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〃Fans and taverns and gypsies and sportin'；〃 said Lin。 〃My！ but I'd like
to see them countries with oranges and bull…fights！ Only I expect Spain；
maybe； ain't keepin' it up so gay as when 'Carmen' happened。〃
The table…talk soon left romance and turned upon steers and alfalfa； a
grass but lately introduced in the country。 No further mention was made of
the hostile Crows； and from this I drew the false conclusion that Tommy
had not come up to their hopes in the matter of reciting his campaigns。 But
when the hour came for those visitors who were not spending the night to
take their leave； Taylor drew Tommy aside with me； and I noticed the
Virginian speaking with Molly Wood； whose face showed diversion。
〃Don't seem to make anything of it；〃 whispered Taylor to Tommy； 〃but
the ladies have got their minds on this Indian truck。〃
〃Why； I'll just explain〃 began Tommy。
〃Don't；〃 whispered Lin； joining us。 〃Yu' know how women are。 Once
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they take a notion； why； the more yu' deny the surer they get。 Now； yu' see；
him and me〃 （he jerked his elbow towards the Virginian） 〃must go back to
camp； for we're on second relief。〃
〃And the ladies would sleep better knowing there was another man in
the house；〃 said Taylor。
〃In that case；〃 said Tommy； 〃I〃
〃Yu' see；〃 said Lin； 〃they've been told about Ten Sleep being burned
two nights ago。〃
〃It ain't！〃 cried Tommy。
〃Why； of course it ain't；〃 drawled the ingenious Lin。 〃But that's what I
say。 You and I know Ten Sleep's all right； but we can't report from our own
knowledge seeing it all right； and there it is。 They get these nervous
notions。〃
〃Just don't appear to make anything special of not going back to
Riverside；〃 repeated Taylor； 〃but〃
〃But just kind of stay here；〃 said Lin。
〃I will！〃 exclaimed Tommy。 〃Of course； I'm glad to oblige。〃
I suppose I was slow…sighted。 All this pains seemed to me larger than
its results。 They had imposed upon Tommy； yes。 But what of that？ He was
to be kept from going back to Riverside until morning。 Unless they
proposed to visit his empty cabin and play tricksbut that would be too
childish； even for Lin McLean； to say nothing of the Virginian； his
occasional partner in mischief。
〃In spite of the Crows；〃 I satirically told the ladies； 〃I shall sleep
outside； as I intended。 I've no use for houses at this season。〃
The cinches of the horses were tightened； Lin and the Virginian laid a
hand on their saddle…horns； swung up； and soon all sound of the galloping
horses had ceased。 Molly Wood declined to be nervous and crossed to her
little neighbor cabin； we all parted； and （as always in that blessed country）
deep sleep quickly came to me。
I don't know how long after it was that I sprang from my blankets in
half…doubting fright。 But I had dreamed nothing。 A second long； wild yell
now gave me （I must own to it） a horrible chill。 I had no pistol nothing。
In the hateful brightness of the moon my single thought was 〃House！
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House！〃 and I fled across the lane in my underclothes to the cabin； when
round the corner whirled the two cow…punchers； and I understood。 I saw
the Virginian catch sight of me in my shirt； and saw his teeth as he smiled。
I hastened to my blankets； and returned more decent to stand and watch
the two go shooting and yelling round the cabin； crazy with their youth。
The door was opened； and Taylor courageously emerged； bearing a
Winchester。 He fired at the sky immediately。
〃B' gosh！〃 he roared。 〃That's one。〃 He fired again。 〃Out and at 'em。
They're running。〃
At this； duly came Mrs。 Taylor in white with a pistol； and Miss Peck in
white； staring and stolid。 But no Tommy。 Noise prevailed without； shots by
the stable and shots by the creek。 The two cow…punchers dismounted and
joined Taylor。 Maniac delight seized me； and I； too； rushed about with
them； helping the din。
〃Oh； Mr。 Taylor！〃 said a voice。 〃I didn't think it of you。〃 It was Molly
Wood； come from her cabin； very pretty in a hood…and…cloak arrangement。
She stood by the fence； laughing； but more at us than with us。
〃Stop； friends！〃 said Taylor； gasping。 〃She teaches my Bobbie his A B
C。 I'd hate to have Bobbie〃
〃Speak to your papa；〃 said Molly； and held her scholar up on the fence。
〃Well； I'll be gol…darned；〃 said Taylor； surveying his costume； 〃if Lin
McLean hasn't made a fool of me to…night！〃
〃Where has Tommy got？〃 said Mrs。 Taylor。
〃Didn't yus see him？〃 said the biscuit…shooter speaking her first word
in all this。
We followed her into the kitchen。 The table was covered with tin plates。
Beneath it； wedged knelt Tommy with a pistol firm in his hand； but the
plates were rattling up and down like castanets。
There was a silence among us； and I wondered what we were going to
do。
〃Well；〃 murmured the Virginian to himself； 〃if I could have foresaw；
I'd notit makes yu' feel humiliated yu'self。〃
He marched out； got on his horse； and rode away。 Lin followed him；
but perhaps less penitently。 We all dispersed without saying anything； and
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presently from my blankets I saw poor Tommy come out of the silent
cabin； mount； and slowly； very slowly； ride away。 He would spend the
night at Riverside； after all。
Of course we recovered from our unexpected shame； and the tale of
the table and the dancing plates was not told as a sad one。 But it is a sad
one when you think of it。
I was not there to see Lin get his bride。 I learned from the Virginian
how the victorious puncher had ridden away across the sunny sagebrush；
bearing the biscuit…shooter with him to the nearest justice of the peace。
She was astride the horse he had brought for her。
〃Yes； he beat Tommy；〃 said the Virginian。 〃Some folks； anyway； get
what they want in this hyeh world。〃
From which I inferred that Miss Molly Wood was harder to beat than
Tommy。
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LIN McLEAN'S HONEY…MOON
Rain had not fallen for some sixty days； and for some sixty more there
was no necessity that it should fall。 It is spells of weather like this that set
the Western editor writing praise and prophecy of the boundless fertility of
the soilwhen irrigated； and of what an Eden it can be madewith
irrigation； but the spells annoy the people who are trying to raise the Eden。
We always told the transient Eastern visitor； when he arrived at Cheyenne
and criticised the desert； that anything would grow herewith irrigation；
and sometimes he replied； unsympathetically； that anything could flywith
wings。 Then we would lead such a man out and show him six； eight； ten
square miles of green crops； and he； if he was thoroughly nasty； would
mention that Wyoming contained ninety…five thousand square miles； all
waiting for irrigation and Eden。 One of these Eastern supercivilized
hostiles from New York was breakfasting with the Governor and me at the
Cheyenne Club； and we