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“Putyourcarbinedown，“saidMcLeantoLusk。“It’snotrobbers。It’syourwifeI’mbringingyou。“Hespokeveryquietly。
Thehusbandaddressednowordtothecow-puncher“Getin，then，“hesaidtohiswife。
“Town’snotfarnow，“saidLin。“Maybeyouwouldpreferridingthebalanceoftheway？“
“I’d——“ButthenoteofpitythatshefeltinMcLean’squestionovercameher，andherutterancechoked。Shenoddedherhead，andthethreecontinuedslowlyclimbingthehilltogether。
Fromthenarrowsofthesteep，sandy，weather-beatenbanksthattheroadslantedupwardthroughforawhile，theycameoutagainupontheimmensityofthetable-land。Here，abruptlylikeanambush，wasthewholeunsuspectedriverclosebelowtotheirright，asifithademergedfromtheearth。Withacirclingsweepfromsomewhereoutinthegloomitcutinclosetotheloftymesabeneathtallclean-gradeddescentsofsand，smoothasarailroadembankment。Astheypausedontheleveltobreathetheirhorses，thewetgulpofitseddiesrosetothemthroughthestillness。UpstreamtheycouldmakeoutthelightoftheDrybonebridge，butnotthebridgeitself；andtwolightsonthefartherbankshowedwherestoodthehog-ranchoppositeDrybone。Theywentonoverthetable-landandreachedthenextheraldofthetown，Drybone’schiefhistorian，thegraveyard。Beneathitsslantingheadboardsandwind-shiftedsandlaymanymorepeoplethanlivedinDrybone。Theypassedbythefenceofthisshelterlessacreonthehill，andshoutingsandhighmusicbegantoreachthem。Atthefootofthehilltheysawthesparselightsandshapesofthetownwhereendedthegraystripofroad。Themanysounds——feet，voices，andmusic——grewclearer，unravellingfromtheirmuffledconfusion，andthefiddlingbecameatunethatcouldbeknown。“
“There’sadanceto-night，“saidthewifetothehusband。“Hurry。“
Hedroveashehadbeendriving。Perhapshehadnotheardher。
“I’mtellingyoutohurry，“sherepeated。“Mynewdressisinthatwagon。
There’llbefolkstowelcomemeherethat’solderfriendsthanyou。“
Sheputherhorsetoagallopdownthebroadroadtowardthemusicandtheolderfriends。Thehusbandspoketohishorse，clearedhisthroatandspokelouder，clearedhisthroatagainandthistimehissullenvoicecarried，andtheanimalstarted。SoLuskwentaheadofLinMcLean，followinghiswifewiththenewdressatasgoodapaceashemight。Ifhedidnotwanthercompany，perhapstobealonewiththecow-puncherwasstilllesstohismind。
“Itain’tonlyherhe’sstoppedcaringfor，“musedLin，asherodeslowlyalong。“Hedon’tcareforhimselfanymore。“
PARTIII
To-day，Drybonehasaltogetherreturnedtothedust。Eveninthatdayitshourcouldhavebeenheardbeginningtosound，butitsinhabitantswereratherdeaf。Gamblers，saloon-keepers，murderers，outlawsmaleandfemale，allweresobusywiththeircards，theirlovers，andtheirbottlesastomaketheplaceseemyoungandvigorous；butitwassecondchildhoodwhichhadsetin。
Drybonehadknownawholesomeadventurousyouth，wheremanlylivesanddeathswereplenty。Ithadbeenanarmypost。Ithadseenhorseandfoot，andheardthetrumpet。Bravewiveshadkepthousefortheircaptainsuponitsbluffs。Winterandsummertheyhadmadethebestofit。WhentheWarDepartmentorderedthecaptainstocatchIndians，thewivesbadethemGodspeed。WhentheInteriorDepartmentorderedthecaptainstolettheIndiansgoagain，stilltheymadethebestofit。YoumustnotwasteIndians。IndianswereasourceofrevenuetosomanypeopleinWashingtonandelsewhere。ButtheprocessofcatchingIndians，armedwithweaponssoldthembyfriendsoftheInteriorDepartment，wasnotentirelyharmless。ThereforetherecametobegravesintheDrybonegraveyard。Thepaleweather-washedhead-boardstoldallaboutit：“SacredtothememoryofPrivateSo-and-So，killedontheDryCheyenne，May6，1875。“Oritwouldbe，“Mrs。So-and-So，foundscalpedonSageCreek。“ButeventhefinanciersatWashingtoncouldnotwhollypreservetheIndianinDrybone’sneighborhood。Asthecattlebytenthousandscametreadingwiththenextstepofcivilizationintothishugedomain，thesoldiersweretakenaway。SomeofthemwentWesttofightmoreIndiansinIdaho，Oregon，orArizona。Thebattlesoftheothersbeingdone，theywentEastinbettercoffinstosleepwheret
