lin mclean-第22节

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wasn't　raised　good　enough　for　them　dude　dishes。　What　do　yu'　say！　I'm

after　a　place　where　yu'　can　mention　oyster　stoo　without　givin'　anybody　a

fit。　What　do　yu'　say；　boys？〃



That　lighted　the　divine　spark　of　brotherhood！



〃Ah；　you　come　along　with　uswe'll　take　yer！　You　don't　want　to　go　in

there。　We'll　show　yer　the　boss　place　in　Market　Street。　We　won't　lose　yer。〃

So；　shouting　together　in　their　shrill　little　city　trebles；　they　clustered

about　him；　and　one　pulled　at　his　coat　to　start　him。　He　started

obediently；　and　walked　in　their　charge；　they　leading　the　way。



〃Christmas　is　comin'　now；　sure；〃　said　Lin；　grinning　to　himself。　〃It　ain't

exactly　what　I　figured　on。〃　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　laughed　since

Cheyenne；　and　he　brushed　a　hand　over　his　eyes；　that　were　dim　with　the　new

warmth　in　his　heart。



Believing　at　length　in　him　and　his　turkey；　the　alert　street　faces；　so

suspicious　of　the　unknown；　looked　at　him　with　ready　intimacy　as　they　went

along；　and　soon；　in　the　friendly　desire　to　make　him　acquainted　with

Denver；　the　three　were　patronizing　him。　Only　Billy；　perhaps；　now　and　then

stole　at　him　a　doubtful　look。



The　large　Country　Mouse　listened　solemnly　to　his　three　Town　Mice；　who

presently　introduced　him　to　the　place　in　Market　Street。　It　was　not　boss；

precisely；　and　Denver　knows　better　neighborhoods；　but　the　turkey　and　the

oyster　stew　were　there；　with　catsup　and　vegetables　in　season；　and　several

choices　of　pie。　Here　the　Country　Mouse　became　again　efficient；　and　to

witness　his　liberal　mastery　of　ordering　and　imagine　his　pocket　and　its

wealth；　which　they　had　heard　and　partly　seen；　renewed　in　the　guests　a

transient　awe。　As　they　dined；　however；　and　found　the　host　as　frankly

ravenous　as　themselves；　this　reticence　evaporated；　and　they　all　grew

fluent　with　oaths　and　opinions。　At　one　or　two　words；　indeed；　Mr。　McLean

stared　and　had　a　slight　sense　of　blushing。



〃Have　a　cigarette？〃　said　the　leader；　over　his　pie。



〃Thank　yu'；〃　said　Lin。　〃I　won't　smoke；　if　yu'll　excuse　me。〃　He　had

devised　a　wholesome　meal；　with　water　to　drink。



〃Chewin's　no　good　at　meals；〃　continued　the　boy。　〃Don't　you　use　tobaccer？〃



〃Onced　in　a　while。〃



The　leader　spat　brightly。　〃He　ain't　learned　yet；〃　said　he；　slanting　his

elbows　at　Billy　and　sliding　a　match　over　his　rump。　〃But　beer；　nowI

never　seen　anything　in　it。〃　He　and　Towhead　soon　left　Billy　and　his　callow

profanities　behind；　and　engaged　in　a　town　conversation　that　silenced　him；

and　set　him　listening　with　all　his　admiring　young　might。　Nor　did　Mr。

McLean　join　in　the　talk；　but　sat　embarrassed　by　this　knowledge；　which

seemed　about　as　much　as　he　knew　himself。



〃I'll　be　goshed；〃　he　thought；　〃if　I'd　caught　on　to　half　that　when　I　was

streakin'　around　in　short　pants！　Maybe　they　grow　up　quicker　now。〃　But　now

the　Country　Mouse　perceived　Billy's　eager　and　attentive　apprenticeship。

〃Hello；　boys！〃　he　said；　〃that　theatre's　got　a　big　start　on　us。〃



They　had　all　forgotten　he　had　said　anything　about　theatre；　and　other

topics　left　their　impatient　minds；　while　the　Country　Mouse　paid　the　bill

and　asked　to　be　guided　to　the　Opera…house。　〃This　man　here　will　look　out

for　your　blackin'　and　truck；　and　let　yu'　have　it　in　the　morning。〃



They　were　very　late。　The　spectacle　had　advanced　far　into　passages　of　the

highest　thrill；　and　Denver's　eyes　were　riveted　upon　a　ship　and　some

icebergs。　The　party　found　its　seats　during　several　beautiful　lime…light

effects；　and　that　remarkable　fly…buzzing　of　violins　which　is　proounced　so

helpful　in　times　of　peril　and　sentiment。　The　children　of　Captain　Grant

had　been　tracking　their　father　all　over　the　equator　and　other　scenic

spots；　and　now　the　north　pole　was　about　to　impale　them。　The　Captain's

youngest　child；　perceiving　a　hummock　rushing　at　them　with　a　sudden

motion；　loudly　shouted；　〃Sister；　the　ice　is　closing　in！〃　and　she　replied；

chastely；　〃Then　let　us　pray。〃　It　was　a　superb　tableau：　the　ice　split；　and

the　sun　rose　and　joggled　at　once　to　the　zenith。　The　act…drop　fell；　and

male　Denver；　wrung　to　its　religious　deeps；　went　out　to　the　rum…shop。



Of　course　Mr。　McLean　and　his　party　did　not　do　this。　The　party　had

applauded　exceedingly　the　defeat　of　the　elements；　and　the　leader；　with

Towhead；　discussed　the　probable　chances　of　the　ship's　getting　farther

south　in　the　next　act。　Until　lately　Billy's　doubt　of　the　cow…puncher　had

lingered；　but　during　this　intermission　whatever　had　been　holding　out　in

him　seemed　won；　and　in　his　eyes；　that　he　turned　stealthily　upon　his

unconscious；　quiet　neighbor；　shone　the　beginnings　of　hero…worship。



〃Don't　you　think　this　is　splendid？〃　said　he。



〃Splendid；〃　Lin　replied；　a　trifle　remotely。



〃Don't　you　like　it　when　they　all　get　balled　up　and　get　out　that　way？〃



〃Humming；〃　said　Lin。



〃Don't　you　guess　it's　just　girls；　though；　that　do　that？〃



〃What；　young　fellow？〃



〃Why；　all　that　prayer…saying　an'　stuff。〃



〃I　guess　it　must　be。〃



〃She　said　to　do　it　when　the　ice　scared　her；　an'　of　course　a　man　had　to　do

what　she　wanted　him。〃



〃Sure。〃



〃Well；　do　you　believe　they'd　'a'　done　it　if　she　hadn't　been　on　that　boat；

and　clung　around　an'　cried　an'　everything；　an'　made　her　friends　feel

bad？〃



〃I　hardly　expect　they　would；〃　replied　the　honest　Lin；　and　then；　suddenly

mindful　of　Billy；　〃except　there　wasn't　nothin'　else　they　could　think　of；〃

he　added；　wishing　to　speak　favorably　of　the　custom。



〃Why；　that　chunk　of　ice　weren't　so　awful　big　anyhow。　I'd　'a'　shoved　her

off　with　a　pole。　Wouldn't　you？〃



〃Butted　her　like　a　ram；〃　exclaimed　Mr。　McLean。



〃Well；　I　don't　say　my　prayers　any　more。　I　told　Mr。　Perkins　I　wasn't

a…going　to；　an'　heI　think　he　is　a　flubdub　anyway。〃



〃I'll　bet　he　is！〃　said　Lin；　sympathetically。　He　was　scarcely　a　prudent

guardian。



〃I　told　him　straight；　an'　he　looked　at　me　an'　down　he　flops　on　his　knees。

An'　he　made　'em　all　flop；　but　I　told　him　I　didn't　care　for　them　putting

up　any　camp…meeting　over　me；　an'　he　says；　'I'll　lick　you；'　an'　I　says；

'Dare　you　to！'　I　told　him　mother　kep'　a…licking　me　for　nothing；　an'　I'd

not　pray　for　her；　not　in　Sunday…school　or　anywheres　else。　Do　you　pray

much？〃



〃No；〃　replied　Lin；　uneasily。



〃There！　I　told　him　a　man　didn't；　an'　he　said　then　a　man　went　to　hell。

'You　lie；　father　ain't　going　to　hell；'　I　says；　and　you'd　ought　to　heard

the　first　class　laugh　right　out　loud；　girls　an'　boys。　An'　he　was　that

mad！　But　I　didn't　care。　I　came　here　with　fifty　cents。〃



〃Yu'　must　have　felt　like　a　millionaire。〃



〃Ah；　I　felt　all　right！　I　bought　papers　an'　sold　'em；　an'　got　more　an'

saved；　ant　got　my　box　an'　blacking　outfit。　I　weren't　going　to　be　licked

by　her　just　because　she　felt　like　it；　an'　she　feeling　like　it　most　any

time。　Lemme　see　your　pistol。〃



〃You　wait；〃　said　Lin。　〃After　this　show　is　through　I'll　put　it　on　you。〃



〃Will　you；　honest？　Belt　an'　everything？　Did　you　ever　shoot　a　bear？〃



〃Lord！　lots。〃



〃Honest？　Silver…tips？〃



〃Silver…tips；　cinnamon；　black；　and　I　roped　a　cub　onced。〃



〃O…h！　I　never　shot　a　bear。〃



〃You'd　ought　to　try　it。〃



〃I'm　a…going　to。　I'm　a…going　to　camp　out　in　the　mountains。　I'd　like　to

see　you　when　you　camp。　I'd　like　to　camp　with　you。　Mightn't　I　some　time？〃

Billy　had　drawn　nearer　to　Lin；　and　was　looking　up　at　him　adoringly。



〃You　bet！〃　said　Lin；　and　though　he　did　not；　perhaps；　entirely　mean　this；

it　was　with　a　curiously　softened　face　that　he　began　to　look　at　Billy。　As

with　dogs　and　his　horse；　so　always　he　played　with　what　children　he　met

the　few　in　his　sage…brush　world；　but　this　was　ceasing　to　be　quite　play

for　him；　and　his　hand　went　to　the　boy's　shoulder。



〃Father　took　me　camping　with　him　once；　the　time　mother　was　off。　Father

gets　awful　drunk；　too。　I've　quit　Laramie　for　good。〃



Lin　sat　up；　and　his　hand　gripped　the　boy。　〃Laramie！〃　said　he；　almost

shouting　it。　〃Yu'yu'is　your　name　Lusk？〃



But　the　boy　had　shrunk　from　him　instantly。　〃You're　not　going　to　take　me

home？〃　he　piteously　wailed。



〃Heaven　and　heavens！〃　murmured　Lin　McLean。　〃So　you're　her　kid！〃



He　relaxed　again；　down　in　his　chair；　his　legs　stretched　their　straight

length　below　the　chair　in　front。　He　was　waked　from　his　bewilderment　by　a

brushing　under　him；　and　there　was　young　Billy　diving　for　escape　to　the

aisle；　like　the　cornered　city　mouse　that　he　was。　Lin　nipped　that　poor

little　attempt　and　had　the　limp　Billy　seated　inside　again　before　the　two

in　discussion　beyond　had　seen　anything。　He　had　said　not　a　word　to　the

boy；　and　now　watched　his　unhappy　eyes　seizing　upon　the　various　exits　and

dispositions　of　the　theatre；　nor　could　he　imagine　anything　to　tell　him

that　should　restore　the　perished　confidence。　〃Why　did　yu'　lead　him　off？〃

he　asked　himself　unexpectedly；　and　found　that　he　did　not　seem　to　know；

but　as　he　watched　the　restless　and　estranged　runaway　he　grew　more　and

more　sorrowful。　〃I　just　hate　him　to　think　that　of　me；〃　he　reflected。　The

curtain　rose；　and　he　saw　Billy　make