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the total eclipse that was now over all Cheyenne's ordinary standards and
precedents the bewildered community saw in this threat nothing more
unusual than if he had said twice two made four。 The purse was handed
over。
〃I'm obliged；〃 said Hilbrun； simply。
〃If I had foreseen； gentlemen；〃 said Jode； too deeply grieved now to
feel anger； 〃that I would even be indirectly associated with your losing
your money through thisthis absurd occurrence； I would have declined to
help you。 It becomes my duty；〃 he continued； turning coldly to the
inebriated Lusk； 〃to hand this to you； sir。〃 And the assistant lurchingly
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stuffed his stakes away。
〃It's worth it；〃 said Lin。 〃He's welcome to my cash。〃
〃What's that you say； Lin McLean？〃 It was the biscuit…shooter； and she
surged to the front。
〃I'm broke。 He's got it。 That's all；〃 said Lin； briefly。
〃Broke！ You！〃 She glared at her athletic young lord； and she uttered a
preliminary howl。
At that long…lost cry Lusk turned his silly face。 〃It's my darling Kate；〃
he said。 〃Why； Kate！〃
The next thing that I knew Ogden and I were grappling with Lin
McLean； for everything had happened at once。 The bride had swooped
upon her first wedded love and burst into tears on the man's neck； which
Lin was trying to break in consequence。 We do not always recognize our
benefactors at sight。 They all came to the ground； and we hauled the
second husband off。 The lady and Lusk remained in a heap； he foolish；
tearful； and affectionate； she turned furiously at bay； his guardian angel；
indifferent to the onlooking crowd； and hurling righteous defiance at Lin。
〃Don't yus dare lay yer finger on my husband； you sage…brush bigamist！〃
is what the marvelous female said。
〃Bigamist？〃 repeated Lin； dazed at this charge。 〃I ain't；〃 he said to
Ogden and me。 〃I never did。 I've never married any of 'em before her。〃
〃Little good that'll do yus； Lin McLean！ Me and him was man and
wife before ever I come acrosst yus。〃
〃You and him？〃 murmured the puncher。
〃Her and me；〃 whimpered Lusk。 〃Sidney。〃 He sat up with a limp；
confiding stare at everybody。
〃Sidney who？〃 said Lin。
〃No； no；〃 corrected Lusk； crossly〃Sidney； Nebraska。〃 The stakes at
this point fell from his pocket which he did not notice。 But the bride had
them in safe…keeping at once。
〃Who are yu'； anywaywhen yu' ain't drunk？〃 demanded Lin。
〃He's as good a man as you； and better；〃 snorted the guardian angel。
〃Give him a pistol； and he'll make you hard to find。〃
〃Well； you listen to me； Sidney Nebraska〃 Lin began。
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〃No； no；〃 corrected Lusk once more； as a distant whistle blew〃Jim。〃
〃Good…bye； gentlemen；〃 said the rain…maker。 〃That's the west…bound。
I'm perfectly satisfied with my experiment here； and I'm off to repeat it at
Salt Lake City。〃
〃You are？〃 shouted Lin McLean。 〃Him and Jim's going to work it
again！ For goodness' sake； somebody lend me twenty…five dollars！〃
At this there was an instantaneous rush。 Ten minutes later； in front of
the ticket…windows there was a line of citizens buying tickets for Salt Lake
as if it had been Madame Bernhardt。 Some rock had been smitten； and
ready money had flowed forth。 The Governor saw us off； sad that his
duties should detain him。 But Jode went！
〃Betting is the fool's argument； gentlemen；〃 said he to Ogden； McLean；
and me； 〃and it's a weary time since I have had the pleasure。〃
〃Which way are yu' bettin'？〃 Lin asked。
〃With my principles； sir；〃 answered the little signal…service officer。
〃I expect I ain't got any；〃 said the puncher。 〃It's Jim I'm backin' this
time。〃
〃See here；〃 said I； 〃I want to talk to you。〃 We went into another car；
and I did。
〃And so yu' knowed about Lusk when we was on them board walks？〃
the puncher said。
〃Do you mean I ought to have〃
〃Shucks！ no。 Yu' couldn't。 Nobody couldn't。 It's a queer world； all the
same。 Yu' have good friends； and all that。〃 He looked out of the window。〃
Laramie already！〃 he commented； and got out and walked by himself on
the platform until we had started again。 〃Yu' have good friends；〃 he
pursued； settling himself so his long legs were stretched and comfortable；
〃and they tell yu' things； and you tell them things。 And when it don't make
no particular matter one way or the other； yu' give 'em your honest opinion
and talk straight to 'em； and they'll come to you the same way。 So that
when yu're ridin' the range alone sometimes； and thinkin' a lot o' things
over on top maybe of some dog…goned hill； you'll say to yourself about
some fellow yu' know mighty well； 'There's a man is a good friend of
mine。' And yu' mean it。 And it's so。 Yet when matters is serious； as onced
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in a while they're bound to get； and yu're in a plumb hole； where is the
man thenyour good friend？ Why； he's where yu' want him to be。 Standin'
off； keepin' his mouth shut； and lettin' yu' find your own trail out。 If he
tried to show it to yu'； yu'd likely hit him。 But shucks！ Circumstances have
showed me the trail this time； you bet！〃 And the puncher's face； which had
been sombre； grew lively； and he laid a friendly hand on my knee。
〃The trail's pretty simple；〃 said I。
〃You bet！ But it's sure a queer world。 Tell yu'；〃 said Lin； with the air of
having made a discovery； 〃when a man gets down to bed…rock affairs in
this life he's got to do his travellin' alone； same as he does his dyin'。 I
expect even married men has thoughts and hopes they don't tell their
wives。〃
〃Never was married；〃 said I。
〃Wellno more was I。 Let's go to bed。〃 And Lin shook my hand； and
gave me a singular； rather melancholy smile。
At Salt Lake City； which Ogden was glad to include in his Western
holiday； we found both Mormon and Gentile ready to give us odds against
rainonly I noticed that those of the true faith were less free。 Indeed； the
Mormon； the Quaker； and most sects of an isolated doctrine have a nice
prudence in money。 During our brief stay we visited the sights： floating in
the lake； listening to pins drop in the gallery of the Tabernacle； seeing
frescos of saints in robes speaking from heaven to Joseph Smith in the
Sunday clothes of a modern farm…hand； and in the street we heard at a
distance a strenuous domestic talk between the new or perhaps I should
say the original husband and wife。
〃She's corralled Sidney's cash！〃 said the delighted Lin。 〃He can't bet
nothing on this shower 〃
And then； after all； this timeit didn't rain！
Stripped of money both ways； Cheyenne； having most fortunately
purchased a return ticket； sought its home。 The perplexed rain…maker went
somewhere else； without his assistant。 Lusk's exulting wife； having the
money； retained him with her。
〃Good luck to yu'； Sidney！〃 said Lin； speaking to him for the first time
since Cheyenne。 〃I feel a heap better since I've saw yu' married。〃 He paid
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no attention to the biscuit…shooter； or the horrible language that she threw
after him。
Jode also felt 〃a heap better。〃 Legitimate science had triumphed。 To…
day； most of Cheyenne believes with Jode that it was all a coincidence。
South Carolina had bet on her principles； and won from Lin the few
dollars that I had lent the puncher。
〃And what will you do now？〃 I said to Lin。
〃Join the beef round…up。 Balaam's payin' forty dollars。 I guess that'll
keep a single man。〃
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