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lin mclean-第33章

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just the same; except when you're worse; and that Lin McLean is going to

know what I think of him next time we meet。〃



He did。 On that occasion the kind old dame told him he was the best boy

in the country; and stood on her toes and kissed him。 But meanwhile we

did not know why he had gone; and Jessamine (though he was never subtle

or cruel enough to plan such a thing) missed him; and thus in her

loneliness had the chance to learn how much he had been to her。



Though pressed to stay indefinitely beneath Mrs。 Pierce's hospitable

roof; the girl; after lingering awhile; and going often to that nook in

the hill by Riverside; took her departure。 She was restless; yet clung to

the neighborhood。 It was with a wrench that she fixed her going when I

told her of my own journey back to the railroad。 In Buffalo she walked to

the court…house and stood a moment as if bidding this site of one

life…memory farewell; and from the stage she watched and watched the

receding town and mountains。 〃It's awful to be leaving him!〃 she said。

〃Excuse me for acting so in front of you。〃 With the poignant emptiness

overcoming her in new guise; she blamed herself for not waiting in

Illinois until he had been sent to Joliet; for then; so near home; he

must have gone with her。



How could I tell her that Nate's death was the best end that could have

come to him? But I said: 〃You know you don't think it was your fault。 You

know you would do the same again。〃 She listened to me; but her eyes had

no interest in them。 〃He never knew pain;〃 I pursued; 〃and he died doing

the thing he liked best in the world。 He was happy and enjoying himself;

and you gave him that。 It's bad only for you。 Some would talk religion;

but I can't。〃



〃Yes;〃 she answered; 〃I can think of him so glad to be free。 Thank you

for saying that about religion。 Do you think it's wicked not to want it

to hate it sometimes? I hope it's not。 Thank you; truly。〃



During our journey she summoned her cheerfulness; and all that she said

was wholesome。 In the robust; coarse soundness of her fibre; the wounds

of grief would heal and leave no sicknessperhaps no higher

sensitiveness to human sufferings than her broad native kindness already

held。 We touched upon religion again; and my views shocked her Kentucky

notions; for I told her Kentucky locked its religion in an iron cage

called Sunday; which made it very savage and fond of biting strangers。

Now and again I would run upon that vein of deep…seated prejudice that

was in her character like some fine wire。 In short; our disagreements

brought us to terms more familiar than we had reached hitherto。 But when

at last Separ came; where was I? There stood Mr。 McLean waiting; and at

the suddenness of him she had no time to remember herself; but stepped

out of the stage with such a smile that the ardent cow…puncher flushed

and beamed。



〃So I went away without telling you goodbye!〃 he began; not wisely。 〃Mrs。

Pierce has been circulating war talk about me; you bet!〃



The maiden in Jessamine spoke instantly。 〃Indeed? There was no special

obligation for you to call on me; or her to notice if you didn't。〃



〃Oh!〃 said Lin; crestfallen。 〃Yu' sure don't mean that?〃



She looked at him; and was compelled to melt。 〃No; neighbor; I don't mean

it。〃



〃Neighbor!〃 he exclaimed; and again; 〃Neighbor;〃 much pleased。 〃Now it

would sound kind o' pleasant if you'd call me that for a steady thing。〃



〃It would sound kind of odd; Mr。 McLean; thank you。〃



〃Blamed if I understand her;〃 cried Lin。 〃Blamed if I do。 But you're

going to understand me sure quick!〃 He rushed inside the station; spoke

sharply to the agent; and returned in the same tremor of elation that had

pushed him to forwardness with his girl; and with which he seemed near

bursting。 〃I've been here three days to meet you。 There's a letter; and I

expect I know what's in it。 Tubercle has got it here。〃 He took it from

the less hasty agent and thrust it in Jessamine's hand。 〃You needn't to

fear。 Please open it; it's good news this time; you bet!〃 He watched it

in her hand as the boy of eight watches the string of a Christmas parcel

he wishes his father would cut instead of so carefully untie。 〃Open it;〃

he urged again。 〃Keeping me waiting this way!〃



〃What in the world does all this mean?〃 cried Jessamine; stopping short

at the first sentence。



〃Read;〃 said Lin。



〃You've done this!〃 she exclaimed。



〃Read; read!〃



So she read; with big eyes。 It was an official letter of the railroad;

written by the division superintendent at Edgeford。 It hoped Miss Buckner

might feel like taking the position of agent at Separ。 If she was willing

to consider this; would she stop over at Edgeford; on her way east; and

talk with the superintendent? In case the duties were more than she had

been accustomed to on the Louisville and Nashville; she could continue

east with the loss of only a day。 The superintendent believed the salary

could be arranged satisfactorily。 Enclosed please to find an order for a

free ride to Edgeford。



Jessamine turned her wondering eyes on Lin。 〃You did do this;〃 she

repeated; but this time with extraordinary quietness。



〃Yes;〃 said he。 〃And I am plumb proud of it。〃



She gave a rich laugh of pleasure and amusement; a long laugh; and

stopped。 〃Did anybody ever!〃 she said。



〃We can call each other neighbors now; yu' see;〃 said the cow…puncher。



〃Oh no! oh no!〃 Jessamine declared。 〃Though how am I ever to thank you?〃



〃By not argufying;〃 Lin answered。



〃Oh no; no! I can do no such thing。 Don't you see I can't? I believe you

are crazy。〃



〃I've been waiting to hear yu' say that;〃 said the complacent McLean。

〃I'm not argufying。 We'll eat supper now。 The east…bound is due in an

hour; and I expect you'll be wanting to go on it。〃



〃And I expect I'll go; too;〃 said the girl。



〃I'll be plumb proud to have yu';〃 the cow…puncher assented。



〃I'm going to get my ticket to Chicago right now;〃 said Jessamine; again

laughing; sunny and defiant。



〃You bet you are!〃 said the incorrigible McLean。 He let her go into the

station serenely。 〃You can't get used to new ideas in a minute;〃 he

remarked to me。 〃I've figured on all that; of course。 But that's why;〃 he

broke out; impetuously; 〃I quit you on Bear Creek so sudden。 'When she

goes back away home;' I'd been saying to myself every day; 'what'll you

do then; Lin McLean?' Well; I knew I'd go to Kentucky too。 Just knew I'd

have to; yu' see; and it was inconvenient; turruble inconvenientBilly

here and my ranch; and the beef round…up comin'but how could I let her

go and forget me? Take up; maybe; with some Blue…grass son…of…a…gun back

there? And I hated the fix I was in till that morning; getting up; I was

joshin' the Virginia man that's after Miss Wood。 I'd been sayin' no

educated lady would think of a man who talked with an African accent。

'It's repotted you have a Southern rival yourself;' says he; joshin'

back。 So I said I guessed the rival would find life uneasy。 'He does;'

says he。 'Any man with his voice broke in two halves; and one down in his

stomach and one up among the angels; is goin' to feel uneasy。 But Texas

talks a heap about his lady vigilante in the freight…car。' 'Vigilante!' I

said; and I must have jumped; for they all asked where the lightning had

struck。 And in fifteen minutes after writing you I'd hit the trail for

Separ。 Oh; I figured things out on that ride!〃 (Mr。 McLean here clapped

me on the back。) 〃Got to Separ。 Got the sheriff's address the sheriff

that saw her that night they held up the locomotive。 Got him to meet me

at Edgeford and make a big talk to the superintendent。 Made a big talk

myself。 I said; 'Put that girl in charge of Separ; and the boys'll quit

shooting your water…tank。 But Tubercle can't influence 'em。' 'Tubercle?'

says the superintendent。 'What's that?' And when I told him it was the

agent; he flapped his two hands down on the chair arms each side of him

and went to rockin' up and down。 I said the agent was just a temptation

to the boys to be gay right along; and they'd keep a…shooting。 'You can

choose between Tubercle and your tank;' I said; 'but you've got to move

one of 'em from Separ if yu' went peace。' The sheriff backed me up good;

too。 He said a man couldn't do much with Separ the way it was now; but a

decent woman would be respected there; and the only question was if she

could conduct the business。 So I spoke up about Shawhan; and when the

whole idea began to soak into that superintendent his eyeballs jingled

and he looked as wise as a work…ox。 'I'll see her;' says he。 And he's

going to see her。〃



〃Well;〃 said I; 〃you deserve success after thinking of a thing like that!

You're wholly wasted punching cattle。 But she's going to Chicago。 By

eleven o'clock she will have passed by your superintendent。〃



〃Why; so she will!〃 said Lin; affecting surprise。



He baffled me; and 
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