“She’sa-crying，“saidhe。
Iwithheldfromquestions，andashekeptalongbymysidehesaid：“I’msorry。Doyouthinkshe’smadwithLinforwhathe’stoldher？Shejustsat，andwhenshestartedcryinghemademegoaway。“
“Idon’tbelieveshe’smad，“ItoldBilly；andIsatdownonmyblanket，hebesideme，talkingwhilethemoongrewsmallasitroseovertheplain，andthelightsteadilyshoneinJessamine’swindow。SoonyoungBillyfellasleep，andIlookedathim，thinkinghowinawayitwashewhohadbroughtthistroubleonthemanwhohadsavedhimandlovedhim。
Butthatmanhadnosuchuntenderthoughts。Oncemorethedooropened，anditwashewhocamethistime，alonealso。Shedidnotfollowhimandstandtowatchhimfromthethreshold，thoughheforgottoclosethedoor，and，comingovertome，stoodlookingdown。
“What？“Isaidatlength。
Idon’tknowthatheheardme。HestoopedoverBillyandshookhimgently。“Wake，son，“saidhe。“YouandImustgettoourcampnow。“
“Now？“saidBilly。“Can’twewaittillmorning？“
“No，son。Wecan’twaithereanymore。Goandgetthehorsesandputthesaddleson。“AsBillyobeyed，Linlookedatthelightedwindow。“Sheisinthere，“hesaid。“She’sinthere。Sonear。“Helooked，andturnedtothehotel，fromwhichhebroughthischapsandspursandputthemon。“I
understandherwords，“hecontinued。“Herwords，themeaningofthem。Butnotwhatshemeans，Iguess。Itwilltakestudyin’over。Why，shedon’tblameme!“hesuddenlysaid，speakingtomeinsteadoftohimself。
“Lin，“Ianswered，“shehasonlyjustheardthis，yousee。Waitawhile。“
“That’snotthetrouble。SheknowswhatkindofmanIhavebeen，andsheforgivesthatjustthewayshedidherbrother。AndsheknowshowI
didn’tintentionallyconcealanything。Billyhasn’tbeenaround，andsheneverrealizedabouthismotherandme。We’vetalkedawfulopen，butthatwasnotpleasanttospeakof，andthewholecountryknewitsolong——andIneverthought!Shedon’tblameme。Shesayssheunderstands；butshesaysIhaveawifelivin’。“
“Thatisnonsense，“Ideclared。
“Yu’mustn’tsaythat，“saidhe。“Shedon’tclaimshe’sawife，either。
ShejustshakesherheadwhenIaskedherwhyshefeelsso。Itmustbedifferenttoyouandmefromthewayitseemstoher。Idon’tseeherview；maybeInevercanseeit；butshe’smademefeelshehasit，andthatshe’shonest，andlovesmetrue——“Hisvoicebrokeforamoment。
“Shesaidshe’dwait。“
“Youcan’thaveamarriagebrokenthatwasnevertied，“Isaid。“ButperhapsGovernorBarkerorJudgeHenry——“
“No，“saidthecow-puncher。“Lawcouldn’tfoolher。She’sthinkingofsomethingbackoflaw。Shesaidshe’dwait——always。AndwhenItookitinthatthiswasalloveranddone，andwhenIthoughtofmyranchandthechickens——well，Icouldn’tthinkofthingsatall，andIcameandwakedBillytoclearoutandquit。“
“Whatdidyoutellher？“Iasked。
“Tellher？Nothin’，Iguess。Idon’tremembergettingoutoftheroom。
Why，here’sactuallyherpistol，andshe’sgotmine!“
“Man，man!“saidI，“gobackandtellhertokeepit，andthatyou’llwaittoo——always!“
“Wouldyu’？“
“Look!“IpointedtoJessaminestandinginthedoor。
Isawhisfaceasheturnedtoher，andIwalkedtowardBillyandthehorses。PresentlyIheardstepsonthewoodenstation，andfromitsblack，briefshadowthetwocamewalking，Linandhissweetheart，intothemoonlight。Theywerenotspeaking，butmerelywalkedtogetherintheclearradiance，handinhand，liketwochildren。Isawthatshewasweeping，andthatbeneaththetyrannyofherresolutionherwholeloving，amplenaturewaswrung。Butthestrange，narrowfibreinherwouldnotyield!Isawthemgotothehorses，andJessaminestoodwhileBillyandLinmounted。Thenquicklythecow-punchersprangdownagainandfoldedherinhisarms。
“Lin，dearLin!dearneighbor!“shesobbed。Shecouldnotwithholdthislastgood-bye。
Idonotthinkhespoke。Inamomentthehorsesstartedandweregone，flying，rushingawayintothegreatplain，untilsightandsoundofthemwerelost，andonlythesage-brushwasthere，bathedinthehigh，brightmoon。ThelastthingIrememberasIlayinmyblanketswasJessamine’swindowstilllighted，andthewater-tank，clear-linedandblack，standingoverSepar。
DESTINYATDRYBONE
PARTI
Childrenhavemanyspecialendowments，andofthesethechiefestistoaskquestionsthattheireldersmustskirmishtoevade。Marriedpeopleandauntsandunclescommonlydiscoverthis，butmereinstinctdoesnotguideonetoit。Amaidenoftwenty-threewillnotnecessarilydivineit。
Nowexceptinoneunhappyhourofstressandsurprise，MissJessamineBucknerhadbeenmorethanequaltolifethusfar。Butneveryethadshebeenshutupawholedayinoneroomwithaboyofnine。Hadthisexperiencebeenhers，perhapsshewouldnothavewrittentoMr。McLeanthefriendlyandsingularletterinwhichshehopedhewaswell，andsaidthatshewasverywell，andhowwasdearlittleBilly？ShewasgladMr。
McLeanhadstayedaway。Thatwasjustlikehishonorablenature，andwhatsheexpectedofhim。AndshewasperfectlyhappyatSepar，and“yourssincerelyandalways，’Neighbor。’“Postscript。TalkingofBillyLusk——ifLinwasbusywithgatheringthecattle，whynotsendBillydowntostopquietlywithher。Shewouldmakehimabedintheticket-office，andthereshewouldbetoseeafterhimallthetime。SheknewLindidnotlikehisadoptedchildtobetoomuchincow-campwiththemen。Shewouldadopthim，too，forjustaslongasconvenienttoLin——untiltheschoolopenedonBearCreek，ifLinsowished。JessaminewroteagooddealabouthowmuchbettercareanywomancantakeofaboyofBilly’sagethananymanknows。Thestage-coachbroughttheanswertothisremarkablysoon——
youngBillywithatrunkandaletteroftwelvepagesinpencilandink——
theonlywritingofthislengtheverdonebyMr。McLean。
“IcanwritealotquickerthanLin，“saidBilly，uponarriving。“Hewasfussingatthatawaylatebythefireincamp，an’wakedmeupcrawlinginourbed。An’thenhehadtofinishitnextnightwhenhewentovertothecabinformyclothes。“
“Youdon’tsay!“saidJessamine。AndBillysufferedhertokisshimagain。
WhennototherwiseoccupiedJessaminetooktheletteroutofitslockedboxandreadit，orlookedatit。ThusthefirstdayshadgonefinelyatSepar，theweatherbeingbeautifulandBillymuchout-of-doors。ButsometimestheweatherchangesinWyoming；andnowitwasthatMissJessaminelearnedthetalentsofchildhood。
SoonafterbreakfastthisstormymorningBillyobservedthetwelvepagesbeingtakenoutoftheirbox，andspokefromhissuddenbrain。“HoneyWigginsaysLin’slosinghisgripaboutgirls，“heremarked。“Hesaysyoucouldn’t’a’downedhimonced。You’d’a’hadtomarryhim。HoneysaysLinain’tworkeditlikehedoneinoldtimes。“
“NowIshouldn’twonderifhewasright，“saidJessamine，buoyantly。“Andthatbeingthecase，I’mgoingtosettoworkatyourthingstillitclears，andthenwe’llgoforourride。“
“Yes，“saidBilly。Whendoesamangettoooldtomarry？“
“I’monlyagirl，yousee。Idon’tknow。“
“Yes。Honeysaidhewouldn’t’a’thoughtLinwasthatold。ButIguesshemustbethirty。“
“Old!“exclaimedJessamine。Andshelookedataphotographuponhertable。
“ButLinain’tbeenmarriedverymuch，“pursuedBilly。“Mother’stheonlyonetheyspeakof。Youdon’thavetostaymarriedalways，doyou？“
“It’sbetterto，“saidJessamine。
“Ah，Idon’tthinkso，“saidBilly，withdisparagement。“Yououghttoseemotherandfather。IwishyouwouldleaveLinmarryyou，though，“saidtheboy，comingtoherwithanimpulseofaffection。“Whywon’tyouifhedon’tmind？“
Shecontinuedtoparryhim，butthiswasnotaverysmoothstartforeightinthemorning。Momentsoflulltherewere，whenthetelegraphcalledhertothefrontroom，andBilly’syoungmindshiftedtoinquiriesaboutthecipheralphabet。Andshegainedatleastanhourteachinghimtoreadvariouswordsbythesound。Atdinner，too，hewasrefreshinglysilent。Butsuchsilencesareunsafe，andtheweatherwasstillbad。Fouro’clockfoundthemmuchwheretheyhadbeenateight。
“Pleasetellmewhyyouwon’tleaveLinmarryyou。“Hewasatthewindow，kickingthewall。
“That’sninetimessincedinner，“shereplied，withtirelessgoodhumor。
“Nowifyouaskmetwelve——“
“You’lltell？“saidtheboy，swiftly。
Shebrokeintoalaugh。“No。I’llgoridingandyou’llstayathome。WhenIwaslittleandwouldaskthingsbeyondme，theyonlygavemethreetimes。“
“I’vegottwomore，anyway。Ha-ha!“
“Bettersave’emup，though。“
“Whatdidtheydotoyou？Ah，Idon’twanttogoa-riding。It’snastyallover。“HestaredoutatthedayagainstwhichSepar’sdoorshadbeentightclosedsincemorning。Eighthoursoffuriouswindhadraisedthedustlikeasea。“Iwishtheoldtrainwouldcome，“observedBilly，continuingtokickthewall。“IwishIwasgoingsomewheres。“Smoky，level，andhot，thesouthwindleaptintoSeparacrossfivehundredunbrokenmiles。Theplainwasblanketedinatawnyeclipse。Eachminutethenearbuildingsbecameinvisibleinaturbulentherdofclouds。Abovethistravellingblurofthesoilthetopofthewater-tankalonerosebulgingintotheclearsun。Thesandspiralswouldlicklikeflamesalongthebulkoftheloftytub，andsoarskyward。Itwasnotshippingseason。
Thefreight-carsstoodidleinalongline。Nocattlehuddledinthecorrals。Nostrangersmovedintown。Nocow-poniesdozedinfrontofthesaloon。Theirridersweredistantinranchandcamp。HumannoisewasextinctinSepar。Beneaththethunderofthesultryblaststheplacelaydeadinitsflappingshroudofdust。“Whywon’tyoutellme？“dronedBilly。Forsometimehehadbeenreturning，likeamosquitobrushedaway。
“That’stentimes，“saidJessamine，promptly。
“Oh，goodness!PrettysoonI’llnotbegladIcame。I’mabouttwicedaslessgladnow。“
“Well，“saidJessamine，“there’samancomingto-daytomendthegovernmenttelegraph-linebetweenDryboneandMcKinney。MaybehewouldtakeyoubackasfarasBoxElder，ifyouwanttogoverymuch。ShallI
askhim？“
Billywasdisappointedatthiscordialsecondingofhismood。Hedidnotmakeadirectrejoinder。“IguessI’llgooutsidenow，“saidhe，withathreatinhistone。
Shecontinuedmendinghisstockings。Finishedoneslayrolledatonesideofherchair，andupontheotherweremorewaitingherattention。
“AndI’mgoingtoturnbackhand-springsontopofallthefreight-cars，“
hestated，moreloudly。
Sheindulgedagaininmerriment，laughingsweetlyathim，andwithoutrestraint。
“AndI’msickofwhatyouallkeepa-sayingtome!“heshouted。“JustasifIwasababy。“
“Why，Billy，whoeversaidyouwereababy？“
“Allofyoudo。Honey，andLin，andyou，now，andeverybody。Whatmakesyousay’that’sninetimes，Billy；oh，Billy，that’stentimes，’ifyoudon’tmeanI’mababy？Andyoulaughmeoff，justliketheydo，andjustlikeIwasaregularbaby。Youwon’ttellme——“
“Billy，listen。Didnobodyeveraskyousomethingyoudidnotwanttotellthem？“
“That’snotabitthesame，because——because——becauseItreat’emsquareandbecauseit’snottheirbusiness。ButeverytimeIaskanybody’mostanything，theysayI’mnotoldenoughtounderstand；andI’llbetensoon。Anditismybusinesswhenit’saboutthekindofamotherI’magoingtohave。SupposeIquitactingsquare，an’told’em，whentheybotheredme，theyweren’tyoungenoughtounderstand!WishIhad。GuessI
will，too，andwatch’emsteparound。“Foramomenthisminddweltuponthis，andhewhistledarevengefulstrain。
“Goodness，Billy!“saidJessamine，atthesightofthenextstocking。
“Thewholeheelisscorchedoff。“
Heeyedtheruinwithindifference。“Ah，thatwaslastmonthwhenIandLinshotthebearintheswampwillows。Hemademedryoffmylegs。Chuckitaway。“
“Andspoilthepair？No，indeed!“
“Motheralwayschucked’em，an’father’dbuynewonestillIskippedfromhome。Linkindo’mends’em。“
“Doeshe？“saidJessamine，softly。Andshelookedatthephotograph。
“Yes。Whatmadeyouwritehimfortoletmecomeandbringmystockin’sandthings？“