lin mclean-第37节

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Wiggin　says　Lin's　losing　his　grip　about　girls；〃　he　remarked。　〃He　says　you

couldn't　'a'　downed　him　onced。　You'd　'a'　had　to　marry　him。　Honey　says　Lin

ain't　worked　it　like　he　done　in　old　times。〃



〃Now　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　he　was　right；〃　said　Jessamine；　buoyantly。　〃And　

that　being　the　case；　I'm　going　to　set　to　work　at　your　things　till　it　

clears；　and　then　we'll　go　for　our　ride。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Billy。　When　does　a　man　get　too　old　to　marry？〃



〃I'm　only　a　girl；　you　see。　I　don't　know。〃



〃Yes。　Honey　said　he　wouldn't　'a'　thought　Lin　was　that　old。　But　I　guess　he

must　be　thirty。〃



〃Old！〃　exclaimed　Jessamine。　And　she　looked　at　a　photograph　upon　her

table。



〃But　Lin　ain't　been　married　very　much；〃　pursued　Billy。　〃Mother's　the　only

one　they　speak　of。　You　don't　have　to　stay　married　always；　do　you？〃



〃It's　better　to；〃　said　Jessamine。



〃Ah；　I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Billy；　with　disparagement。　〃You　ought　to　see

mother　and　father。　I　wish　you　would　leave　Lin　marry　you；　though；〃　said

the　boy；　coming　to　her　with　an　impulse　of　affection。　〃Why　won't　you　if　he

don't　mind？〃



She　continued　to　parry　him；　but　this　was　not　a　very　smooth　start　for

eight　in　the　morning。　Moments　of　lull　there　were；　when　the　telegraph

called　her　to　the　front　room；　and　Billy's　young　mind　shifted　to　inquiries

about　the　cipher　alphabet。　And　she　gained　at　least　an　hour　teaching　him

to　read　various　words　by　the　sound。　At　dinner；　too；　he　was　refreshingly

silent。　But　such　silences　are　unsafe；　and　the　weather　was　still　bad。　Four

o'clock　found　them　much　where　they　had　been　at　eight。



〃Please　tell　me　why　you　won't　leave　Lin　marry　you。〃　He　was　at　the　window；

kicking　the　wall。



〃That's　nine　times　since　dinner；〃　she　replied；　with　tireless　good　humor。

〃Now　if　you　ask　me　twelve〃



〃You'll　tell？〃　said　the　boy；　swiftly。



She　broke　into　a　laugh。　〃No。　I'll　go　riding　and　you'll　stay　at　home。　When

I　was　little　and　would　ask　things　beyond　me；　they　only　gave　me　three

times。〃



〃I've　got　two　more；　anyway。　Ha…ha！〃



〃Better　save　'em　up；　though。〃



〃What　did　they　do　to　you？　Ah；　I　don't　want　to　go　a…riding。　It's　nasty　all

over。〃　He　stared　out　at　the　day　against　which　Separ's　doors　had　been

tight　closed　since　morning。　Eight　hours　of　furious　wind　had　raised　the

dust　like　a　sea。　〃I　wish　the　old　train　would　come；〃　observed　Billy；

continuing　to　kick　the　wall。　〃I　wish　I　was　going　somewheres。〃　Smoky；

level；　and　hot；　the　south　wind　leapt　into　Separ　across　five　hundred

unbroken　miles。　The　plain　was　blanketed　in　a　tawny　eclipse。　Each　minute

the　near　buildings　became　invisible　in　a　turbulent　herd　of　clouds。　Above

this　travelling　blur　of　the　soil　the　top　of　the　water…tank　alone　rose

bulging　into　the　clear　sun。　The　sand　spirals　would　lick　like　flames　along

the　bulk　of　the　lofty　tub；　and　soar　skyward。　It　was　not　shipping　season。

The　freight…cars　stood　idle　in　a　long　line。　No　cattle　huddled　in　the

corrals。　No　strangers　moved　in　town。　No　cow…ponies　dozed　in　front　of　the

saloon。　Their　riders　were　distant　in　ranch　and　camp。　Human　noise　was

extinct　in　Separ。　Beneath　the　thunder　of　the　sultry　blasts　the　place　lay

dead　in　its　flapping　shroud　of　dust。　〃Why　won't　you　tell　me？〃　droned

Billy。　For　some　time　he　had　been　returning；　like　a　mosquito　brushed　away。



〃That's　ten　times；〃　said　Jessamine；　promptly。



〃Oh；　goodness！　Pretty　soon　I'll　not　be　glad　I　came。　I'm　about　twiced　as

less　glad　now。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Jessamine；　〃there's　a　man　coming　to…day　to　mend　the

government　telegraph…line　between　Drybone　and　McKinney。　Maybe　he　would

take　you　back　as　far　as　Box　Elder；　if　you　want　to　go　very　much。　Shall　I

ask　him？〃



Billy　was　disappointed　at　this　cordial　seconding　of　his　mood。　He　did　not

make　a　direct　rejoinder。　〃I　guess　I'll　go　outside　now；〃　said　he；　with　a

threat　in　his　tone。



She　continued　mending　his　stockings。　Finished　ones　lay　rolled　at　one　side

of　her　chair；　and　upon　the　other　were　more　waiting　her　attention。



〃And　I'm　going　to　turn　back　hand…springs　on　top　of　all　the　freight…cars；〃

he　stated；　more　loudly。



She　indulged　again　in　merriment；　laughing　sweetly　at　him；　and　without

restraint。



〃And　I'm　sick　of　what　you　all　keep　a…saying　to　me！〃　he　shouted。　〃Just　as

if　I　was　a　baby。〃



〃Why；　Billy；　who　ever　said　you　were　a　baby？〃



〃All　of　you　do。　Honey；　and　Lin；　and　you；　now；　and　everybody。　What　makes

you　say　'that's　nine　times；　Billy；　oh；　Billy；　that's　ten　times；'　if　you

don't　mean　I'm　a　baby？　And　you　laugh　me　off；　just　like　they　do；　and　just

like　I　was　a　regular　baby。　You　won't　tell　me〃



〃Billy；　listen。　Did　nobody　ever　ask　you　something　you　did　not　want　to

tell　them？〃



〃That's　not　a　bit　the　same；　becausebecausebecause　I　treat　'em　square

and　because　it's　not　their　business。　But　every　time　I　ask　anybody　'most

anything；　they　say　I'm　not　old　enough　to　understand；　and　I'll　be　ten

soon。　And　it　is　my　business　when　it's　about　the　kind　of　a　mother　I'm

agoing　to　have。　Suppose　I　quit　acting　square；　an'　told　'em；　when　they

bothered　me；　they　weren't　young　enough　to　understand！　Wish　I　had。　Guess　I

will；　too；　and　watch　'em　step　around。〃　For　a　moment　his　mind　dwelt　upon

this；　and　he　whistled　a　revengeful　strain。



〃Goodness；　Billy！〃　said　Jessamine；　at　the　sight　of　the　next　stocking。

〃The　whole　heel　is　scorched　off。〃



He　eyed　the　ruin　with　indifference。　〃Ah；　that　was　last　month　when　I　and

Lin　shot　the　bear　in　the　swamp　willows。　He　made　me　dry　off　my　legs。　Chuck

it　away。〃



〃And　spoil　the　pair？　No；　indeed！〃



〃Mother　always　chucked　'em；　an'　father'd　buy　new　ones　till　I　skipped　from

home。　Lin　kind　o'　mends　'em。〃



〃Does　he？〃　said　Jessamine；　softly。　And　she　looked　at　the　photograph。



〃Yes。　What　made　you　write　him　for　to　let　me　come　and　bring　my　stockin's

and　things？〃



〃Don't　you　see；　Billy；　there　is　so　little　work　at　this　station　that　I'd

be　looking　out　of　the　window　all　day　just　the　pitiful　way　you　do？〃



〃Oh！〃　Billy　pondered。　〃And　so　I　said　to　Lin；〃　he　continued；　〃why　didn't

he　send　down　his　own　clothes；　too；　an'　let　you　fix　'em　all。　And　Honey

Wiggin　laughed　right　in　his　coffee…cup　so　it　all　sploshed　out。　And　the

cook　he　asked　me　if　mother　used　to　mend　Lin's　clothes。　But　I　guess　she

chucked　'em　like　she　always　did　father's　and　mine。　I　was　with　father；　you

know；　when　mother　was　married　to　Lin　that　time。〃　He　paused　again；　while

his　thoughts　and　fears　struggled。　〃But　Lin　says　I　needn't　ever　go　back；〃

he　went　on；　reasoning　and　confiding　to　her。　〃Lin　don't　like　mother　any

more；　I　guess。〃　His　pondering　grew　still　deeper；　and　he　looked　at

Jessamine　for　some　while。　Then　his　face　wakened　with　a　new　theory。　〃Don't

Lin　like　you　any　more？〃　he　inquired。



〃Oh；〃　cried　Jessamine；　crimsoning；　〃yes！　Why；　he　sent　you　to　me！〃



〃Well；　he　got　hot　in　camp　when　I　said　that　about　sending　his　clothes　to

you。　He　quit　supper　pretty　soon；　and　went　away　off　a　walking。　And　that's

another　time　they　said　I　was　too　young。　But　Lin　don't　come　to　see　you　any

more。〃



〃Why；　I　hope　he　loves　me；〃　murmured　Jessamine。　〃Always。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　so　too；〃　said　Billy；　earnestly。　〃For　I　like　you。　When　I

seen　him　show　you　our　cabin　on　Box　Elder；　and　the　room　he　had　fixed　for

you；　I　was　glad　you　were　coming　to　be　my　mother。　Mother　used　to　be　awful。

I　wouldn't　'a'　minded　her　licking　me　if　she'd　done　other　things。　Ah；

pshaw！　I　wasn't　going　to　stand　that。〃　Billy　now　came　close　to　Jessamine。

〃I　do　wish　you　would　come　and　live　with　me　and　Lin；〃　said　he。　〃Lin's

awful　nice。〃



〃Don't　I　know　it？〃　said　Jessamine；　tenderly。



〃Cause　I　heard　you　say　you　were　going　to　marry　him；〃　went　on　Billy。　〃And

I　seen　him　kiss　you　and　you　let　him　that　time　we　went　away　when　you　found

out　about　mother。　And　you're　not　mad；　and　he's　not；　and　nothing　happens

at　all；　all　the　same！　Won't　you　tell　me；　please？〃



Jessamine's　eyes　were　glistening；　and　she　took　him　in　her　lap。　She　was

not　going　to　tell　him　that　he　was　too　young　this　time。　But　whatever

things　she　had　shaped　to　say　to　the　boy　were　never　said。



Through　the　noise　of　the　gale　came　the　steadier　sound　of　the　train；　and

the　girl　rose　quickly　to　preside　over　her　ticket…office　and　duties　behind

the　railing　in　the　front　room　of　the　station。　The　boy　ran　to　the　window

to　watch　the　great　event　of　Separ's　day。　The　locomotive　loomed　out　from

the　yellow　clots　of　drift；　paused　at　the　water…tank；　and　then　with　steam

and　humming　came　slowly　on　by　the　platform。　Slowly　its　long　dust…choked

train　emerged　trundling　behind　it；　and　ponderously　halted。　There　was　no

one　to　go。　No　one　came　to　buy　a　ticket　of　Jessamine。　The　conductor　looked

in　on　business；　but　she　had　no　telegraphic　orders　for　him。　The　express

agent　jumped　off　and　looked　in　for　pleasure。　He　received　his　daily　smile

and　nod　of　friendly　discouragement。　Then　the　light　bundle　of　mail　was

flung　inside　the　door。　Separ　had　no　mail　to　go　out。　As　she　was　picking　up

the　letters　young　Billy　passed　her　like　a　shadow；　and