lin mclean-第19节

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

them　hurry　and　smile　among　the　paper　fairies；　they　questioned　and

hesitated；　crowded　and　made　decisions；　failed　utterly　to　find　the　right

thing；　forgot　and　hastened　back；　suffered　all　the　various　desperations　of

the　eleventh　hour；　and　turned　homeward；　dropping　their　parcels　with　that

undimmed　good…will　that　once　a　year　makes　gracious　the　universal　human

face。　This　brotherhood　swam　and　beamed　before　the　cow…puncher's　brooding

eyes；　and　in　his　ears　the　greeting　of　the　season　sang。　Children　escaped

from　their　mothers　and　ran　chirping　behind　the　counters　to　touch　and

meddle　in　places　forbidden。　Friends　dashed　against　each　other　with

rabbits　and　magic　lanterns；　greeted　in　haste；　and　were　gone；　amid　the

sound　of　musical　boxes。



Through　this　tinkle　and　bleating　of　little　machinery　the　murmur　of　the

human　heart　drifted　in　and　out　of　McLean's　hearing；　fragments　of　home

talk；　tendernesses；　economies；　intimate　first　names；　and　dinner　hours；

and　whether　it　was　joy　or　sadness；　it　was　in　common；　the　world　seemed

knit　in　a　single　skein　of　home　ties。　Two　or　three　came　by　whose　purses

must　have　been　slender；　and　whose　purchases　were　humble　and　chosen　after

much　nice　adjustment；　and　when　one　plain　man　dropped　a　word　about　both

ends　meeting；　and　the　woman　with　him　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm；　saying　that

his　children　must　not　feel　this　year　was　different；　Lin　made　a　step

toward　them。　There　were　hours　and　spots　where　he　could　readily　have

descended　upon　them　at　that；　played　the　role　of　clinking　affluence；　waved

thanks　aside　with　competent　blasphemy；　and　tossing　off　some　infamous

whiskey；　cantered　away　in　the　full　self…conscious　strut　of　the　frontier。

But　here　was　not　the　moment；　the　abashed　cow…puncher　could　make　no　such

parade　in　this　place。　The　people　brushed　by　him　back　and　forth；　busy　upon

their　errands；　and　aware　of　him　scarcely　more　than　if　he　had　been　a

spirit　looking　on　from　the　helpless　dead；　and　so；　while　these　weaving

needs　and　kindnesses　of　man　were　within　arm's　touch　of　him；　he　was　locked

outside　with　his　impulses。　Barker　had；　in　the　natural　press　of　customers；

long　parted　from　him；　to　become　immersed　in　choosing　and　rejecting；　and

now；　with　a　fair　part　of　his　mission　accomplished；　he　was　ready　to　go　on

to　the　next　place；　and　turned　to　beckon　McLean。　He　found　him　obliterated

in　a　corner　beside　a　life…sized　image　of　Santa　Claus；　standing　as　still

as　the　frosty　saint。



〃He　looks　livelier　than　you　do；〃　said　the　hearty　Governor。　〃'Fraid　it's

been　slow　waiting。〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　cow…puncher；　thoughtfully。　〃No；　I　guess　not。〃



This　uncertainty　was　expressed　with　such　gentleness　that　Barker　roared。

〃You　never　did　lie　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃long　as　I've　known　you。　Well；　never

mind。　I've　got　some　real　advice　to　ask　you　now。〃



At　this　Mr。　McLean's　face　grew　more　alert。　〃Say　Doc；〃　said　he；　〃what　do

yu'　want　for　Christmas　that　nobody's　likely　to　give　yu'？〃



〃A　big　practicebig　enough　to　interfere　with　my　politics。〃



〃What　else？　Things　and　truck；　I　mean。〃



〃Ohnothing　I'll　get。　People　don't　give　things　much　to　fellows　like　me。〃



〃Don't　they？　Don't　they？〃



〃Why；　you　and　Santa　Claus　weren't　putting　up　any　scheme　on　my　stocking？〃



〃Well〃



〃I　believe　you're　in　earnest！〃　cried　his　Excellency。　〃That's　simply

rich！〃　Here　was　a　thing　to　relish！　The　Frontier　comes　to　town　〃heeled　for

a　big　time；〃　finds　that　presents　are　all　the　rage；　and　must　immediately

give　somebody　something。　Oh；　childlike；　miscellaneous　Frontier！　So

thought　the　good…hearted　Governor；　and　it　seems　a　venial　misconception。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　added；　meaning　as　well　as　possible；　〃I　don't　want

you　to　spend　your　money　on　me。〃



〃I've　got　plenty　all　right；〃　said　Lin；　shortly。



〃Plenty's　not　the　point。　I'll　take　as　many　drinks　as　you　please　with　you。

You　didn't　expect　anything　from　me？〃



〃That　ain'tthat　don't〃



〃There！　Of　course　you　didn't。　Then；　what　are　you　getting　proud　about？

Here's　our　shop。〃　They　stepped　in　from　the　street　to　new　crowds　and

counters。　〃Now；〃　pursued　the　Governor；　〃this　is　for　a　very　particular

friend　of　mine。　Here　they　are。　Now；　which　of　those　do　you　like　best？〃



They　were　sets　of　Tennyson　in　cases　holding　little　volumes　equal　in

number；　but　the　binding　various；　and　Mr。　McLean　reached　his　decision

after　one　look。　〃That；〃　said　he；　and　laid　a　large　muscular　hand　upon　the

Laureate。　The　young　lady　behind　the　counter　spoke　out　acidly；　and　Lin

pulled　the　abject　hand　away。　His　taste；　however；　happened　to　be　sound；

or；　at　least；　it　was　at　one　with　the　Governor's；　but　now　they　learned

that　there　was　a　distressing　variance　in　the　matter　of　price。



The　Governor　stared　at　the　delicate　article　of　his　choice。　〃I　know　that

Tennyson　is　what　sheis　what's　wanted；〃　he　muttered；　and；　feeling

himself　nudged；　looked　around　and　saw　Lin's　extended　fist。　This　gesture

he　took　for　a　facetious　sympathy；　and；　dolorously　grasping　the　hand；

found　himself　holding　a　lump　of　bills。　Sheer　amazement　relaxed　him；　and

the　cow…puncher's　matted　wealth　tumbled　on　the　floor　in　sight　of　all

people。　Barker　picked　it　up　and　gave　it　back。　〃No；　no；　no！〃　he　said；

mirthful　over　his　own　inclination　to　be　annoyed；　〃you　can't　do　that。　I'm

just　as　much　obliged；　Lin；〃　he　added。



〃Just　as　a　loan；　Docsome　of　it。　I'm　grass…bellied　with　spot…cash。〃



A　giggle　behind　the　counter　disturbed　them　both；　but　the　sharp　young　lady

was　only　dusting。　The　Governor　at　once　paid　haughtily　for　Tennyson's

expensive　works；　and　the　cow…puncher　pushed　his　discountenanced　savings

back　into　his　clothes。　Making　haste　to　leave　the　book　department　of　this

shop；　they　regained　a　mutual　ease；　and　the　Governor　became　waggish　over

Lin's　concern　at　being　too　rich。　He　suggested　to　him　the　list　of

delinquent　taxpayers　and　the　latest　census　from　which　to　select　indigent

persons。　He　had　patients；　too；　whose　inveterate　pennilessness　he　could

swear　cheerfully　to〃since　you　want　to　bolt　from　your　own　money；〃　he

remarked。



〃Yes；　I'm　a　green　horse；〃　assented　Mr。　McLean；　gallantly；　〃ain't　used　to

the　looks　of　a　twenty…dollar　bill；　and　I　shy　at　'em。〃



From　his　facethat　jocular　maskone　might　have　counted　him　the　most

serene　and　careless　　of　vagrants；　and　in　his　words　only　the　ordinary

voice　of　banter　spoke　to　the　Governor。　A　good　woman；　it　may　well　be；

would　have　guessed　before　this　the　sensitive　soul　in　the　blundering　body；

but　Barker　saw　just　the　familiar；　whimsical；　happy…go…lucky　McLean　of　old

days；　and　so　he　went　gayly　and　innocently　on；　treading　upon　holy　ground。

〃I've　got　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃give　your　wife　something。〃



The　ruddy　cow…puncher　grinned。　He　had　passed　through　the　world　of　woman

with　but　few　delays；　rejoicing　in　informal　and　transient　entanglements；

and　he　welcomed　the　turn　which　the　conversation　seemed　now　to　be　taking。

〃If　you'll　give　me　her　name　and　address；〃　said　he；　with　the　future

entirely　in　his　mind。



〃Why；　Laramie！〃　and　the　Governor　feigned　surprise。



〃Say；　Doc；〃　said　Lin；　uneasily；　〃none　of　'em　ain't　married　me　since　I　saw

yu'　last。〃



〃Then　she　hasn't　written　from　Laramie；〃　said　the　hilarious　Governor；　and

Mr。　McLean　understood　and　winced　in　his　spirit　deep　down。　〃Gee　whiz！〃

went　on　Barker；　〃I'll　never　forget　you　and　Lusk　that　day！〃



But　the　mask　fell　now。　〃You're　talking　of　his　wife；　not　mine；〃　said　the

cow…puncher　very　quietly；　and　smiling　no　more；　〃and；　Doc；　I'm　going　to

say　a　word　to　yu'；　for　I　know　yu've　always　been　my　good　friend。　I'll

never　forget　that　day　myselfbut　I　don't　want　to　be　reminded　of　it。〃



〃I'm　a　fool；　Lin；〃　said　the　Governor；　generous　instantly。　〃I　never

supposed〃



〃I　know　yu'　didn't；　Doc。　It　ain't　you　that's　the　fool。　And　in　a　wayin　a

way〃　Lin's　speech　ended　among　his　crowding　memories；　and　Barker；　seeing

how　wistful　his　face　had　turned；　waited。　〃But　I　ain't　quite　the　same　fool

I　was　before　that　happened　to　me；〃　the　cow…puncher　resumed；　〃though　maybe

my　actions　don't　show　to　be　wiser。　I　know　that　there　was　better　luck　than

a　man　like　me　had　any　call　to　look　for。〃



The　sobered　Barker　said；　simply；　〃Yes；　Lin。〃　He　was　put　to　thinking　by

these　words　from　the　unsuspected　inner　man。



Out　in　the　Bow　Leg　country　Lin　McLean　had　met　a　woman　with　thick；　red

cheeks；　calling　herself　by　a　maiden　name；　and　this　was　his　whole

knowledge　of　her　when　he　put　her　one　morning　astride　a　Mexican　saddle　and

took　her　fifty　miles　to　a　magistrate　and　made　her　his　lawful　wife　to　the

best　of　his　ability　and　belief。　His　sage…brush　intimates　were　confident

he　would　never　have　done　it　but　for　a　rival。　Racing　the　rival　and　beating

him　had　swept　Mr。　McLean　past　his　own　intentions；　and　the　marriage　was　an

inadvertence。　〃He　jest　bumped　into　it　before　he　could　pull　up；〃　they

explained；　and　this　casualty；　resulting　from　Mr。　McLean's　sporting　blood；

had　entertained　several　hundred　square　miles　of　alkali。　For　the　new…made