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cheeks。 But just then a loud voice came from the kitchen。
〃You； Lin； if you try any of your foolin' with me； I'll histe yu's over
the jiste！〃
〃All cow…punchers〃 I attempted to resume。
〃Quit now； Lin McLean；〃 shouted the voice； 〃or I'll put yus through that
window； and it shut。〃
〃Well； Miss Peck； I'm gettin' most a full dose o' this treatment。 Ever
since yu' come I've been doing my best。 And yu' just cough in my face。
And now I'm going to quit and cough back。〃
〃Would you enjoy walkin' out till supper； ma'am？〃 inquired the Virginian
as Molly rose。 〃You was speaking of gathering some flowers yondeh。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 said Molly； blithely。 〃And you'll come？〃 she added to me。
But I was on the Virginian's side。 〃I must look after my horse；〃 said I；
and went down to the corral。
Day was slowly going as I took my pony to the water。 Corncliff Mesa；
Crowheart Butte； these shone in the rays that came through the canyon。 The
canyon's sides lifted like tawny castles in the same light。 Where I walked
the odor of thousands of wild roses hung over the margin where the
thickets grew。 High in the upper air； magpies were sailing across the
silent blue。 Somewhere I could hear Tommy explaining loudly how he and
General Crook had pumped lead into hundreds of Indians； and when supper…
time brought us all back to the door he was finishing the account to Mrs。
Taylor。 Molly and the Virginian arrived bearing flowers； and he was
saying that few cow…punchers had any reason for saving their money。
〃But when you get old？〃 said she。
〃We mostly don't live long enough to get old； ma'am；〃 said he； simply。
〃But I have a reason； and I am saving。〃
〃Give me the flowers；〃 said Molly。 And she left him to arrange them on
the table as Lin came hurrying out。
〃I've told her；〃 said he to the Southerner and me； 〃that I've asked her
twiced； and I'm going to let her have one more chance。 And I've told her
that if it's a log cabin she's marryin'； why Tommy is a sure good wooden
piece of furniture to put inside it。 And I guess she knows there's not
much wooden furniture about me。 I want to speak to you。〃 He took the
Virginian round the corner。 But though he would not confide in me； I
began to discern something quite definite at supper。
〃Cattle men will lose stock if the Crows get down as far as this；〃 he
said； casually； and Mrs。 Taylor suppressed a titter。
〃Ain't it hawses the're repawted as running off？〃 said the Virginian。
〃Chap come into the round…up this afternoon；〃 said Lin。 〃But he was
rattled； and told a heap o' facts that wouldn't square。〃
〃Of course they wouldn't；〃 said Tommy； haughtily。
〃Oh； there's nothing in it；〃 said Lin； dismissing the subject。
〃Have yu' been to the opera since we went to Cheyenne； Mrs。 Taylor？〃
Mrs。 Taylor had not。
〃Lin；〃 said the Virginian； 〃did yu ever see that opera Cyarmen？〃
〃You bet。 Fellow's girl quits him for a bullfighter。 Gets him up in the
mountains； and quits him。 He wasn't much goodnot in her class o'
sports； smugglin' and such。〃
〃I reckon she was doubtful of him from the start。 Took him to the
mount'ins to experiment； where they'd not have interruption；〃 said the
Virginian。
〃Talking of mountains；〃 said Tommy； 〃this range here used to be a great
place for Indians till we ran 'em out with Terry。 Pumped lead into the
red sons…of…guns。〃
〃You bet；〃 said Lin。 〃Do yu' figure that girl tired of her bull…fighter
and quit him； too？〃
〃I reckon；〃 replied the Virginian； 〃that the bull…fighter wore better。〃
〃Fans and taverns and gypsies and sportin'；〃 said Lin。 〃My！ but I'd like
to see them countries with oranges and bull…fights！ Only I expect Spain；
maybe； ain't keepin' it up so gay as when 'Carmen' happened。〃
The table…talk soon left romance and turned upon steers and alfalfa； a
grass but lately introduced in the country。 No further mention was made
of the hostile Crows； and from this I drew the false conclusion that
Tommy had not come up to their hopes in the matter of reciting his
campaigns。 But when the hour came for those visitors who were not
spending the night to take their leave； Taylor drew Tommy aside with me；
and I noticed the Virginian speaking with Molly Wood； whose face showed
diversion。
〃Don't seem to make anything of it；〃 whispered Taylor to Tommy； 〃but the
ladies have got their minds on this Indian truck。〃
〃Why； I'll just explain〃 began Tommy。
〃Don't；〃 whispered Lin； joining us。 〃Yu' know how women are。 Once they
take a notion； why； the more yu' deny the surer they get。 Now； yu' see；
him and me〃 （he jerked his elbow towards the Virginian） 〃must go back to
camp； for we're on second relief。〃
〃And the ladies would sleep better knowing there was another man in the
house；〃 said Taylor。
〃In that case；〃 said Tommy； 〃I〃
〃Yu' see；〃 said Lin； 〃they've been told about Ten Sleep being burned two
nights ago。〃
〃It ain't！〃 cried Tommy。
〃Why； of course it ain't；〃 drawled the ingenious Lin。 〃But that's what I
say。 You and I know Ten Sleep's all right； but we can't report from our
own knowledge seeing it all right； and there it is。 They get these
nervous notions。〃
〃Just don't appear to make anything special of not going back to
Riverside；〃 repeated Taylor； 〃but〃
〃But just kind of stay here；〃 said Lin。
〃I will！〃 exclaimed Tommy。 〃Of course； I'm glad to oblige。〃
I suppose I was slow…sighted。 All this pains seemed to me larger than its
results。 They had imposed upon Tommy； yes。 But what of that？ He was to be
kept from going back to Riverside until morning。 Unless they proposed to
visit his empty cabin and play tricksbut that would be too childish；
even for Lin McLean； to say nothing of the Virginian； his occasional
partner in mischief。
〃In spite of the Crows；〃 I satirically told the ladies； 〃I shall sleep
outside； as I intended。 I've no use for houses at this season。〃
The cinches of the horses were tightened； Lin and the Virginian laid a
hand on their saddle…horns； swung up； and soon all sound of the galloping
horses had ceased。 Molly Wood declined to be nervous and crossed to her
little neighbor cabin； we all parted； and （as always in that blessed
country） deep sleep quickly came to me。
I don't know how long after it was that I sprang from my blankets in
half…doubting fright。 But I had dreamed nothing。 A second long； wild yell
now gave me （I must own to it） a horrible chill。 I had no pistol
nothing。 In the hateful brightness of the moon my single thought was
〃House！ House！〃 and I fled across the lane in my underclothes to the
cabin； when round the corner whirled the two cow…punchers； and I
understood。 I saw the Virginian catch sight of me in my shirt； and saw
his teeth as he smiled。 I hastened to my blankets； and returned more
decent to stand and watch the two go shooting and yelling round the
cabin； crazy with their youth。 The door was opened； and Taylor
courageously emerged； bearing a Winchester。 He fired at the sky
immediately。
〃B' gosh！〃 he roared。 〃That's one。〃 He fired again。 〃Out and at 'em。
They're running。〃
At this； duly came Mrs。 Taylor in white with a pistol； and Miss Peck in
white； staring and stolid。 But no Tommy。 Noise prevailed without； shots
by the stable and shots by the creek。 The two cow…punchers dismounted and
joined Taylor。 Maniac delight seized me； and I； too； rushed about with
them； helping the din。
〃Oh； Mr。 Taylor！〃 said a voice。 〃I didn't think it of you。〃 It was Molly
Wood； come from her cabin； very pretty in a hood…and…cloak arrangement。
She stood by the fence； laughing； but more at us than with us。
〃Stop； friends！〃 said Taylor； gasping。 〃She teaches my Bobbie his A B C。
I'd hate to have Bobbie〃
〃Speak to your papa；〃 said Molly； and held her scholar up on the fence。
〃Well； I'll be gol…darned；〃 said Taylor； surveying his costume； 〃if Lin
McLean hasn't made a fool of me to…night！〃
〃Where has Tommy got？〃 said Mrs。 Taylor。
〃Didn't yus see him？〃 said the biscuit…shooter speaking her first word in
all this。
We followed her into the kitchen。 The table was covered with tin plates。
Beneath it； wedged knelt Tommy with a pistol firm in his hand； but the
plates were rattling up and down like castanets。
There was a silence among us； and I wondered what we were going to do。
〃Well；〃 murmured the Virginian to himself； 〃if I could have foresaw； I'd
notit makes yu' feel humiliated yu'self。〃
He marched out； got on his horse； and rode away。 Lin followed him； but
perhaps less penitently。 We all dispersed without saying anything； and
presently from my blankets I saw poor Tommy come out of the silent cabin；
mount； and slowly； very slowly； ride away。 He would spend the night at
Riverside； after all。
Of course we recovered from our unexpected shame； and the tale of the
table and the dancing plates was not told as a sad