第7章

Twentyminutesofswallowing，andallaboardforOgden，withyourpile-drivenstomachdumbwithamazement。TheStrasburggooseisnotdietedwithgreatervelocity，and“biscuit-shooter“isagrandword。VerylikelysomeHomeroftherailroadyardsfirstsaidit——forwhatmenuponthepresentearthsospeakwithimagination’stongueasweAmericans？

IfMissPeckhadbeenabiscuit-shooter，Icouldaccountreadilyforherconversation，herequippeddeportment，thematurityinherround，blue，marbleeye。Herabruptlaugh，somethingbeyondgay，wasnowsoundinginresponsetoMr。McLean’slivelysallies，andIfoundhimfanningherintoconvalescencewithhishat。Sheherselfmadebutfewremarks，butallowedthecow-punchertoentertainher，merelyexclaimingbrieflynowandthen，“Ideclare!“and“Ifyouain’t!“Linwasmostcertainlyengaging，ifthatwasthelady’smeaning。Hiswide-openeyessparkleduponher，andhehalfclosedthemnowandthentolookathermoreeffectively。Isupposeshewasworthittohim。IhaveforgottentosaythatshewashandsomeinalargeCalifornia-fruitstyle。Theymadeagood-lookingpairofanimals。

ButitwasinthepresenceofTommythatMasterLinshonemoreenergeticallythanever，andundersuchshiningTommywastransparentlyrestless。Hetried，andfailed，tobringtheconversationhisway，andtooktorearrangingthemailandthefurniture。

“Supper’sready，“hesaid，atlength。“Comerightin，MissPeck；rightinhere。Thisisyourseat——thisone，please。Nowyoucanseemyfieldsoutofthewindow。“

“Yousithere，“saidthebiscuit-shootertoLin；andthusshewasbetweenthem。“Them’selegant!“shepresentlyexclaimedtoTommy。“Didyoucook’em？“

Iexplainedthattheapricotswereofmypreparation。

“Indeed!“saidshe，andreturnedtoTommy，whohadbeentellingherofhisranch，hispotatoes，hishorses。“Anddoyoupunchcattle，too？“sheinquiredofhim。

“Me？“saidTommy，slightingly；“gaveitupyearsago；tooemptyalifeforme。Ileavethattosuchaslikeit。Whenamanownshisownproperty“——Tommyswepthishandatthewholelandscape——“hetakestomoreintellectualwork。“

“Lickin’postage-stamps，“Mr。McLeansuggested，sourly。

“YoulickthemandIcancelthem，“answeredthepostmaster；anditdoesnotseemapowerfulrejoinder。ButMissPeckutteredherlaugh。

“That’soneonyou，“shetoldLin。AndthroughoutthismealitwasTommywhohadherfavor。Shepartookofhisgeneroussupplies；shelistenedtohisromanticinventions，thetrailshehaddiscovered，thebearshehadslain；andaftersupperitwaswithTommy，andnotwithLin，thatshewentforalittlewalk。

“Katiewaseveratease，“saidMrs。Taylorofherchildhoodfriend，andMr。Taylorobservedthattherewasalwayssafetyinnumbers。“She’llgetusedtothewaysofthiscountryquickerthanourlittleschool-marm，“

saidhe。

Mr。McLeansaidverylittle，butreadthenew-arrivedpapers。Itwasonlywhenbedtimedispersedus，theladiesinthecabinandthemenchoosingvariousspotsoutside，thathebecametalkativeagainforawhile。Welayintheblank——wehadspreadonsomesoft，drysandinpreferencetothestable，whereTaylorandTommyhadgone。Underthecontemplativeinfluenceofthestars，Linfellintogeneralization。

“Evernotice，“saidhe，“howwhiskeyandlyin’actthesameonaman？“

IdidnotfeelsurethatIhad。

“Justthesameway。Youkeepeitherof’emuplongenough，andyu’gettorequireit。IfTommydidn’tliesomeeveryday，he’dgetsick。“

Iwassleepy，butImurmuredassenttothis，andtrustedhewouldnotgoon。

“Evernotice，“saidhe，“howthevictimsofthewhiskeyandlyin’habitgettoincreasingthedose？“

“Yes，“saidI。

“Himropingsixbears!“pursuedMr。McLean，afterfurthercontemplation。

“Oranybear。Evernoticehowtheworseraman’slyin’thesilenterothermen’llget？Why’sthat，now？“

IbelievethatImadeafaintsoundtoimplythatIwasfollowinghim。

“Mendon’tgettookin。Butladiesnow，they——“

Herehepausedagain，andduringthenextintervalofcontemplationI

sankbeyondhisreach。

InthemorningIleftRiversideforBuffalo，andthereorthereaboutsI

remainedforanumberofweeks。MissPeckdidnotentermythoughts，nordidImeetanyonetoremindmeofher，untilonedayIstoppedatthedrug-store。Itwasnotfordrugs，butgossip，thatIwent。Inthedaytimetherewasnoplaceliketheapothecary’sformeetingmenandhearingthenews。ThereIheardhowthingsweregoingeverywhere，includingBearCreek。

Allthecow-puncherslikedthenewgirlupthere，saidgossip。Shewasagreatadditiontosociety。Reportedtobemorecompanionablethantheschool-marm，MissMollyWood，whohadbeenraisedtoofareast，andshowedit。Vermont，orsomesuchdudeplace。SeveralhadbeenintownbuyingpresentsforMissKatiePeck。TommyPostmasterhadpaidhighforanecklaceofelk-tushesthegovernmentscoutatMcKinneysoldhim。ToobadMissPeckdidnotenjoygoodhealth。Shortyhadbeeninonlyyesterdaytogethermedicineagain。Thirdbottle。HadIheardthebigjokeonLinMcLean？Hehadpromisedhertheskinofabigbearheknewthelocationof，andTommygotthebear。

TwodaysafterthisIjoinedoneoftheroundupcampsatsunset。TheyhadbeenworkingfromSaltCreektoBearCreek，andtheTaylorranchwasinvisitingdistancefromthemagain，afteranintervalofgatheringandbrandingfaracrossthecountry。TheVirginian，thegentle-voicedSoutherner，whomIhadlastseenlingeringwithMissWood，wasincamp。

Silentthree-quartersofthetime，aswashisway，hesatgravelywatchingLinMcLean。Thatpersonseemedsilentalso，aswasnothiswayquitesomuch。

“Lin，“saidtheSoutherner，“Ireckonyou’refailin’。“

Mr。McLeanraisedasombreeye，butdidnottroubletoanswerfurther。

“Ahealthyman’slaigsoughttofillhispants，“pursuedtheVirginian。

Thechallengedpuncherstretchedoutalimbandshowedhismuscleswithyoungpride。

“Andyu’cert’nlytakenocomfortinyourfood，“hisingeniousfriendcontinued，slowlyandgently。

“I’lleatyouamatchanydayandplaceyu’name，“saidLin。

“Itain’tsca’celyhon’able，“wentontheVirginian，“towasteawaydurin’theround-up。Amanoweshisstrengthtothemthathiresit。Ifheispaidtoropestockheoughttoropestock，andnotleaveitdodgeorpullaway。“

“It’snotmanydodgemyrope，“boastedLin，imprudently。

“Why，theytellmeashowthatheiferoftheSidney-Nebraskabrandgotplumbawayfromyu’，andlittleTommyhadtochaseaftehher。“

Linsatupangrilyamidthelaughter，butreclinedagain。“I’llimprove，“

saidhe，“ifyu’learnmehowyu’ropethatVermontstocksohandy。Hasshepromisedtobeyoursisteryet？“headded。

“Isthatwhattheydo？“inquiredtheVirginian，serenely。“Ihavenevergotrelatedthatway。Why，that’llmakeTommyyourbrother-in-law，Lin!“

Andnow，indeed，thecamplaughedaloud，mercilesslaugh。

ButLinwassilent。Whereeverybodylivesinaglass-housethevictoryistohimwhothrowstheadroiteststone。Mr。McLeanwasreadierwittedthanmost，butthegentle，slowVirginiancouldbeamasterwhenhechose。

“Tommyhasbeenrecountin’hiswarsupattheTaylors’，“henowtoldthecamp。“HehasfrequentlycampaignedwithGeneralCrook，GeneralMiles，andGeneralRuger，allatonced。He’sanexcitingfighter，inconversation，andkep’usallscaredformightynighanhour。MissPeckappearedinterestedinhisstatements。“

“WhatwasyoudoingattheTaylors’yourself？“demandedLin。

“Visitin’MissWood，“answeredtheVirginian，withentireease。Forhealsoknewwhentoemploytheplaintruthasabluff。“You’doughttowritetoTommy’smother，Lin，andtellherwhatadare-devilhersonisgettin’tobe。Shewouldcutoffhisallowanceandbringhimhome，andyouwouldhavetherunnin’alltoyourself。“

“I’llfixhimyet，“mutteredMr。McLean。“Himandhiswars。“

Withthatheroseandleftus。

ThenextafternoonheinformedmethatifIwasridingupthecreektospendthenighthewouldgoforcompany。Inthatdirectionwestarted，therefore，withoutanymentionoftheTaylorsorMissPeck。Iwaspuzzled。NeverhadIseenhimthusdisconcertedbywoman。Withhimwomanhadbeenatransientdisturbance。Ihadwitnessedaseriesofflightyromances，wherethecow-puncherhadcome，seen，oftenconquered，andmovedon。Norhadhisaffairsbeenofthesorttoteachayoungmanrespect。Iamputtingitrathermildly。

Forthefirstpartofourwaythisafternoonhewasmoody，andafterthatbegantospeakwithappallingwisdomaboutlife。Life，hesaid，wasaseriousmatter。DidIrealizethat？Amanwasliabletoforgetit。Amanwasliabletogosportingandhellingaroundtillhewakedupsomedayandfoundallhisbestpleasureshadbecomejustabusiness。Nointerest，nosurprise，nonoveltyleft，andnocashinthebank。Shortyowedhimfiftydollars。Shortywouldbeabletopaythataftertheround-up，andhe，Lin，wouldgethistimeandrustlealtogethersomefivehundreddollars。ThentherewashishomesteadclaimonBoxElder，andthesurveyorswerecominginthisfall。NobetterlocationforahomeinthiscountrythanBoxElder。Wood，water，fineland。Allitneededwasahouseandditchesandbuildingsandfences，andtobeplantedwithcrops。Suchchancesandconsiderationsshouldsoberamanandmakehimcarefulwhathedid。“I’dtakeinCheyenneonourwedding-trip，andafterthatI’dsettlerightdowntoimprovingBoxElder，“concludedMr。McLean，suddenly。

Hisrealintentionsflasheduponmeforthefirsttime。Ihadnotremotelyimaginedsuchastep。

“Marryher!“Iscreechedindismay。“Marryher!“

Idon’tknowwhichwordwastheworsetoemphasizeatsuchamoment，butIemphasizedboththoroughly。

“Ididn’texpectyu’dactthatway，“saidthelover。Hedroppedbehindmefiftyyardsandspokenomore。

NotatoncedidIbeghispardonforthebrutalityIhadbeensurprisedinto。Itisoneofthosespeechesthat，oncesaid，issaidforever。

Butitwasnotthatwhichwithheldme。AsIthoughtofthetoneinwhichmyfriendhadreplied，itseemedtomesullen，ratherthandeeplyangryorwounded——resentmentatmyopinionnotofhercharactersomuchasofhischoice!ThenIbegantobesorryforthefool，andschemedforawhilehowtointervene。Buthaveyouevertriedintervention？Isoonabandonedtheidea，andtookawaytobeforgiven，andtolearnmore。

“Lin，“Ibegan，slowingmyhorse，“youmustnotthinkaboutwhatIsaid。“

“I’mthinkin’ofpleasantersubjects，“saidhe，andslowedhisownhorse。

“Oh，lookhere!“Iexclaimed。

“Well？“saidhe。Heallowedhishorsetocomewithinabouttenyards。

“Astonishmentmakesamansayanything，“Iproceeded。“AndI’llsayagainyou’retoogoodforher——andI’llsayIdon’tgenerallybelieveinthewifebeingolderthanthehusband。“

“What’stwoyears？“saidLin。

Iwasnearscreechingoutagain，butsavedmyself。Hewasnotquitetwenty-five，andIrememberedMrs。Taylor’sunprejudicedcomputationofthebiscuit-shooter’syears。Itisalady’sprerogative，however，toestimateherownage。

“Shehadhertwenty-seventhbirthdaylastmonth，“saidLin，withsentiment，bringinghishorseentirelyabreastofmine。“Ipromisedherabear-skin。“

“Yes，“saidI，“IheardaboutthatinBuffalo。“

Lin’sfacegrewduskywithanger。“Nodoubtyu’heardaboutit，“saidhe。“Idon’tguessyu’heardmuchaboutanythingelse。Iain’ttoldthetruthtoanyof’em——buther。“Helookedatmewithacertainhesitation。

“IthinkIwill，“hecontinued。“Idon’tmindtellin’you。“

Hebegantospeakinastrictlybusinesstone，whileheevenedthecoilsofropethathungonhissaddle。

“Shehadspoketomeaboutherbirthday，andIhadspoketoheraboutsomethingtogiveher。Ihadofferedtobuyherintownwhatevershenamed，andIwasfiguringtoborrowfromTaylor。Butshefanciedthenotionofabear-skin。Ihadmentionedaboutsomecubs。Ihadfoundthecubswheretheshe-bearhadthemcachedbythefootofabigboulderintherangeoverTenSleep，andIputbacktheleavesandstuffontopo’