lin mclean-第18节

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she　threw　after　him。



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

most　of　Cheyenne　believes　with　Jode　that　it　was　all　a　coincidence。　South

Carolina　had　bet　on　her　principles；　and　won　from　Lin　the　few　dollars　that

I　had　lent　the　puncher。



〃And　what　will　you　do　now？〃　I　said　to　Lin。



〃Join　the　beef　round…up。　Balaam's　payin'　forty　dollars。　I　guess　that'll

keep　a　single　man。〃







A　JOURNEY　IN　SEARCH　OF　CHRISTMAS



The　Governor　descended　the　steps　of　the　Capitol　slowly　and　with　pauses；

lifting　a　list　frequently　to　his　eye。　He　had　intermittently　pencilled　it

between　stages　of　the　forenoon's　public　business；　and　his　gait　grew

absent　as　he　recurred　now　to　his　jottings　in　their　accumulation；　with　a

slight　pain　at　their　number；　and　the　definite　fear　that　they　would　be

more　in　seasons　to　come。　They　were　the　names　of　his　friends'　children　to

whom　his　excellent　heart　moved　him　to　give　Christmas　presents。　He　had　put

off　this　regenerating　evil　until　the　latest　day；　as　was　his　custom；　and

now　he　was　setting　forth　to　do　the　whole　thing　at　a　blow；　entirely

planless　among　the　guns　and　rocking…horses　that　would　presently　surround

him。　As　he　reached　the　highway　he　heard　himself　familiarly　addressed　from

a　distance；　and；　turning；　saw　four　sons　of　the　alkali　jogging　into　town

from　the　plain。　One　who　had　shouted　to　him　galloped　out　from　the　others；

rounded　the　Capitol's　enclosure；　and；　approaching　with　radiant

countenance　leaned　to　reach　the　hand　of　the　Governor；　and　once　again

greeted　him　with　a　hilarious　〃Hello；　Doc！〃



Governor　Barker；　M。D。；　seeing　Mr。　McLean　unexpectedly　after　several

years；　hailed　the　horseman　with　frank　and　lively　pleasure；　and；　inquiring

who　might　be　the　other　riders　behind；　was　told　that　they　were　Shorty；

Chalkeye；　and　Dollar　Bill；　come　for　Christmas。　〃And　dandies　to　hit　town

with；〃　Mr。　McLean　added。　〃Red…hot。〃



〃I　am　acquainted　with　them；〃　assented　his　Excellency。



〃We've　been　ridin'　trail　for　twelve　weeks；〃　the　cow…puncher　continued；

〃makin'　our　beds　down　anywheres；　and　eatin'　the　same　old　chuck　every　day。

So　we've　shook　fried　beef　and　heifer's　delight；　and　we're　goin'　to　feed

high。〃



Then　Mr。　McLean　overflowed　with　talk　and　pungent　confidences；　for　the

holidays　already　rioted　in　his　spirit；　and　his　tongue　was　loosed　over

their　coming　rites。



〃We've　soured　on　scenery；〃　he　finished；　in　his　drastic　idiom。　〃We're　sick

of　moonlight　and　cow…dung；　and　we're　heeled　for　a　big　time。〃



〃Call　on　me；〃　remarked　the　Governor；　cheerily；　〃when　you're　ready　for

bromides　and　sulphates。〃



〃I　ain't　box…headed　no　more；〃　protested　Mr。　McLean；　〃I've　got　maturity；

Doc；　since　I　seen　yu'　at　the　rain…making；　and　I'm　a　heap　older　than　them

hospital　days　when　I　bust　my　leg　on　yu'。　Three　or　four　glasses　and　quit。

That's　my　rule。〃



〃That　your　rule；　too？〃　inquired　the　Governor　of　Shorty；　Chalkeye；　and

Dollar　Bill。　These　gentlemen　of　the　saddle　were　sitting　quite

expressionless　upon　their　horses。



〃We　ain't　talkin'；　we're　waitin'；〃　observed　Chalkeye；　and　the　three

cynics　smiled　amiably。



〃Well；　Doc；　see　yu'　again；〃　said　Mr。　McLean。　He　turned　to　accompany　his

brother　cow…punchers；　but　in　that　particular　moment　Fate　descended　or

came　up　from　whatever　place　she　dwells　in　and　entered　the　body　of　the

unsuspecting　Governor。



〃What's　your　hurry？〃　said　Fate；　speaking　in　the　official's　hearty　manner。

〃Come　along　with　me。〃



〃Can't　do　it。　Where　are　yu'　goin'？〃



〃Christmasing；〃　replied　Fate。



〃Well；　I've　got　to　feed　my　horse。　Christmasing；　yu'　say？〃



〃Yes；　I'm　buying　toys。〃



〃Toys！　You？　What　for？〃



〃Oh；　some　kids。〃



〃Yourn？〃　screeched　Lin；　precipitately。



His　Excellency　the　jovial　Governor　opened　his　teeth　in　pleasure　at　this；

for　he　was　a　bachelor；　and　there　were　fifteen　upon　his　list；　which　he

held　up　for　the　edification　of　the　hasty　McLean。　〃Not　mine；　I'm　happy　to

say。　My　friends　keep　marrying　and　settling；　and　their　kids　call　me　uncle；

and　climb　around　and　bother；　and　I　forget　their　names；　and　think　it's　a

girl；　and　the　mother　gets　mad。　Why；　if　I　didn't　remember　these　little

folks　at　Christmas　they'd　be　wonderingnot　the　kids；　they　just　break

your　toys　and　don't　notice；　but　the　mother　would　wonder'What's　the

matter　with　Dr。　Barker？　Has　Governor　Barker　gone　back　on　us？'that's

where　the　strain　comes！〃　he　broke　off；　facing　Mr。　McLean　with　another

spacious　laugh。



But　the　cow…puncher　had　ceased　to　smile；　and　now；　while　Barker　ran　on

exuberantly；　McLean's　wide…open　eyes　rested　upon　him；　singular　and

intent；　and　in　their　hazel　depths　the　last　gleam　of　jocularity　went　out。



〃That's　where　the　strain　comes；　you　see。　Two　sets　of　acquaintances。

Grateful　patients　and　loyal　voters；　and　I've　got　to　keep　solid　with　both

outfits；　especially　the　wives　and　mothers。　They're　the　people。　So　it's

drums；　and　dolls；　and　sheep　on　wheels；　and　games；　and　monkeys　on　a　stick；

and　the　saleslady　shows　you　a　mechanical　bear；　and　it　costs　too　much；　and

you　forget　whether　the　Judge's　second　girl　is　Nellie　or　Susie；　andwell；

I'm　just　in　for　my　annual　circus　this　afternoon！　You're　in　luck。

Christmas　don't　trouble　a　chap　fixed　like　you。〃



Lin　McLean　prolonged　the　sentence　like　a　distant　echo。



〃A　chap　fixed　like　you！〃　The　cow…puncher　said　it　slowly　to　himself。　〃No；

sure。〃　He　seemed　to　be　watching　Shorty；　and　Chalkeye；　and　Dollar　Bill

going　down　the　road。　〃That's　a　new　ideaChristmas；〃　he　murmured；　for　it

was　one　of　his　oldest；　and　he　was　recalling　the　Christmas　when　he　wore

his　first　long　trousers。



〃Comes　once　a　year　pretty　regular；〃　remarked　the　prosperous　Governor。

〃Seems　often　when　you　pay　the　bill。〃



〃I　haven't　made　a　Christmas　gift；〃　pursued　the　cow…puncher；　dreamily；

〃not　forforLord！　it's　a　hundred　years；　I　guess。　I　don't　know　anybody

that　has　any　right　to　look　for　such　a　thing　from　me。〃　This　was　indeed　a

new　idea；　and　it　did　not　stop　the　chill　that　was　spreading　in　his　heart。



〃Gee　whiz！〃　said　Barker；　briskly；　〃there　goes　twelve　o'clock。　I've　got　to

make　a　start。　Sorry　you　can't　come　and　help　me。　Good…bye！〃



His　Excellency　left　the　rider　sitting　motionless；　and　forgot　him　at　once

in　his　own　preoccupation。　He　hastened　upon　his　journey　to　the　shops　with

the　list；　not　in　his　pocket；　but　held　firmly；　like　a　plank　in　the

imminence　of　shipwreck。　The　Nellies　and　Susies　pervaded　his　mind；　and　he

struggled　with　the　presentiment　that　in　a　day　or　two　he　would　recall　some

omitted　and　wretchedly　important　child。　Quick　hoof…beats　made　him　look

up；　and　Mr。　McLean　passed　like　a　wind。　The　Governor　absently　watched　him

go；　and　saw　the　pony　hunch　and　stiffen　in　the　check　of　his　speed　when　Lin

overtook　his　companions。　Down　there　in　the　distance　they　took　a　side

street；　and　Barker　rejoicingly　remembered　one　more　name　and　wrote　it　as

he　walked。　In　a　few　minutes　he　had　come　to　the　shops；　and　met　face　to

face　with　Mr。　McLean。



〃The　boys　are　seein'　after　my　horse；〃　Lin　rapidly　began；　〃and　I've　got　to

meet　'em　sharp　at　one。　We're　twelve　weeks　shy　on　a　square　meal；　yu'　see；

and　this　first　has　been　a　date　from　'way　back。　I'd　like　to〃　Here　Mr。

McLean　cleared　his　throat；　and　his　speech　went　less　smoothly。　〃Doc；　I'd

like　just　for　a　while　to　watch　yu'　gettin'them　monkeys；　yu'　know。〃



The　Governor　expressed　his　agreeable　surprise　at　this　change　of　mind；　and

was　glad　of　McLean's　company　and　judgment　during　the　impending

selections。　A　picture　of　a　cow…puncher　and　himself　discussing　a　couple　of

dolls　rose　nimbly　in　Barker's　mental　eye；　and　it　was　with　an　imperfect

honesty　that　he　said；　〃You'll　help　me　a　heap。〃



And　Lin；　quite　sincere；　replied；　〃Thank　yu'。〃



So　together　these　two　went　Christmasing　in　the　throng。　Wyoming's　Chief

Executive　knocked　elbows　with　the　spurred　and　jingling　waif；　one　man　as

good　as　another　in　that　raw；　hopeful；　full…blooded　cattle　era；　which　now

the　sobered　West　remembers　as　the　days　of　its　fond　youth。　For　one　man　has

been　as　good　as　another　in　three　placesParadise　before　the　Fall；　the

Rocky　Mountains　before　the　wire　fence；　and　the　Declaration　of

Independence。　And　then　this　Governor；　beside　being　young；　almost　as　young

as　Lin　McLean　or　the　Chief　Justice　（who　lately　had　celebrated　his

thirty…second　birthday）；　had　in　his　doctoring　days　at　Drybone　known　the

cow…puncher　with　that　familiarity　which　lasts　a　lifetime　without　breeding

contempt；　accordingly　he　now　laid　a　hand　on　Lin's　tall　shoulder　and　drew

him　among　the　petticoats　and　toys。



Christmas　filled　the　windows　and　Christmas　stirred　in　mankind。　Cheyenne；

not　over…zealous　in　doctrine　or　litanies；　and　with　the　opinion　that　a

world　in　the　hand　is　worth　two　in　the　bush；　nevertheless　was　flocking

together；　neighbor　to　think　of　neighbor；　and　every　one　to　remember　the

children；　a　sacred　assembly；　after　all；　gathered　to　rehearse　unwittingly

the　articles　of　its　belief；　the　Creed　and　Doctrine　of　the　Child。　Lin　saw

them