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〃Keeping me waiting this way！〃
〃What in the world does all this mean？〃 cried Jessamine； stopping
short at the first sentence。
〃Read；〃 said Lin。
〃You've done this！〃 she exclaimed。
〃Read； read！〃
So she read； with big eyes。 It was an official letter of the railroad；
written by the division superintendent at Edgeford。 It hoped Miss Buckner
might feel like taking the position of agent at Separ。 If she was willing to
consider this； would she stop over at Edgeford； on her way east； and talk
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with the superintendent？ In case the duties were more than she had been
accustomed to on the Louisville and Nashville； she could continue east
with the loss of only a day。 The superintendent believed the salary could
be arranged satisfactorily。 Enclosed please to find an order for a free ride
to Edgeford。
Jessamine turned her wondering eyes on Lin。 〃You did do this；〃 she
repeated； but this time with extraordinary quietness。
〃Yes；〃 said he。 〃And I am plumb proud of it。〃
She gave a rich laugh of pleasure and amusement； a long laugh； and
stopped。 〃Did anybody ever！〃 she said。
〃We can call each other neighbors now； yu' see；〃 said the cow…puncher。
〃Oh no！ oh no！〃 Jessamine declared。 〃Though how am I ever to thank
you？〃
〃By not argufying；〃 Lin answered。
〃Oh no； no！ I can do no such thing。 Don't you see I can't？ I believe you
are crazy。〃
〃I've been waiting to hear yu' say that；〃 said the complacent McLean。
〃I'm not argufying。 We'll eat supper now。 The east…bound is due in an hour；
and I expect you'll be wanting to go on it。〃
〃And I expect I'll go； too；〃 said the girl。
〃I'll be plumb proud to have yu'；〃 the cow…puncher assented。
〃I'm going to get my ticket to Chicago right now；〃 said Jessamine；
again laughing； sunny and defiant。
〃You bet you are！〃 said the incorrigible McLean。 He let her go into the
station serenely。 〃You can't get used to new ideas in a minute；〃 he
remarked to me。 〃I've figured on all that； of course。 But that's why；〃 he
broke out； impetuously； 〃I quit you on Bear Creek so sudden。 'When she
goes back away home；' I'd been saying to myself every day； 'what'll you do
then； Lin McLean？' Well； I knew I'd go to Kentucky too。 Just knew I'd
have to； yu' see； and it was inconvenient； turruble inconvenientBilly here
and my ranch； and the beef round…up comin'but how could I let her go
and forget me？ Take up； maybe； with some Blue…grass son…of…a…gun back
there？ And I hated the fix I was in till that morning； getting up； I was
joshin' the Virginia man that's after Miss Wood。 I'd been sayin' no educated
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lady would think of a man who talked with an African accent。 'It's repotted
you have a Southern rival yourself；' says he； joshin' back。 So I said I
guessed the rival would find life uneasy。 'He does；' says he。 'Any man with
his voice broke in two halves； and one down in his stomach and one up
among the angels； is goin' to feel uneasy。 But Texas talks a heap about his
lady vigilante in the freight…car。' 'Vigilante！' I said； and I must have jumped；
for they all asked where the lightning had struck。 And in fifteen minutes
after writing you I'd hit the trail for Separ。 Oh； I figured things out on that
ride！〃 （Mr。 McLean here clapped me on the back。） 〃Got to Separ。 Got the
sheriff's address the sheriff that saw her that night they held up the
locomotive。 Got him to meet me at Edgeford and make a big talk to the
superintendent。 Made a big talk myself。 I said； 'Put that girl in charge of
Separ； and the boys'll quit shooting your water…tank。 But Tubercle can't
influence 'em。' 'Tubercle？' says the superintendent。 'What's that？' And
when I told him it was the agent； he flapped his two hands down on the
chair arms each side of him and went to rockin' up and down。 I said the
agent was just a temptation to the boys to be gay right along； and they'd
keep a…shooting。 'You can choose between Tubercle and your tank；' I said；
'but you've got to move one of 'em from Separ if yu' went peace。' The
sheriff backed me up good； too。 He said a man couldn't do much with
Separ the way it was now； but a decent woman would be respected there；
and the only question was if she could conduct the business。 So I spoke up
about Shawhan； and when the whole idea began to soak into that
superintendent his eyeballs jingled and he looked as wise as a work…ox。
'I'll see her；' says he。 And he's going to see her。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃you deserve success after thinking of a thing like that！
You're wholly wasted punching cattle。 But she's going to Chicago。 By
eleven o'clock she will have passed by your superintendent。〃
〃Why； so she will！〃 said Lin； affecting surprise。
He baffled me； and he baffled Jessamine。 Indeed； his eagerness with
her parcels； his assistance in checking her trunk； his cheerful examination
of check and ticket to be sure they read over the same route； plainly failed
to gratify her。
Her firmness about going was sincere； but she had looked for more
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dissuasion； and this sprightly abettal of her departure seemed to leave
something vacant in the ceremonies She fell singularly taciturn during
supper at the Hotel Brunswick； and presently observed； 〃I hope I shall
see Mr。 Donohoe。〃
〃Texas？〃 said Lin。 〃I expect they'll have tucked him in bed by now up
at the ranch。 The little fellow is growing yet。〃
〃He can walk round a freight…car all night；〃 said Miss Buckner； stoutly。
〃I've always wanted to thank him for looking after me。〃
Mr。 McLean smiled elaborately at his plate
〃Well； if he's not actually thinking he'll tease me！〃 cried out Jessamine
〃Though he claims not to be foolish like Mr。 Donohoe。 Why； Mr。 McLean；
you surely must have been young once！ See if you can't remember！〃
〃Shucks！〃 began Lin。
But her laughter routed him。 〃Maybe you didn't notice you were
young；〃 she said。 〃But don't you reckon perhaps the men around did？ Why；
maybe even the girls kind o' did！〃
〃She's hard to beat； ain't she？〃 inquired Lin； admiringly； of me。
In my opinion she was。 She had her wish； too about Texas； for we
found him waiting on the railroad platform； dressed in his best； to say
good…bye。 The friendly things she told him left him shuffling and
repeating that it was a mistake to go； a big mistake； but when she said the
butter was not good enough； his laugh cracked joyously up into the treble。
The train's arrival brought quick sadness to her face； but she made herself
bright again with a special farewell for each acquaintance。
〃Don't you ride any more cow…catchers；〃 she warned Billy Lusk； 〃or
I'll have to come back and look after you。〃
〃You said you and me were going for a ride； and we ain't；〃 shouted the
long…memoried nine…year…old。 〃You will；〃 murmured Mr。 McLean；
oracularly。
As the train's pace quickened he did not step off； and Miss Buckner
cried 〃Jump！〃 〃Too late；〃 said he； placidly。 Then he called to me； 〃I'm
hard to beat； too！〃 So the train took them both away； as I might have
guessed was his intention all along。
〃Is that marriage again？〃 said Billy； anxiously。 〃He wouldn't tell me
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nothing。〃
〃He's just seeing Miss Buckner as far as Edgeford；〃 said the agent。 〃Be
back to…morrow。〃
〃Then I don't see why he wouldn't take me along；〃 Billy complained。
And Separ laughed。
But the lover was not back to…morrow。 He was capable of anything；
gossip remarked； and took up new themes。 The sun rose and set； the two
trains made their daily slight event and gathering； the water…tank； glaring
bulkily in the sun beaconed unmolested； and t