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more sorrowful。 〃I just hate him to think that of me；〃 he reflected。 The
curtain rose； and he saw Billy make up his mind to wait until they should
all be going out in the crowd。 While the children of Captain Grant grew
hotter and hotter upon their father's geographic trail； Lin sat saying to
himself a number of contradictions。 〃He's nothing to me； what's any of
them to me？〃 Driven to bay by his bewilderment； he restated the facts of
the past。 〃Why； she'd deserted him and Lusk before she'd ever laid eyes
on me。 I needn't to bother myself。 He wasn't never even my step…kid。〃 The
past； however； brought no guidance。 〃Lord； what's the thing to do about
this？ If I had any home This is a stinkin' world in some respects；〃
said Mr。 McLean； aloud； unknowingly。 The lady in the chair beneath which
the cow…puncher had his legs nudged her husband。 They took it for emotion
over the sad fortune of Captain Grant； and their backs shook。 Presently
each turned； and saw the singular man with untamed； wide…open eyes
glowering at the stage； and both backs shook again。
Once more his hand was laid on Billy。 〃Say！〃 The boy glanced at him； and
quickly away。
〃Look at me； and listen。〃
Billy swervingly obeyed。
〃I ain't after yu'； and never was。 This here's your business； not mine。
Are yu' listenin' good？〃
The boy made a nod； and Lin proceeded； whispering： 〃You've got no call to
believe what I say to yu'yu've been lied to； I guess； pretty often。 So
I'll not stop yu' runnin' and hidin'； and I'll never give it away I saw
yu'； but yu' keep doin' what yu' please。 I'll just go now。 I've saw all I
want； but you and your friends stay with it till it quits。 If yu' happen
to wish to speak to me about that pistol or bears； yu' come around to
Smith's Palacethat's the boss hotel here； ain't it？and if yu' don't
come too late I'll not be gone to bed。 But this time of night I'm liable
to get sleepy。 Tell your friends good…bye for me； and be good to
yourself。 I've appreciated your company。〃
Mr。 McLean entered Smith's Palace； and； engaging a room with two beds in
it； did a little delicate lying by means of the truth。 〃It's a lost boy
a runaway；〃 he told the clerk。 〃He'll not be extra clean； I expect； if
he does come。 Maybe he'll give me the slip； and I'll have a job cut out
to…morrow。 I'll thank yu' to put my money in your safe。〃
The clerk placed himself at the disposal of the secret service； and Lin
walked up and down； looking at the railroad photographs for some ten
minutes； when Master Billy peered in from the street。
〃Hello！〃 said Mr。 McLean； casually； and returned to a fine picture of
Pike's Peak。
Billy observed him for a space； and； receiving no further attention； came
stepping along。 〃I'm not a…going back to Laramie；〃 he stated； warningly。
〃I wouldn't；〃 said Lin。 〃It ain't half the town Denver is。 Well；
good…night。 Sorry yu' couldn't call soonerI'm dead sleepy。〃
〃O…h！〃 Billy stood blank。 〃I wish I'd shook the darned old show。 Say；
lemme black your boots in the morning？〃
〃Not sure my train don't go too early。〃
〃I'm up！ I'm up！ I get around to all of 'em。〃
〃Where do yu' sleep？〃
〃Sleeping with the engine…man now。 Why can't you put that on me
to…night？〃
〃Goin' up…stairs。 This gentleman wouldn't let you go up…stairs。〃
But the earnestly petitioned clerk consented； and Billy was the first to
hasten into the room。 He stood rapturous while Lin buckled the belt round
his scanty stomach； and ingeniously buttoned the suspenders outside the
accoutrement to retard its immediate descent to earth。
〃Did it ever kill a man？〃 asked Billy； touching the six…shooter。
〃No。 It ain't never had to do that； but I expect maybe it's stopped some
killin' me。〃
〃Oh； leave me wear it just a minute！ Do you collect arrow…heads？ I think
they're bully。 There's the finest one you ever seen。〃 He brought out the
relic； tightly wrapped in paper； several pieces。 〃I foun' it myself；
camping with father。 It was sticking in a crack right on top of a rock；
but nobody'd seen it till I came along。 Ain't it fine？〃
Mr。 McLean pronounced it a gem。
〃Father an' me found a lot； an' they made mother mad laying around； an'
she throwed 'em out。 She takes stuff from Kelley's。〃
〃Who's Kelley？〃
〃He keeps the drug…store at Laramie。 Mother gets awful funny。 That's how
she was when I came home。 For I told Mr。 Perkins he lied； an' I ran then。
An' I knowed well enough she'd lick me when she got through her spell
an' father can't stop her； an' Iah； I was sick of it！ She's lamed me up
twice beating mean' Perkins wanting me to say 'God bless my mother！'
a…getting up and a…going to bedhe's a flubdub！ An' so I cleared out。
But I'd just as leaves said for God to bless fatheran' you。 I'll do it
now if you say it's any sense。〃
Mr。 McLean sat down in a chair。 〃Don't yu' do it now；〃 said he。
〃You wouldn't like mother；〃 Billy continued。 〃You can keep that。〃 He came
to Lin and placed the arrow…head in his hands； standing beside him。 〃Do
you like birds' eggs？ I collect them。 I got twenty…five kindssage…hen；
an' blue grouse； an' willow…grouse； an' lots more kinds harderbut I
couldn't bring all them from Laramie。 I brought the magpie's； though。 D'
you care to see a magpie egg？ Well； you stay to…morrow an' I'll show you
that en' some other things I got the engine…man lets me keep there； for
there's boys that would steal an egg。 An' I could take you where we could
fire that pistol。 Bet you don't know what that is！〃
He brought out a small tin box shaped like a thimble； in which were
things that rattled。
Mr。 McLean gave it up。
〃That's kinni…kinnic seed。 You can have that； for I got some more with
the engine…man。〃
Lin received this second token also； and thanked the giver for it。 His
first feeling had been to prevent the boy's parting with his treasures；
but something that came not from the polish of manners and experience
made him know that he should take them。 Billy talked away； laying bare
his little soul； the street boy that was not quite come made place for
the child that was not quite gone； and unimportant words and confidences
dropped from him disjointed as he climbed to the knee of Mr。 McLean； and
inadvertently took that cow…puncher for some sort of parent he had not
hitherto met。 It lasted but a short while； however； for he went to sleep
in the middle of a sentence； with his head upon Lin's breast。 The man
held him perfectly still； because he had not the faintest notion that
Billy would be impossible to disturb。 At length he spoke to him；
suggesting that bed might prove more comfortable； and； finding how it
was； rose and undressed the boy and laid him between the sheets。 The arms
and legs seemed aware of the moves required of them； and stirred
conveniently； and directly the head was upon the pillow the whole small
frame burrowed down； without the opening of an eye or a change in the
breathing。 Lin stood some time by the bedside； with his eyes on the long；
curling lashes and the curly hair。 Then he glanced craftily at the door
of the room； and at himself in the looking…glass。 He stooped and kissed
Billy on the forehead； and； rising from that； gave himself a hangdog
stare in the mirror； and soon in his own bed was sleeping the sound sleep
of health。
He was faintly roused by the church bells； and lay still； lingering with
his sleep； his eyes closed； and his thoughts unshaped。 As he became
slowly aware of the morning； the ringing and the light reached him； and
he waked wholly； and； still lying quiet； considered the strange room
filled with the bells and the sun of the winter's day。 〃Where have I
struck now？〃 he inquired； and as last night returned abruptly upon his
mind； he raised himself on his arm。
There sat Responsibility in a chair； washed clean and dressed； watching
him。
〃You're awful late；〃 said Responsibility。 〃But I weren't a…going without
telling you good…bye。〃
〃Go？〃 exclaimed Lin。 〃Go where？ Yu' surely ain't leavin' me to eat
breakfast alone？〃 The cow…puncher made his voice very plaintive。 Set
Responsibility free after all his trouble to catch him？ This was more
than he could do！
〃I've got to go。 If I'd thought you'd want for me to staywhy； you said
you was a…going by the early train！〃
〃But the durned thing's got away on me；〃 said Lin； smiling sweetly from
the bed。
〃If I hadn't a…promised them〃
〃Who？〃
〃Sidney Ellis and Pete Goode。 Why； you know them； you grubbed with them。〃
〃Shucks！〃
〃We're a…going to have fun to…day。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃For it's Christmas； an' we've bought some good cigars； an' Pete says
he'll learn me sure。 O' course I've smoked some； you know。 But I'd just
as leaves stayed with you if I'd only knowed sooner。 I wish you lived
here。 Did you smoke whole big cigars when you was beginning？〃
〃Do you like flapjacks and maple syrup？〃 inquired the art