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lin mclean-第43章

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ready when the music should resume。 〃What is it?〃 they asked。 〃Who is

it?〃 And they looked in across heads and shoulders; inattentive to the

caresses which the partners gave them。



Mrs。 Lusk was who it was; and she had taken poison here in their midst;

after many dances and drinks。



〃Here's Doc!〃 cried an older one。



〃Here's Doc!〃 chorused the young blood that had come into this country

since his day。 And the throng caught up the words: 〃Here's Doc! here's

Doc!〃



In a moment McLean and Barker were sundered from each other in this

flood。 Barker; sucked in toward the centre but often eddied back by those

who meant to help him; heard the mixed explanations pass his ear

unfinishedversions; contradictions; a score of facts。 It had been

wolf…poison。 It had been 〃Rough on Rats。〃 It had been something in a

bottle。 There was little steering in this clamorous sea; but Barker

reached his patient; where she sat in her new dress; hailing him with

wild inebriate gayety。



〃I must get her to her room; friends;〃 said he。



〃He must get her to her room;〃 went the word。 〃Leave Doc get her to her

room。〃 And they tangled in their eagerness around him and his patient。



〃Give us 'Buffalo Girls!'〃 shouted Mrs。 Lusk。。。。 〃'Buffalo Girls;' you

fiddler!〃



〃We'll come back;〃 said Barker to her。



〃'Buffalo Girls;' I tell yus。 Ho! There's no sense looking at that

bottle; Doc。 Take yer dance while there's time!〃 She was holding the

chair。



〃Help him!〃 said the crowd。 〃Help Doc。〃



They took her from her chair; and she fought; a big pink mass of ribbons;

fluttering and wrenching itself among them。



〃She has six ounces of laudanum in her;〃 Barker told them at the top of

his voice。 〃It won't wait all night。〃



〃I'm a whirlwind!〃 said Mrs。 Lusk。 〃That's my game! And you done your

share;〃 she cried to the fiddler。 〃Here's my regards; old man! 'Buffalo

Girls' once more!〃



She flung out her hand; and from it fell notes and coins; rolling and

ringing around the starch boxes。 Some dragged her on; while some fiercely

forbade the musician to touch the money; because it was hers; and she

would want it when she came to。 Thus they gathered it up for her。 But now

she had sunk down; asking in a new voice where was Lin McLean。 And when

one grinning intimate reminded her that Lusk had gone to shoot him; she

laughed out richly; and the crowd joined her mirth。 But even in the midst

of the joke she asked again in the same voice where was Lin McLean。 He

came beside her among more jokes。 He had kept himself near; and now at

sight of him she reached out and held him。 〃Tell them to leave me go to

sleep; Lin;〃 said she。



Barker saw a chance。 〃Persuade her to come along;〃 said he to McLean。

〃Minutes are counting now。〃



〃Oh; I'll come;〃 she said; with a laugh; overhearing him; and holding

still to Lin。



The rest of the old friends nudged each other。 〃Back seats for us;〃 they

said。 〃But we've had our turn in front ones。〃 Then; thinking they would

be useful in encouraging her to walk; they clustered again; rendering

Barker and McLean once more well…nigh helpless。 Clumsily the escort made

its slow way across the quadrangle; cautioning itself about stones and

holes。 Thus; presently; she was brought into the room。 The escort set her

down; crowding the little place as thick as it would hold; the rest

gathered thick at the door; and all of them had no thought of departing。

The notion to stay was plain on their faces。



Barker surveyed them。 〃Give the doctor a show now; boys;〃 said he。

〃You've done it all so far。 Don't crowd my elbows。 I'll want you;〃 he

whispered to McLean。



At the argument of fair…play; obedience swept over them like a veering of

wind。 〃Don't crowd his elbows;〃 they began to say at once; and told each

other to come away。 〃We'll sure give the Doc room。 You don't want to be

shovin' your auger in; Chalkeye。 You want to get yourself pretty near

absent。〃 The room thinned of them forthwith。 〃Fix her up good; Doc;〃 they

said; over their shoulders。 They shuffled across the threshold and porch

with roundabout schemes to tread quietly。 When one or other stumbled on

the steps and fell; he was jerked to his feet。 〃You want to tame

yourself;〃 was the word。 Then; suddenly; Chalkeye and Toothpick Kid came

precipitately back。 〃Her cash;〃 they said。 And leaving the notes and

coins; they hastened to catch their comrades on the way back to the dance



〃I want you;〃 repeated Barker to McLean。



〃Him!〃 cried Mrs。 Lusk; flashing alert again。 〃Jessamine wants him about

now; I guess。 Don't keep him from his girl!〃 And she laughed her hard;

rich laugh; looking from one to the other。 〃Not the two of yus can't save

me;〃 she stated; defiantly。 But even in these last words a sort of

thickness sounded。



〃Walk her up and down;〃 said Barker。 〃Keep her moving。 I'll look what I

can find。 Keep her moving brisk。〃 At once he was out of the door; and

before his running steps had died away; the fiddle had taken up its tune

across the quadrangle。



〃'Buffalo Girls!'〃 exclaimed the woman。 〃Old times! Old times!〃



〃Come;〃 said McLean。 〃Walk。〃 And he took her。



Her head was full of the music。 Forgetting all but that; she went with

him easily; and the two made their first turns around the room。 Whenever

he brought her near the entrance; she leaned away from him toward the

open door; where the old fiddle tune was coming in from the dark。 But

presently she noticed that she was being led; and her face turned sullen。



〃Walk;〃 said McLean。



〃Do you think so?〃 said she; laughing。 But she found that she must go

with him。 Thus they took a few more turns。



〃You're hurting me;〃 she said next。 Then a look of drowsy cunning filled

her eyes; and she fixed them upon McLean's dogged face。 〃He's gone; Lin;〃

she murmured; raising her hand where Barker had disappeared。



She knew McLean had heard her; and she held back on the quickened pace

that he had set。



〃Leave me down。 You hurt;〃 she pleaded; hanging on him。



The cow…puncher put forth more strength。



〃Just the floor;〃 she pleaded again。 〃Just one minute on the floor。 He'll

think you could not keep me lifted。〃



Still McLean made no answer; but steadily led her round and round; as he

had undertaken。



〃He's playing out!〃 she exclaimed。 〃You'll be played out soon。〃 She

laughed herself half…awake。 The man drew a breath; and she laughed more

to feel his hand and arm strain to surmount her increasing resistance。

〃Jessamine!〃 she whispered to him。 〃Jessamine! Doc'll never suspicion

you; Lin。〃



〃Talk sense;〃 said he。



〃It's sense I'm talking。 Leave me go to sleep。 Ah; ah; I'm going! I'll

go; you can't〃



〃Walk; walk!〃 he repeated。 He looked at the door。 An ache was numbing his

arms。



〃Oh yes; walk! What can you and all your muscleAh; walk me to glory;

then; craziness! I'm going; I'll go。 I'm quitting this outfit for keeps。

Lin; you're awful handsome to…night! I'll betI'll bet she has never

seen you look so。 Let melet me watch yus。 Anyway; she knows I came

first!〃



He grasped her savagely。 〃First! You and twenty of yu' don'tGod!! what

do I talk to her for?〃



〃BecausebecauseI'm going; I'll go。 He slung me offbut he had to

slingyou can't stop



Her head was rolling; while the lips smiled。 Her words came through

deeper and deeper veils; fearless; defiant; a challenge inarticulate; a

continuous mutter。 Again he looked at the door as he struggled to move

with her dragging weight。 The drops rolled on his forehead and neck; his

shirt was wet; his hands slipped upon her ribbons。 Suddenly the drugged

body folded and sank with him; pulling him to his knees。 While he took

breath so; the mutter went on; and through the door came the jigging

fiddle。 A fire of desperation lighted in his eyes。 〃Buffalo Girls!〃 he

shouted; hoarsely; in her ear; and got once more on his feet with her as

though they were two partners in a quadrille。 Still shouting her to wake;

he struck a tottering sort of step; and so; with the bending load in his

grip; strove feebly to dance the laudanum away。



Feet stumbled across the porch; and Lusk was in the room。 〃So I've got

you!〃 he said。 He had no weapon; but made a dive under the bed and came

up with a carbine。 The two men locked; wrenching impotently; and fell

together。 The carbine's loud shot rang in the room; but did no harm; and

McLean lay sick and panting upon Lusk as Barker rushed in。



〃Thank God!〃 said he; and flung Lusk's pistol down。 The man; deranged and

encouraged by drink; had come across the doctor; delayed him; threatened

him with his pistol; and when he had torn it away; had left him suddenly

and vanished。 But Barker had feared; and come after him here。 He glanced

at the woman slumbering motionless beside the two men。 The husband's

brief courage had gone; and he lay beneath McLean; who himself could not

rise。 Barker pulled them apar
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