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as steadily as his predecessor had won after that meeting of eyes early in
the evening。
When Lin was three hundred dollars out； his voice began to clear of its
huskiness and a slight humor revolved and sparkled in his eye。 When his
seven hundred dollars had gone to safer hands and he had nothing left at
all but some silver fractions of a dollar； his robust cheerfulness was all
back again。 He walked out and stood among the railroad tracks with his
hands in his pockets； and laughed at himself in the dark。 Then his fingers
came on the check for Omaha； and he laughed loudly。 The trunk by this
hour must be nearing Rawlins； it was going east anyhow。
〃I'm following it； you bet；〃 he declared； kicking the rail。 〃Not yet
though。 Nor I'll not go to Washakie to have 'em josh me。 And yonder lays
Boston。〃 He stretched his arm and pointed eastward。 Had he seen another
man going on in this fashion alone in the dark； among side…tracked freight
cars； he would have pitied the poor fool。 〃And I guess Boston'll have to
get along without me for a spell； too；〃 continued Lin。 〃A man don't want to
show up plumb broke like that younger son did after eatin' with the hogs
the bishop told about。 His father was a Jim…dandy； that hog chap's。 Hustled
around and set 'em up when he come back home。 Frank； he'd say to me
'How do you do； brother？' and he'd be wearin' a good suit o' clothes and
no； sir； you bet！〃
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LIN McLEAN
Lin now watched the great headlight of a freight train bearing slowly
down into Green River from the wilderness。 Green River is the end of a
division； an epoch in every train's journey。 Lanterns swung signals； the
great dim thing slowed to its standstill by the coal chute； its locomotive
moved away for a turn of repose； the successor backed steaming to its
place to tackle a night's work。 Cars were shifted； heavily bumping and
parting。
〃Hello； Lin！〃 A face was looking from the window of the caboose。
〃Hello！〃 responded Mr。 McLean； perceiving above his head Honey
Wiggin； a good friend of his。 They had not met for three years。
〃They claimed you got killed somewheres。 I was sorry to hear it。〃
Honey offered his condolence quite sincerely。
〃Bruck my leg；〃 corrected Lin； 〃if that's what they meant。〃
〃I expect that's it；〃 said Honey。 〃You've had no other trouble？〃
〃Been boomin'；〃 said Lin。
From the mere undertone in their voices it was plain they were good
friends； carefully hiding their pleasure at meeting。
〃Wher're yu' bound？〃 inquired Honey。
〃East；〃 said Lin。
〃Better jump in here； then。 We're goin' west。〃
〃That just suits me；〃 said Lin。
The busy lanterns wagged among the switches； the steady lights of the
saloons shone along the town's wooden facade。 From the bluffs that wall
Green River the sweet； clean sage…brush wind blew down in currents
freshly through the coal…smoke。 A wrench passed through the train from
locomotive to caboose； each fettered car in turn strained into motion and
slowly rolled over the bridge and into silence from the steam and the bells
of the railroad yard。 Through the open windows of the caboose great dull…
red cinders rattled in； and the whistles of distant Union Pacific
locomotives sounded over the open plains ominous and long； like ships at
sea。
Honey and Lin sat for a while； making few observations and far
between； as their way is between whom flows a stream of old…time
understanding。 Mutual whiskey and silence can express much friendship；
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LIN McLEAN
and eloquently。
〃What are yu' doing at present？〃 Lin inquired。
〃Prospectin'。〃
Now prospecting means hunting gold； except to such spirits as the boy
Lin。 To these it means finding gold。 So Lin McLean listened to the talk of
his friend Honey Wiggin as the caboose trundled through the night。 He
saw himself in a vision of the near future enter a bank and thump down a
bag of gold…dust。 Then he saw the new； clean money the man would hand
him in exchange； bills with round zeroes half covered by being folded
over； and heavy； satisfactory gold pieces。 And then he saw the blue water
that twinkles beneath Boston。 His fingers came again on his trunk check。
He had his ticket； too。 And as dawn now revealed the gray country to him；
his eye fell casually upon a mile…post： 〃Omaha； 876。〃 He began to watch
for them：877； 878。 But the trunk would really get to Omaha。
〃What are yu' laughin' about？〃 asked Honey。
〃Oh； the wheels。〃
〃Wheels？〃
〃Don't yu' hear 'em？〃 said Lin。 〃'Variety；' they keep a…sayin'。 'Variety；
variety。' 〃
〃Huh！〃 said Honey； with scorn。 〃'Ker…chunka…chunk' 's all I make it。〃
〃You're no poet；〃 observed Mr。 McLean。
As the train moved into Evanston in the sunlight； a gleam of dismay
shot over Lin's face； and he ducked his head out of sight of the window；
but immediately raised it again。 Then he leaned out； waving his arm with a
certain defiant vigor。 But the bishop on the platform failed to notice this
performance； though it was done for his sole benefit； nor would Lin
explain to the inquisitive Wiggin what the matter was。 Therefore； very
naturally； Honey drew a conclusion for himself； looked quickly out of the
window； and； being disappointed in what he expected to see remarked；
sulkily； 〃Do yu' figure I care what sort of a lookin' girl is stuck on yu' in
Evanston？〃 And upon this young Lin laughed so loudly that his friend told
him he had never seen a man get so foolish in three years。
By…and…by they were in Utah； and； in the company of Ogden friends；
forgot prospecting。 Later they resumed freight trains and journeyed north
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LIN McLEAN
In Idaho they said good…bye to the train hands in the caboose； and came to
Little Camas； and so among the mountains near Feather Creek。 Here the
berries were of several sorts； and growing riper each day； and the bears in
the timber above knew this； and came down punctually with the season；
making variety in the otherwise even life of the prospectors。 It was now
August； and Lin sat on a wet hill making mud…pies for sixty days。 But the
philosopher's stone was not in the wash at that placer； nor did Lin gather
gold…dust sufficient to cover the nail of his thumb。 Then they heard of an
excitement at Obo； Nevada； and； hurrying to Obo； they made some more
mud…pies。
Now and then； eating their fat bacon at noon； Honey would say； 〃Lin；
wher're yu' goin'？〃
And Lin always replied； 〃East。〃 This became a signal for drinks。
For beauty and promise； Nevada is a name among names。 Nevada！
Pronounce the word aloud。 Does it not evoke mountains and clear air；
heights of untrodden snow and valleys aromatic with the pine and musical
with falling waters？ Nevada！ But the name is all。 Abomination of
desolation presides over nine…tenths of the place。 The sun beats down as
on a roof of zinc； fierce and dull。 Not a drop of water to a mile of sand。
The mean ash…dump landscape stretches on from nowhere to nowhere； a
spot of mange。 No portion of the earth is more lacquered with paltry；
unimportant ugliness。