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lin mclean-第45章

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night had gone well with them。 Here was the new day going to be fine。 It

must be well with everybody。



〃You don't say!〃 they exclaimed; taken aback。 〃Too bad。〃



They sat still in their saddles; and upon their reckless; kindly faces

thought paused for a moment。 〃Her gone!〃 they murmured。 〃Hard to get used

to the idea。 What's anybody doing about the coffin?〃



〃Mr。 Lusk;〃 answered Slaghammer; 〃doubtless〃



〃Lusk! He'll not know anything this forenoon。 He's out there in the

grass。 She didn't think nothing of him。 Tell Billnot Dollar Bill; Jerky

Bill; yu' know; he's over the bridgeto fix up a hearse; and we'll be

back。〃 The two drove their spurs in with vigorous heels; and instantly

were gone rushing up the road to the graveyard。



The fiddle had lately ceased; and no dancers stayed any longer in the

hall。 Eastward the rose and gold began to flow down upon the plain over

the tops of the distant hills。 Of the revellers; many had never gone to

bed; and many now were already risen from their excesses to revive in the

cool glory of the morning。 Some were drinking to stay their hunger until

breakfast; some splashed and sported in the river; calling and joking;

and across the river some were holding horse…races upon the level beyond

the hog…ranch。 Drybone air rang with them。 Their lusty; wandering shouts

broke out in gusts of hilarity。 Their pistols; aimed at cans or prairie

dogs or anything; cracked as they galloped at large。 Their speeding;

clear…cut forms would shine upon the bluffs; and; descending; merge in

the dust their horses had raised。 Yet all this was nothing in the

vastness of the growing day。



Beyond their voices the rim of the sun moved above the violet hills; and

Drybone; amid the quiet; long; new fields of radiance; stood august and

strange。



Down along the tall; bare slant from the graveyard the two horsemen were

riding back。 They could be seen across the river; and the horse…racers

grew curious。 As more and more watched; the crowd began to speak。 It was

a calf the two were bringing。 It was too small for a calf。 It was dead。

It was a coyote they had roped。 See it swing! See it fall on the road!



〃It's a coffin; boys!〃 said one; shrewd at guessing。



At that the event of last night drifted across their memories; and they

wheeled and spurred their ponies。 Their crowding hoofs on the bridge

brought the swimmers from the waters below and; dressing; they climbed

quickly to the plain and followed the gathering。 By the door already were

Jerky Bill and Limber Jim and the Doughie and always more; dashing up

with their ponies; halting with a sharp scatter of gravel to hear and

comment。 Barker was gone; but the important coroner told his news。 And it

amazed each comer; and set him speaking and remembering past things with

the others。 〃Dead!〃 each one began。 〃Her; does he say?〃



〃Why; pshaw!〃



〃Why; Frenchy said Doc had her cured!〃



Jack Saunders claimed she had rode to Box Elder with Lin McLean。 

〃Dead? Why; pshaw!〃



〃Seems Doc couldn't swim her out。〃



〃Couldn't swim her out?〃



〃That's it。 Doc couldn't swim her out。〃



〃Wellthere's one less of us。〃



〃Sure! She was one of the boys。〃



〃She grub…staked me when I went broke in '84。〃



〃She gave me fifty dollars onced at Lander; to buy a saddle。〃



〃I run agin her when she was a biscuit…shooter。〃



〃Sidney; Nebraska。 I run again her there; too。〃



〃I knowed her at Laramie。〃



〃Where's Lin? He knowed her all the way from Bear Creek to Cheyenne。〃



They laughed loudly at this。



〃That's a lonesome coffin;〃 said the Doughie。 〃That the best you could

do?〃



〃You'd say so!〃 said Toothpick Kid。



〃Choices are getting scarce up there;〃 said Chalkeye。 〃We looked the lot

over。〃



They were arriving from their search among the old dug…up graves on the

hill。 Now they descended from their ponies; with the box roped and

rattling between them。 〃Where's your hearse; Jerky?〃 asked Chalkeye。



〃Have her round in a minute;〃 said the cowboy; and galloped away with

three or four others



〃Turruble lonesome coffin; all the same;〃 repeated the Doughie。 And they

surveyed the box that had once held some soldier。



〃She did like fixin's;〃 said Limber Jim。



〃Fixin's!〃 said Toothpick Kid。 〃That's easy。〃



While some six of them; with Chalkeye; bore the light; half…rotted coffin

into the room; many followed Toothpick Kid to the post…trader's store。

Breaking in here; they found men sleeping on the counters。 These had been

able to find no other beds in Drybone; and lay as they had stretched

themselves on entering。 They sprawled in heavy slumber; some with not

even their hats taken off and some with their boots against the rough

hair of the next one。 They were quickly pushed together; few waking; and

so there was space for spreading cloth and chintz。 Stuffs were unrolled

and flung aside till many folds and colors draped the motionless

sleepers; and at length a choice was made。 Unmeasured yards of this drab

chintz were ripped off; money treble its worth was thumped upon the

counter; and they returned; bearing it like a streamer to the coffin。

While the noise of their hammers filled the room; the hearse came

tottering to the door; pulled and pushed by twenty men。 It was an

ambulance left behind by the soldiers; and of the old…fashioned shape;

concave in body; its top blown away in winds of long ago; and as they

revolved; its wheels dished in and out like hoops about to fall。 While

some made a harness from ropes; and throwing the saddles off two ponies

backed them to the vehicle; the body was put in the coffin; now covered

by the chintz。 But the laudanum upon the front of her dress revolted

those who remembered their holidays with her; and turning the woman upon

her face; they looked their last upon her flashing; colored ribbons; and

nailed the lid down。 So they carried her out; but the concave body of the

hearse was too short for the coffin; the end reached out; and it might

have fallen。 But Limber Jim; taking the reins; sat upon the other end;

waiting and smoking。 For all Drybone was making ready to follow in some

way。 They had sought the husband; the chief mourner。 He; however; still

lay in the grass of the quadrangle; and despising him as she had done;

they left him to wake when he should choose。 Those men who could sit in

their saddles rode escort; the old friends nearest; and four held the

heads of the frightened cow…ponies who were to draw the hearse。 They had

never known harness before; and they plunged with the men who held them。

Behind the hearse the women followed in a large ranch…wagon; this moment

arrived in town。 Two mares drew this; and their foals gambolled around

them。 The great flat…topped dray for hauling poles came last; with its

four government mules。 The cow…boys had caught sight of it and captured

it。 Rushing to the post…trader's; they carried the sleeping men from the

counter and laid them on the dray。 Then; searching Drybone outside and in

for any more incapable of following; they brought them; and the dray was

piled。



Limber Jim called for another drink and; with his cigar between his

teeth; cracked his long bull…whacker whip。 The ponies; terrified; sprang

away; scattering the men that held them; and the swaying hearse leaped

past the husband; over the stones and the many playing…cards in the

grass。 Masterfully steered; it came safe to an open level; while the

throng cheered the unmoved driver on his coffin; his cigar between his

teeth。



〃Stay with it; Jim!〃 they shouted。 〃You're a king!〃



A steep ditch lay across the flat where he was veering; abrupt and nearly

hidden; but his eye caught the danger in time; and swinging from it

leftward so that two wheels of the leaning coach were in the air; he

faced the open again; safe; as the rescue swooped down upon him。 The

horsemen came at the ditch; a body of daring; a sultry blast of youth。

Wheeling at the brink; they turned; whirling their long ropes。 The

skilful nooses flew; and the ponies; caught by the neck and foot; were

dragged back to the quadrangle and held in line。 So the pageant started

the wild ponies quivering but subdued by the tightened ropes; and the

coffin steady in the ambulance beneath the driver。 The escort; in their

fringed leather and broad hats; moved slowly beside and behind it; many

of them swaying; their faces full of health; and the sun and the strong

drink。 The women followed; whispering a little; and behind them the slow

dray jolted; with its heaps of men waking from the depths of their

whiskey and asking what this was。 So they went up the hill。 When the

riders reached the tilted gate of the graveyard; they sprang off and

scattered among the hillocks; stumbling and eager。 They nodded to Barker

and McLean; quietly waiting there; and began choosing among the open;

weather…drifted graves from which the soldiers had been taken。 Their

fig
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