按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Lin； you're awful handsome to…night！ I'll betI'll bet she has never seen
you look so。 Let melet me watch yus。 Anyway； she knows I came first！〃
He grasped her savagely。 〃First！ You and twenty of yu' don'tGod！！
what do I talk to her for？〃
〃BecausebecauseI'm going； I'll go。 He slung me offbut he had to
slingyou can't stop
180
… Page 181…
LIN McLEAN
Her head was rolling； while the lips smiled。 Her words came through
deeper and deeper veils； fearless； defiant； a challenge inarticulate； a
continuous mutter。 Again he looked at the door as he struggled to move
with her dragging weight。 The drops rolled on his forehead and neck； his
shirt was wet； his hands slipped upon her ribbons。 Suddenly the drugged
body folded and sank with him； pulling him to his knees。 While he took
breath so； the mutter went on； and through the door came the jigging
fiddle。 A fire of desperation lighted in his eyes。 〃Buffalo Girls！〃 he
shouted； hoarsely； in her ear； and got once more on his feet with her as
though they were two partners in a quadrille。 Still shouting her to wake； he
struck a tottering sort of step； and so； with the bending load in his grip；
strove feebly to dance the laudanum away。
Feet stumbled across the porch； and Lusk was in the room。 〃So I've got
you！〃 he said。 He had no weapon； but made a dive under the bed and came
up with a carbine。 The two men locked； wrenching impotently； and fell
together。 The carbine's loud shot rang in the room； but did no harm； and
McLean lay sick and panting upon Lusk as Barker rushed in。
〃Thank God！〃 said he； and flung Lusk's pistol down。 The man；
deranged and encouraged by drink； had come across the doctor； delayed
him； threatened him with his pistol； and when he had torn it away； had left
him suddenly and vanished。 But Barker had feared； and come after him
here。 He glanced at the woman slumbering motionless beside the two men。
The husband's brief courage had gone； and he lay beneath McLean； who
himself could not rise。 Barker pulled them apart。
〃Lin； boy； you're not hurt？〃 he asked； affectionately； and lifted the
cow…puncher。
McLean sat passive； with dazed eyes； letting himself be supported。
〃You're not hurt？〃 repeated Barker。
〃No；〃 answered the cow…puncher； slowly。 〃I guess not。〃 He looked
about the room and at the door。 〃I got interrupted；〃 he said。
〃You'll be all right soon；〃 said Barker。
〃Nobody cares for me！〃 cried Lusk； suddenly； and took to querulous
weeping。
〃Get up；〃 ordered Barker； sternly。
181
… Page 182…
LIN McLEAN
〃Don't accuse me； Governor；〃 screamed Lusk。 〃I'm innocent。〃 And he
rose。
Barker looked at the woman and then at the husband。 〃I'll not say there
was much chance for her；〃 he said。 〃But any she had is gone through you。
She'll die。〃
〃Nobody cares for me！〃 repeated the man。 〃He has learned my boy to
scorn me。〃 He ran out aimlessly； and away into the night； leaving peace in
the room。
〃Stay sitting；〃 said Barker to McLean； and went to Mrs。 Lusk。
But the cow…puncher； seeing him begin to lift her toward the bed
without help； tried to rise。 His strength was not sufficiently come back；
and he sank as he had been。 〃I guess I don't amount to much；〃 said he。 〃I
feel like I was nothing。〃
〃Well； I'm something；〃 said Barker； coming back to his friend； out of
breath。 〃And I know what she weighs。〃 He stared admiringly through his
spectacles at the seated man。
The cow…puncher's eyes slowly travelled over his body； and then
sought Barker's face。 〃Doc；〃 said he； 〃ain't I young to have my nerve quit
me this way？〃
His Excellency broke into his broad smile。
〃I know I've racketed some； but ain't it ruther early？〃 pursued McLean；
wistfully。
〃You six…foot infant！〃 said Barker。 〃Look at your hand。〃
Lin stared at itthe fingers quivering and bloody； and the skin grooved
raw between them。 That was the buckle of her belt； which in the struggle
had worked round and been held by him unknowingly。 Both his wrists and
his shirt were ribbed with the pink of her sashes。 He looked over at the bed
where lay the woman heavily breathing。 It was a something； a sound； not
like the breath of life； and Barker saw the cow…puncher shudder。
〃She is strong；〃 he said。 〃Her system will fight to the end。 Two hours
yet； maybe。 Queer world！〃 he moralized。 〃People half killing themselves
to keep one in it who wanted to goand one that nobody wanted to stay！〃
McLean did not hear。 He was musing； his eyes fixed absently in front
of him。 〃I would not want；〃 he said； with hesitating utterance〃I'd not
182
… Page 183…
LIN McLEAN
wish for even my enemy to have a thing like what I've had to do to…night。〃
Barker touched him on the arm。 〃If there had been another man I could
trust〃
〃Trust！〃 broke in the cow…puncher。 〃Why； Doc； it is the best turn yu'
ever done me。 I know I am a man nowif my nerve ain't gone。〃
I've known you were a man since I knew you！〃 said the hearty
Governor。 And he helped the still unsteady six…foot to a chair。 〃As for your
nerve； I'll bring you some whiskey now。 And after〃he glanced at the bed…
…〃 and tomorrow you'll go try if Miss Jessamine won't put the nerve〃
〃Yes； Doc； I'll go there； I know。 But don't yu'don't let's while she's
I'm going to be glad about this； Doc； after awhile； but〃
At the sight of a new…comer in the door； he stopped in what his soul
was stammering to say。 〃What do you want； Judge？〃 he inquired； coldly。
〃I understand；〃 began Slaghammer to Barker〃I am informed〃
〃Speak quieter； Judge；〃 said the cow…puncher。
〃I understand；〃 repeated Slaghammer； more official than ever； 〃that
there was a case for the coroner。〃
〃You'll be notified；〃 put in McLean again。 〃Meanwhile you'll talk quiet
in this room。〃
Slaghammer turned； and saw the breathing mass on the bed。
〃You are a little early； Judge；〃 said Barker； 〃but〃
〃But your ten dollars are safe；〃 said McLean。
The coroner shot one of his shrewd glances at the cow…puncher； and
sat down with an amiable countenance。 His fee was； indeed； ten dollars；
and he was desirous of a second term。
〃Under the apprehension that it had already occurredthe
misapprehensionI took steps to impanel a jury；〃 said he； addressing both
Barker and McLean。 〃They areahwaiting outside。 Responsible men；
Governor； and have sat before。 Drybone has few responsible men to…night；
but I procured these at a little game where they wereahlosing。 You may
go back； gentlemen；〃 said he； going to the door。 〃I will summon you in
proper time。〃 He looked in the room again。 〃Is the husband not intending
〃
〃That's enough； Judge；〃 said McLean。 〃There's too many here without
183
… Page 184…
LIN McLEAN
adding him。〃
〃Judge；〃 spoke a voice at the door； 〃ain't she ready yet？〃
〃She is still passing away；〃 observed Slaghammer； piously。
〃Because I was thinking；〃 said the man 〃I was justYou see； us jury
is dry and dead broke。 Doggonedest cards I've held this year； andJudge；
would there be anything out of the way in me touching my fee in advance；
if it's a sure thing？〃
〃I see none； my friend；〃 said Slaghammer； benevolently； 〃since it must
be。〃 He shook his head and nodded it by turns。 Then； with full…blown
importance； he sat again； and wrote a paper； his coroner's certificate。 Next
door； in Albany County； these vouchers brought their face value of five
dollars to the holder； but on Drybone's neutral soil the saloons would
always pay four for them； and it was rare that any jury…man could
withstand the temptation of four immediate dollars。 This one gratefully
received his paper； and； cherishing it like a bird in the hand； he with his
colleagues bore it where they might wait for duty and slake their thirst。
In the silent room sat Lin McLean； his body coming to life more
readily than his shak