“Howd’ye，boys？“saidsomeone，andtherewasNateBuckner。“It’sonmeto-day，“hecontinued，shovingwhiskeyalongthebar；andIsawhewasalittledrunk。“I’msetting’emup，“hecontinued。“Why？Why，because“——helookedaroundforappreciation——“becauseit’snoteveryson-of-a-guninWyominggetspardonedbyGovernorBarker。I’mimportant，Iwantyoutounderstand，“hepursuedtothecoldbystanders。“They’llhaveapictureofmeintheCheyennepaper。’TheBronco-busterofPowderRiver!’Theycan’tdowithoutme!Ifanyson-of-a-gunherethinksheknowshowtobreakacolt，“heshouted，lookingaroundwiththeirrelevantfiercenessofdrink——andthenhischallengeebbedvacantlyinlaughterasthesubjectblurredinhismind。“You’renotdrinking，Lin，“saidhe。
“No，“saidMcLean，“I’mnot。“
“Swornoffagain？Well，waterneverdidagreewithme。“
“Yu’nevergavewaterthechance，“retortedthecow-puncher，andwelefttheplacewithoutmyhavingdrunkhishealth。
Itwasagrimbeginning，thisbragattempttolaughhisreputationdown，withthejaildoorscarceclosedbehindhim。“Folksarenotgoingtolikethat，“saidLin，aswewalkedacrossthebridgeagaintothehotel。Yetthesister，leftalonehereafteranhouratmostofherbrother’scompany，wouldpretenditwasamatterofcourse。Natewasnotin，shetoldusatonce。HehadbusinesstoattendtoandfriendstoseehemustgetbacktoRiversideanddowninthatcountrywherecoltswerewaitingforhim。HewastheonlyonetheE。K。outfitwouldallowtohandletheiryoungstock。Didweknowthat？AndshewasgoingtostaywithaMrs。
Piercedownthereforawhile，nearwhereNatewouldbeworking。Allthisshetoldus；butwhenhedidnotreturntodinewithheronthisfirstday，Ithinkshefoundithardtosustainherwilfulcheeriness。Linofferedtotakeherdrivingtoseethemilitarypostanddressparadeatretreat，andCloud’sPeak，andBuffalo’svarioussights；butshemadeexcusesandretiredtoherroom。Nate，however，wasattea，shavenclean，withgoodclothes，andwellconducted。HistoneandmannertoJessaminewereconfidentialandcaressing，andoffendedMr。McLean，sothatI
observedtohimthatitwasscarcelyreasonabletobejealous。
“Oh，nojealousy!“saidhe。“Buthecomesinandkissesher，andhekisseshergood-night，andusstrangerslookingon!It’ssuchoncontrollableaffection，yu’see，afterneverwritingforfiveyears。I
expectshemusthavesomeofhersavingsleft。“
Itistruethatthesistergavethebrothermoneymorethanonce；andasourwayslaytogether，Ihadchancestoseethemboth，andtowonderifherjoyatbeingwithhimonceagainwasgoingtolast。OntheroadtoRiversideIcertainlyheardJessaminebeghimtoreturnhomewithher；
andheridiculedsuchanotion。WhatproperlifeforalivemanwasthatdeadplacebackEast？heaskedher。Ithoughthemighthaveexpressedsomeregretthattheymustdwellsofarapart，orsomeintentiontovisithernowandthen；buthesaidnothingofthesort，thoughhespokevolublyofhimselfandhisprospects。IsupposethisspectacleofbrotherandsisterhadrubbedLinthewrongwaytoomuch，forheheldhimselfandBillyaloof，joiningmeontheroadbutonce，andthenmerelytogivemethenewsthatpeopleherewantednomoreofNateBuckner；hewouldberunoutofthecountry，andrespectforthesisterwasallthatmeanwhilesavedhim。ButBuckner，likesomanysparedcriminals，seemedbrazenlyunawarehewasdisgraced，andwenthailingloudlyanyridersordriverswemet，whilebesidehimhissistersatcloseandstraight，herstanchaffectionandsupportfortheworldtosee。Forallsheletappear，shemighthavebeenbringinghimbackfromsomegallantheroismachieved；andasIrodealongthetravestyseemedmoreandmorepitiful，theoutcomedarkeranddarker。
AtalltimesisRiversidebeautiful，butmostbeautifulwhenthesundrawsdownthroughtheopeningsofthehills。Fromeachoneastreamcomesflowingclearlyoutintotheplain，andfieldsspreadgreenalongthemargins。Itwasbeneaththelong-slantedradianceofeveningthatwesawBlueCreekandfeltitscoolnessriseamongtheshiftingveilsoflight。Theredbluffeastward，thetallnaturalfortress，lostitssternmasonryofshapes，andloomedasofttoweringenchantmentofvioletandamberandsaffroninthechangingrays。Thecattlestoodquietaboutthelevels，andhorsesweremovingamongtherestlesscolts。Thesethebrotherbadehissisterlookat，forwiththemwashisglory；andIheardhimboastingofhisskill——truthfulboasting，tobesure。Hadhebeenhonestinhisdealings，thegood-willthatman’scourageanddashingappearancebegetinmenwouldhavebroughthimmoreemploymentthanhecouldhaveundertaken。HetoldJessaminehiswayofbreakingahorsethatfewwoulddare，andshelistenedeagerly。“DoyourememberwhenIusedtoholdtheponyforyoutogeton？“shesaid。“Youalwayswouldscareme，Nate!“Andhereplied，fluently，Yes，yes；didsheseethathorsethere，nearthefence？Hewasafour-year-old，anoutlaw，andshewouldfindnoonehadtriedgettingonhisbacksincehehadbeenabsent。Thiswasthefirstquestionheaskedonreachingthecabin，wherevariousneighborswerewaitingthemail-rider；and，findinghewasright，heturnedinpridetoJessamine“Theydon’tknowhowtohandlethathorse，“saidhe。“Itoldyouso。Givemearope。“
DidshenoticethecoldgreetingNatereceived？Ithinknot。Notonlywastheirwelcometoherthekinder，butanyoneisgladtowitnessboldriding，andthischancemadeastirwhichthesistermayhavetakenforcordiality。ButLingavemealook；foritwasthesamehereasithadbeenintheBuffalosaloon。
“Thetrickiseasyenough，“saidNate，arrivingwithhisoutlaw，andlikinganaudience。“Youdon’twantabridle，butaropehackamorelikethis——Spanishstyle。Thenletthemrunashardastheywant，andonasuddenreachdownyourarmandcatchthehackamoreshort，closeupbythemouth，andjerkthemroundquickandheavyatfullspeed。Theyquittheirfoolingafteroneortwodoses。Nowwatchyouroutlaw!“
Hewentintothesaddlesoswiftandsecurethattheanimal，amazed，trembledstock-still，thensprangheadlong。Itstopped，viciousandknowing，andplungedinarage，butcoulddonothingwiththeman，andboltedagain，andawayinastraightblindlineoverthemeadow，whentheriderleanedforwardtohistrick。Thehorseveeredinajaggedswerve，rolledoverandoverwithitstwistedimpetus，anduponitsfeetandonwithoutastop，themanstillseatedanduprightinthesaddle。Howwecheeredtoseeit!Butthefigurenowtiltedstrangely，andsomethingawfulandnamelesscameoverusandchilledournoisetosilence。Thehorse，dazedandtamedbythefall，broughtitsburdentowardsus，awobblingthing，fallingbysmallshakesbackward，untiltheheadsankonthehorse’srump。
“Comeaway，“saidLinMcLeantoJessamineandathisvoicesheobeyedandwent，leaningonhisarm。
Jessaminesatbyherbrotheruntilhedied，twelvehoursafterwards，havingspokenandknownnothing。Thewholeweightofthehorsehadcrushedhiminternally。Hemusthavebecomealmostinstantlyunconscious，beingheldinthesaddlebyhisspurs，whichhadcaughtinthehaircinch；itmaybethatourloudcheerwasthelastthingofthisworldthatheknew。Theinjuriestohisbodymadeimpossibleanytakinghimhome，whichhissisteratfirstwishedtodo。“Why，Icameheretobringhimhome，“shesaid，withasmileandtonelikecheerfulnessinwax。Hercalm，theunearthlyeasewithwhichshespoketoanycomerandshewassurroundedwithroughkindness，embarrassedthelisteners；shesawhercalamityclearastheydid，butwassleep-walkinginit。ItwasLingaveherwhatsheneeded——thereposeofhisstrong，silentpresence。Hespokenosympathyandnoadvice，norevendidhearguewithherabouttheburial；heperceivedsomehowthatshedidnotreallyhearwhatwassaidtoher，andthatthesefirstgriefless，sensiblewordscamefromsomemechanismofthenerves；sohekepthimselfnearher，andlethertellherstoryasshewould。OnceIheardhimsaytoher，withthesameauthorityofthatfirst“comeaway“；“Nowyou’vehadenoughofthetalking。Comeforawalk。“Enoughofthetalking——asifitwereatreatment!Howdidhethinkofthat？Jessamine，atanyrate，againobeyedhim，andIsawthetwogoingquietlyaboutinthemeadowsandalongthecurvingbrook；andthatnightshesleptwell。Ononeonlypointdidthecow-puncherconsultme。
“TheyfiguredtoputNateontopofthatbaldmound，“saidhe。“Butshehastalkedabouttheflowersandshadewheretheoldfolkslie，andwhereshewantshimtobealongsideofthem。I’venotletherlookathimto-day，for——well，shemightgetthewayhelooksnowonhermemory。ButI’dliketoshowyoumyideabeforegoingfurther。“
Linhadindeedchosenabeautifulplace，andsoItoldhimatthefirstsightofit。
“That’sallIwantedtoknow，“saidhe。“I’llfixtherest。“
IbelieveheneveroncetoldJessaminethebodycouldnottravelsofarasKentucky。Ithinkheletherliveandtalkandgrievefromhourtohour，andthenledherthatafternoontothenookofsunlightandshelteringtrees，andwonherconsenttoitthus；fortherewasNatelaid，andthereshewenttosit，alone。Lindidnotgowithheronthosewalks。
Butnowsomethingnewwasonthefellow’smind。Hewasplainlyoccupiedwithit，whateverelsehewasdoing，andhehadsomeactivecattle-work。
OnmyaskinghimifJessamineBucknerhaddecidedwhentoreturneast，heinquiredofme，angrily，whatwasthereinKentuckyshecouldnothaveinWyoming？Consequently，thoughIsurmisedwhathemustbedebating，Ifeltmyselfinvitedtokeepoutofhisconfidence，andIdidso。Myadvicetohimwouldhavebeenillreceived，and——aswassoontobemadeplain——
wouldhavedonehisdelicacyinjustice。Next，onemorningheandBillyweregone。MyfirstthoughtwasthathehadrejoinedJessamineatMrs。
Pierce’s，whereshewas，andleftmeawayoverhereonBearCreek，wherewehadcomeforpartofaweek。
Butstuckinmyhat-bandIfoundapencilledfarewell。
NowMr。McLeanconstructedperhapsthreelettersintheyear——painful，seriousevents——likeaninterviewwithsomeimportantpersonwithwhomyourspeechmustdecorouslyflow。Nomattertowhomhewaswriting，itfrozeallnaturestiffineachwordheachieved；andhisbaldbusinessdictionandwildarchaicpenmanshipmadedocumentsthatIvalueamongmychoicestcorrespondence；thisone，especially：
“Wensdayfoura。m。
“DEARSIRthisistoInformyouthatihavegonetoSeparonimportantbisnesswhereiexpecttomeetyouonyourarrivalatsamepoint。YouwillconferafavorandoblidgeundersignedbyInformingMissJ。BucknerofdateifsoonyoufixforreturningperstagetoSeparasMissJ。
Bucknermayprefercompanyforthetripbeinglongandpooraccommodations。
Yours&c。L。McLEAN。“
Thisseemedtopointbutoneway；anduncharitablethoughitsoundthatthisgirl，socloseuponbereavement，shouldbeabletogiveherselftoaloverwasdistastefultome。
But，mostextraordinary，Linhadgoneawaywithoutawordtoher，andshewasleftasplainlyinthedarkasmyself。Afterherfirstfranksurpriseatlearningofhisdeparture，hisnamedidnotcomeagainfromherlips，atanyratetome。GoodMrs。Piercedroppedawordonedayastoheropinionofmenwhodeceivewomenintoexpectingsomethingfromthem。
“Letustalkstraight，“saidI。“DoyoumeanthatMissBucknersaysthat，orthatyousayit？“
“Why，thepoorthingsaysnothing!“exclaimedthelady。“It’slikeamantothinkshewould。AndI’llnotsayanything，either，foryou’realljustthesame，exceptwhenyou’reworse；andthatLinMcLeanisgoingtoknowwhatIthinkofhimnexttimewemeet。“
Hedid。Onthatoccasionthekindolddametoldhimhewasthebestboyinthecountry，andstoodonhertoesandkissedhim。Butmeanwhilewedidnotknowwhyhehadgone，andJessaminethoughhewasneversubtleorcruelenoughtoplansuchathingmissedhim，andthusinherlonelinesshadthechancetolearnhowmuchhehadbeentoher。
ThoughpressedtostayindefinitelybeneathMrs。Pierce’shospitableroof，thegirl，afterlingeringawhile，andgoingoftentothatnookinthehillbyRiverside，tookherdeparture。Shewasrestless，yetclungtotheneighborhood。ItwaswithawrenchthatshefixedhergoingwhenI
toldherofmyownjourneybacktotherailroad。InBuffaloshewalkedtothecourt-houseandstoodamomentasifbiddingthissiteofonelife-memoryfarewell，andfromthestageshewatchedandwatchedtherecedingtownandmountains。“It’sawfultobeleavinghim!“shesaid。
“Excusemeforactingsoinfrontofyou。“Withthepoignantemptinessovercomingherinnewguise，sheblamedherselffornotwaitinginIllinoisuntilhehadbeensenttoJoliet，forthen，sonearhome，hemusthavegonewithher。