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facts of his mother's life！ 〃Though；〃 said the driver； an easygoing cynic；
〃folks with lots of fathers will find heaps of brothers in this country！〃 But
presently he let Billy hold the reins； and at the next station carefully lifted
him down and up。 〃I've knowed that woman； too；〃 he whispered to me。
〃Sidney； Nebraska。 Lusk was off half the time。 We laughed when she
fooled Lin into marryin' her。 Come to think；〃 he mused； as twilight
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deepened around our clanking stage； and small Billy slept sound between
us； 〃there's scarcely a thing in life you get a laugh out of that don't make
soberness for somebody。〃
Soberness had now visited the pair behind us； even Lin's lively talk
had quieted； and his tones were low and few。 But though Miss Jessamine
at our next change of horses 〃hoped〃 I would come inside； I knew she did
not hope very earnestly； and outside I remained until Buffalo。
Journeying done； her face revealed the strain beneath her brave
brightness； and the haunting care she could no longer keep from her eyes。
The imminence of the jail and the meeting had made her cheeks white and
her countenance seem actually smaller； and when； reminding me that we
should meet again soon； she gave me her hand； it was ice…cold。 I think she
was afraid Lin might offer to go with her。 But his heart understood the
lonely sacredness of her next half…hour； and the cow puncher； standing
aside for her to pass； lifted his hat wistfully and spoke never a word。 For a
moment he looked after her with sombre emotion； but the court…house and
prison stood near and in sight； and； as plain as if he had said so； I saw him
suddenly feel she should not be stared at going up those steps； it must be
all alone； the pain and the joy of that reprieve！ He turned away with me；
and after a few silent steps said； 〃Wasted！ all wasted！〃
〃Let us hope〃 I began。
〃You're not a fool；〃 he broke in； roughly。 〃You don't hope anything。〃
〃He'll start life elsewhere；〃 said I。
〃Elsewhere！ Yes； keep starting till all the elsewheres know him like
Powder River knows him。 But she！ I have had to sit and hear her tell and
tell about him； all about back in Kentucky playin' around the farm； and
how she raised him after the old folks died。 Then he got bigger and made
her sell their farm； and she told how it was right he should turn it into
money and get his half。 I did not dare say a word； for she'd have just bit
my head off； andand that would sure hurt me now！〃 Lin brought up with
a comical chuckle。 〃And she went to work； and he cleared out； and no
more seen or heard of him。 That's for five years； and she'd given up tracing
him； when one morning she reads in the paper about how her long…lost
brother is convicted for forgery。 That's the way she knows he's not dead；
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and she takes her savings off her railroad salary and starts for him。 She
was that hasty she thought it was Buffalo； New York； till she got in the
cars and read the paper over again。 But she had to go as far as Cincinnati；
either way。 She has paid every cent of the money he stole。〃 We had come
to the bridge； and Lin jerked a stone into the quick little river。 〃She's awful
strict in some ways。 Thought Buffalo must be a wicked place because of
the shops bein' open Sunday。 Now if that was all Buffalo's wickedness！
And she thinks divorce is mostly sin。 But her heart is a shield for Nate。〃
〃Her face is as beautiful as her actions；〃 he added。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃and would you make such a villain your brother…in…
law？〃
He whirled round and took both my shoulders。 〃Come walking！〃 he
urged。 〃I must talk some。〃 So we followed the stream out of town towards
the mountains。 〃I came awful near asking her in the stage；〃 said he。
〃Goodness； Lin！ give yourself time！〃
〃Time can't increase my feelings。〃
〃Hers； man； hers！ How many hours have you known her？〃
〃Hours and hours！ You're talking foolishness！ What have they got to
do with it？ And she will listen to me。 I can tell she will。 I know I can be so
she'll listen； and it will go all right； for I'll ask so hard。 And everything'll
come out straight。 Yu' see； I've not been spending to speak of since Billy's
on my hands； and now I'll fix up my cabin and finish my fencing and my
ditchand she's going to like Box Elder Creek better than Shawhan。 She's
the first I've ever loved。〃
〃Then I'd like to ask〃 I cried out。
〃Ask away！〃 he exclaimed； inattentively； in his enthusiasm。
〃When you〃 but I stopped； perceiving it impossible。 It was； of course；
not the many transient passions on which he had squandered his substance；
but the one where faith also had seemed to unite。 Had he not married once；
innocent of the woman's being already a wife？ But I stopped； for to trench
here was not for me or any one。
And my pause strangely flashed on him something of that I had in my
mind。
〃No；〃 he said； his eyes steady and serious upon me； 〃don't you ask
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about the things you're meaning。〃 Then his face grew radiant and rather
stern。 〃Do you suppose I don't know she's too good for me？ And that some
bygones can't ever be bygones？ But if you；〃 he said； 〃never come to look
away up to a woman from away down； and mean to win her just the same
as if you did deserve her； why； you'll make a turruble mess of the whole
business！〃
When we walked in silence for a long while； he lighted again with the
blossoming dawn of his sentiment。 I thought of the coarse yet taking
vagabond of twenty I had once chanced upon； and hunted and camped
with since through the years。 Decidedly he was not that boy to…day！ It is
not true that all of us rise through adversity； any more than that all plants
need shadow。 Some starve out of the sunshine； and I have seen misery
deaden once kind people to everything but selfalmost the saddest sight in
the world！ But Lin's character had not stood well the ordeal of happiness；
and for him certainly harsh days and responsibility had been needed to
ripen the spirit。 Yes； Jessamine Buckner would have been much too good
for him before that humiliation of his marriage； and this care of young
Billy with which he had loaded himself。 〃Lin；〃 said I； 〃I will drink your
health and luck。〃
〃I'm healthy enough；〃 said he； and we came back to the main street
and into the main saloon。
〃How d'ye； boys？〃 said some one； and there was Nate Buckner。 〃It's on
me to…day；〃 he continued； shoving whiskey along the bar； and I saw he
was a little drunk。 〃I'm setting 'em up；〃 he continued。 〃Why？ Why；
because〃he looked around for appreciation〃because it's not every son…
of…a…gun in Wyoming gets pardoned by Governor Barker。 I'm important； I
want you to understand；〃 he pursued to the cold bystanders。 〃They'll have
a picture of me in the Cheyenne paper。 'The Bronco…buster of Powder
River！' They can't do without me！ If any son…of…a…gun here thinks he
knows how to break a colt；〃 he shouted； looking around with the irrelevant
fierceness of drinkand then his challenge ebbed vacantly in laughter as
the subject blurred in his mind。 〃You're not drinking； Lin；〃 said he。
〃No；〃 said McLean； 〃I'm not。〃
〃Sworn off again？ Well； water never did agree with me。〃
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〃Yu' never gave water the chance；〃 retorted the cow…puncher； and we
left the place without my having drunk his health。
It was a grim beginning； this brag attempt to laugh his reputation down；
with the jail door scarce closed behind him。 〃Folks are not going to like
that；〃 said Lin； as we walked across the bridge again to the hotel。 Yet the
sister； left alone here after an hour at most of her brother's company； would
pretend it was a matter of course。 Nate was not in； she told us at once。 He
had busines