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the range over Ten Sleep； and I put back the leaves and stuff on top o'
them little things as near as I could the way I found them； so that the bear
would not suspicion me。 For I was aiming to get her。 And Miss Peck； she
sure wanted the hide for her birthday。 So I went back。 The she…bear was
off； and I crumb up inside the rock； and I waited a turruble long spell till
the sun travelled clean around the canyon。 Mrs。 Bear come home though； a
big cinnamon； and I raised my gun； but laid it down to see what she'd do。
She scrapes around and snuffs； and the cubs start whining； and she talks
back to 'em。 Next she sits up awful big； and lifts up a cub and holds it to
her close with both her paws； same as a person。 And she rubbed her ear
agin the cub； and the cub sort o' nipped her； and she cuffed the cub； and
the other cub came toddlin'； and away they starts rolling all three of 'em！ I
watched that for a long while。 That big thing just nursed and played with
them little cubs； beatin' em for a change onced in a while； and talkin'； and
onced in a while she'd sit up solemn and look all around so life…like that I
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near busted。 Why； how was I goin' to spoil that？ So I come away； very
quiet； you bet！ for I'd have hated to have Mrs。 Bear notice me。 Miss Peck；
she laughed。 She claimed I was scared to shoot。〃
〃After you had told her why it was？〃 said I。
〃Before and after。 I didn't tell her first； because I felt kind of foolish。
Then Tommy went and he killed the bear all right； and she has the skin
now。 Of course the boys joshed me a heap about gettin' beat by Tommy。〃
〃But since she has taken you？〃 said I。
〃She ain't said it。 But she will when she understands Tommy。〃
I fancied that the lady understood。 The once I had seen her she
appeared to me as what might be termed an expert in men； and one to
understand also the reality of Tommy's ranch and allowance； and how
greatly these differed from Box Elder。 Probably the one thing she could
not understand was why Lin spared the mother and her cubs。 A deserted
home in Dubuque； a career in a railroad eating…house； a somewhat vague
past； and a present lacking contextindeed； I hoped with all my heart that
Tommy would win！
〃Lin；〃 said I； 〃I'm backing him。〃
〃Back away！〃 said he。 〃Tommy can please a womanhim and his blue
eyes but he don't savvy how to make a woman want him； not any better
than he knows about killin' Injuns。〃
〃Did you hear about the Crows？〃 said I。
〃About young bucks going on the war…path？ Shucks！ That's put up by
the papers of this section。 They're aimin' to get Uncle Sam to order his
troops out； and then folks can sell hay and stuff to 'em。 If Tommy believed
any Crows〃 he stopped； and suddenly slapped his leg。
〃What's the matter now？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； nothing。〃 He took to singing； and his face grew roguish to its full
extent。 〃What made yu' say that to me？〃 he asked； presently。
〃Say what？〃
〃About marrying。 Yu' don't think I'd better。〃
〃I don't。〃
〃Onced in a while yu' tell me I'm flighty。 Well； I am。 Whoop…ya！〃
〃Colts ought not to marry；〃 said I。
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〃Sure！〃 said he。 And it was not until we came in sight of the
Virginian's black horse tied in front of Miss Wood's cabin next the Taylors'
that Lin changed the lively course of thought that was evidently filling his
mind。
〃Tell yu'；〃 said he； touching my arm confidentially and pointing to the
black horse； 〃for all her Vermont refinement she's a woman just the same。
She likes him dangling round her so earnesthim that no body ever saw
dangle before。 And he has quit spreein' with the boys。 And what does he
get by it？ I am glad I was not raised good enough to appreciate the Miss
Woods of this world；〃 he added； defiantly〃except at long range。〃
At the Taylors' cabin we found Miss Wood sitting with her admirer；
and Tommy from Riverside come to admire Miss Peck。 The biscuit…
shooter might pass for twenty…seven； certainly。 Something had agreed with
herwhether the medicine； or the mountain air； or so much masculine
company； whatever had done it； she had bloomed into brutal comeliness。
Her hair looked curlier； her figure was shapelier； her teeth shone whiter；
and her cheeks were a lusty； overbearing red。 And there sat Molly Wood
talking sweetly to her big； grave Virginian； to look at them； there was no
doubt that he had been 〃raised good enough〃 to appreciate her； no matter
what had been his raising！
Lin greeted every one jauntily。 〃How are yu'； Miss Peck？ How are yu'；
Tommy？〃 said he。 〃Hear the news； Tommy？ Crow Injuns on the war…
path。〃
〃I declare！〃 said the biscuit…shooter。
The Virginian was about to say something； but his eye met Lin's； and
then he looked at Tommy。 Then what he did say was； 〃I hadn't been goin'
to mention it to the ladies until it was right sure。〃
〃You needn't to be afraid； Miss Peck；〃 said Tommy。 〃There's lots of
men here。〃
〃Who's afraid？〃 said the biscuit…shooter。
〃Oh；〃 said Lin； 〃maybe it's like most news we get in this country。 Two
weeks stale and a lie when it was fresh。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Tommy。
〃Hello； Tommy！〃 called Taylor from the lane。 〃Your horse has broke
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his rein and run down the field。〃
Tommy rose in disgust and sped after the animal。
〃I must be cooking supper now；〃 said Katie； shortly。
〃I'll stir for yu'；〃 said Lin； grinning at her。
〃Come along then；〃 said she； and they departed to the adjacent
kitchen。
Miss Wood's gray eyes brightened with mischief。 She looked at her
Virginian； and she looked at me。
〃Do you know；〃 she said； 〃I used to be so afraid that when Bear Creek
wasn't new any more it might become dull！〃
〃Miss Peck doesn't find it dull either；〃 said I。
Molly Wood immediately assumed a look of doubt。 〃But mightn't it
become justjust a little trying to have two gentlemen so verydetermined；
you know？〃
〃Only one is determined；〃 said the Virginian
Molly looked inquiring。
〃Lin is determined Tommy shall not beat him。 That's all it amounts to。〃
〃Dear me； what a notion！〃
〃No； ma'am； no notion。 Tommywell； Tommy is considered harmless；
ma'am。 A cow…puncher of reputation in this country would cert'nly never
let Tommy get ahaid of him that way。〃
〃It's pleasant to know sometimes how much we count！〃 exclaimed
Molly。
〃Why； ma'am；〃 said the Virginian； surprised at her flash of indignation；
〃where is any countin' without some love？〃
〃Do you mean to say that Mr。 McLean does not care for Miss Peck？〃
〃I reckon he thinks he does。 But there is a mighty wide difference
between thinkin' and feelin'； ma'am。〃
I saw Molly's eyes drop from his； and I saw the rose deepen in her
cheeks。 But just then a loud voice came from the kitchen。
〃You； Lin； if you try any of your foolin' with me； I'll histe yu's over the
jiste！〃
〃All cow…punchers〃 I attempted to resume。
〃Quit now； Lin McLean；〃 shouted the voice； 〃or I'll put yus through
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that window； and it shut。〃
〃Well； Miss Peck； I'm gettin' most a full dose o' this treatment。 Ever
since yu' come I've been doing my best。 And yu' just cough in my face。
And now I'm going to quit and cough back。〃
〃Would you enjoy walkin' out till supper； ma'am？〃 inquired the
Virginian as Molly rose。 〃You was speaking of gathering some flowers
yondeh。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 said Molly； blithely。 〃And you'll come？〃 she added to me。
But I was on the Virginian's side。 〃I must look after my horse；〃 said I；
and went down to the corral。
Day was slowly going as I took my pony to the water。 Corncliff Mesa；
Crowheart Butte； these shone in the rays that came through the canyon。
The canyon's sides lifted like tawny castles in the same light。 Where I