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〃Oh； I'll just look around back there for a spell；〃 said Lin。 〃About a
month； I guess。〃
He had seven hundred dollars。 At Lander the horses are changed； and
during this operation Lin's friends gathered and said； where was any sense
in going to Boston when you could have a good time where you were？ But
Lin remained sitting safe on the stage。 Toward evening； at the bottom of a
little dry gulch some eight feet deep； the horses decided it was a suitable
place to stay。 It was the bishop who persuaded them to change their minds。
He told the driver to give up beating； and unharness。 Then they were led
up the bank； quivering； and a broken trace was spliced with rope。 Then the
stage was forced on to the level ground； the bishop proving a strong man；
familiar with the gear of vehicles。 They crossed through the pass among
the quaking asps and the pines； and； reaching Pacific Springs； came down
again into open country。 That afternoon the stage put its passengers down
on the railroad platform at Green River； this was the route in those days
before the mid…winter catastrophes of frozen passengers led to its
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abandonment。 The bishop was going west。 His robes had passed him on
the up stage during the night。 When the reverend gentleman heard this he
was silent for a very short moment； and then laughed vigorously in the
baggage…room。
〃I can understand how you swear sometimes；〃 he said to Lin McLean；
〃but I can't； you see。 Not even at this。〃
The cow…puncher was checking his own trunk to Omaha。
〃Good…bye and good luck to you；〃 continued the bishop； giving his
hand to Lin。 〃And look heredon't you think you might leave that 'getting
full' out of your plans？〃
Lin gave a slightly shamefaced grin。 〃I don't guess I can； sir；〃 he said。
〃I'm givin' yu' straight goods； yu' see；〃 he added
〃That's right。 But you look like a man who could stop when he'd had
enough。 Try that。 You're man enoughand come and see me whenever
we're in the same place。〃 He went to the hotel。 There were several hours
for Lin to wait。 He walked up and down the platform till the stars came out
and the bright lights of the town shone in the saloon windows。 Over across
the way piano…music sounded through one of the many open doors。
〃Wonder if the professor's there yet？〃 said Lin； and he went across the
railroad tracks。 The bartender nodded to him as he passed through into the
back room。 In that place were many tables； and the flat clicking and rattle
of ivory counters sounded pleasantly through the music。 Lin did not join
the stud…poker game。 He stood over a table at which sat a dealer and a
player； very silent； opposite each other； and whereon were painted sundry
cards； numerals； and the colors red and black in squares。 The legend
〃Jacks pay〃 was also clearly painted。 The player placed chips on
whichever insignia of fortune he chose； and the dealer slid cards （quite
fairly） from the top of a pack that lay held within a skeleton case made
with some clamped bands of tin。 Sometimes the player's pile of chips rose
high； and sometimes his sumptuous pillar of gold pieces was lessened by
one。 It was very interesting and pretty to see； Lin had much better have
joined the game of stud…poker。 Presently the eye of the dealer met the eye
of the player。 After that slight incident the player's chip pile began to rise；
and rose steadily； till the dealer made admiring comments on such a run of
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LIN McLEAN
luck。 Then the player stopped； cashed in； and said good…night； having
nearly doubled the number of his gold pieces。
〃Five dollars' worth；〃 said Lin； sitting down in the vacant seat。 The
chips were counted out to him。 He played with unimportant shiftings of
fortune until a short while before his train was due； and then； singularly
enough； he discovered he was one hundred and fifty dollars behind the
game。
〃I guess I'll leave the train go without me；〃 said Lin； buying five
dollars〃 worth more of ivory counters。 So that train came and went；
removing eastward Mr。 McLean's trunk。
During the hour that followed his voice grew dogged and his remarks
briefer； as he continually purchased more chips from the now surprised
and sympathetic dealer。 It was really wonderful how steadily Lin lost just
as steadily as his predecessor had won after that meeting of eyes early in
the evening。
When Lin was three hundred dollars out； his voice began to clear of its
huskiness and a slight humor revolved and sparkled in his eye。 When his
seven hundred dollars had gone to safer hands and he had nothing left at
all but some silver fractions of a dollar； his robust cheerfulness was all
back again。 He walked out and stood among the railroad tracks with his
hands in his pockets； and laughed at himself in the dark。 Then his fingers
came on the check for Omaha； and he laughed loudly。 The trunk by this
hour must be nearing Rawlins； it was going east anyhow。
〃I'm following it； you bet；〃 he declared； kicking the rail。 〃Not yet
though。 Nor I'll not go to Washakie to have 'em josh me。 And yonder lays
Boston。〃 He stretched his arm and pointed eastward。 Had he seen another
man going on in this fashion alone in the dark； among side…tracked freight
cars； he would have pitied the poor fool。 〃And I guess Boston'll have to
get along without me for a spell； too；〃 continued Lin。 〃A man don't want to
show up plumb broke like that younger son did after eatin' with the hogs
the bishop told about。 His father was a Jim…dandy； that hog chap's。 Hustled
around and set 'em up when he come back home。 Frank； he'd say to me
'How do you do； brother？' and he'd be wearin' a good suit o' clothes and
no； sir； you bet！〃
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Lin now watched the great headlight of a freight train bearing slowly
down into Green River from the wilderness。 Green River is the end of a
division； an epoch in every train's journey。 Lanterns swung signals； the
great dim thing slowed to its standstill by the coal chute； its locomotive
moved away for a turn of repose； the successor backed steaming to its
place to tackle a night's work。 Cars were shifted； heavily bumping and
parting。
〃Hello； Lin！〃 A face was looking from the window of the caboose。
〃Hello！〃 responded Mr。 McLean； perceiving above his head Honey
Wiggin； a good friend of his。 They had not met for three years。
〃They claimed you got killed somewheres。 I was sorry to hear it。〃
Honey offered his condolence quite sincerely。
〃Bruck my leg；〃 corrected Lin； 〃if that's what they meant。〃
〃I expect that's it；〃 said Honey。 〃You've had no other trouble？〃
〃Been boomin'；〃 said Lin。
From the mere undertone in their voices it was plain they were good
friends； carefully hiding their pleasure at meeting。
〃Wher're yu' bound？〃 inquired Honey。
〃East；〃 said Lin。
〃Better jump in here； then。 We're goin' west。〃
〃That just suits me；〃 said Lin。
The busy lanterns wagged among the switches； the steady lights of the
saloons shone along the town's wooden facade。 From the bluffs that wall
Green River the sweet； clean sage…brush wind blew down in currents
freshly through the coal…smoke。 A wrench passed through the train from
locomotive to caboose； each fettered car in turn strained into motion and
slowly rolled over the bridge and into silence from the steam and the bells
of the railroad yard。 Through the open windows of the caboose great dull…
red cinders rattled in； and the whistles of distant Union Pacific
locomotives sounded over the open plains ominous and long； like ships at
sea。
Honey and Lin sat for a while； making few observations and far
between； as their way is between whom flows a stream of old…time
understanding。 Mutual whiskey and silence can express much friendship；
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