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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
that dangled down among the gnomes。 With his American back to this； the
cow…puncher； wearing the same serious； absent face he had not changed
since he ran away from himself at Cheyenne； considered carefully the Hot
Scotch question； and which side of the road to take and stick to； while
the little bootblacks found him once more and cried； 〃Shine？ Shine？〃
monotonous as snow…birds。 He settled to stay over here with the
south…side Scotches； and the little one…note song reaching his attention；
he suddenly shoved his foot at the nearest boy； who lightly sprang away。
〃Dare you to touch him！〃 piped a snow…bird； dangerously。 They were in
short trousers； and the eldest enemy； it may be； was ten。
〃Don't hit me；〃 said Mr。 McLean 〃I'm innocent。〃
〃Well； you leave him be；〃 said one。
〃What's he layin' to kick you for； Billy？ 'Tain't yer pop； is it？〃
〃New！〃 said Billy； in scorn。 〃Father never kicked me。 Don't know who he
is。〃
〃He's a special！〃 shrilled the leading bird； sensationally。 〃He's got a
badge； and he's goin' to arrest yer。〃
Two of them hopped instantly to the safe middle of the street； and
scattered with practiced strategy； but Billy stood his ground。 〃Dare you
to arrest me！〃 said he。
〃What'll you give me not to？〃 inquired Lin； and he put his hands in his
pockets； arms akimbo。
〃Nothing； I've done nothing；〃 announced Billy； firmly。 But even in the
last syllable his voice suddenly failed； a terror filled his eyes； and
he； too； sped into the middle of the street。
〃What's he claim you lifted？〃 inquired the leader； with eagerness。 〃Tell
him you haven't been inside a store to…day。 We can prove it！〃 they
screamed to the special officer。
〃Say；〃 said the slow…spoken Lin from the pavement； 〃you're poor judges of
a badge； you fellows。〃
His tone pleased them where they stood； wide apart from each other。
Mr。 McLean also remained stationary in the bluish illumination of the
window。 〃Why； if any policeman was caught wearin' this here；〃 said he；
following his sprightly invention； 〃he'd get arrested himself。〃
This struck them extremely。 They began to draw together； Billy lingering
the last。
〃If it's your idea；〃 pursued Mr。 McLean； alluringly； as the three took
cautious steps nearer the curb； 〃that blue； clasped hands in a circle of
red stars gives the bearer the right to put folks in the jugwhy； I'll
get somebody else to black my boots for a dollar。〃
The three made a swift rush； fell on simultaneous knees； and clattering
their boxes down； began to spit in an industrious circle。
〃Easy！〃 wheedled Mr。 McLean； and they looked up at him； staring and
fascinated。 〃Not having three feet；〃 said the cow…puncher； always grave
and slow； 〃I can only give two this here job。〃
〃He's got a big pistol and a belt！〃 exulted the leader； who had
precociously felt beneath Lin's coat。
〃You're a smart boy；〃 said Lin； considering him； 〃and yu' find a man out
right away。 Now you stand off and tell me all about myself while they fix
the bootsand a dollar goes to the quickest through。〃
Young Billy and his tow…headed competitor flattened down； each to a boot；
with all their might； while the leader ruefully contemplated Mr。 McLean。
〃That's a Colt 。45 you've got；〃 ventured he。
〃Right again。 Some day； maybe； you'll be wearing one of your own； if the
angels don't pull yu' before you're ripe。〃
〃I'm through！〃 sang out Towhead； rising in haste。
Small Billy was struggling still； but leaped at that； the two heads
bobbing to a level together； and Mr。 McLean； looking down； saw that the
arrangement had not been a good one for the boots。
〃Will you kindly referee；〃 said he； forgivingly； to the leader； 〃and
decide which of them smears is the awfulest？〃
But the leader looked the other way and played upon a mouth…organ。
〃Well； that saves me money；〃 said Mr。 McLean； jingling his pocket。 〃I
guess you've both won。〃 He handed each of them a dollar。 〃Now；〃 he
continued； 〃I just dassent show these boots uptown； so this time it's a
dollar for the best shine。〃
The two went palpitating at their brushes again； and the leader played
his mouth…organ with brilliant unconcern。 Lin； tall and brooding leaned
against the jutting sill of the window； a figure somehow plainly strange
in town； while through the bright plate…glass Santa Claus； holding out
his beer and sausages； perpetually beamed。
Billy was laboring gallantly； but it was labor； the cow…puncher
perceived； and Billy no seasoned expert。〃 See here；〃 said Lin； stooping；
〃I'll show yu' how it's done。 He's playin' that toon cross…eyed enough to
steer anybody crooked。 There。 Keep your blacking soft； and work with a
dry brush。〃
〃Lemme；〃 said Billy。 〃I've got to learn。〃 So he finished the boot his own
way with wiry determination； breathing and repolishing； and this event
was also adjudged a dead heat； with results gratifying to both parties。
So here was their work done； and more money in their pockets than from
all the other boots and shoes of this day； and Towhead and Billy did not
wish for further trade； but to spend this handsome fortune as soon as
might be。 Yet they delayed in the brightness of the window； drawn by
curiosity near this new kind of man whose voice held them and whose
remarks dropped them into constant uncertainty。 Even the omitted leader
had been unable to go away and nurse his pride alone。
〃Is that a secret society？〃 inquired Towhead； lifting a finger at the
badge。
Mr。 McLean nodded。 〃Turruble；〃 said he。
〃You're a Wells & Fargo detective；〃 asserted the leader。
〃Play your harp；〃 said Lin。
〃Are you aa desperaydo？〃 whispered Towhead。
〃Oh； my！〃 observed Mr。 McLean； sadly； 〃what has our Jack been readin'？〃
〃He's a cattle…man！〃 cried Billy。 〃I seen his heels。〃
〃That's you！〃 said the discovered puncher； with approval。 〃You'll do。 But
I bet you can't tell me what we wearers of this badge have sworn to do
this night。〃
At this they craned their necks and glared at him。
〃Wearesworndon't yu' jump； now； and give me awaysworntoblow
off three bootblacks to a dinner。〃
〃Ah； pshaw！〃 They backed away； bristling with distrust。
〃That's the oath； fellows。 Yu' may as well make your minds upfor I have
it to do！〃
〃Dare you to！ Ah！〃
〃And after dinner it's the Opera…house； to see 〃The Children of Captain
Cant'！〃
They screamed shrilly at him； keeping off beyond the curb。
〃I can't waste my time on such smart boys；〃 said Mr。 McLean； rising
lazily to his full height from the window…sill。 〃I am goin' somewhere to
find boys that ain't so turruble quick stampeded by a roast turkey。〃
He began to lounge slowly away； serious as he had been throughout； and
they； stopping their noise short； swiftly picked up their boxes； and
followed him。 Some change in the current of electricity that fed the
window disturbed its sparkling light； so that Santa Claus； with his arms
stretched out behind the departing cow…puncher seemed to be smiling more
broadly from the midst of his flickering brilliance。
On their way to turkey； the host and his guests exchanged but few
remarks。 He was full of good…will； and threw off a comment or two that
would have led to conversation under almost any circumstances save these；
but the minds of the guests were too distracted by this whole state of
things for them to be capable of more than keeping after Mr。 McLean in
silence； at a wary interval； and with their mouths； during most of the
journey； open。 The badge； the pistol； their patron's talk； and the
unusual dollars； wakened wide their bent for the unexpected； their street
affinity for the spur of the moment； they believed slimly in the turkey
part of it； but what this man might do next； to be there when he did it；
and not to be trapped； kept their wits jumping deliciously； so when they
saw him stop； they stopped instantly too； ten feet out of reach。 This was
Denver's most civilized restaurantthat one which Mr。 McLean had
remembered； with foreign dishes and private rooms； where he had promised
himself； among other things； champagne。 Mr。 McLean had never been inside
it； but heard a tale from a friend； and now he caught a sudden sight of
people among geraniums； with plumes and white shirt…fronts； very elegant。
It must have been several minutes that he stood contemplating the
entrance and the luxurious couples who went in。
〃Plumb French！〃 he observed at length； and then； 〃Shucks！〃 in a key less
confident； while his guests ten feet away watched him narrowly。 〃They're
eatin' patty de parley…voo in there；〃 he muttered； and the three
bootblacks came beside him。 〃Say； fellows；〃 said Lin； confidingly； 〃I
wasn't raised good enough for them dude dishes。 What do yu' say！ I'm
after a pla