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〃Better take him to the stable； Lusk；〃 said McLean。
He picked the chickens up； showed the woman to the best chair in his
room； and went into his kitchen to cook supper for three。 He gave his
guests no further attention； nor did either of them come in where he was；
nor did the husband rejoin the wife。 He walked slowly up and down in the
air； and she sat by herself in the room。 Lin's steps as he made ready
round the stove and table； and Lusk's slow tread out in the setting
sunlight； were the only sounds about the cabin。 When the host looked into
the door of the next room to announce that his meal was served； the woman
sat in her chair no longer； but stood with her back to him by a shelf。
She gave a slight start at his summons； and replaced something。 He saw
that she had been examining 〃Neighbor；〃 and his face hardened suddenly to
fierceness as he looked at her； but he repeated quietly that she had
better come in。 Thus did the three sit down to their meal。 Occasionally a
word about handing some dish fell from one or other of them； but nothing
more； until Lusk took out his watch and mentioned the hour。
〃Yu've not ate especially hearty；〃 said Lin； resting his arms upon the
table。
〃I'm going；〃 asserted Lusk。 〃Governor Barker may start out。 I've got my
interests to look after。〃
〃Why； sure；〃 said Lin。 〃I can't hope you'll waste all your time on just
me。〃
Lusk rose and looked at his wife。 〃It'll be ten now before we get to
Drybone；〃 said he。 And he went down to the stable。
The woman sat still； pressing the crumbs of her bread。 〃I know you seen
me；〃 she said； without looking at him。
〃Saw you when？〃
〃I knowed it。 And I seen how you looked at me。〃 She sat twisting and
pressing the crumb。 Sometimes it was round； sometimes it was a cube； now
and then she flattened it to a disk。 Mr。 McLean seemed to have nothing
that he wished to reply。
〃If you claim that pistol is yourn；〃 she said next； 〃I'll tell you I know
better。 If you ask me whose should it be if not yourn； I would not have
to guess the name。 She has talked to me； and me to her。〃
She was still looking away from him at the bread…crumb； or she could have
seen that McLean's hand was trembling as he watched her leaning on his
arms。
〃Oh yes； she was willing to talk to me！〃 The woman uttered another sudden
laugh。 〃I knowed about herall。 Things get heard of in this world。 Did
not all about you and me come to her knowledge in its own good time； and
it done and gone how many years？ My； my； my！〃 Her voice grew slow and
absent。 She stopped for a moment； and then more rapidly resumed： 〃It had
travelled around about you and her like it always will travel。 It was
known how you had asked her； and how she had told you she would have you；
and then told you she would not when she learned about you and me。 Folks
that knowed yus and folks that never seen yus in their lives had to have
their word about her facing you down you had another wife； though she
knowed the truth about me being married to Lusk and him livin' the day
you married me； and ten and twenty marriages could not have tied you and
me up； no matter how honest you swore to no hinderance。 Folks said it was
plain she did not want yus。 It give me a queer feelin' to see that girl。
It give me a wish to tell her to her face that she did not love yus and
did not know love。 Waitwait； Lin！ Yu' never hit me yet。〃
〃No；〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃Nor now。 I'm not Lusk。〃
〃Yu' looked soso bad； Lin。 I never seen yu' look so bad in old days。
Wait； now； and I must tell it。 I wished to laugh in her face and say；
'What do you know about love？' So I walked in。 Lin； she does love yus！〃
〃Yes；〃 breathed McLean。
〃She was sittin' back in her room at Separ。 Not the ticket…office； but〃
〃I know；〃 the cow…puncher said。 His eyes were burning。
〃It's snug； the way she has it。 'Good…afternoon；' I says。 'Is this Miss
Jessamine Buckner？'〃
At his sweetheart's name the glow in Lin's eyes seemed to quiver to a
flash。
〃And she spoke pleasant to mepleasant and gay…like。 But a woman can
tell sorrow in a woman's eyes。 And she asked me would I rest in her room
there； and what was my name。 'They tell me you claim to know it better
than I do；' I says。 'They tell me you say it is Mrs。 McLean。' She put her
hand on her breast； and she keeps lookin' at me without never speaking。
'Maybe I am not so welcome now；' I says。 'One minute；' says she。 'Let me
get used to it。' And she sat down。
〃Lin； she is a square…lookin' girl。 I'll say that for her。
〃I never thought to sit down onced myself； I don't know why； but I kep'
a…standing； and I took in that room of hers。 She had flowers and things
around there； and I seen your picture standing on the table； and I seen
your six…shooter right by itand； oh； Lin； hadn't I knowed your face
before ever she did； and that gun you used to let me shoot on Bear Creek？
It took me that sudden！ Why； it rushed over me so I spoke right out
different from what I'd meant and what I had ready fixed up to say。
〃'Why did you do it？' I says to her； while she was a…sitting。 'How could
you act so； and you a woman？' She just sat； and her sad eyes made me
madder at the idea of her。 'You have had real sorrow；' says I； 'if they
report correct。 You have knowed your share of death； and misery； and hard
work； and all。 Great God！ ain't there things enough that come to yus
uncalled for and natural； but you must run around huntin' up more that
was leavin' yus alone and givin' yus a chance？ I knowed him onced。 I
knowed your Lin McLean。 And when that was over； I knowed for the first
time how men can be different。' I'm started； Lin； I'm started。 Leave me
go on； and when I'm through I'll quit。 'Some of 'em； anyway；' I says to
her； 'has hearts and self…respect； and ain't hogs clean through。'
〃'I know；〃 she says； thoughtful…like。
〃And at her whispering that way I gets madder。
〃'You know！' I says then。 'What is it that you know？ Do you know that you
have hurt a good man's heart？ For onced I hurt it myself； though
different。 And hurts in them kind of hearts stays。 Some hearts is that
luscious and pasty you can stab 'em and it closes up so yu'd never
suspicion the placebut Lin McLean！ Nor yet don't yus believe his is the
kind that breaksif any kind does that。 You may sit till the gray
hairs； and you may wall up your womanhood； but if a man has got manhood
like him； he will never sit till the gray hairs。 Grief over losin' the
best will not stop him from searchin' for a second best after a while。 He
wants a home； and he has got a right to one；' says I to Miss Jessamine。
'You have not walled up Lin McLean；' I says to her。 Wait； Lin； wait。 Yus
needn't to tell me that's a lie。 I know a man thinks he's walled up for a
while。〃
〃She could have told you it was a lie；〃 said the cow…puncher。
〃She did not。 'Let him get a home；' says she。 'I want him to be happy。'
'That flash in your eyes talks different；' says I。 'Sure enough yus wants
him to be happy。 Sure enough。 But not happy along with Miss Second Best。'
〃Lin； she looked at me that piercin'！
〃And I goes on； for I was wound away up。 'And he will be happy； too；' I
says。 'Miss Second Best will have a talk with him about your picture and
little 〃Neighbor；〃 which he'll not send back to yus； because the hurt in
his heart is there。 And he will keep 'em out of sight somewheres after
his talk with Miss Second Best。' Lin； Lin； I laughed at them words of
mine； but I was that wound up I was strange to myself。 And she watchin'
me that way！ And I says to her： 'Miss Second Best will not be the crazy
thing to think I am any wife of his standing in her way。 He will tell her
about me。 He will tell how onced he thought he was solid married to me
till Lusk came back； and she will drop me out of sight along with the
rest that went nameless。 They was not uncomprehensible to you； was they？
You have learned something by livin'； I guess！ And Linyour Lin； not
mine； nor never mine in heart for a day so deep as he's yourn right now
he has been gaygay as any I've knowed。 Why； look at that face of his！
Could a boy with a face like that help bein' gay？ But that don't touch
what's the true Lin deep down。 Nor will his deep…down love for you hinder
him like it will hinder you。 Don't you know men and us is different when
it comes to passion？ We're all one thing then； but they ain't simple。
They keep along with lots of other things。 I can't make yus know； and I
guess it takes a woman like I have been to learn their nature。 But you
did know he loved you； and you sent him away； and you'll be homeless in
yer house when he has done the right thing by himself and found another
girl。'
〃Lin； all the while I was talkin' all I knowed to her； without knowin'
what I'd be sayin' next； for it come that unexpected； she was lookin' at
me with them steady eyes。 And all she says when I quit was； 'If I s