lin mclean-第2节

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broke；　and　worked　over　on　to　the　Platte。　Rode　for　the　C。　Y。　Outfit　most　a

year；　and　quit。　Blew　in　at　Buffalo。　Rode　for　Balaam　awhile　on　Butte

Creek。　Broke　his　leg。　Went　to　the　Drybone　Hospital；　and　when　the　fracture

was　commencing　to　knit　pretty　good　he　broke　it　again　at　the　hog…ranch

across　the　bridge。　Next　time　you're　in　Cheyenne　get　Dr。　Barker　to　tell

you　about　that。　McLean　drifted　to　Green　River　last　year　and　went　up　over

on　to　Snake；　and　up　Snake；　and　was　around　with　a　prospecting　outfit　on

Galena　Creek　by　Pitchstone　Canyon。　Seems　he　got　interested　in　some

Dutchwoman　up　there；　but　she　had　troubledied；　I　think　they　saidand　he

came　down　by　Meteetsee　to　Wind　River。　He's　liable　to　go　to　Mexico　or

Africa　next。〃



〃If　you　need　him；〃　said　the　post…trader；　closing　his　ledger；　〃you　can

offer　him　five　more　a　month。〃



〃That'll　not　hold　him。〃



〃Well；　let　him　go。　Have　a　cigar。　The　bishop　is　expected　for　Sunday；　and

I've　got　to　see　his　room　is　fixed　up　for　him。〃



〃The　bishop！〃　said　the　foreman。　〃I've　heard　him　highly　spoken　of。〃



〃You　can　hear　him　preach　to…morrow。　The　bishop　is　a　good　man。〃



〃He's　better　than　that；　he's　a　man；〃　stated　the　foreman〃at　least　so

they　tell　me。〃



Now；　saving　an　Indian　dance；　scarce　any　possible　event　at　the　Shoshone

agency　could　assemble　in　one　spot　so　many　sorts　of　inhabitants　as　a　visit

from　this　bishop。　Inhabitants　of　four　colors　gathered　to　view　the

wolf…dance　this　afternoon　red　men；　white　men；　black　men；　yellow　men。

Next　day；　three　sorts　came　to　church　at　the　agency。　The　Chinese　laundry

was　absent。　But　because；　indeed　（as　the　foreman　said）；　the　bishop　was　not

only　a　good　man　but　a　man；　Wyoming　held　him　in　respect　and　went　to　look

at　him。　He　stood　in　the　agency　church　and　held　the　Episcopal　service　this

Sunday　morning　for　some　brightly　glittering　army　officers　and　their

families；　some　white　cavalry；　and　some　black　infantry；　the　agency　doctor；

the　post…trader；　his　foreman；　the　government　scout；　three　gamblers；　the

waiter…girl　from　the　hotel；　the　stage…driver；　who　was　there　because　she

was；　old　Chief　Washakie；　white…haired　and　royal　in　blankets；　with　two

royal　Utes　splendid　beside　him；　one　benchful　of　squatting　Indian

children；　silent　and　marvelling；　and；　on　the　back　bench；　the　commanding

officer's　new　hired…girl；　and；　beside　her；　Lin　McLean。



Mr。　McLean's　hours　were　already　various　and　successful。　Even　at　the

wolf…dance；　before　he　had　wearied　of　its　monotonous　drumming　and　pageant；

his　roving　eye　had　rested　upon　a　girl　whose　eyes　he　caught　resting　upon

him。　A　look；　an　approach；　a　word；　and　each　was　soon　content　with　the

other。　Then；　when　her　duties　called　her　to　the　post　from　him　and　the

stream's　border；　with　a　promise　for　next　day　he　sought　the　hotel　and

found　the　three　gamblers　anxious　to　make　his　acquaintance；　for　when　a

cow…puncher　has　his　pay　many　people　will　take　an　interest　in　him。　The

three　gamblers　did　not　know　that　Mr。　McLean　could　play　cards。　He　left

them　late　in　the　evening　fat　with　their　money；　and　sought　the　tepees　of

the　Arapahoes。　They　lived　across　the　road　from　the　Shoshones；　and　among

their　tents　the　boy　remained　until　morning。　He　was　here　in　church　now；

keeping　his　promise　to　see　the　bishop　with　the　girl　of　yesterday；　and

while　he　gravely　looked　at　the　bishop；　Miss　Sabina　Stone　allowed　his　arm

to　encircle　her　waist。　No　soldier　had　achieved　this　yet；　but　Lin　was　the

first　cow…puncher　she　had　seen；　and　he　had　given　her　the　handkerchief

from　round　his　neck。



The　quiet　air　blew　in　through　the　windows　and　door；　the　pure；　light

breath　from　the　mountains；　only；　passing　over　their　foot…hills　it　had

caught　and　carried　the　clear　aroma　of　the　sage…brush。　This　it　brought

into　church；　and　with　this　seemed　also　to　float　the　peace　and　great

silence　of　the　plains。　The　little　melodeon　in　the　corner；　played　by　one

of　the　ladies　at　the　post；　had　finished　accompanying　the　hymn；　and　now　it

prolonged　a　few　closing　chords　while　the　bishop　paused　before　his

address；　resting　his　keen　eyes　on　the　people。　He　was　dressed　in　a　plain

suit　of　black　with　a　narrow　black　tie。　This　was　because　the　Union　Pacific

Railroad；　while　it　had　delivered　him　correctly　at　Green　River；　had

despatched　his　robes　towards　Cheyenne。



Without　citing　chapter　and　verse　the　bishop　began：



〃And　he　arose；　and　came　to　his　father。　But　when　he　was　yet　a　great　way

off；　his　father　saw　him；　and　had　compassion；　and　ran；　and　fell　on　his

neck　and　kissed　him。〃



The　bishop　told　the　story　of　that　surpassing　parable；　and　then　proceeded

to　draw　from　it　a　discourse　fitted　to　the　drifting　destinies　in　whose

presence　he　found　himself　for　one　solitary　morning。　He　spoke　unlike　many

clergymen。　His　words　were　chiefly　those　which　the　people　round　him　used；

and　his　voice　was　more　like　earnest　talking　than　preaching。



Miss　Sabina　Stone　felt　the　arm　of　her　cow…puncher　loosen　slightly；　and

she　looked　at　him。　But　he　was　looking　at　the　bishop；　no　longer　gravely

but　with　wide…open　eyes；　alert。　When　the　narrative　reached　the　elder

brother　in　the　field；　and　how　he　came　to　the　house　and　heard　sounds　of

music　and　dancing；　Miss　Stone　drew　away　from　her　companion　and　let　him

watch　the　bishop；　since　he　seemed　to　prefer　that。　She　took　to　reading

hymns　vindictively。　The　bishop　himself　noted　the　sun…browned　boy　face　and

the　wide…open　eyes。　He　was　too　far　away　to　see　anything　but　the　alert；

listening　position　of　the　young　cow…puncher。　He　could　not　discern　how

that；　after　he　had　left　the　music　and　dancing　and　begun　to　draw　morals；

attention　faded　from　those　eyes　that　seemed　to　watch　him；　and　they　filled

with　dreaminess。　It　was　very　hot　in　church。　Chief　Washakie　went　to　sleep；

and　so　did　a　corporal；　but　Lin　McLean　sat　in　the　same　alert　position　till

Miss　Stone　pulled　him　and　asked　if　he　intended　to　sit　down　through　the

hymn。　Then　church　was　out。　Officers；　Indians；　and　all　the　people

dispersed　through　the　great　sunshine　to　their　dwellings；　and　the

cow…puncher　rode　beside　Sabina　in　silence。



〃What　are　you　studying　over；　Mr。　McLean？〃　inquired　the　lady；　after　a

hundred　yards。



〃Did　you　ever　taste　steamed　Duxbury　clams？〃　asked　Lin；　absently。



〃No；　indeed。　What's　them？〃



〃Oh；　just　clams。　Yu'　have　drawn　butter；　too。〃　Mr。　McLean　fell　silent

again。



〃I　guess　I'll　be　late　for　settin'　the　colonel's　table。　Good…bye；〃　said

Sabina；　quickly；　and　swished　her　whip　across　the　pony；　who　scampered　away

with　her　along　the　straight　road　across　the　plain　to　the　post。



Lin　caught　up　with　her　at　once　and　made　his　peace。



〃Only；〃　protested　Sabina；　〃I　ain't　used　to　gentlemen　taking　me　out　and

well；　same　as　if　I　was　a　collie…dog。　Maybe　it's　Wind　River　politeness。〃



But　she　went　riding　with　him　up　Trout　Creek　in　the　cool　of　the　afternoon。

Out　of　the　Indian　tepees；　scattered　wide　among　the　flat　levels　of

sage…brush；　smoke　rose　thin　and　gentle；　and　vanished。　They　splashed

across　the　many　little　running　channels　which　lead　water　through　that

thirsty　soil；　and　though　the　range　of　mountains　came　no　nearer；　behind

them　the　post；　with　its　white；　flat　buildings　and　green　trees；　dwindled

to　a　toy　village。



〃My！　but　it's　far　to　everywheres　here；〃　exclaimed　Sabina；　〃and　it's

little　you're　sayin'　for　yourself　to…day；　Mr。　McLean。　I'll　have　to　do　the

talking。　What's　that　thing　now；　where　the　rocks　are？〃



〃That's　Little　Wind　River　Canyon；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃Feel　like　goin'

there；　Miss　Stone？〃



〃Why；　yes。　It　looks　real　nice　and　shady　like；　don't　it？　Let's。〃



So　Miss　Stone　turned　her　pony　in　that　direction。



〃When　do　your　folks　eat　supper？〃　inquired　Lin。



〃Half…past　six。　Oh；　we've　lots　of　time！　Come　on。〃



〃How　many　miles　per　hour　do　you　figure　that　cayuse　of　yourn　can　travel？〃

Lin　asked。



〃What　are　you　a…talking　about；　anyway？　You're　that　strange　to…day；〃　said

the　lady。



〃Only　if　we　try　to　make　that　canyon；　I　guess　you'll　be　late　settin'　the

colonel's　table；〃　Lin　remarked；　his　hazel　eyes　smiling　upon　her。　〃That

is；　if　your　horse　ain't　good　for　twenty　miles　an　hour。　Mine　ain't；　I

know。　But　I'll　do　my　best　to　stay　with　yu'。〃



〃You're　the　teasingest　man〃　said　Miss　Stone；　pouting。　〃I　might　have

knowed　it　was　ever　so　much　further　nor　it　looked。〃



〃Well；　I　ain't　sayin'　I　don't　want　to　go；　if　yu'　was　desirous　of　campin'

out　to…night。〃



〃Mr。　McLean！　Indeed；　and　I'd　do　no　such　thing！〃　and　Sabina　giggled。



A　sage…hen　rose　under　their　horses'　feet；　and　hurtled　away　heavily　over

the　next　rise　of　ground；　taking　a　final　wide　sail　out　of　sight。



〃Something　like　them　partridges　used　to；〃　said　Lin；　musingly。



〃Partridges？〃　inquired　Sabina。



〃Used　to　be　in　the　woods　between　Lynn　and　Salem。　Maybe　the　woods　are　gone

by　this　time。　Yes；　they　must　be　gone；　I　guess。〃



Presently　they　dismounted　and　sought　the　stream　bank。



〃We　had　music　and　dancing　at　Thanksgiving　and　such　times；〃　said　Lin；　his

wiry　length　stretched　on　the　grass　beside　th