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you he paid dearly for what was no fault of his。 It has been no secret。 It is
only something his friends and his enemies have forgotten。〃
But all the while I was speaking this； Jessamine's eyes were fixed on
Lin； and her face remained white。
I left the girl and the man and the little boy together； and crossed to the
hotel。 But its air was foul； and I got my roll of camp blankets to sleep in
the clean night； if sleeping…time should come； meanwhile I walked about
in the silence To have taken a wife once in good faith； ignorant she was
another's； left no stain； raised no barrier。 I could have told Jessamine the
same old story myselfor almost； but what had it to do with her at all？
Why need she know？ Reasoning thus； yet with something left uncleared
by reason that I could not state； I watched the moon edge into sight； heavy
and rich…hued； a melon…slice of glow； seemingly near； like a great lantern
tilted over the plain。 The smell of the sage…brush flavored the air； the hush
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of Wyoming folded distant and near things； and all Separ but those three
inside the lighted window were in bed。 Dark windows were everywhere
else； and looming above rose the water…tank； a dull mass in the night； and
forever somehow to me a Sphinx emblem； the vision I instantly see when I
think of Separ。 Soon I heard a door creaking。 It was Billy； coming alone；
and on seeing me he walked up and spoke in a half…awed voice。
〃She's a…crying；〃 said he。
I withheld from questions； and as he kept along by my side he said：
〃I'm sorry。 Do you think she's mad with Lin for what he's told her？ She
just sat； and when she started crying he made me go away。〃
〃I don't believe she's mad；〃 I told Billy； and I sat down on my blanket；
he beside me； talking while the moon grew small as it rose over the plain；
and the light steadily shone in Jessamine's window。 Soon young Billy fell
asleep； and I looked at him； thinking how in a way it was he who had
brought this trouble on the man who had saved him and loved him。 But
that man had no such untender thoughts。 Once more the door opened； and
it was he who came this time； alone also。 She did not follow him and stand
to watch him from the threshold； though he forgot to close the door； and；
coming over to me； stood looking down。
〃What？〃 I said at length。
I don't know that he heard me。 He stooped over Billy and shook him
gently。 〃Wake； son；〃 said he。 〃You and I must get to our camp now。〃
〃Now？〃 said Billy。 〃Can't we wait till morning？〃
〃No； son。 We can't wait here any more。 Go and get the horses and put
the saddles on。〃 As Billy obeyed； Lin looked at the lighted window。 〃She
is in there；〃 he said。 〃She's in there。 So near。〃 He looked； and turned to the
hotel； from which he brought his chaps and spurs and put them on。 〃I
understand her words；〃 he continued。 〃Her words； the meaning of them。
But not what she means； I guess。 It will take studyin' over。 Why； she don't
blame me！〃 he suddenly said； speaking to me instead of to himself。
〃Lin；〃 I answered； 〃she has only just heard this； you see。 Wait awhile。〃
〃That's not the trouble。 She knows what kind of man I have been； and
she forgives that just the way she did her brother。 And she knows how I
didn't intentionally conceal anything。 Billy hasn't been around； and she
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never realized about his mother and me。 We've talked awful open； but that
was not pleasant to speak of； and the whole country knew it so longand I
never thought！ She don't blame me。 She says she understands； but she says
I have a wife livin'。〃
〃That is nonsense；〃 I declared。
〃Yu' mustn't say that；〃 said he。 〃She don't claim she's a wife； either。
She just shakes her head when I asked her why she feels so。 It must be
different to you and me from the way it seems to her。 I don't see her view；
maybe I never can see it； but she's made me feel she has it； and that she's
honest； and loves me true〃 His voice broke for a moment。 〃She said
she'd wait。〃
〃You can't have a marriage broken that was never tied；〃 I said。 〃But
perhaps Governor Barker or Judge Henry〃
〃No；〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃Law couldn't fool her。 She's thinking of
something back of law。 She said she'd waitalways。 And when I took it in
that this was all over and done； and when I thought of my ranch and the
chickenswell； I couldn't think of things at all； and I came and waked
Billy to clear out and quit。〃
〃What did you tell her？〃 I asked。
〃Tell her？ Nothin'； I guess。 I don't remember getting out of the room。
Why； here's actually her pistol； and she's got mine！〃
〃Man； man！〃 said I； 〃go back and tell her to keep it； and that you'll
wait tooalways！〃
〃Would yu'？〃
〃Look！〃 I pointed to Jessamine standing in the door。
I saw his face as he turned to her； and I walked toward Billy and the
horses。 Presently I heard steps on the wooden station； and from its black；
brief shadow the two came walking； Lin and his sweetheart； into the
moonlight。 They were not speaking； but merely walked together in the
clear radiance； hand in hand； like two children。 I saw that she was weeping；
and that beneath the tyranny of her resolution her whole loving； ample
nature was wrung。 But the strange； narrow fibre in her would not yield！ I
saw them go to the horses； and Jessamine stood while Billy and Lin
mounted。 Then quickly the cow…puncher sprang down again and folded
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her in his arms。
〃Lin； dear Lin！ dear neighbor！〃 she sobbed。 She could not withhold
this last good…bye。
I do not think he spoke。 In a moment thehorses started and were gone；
flying； rushing away into the great plain； until sight and sound of them
were lost； and only the sage…brush was there； bathed in the high； bright
moon。 The last thing I remember as I lay in my blankets was Jessamine's
window still lighted； and the water…tank； clear…lined and black； standing
over Separ。
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DESTINY AT DRYBONE
PART I
Children have many special endowments； and of these the chiefest is
to ask questions that their elders must skirmish to evade。 Married people
and aunts and uncles commonly discover this； but mere instinct does not
guide one to it。 A maiden of twenty…three will not necessarily divine it。
Now except in one unhappy hour of stress and surprise； Miss Jessamine
Buckner had been more than equal to life thus far。 But never yet had she
been shut up a whole day in one room with a boy of nine。 Had this
experience been hers； perhaps she would not have written to Mr。 McLean
the friendly and singular letter in which she hoped he was well； and said
that she was very well； and how was dear little Billy？ She was glad Mr。
McLean had stayed away。 That was just like his honorable nature； and
what she expected of him。 And she was perfectly happy at Separ； and
〃yours sincerely and always； 'Neighbor。' 〃Postscript。 Talking of Billy
Luskif Lin was busy with gathering the cattle； why not send Billy down
to stop quietly with her。 She would make him a bed in the ticket…office；
and there she would be to see after him all the time。 She knew Lin did not
like his adopted child to be too much in cow…camp with the men。 She
would adopt him； too； for just as long as convenient to Linuntil the
school opened on Bear Creek； if Lin so wished。 Jessamine wrote a good
deal about how much better care any woman can take of a boy of Billy's
age than any man knows。 The stage…coach brought the answer to this
remarkably soon young Billy with a trunk and a letter of twelve pages in
pencil and ink the only writing of this length ever done by Mr。 McLean。
〃I can write a lot quicker than Lin；〃 said Billy； upon arriving。 〃He was
fussing at that away late by