ButMissBucknerinterposed。“Oh，well，“saidshe，“nexttime；ifhedoesitnexttime。It’ssolateto-night!You’llnotfrightenusthatwayagainifheletsyouoff？“sheaskedBilly。
“No，“saidBilly，lookingatherwithinterest。“Father’dhavecowhidedmeanyway，Iguess，“headded，meditatively。
“Doyoucallhimfather？“
“Ah，father’satLaramie，“saidBilly，withdisgust。“He’dnotstopforyourasking。Lindon’tbothermemuch。“
“Youquittalkingandstepupthere!“orderedhisguardian。“Well，m’m，I
guessyu’cansleepgoodnowinthere。“
“Ifitwasonlyan’L。andN。’I’dnothaveathingagainstit!
Good-night，Mr。McLean；good-night，youngMr——“
“I’mBillyLusk。IcanrideChalkeye’spintothatbuckedHoneyWiggin。“
“Iamsureyoucanridefinely，Mr。Lusk。MaybeyouandIcantakearidetogether。Pleasantdreams!“
Shenoddedandsmiledtohim，andslidherdoorto；andBillyconsideredit，remarking：“Ilikeher。Whatmakesherliveinacar？“
ButhewasdrowsingwhileItoldhim；andIliftedhimuptoLin，whotookhiminhisownblankets，wherehefellimmediatelyasleep。Onedistantwhistleshowedhowfarthelateenginehadgonefromus。Weleftourcaropen，andIlayenjoyingthecoolair。ThuswasIdriftingoff，whenIgrewawareofafigureinthedoor。ItwasLin，standinginhisstockingsandnotmuchelse，withhispistol。Helistened，andthenleapeddown，lightasacat。Iheardsomerepressedtalking，andlayinexpectancy；butbackhecame，noiselessinhisstockings，andasheslidintobedIaskedwhatthematterwas。HehadfoundtheTexasboy，ManassasDonohoe，bythegirl’scar，withnoworseintentionthankeepingawatchonit。“SoIgavehimtounderstand，“saidLin，“thatIhadnoobjectiontohimamusinghimselfplayingpicket-line，butthatIguessedIwasenoughguard，andhewouldfindsleephealthierforhissystem。“
AfterthisIwenttosleepwholly；but，wakingonceinthenight，thoughtIheardsomeoneoutside，andlearnedinthemorningfromLinthattheboyhadnotgoneuntilthetimecameforhimtojoinhisoutfitatthecorrals。AndIwassurprisedthatLin，theusuallygood-hearted，shouldfindnothingbutmirthintheideaofthisunknown，unthankedyoungsentinel。“Sleeping’saheapbetterforthemkindtilltheygettheirgrowth，“washissingleobservation。
ButwhenSeparhaddwindledtotoysbehindusinthejourneyingstageI
toldMissJessamine，andalthoughshelaughedtoo，itwaswithanotethatyoungTexaswouldhavelikedtohear；andshehopedshemightseehimuponherreturn，tothankhim。
“AnyJackcanwalkaroundallnight，“saidMr。McLean，disparagingly。
“Well，then，andIknowaJackwhodidn’t，“observedtheyounglady。
Thisspeechcausedheradmirertobefullofexplanations；sothatwhenshesawhowreadilyshecouldperplexhim，andyethowcapableanduntiringhewasabouthercomfort，helpingheroutortuckingherinatthestationswherewehadamealorchangedhorses，sheenjoyedthehoursverymuch，inspiteoftheirgrowingawkwardness。
Butoh，thesparkling，unbashfulLin!Sometimeshesathimselfbesidehertobeclose，andthenhewouldmoveopposite，thebettertobeholdher。
Never，exceptoncelongafterwhensorrowmanfullybornehadstillfurtherrefinedhisclay，haveIheardLin’svoiceorseenhislooksowinning。Nodoubtmanyamalebirdcaresnothingwhatneighborbirdoverhearshisspringsongfromthetopoftheopentree，butIextremelydoubtifhislady-love，evenifshebeafrank，bouncingrobin，doesnotprefertolistenfromsomethicket，andnotuponthepubliclawn。
Jessaminegrewsilentandalmostpeevish；andfromdiscourseuponmanandwomanshehopped，sheskipped，sheflew。WhenLinlookedathiswatchandcountedthediminishedhoursbetweenherandBuffalo，shesmiledtoherself；butfrommentionofherbrothersheshrank，glancingswiftlyatmeandmywell-assumedslumber。
Anditwaswithindignationandself-pitythatIclimbedoutinthehotsunatlastbesidethedriverandsmallBilly。
“Iknowthisroad，“pipedBilly，onthebox“’Icampedherewithfatherwhenmotherwasoffthattime。Youcantakealeft-handtrailbythosecottonwoodsandstrikethemountains。“
SoIinquiredwhatgamehehadthenshot。
“Ah，justasage-hen。Lin’sa-goingtoletmeshootabear，youknow。
WhatmadeLinmarrymotherwhenfatherwasaround？“
ThedrivergavemealookoverBilly’shead，andIgavehimone；andI
instructedBillythatpeoplesupposedhisfatherwasdead。IwithheldthathismothergaveherselfoutasMissPeckinthedayswhenLinmetheronBearCreek。
Theformidablenine-year-oldpondered。“ThegeographysaystheyusedtohavealotofwivesatSaltLakeCity。Isthereaplacewhereawomancanhavealotofhusbands？“
“Itdon’tespeciallydependontheplace，“remarkedthedrivertome。
“Because，“Billywenton，“BertTaylortoldmeinrecessthatmother’dhadalot，andItoldhimhelied，andtheotherboystheylaughedandI
blackedBert’seyeonhim，andI’dhaveblackedtheotherstoo，onlyMissWoodcameout。Iwouldn’ttellherwhatBertsaid，andBertwouldn’t，andSophyArmstrongtoldher。Bert’sfatherfoundout，andhecomeround，andIthoughthewasa-goingtolickmeabouttheeye，andhelickedBert!
Say，amILin’s，honest？“
“No，Billy，you’renot，“Isaid。
“WishIwas。Theycouldn’tgetmebacktoLaramiethen；but，oh，bother!
I’dnotgofor’em!I’dliketosee’emtry!Linwouldn’tleavemego。
Youain’tmarried，areyou？NomoreisLinnow，Iguess。Agoodmanyare，butIwouldn’twantto。Idon’tthinkanythingof’em。I’veseenmothertake’pothecarystuffonthesly。She’swhaledmeworsethanLineverdoes。Iguesshewouldn’twanttobemother’shusbandagain，andifhedoes，“saidBilly，hisvoicesuddenlyvindictive，“I’llquithimandskip。“
“Nodanger，Bill，“saidI。
“Howwouldtheniceladyinsidepleaseyou？“inquiredthedriver。
“Ah，pshaw!sheain’tafterLin!“sangoutBilly，loudandscornful。
“She’safterherbrother。She’sallright，though，“headded，approvingly。
Atthisalltalkstoppedshortinside，revivinginacasual，scantymanner；whileunconsciousBillyLusk，tiredoftheonesubject，nowspokecheerfullyofbirds’eggs。
Whoknowsthechild-soul，youngindays，yetoldasAdamandthehills？
Thatschool-yardslurabouthismotherwasasdimtohisunderstandingastotheoffender’s，yetmysteriousnaturehadbidhimgotoinstantwar!
HowforeseeinginLintochoketheunfoundedjestabouthisrelationtoBillyLusk，inhopestosavetheboy’severawakeningtothefactsofhismother’slife!“Though，“saidthedriver，aneasygoingcynic，“folkswithlotsoffatherswillfindheapsofbrothersinthiscountry!“ButpresentlyheletBillyholdthereins，andatthenextstationcarefullyliftedhimdownandup。“I’veknowedthatwoman，too，“hewhisperedtome。“Sidney，Nebraska。Luskwasoffhalfthetime。WelaughedwhenshefooledLinintomarryin’her。Cometothink，“hemused，astwilightdeepenedaroundourclankingstage，andsmallBillysleptsoundbetweenus，“there’sscarcelyathinginlifeyougetalaughoutofthatdon’tmakesobernessforsomebody。“
Sobernesshadnowvisitedthepairbehindus；evenLin’slivelytalkhadquieted，andhistoneswerelowandfew。ButthoughMissJessamineatournextchangeofhorses“hoped“Iwouldcomeinside，Iknewshedidnothopeveryearnestly，andoutsideIremaineduntilBuffalo。
Journeyingdone，herfacerevealedthestrainbeneathherbravebrightness，andthehauntingcareshecouldnolongerkeepfromhereyes。
Theimminenceofthejailandthemeetinghadmadehercheekswhiteandhercountenanceseemactuallysmaller；andwhen，remindingmethatweshouldmeetagainsoon，shegavemeherhand，itwasice-cold。IthinkshewasafraidLinmightoffertogowithher。Buthisheartunderstoodthelonelysacrednessofhernexthalf-hour，andthecowpuncher，standingasideforhertopass，liftedhishatwistfullyandspokeneveraword。Foramomenthelookedafterherwithsombreemotion；butthecourt-houseandprisonstoodnearandinsight，and，asplainasifhehadsaidso，Isawhimsuddenlyfeelsheshouldnotbestaredatgoingupthosesteps；itmustbeallalone，thepainandthejoyofthatreprieve!
Heturnedawaywithme，andafterafewsilentstepssaid，“Wasted!allwasted!“
“Letushope——“Ibegan。
“You’renotafool，“hebrokein，roughly。“Youdon’thopeanything。“
“He’llstartlifeelsewhere，“saidI。
“Elsewhere!Yes，keepstartingtillalltheelsewheresknowhimlikePowderRiverknowshim。Butshe!Ihavehadtositandhearhertellandtellabouthim；allaboutbackinKentuckyplayin’aroundthefarm，andhowsheraisedhimaftertheoldfolksdied。Thenhegotbiggerandmadeherselltheirfarm，andshetoldhowitwasrightheshouldturnitintomoneyandgethishalf。Ididnotdaresayaword，forshe’dhavejustbitmyheadoff，and——andthatwouldsurehurtmenow!“Linbroughtupwithacomicalchuckle。“Andshewenttowork，andheclearedout，andnomoreseenorheardofhim。That’sforfiveyears，andshe’dgivenuptracinghim，whenonemorningshereadsinthepaperabouthowherlong-lostbrotherisconvictedforforgery。That’sthewaysheknowshe’snotdead，andshetakeshersavingsoffherrailroadsalaryandstartsforhim。ShewasthathastyshethoughtitwasBuffalo，NewYork，tillshegotinthecarsandreadthepaperoveragain。ButshehadtogoasfarasCincinnati，eitherway。Shehaspaideverycentofthemoneyhestole。“Wehadcometothebridge，andLinjerkedastoneintothequicklittleriver。“She’sawfulstrictinsomeways。ThoughtBuffalomustbeawickedplacebecauseoftheshopsbein’openSunday。NowifthatwasallBuffalo’swickedness!Andshethinksdivorceismostlysin。ButherheartisashieldforNate。“
“Herfaceisasbeautifulasheractions，“headded。
“Well，“saidI，“andwouldyoumakesuchavillainyourbrother-in-law？“
Hewhirledroundandtookbothmyshoulders。“Comewalking!“heurged。“I
musttalksome。“Sowefollowedthestreamoutoftowntowardsthemountains。“Icameawfulnearaskingherinthestage，“saidhe。
“Goodness，Lin!giveyourselftime!“
“Timecan’tincreasemyfeelings。“
“Hers，man，hers!Howmanyhourshaveyouknownher？“
“Hoursandhours!You’retalkingfoolishness!Whathavetheygottodowithit？Andshewilllistentome。Icantellshewill。IknowIcanbesoshe’lllisten，anditwillgoallright，forI’llasksohard。Andeverything’llcomeoutstraight。Yu’see，I’venotbeenspendingtospeakofsinceBilly’sonmyhands，andnowI’llfixupmycabinandfinishmyfencingandmyditch——andshe’sgoingtolikeBoxElderCreekbetterthanShawhan。She’sthefirstI’veeverloved。“
“ThenI’dliketoask——“Icriedout。
“Askaway!“heexclaimed，inattentively，inhisenthusiasm。
“Whenyou——“butIstopped，perceivingitimpossible。Itwas，ofcourse，notthemanytransientpassionsonwhichhehadsquanderedhissubstance，buttheonewherefaithalsohadseemedtounite。Hadhenotmarriedonce，innocentofthewoman’sbeingalreadyawife？ButIstopped，fortotrenchherewasnotformeoranyone。
AndmypausestrangelyflashedonhimsomethingofthatIhadinmymind。
“No，“hesaid，hiseyessteadyandseriousuponme，“don’tyouaskaboutthethingsyou’remeaning。“Thenhisfacegrewradiantandratherstern。
“DoyousupposeIdon’tknowshe’stoogoodforme？Andthatsomebygonescan’teverbebygones？Butifyou，“hesaid，“nevercometolookawayuptoawomanfromawaydown，andmeantowinherjustthesameasifyoudiddeserveher，why，you’llmakeaturrublemessofthewholebusiness!“
Whenwewalkedinsilenceforalongwhile，helightedagainwiththeblossomingdawnofhissentiment。IthoughtofthecoarseyettakingvagabondoftwentyIhadoncechancedupon，andhuntedandcampedwithsincethroughtheyears。Decidedlyhewasnotthatboyto-day!Itisnottruethatallofusrisethroughadversity，anymorethanthatallplantsneedshadow。Somestarveoutofthesunshine；andIhaveseenmiserydeadenoncekindpeopletoeverythingbutself——almostthesaddestsightintheworld!ButLin’scharacterhadnotstoodwelltheordealofhappiness，andforhimcertainlyharshdaysandresponsibilityhadbeenneededtoripenthespirit。Yes，JessamineBucknerwouldhavebeenmuchtoogoodforhimbeforethathumiliationofhismarriage，andthiscareofyoungBillywithwhichhehadloadedhimself。“Lin，“saidI，“Iwilldrinkyourhealthandluck。“
“I’mhealthyenough，“saidhe；andwecamebacktothemainstreetandintothemainsaloon。