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these shining ones。 Perhaps the cow…puncher would not stay very long。 Of
course he was glad to see him again； and he would take him to dine at
some obscure place this first evening。 But this was not Lin's plan。 Frank
must dine with him； at the Parker House。 Frank demurred； saying it was he
that should be host。
〃And；〃 he added； 〃they charge up high for wines at Parker's。〃 Then for
the twentieth time he shifted a sidelong eye over his brother's clothes。
〃You're goin' to take your grub with me；〃 said Lin。 〃That's all right；
I guess。 And there ain't any 'no' about it。 Things is not the same like
as if father was livin'（his voice softened）and here to see me come
home。 Now I'm good for several dinners with wines charged up high； I
expect； nor it ain't nobody in this world； barrin' just Lin McLean； that
I've any need to ask for anything。 'Mr。 McLean；' says I to Lin； 'can yu'
spare me some cash？' 'Why； to be sure； you bet！' And we'll start off with
steamed Duxbury clams。〃 The cow…puncher slapped his pocket； where the
coin made a muffled chinking。 Then he said； gruffly； 〃I suppose
Swampscott's there yet？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Frank。 〃It's a dead little town； is Swampscott。〃
〃I guess I'll take a look at the old house tomorrow；〃 Lin pursued。
〃Oh； that's been pulled down since I forget the year they improved that
block。〃
Lin regarded in silence his brother； who was speaking so jauntily of the
first and last home they had ever had。
〃Seventy…nine is when it was；〃 continued Frank。 〃So you can save the
trouble of travelling away down to Swampscott。〃
〃I guess I'll go to the graveyard； anyway；〃 said the cow…puncher in his
offish voice； and looking fixedly in front of him。
They came into Washington Street； and again the elder McLean uneasily
surveyed the younger's appearance。
But the momentary chill had melted from the heart of the genial Lin。
〃After to…morrow；〃 said he； laying a hand on his brother's shoulder； 〃yu'
can start any lead yu' please； and I guess I can stay with yu' pretty
close； Frank。〃
Frank said nothing。 He saw one of the members of his club on the other
side of the way； and the member saw him； and Frank caught diverted
amazement on the member's face。 Lin's hand weighed on his shoulder； and
the stress became too great。 〃Lin；〃 said he； 〃while you're running with
our crowd； you don't want to wear that style of hat； you know。〃
It may be that such words can in some way be spoken at such a time； but
not in the way that these were said。 The frozen fact was irrevocably
revealed in the tone of Frank's voice。
The cow…puncher stopped dead short； and his hand slid off his brother's
shoulder。 〃You've made it plain；〃 he said； evenly； slanting his steady
eyes down into Frank's。 〃You've explained yourself fairly well。 Run along
with your crowd； and I'll not bother yu' more with comin' round and
causin' yu' to feel ashamed。 It's a heap better to understand these
things at once； and save making a fool of yourself any longer 'n yu' need
to。 I guess there ain't no more to be said； only one thing。 If yu' see me
around on the street； don't yu' try any talk； for I'd be liable to close
your jaw up； and maybe yu'd have more of a job explainin' that to your
crowd than you've had makin' me see what kind of a man I've got for a
brother。〃
Frank found himself standing alone before any reply to these sentences
had occurred to him。 He walked slowly to his club； where a friend joked
him on his glumness。
Lin made a sore failure of amusing himself that night； and in the bright；
hot morning he got into the train for Swampscott。 At the graveyard he saw
a woman lay a bunch of flowers on a mound and kneel； weeping。
〃There ain't nobody to do that for this one；〃 thought the cow…puncher；
and looked down at the grave he had come to see； then absently gazed at
the woman。
She had stolen away from her daily life to come here where her grief was
shrined； and now her heart found it hard to bid the lonely place goodbye。
So she lingered long； her thoughts sunk deep in the motionless past。 When
she at last looked up； she saw the tall； strange man re…enter from the
street among the tombs； and deposit on one of them an ungainly lump of
flowers。 They were what Lin had been able hastily to buy in Swampscott。
He spread them gently as he had noticed the woman do； but her act of
kneeling he did not imitate。 He went away quickly。 For some hours he hung
about the little town； aimlessly loitering； watching the salt water where
he used to swim。
〃Yu' don't belong any more； Lin；〃 he miserably said at length； and took
his way to Boston。
The next morning； determined to see the sights； he was in New York； and
drifted about to all places night and day； till his money was mostly
gone； and nothing to show for it but a somewhat pleasure…beaten face and
a deep hatred of the crowded； scrambling East。 So he suddenly bought a
ticket for Green River； Wyoming； and escaped from the city that seemed to
numb his good humor。
When； after three days； the Missouri lay behind him and his holiday； he
stretched his legs and took heart to see out of the window the signs of
approaching desolation。 And when on the fourth day civilization was
utterly emptied out of the world； he saw a bunch of cattle； and；
galloping among them； his spurred and booted kindred。 And his manner took
on that alertness a horse shows on turning into the home road。 As the
stage took him toward Washakie； old friends turned up every fifty miles
or so； shambling out of a cabin or a stable； and saying； in casual tones；
〃Hello； Lin； where've you been at？〃
At Lander； there got into the stage another old acquaintance； the Bishop
of Wyoming。 He knew Lin at once； and held out his hand； and his greeting
was hearty。
〃It took a week for my robes to catch up with me；〃 he said； laughing。
Then； in a little while； 〃How was the East？〃
〃First…rate；〃 said Lin； not looking at him。 He was shy of the
conversation's taking a moral turn。 But the bishop had no intention of
revertingat any rate； just nowto their last talk at Green River； and
the advice he had then given。
〃I trust your friends were all well？〃 he said。
〃I guess they was healthy enough；〃 said Lin。
〃I suppose you found Boston much changed？ It's a beautiful city。〃
〃Good enough town for them that likes it； I expect；〃 Lin replied。
The bishop was forming a notion of what the matter must be； but he had no
notion whatever of what now revealed itself。
〃Mr。 Bishop；〃 the cow…puncher said； 〃how was that about that fellow you
told about that's in the Bible somewheres？he come home to his folks；
and theywell there was his father saw him comin'〃He stopped；
embarrassed。
Then the bishop remembered the wide…open eyes； and how he had noticed
them in the church at the agency intently watching him。 And； just now；
what were best to say he did not know。 He looked at the young man
gravely。
〃Have yu' got a Bible？〃 pursued Lin。 〃For； excuse me； but I'd like yu' to
read that onced。〃
So the bishop read； and Lin listened。 And all the while this good
clergyman was perplexed how to speakor if indeed to speak at this time
at allto the heart of the man beside him for whom the parable had gone
so sorely wrong。 When the reading was done； Lin had not taken his eyes
from the bishop's face。
〃How long has that there been wrote？〃 he asked。
He was told about how long。
〃Mr。 Bishop；〃 said Lin； 〃I ain't got good knowledge of the Bible； and I
never figured it to be a book much on to facts。 And I tell you I'm more
plumb beat about it's having that elder brother； and him being angry；
down in black and white two thousand years ago； thanthan if I'd seen a
man turn water into wine； for I'd have knowed that ain't so。 But the
elder brother is factsdead…sure facts。 And they knowed about that； and
put it down just the same as life two thousand years ago！〃
〃Well；〃 said the bishop； wisely ignoring the challenge as to miracles； 〃I
am a good twenty years older than you； and all that time I've been
finding more facts in the Bible every day I have lived。〃
Lin meditated。 〃I guess that could be；〃 he said。 〃Yes； after that yu've
been a…readin'； and what I know for myself that I didn't know till
lately； I guess that could be。〃
Then the bishop talked with exceeding care； nor did he ask uncomfortable
things； or moralize visibly。 Thus he came to hear how it had fared with
Lin his friend； and Lin forgot altogether about its being a parson he was
delivering the fulness of his heart to。 〃And come to think；〃 he
concluded； 〃it weren't home I had went to back East； layin' round them
big cities； where a man can't help but feel strange all the week。 No；
sir！ Yu' can blow in a thousand dollars like I did in New York； and it'll
not give yu' any more home feelin' than what cattle has put in a
stock…yard。 Nor it wouldn't have in Boston n