按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
had entertained several hundred square miles of alkali。 For the new…made
husband the joke soon died。 In the immediate weeks that came upon him he
tasted a bitterness worse than in all his life before； and learned also
how deep the woman； when once she begins； can sink beneath the man in
baseness。 That was a knowledge of which he had lived innocent until this
time。 But he carried his outward self serenely； so that citizens in
Cheyenne who saw the cow…puncher with his bride argued shrewdly that men
of that sort liked women of that sort； and before the strain had broken
his endurance an unexpected first husband； named Lusk； had appeared one
Sunday in the street； prosperous； forgiving； and exceedingly drunk。 To
the arms of Lusk she went back in the public street； deserting McLean in
the presence of Cheyenne； and when Cheyenne saw this； and learned how she
had been Mrs。 Lusk for eight long； if intermittent； years； Cheyenne
laughed loudly。 Lin McLean laughed； too； and went about his business；
ready to swagger at the necessary moment； and with the necessary kind of
joke always ready to shield his hurt spirit。 And soon； of course； the
matter grew stale； seldom raked up in the Bow Leg country where Lin had
been at work； so lately he had begun to remember other things beside the
smouldering humiliation。
〃Is she with him？〃 he asked Barker； and musingly listened while Barker
told him。 The Governor had thought to make it a racy story； with the
moral that the joke was now on Lusk； but that inner man had spoken and
revealed the cow…puncher to him in a new and complicated light； hence he
quieted the proposed lively cadence and vocabulary of his anecdote about
the house of Lusk； but instead of narrating how Mrs。 beat Mr。 on Mondays；
Wednesdays； and Fridays； and Mr。 took his turn the odd days； thus getting
one ahead of his lady； while the kid Lusk had outlined his opinion of the
family by recently skipping to parts unknown； Barker detailed these
incidents more gravely； adding that Laramie believed Mrs。 Lusk addicted
to opium。
〃I don't guess I'll leave my card on 'em；〃 said McLean； grimly； 〃if I
strike Laramie。〃
〃You don't mind my saying I think you're well out of that scrape？〃 Barker
ventured。
〃Shucks； no！ That's all right； Doc。 Onlyyu' see now。 A man gets tired
pretendingonced in a while。〃
Time had gone while they were in talk； and it was now half after one and
Mr。 McLean late for that long…plotted first square meal。 So the friends
shook hands； wishing each other Merry Christmas； and the cow…puncher
hastened toward his chosen companions through the stirring cheerfulness
of the season。 His play…hour had made a dull beginning among the toys。 He
had come upon people engaged in a pleasant game； and waited； shy and well
disposed； for some bidding to join； but they had gone on playing with
each other and left him out。 And now he went along in a sort of hurry to
escape from that loneliness where his human promptings had been lodged
with him useless。 Here was Cheyenne； full of holiday for sale； and he
with his pockets full of money to buy； and when he thought of Shorty； and
Chalkeye； and Dollar Bill； those dandies to hit a town with； he stepped
out with a brisk； false hope。 It was with a mental hurrah and a foretaste
of a good time coming that he put on his town clothes； after shaving and
admiring himself； and sat down to the square meal。 He ate away and drank
with a robust imitation of enjoyment that took in even himself at first。
But the sorrowful process of his spirit went on； for all he could do。 As
he groped for the contentment which he saw around him he began to receive
the jokes with counterfeit mirth。 Memories took the place of
anticipation； and through their moody shiftings he began to feel a
distaste for the company of his friends and a shrinking from their lively
voices。 He blamed them for this at once。 He was surprised to think he had
never recognized before how light a weight was Shorty； and here was
Chalkeye； who knew better； talking religion after two glasses。 Presently
this attack of noticing his friends' shortcomings mastered him； and his
mind； according to its wont； changed at a stroke。 〃I'm celebrating no
Christmas with this crowd；〃 said the inner man； and when they had next
remembered Lin McLean in their hilarity he was gone。
Governor Barker； finishing his purchases at half…past three； went to meet
a friend come from Evanston。 Mr。 McLean was at the railway station；
buying a ticket for Denver。
〃Denver！〃 exclaimed the amazed Governor。
〃That's what I said；〃 stated Mr。 McLean； doggedly。
〃Gee whiz！〃 went his Excellency。 〃What are you going to do there？〃
〃Get good and drunk。〃
〃Can't you find enough whiskey in Cheyenne？〃
〃I'm drinking champagne this trip。〃
The cow…puncher went out on the platform and got aboard； and the train
moved off。 Barker had walked out too in his surprise； and as he stared
after the last car； Mr。 McLean waved his wide hat defiantly and went
inside the door。
〃And he says he's got maturity；〃 Barker muttered。 〃I've known him since
seventy…nine； and he's kept about eight years old right along。〃 The
Governor was cross； and sorry； and presently crosser。 His jokes about
Lin's marriage came back to him and put him in a rage with the departed
fool。 〃Yes； about eight。 Or six；〃 said his Excellency； justifying himself
by the past。 For he had first known Lin； the boy of nineteen； supreme in
length of limb and recklessness； breaking horses and feeling for an early
mustache。 Next； when the mustache was nearly accomplished； he had mended
the boy's badly broken thigh at Drybone。 His skill （and Lin's utter
health） had wrought so swift a healing that the surgeon overflowed with
the pride of science； and over the bandages would explain the human body
technically to his wild…eyed and flattered patient。 Thus young Lin heard
all about tibia； and comminuted； and other glorious new words； and when
sleepless would rehearse them。 Then； with the bone so nearly knit that
the patient might leave the ward on crutches to sit each morning in
Barker's room as a privilege； the disobedient child of twenty…one had
slipped out of the hospital and hobbled hastily to the hog ranch； where
whiskey and variety waited for a languishing convalescent。 Here he grew
gay； and was soon carried back with the leg refractured。 Yet Barker's
surgical rage was disarmed； the patient was so forlorn over his doctor's
professional chagrin。
〃I suppose it ain't no better this morning； Doc？〃 he had said； humbly；
after a new week of bed and weights。
〃Your right leg's going to be shorter。 That's all。〃
〃Oh； gosh！ I've been and spoiled your comminuted fee…mur！ Ain't I a
son…of…a…gun？〃
You could not chide such a boy as this； and in time's due course he had
walked jauntily out into the world with legs of equal length after all
and in his stride the slightest halt possible。 And Doctor Barker had
missed the child's conversation。 To…day his mustache was a perfected
thing； and he in the late end of his twenties。
〃He'll wake up about noon to…morrow in a dive； without a cent；〃 said
Barker。 〃Then he'll come back on a freight and begin over again。〃
At the Denver station Lin McLean passed through the shoutings and
omnibuses； and came to the beginning of Seventeenth Street； where is the
first saloon。 A customer was ordering Hot Scotch； and because he liked
the smell and had not thought of the mixture for a number of years； Lin
took Hot Scotch。 Coming out upon the pavement； he looked across and saw a
saloon opposite with brighter globes and windows more prosperous。 That
should have been his choice； lemon peel would undoubtedly be fresher over
there； and over he went at once； to begin the whole thing properly。 In
such frozen weather no drink could be more timely； and he sat； to enjoy
without haste its mellow fitness。 Once again on the pavement； he looked
along the street toward up…town beneath the crisp； cold electric lights；
and three little bootblacks gathered where he stood and cried 〃Shine？
Shine？〃 at him。 Remembering that you took the third turn to the right to
get the best dinner in Denver； Lin hit on the skilful plan of stopping at
all Hot Scotches between； but the next occurred within a few yards； and
it was across the street。 This one being attained and appreciated； he
found that he must cross back again or skip number four。 At this rate he
would not be dining in time to see much of the theatre； and he stopped to
consider。 It was a German place he had just quitted； and a huge light
poured out on him from its window； which the proprietor's father…land
sentiment had made into a show。 Lights shone among a well…set pine
forest； where beery； jovial gnomes sat on roots and reached upward to
Santa Claus； he； grinning； fat； and Teutonic； held in his right hand
forever a foaming glass； and forever in his left a string of sausages
th