TheVirginianstoppedlookingatthesky，andwatchedTrampasfromwherehelay。
“Ithinksheencouragesamansome，“saidpoorNebrasky。
“Encourages？Becausesheletsyu’teachherhowtoshoot，“saidWiggin。“Well——Idon’tguessI’majudge。I’vealwayskindo’
kep’awayfromthemgoodwomen。Don’tseemtothinkofanythingtochataboutto’em。TheonlyfolksI’dsaysheencouragesistheschoolkids。Shekissesthem。“
“Ridingandshootingandkissingthekids，“sneeredTrampas。
“That’saheaptoopussy-kittenforme。“
Theylaughed。Thesage-brushaudienceisreadilycynical。
“Lookfortheman，Isay，“Trampaspursued。“Andain’thethere？
SheleavesBaldysitonthefencewhilesheandLinMcLean——“
Theylaughedloudlyattheblackguardpicturewhichhedrew；andthelaughstoppedshort，fortheVirginianstoodoverTrampas。
“Youcanriseupnow，andtellthemyoulie，“hesaid。
Themanwasstillforamomentinthedeadsilence。“Ithoughtyouclaimedyouandherwasn’tacquainted，“saidhethen。
“Standonyourlaigs，youpolecat，andsayyou’realiar！“
Trampas’shandmovedbehindhim。
“Quitthat，“saidtheSoutherner，“orI’llbreakyourneck！“
Theeyeofamanistheprinceofdeadlyweapons。TrampaslookedintheVirginian’s，andslowlyrose。“Ididn’tmean——“hebegan，andpaused，hisfacepoisonouslybloated。
“Well，I’llcallthatsufficient。Keepa-standin’still。Iain’
goingtotroubleyu’long。Inadmittin’yourselftobealiaryouhavespokeGod’struthforonced。HoneyWiggin，youandmeandtheboyshavehittowntoofrequentforanyofustoplaySundayonthebalanceofthegang。“HestoppedandsurveyedPublicOpinion，seatedaroundincarefullyinexpressiveattention。“Weain’taChristianoutfitalittlebit，andmaybewehavemostforgottenwhatdecencyfeelslike。ButIreckonwehaven’tforgotwhatitmeans。Youcansitdownnow，ifyouwant。“
Theliarstoodandsneeredexperimentally，lookingatPublicOpinion。Butthischangefuldeitywasnolongerwithhim，andhehearditvariouslyassenting，“That’sso，“and“She’salady，“
andotherwiseexcellentlymoralizing。Soheheldhispeace。When，however，theVirginianhaddepartedtotheroastingsteer，andPublicOpinionrelaxedintothatcomfortwhichweallexperiencewhenthesermonends，Trampassatdownamidtherevivingcheerfulness，andventuredagaintobefacetious。
“Shutyourrankmouth，“saidWiggintohim，amiably。“Idon’tcarewhetherheknowsherorifhedoneitonprinciple。I’llaccepttheroundin’uphegaveus——andsay！You’llswallo’yourdose，too！Usboys’llstandinwithhiminthis。“
SoTrampasswallowed。AndwhatoftheVirginian？
Hehadchampionedthefeeble，andspokenhonorablyinmeeting，andaccordingtoalltheconstitutionsandby-lawsofmorality，heshouldhavebeenwalkinginvirtue’sespecialcalm。Butthereitwas！hehadspoken；hehadgiventhemapeepthroughthekey-holeathisinnerman；andasheprowledawayfromtheassemblagebeforewhomhestoodconvictedofdecency，itwasviciousratherthanvirtuousthathefelt。Othermattersalsodisquietedhim——soLinMcLeanwashangingroundthatschoolmarm！
YethejoinedBenSwintoninaseeminglyChristianspirit。Hetooksomewhiskeyandpraisedthesizeofthebarrel，speakingwithhishostlikethis:“Therecert’nlyain’goin’tobetroubleaboutasecondhelpin’。“
“Hopenot。We’doughttohavemoretrimmings，though。We’reshyonducks。“
“Yu’havethebarrel。HasLinMcLeanseenthat？“
“No。WetriedforducksawaydownasfarastheLapareloutfit。A
realbarbecue——“
“There’slargethirstsonBearCreek。LinMcLeanwillpassonducks。“
“Lin’snotthirstythismonth。“
“Signedforonemonth，hashe？“
“Signed！He’sspooningourschoolmarm！“
“Theyclaimshe’sarightsweet-facedgirl。“
“Yes；yes；awfulagreeable。Andnextthingyou’refooledcleanthrough。“
“Yu’don’tsay！“
“Shekeepsa-teachingthedarnedkids，anditseemslikeagoodgrowed-upmancan’tinteresther。“
“YU’DON’TSAY！“
“ThereusedtobealltheducksyouwantedattheLaparel，buttheirfoolcook’sdeadstuckonraisingturkeysthisyear。“
“Thatmusthavebeenmightyclosetoadrowndin’theschoolmarmgotatSouthFork。“
“Why，Iguessnot。When？She’sneverspokenofanysuchthing——thatI’veheard。“
“Mos’likelythestage-drivergotitwrong，then。“
“Yes。Musthavedrowndedsomebodyelse。Heretheycome！That’sherridin’thehorse。There’stheWestfalls。Whereareyourunningto？“
“Tofixup。Gotanysoaparoundhyeh？“
“Yes，“shoutedSwinton，fortheVirginianwasnowsomedistanceaway；“towelsandeverythinginthedugout。“Andhewenttowelcomehisfirstformalguests。
TheVirginianreachedhissaddleunderashed。“Soshe’snevermentionedit，“saidhe，untyinghisslickerforthetrousersandscarf。“Ididn’tnoticeLinanywheresaroundher。“Hewasoverinthedugoutnow，whippingoffhisoveralls；andsoonhewasexcellentlycleanandready，exceptforthetieinhisscarfandthepartinhishair。“I’dhaveknowedherinGreenland，“heremarked。Heheldthecandleupanddownatthelooking-glass，andthelooking-glassupanddownathishead。“It’smightystrangewhysheain’tmentionedthat。“Heworriedthescarfafoldortwofurther，andatlength，atriflemorethansatisfiedwithhisappearance，heproceededmostserenelytowardthesoundofthetuningfiddles。Hepassedthroughthestore-roombehindthekitchen，steppinglightlylestheshouldrousethetenortwelvebabiesthatlayonthetableorbeneathit。OnBearCreekbabiesandchildrenalwayswentwiththeirparentstoadance，becausenurseswereunknown。SolittleAlfredandChristopherlaythereamongthewraps，parallelandcrosswisewithlittleTaylors，andlittleCarmodys，andLees，andalltheBearCreekoffspringthatwasnotyetabletoskipatlargeandhamperitsindulgenteldersintheball-room。
“Why，Linain’thyehyet！“saidtheVirginian，lookinginuponthepeople。TherewasMissWood，standingupforthequadrille。
“Ididn’trememberherhairwasthatpretty，“saidhe。“Butain’tshealittle，littlegirl！“
Nowshewasintruthfivefeetthree；butthenhecouldlookawaydownonthetopofherhead。
“Saluteyourhoney！“calledthefirstfiddler。Allpartnersbowedtoeachother，andassheturned，MissWoodsawthemaninthedoorway。Again，asithadbeenatSouthForkthatday，hiseyesdroppedfromhers，andshedivininginstantlywhyhehadcomeafterhalfayear，thoughtofthehandkerchiefandofthatscreamofhersintheriver，andbecamefilledwithtyrannyandanticipation；forindeedhewasfinetolookupon。Soshedancedaway，carefullyunawareofhisexistence。
“Firstlady，centre！“saidherpartner，remindingherofherturn。“Haveyouforgottenhowitgoessincelasttime？“
MollyWooddidnotforgetagain，butquadrilledwiththemostsprightlydevotion。
“Iseesomenewfacesto-night，“saidshe，presently。
“Yu’alwaysdoforgetourpoorfaces，“saidherpartner。
“Oh，no！There’sastrangernow。Whoisthatblackman？“
“Well——he’sfromVirginia，andheain’tallowin’he’sblack。“
“He’satenderfoot，Isuppose？“
“Ha，ha，ha！That’srich，too！“andsothesimplepartnerexplainedagreatdealabouttheVirginiantoMollyWood。Attheendofthesetshesawthemanbythedoortakeastepinherdirection。
“Oh，“saidshe，quickly，tothepartner，“howwarmitis！Imustseehowthosebabiesaredoing。“AndshepassedtheVirginianinabreezeofunconcern。
Hiseyesgravelylingeredwhereshehadgone。“Sheknowedmerightaway，“saidhe。Helookedforamoment’thenleanedagainstthedoor。“’Howwarmitis！’saidshe。Well，itain’tsoscreechin’hothyeh；andasforrushin’afterAlfredandChristopher，whentheirnaturalmothehisbumpin’aroundhandy——shecert’nlycan’tbeoffended？“hebrokeoff，andlookedagainwhereshehadgone。AndthenMissWoodpassedhimbrightlyagain，andwasdancingtheschottischealmostimmediately。“Oh，yes，sheknowsme，“theswarthycow-punchermused。“Shehastotaketroublenottoseeme。Andwhatshe’sa-fussin’atismightyinterestin’。Hello！“
“Hello！“returnedLinMcLean，sourly。Hehadjustlookedintothekitchen。
“Notdancin’？“theSouthernerinquired。
“Don’tknowhow。““Hadscyarletfeverandforgotyourpastlife？“
Lengrinned。
“Betterpersuadetheschoolmarmtolearnit。She’sgoin’togivemeinstruction。“
“Huh！“wentMr。McLean，andskulkedouttothebarrel。
“Why，theyclaimedyouweren’tdrinkin’thismonth！“saidhisfriend，following。
“Well，Iam。Here’sluck！“Thetwopledgedintincups。“ButI’mnotwaltzin’withher，“blurtedMr。McLeangrievously。“Shecalledmeanexception。“
“Waltzin’，“repeatedtheVirginianquickly，andhearingthefiddleshehastenedaway。
FewintheBearCreekCountrycouldwaltz，andwiththesefewitwasmostlyanunsteeredandponderousexhibition；thereforewastheSouthernerbentuponprofitingbyhisskill。Heenteredtheroom，andhisladysawhimcomewhereshesataloneforthemoment，andherthoughtsgrewalittlehurried。
“Willyoutryaturn，ma’am？“
“Ibegyourpardon？“Itwasaremote，well-schooledeyethatsheliftednowuponhim。
“Ifyoulikeawaltz，ma’am，willyouwaltzwithme？“
“You’refromVirginia，Iunderstand？“saidMollyWood，regardinghimpolitely，butnotrising。Onegainsauthorityimmenselybykeepingone’sseat。Allgoodteachersknowthis。
“Yes，ma’am，fromVirginia。“
“I’veheardthatSouthernershavesuchgoodmanners。“
“That’scorrect。“Thecow-puncherflushed，buthespokeinhisunvaryinglygentlevoice。
“ForinNewEngland，youknow，“pursuedMissMolly，notinghisscarfandclean-shavenchin，andthenagainsteadilymeetinghiseye，“gentlemenasktobepresentedtoladiesbeforetheyaskthemtowaltz。“
Hestoodamomentbeforeher，deeperanddeeperscarlet；andthemoreshesawhishandsomeface，thekeenerroseherexcitement。
Shewaitedforhimtospeakoftheriver；forthenshewasgoingtobesurprised，andgraduallytoremember，andfinallytobeverynicetohim。Buthedidnotwait。“Iaskyourpardon，lady，“
saidhe，andbowing，walkedoff，leavingheratonceafraidthathemightnotcomeback。Butshehadaltogethermistakenherman。
BackhecameserenelywithMr。Taylor，andwasdulypresentedtoher。Thusweretheconventionsvindicated。
Itcanneverbeknownwhatthecow-puncherwasgoingtosaynext；
forUncleHugheysteppedupwithaglassofwaterwhichhehadleftWoodtobring，andaskingforaturn，mostgraciouslyreceivedit。Shedancedawayfromasituationwhereshebegantofeelherselfgettingtheworstofit。OnemomenttheVirginianstaredathisladyasshelightlycirculated，andthenhewentouttothebarrel。
LeavehimforUncleHershey！Jealousyisadeepanddelicatething，andworksitsspiteinmanyways。TheVirginianhadbeenreadytolookatLinMcLeanwithahostileeye；butfindinghimnowbesidethebarrel，hefeltabrotherhoodbetweenhimselfandLin，andhishostilityhadtakenanewandwhimsicaldirection。
“Here’show！“saidhetoMcLean。Andtheypledgedeachotherinthetincups。
“Beengettin’theminstructions？“saidMr。McLean，grinning。“I
thoughtIsawyu’learningyourstepsthroughthewindow。“
“Here’syourgoodhealth，“saidtheSoutherner。Oncemoretheypledgedeachotherhandsomely。