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lin mclean-第37章

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Wiggin says Lin's losing his grip about girls;〃 he remarked。 〃He says you

couldn't 'a' downed him onced。 You'd 'a' had to marry him。 Honey says Lin

ain't worked it like he done in old times。〃



〃Now I shouldn't wonder if he was right;〃 said Jessamine; buoyantly。 〃And 

that being the case; I'm going to set to work at your things till it 

clears; and then we'll go for our ride。〃



〃Yes;〃 said Billy。 When does a man get too old to marry?〃



〃I'm only a girl; you see。 I don't know。〃



〃Yes。 Honey said he wouldn't 'a' thought Lin was that old。 But I guess he

must be thirty。〃



〃Old!〃 exclaimed Jessamine。 And she looked at a photograph upon her

table。



〃But Lin ain't been married very much;〃 pursued Billy。 〃Mother's the only

one they speak of。 You don't have to stay married always; do you?〃



〃It's better to;〃 said Jessamine。



〃Ah; I don't think so;〃 said Billy; with disparagement。 〃You ought to see

mother and father。 I wish you would leave Lin marry you; though;〃 said

the boy; coming to her with an impulse of affection。 〃Why won't you if he

don't mind?〃



She continued to parry him; but this was not a very smooth start for

eight in the morning。 Moments of lull there were; when the telegraph

called her to the front room; and Billy's young mind shifted to inquiries

about the cipher alphabet。 And she gained at least an hour teaching him

to read various words by the sound。 At dinner; too; he was refreshingly

silent。 But such silences are unsafe; and the weather was still bad。 Four

o'clock found them much where they had been at eight。



〃Please tell me why you won't leave Lin marry you。〃 He was at the window;

kicking the wall。



〃That's nine times since dinner;〃 she replied; with tireless good humor。

〃Now if you ask me twelve〃



〃You'll tell?〃 said the boy; swiftly。



She broke into a laugh。 〃No。 I'll go riding and you'll stay at home。 When

I was little and would ask things beyond me; they only gave me three

times。〃



〃I've got two more; anyway。 Ha…ha!〃



〃Better save 'em up; though。〃



〃What did they do to you? Ah; I don't want to go a…riding。 It's nasty all

over。〃 He stared out at the day against which Separ's doors had been

tight closed since morning。 Eight hours of furious wind had raised the

dust like a sea。 〃I wish the old train would come;〃 observed Billy;

continuing to kick the wall。 〃I wish I was going somewheres。〃 Smoky;

level; and hot; the south wind leapt into Separ across five hundred

unbroken miles。 The plain was blanketed in a tawny eclipse。 Each minute

the near buildings became invisible in a turbulent herd of clouds。 Above

this travelling blur of the soil the top of the water…tank alone rose

bulging into the clear sun。 The sand spirals would lick like flames along

the bulk of the lofty tub; and soar skyward。 It was not shipping season。

The freight…cars stood idle in a long line。 No cattle huddled in the

corrals。 No strangers moved in town。 No cow…ponies dozed in front of the

saloon。 Their riders were distant in ranch and camp。 Human noise was

extinct in Separ。 Beneath the thunder of the sultry blasts the place lay

dead in its flapping shroud of dust。 〃Why won't you tell me?〃 droned

Billy。 For some time he had been returning; like a mosquito brushed away。



〃That's ten times;〃 said Jessamine; promptly。



〃Oh; goodness! Pretty soon I'll not be glad I came。 I'm about twiced as

less glad now。〃



〃Well;〃 said Jessamine; 〃there's a man coming to…day to mend the

government telegraph…line between Drybone and McKinney。 Maybe he would

take you back as far as Box Elder; if you want to go very much。 Shall I

ask him?〃



Billy was disappointed at this cordial seconding of his mood。 He did not

make a direct rejoinder。 〃I guess I'll go outside now;〃 said he; with a

threat in his tone。



She continued mending his stockings。 Finished ones lay rolled at one side

of her chair; and upon the other were more waiting her attention。



〃And I'm going to turn back hand…springs on top of all the freight…cars;〃

he stated; more loudly。



She indulged again in merriment; laughing sweetly at him; and without

restraint。



〃And I'm sick of what you all keep a…saying to me!〃 he shouted。 〃Just as

if I was a baby。〃



〃Why; Billy; who ever said you were a baby?〃



〃All of you do。 Honey; and Lin; and you; now; and everybody。 What makes

you say 'that's nine times; Billy; oh; Billy; that's ten times;' if you

don't mean I'm a baby? And you laugh me off; just like they do; and just

like I was a regular baby。 You won't tell me〃



〃Billy; listen。 Did nobody ever ask you something you did not want to

tell them?〃



〃That's not a bit the same; becausebecausebecause I treat 'em square

and because it's not their business。 But every time I ask anybody 'most

anything; they say I'm not old enough to understand; and I'll be ten

soon。 And it is my business when it's about the kind of a mother I'm

agoing to have。 Suppose I quit acting square; an' told 'em; when they

bothered me; they weren't young enough to understand! Wish I had。 Guess I

will; too; and watch 'em step around。〃 For a moment his mind dwelt upon

this; and he whistled a revengeful strain。



〃Goodness; Billy!〃 said Jessamine; at the sight of the next stocking。

〃The whole heel is scorched off。〃



He eyed the ruin with indifference。 〃Ah; that was last month when I and

Lin shot the bear in the swamp willows。 He made me dry off my legs。 Chuck

it away。〃



〃And spoil the pair? No; indeed!〃



〃Mother always chucked 'em; an' father'd buy new ones till I skipped from

home。 Lin kind o' mends 'em。〃



〃Does he?〃 said Jessamine; softly。 And she looked at the photograph。



〃Yes。 What made you write him for to let me come and bring my stockin's

and things?〃



〃Don't you see; Billy; there is so little work at this station that I'd

be looking out of the window all day just the pitiful way you do?〃



〃Oh!〃 Billy pondered。 〃And so I said to Lin;〃 he continued; 〃why didn't

he send down his own clothes; too; an' let you fix 'em all。 And Honey

Wiggin laughed right in his coffee…cup so it all sploshed out。 And the

cook he asked me if mother used to mend Lin's clothes。 But I guess she

chucked 'em like she always did father's and mine。 I was with father; you

know; when mother was married to Lin that time。〃 He paused again; while

his thoughts and fears struggled。 〃But Lin says I needn't ever go back;〃

he went on; reasoning and confiding to her。 〃Lin don't like mother any

more; I guess。〃 His pondering grew still deeper; and he looked at

Jessamine for some while。 Then his face wakened with a new theory。 〃Don't

Lin like you any more?〃 he inquired。



〃Oh;〃 cried Jessamine; crimsoning; 〃yes! Why; he sent you to me!〃



〃Well; he got hot in camp when I said that about sending his clothes to

you。 He quit supper pretty soon; and went away off a walking。 And that's

another time they said I was too young。 But Lin don't come to see you any

more。〃



〃Why; I hope he loves me;〃 murmured Jessamine。 〃Always。〃



〃Well; I hope so too;〃 said Billy; earnestly。 〃For I like you。 When I

seen him show you our cabin on Box Elder; and the room he had fixed for

you; I was glad you were coming to be my mother。 Mother used to be awful。

I wouldn't 'a' minded her licking me if she'd done other things。 Ah;

pshaw! I wasn't going to stand that。〃 Billy now came close to Jessamine。

〃I do wish you would come and live with me and Lin;〃 said he。 〃Lin's

awful nice。〃



〃Don't I know it?〃 said Jessamine; tenderly。



〃Cause I heard you say you were going to marry him;〃 went on Billy。 〃And

I seen him kiss you and you let him that time we went away when you found

out about mother。 And you're not mad; and he's not; and nothing happens

at all; all the same! Won't you tell me; please?〃



Jessamine's eyes were glistening; and she took him in her lap。 She was

not going to tell him that he was too young this time。 But whatever

things she had shaped to say to the boy were never said。



Through the noise of the gale came the steadier sound of the train; and

the girl rose quickly to preside over her ticket…office and duties behind

the railing in the front room of the station。 The boy ran to the window

to watch the great event of Separ's day。 The locomotive loomed out from

the yellow clots of drift; paused at the water…tank; and then with steam

and humming came slowly on by the platform。 Slowly its long dust…choked

train emerged trundling behind it; and ponderously halted。 There was no

one to go。 No one came to buy a ticket of Jessamine。 The conductor looked

in on business; but she had no telegraphic orders for him。 The express

agent jumped off and looked in for pleasure。 He received his daily smile

and nod of friendly discouragement。 Then the light bundle of mail was

flung inside the door。 Separ had no mail to go out。 As she was picking up

the letters young Billy passed her like a shadow; and 
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