第9章

Thecinchesofthehorsesweretightened，LinandtheVirginianlaidahandontheirsaddle-horns，swungup，andsoonallsoundofthegallopinghorseshadceased。MollyWooddeclinedtobenervousandcrossedtoherlittleneighborcabin；weallparted，and(asalwaysinthatblessedcountry)deepsleepquicklycametome。

Idon’tknowhowlongafteritwasthatIsprangfrommyblanketsinhalf-doubtingfright。ButIhaddreamednothing。Asecondlong，wildyellnowgaveme(Imustowntoit)ahorriblechill。Ihadnopistol——

nothing。Inthehatefulbrightnessofthemoonmysinglethoughtwas“House!House!“andIfledacrossthelaneinmyunderclothestothecabin，whenroundthecornerwhirledthetwocow-punchers，andI

understood。IsawtheVirginiancatchsightofmeinmyshirt，andsawhisteethashesmiled。Ihastenedtomyblankets，andreturnedmoredecenttostandandwatchthetwogoshootingandyellingroundthecabin，crazywiththeiryouth。Thedoorwasopened，andTaylorcourageouslyemerged，bearingaWinchester。Hefiredattheskyimmediately。

“B’gosh!“heroared。“That’sone。“Hefiredagain。“Outandat’em。

They’rerunning。“

Atthis，dulycameMrs。Taylorinwhitewithapistol，andMissPeckinwhite，staringandstolid。ButnoTommy。Noiseprevailedwithout，shotsbythestableandshotsbythecreek。Thetwocow-punchersdismountedandjoinedTaylor。Maniacdelightseizedme，andI，too，rushedaboutwiththem，helpingthedin。

“Oh，Mr。Taylor!“saidavoice。“Ididn’tthinkitofyou。“ItwasMollyWood，comefromhercabin，veryprettyinahood-and-cloakarrangement。

Shestoodbythefence，laughing，butmoreatusthanwithus。

“Stop，friends!“saidTaylor，gasping。“SheteachesmyBobbiehisABC。

I’dhatetohaveBobbie——“

“Speaktoyourpapa，“saidMolly，andheldherscholaruponthefence。

“Well，I’llbegol-darned，“saidTaylor，surveyinghiscostume，“ifLinMcLeanhasn’tmadeafoolofmeto-night!“

“WherehasTommygot？“saidMrs。Taylor。

“Didn’tyusseehim？“saidthebiscuit-shooterspeakingherfirstwordinallthis。

Wefollowedherintothekitchen。Thetablewascoveredwithtinplates。

Beneathit，wedgedkneltTommywithapistolfirminhishand；buttheplateswererattlingupanddownlikecastanets。

Therewasasilenceamongus，andIwonderedwhatweweregoingtodo。

“Well，“murmuredtheVirginiantohimself，“ifIcouldhaveforesaw，I’dnot——itmakesyu’feelhumiliatedyu’self。“

Hemarchedout，gotonhishorse，androdeaway。Linfollowedhim，butperhapslesspenitently。Wealldispersedwithoutsayinganything，andpresentlyfrommyblanketsIsawpoorTommycomeoutofthesilentcabin，mount，andslowly，veryslowly，rideaway。HewouldspendthenightatRiverside，afterall。

Ofcoursewerecoveredfromourunexpectedshame，andthetaleofthetableandthedancingplateswasnottoldasasadone。Butitisasadonewhenyouthinkofit。

IwasnottheretoseeLingethisbride。IlearnedfromtheVirginianhowthevictoriouspuncherhadriddenawayacrossthesunnysagebrush，bearingthebiscuit-shooterwithhimtothenearestjusticeofthepeace。

Shewasastridethehorsehehadbroughtforher。

“Yes，hebeatTommy，“saidtheVirginian。“Somefolks，anyway，getwhattheywantinthishyehworld。“

FromwhichIinferredthatMissMollyWoodwashardertobeatthanTommy。

LINMcLEAN’SHONEY-MOON

Rainhadnotfallenforsomesixtydays，andforsomesixtymoretherewasnonecessitythatitshouldfall。ItisspellsofweatherlikethisthatsettheWesterneditorwritingpraiseandprophecyoftheboundlessfertilityofthesoil——whenirrigated，andofwhatanEdenitcanbemade——withirrigation；butthespellsannoythepeoplewhoaretryingtoraisetheEden。WealwaystoldthetransientEasternvisitor，whenhearrivedatCheyenneandcriticisedthedesert，thatanythingwouldgrowhere——withirrigation；andsometimeshereplied，unsympathetically，thatanythingcouldfly——withwings。Thenwewouldleadsuchamanoutandshowhimsix，eight，tensquaremilesofgreencrops；andhe，ifhewasthoroughlynasty，wouldmentionthatWyomingcontainedninety-fivethousandsquaremiles，allwaitingforirrigationandEden。OneoftheseEasternsupercivilizedhostilesfromNewYorkwasbreakfastingwiththeGovernorandmeattheCheyenneClub，andwewereexplainingtohimthegloriousfuture，thecomingempire，oftheWesterncountry。NowtheGovernorwasaboutthirty-two，anduntiltwenty-fivehadnevergoneWestfarenoughtoseeoverthetopoftheAlleghanyMountains。Iwasnotapioneermyself；andwhybothofusshouldhavepitiedtheNew-Yorker’snarrownesssohardIcannotsee。Butwedid。Wespoketohimofthesizeofthecountry。WetoldhimthathisStatecouldrattleroundinsideWyoming’sstomachwithoutanyinconveniencetoWyoming，andhetoldusthatthiswasbecauseWyoming’sstomachwasempty。AltogetherIbegantofeelalmostsorrythatIhadaskedhimtocomeoutforahunt，andhadtravelledinhasteallthewayfromBearCreektoCheyenneexpresslytomeethim。

“Forpurposesofamusement，“hesaid，“I’lladmitanythingyouclaimforthisplace。Ranches，cowboys，elk；it’sallsplendid。Only，asaninvestmentIprefertheEast。AmItoseeanycowboys？“

“Youshall，“Isaid；andIdistinctlyhopedsomeofthemmightdosomethingtohim“forpurposesofamusement。“

“Youfellowscomeupwithmetomyoffice，“saidtheGovernor。“I’lllookatmymail，andshowyouround。“Sowewentwithhimthroughtheheatandsun。

“What’sthat？“inquiredtheNew-Yorker，whomIshallcallJamesOgden。

“Thatisourpark，“saidI。“Ofcourseit’smerelyinembryo。It’swonderfulhowquicklyanyshadetreewillgrowherewi——“Icheckedmyself。

ButOgdensaid“withirrigation“forme，andIwasentirelysorryhehadcome。

WereachedtheGovernor’soffice，andsatdownwhilehelookedhislettersover。

“Hereyouare，Ogden，“saidhe。“Here’sthewaywehumpaheadouthere。“

Andhereadusthefollowing：

“MAGAW，KANSAS，July5，188——

“Hon。AmoryW。Baker：

“Sir，——Understandingthatyourdistrictissufferingfromaprolongeddrought，IwritetosaythatfornecessaryexpensespaidIwillbegladtofurnishyouwithareasonablyshower。IhaveoperatedsuccessfullyinAustralia，Mexico，andseveralStatesoftheUnion，andamanxioustoexhibitmysystem。IfyourLegislaturewillappropriateasumtocover，asIsaid，merelymynecessaryexpenses——say$350(threehundredandfiftydollars)——forhalfaninchIwillguaranteeyouthatquantityofrainorforfeitthemoney。IfIfailtogiveyouthesmallestfractionoftheamountcontractedfor，thereistobenopay。Kindlyadvisemeofwhatdatewillbemostconvenientforyoutohavetheshower。Irequiretwenty-fourhours’preparation。Hopingafavorablereply，“Iam，respectfullyyours，“RobertHilbrun“

“WilltheLegislaturedoit？“inquiredOgdeningoodfaith。

TheGovernorlaughedboisterously。“Iguessitwouldn’tbeconstitutional，“saidhe。

“Oh，bother!“saidOgden。

“Mydearman，“theGovernorprotested，“Iknowwe’renew，andourwomenvote，andwe’reagooddealofajoke，butwe’renotsoprogressivelyfunnyasallthat。Thepeoplewouldn’tstandit。SenatorWarrenwouldflyrightintomybackhair。“BarkerwasalsonewasGovernor。

“DoyouhaveSenatorsheretoo？“saidOgden，raisinghiseyebrows。“Whatdotheylooklike？Aretheyfemales？“AndtheGovernorgrewmoreboisterousthanever，slappinghiskneeanddeclaringthattheseEasternmenwerecertainlyoutofsight。“Ogden，however，wasthoughtful。

“I’dhavebeenwillingtochipinforthatrainmyself，“hesaid。

“That’sanidea!“criedtheGovernor。“Nothingunconstitutionalaboutthat。Let’ssee。Threehundredandfiftydollars——“

“I’llputupahundred，“saidOgden，promptly。“I’moutforaWesternvacation，andI’llpayforagoodspecimen。“

TheGovernorandIsubscribedmoremodestly，andbynoon，withthehelpofsomelivelymindedgentlemenofCheyenne，wehadthepurseraised。“Hewon’tcare，“saidtheGovernor，“whetherit’saprivateenterpriseoramunicipalstep，solongashegetshismoney。“

“Hewon’tgetit，I’mafraid，“saidOgden。“ButifhesucceedsintemptingProvidencetothatextent，Iconsideritcheap。Nowwhatdoyoucallthosepeoplethereonthehorses？“

WewerewalkingalongthetrackoftheCheyenneandNorthern，andlookingoutovertheplaintowardFortRussell。“Thatisacow-puncherandhisbride，“Ianswered，recognizingthecouple。

“Realcow-puncher？“

“Quite。Thepuncher’snameisLinMcLean。“

“Realbride？“

“I’mafraidso。“

“She’sridingstraddle!“exclaimedthedelightedOgden，adjustinghisglasses。“Whydoyouobjecttotheirunionbeingholy？“

IexplainedthatmyfriendLinhadlatelymarriedaneating-houseladyprecipitatelyandagainstmyadvice。

“Isupposeheknewhisbusiness，“observedOgden。

“That’swhathesaidtomeatthetime。Butyououghttoseeher——andknowhim。“

Ogdenwasgoingto。Husbandandwifewerecomingourway。Husbandnoddedtomehisfamiliaroffishnod，whichconcealedhissatisfactionatmeetingwithanoldfriend。Wifedidnotlookatmeatall。ButIlookedather，andIinstantlyknewthatLin——thefool!——hadconfidedtohermydisapprovaloftheirmarriage。Themostdelicatespecialtyuponearthisyourstandingwithyouroldfriend’snewwife。

“Good-day，Mr。McLean，“saidtheGovernortothecow-puncheronhishorse。

“How’reareyu’，doctor，“saidLin。DuringhisearlydaysinWyomingtheGovernor，whenasyetaprivatecitizen，hadsetMr。McLean’sbrokenlegatDrybone。“Letmemakeyu’knowntoMrs。McLean，“pursuedthehusband。

Thelady，atalosshowconventionprescribesthegreetingofabridetoaGovernor，gaveawaddleonthepony’sback，thensatupstiff，gazedhaughtilyattheair，anddidnotspeakorshowanymoresignthanacowwouldunderlikecircumstances。SotheGovernormarchedcheerfullyather，extendinghishand，andwhensheslightlymovedouttowardhimherbig，dumb，redfist，hetookitandshookit，andmadeheraseriesofcompliments，shemaintainingalwaysthescrupulousreserveofthecow。

“Isay，“OgdenwhisperedtomewhileBarkerwaspumpingthehandofthefleshimage，“I’mgladIcame。“Theappearanceofthepuncher-bridegroomalsointerestedOgden，andhelookedhardatLin’sleatherchapsandcartridge-beltandsoforth。LinstaredattheNew-Yorker，andhishighwhitecollarandgoodscarf。Hehadseensuchthingsquiteoften，ofcourse，buttheyalwaysfilledhimwiththesamedistrustofthemanthatworethem。

“Well，“saidhe，“Iguesswe’llbepullingforahotel。Anyshowintown？

Circuscomeyet？“

“No，“saidI。“Areyougoingtomakealongstay？“

Thecow-puncherglancedattheimage，hisbrideofthreeweeks。“Tillwe’retiredofit，Iguess，“saidhe，withhesitation。ItwasthefirsttimethatIhadeverseenmygayfriendlooktimidlyatanyone，andI

feltarisinghatefortheruby-checked，large-eyedeating-houselady，thebiscuit-shooterwhoseinfluencewasdimmingthisjaunty，irrepressiblespirit。Ilookedather。Herbulkybloomhadensnaredhim，andnowshewasgoingtotameandspoilhim。TheGovernorwaslookingathertoo，thoughtfully。

“Say，Lin，“Isaid，“ifyoustayherelongenoughyou’llseeabigshow。“

AndhiseyelivenedintosomethingofitsnativejocularityasItoldhimoftherain-maker。

“Shucks!“saidhe，springingfromhishorseimpetuously，andhugelyentertainedatourventure。“Threehundredandfiftydollars？Letmecomein“；andbeforeIcouldtellhimthatwehadallthemoneyraised，hewashaulingoutawaddedlumpofbills。

“Well，Iain’tgoingtostarvehereintheroad，Iguess，“spoketheimage，withthesuddennessofamiracle。Ithinkwealljumped，andI

knowthatLindid。Theimagecontinued：“Somefolksandtheirmoneyaresoonparted“——shemeantme；hersearchingtonescamestraightatme；I

wassurefromthefirstthatsheknewallaboutmeandmyunfavorableopinionofher——“butitain’tgoingtobeyouthistime，LinMcLean。Gedap!“Thislastwastothehorse，Imaintain，thoughtheGovernorsaysthehusbandimmediatelystartedoffonarun。

Atanyrate，theyweregonetotheirhotel，andOgdenwasseatedonsomerailroadties，exclaiming：“Oh，IlikeWyoming!IamcertainlygladI

came。“