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“Yu’lookedso——sobad，Lin。Ineverseenyu’looksobadinolddays。
Wait，now，andImusttellit。Iwishedtolaughinherfaceandsay，’Whatdoyouknowaboutlove？’SoIwalkedin。Lin，shedoesloveyus!“
“Yes，“breathedMcLean。
“Shewassittin’backinherroomatSepar。Nottheticket-office，but——“
“Iknow，“thecow-punchersaid。Hiseyeswereburning。
“It’ssnug，thewayshehasit。’Good-afternoon，’Isays。’IsthisMissJessamineBuckner？’“
Athissweetheart’snametheglowinLin’seyesseemedtoquivertoaflash。
“Andshespokepleasanttome——pleasantandgay-like。Butawomancantellsorrowinawoman’seyes。AndsheaskedmewouldIrestinherroomthere，andwhatwasmyname。’TheytellmeyouclaimtoknowitbetterthanIdo，’Isays。’TheytellmeyousayitisMrs。McLean。’Sheputherhandonherbreast，andshekeepslookin’atmewithoutneverspeaking。
’MaybeIamnotsowelcomenow，’Isays。’Oneminute，’saysshe。’Letmegetusedtoit。’Andshesatdown。
“Lin，sheisasquare-lookin’girl。I’llsaythatforher。
“Ineverthoughttositdownoncedmyself；Idon’tknowwhy，butIkep’
a-standing，andItookinthatroomofhers。Shehadflowersandthingsaroundthere，andIseenyourpicturestandingonthetable，andIseenyoursix-shooterrightbyit——and，oh，Lin，hadn’tIknowedyourfacebeforeevershedid，andthatgunyouusedtoletmeshootonBearCreek？
Ittookmethatsudden!Why，itrushedovermesoIspokerightoutdifferentfromwhatI’dmeantandwhatIhadreadyfixeduptosay。
“’Whydidyoudoit？’Isaystoher，whileshewasa-sitting。’Howcouldyouactso，andyouawoman？’Shejustsat，andhersadeyesmadememadderattheideaofher。’Youhavehadrealsorrow，’saysI，’iftheyreportcorrect。Youhaveknowedyourshareofdeath，andmisery，andhardwork，andall。GreatGod!ain’ttherethingsenoughthatcometoyusuncalledforandnatural，butyoumustrunaroundhuntin’upmorethatwasleavin’yusaloneandgivin’yusachance？Iknowedhimonced。I
knowedyourLinMcLean。Andwhenthatwasover，Iknowedforthefirsttimehowmencanbedifferent。’I’mstarted，Lin，I’mstarted。Leavemegoon，andwhenI’mthroughI’llquit。’Someof’em，anyway，’Isaystoher，’hasheartsandself-respect，andain’thogscleanthrough。’
“’Iknow，“shesays，thoughtful-like。
“AndatherwhisperingthatwayIgetsmadder。
“’Youknow!’Isaysthen。’Whatisitthatyouknow？Doyouknowthatyouhavehurtagoodman’sheart？ForoncedIhurtitmyself，thoughdifferent。Andhurtsinthemkindofheartsstays。Someheartsisthatlusciousandpastyyoucanstab’emanditclosesupsoyu’dneversuspiciontheplace——butLinMcLean!Noryetdon’tyusbelievehisisthekindthatbreaks——ifanykinddoesthat。Youmaysittillthegrayhairs，andyoumaywallupyourwomanhood，butifamanhasgotmanhoodlikehim，hewillneversittillthegrayhairs。Griefoverlosin’thebestwillnotstophimfromsearchin’forasecondbestafterawhile。Hewantsahome，andhehasgotarighttoone，’saysItoMissJessamine。
’YouhavenotwalledupLinMcLean，’Isaystoher。Wait，Lin，wait。Yusneedn’ttotellmethat’salie。Iknowamanthinkshe’swalledupforawhile。“
“Shecouldhavetoldyouitwasalie，“saidthecow-puncher。
“Shedidnot。’Lethimgetahome，’saysshe。’Iwanthimtobehappy。’
’Thatflashinyoureyestalksdifferent，’saysI。’Sureenoughyuswantshimtobehappy。Sureenough。ButnothappyalongwithMissSecondBest。’
“Lin，shelookedatmethatpiercin’!
“AndIgoeson，forIwaswoundawayup。’Andhewillbehappy，too，’I
says。’MissSecondBestwillhaveatalkwithhimaboutyourpictureandlittle“Neighbor，“whichhe’llnotsendbacktoyus，becausethehurtinhisheartisthere。Andhewillkeep’emoutofsightsomewheresafterhistalkwithMissSecondBest。’Lin，Lin，Ilaughedatthemwordsofmine，butIwasthatwoundupIwasstrangetomyself。Andshewatchin’
methatway!AndIsaystoher：’MissSecondBestwillnotbethecrazythingtothinkIamanywifeofhisstandinginherway。Hewilltellheraboutm
