lin mclean-第24章

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〃Well；　that　saves　me　money；〃　said　Mr。　McLean；　jingling　his　pocket。　〃I

guess　you've　both　won。〃　He　handed　each　of　them　a　dollar。　〃Now；〃　he

continued；　〃I　just　dassent　show　these　boots　uptown；　so　this　time　it's　a

dollar　for　the　best　shine。〃



The　two　went　palpitating　at　their　brushes　again；　and　the　leader　played

his　mouth…organ　with　brilliant　unconcern。　Lin；　tall　and　brooding　leaned

against　the　jutting　sill　of　the　window；　a　figure　somehow　plainly　strange

in　town；　while　through　the　bright　plate…glass　Santa　Claus；　holding　out

his　beer　and　sausages；　perpetually　beamed。



Billy　was　laboring　gallantly；　but　it　was　labor；　the　cow…puncher

perceived；　and　Billy　no　seasoned　expert。〃　See　here；〃　said　Lin；　stooping；

〃I'll　show　yu'　how　it's　done。　He's　playin'　that　toon　cross…eyed　enough　to

steer　anybody　crooked。　There。　Keep　your　blacking　soft；　and　work　with　a

dry　brush。〃



〃Lemme；〃　said　Billy。　〃I've　got　to　learn。〃　So　he　finished　the　boot　his　own

way　with　wiry　determination；　breathing　and　repolishing；　and　this　event

was　also　adjudged　a　dead　heat；　with　results　gratifying　to　both　parties。

So　here　was　their　work　done；　and　more　money　in　their　pockets　than　from

all　the　other　boots　and　shoes　of　this　day；　and　Towhead　and　Billy　did　not

wish　for　further　trade；　but　to　spend　this　handsome　fortune　as　soon　as

might　be。　Yet　they　delayed　in　the　brightness　of　the　window；　drawn　by

curiosity　near　this　new　kind　of　man　whose　voice　held　them　and　whose

remarks　dropped　them　into　constant　uncertainty。　Even　the　omitted　leader

had　been　unable　to　go　away　and　nurse　his　pride　alone。



〃Is　that　a　secret　society？〃　inquired　Towhead；　lifting　a　finger　at　the

badge。



Mr。　McLean　nodded。　〃Turruble；〃　said　he。



〃You're　a　Wells　&　Fargo　detective；〃　asserted　the　leader。



〃Play　your　harp；〃　said　Lin。



〃Are　you　aa　desperaydo？〃　whispered　Towhead。



〃Oh；　my！〃　observed　Mr。　McLean；　sadly；　〃what　has　our　Jack　been　readin'？〃



〃He's　a　cattle…man！〃　cried　Billy。　〃I　seen　his　heels。〃



〃That's　you！〃　said　the　discovered　puncher；　with　approval。　〃You'll　do。　But

I　bet　you　can't　tell　me　what　we　wearers　of　this　badge　have　sworn　to　do

this　night。〃



At　this　they　craned　their　necks　and　glared　at　him。



〃Wearesworndon't　yu'　jump；　now；　and　give　me　awaysworntoblow

off　three　bootblacks　to　a　dinner。〃



〃Ah；　pshaw！〃　They　backed　away；　bristling　with　distrust。



〃That's　the　oath；　fellows。　Yu'　may　as　well　make　your　minds　upfor　I　have

it　to　do！〃



〃Dare　you　to！　Ah！〃



〃And　after　dinner　it's　the　Opera…house；　to　see　〃The　Children　of　Captain

Cant'！〃



They　screamed　shrilly　at　him；　keeping　off　beyond　the　curb。



〃I　can't　waste　my　time　on　such　smart　boys；〃　said　Mr。　McLean；　rising

lazily　to　his　full　height　from　the　window…sill。　〃I　am　goin'　somewhere　to

find　boys　that　ain't　so　turruble　quick　stampeded　by　a　roast　turkey。〃



He　began　to　lounge　slowly　away；　serious　as　he　had　been　throughout；　and

they；　stopping　their　noise　short；　swiftly　picked　up　their　boxes；　and

followed　him。　Some　change　in　the　current　of　electricity　that　fed　the

window　disturbed　its　sparkling　light；　so　that　Santa　Claus；　with　his　arms

stretched　out　behind　the　departing　cow…puncher　seemed　to　be　smiling　more

broadly　from　the　midst　of　his　flickering　brilliance。



On　their　way　to　turkey；　the　host　and　his　guests　exchanged　but　few

remarks。　He　was　full　of　good…will；　and　threw　off　a　comment　or　two　that

would　have　led　to　conversation　under　almost　any　circumstances　save　these；

but　the　minds　of　the　guests　were　too　distracted　by　this　whole　state　of

things　for　them　to　be　capable　of　more　than　keeping　after　Mr。　McLean　in

silence；　at　a　wary　interval；　and　with　their　mouths；　during　most　of　the

journey；　open。　The　badge；　the　pistol；　their　patron's　talk；　and　the

unusual　dollars；　wakened　wide　their　bent　for　the　unexpected；　their　street

affinity　for　the　spur　of　the　moment；　they　believed　slimly　in　the　turkey

part　of　it；　but　what　this　man　might　do　next；　to　be　there　when　he　did　it；

and　not　to　be　trapped；　kept　their　wits　jumping　deliciously；　so　when　they

saw　him　stop；　they　stopped　instantly　too；　ten　feet　out　of　reach。　This　was

Denver's　most　civilized　restaurantthat　one　which　Mr。　McLean　had

remembered；　with　foreign　dishes　and　private　rooms；　where　he　had　promised

himself；　among　other　things；　champagne。　Mr。　McLean　had　never　been　inside

it；　but　heard　a　tale　from　a　friend；　and　now　he　caught　a　sudden　sight　of

people　among　geraniums；　with　plumes　and　white　shirt…fronts；　very　elegant。

It　must　have　been　several　minutes　that　he　stood　contemplating　the

entrance　and　the　luxurious　couples　who　went　in。



〃Plumb　French！〃　he　observed　at　length；　and　then；　〃Shucks！〃　in　a　key　less

confident；　while　his　guests　ten　feet　away　watched　him　narrowly。　〃They're

eatin'　patty　de　parley…voo　in　there；〃　he　muttered；　and　the　three

bootblacks　came　beside　him。　〃Say；　fellows；〃　said　Lin；　confidingly；　〃I

wasn't　raised　good　enough　for　them　dude　dishes。　What　do　yu'　say！　I'm

after　a　place　where　yu'　can　mention　oyster　stoo　without　givin'　anybody　a

fit。　What　do　yu'　say；　boys？〃



That　lighted　the　divine　spark　of　brotherhood！



〃Ah；　you　come　along　with　uswe'll　take　yer！　You　don't　want　to　go　in

there。　We'll　show　yer　the　boss　place　in　Market　Street。　We　won't　lose　yer。〃

So；　shouting　together　in　their　shrill　little　city　trebles；　they　clustered

about　him；　and　one　pulled　at　his　coat　to　start　him。　He　started

obediently；　and　walked　in　their　charge；　they　leading　the　way。



〃Christmas　is　comin'　now；　sure；〃　said　Lin；　grinning　to　himself。　〃It　ain't

exactly　what　I　figured　on。〃　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　laughed　since

Cheyenne；　and　he　brushed　a　hand　over　his　eyes；　that　were　dim　with　the　new

warmth　in　his　heart。



Believing　at　length　in　him　and　his　turkey；　the　alert　street　faces；　so

suspicious　of　the　unknown；　looked　at　him　with　ready　intimacy　as　they　went

along；　and　soon；　in　the　friendly　desire　to　make　him　acquainted　with

Denver；　the　three　were　patronizing　him。　Only　Billy；　perhaps；　now　and　then

stole　at　him　a　doubtful　look。



The　large　Country　Mouse　listened　solemnly　to　his　three　Town　Mice；　who

presently　introduced　him　to　the　place　in　Market　Street。　It　was　not　boss；

precisely；　and　Denver　knows　better　neighborhoods；　but　the　turkey　and　the

oyster　stew　were　there；　with　catsup　and　vegetables　in　season；　and　several

choices　of　pie。　Here　the　Country　Mouse　became　again　efficient；　and　to

witness　his　liberal　mastery　of　ordering　and　imagine　his　pocket　and　its

wealth；　which　they　had　heard　and　partly　seen；　renewed　in　the　guests　a

transient　awe。　As　they　dined；　however；　and　found　the　host　as　frankly

ravenous　as　themselves；　this　reticence　evaporated；　and　they　all　grew

fluent　with　oaths　and　opinions。　At　one　or　two　words；　indeed；　Mr。　McLean

stared　and　had　a　slight　sense　of　blushing。



〃Have　a　cigarette？〃　said　the　leader；　over　his　pie。



〃Thank　yu'；〃　said　Lin。　〃I　won't　smoke；　if　yu'll　excuse　me。〃　He　had

devised　a　wholesome　meal；　with　water　to　drink。



〃Chewin's　no　good　at　meals；〃　continued　the　boy。　〃Don't　you　use　tobaccer？〃



〃Onced　in　a　while。〃



The　leader　spat　brightly。　〃He　ain't　learned　yet；〃　said　he；　slanting　his

elbows　at　Billy　and　sliding　a　match　over　his　rump。　〃But　beer；　nowI

never　seen　anything　in　it。〃　He　and　Towhead　soon　left　Billy　and　his　callow

profanities　behind；　and　engaged　in　a　town　conversation　that　silenced　him；

and　set　him　listening　with　all　his　admiring　young　might。　Nor　did　Mr。

McLean　join　in　the　talk；　but　sat　embarrassed　by　this　knowledge；　which

seemed　about　as　much　as　he　knew　himself。



〃I'll　be　goshed；〃　he　thought；　〃if　I'd　caught　on　to　half　that　when　I　was

streakin'　around　in　short　pants！　Maybe　they　grow　up　quicker　now。〃　But　now

the　Country　Mouse　perceived　Billy's　eager　and　attentive　apprenticeship。

〃Hello；　boys！〃　he　said；　〃that　theatre's　got　a　big　start　on　us。〃



They　had　all　forgotten　he　had　said　anything　about　theatre；　and　other

topics　left　their　impatient　minds；　while　the　Country　Mouse　paid　the　bill

and　as