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！
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