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a great addition to society。 Reported to be more companionable than the
school…marm； Miss Molly Wood； who had been raised too far east； and
showed it。 Vermont； or some such dude place。 Several had been in town
buying presents for Miss Katie Peck。 Tommy Postmaster had paid high for
a necklace of elk…tushes the government scout at McKinney sold him。 Too
bad Miss Peck did not enjoy good health。 Shorty had been in only
yesterday to get her medicine again。 Third bottle。 Had I heard the big joke
on Lin McLean？ He had promised her the skin of a big bear he knew the
location of； and Tommy got the bear。
Two days after this I joined one of the roundup camps at sunset。 They
had been working from Salt Creek to Bear Creek； and the Taylor ranch
was in visiting distance from them again； after an interval of gathering and
branding far across the country。 The Virginian； the gentle…voiced
Southerner； whom I had last seen lingering with Miss Wood； was in camp。
Silent three…quarters of the time； as was his way； he sat gravely watching
Lin McLean。 That person seemed silent also； as was not his way quite so
much。
〃Lin；〃 said the Southerner； 〃I reckon you're failin'。〃
Mr。 McLean raised a sombre eye； but did not trouble to answer further。
〃A healthy man's laigs ought to fill his pants；〃 pursued the Virginian。
The challenged puncher stretched out a limb and showed his muscles with
young pride。
〃And yu' cert'nly take no comfort in your food；〃 his ingenious friend
continued； slowly and gently。
〃I'll eat you a match any day and place yu' name；〃 said Lin。
〃It ain't sca'cely hon'able；〃 went on the Virginian； 〃to waste away
durin' the round…up。 A man owes his strength to them that hires it。 If he is
paid to rope stock he ought to rope stock； and not leave it dodge or pull
away。〃
〃It's not many dodge my rope；〃 boasted Lin； imprudently。
〃Why； they tell me as how that heifer of the Sidney…Nebraska brand
got plumb away from yu'； and little Tommy had to chase afteh her。〃
Lin sat up angrily amid the laughter； but reclined again。 〃I'll improve；〃
said he； 〃if yu' learn me how yu' rope that Vermont stock so handy。 Has
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she promised to be your sister yet？〃 he added。
〃Is that what they do？〃 inquired the Virginian； serenely。 〃I have never
got related that way。 Why； that'll make Tommy your brother…in…law； Lin！〃
And now； indeed； the camp laughed a loud； merciless laugh。
But Lin was silent。 Where everybody lives in a glass…house the victory
is to him who throws the adroitest stone。 Mr。 McLean was readier witted
than most； but the gentle； slow Virginian could be a master when he chose。
〃Tommy has been recountin' his wars up at the Taylors'；〃 he now told
the camp。 〃He has frequently campaigned with General Crook； General
Miles； and General Ruger； all at onced。 He's an exciting fighter； in
conversation； and kep' us all scared for mighty nigh an hour。 Miss Peck
appeared interested in his statements。〃
〃What was you doing at the Taylors' yourself？〃 demanded Lin。
〃Visitin' Miss Wood；〃 answered the Virginian； with entire ease。 For he
also knew when to employ the plain truth as a bluff。 〃You'd ought to write
to Tommy's mother； Lin； and tell her what a dare…devil her son is gettin' to
be。 She would cut off his allowance and bring him home； and you would
have the runnin' all to yourself。〃
〃I'll fix him yet；〃 muttered Mr。 McLean。 〃Him and his wars。〃
With that he rose and left us。
The next afternoon he informed me that if I was riding up the creek to
spend the night he would go for company。 In that direction we started；
therefore； without any mention of the Taylors or Miss Peck。 I was puzzled。
Never had I seen him thus disconcerted by woman。 With him woman had
been a transient disturbance。 I had witnessed a series of flighty romances；
where the cow…puncher had come； seen； often conquered； and moved on。
Nor had his affairs been of the sort to teach a young man respect。 I am
putting it rather mildly。
For the first part of our way this afternoon he was moody； and after
that began to speak with appalling wisdom about life。 Life； he said； was a
serious matter。 Did I realize that？ A man was liable to forget it。 A man was
liable to go sporting and helling around till he waked up some day and
found all his best pleasures had become just a business。 No interest； no
surprise； no novelty left； and no cash in the bank。 Shorty owed him fifty
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dollars。 Shorty would be able to pay that after the round…up； and he； Lin；
would get his time and rustle altogether some five hundred dollars。 Then
there was his homestead claim on Box Elder； and the surveyors were
coming in this fall。 No better location for a home in this country than Box
Elder。 Wood； water； fine land。 All it needed was a house and ditches and
buildings and fences； and to be planted with crops。 Such chances and
considerations should sober a man and make him careful what he did。 〃I'd
take in Cheyenne on our wedding…trip； and after that I'd settle right down
to improving Box Elder；〃 concluded Mr。 McLean； suddenly。
His real intentions flashed upon me for the first time。 I had not
remotely imagined such a step。
〃Marry her！〃 I screeched in dismay。 〃Marry her！〃
I don't know which word was the worse to emphasize at such a
moment； but I emphasized both thoroughly。
〃I didn't expect yu'd act that way；〃 said the lover。 He dropped behind
me fifty yards and spoke no more。
Not at once did I beg his pardon for the brutality I had been surprised
into。 It is one of those speeches that； once said； is said forever。
But it was not that which withheld me。 As I thought of the tone in
which my friend had replied； it seemed to me sullen； rather than deeply
angry or woundedresentment at my opinion not of her character so much
as of his choice！ Then I began to be sorry for the fool； and schemed for a
while how to intervene。 But have you ever tried intervention？ I soon
abandoned the idea； and took a way to be forgiven； and to learn more。
〃Lin；〃 I began； slowing my horse； 〃you must not think about what I
said。〃
〃I'm thinkin' of pleasanter subjects；〃 said he； and slowed his own
horse。
〃Oh； look here！〃 I exclaimed。
〃Well？〃 said he。 He allowed his horse to come within about ten yards。
〃Astonishment makes a man say anything；〃 I proceeded。 〃And I'll say
again you're too good for herand I'll say I don't generally believe in the
wife being older than the husband。〃
〃What's two years？〃 said Lin。
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I was near screeching out again； but saved myself。 He was not quite
twenty…five； and I remembered Mrs。 Taylor's unprejudiced computation of
the biscuit…shooter's years。 It is a lady's prerogative； however； to estimate
her own age。
〃She had her twenty…seventh birthday last month；〃 said Lin； with
sentiment； bringing his horse entirely abreast of mine。 〃I promised her a
bear…skin。〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃I heard about that in Buffalo。〃
Lin's face grew dusky with anger。 〃No doubt yu' heard about it；〃 said
he。 〃I don't guess yu' heard much about anything else。 I ain't told the truth
to any of 'embut her。〃 He looked at me with a certain hesitation。 〃I think
I will；〃 he continued。 〃I don't mind tellin' you。〃
He began to speak in a strictly business tone； while he evened the coils
of rope that hung on his saddle。
〃She had spoke to me about her birthday； and I had spoke to her about
something to give her。 I had offered to buy her in town whatever she
named； and I was figuring to borrow from Taylor。 But she fancied the
notion of a bear…skin。 I had mentioned about some cubs。 I had found the
cubs where the she…bear had them cached by the foot of a big boulder in
the range over Ten Sleep； and I put