always　recognize　our　benefactors　at

sight。　They　all　came　to　the　ground；　and　we　hauled　the　second　husband　off。

The　lady　and　Lusk　remained　in　a　heap；　he　foolish；　tearful；　and

affectionate；　she　turned　furiously　at　bay；　his　guardian　angel；

indifferent　to　the　onlooking　crowd；　and　hurling　righteous　defiance　at

Lin。　〃Don't　yus　dare　lay　yer　finger　on　my　husband；　you　sage…brush

bigamist！〃　is　what　the　marvelous　female　said。



〃Bigamist？〃　repeated　Lin；　dazed　at　this　charge。　〃I　ain't；〃　he　said　to

Ogden　and　me。　〃I　never　did。　I've　never　married　any　of　'em　before　her。〃



〃Little　good　that'll　do　yus；　Lin　McLean！　Me　and　him　was　man　and　wife

before　ever　I　come　acrosst　yus。〃



〃You　and　him？〃　murmured　the　puncher。



〃Her　and　me；〃　whimpered　Lusk。　〃Sidney。〃　He　sat　up　with　a　limp；　confiding

stare　at　everybody。



〃Sidney　who？〃　said　Lin。



〃No；　no；〃　corrected　Lusk；　crossly〃Sidney；　Nebraska。〃



The　stakes　at　this　point　fell　from　his　pocket　which　he　did　not　notice。

But　the　bride　had　them　in　safe…keeping　at　once。



〃Who　are　yu'；　anywaywhen　yu'　ain't　drunk？〃　demanded　Lin。



〃He's　as　good　a　man　as　you；　and　better；〃　snorted　the　guardian　angel。

〃Give　him　a　pistol；　and　he'll　make　you　hard　to　find。〃



〃Well；　you　listen　to　me；　Sidney　Nebraska〃　Lin　began。



〃No；　no；〃　corrected　Lusk　once　more；　as　a　distant　whistle　blew〃Jim。〃



〃Good…bye；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　rain…maker。　〃That's　the　west…bound。　I'm

perfectly　satisfied　with　my　experiment　here；　and　I'm　off　to　repeat　it　at

Salt　Lake　City。〃



〃You　are？〃　shouted　Lin　McLean。　〃Him　and　Jim's　going　to　work　it　again！　For

goodness'　sake；　somebody　lend　me　twenty…five　dollars！〃



At　this　there　was　an　instantaneous　rush。　Ten　minutes　later；　in　front　of

the　ticket…windows　there　was　a　line　of　citizens　buying　tickets　for　Salt

Lake　as　if　it　had　been　Madame　Bernhardt。　Some　rock　had　been　smitten；　and

ready　money　had　flowed　forth。　The　Governor　saw　us　off；　sad　that　his

duties　should　detain　him。　But　Jode　went！



〃Betting　is　the　fool's　argument；　gentlemen；〃　said　he　to　Ogden；　McLean；

and　me；　〃and　it's　a　weary　time　since　I　have　had　the　pleasure。〃



〃Which　way　are　yu'　bettin'？〃　Lin　asked。



〃With　my　principles；　sir；〃　answered　the　little　signal…service　officer。



〃I　expect　I　ain't　got　any；〃　said　the　puncher。　〃It's　Jim　I'm　backin'　this

time。〃



〃See　here；〃　said　I；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃　We　went　into　another　car；

and　I　did。



〃And　so　yu'　knowed　about　Lusk　when　we　was　on　them　board　walks？〃　the

puncher　said。



〃Do　you　mean　I　ought　to　have〃



〃Shucks！　no。　Yu'　couldn't。　Nobody　couldn't。　It's　a　queer　world；　all　the

same。　Yu'　have　good　friends；　and　all　that。〃　He　looked　out　of　the　window。〃

Laramie　already！〃　he　commented；　and　got　out　and　walked　by　himself　on　the

platform　until　we　had　started　again。　〃Yu'　have　good　friends；〃　he　pursued；

settling　himself　so　his　long　legs　were　stretched　and　comfortable；　〃and

they　tell　yu'　things；　and　you　tell　them　things。　And　when　it　don't　make　no

particular　matter　one　way　or　the　other；　yu'　give　'em　your　honest　opinion

and　talk　straight　to　'em；　and　they'll　come　to　you　the　same　way。　So　that

when　yu're　ridin'　the　range　alone　sometimes；　and　thinkin'　a　lot　o'　things

over　on　top　maybe　of　some　dog…goned　hill；　you'll　say　to　yourself　about

some　fellow　yu'　know　mighty　well；　'There's　a　man　is　a　good　friend　of

mine。'　And　yu'　mean　it。　And　it's　so。　Yet　when　matters　is　serious；　as

onced　in　a　while　they're　bound　to　get；　and　yu're　in　a　plumb　hole；　where

is　the　man　thenyour　good　friend？　Why；　he's　where　yu'　want　him　to　be。

Standin'　off；　keepin'　his　mouth　shut；　and　lettin'　yu'　find　your　own　trail

out。　If　he　tried　to　show　it　to　yu'；　yu'd　likely　hit　him。　But　shucks！

Circumstances　have　showed　me　the　trail　this　time；　you　bet！〃　And　the

puncher's　face；　which　had　been　sombre；　grew　lively；　and　he　laid　a

friendly　hand　on　my　knee。



〃The　trail's　pretty　simple；〃　said　I。



〃You　bet！　But　it's　sure　a　queer　world。　Tell　yu'；〃　said　Lin；　with　the　air

of　having　made　a　discovery；　〃when　a　man　gets　down　to　bed…rock　affairs　in

this　life　he's　got　to　do　his　travellin'　alone；　same　as　he　does　his　dyin'。

I　expect　even　married　men　has　thoughts　and　hopes　they　don't　tell　their

wives。〃



〃Never　was　married；〃　said　I。



〃Wellno　more　was　I。　Let's　go　to　bed。〃　And　Lin　shook　my　hand；　and　gave

me　a　singular；　rather　melancholy　smile。



At　Salt　Lake　City；　which　Ogden　was　glad　to　include　in　his　Western

holiday；　we　found　both　Mormon　and　Gentile　ready　to　give　us　odds　against

rainonly　I　noticed　that　those　of　the　true　faith　were　less　free。　Indeed；

the　Mormon；　the　Quaker；　and　most　sects　of　an　isolated　doctrine　have　a

nice　prudence　in　money。　During　our　brief　stay　we　visited　the　sights：

floating　in　the　lake；　listening　to　pins　drop　in　the　gallery　of　the

Tabernacle；　seeing　frescos　of　saints　in　robes　speaking　from　heaven　to

Joseph　Smith　in　the　Sunday　clothes　of　a　modern　farm…hand；　and　in　the

street　we　heard　at　a　distance　a　strenuous　domestic　talk　between　the　new

or　perhaps　I　should　say　the　original　husband　and　wife。



〃She's　corralled　Sidney's　cash！〃　said　the　delighted　Lin。　〃He　can't　bet

nothing　on　this　shower　〃



And　then；　after　all；　this　timeit　didn't　rain！



Stripped　of　money　both　ways；　Cheyenne；　having　most　fortunately　purchased

a　return　ticket；　sought　its　home。　The　perplexed　rain…maker　went　somewhere

else；　without　his　assistant。　Lusk's　exulting　wife；　having　the　money；

retained　him　with　her。



〃Good　luck　to　yu'；　Sidney！〃　said　Lin；　speaking　to　him　for　the　first　time

since　Cheyenne。　〃I　feel　a　heap　better　since　I've　saw　yu'　married。〃　He

paid　no　attention　to　the　biscuit…shooter；　or　the　horrible　language　that

she　threw　after　him。



Jode　also　felt　〃a　heap　better。〃　Legitimate　science　had　triumphed。　To…day；

most　of　Cheyenne　believes　with　Jode　that　it