第17章

“That’sthetrouble，“saidthecow-puncher。“Ido。Awfulfar。“Hestaredoutofthewindow。

“Well，Imightcomesometime。Iwishyou’dwritemealetter。Canyouwrite？““What’sthat？CanIwrite？Ohyes。“

“Icanwrite，an’Icanreadtoo。I’vebeentoschoolinSidney，Nebraska，an’Magaw，Kansas，an’SaltLake——that’sthefinesttownexceptDenver。“

Billyfellintothatcheerfulstrainofcommentwhich，unrepliedto，yetgoesoncontentedandself-sustaining，whileMr。McLeangaveamiablesignsofassent，butchieflylookedoutofthewindow；andwhenthenowinterestedwaitersaidrespectfullythathedesiredtoclosetheroom，theywentouttotheoffice，wherethemoneywasgotoutofthesafeandthebillpaid。

Thestreetswerefullofthebrightsun，andseeminglyatDenver’sgatesstoodthemountainssparkling；anaircrispandpleasantwaftedfromtheirpeaks；nosmokehungamongtheroofs，andtheskyspreadwideoverthecitywithoutastain；itwasholidayupamongthechimneysandtallbuildings，anddownamongthequietground-storiesbelowaswell；andpresentlyfromtheirscatteredpinnaclesthroughthetownthebellsbrokeoutagainstthejocundsilenceofthemorning。

“Don’tyoulikemusic？“inquiredBilly。

“Yes，“saidLin。

Ladieswiththeirhusbandsandchildrenwerepassingandmeeting，orderlyyetgayerthanifitwereonlySunday，andthesalutationsofChristmascamenowandagaintothecow-puncher’sears；butto-day，possessorofhisownshareinthis，Linlookedateveryonewithasortoffriendlychallenge，andyoungBillytalkedalongbesidehim。

“Don’tyouthinkwecouldgoinhere？“Billyasked。Achurchdoorwasopen，andtherichorgansoundedthroughtothepavement。“They’vegoodmusichere，an’theykeepitupwithoutmuchtalkingbetween。I’vebeeninlotsoftimes。“

Theywentinandsattohearthemusic。Betterthantheorgan，itseemedtothem，weretheharmoniousvoicesraisedfromsomewhereoutside，likeunexpectedvisitants；andthepairsatintheirbackseat，toodeepinlisteningtotheprocessionalhymntothinkofrisingindecentimitationofthosearoundthem。Thecrystalmelodyoftherefrainespeciallyreachedtheirunderstandings，andwhenforthefourthtime“Shoutthegladtidings，exultinglysing，“pealedforthandceased，boththedelightedfacesfell。

“Don’tyouwishtherewasmore？“Billywhispered。

“Wishtherewasahundredverses，“answeredLin。

Butcanticlesandresponsesfollowed，withsolittletalkingbetweenthemtheywereheldspellbound，seldomthinkingtoriseorkneel。Lin’seyesrovedoverthechurch，dwellinguponthepillarsintheirevergreen，theflowersandleafywreaths，thetextsofwhiteandgold。“’Peace，good-

willtowardsmen，’“heread。“That’sso。Peaceandgood-will。Yes，that’sso。IexpecttheygotthatsomewheresintheBible。It’sawfulgood，andyou’dneverthinkofityourself。“

Therewasatouchonhisarm，andawomanhandedabooktohim。“Thisisthehymnwehavenow，“shewhispered，gently；andLin，blushingscarlet，tookitpassivelywithoutaword。HeandBillystoodupandheldthebooktogether，dutifullyreadingthewords：

“Itcameuponthemidnightclear，Thatglorioussongofold，FromangelsbendingneartheearthTotouchtheirharpsofgold；

Peaceontheearth——“

Thistunewasmorebeautifulthanall，andLinlosthimselfinit，untilhefoundBillyrecallinghimwithafingeruponthewords，theconcludingones：

“AndthewholeworldsentbackthesongWhichnowtheangelssing。“

Themusicroseanddescendedtoitslovelyandsimpleend；and，forasecondtimeinDenver，Linbrushedahandacrosshiseyes。Heturnedhisfacefromhisneighbor，frowningcrossly；andsincethehearthasreasonswhichReasondoesnotknow，heseemedtohimselfafool；butwhentheservicewasoverandhecameout，herepeatedagain，“’Peaceandgood-will。’WhenIrunontotheBishopofWyomingI’lltellhimifhe’llpreachonthemwordsI’llbethere。“

“Couldn’tweshootyourpistolnow？“askedBilly。

“Sure，boy。Ain’tyu’hungry，though？“

“No。Iwishwewereawayoffupthere。Don’tyou？“

“Themountains？Theylookpretty，sowhite!Aheapbetter’nhouses。Why，we’llgothere!There’strainstoGolden。We’llshootaroundamongthefoothills。“

ToGoldentheyimmediatelywent，andafteramealthere，wanderedintheopencountryuntilthecartridgesweregone，thesunwaslow，andBillywaswalkedoffhisyoungheels——atruthhelearnedcompleteinonehorridmoment，andbattledtoconceal。

“Lame!“heechoed，angrily。“Iain’t。“

“Shucks!“saidLin，afterthenexttensteps。“Youare，andbothfeet。“

“Tellyou，there’sstoneshere，an’I’mjusta-skippingthem。“

Lin，briefly，tooktheboyinhisarmsandcarriedhimtoGolden。“I’mplayedoutmyself，“hesaid，sittinginthehotelandlookinglugubriouslyatBillyonabed。“AndIain’tfittohavechargeofahog。“Hecameandputhishandontheboy’shead。

“I’mnotsick，“saidthecripple。“ItellyouI’mbully。Youwaitan’seemeeatdinner。“

ButLinhadhotwaterandcoldwaterandsalt，andwasanhouruponhiskneesbathingthehotfeet。AndthenBillycouldnoteatdinner!

TherewasadoctorinGolden；butinspiteofhislightprescriptionandmostreasonableobservations，Mr。McLeanpassedafoolishnightofvigil，whileBillyslept，quitewellatfirst，and，asthehourspassed，betterandbetter。Inthemorninghewasentirelybrisk，thoughstiff。

“Icouldn’tworkquickto-day，“hesaid。“ButIguessonedaywon’tlosememytrade。“

“Howd’yu’mean？“askedLin。

“Why，I’vegotregulars，youknow。SidneyEllisan’PeteGoodehastheirs，an’wedon’tcuteachother。I’vegotMr。Danielsan’Mr。Fisheran’lots，an’ifyoulivedinDenverI’dshineyourbootseverydayfornothing。IwishedyoulivedinDenver。“

“Shinemyboots？Yu’llnever!Andyu’don’tblackDanielsorFisher，oranyoftheoutfit。“

“Why，I’mdoingfirst-rate，“saidBilly，surprisedattheswearingintowhichMr。McLeannowburst。“An’Iain’tbigenoughtogettomakemoneyatanyotherjob。“

“Iwanttoseethatengine-man，“mutteredLin。“Idon’tlikeyoursmokin’

friend。“

“PeteGoode？Why，he’sawfulsmart。Don’tyouthinkhe’ssmart？“

“Smart’snothin’，“observedMr。McLean。

“PetehaslearnedmeandSidneyalot，“pursuedBilly，engagingly。

“I’llbethehas!“growledthecow-puncher；andagainBillywastakenabackathislanguage。

Itwasnotsosimple，thiscase。TotheperturbedmindofMr。McLeanitgrewlesssimpleduringthatdayatGolden，whileBillyrecovered，andtalked，andatehisinnocentmeals。Thecow-puncherwasfartoowisetothinkforasinglemomentofrestoringtherunawaytohisdebauchedandshiftlessparents。Possessedofsomeimagination，hewentthroughasceneinwhichheappearedattheLuskthresholdwithBillyandforgiveness，andintrudeduponaconjugalassaultandbattery。“Shucks!“saidhe。“Thekidwouldbeoffagaininsideaweek。AndIdon’twanthimthere，anyway。“

Denver，uponthefollowingday，sawthelittlebootblackagainathiscorner，withhistradenotlost；butnearhimstoodatall，singularman，withhazeleyesandasulkyexpression。Andcitizensduringthatweeknoticed，asanewsightinthestreets，thetallmanandthelittleboywalkingtogether。Sometimestheywouldbeinshops。Theboyseemedashappyaspossible，talkingconstantly，whilethemanseldomsaidaword，andhisfacewasserious。

UponNew-year’sEveGovernorBarkerwasovertakenbyMr。McLeanridingahorseupHillStreet，Cheyenne。

“Hello!“saidBarker，staringhumorouslythroughhisglasses。“Haveagooddrunk？“

“Changedmymind，“saidLin，grinning。“ProvesI’vegotone。StruckChristmasallright，though。“

“Who’syourfriend？“inquiredhisExcellency。

“ThisisMisterBillyLusk。Himandmehaveagreedthattownsain’tnicetolivein。IfJudgeHenry’sforemanandhiswifewon’tboardhimatSunkCreek——why，I’llfixitsomehow。“

Thecow-puncherandhisResponsibilityrodeontogethertowardtheopenplain。

“SufferinMoses!“remarkedhisExcellency。

SEPAR’SVIGILANTE

Wehadfallenhalfasleep，myponyandI，aswewentjoggingandjoggingthroughthelongsunnyafternoon。Ourhillsofyesterdaywereapale-bluecoastsunkalmostawaybehindus，andaheadourgoallayshining，alittleislandofhousesinthisquietmid-oceanofsage-brush。Fortwohoursithadlookedasclearandnearasnow，risingintosightacrossthehugedeadcalmandsinkingwhilewetravelledourundulating，imperceptiblemiles。Thetrainhadcomeandgoneinvisibly，exceptforitsslowpillarofsmokeIhadwatchedmovewestwardagainstWyoming’sstainlesssky。ThoughIwasstillfaroff，thewater-tankandotherbuildingsstoodoutplainandcompletetomyeyes，likechildren’sblocksarrangedandforgottenonthefloor。SoIrodealong，hypnotizedbythesamenessofthelazy，splendidplain，andalmostunawareofthedistantrider，till，suddenly，hewascloseandhailingme。

“They’vecaved!“heshouted。

“Who？“Icried，thusawakened。

“Ah，thefoolcompany，“saidhe，quietinghisvoiceashedrewnear。

“They’veshedtheirhaughtiness，“headded，confidingly，asifImustknowallaboutit。

“Wheredidtheylearnthatwisdom？“Iasked，notknowingintheleast。

“Experience，“hecalledoverhisshoulder(foralreadywehadmetandpassed)；“nothinglikeexperienceforsweatingthefatoffthebrain。“

Heyelledmeabrotherlygood-bye，andIamsorrynevertohaveknownmoreofhim，forIinclinetovalueanystrangersojoyous。ButnowI

wakedtheponyandtrottedbriskly，surmisingastothecompanyanditshaughtiness。Ihadbeenviewingmydestinationacrossthesagebrushforsospun-outatimethat(asconstantlyinWyomingjourneys)theemotionofarrivalhadevaporatedlongbeforetheevent，andIwelcomedemploymentformyotherwisehigh-and-drymind。Probablyhemeanttherailroadcompany；certainlysomethinglargehadhappened。EvenasI

dismountedattheplatformanotherhilariouscow-punchercameoutofthestation，and，atonceremarking，“They’regoingtoleaveusalone，“

sprangonhishorseandgallopedtothecorralsdowntheline，wheresomecattlewerebeingloadedintoatrain。Iwentinsideformymail，andherewerefourmorecow-punchersplayingwiththeagent。Theyhadgotaletterawayfromhim，andheworehisdailylookofanxietytoappreciatethejestsoftheserollickingpeople。“Readit!“theysaidtome；andI

didreadtheprivatedocument，andlearnedthattherailroadwasgoingtowaiveitsrighttoenforcelawandorderhere，andwouldtrusttoSepar’sgoodfeeling。“Nothingmore，“theletterran，“willbedoneabouttheinitialoutrageorthesubsequentvandalisms。Weshallpassoverourwastedoutlayinthehopethatapolicyoffriendshipwillproveourgenuinedesiretobenefitthatsection。

“’Initialoutrage，’“quotedoneoftheagent’largeplaymates。“Ain’ttheyfurgivin’？“

“Well，“saidI，“youwouldhavesomenameforityourselfifyousentadeputysherifftolookafteryourrights，andhecamebacktiedtothecow-catcher!“

Themansmiledluxuriouslyoverthismemory。

“Wedidn’thurthimnone。Justreturnedhimtohishome。HearaboutthelabelHoneyWigginpinnedontohim？’Sendusalongonedozenaspersample。’Honey’squaint!Yes，“hedrawledjudicially，“I’dbemadatthat。Butifyou’remakingpeacewithamanbecauseit’sconvenientwhy，yourwordsmustbepleasanterthanifyoureallyfeltpleasant。“Hetookthepaperfromme，andread，sardonically：“’Subsequentvandalisms……

wastedoutlay。’Isupposetheyrunthisstationfromcharitytothecattle。Savesthepoorthingswalkingsofartotheotherrailroad’Policyoffriendship……genuinedesire’——ohmouth-wash!“And，shakinghisbold，cleverhead，hedaintilyflattenedtheletterupontheheadoftheagent。“Tubercle，“saidhe(thiswastheirnamefortheagent，whohadtoldallofusabouthislungs)，“itain’tyourfaultwesawtheirfineletter。Theyjustintendedyoushouldgiveitouthowtheywouldn’tbotherusanymore，andthenwe’dactsquare。Theboys’llsituplateoverthisjoke。“