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quieted； and his tones were low and few。 But though Miss Jessamine at our
next change of horses 〃hoped〃 I would come inside； I knew she did not
hope very earnestly； and outside I remained until Buffalo。
Journeying done； her face revealed the strain beneath her brave
brightness； and the haunting care she could no longer keep from her eyes。
The imminence of the jail and the meeting had made her cheeks white and
her countenance seem actually smaller； and when； reminding me that we
should meet again soon； she gave me her hand； it was ice…cold。 I think
she was afraid Lin might offer to go with her。 But his heart understood
the lonely sacredness of her next half…hour； and the cow puncher；
standing aside for her to pass； lifted his hat wistfully and spoke never
a word。 For a moment he looked after her with sombre emotion； but the
court…house and prison stood near and in sight； and； as plain as if he
had said so； I saw him suddenly feel she should not be stared at going up
those steps； it must be all alone； the pain and the joy of that reprieve！
He turned away with me； and after a few silent steps said； 〃Wasted！ all
wasted！〃
〃Let us hope〃 I began。
〃You're not a fool；〃 he broke in； roughly。 〃You don't hope anything。〃
〃He'll start life elsewhere；〃 said I。
〃Elsewhere！ Yes； keep starting till all the elsewheres know him like
Powder River knows him。 But she！ I have had to sit and hear her tell and
tell about him； all about back in Kentucky playin' around the farm； and
how she raised him after the old folks died。 Then he got bigger and made
her sell their farm； and she told how it was right he should turn it into
money and get his half。 I did not dare say a word； for she'd have just
bit my head off； andand that would sure hurt me now！〃 Lin brought up
with a comical chuckle。 〃And she went to work； and he cleared out； and no
more seen or heard of him。 That's for five years； and she'd given up
tracing him； when one morning she reads in the paper about how her
long…lost brother is convicted for forgery。 That's the way she knows he's
not dead； and she takes her savings off her railroad salary and starts
for him。 She was that hasty she thought it was Buffalo； New York； till
she got in the cars and read the paper over again。 But she had to go as
far as Cincinnati； either way。 She has paid every cent of the money he
stole。〃 We had come to the bridge； and Lin jerked a stone into the quick
little river。 〃She's awful strict in some ways。 Thought Buffalo must be a
wicked place because of the shops bein' open Sunday。 Now if that was all
Buffalo's wickedness！ And she thinks divorce is mostly sin。 But her heart
is a shield for Nate。〃
〃Her face is as beautiful as her actions；〃 he added。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃and would you make such a villain your brother…in…law？〃
He whirled round and took both my shoulders。 〃Come walking！〃 he urged。 〃I
must talk some。〃 So we followed the stream out of town towards the
mountains。 〃I came awful near asking her in the stage；〃 said he。
〃Goodness； Lin！ give yourself time！〃
〃Time can't increase my feelings。〃
〃Hers； man； hers！ How many hours have you known her？〃
〃Hours and hours！ You're talking foolishness！ What have they got to do
with it？ And she will listen to me。 I can tell she will。 I know I can be
so she'll listen； and it will go all right； for I'll ask so hard。 And
everything'll come out straight。 Yu' see； I've not been spending to speak
of since Billy's on my hands； and now I'll fix up my cabin and finish my
fencing and my ditchand she's going to like Box Elder Creek better than
Shawhan。 She's the first I've ever loved。〃
〃Then I'd like to ask〃 I cried out。
〃Ask away！〃 he exclaimed； inattentively； in his enthusiasm。
〃When you〃 but I stopped； perceiving it impossible。 It was； of course；
not the many transient passions on which he had squandered his substance；
but the one where faith also had seemed to unite。 Had he not married
once； innocent of the woman's being already a wife？ But I stopped； for to
trench here was not for me or any one。
And my pause strangely flashed on him something of that I had in my mind。
〃No；〃 he said； his eyes steady and serious upon me； 〃don't you ask about
the things you're meaning。〃 Then his face grew radiant and rather stern。
〃Do you suppose I don't know she's too good for me？ And that some bygones
can't ever be bygones？ But if you；〃 he said； 〃never come to look away up
to a woman from away down； and mean to win her just the same as if you
did deserve her； why； you'll make a turruble mess of the whole business！〃
When we walked in silence for a long while； he lighted again with the
blossoming dawn of his sentiment。 I thought of the coarse yet taking
vagabond of twenty I had once chanced upon； and hunted and camped with
since through the years。 Decidedly he was not that boy to…day！ It is not
true that all of us rise through adversity； any more than that all plants
need shadow。 Some starve out of the sunshine； and I have seen misery
deaden once kind people to everything but selfalmost the saddest sight
in the world！ But Lin's character had not stood well the ordeal of
happiness； and for him certainly harsh days and responsibility had been
needed to ripen the spirit。 Yes； Jessamine Buckner would have been much
too good for him before that humiliation of his marriage； and this care
of young Billy with which he had loaded himself。 〃Lin；〃 said I； 〃I will
drink your health and luck。〃
〃I'm healthy enough；〃 said he； and we came back to the main street and
into the main saloon。
〃How d'ye； boys？〃 said some one； and there was Nate Buckner。 〃It's on me
to…day；〃 he continued； shoving whiskey along the bar； and I saw he was a
little drunk。 〃I'm setting 'em up；〃 he continued。 〃Why？ Why； because〃he
looked around for appreciation〃because it's not every son…of…a…gun in
Wyoming gets pardoned by Governor Barker。 I'm important； I want you to
understand；〃 he pursued to the cold bystanders。 〃They'll have a picture
of me in the Cheyenne paper。 'The Bronco…buster of Powder River！' They
can't do without me！ If any son…of…a…gun here thinks he knows how to
break a colt；〃 he shouted； looking around with the irrelevant fierceness
of drinkand then his challenge ebbed vacantly in laughter as the
subject blurred in his mind。 〃You're not drinking； Lin；〃 said he。
〃No；〃 said McLean； 〃I'm not。〃
〃Sworn off again？ Well； water never did agree with me。〃
〃Yu' never gave water the chance；〃 retorted the cow…puncher； and we left
the place without my having drunk his health。
It was a grim beginning； this brag attempt to laugh his reputation down；
with the jail door scarce closed behind him。 〃Folks are not going to like
that；〃 said Lin； as we walked across the bridge again to the hotel。 Yet
the sister； left alone here after an hour at most of her brother's
company； would pretend it was a matter of course。 Nate was not in； she
told us at once。 He had business to attend to and friends to see he must
get back to Riverside and down in that country where colts were waiting
for him。 He was the only one the E。 K。 outfit would allow to handle their
young stock。 Did we know that？ And she was going to stay with a Mrs。
Pierce down there for a while； near where Nate would be working。 All this
she told us； but when he did not return to dine with her on this first
day； I think she found it hard to sustain her wilful cheeriness。 Lin
offered to take her driving to see the military post and dress parade at
retreat； and Cloud's Peak； and Buffalo's various sights； but she made
excuses and retired to her room。 Nate； however； was at tea； shaven clean；
with good clothes； and well conducted。 His tone and manner to Jessamine
were confidential and caressing； and offended Mr。 McLean； so that I
observed to him that it was scarcely reasonable to be jealous。
〃Oh； no jealousy！〃 said he。 〃But he comes in and kisses her； and he
kisses her good…night； and us strangers looking on！ It's such
oncontrollable affection； yu' see； after never writing for five years。 I
expect she must have some of her savings left。〃
It is true that the sister gave the brother money more than once； and as
our ways lay together； I had chances to see them both； and to wonder if
her joy at being with him once again was going to last。 On the road to
Riverside I certainly heard Jessamine beg him to return home with her；
and he ridiculed such a notion。 What proper life for a live man was that
dead place back East？ he asked her。 I thought he might have expressed
some regret that they must dwell so far apart； or some intention to visit
her now and then； but he said nothing of the sort； though he spoke
volubly of himself and his prospects。 I suppose this spectacle of brother
and sister had rubbed Lin the wrong way too much； for he held himself and
Billy aloof； joining me on the road but once； and then merely to give me
the news that pe