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ground。 〃I've got it！〃 he exclaimed； 〃give your wife something。〃
The ruddy cow…puncher grinned。 He had passed through the world of
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woman with but few delays； rejoicing in informal and transient
entanglements； and he welcomed the turn which the conversation seemed
now to be taking。 〃If you'll give me her name and address；〃 said he； with
the future entirely in his mind。
〃Why； Laramie！〃 and the Governor feigned surprise。
〃Say； Doc；〃 said Lin； uneasily； 〃none of 'em ain't married me since I
saw yu' last。〃
〃Then she hasn't written from Laramie；〃 said the hilarious Governor；
and Mr。 McLean understood and winced in his spirit deep down。 〃Gee
whiz！〃 went on Barker； 〃I'll never forget you and Lusk that day！〃
But the mask fell now。 〃You're talking of his wife； not mine；〃 said the
cow…puncher very quietly； and smiling no more； 〃and； Doc； I'm going to
say a word to yu'； for I know yu've always been my good friend。 I'll never
forget that day myselfbut I don't want to be reminded of it。〃
〃I'm a fool； Lin；〃 said the Governor； generous instantly。 〃I never
supposed〃
〃I know yu' didn't； Doc。 It ain't you that's the fool。 And in a wayin a
way〃 Lin's speech ended among his crowding memories； and Barker；
seeing how wistful his face had turned； waited。 〃But I ain't quite the same
fool I was before that happened to me；〃 the cow…puncher resumed；
〃though maybe my actions don't show to be wiser。 I know that there was
better luck than a man like me had any call to look for。〃
The sobered Barker said； simply； 〃Yes； Lin。〃 He was put to thinking by
these words from the unsuspected inner man。
Out in the Bow Leg country Lin McLean had met a woman with thick；
red cheeks； calling herself by a maiden name； and this was his whole
knowledge of her when he put her one morning astride a Mexican saddle
and took her fifty miles to a magistrate and made her his lawful wife to the
best of his ability and belief。 His sage…brush intimates were confident he
would never have done it but for a rival。 Racing the rival and beating him
had swept Mr。 McLean past his own intentions； and the marriage was an
inadvertence。 〃He jest bumped into it before he could pull up；〃 they
explained； and this casualty； resulting from Mr。 McLean's sporting blood；
had entertained several hundred square miles of alkali。 For the new…made
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husband the joke soon died。 In the immediate weeks that came upon him
he tasted a bitterness worse than in all his life before； and learned also how
deep the woman； when once she begins； can sink beneath the man in
baseness。 That was a knowledge of which he had lived innocent until this
time。 But he carried his outward self serenely； so that citizens in Cheyenne
who saw the cow…puncher with his bride argued shrewdly that men of that
sort liked women of that sort； and before the strain had broken his
endurance an unexpected first husband； named Lusk； had appeared one
Sunday in the street； prosperous； forgiving； and exceedingly drunk。 To the
arms of Lusk she went back in the public street； deserting McLean in the
presence of Cheyenne； and when Cheyenne saw this； and learned how she
had been Mrs。 Lusk for eight long； if intermittent； years； Cheyenne
laughed loudly。 Lin McLean laughed； too； and went about his business；
ready to swagger at the necessary moment； and with the necessary kind of
joke always ready to shield his hurt spirit。 And soon； of course； the matter
grew stale； seldom raked up in the Bow Leg country where Lin had been
at work； so lately he had begun to remember other things beside the
smouldering humiliation。
〃Is she with him？〃 he asked Barker； and musingly listened while
Barker told him。 The Governor had thought to make it a racy story； with
the moral that the joke was now on Lusk； but that inner man had spoken
and revealed the cow…puncher to him in a new and complicated light；
hence he quieted the proposed lively cadence and vocabulary of his
anecdote about the house of Lusk； but instead of narrating how Mrs。 beat
Mr。 on Mondays； Wednesdays； and Fridays； and Mr。 took his turn the odd
days； thus getting one ahead of his lady； while the kid Lusk had outlined
his opinion of the family by recently skipping to parts unknown； Barker
detailed these incidents more gravely； adding that Laramie believed Mrs。
Lusk addicted to opium。
〃I don't guess I'll leave my card on 'em；〃 said McLean； grimly； 〃if I
strike Laramie。〃
〃You don't mind my saying I think you're well out of that scrape？〃
Barker ventured。
〃Shucks； no！ That's all right； Doc。 Onlyyu' see now。 A man gets tired
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pretendingonced in a while。〃
Time had gone while they were in talk； and it was now half after one
and Mr。 McLean late for that long…plotted first square meal。 So the friends
shook hands； wishing each other Merry Christmas； and the cow…puncher
hastened toward his chosen companions through the stirring cheerfulness
of the season。 His play…hour had made a dull beginning among the toys。
He had come upon people engaged in a pleasant game； and waited； shy
and well disposed； for some bidding to join； but they had gone on playing
with each other and left him out。 And now he went along in a sort of hurry
to escape from that loneliness where his human promptings had been
lodged with him useless。 Here was Cheyenne； full of holiday for sale； and
he with his pockets full of money to buy； and when he thought of Shorty；
and Chalkeye； and Dollar Bill； those dandies to hit a town with； he stepped
out with a brisk； false hope。 It was with a mental hurrah and a foretaste of
a good time coming that he put on his town clothes； after shaving and
admiring himself； and sat down to the square meal。 He ate away and drank
with a robust imitation of enjoyment that took in even himself at first。 But
the sorrowful process of his spirit went on； for all he could do。 As he
groped for the contentment which he saw around him he began to receive
the jokes with counterfeit mirth。 Memories took the place of anticipation；
and through their moody shiftings he began to feel a distaste for the
company of his friends and a shrinking from their lively voices。 He
blamed them for this at once。 He was surprised to think he had never
recognized before how light a weight was Shorty； and here was Chalkeye；
who knew better； talking religion after two glasses。 Presently this attack of
noticing his friends' shortcomings mastered him； and his mind； according
to its wont； changed at a stroke。 〃I'm celebrating no Christmas with this
crowd；〃 said the inner man； and when they had next remembered Lin
McLean in their hilarity he was gone。
Governor Barker； finishing his purchases at half…past three； went to
meet a friend come from Evanston。 Mr。 McLean was at the railway station；
buying a ticket for Denver。
〃Denver！〃 exclaimed the amazed Governor。
〃That's what I said；〃 stated Mr。 McLean； doggedly。
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〃Gee whiz！〃 went his Excellency。 〃What are you going to do there？〃
〃Get good and drunk。〃
〃Can't you find enough whiskey in Cheyenne？〃
〃I'm drinking champagne this trip。〃
The cow…puncher went out on the platform and got aboard； and the
train moved off。 Barker had walked out too in his surprise； and as he
stared after the last car； Mr。 McLean waved his wide hat defiantly and
went inside the door。
〃And he says he's got maturity；〃 Barker muttered。 〃I've known him
since seventy…nine； and he's kept about eight years old right along。〃 The
Governor was cross； and sorry； and presently crosser。 His jokes about Lin's
marriage came back to him and put him in a rage with the departed fool。