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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