Lin McLean - Owen Wister (read after TXT) 📗

form stumbled through the dark among the rubbish; and clearest sound of all, the light crack of billiard balls reached dry and far into the night Barker contemplated the stars and calm splendid dimness of the plain. “‘Though every prospect pleases, and only man is vile,’” he quoted. “But don’t tell the Republican party I said so.”

“It’s awful true, though, Doc. I’m vile myself. Yu’ don’t know. Why, I didn’t know!”

And then they sat down to confidences and whiskey; for so long as the world goes round a man must talk to a man sometimes, and both must drink over it. The cow-puncher unburdened himself to the Governor; and the Governor filled up his friend’s glass with the Eastern whiskey, and nodded his spectacles, and listened, and advised, and said he should have done the same, and like the good Governor that he was, never remembered he was Governor at all with political friends here who had begged a word or two. He became just Dr. Barker again, the young hospital surgeon (the hospital that now stood a ruin), and Lin was again his patient–-Lin, the sun-burnt freelance of nineteen, reckless, engaging, disobedient, his leg broken and his heart light, with no Jessamine or conscience to rob his salt of its savor. While he now told his troubles, the quadrilles fiddled away careless as ever, and the crack of the billiard balls sounded as of old.

“Nobody has told you about this, I expect,” said the lover. He brought forth the little pistol, “Neighbor.” He did not hand it across to Barker, but walked over to Barker’s chair, and stood holding it for the doctor to see. When Barker reached for it to see better, since it was half hidden in the cow-puncher’s big hand, Lin yielded it to him, but still stood and soon drew it back. “I take it around,” he said, “and when one of those stories comes along, like there’s plenty of, that she wants to get rid of me, I just kind o’ take a look at ‘Neighbor’ when I’m off where it’s handy, and it busts the story right out of my mind. I have to tell you what a fool I am.”

“The whiskey’s your side,” said Barker. “Go on.”

“But, Doc, my courage has quit me. They see what I’m thinking about just like I was a tenderfoot trying his first bluff. I can’t stick it out no more, and I’m going to see her, come what will.

I’ve got to. I’m going to ride right up to her window and shoot off ‘Neighbor,’ and if she don’t come out I’ll know—”

A knocking came at the Governor’s room, and Judge Slaghammer entered. “Not been to our dance, Governor?” said he.

The Governor thought that perhaps he was tired, that perhaps this evening he must forego the pleasure.

“It may be wiser. In your position it may be advisable,” said the coroner. “They’re getting on rollers over there. We do not like trouble in Drybone, but trouble comes to us—as everywhere.”

“Shooting,” suggested his Excellency, recalling his hospital practice.

“Well, Governor, you know how it is. Our boys are as big-hearted as any in this big-hearted Western country. You know, Governor. Those generous, warm-blooded spirits are ever ready for anything.”

“Especially after Mrs. Slaghammer’s whiskey,” remarked the Governor.

The coroner shot a shrewd eye at Wyoming’s chief executive. It was not politically harmonious to be reminded that but for his wife’s liquor a number of fine young men, with nothing save youth untrained and health the matter with them, would to-day be riding their horses instead of sleeping on the hill. But the coroner wanted support in the next campaign. “Boys will be boys,” said he. “They ain’t pulled any guns to-night. But I come away, though. Some of ‘em’s making up pretty free to Mrs. Lusk. It ain’t suitable for me to see too much. Lusk says he’s after you,” he mentioned incidentally to Lin. “He’s fillin’ up, and says he’s after you.” McLean nodded placidly, and with scant politeness. He wished this visitor would go. But Judge Slaghammer had noticed the whiskey. He filled himself a glass. “Governor, it has my compliments,” said he. “Ambrosier. Honey-doo.”

“Mrs. Slaghammer seems to have a large gathering,” said Barker.

“Good boys, good boys!” The judge blew importantly, and waved his arm. “Bull-whackers, cow-punchers, mule-skinners, tin-horns. All spending generous. Governor, once more! Ambrosier. Honey-doo.” He settled himself deep in a chair, and closed his eyes.

McLean rose abruptly. “Good-night,” said he. “I’m going to Separ.”

“Separ!” exclaimed Slaghammer, rousing slightly. “Oh, stay with us, stay with us.” He closed his eyes again, but sustained his smile of office.

“You know how well I wish you,” said Barker to Lin. “I’ll just see you start.”

Forthwith the friends left the coroner quiet beside his glass, and walked toward the horses through Drybone’s gaping quadrangle. The dead ruins loomed among the lights of the card-halls, and always the keen jockey cadences of the fiddle sang across the night. But a calling and confusion were set up, and the tune broke off.

“Just like old times!” said his Excellency. “Where’s the dump-pile!” It was where it should be, close by, and the two stepped behind it to be screened from wandering bullets. “A man don’t forget his habits,” declared the Governor. “Makes me feel young again.”

“Makes me feel old,” said McLean. “Hark!”

“Sounds like my name,” said Barker. They listened. “Oh yes. Of course. That’s it. They’re shouting for the doctor. But we’ll just spare them a minute or so to finish their excitement.”

“I didn’t hear any shooting,” said McLean. “It’s something, though.”

As they waited, no shots came; but still the fiddle was silent, and the murmur of many voices grew in the dance-hall, while single voices wandered outside, calling the doctor’s name.

“I’m the Governor on a fishing-trip,” said he. “But it’s to be done, I suppose.”

They left their dump-hill and proceeded over to the dance. The musician sat high and solitary upon two starch-boxes, fiddle on knee, staring and waiting. Half the floor was bare; on the other half the revellers were densely clotted. At the crowd’s outer rim the young horsemen, flushed and swaying, retained their gaudy dance partners strongly by the waist, to be ready when the music should resume. “What is it?” they asked. “Who is it?” And they looked in across heads and shoulders, inattentive to the caresses which the partners gave them.

Mrs. Lusk was who it was, and she had taken poison here in their midst, after many dances and drinks.

“Here’s Doc!” cried an older one.

“Here’s Doc!” chorused the young blood that had come into this country since his day. And the throng caught up the words: “Here’s Doc! here’s Doc!”

In a moment McLean and Barker were sundered from each other in this flood. Barker, sucked in toward the centre but often eddied back by those who meant to help him, heard the mixed explanations pass his ear unfinished—versions, contradictions, a score of facts. It had been wolf-poison. It had been “Rough on Rats.” It had been something in a bottle. There was little steering in this clamorous sea; but Barker reached his patient, where she sat in her new dress, hailing him with wild inebriate gayety.

“I must get her to her room, friends,” said he.

“He must get her to her room,” went the word. “Leave Doc get her to her room.” And they tangled in their eagerness around him and his patient.

“Give us ‘Buffalo Girls!’” shouted Mrs. Lusk…. “‘Buffalo Girls,’ you fiddler!”

“We’ll come back,” said Barker to her.

“‘Buffalo Girls,’ I tell yus. Ho! There’s no sense looking at that bottle, Doc. Take yer dance while there’s time!” She was holding the chair.

“Help him!” said the crowd. “Help Doc.”

They took her from her chair, and she fought, a big pink mass of ribbons, fluttering and wrenching itself among them.

“She has six ounces of laudanum in her,” Barker told them at the top of his voice. “It won’t wait all night.”

“I’m a whirlwind!” said Mrs. Lusk. “That’s my game! And you done your share,” she cried to the fiddler. “Here’s my regards, old man! ‘Buffalo Girls’ once more!”

She flung out her hand, and from it fell notes and coins, rolling and ringing around the starch boxes. Some dragged her on, while some fiercely forbade the musician to touch the money, because it was hers, and she would want it when she came to. Thus they gathered it up for her. But now she had sunk down, asking in a new voice where was Lin McLean. And when one grinning intimate reminded her that Lusk had gone to shoot him, she laughed out richly, and the crowd joined her mirth. But even in the midst of the joke she asked again in the same voice where was Lin McLean. He came beside her among more jokes. He had kept himself near, and now at sight of him she reached out and held him. “Tell them to leave me go to sleep, Lin,” said she.

Barker saw a chance. “Persuade her to come along,” said he to McLean. “Minutes are counting now.”

“Oh, I’ll come,” she said, with a laugh, overhearing him, and holding still to Lin.

The rest of the old friends nudged each other. “Back seats for us,” they said. “But we’ve had our turn in front ones.” Then, thinking they would be useful in encouraging her to walk, they clustered again, rendering Barker and McLean once more well-nigh helpless. Clumsily the escort made its slow way across the quadrangle, cautioning itself about stones and holes. Thus, presently, she was brought into the room. The escort set her down, crowding the little place as thick as it would hold; the rest gathered thick at the door, and all of them had no thought of departing. The notion to stay was plain on their faces.

Barker surveyed them. “Give the doctor a show now, boys,” said he. “You’ve done it all so far. Don’t crowd my elbows. I’ll want you,” he whispered to McLean.

At the argument of fair-play, obedience swept over them like a veering of wind. “Don’t crowd his elbows,” they began to say at once, and told each other to come away. “We’ll sure give the Doc room. You don’t want to be shovin’ your auger in, Chalkeye. You want to get yourself pretty near absent.” The room thinned of them forthwith. “Fix her up good, Doc,” they said, over their shoulders. They shuffled across the threshold and porch with roundabout schemes to tread quietly. When one or other stumbled on the steps and fell, he was jerked to his feet. “You want to tame yourself,” was the word. Then, suddenly, Chalkeye and Toothpick Kid came precipitately back. “Her cash,” they said. And leaving the notes and coins, they hastened to catch their comrades on the way back to the dance

“I want you,” repeated Barker to McLean.

“Him!” cried Mrs. Lusk, flashing alert again. “Jessamine wants him about now, I guess. Don’t keep him from his girl!” And she laughed her hard, rich laugh, looking from one to the other. “Not the two of yus can’t save me,” she stated, defiantly. But even in these last words a sort of thickness sounded.

“Walk her up and down,” said Barker. “Keep her moving. I’ll look what I can find. Keep her moving brisk.” At once he was out of the door; and before his running steps had died away, the fiddle had taken up its tune across the quadrangle.

“‘Buffalo Girls!’” exclaimed the woman. “Old times! Old times!”

“Come,” said McLean. “Walk.” And he took her.

Her head was full of the music. Forgetting all but that, she went with him easily, and the two made their first turns around the room. Whenever he brought her near the entrance,