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lin mclean-第22章

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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
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