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room； and went into his kitchen to cook supper for three。 He gave his
guests no further attention； nor did either of them come in where he was；
nor did the husband rejoin the wife。 He walked slowly up and down in the
air； and she sat by herself in the room。 Lin's steps as he made ready round
the stove and table； and Lusk's slow tread out in the setting sunlight； were
the only sounds about the cabin。 When the host looked into the door of the
next room to announce that his meal was served； the woman sat in her
chair no longer； but stood with her back to him by a shelf。 She gave a
slight start at his summons； and replaced something。 He saw that she had
been examining 〃Neighbor；〃 and his face hardened suddenly to fierceness
as he looked at her； but he repeated quietly that she had better come in。
Thus did the three sit down to their meal。 Occasionally a word about
handing some dish fell from one or other of them； but nothing more； until
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Lusk took out his watch and mentioned the hour。
〃Yu've not ate especially hearty；〃 said Lin； resting his arms upon the
table。
〃I'm going；〃 asserted Lusk。 〃Governor Barker may start out。 I've got
my interests to look after。〃
〃Why； sure；〃 said Lin。 〃I can't hope you'll waste all your time on just
me。〃
Lusk rose and looked at his wife。 〃It'll be ten now before we get to
Drybone；〃 said he。 And he went down to the stable。
The woman sat still； pressing the crumbs of her bread。 〃I know you
seen me；〃 she said； without looking at him。
〃Saw you when？〃
〃I knowed it。 And I seen how you looked at me。〃 She sat twisting and
pressing the crumb。 Sometimes it was round； sometimes it was a cube；
now and then she flattened it to a disk。 Mr。 McLean seemed to have
nothing that he wished to reply。
〃If you claim that pistol is yourn；〃 she said next； 〃I'll tell you I know
better。 If you ask me whose should it be if not yourn； I would not have to
guess the name。 She has talked to me； and me to her。〃
She was still looking away from him at the bread…crumb； or she could
have seen that McLean's hand was trembling as he watched her leaning on
his arms。
〃Oh yes； she was willing to talk to me！〃 The woman uttered another
sudden laugh。 〃I knowed about herall。 Things get heard of in this world。
Did not all about you and me come to her knowledge in its own good time；
and it done and gone how many years？ My； my； my！〃 Her voice grew slow
and absent。 She stopped for a moment； and then more rapidly resumed： 〃It
had travelled around about you and her like it always will travel。 It was
known how you had asked her； and how she had told you she would have
you； and then told you she would not when she learned about you and me。
Folks that knowed yus and folks that never seen yus in their lives had to
have their word about her facing you down you had another wife； though
she knowed the truth about me being married to Lusk and him livin' the
day you married me； and ten and twenty marriages could not have tied you
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and me up； no matter how honest you swore to no hinderance。 Folks said it
was plain she did not want yus。 It give me a queer feelin' to see that girl。 It
give me a wish to tell her to her face that she did not love yus and did not
know love。 Waitwait； Lin！ Yu' never hit me yet。〃
〃No；〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃Nor now。 I'm not Lusk。〃
〃Yu' looked soso bad； Lin。 I never seen yu' look so bad in old days。
Wait； now； and I must tell it。 I wished to laugh in her face and say； 'What
do you know about love？' So I walked in。 Lin； she does love yus！〃
〃Yes；〃 breathed McLean。
〃She was sittin' back in her room at Separ。 Not the ticket…office； but〃
〃I know；〃 the cow…puncher said。 His eyes were burning。 〃It's snug；
the way she has it。 'Good…afternoon；' I says。 'Is this Miss Jessamine
Buckner？'〃
At his sweetheart's name the glow in Lin's eyes seemed to quiver to a
flash。
〃And she spoke pleasant to mepleasant and gay…like。 But a woman
can tell sorrow in a woman's eyes。 And she asked me would I rest in her
room there； and what was my name。 'They tell me you claim to know it
better than I do；' I says。 'They tell me you say it is Mrs。 McLean。' She put
her hand on her breast； and she keeps lookin' at me without never speaking。
'Maybe I am not so welcome now；' I says。 'One minute；' says she。 'Let me
get used to it。' And she sat down。
〃Lin； she is a square…lookin' girl。 I'll say that for her。
〃I never thought to sit down onced myself； I don't know why； but I
kep' a…standing； and I took in that room of hers。 She had flowers and
things around there； and I seen your picture standing on the table； and I
seen your six…shooter right by itand； oh； Lin； hadn't I knowed your face
before ever she did； and that gun you used to let me shoot on Bear Creek？
It took me that sudden！ Why； it rushed over me so I spoke right out
different from what I'd meant and what I had ready fixed up to say。
〃'Why did you do it？' I says to her； while she was a…sitting。 'How could
you act so； and you a woman？' She just sat； and her sad eyes made me
madder at the idea of her。 'You have had real sorrow；' says I； 'if they report
correct。 You have knowed your share of death； and misery； and hard work；
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and all。 Great God！ ain't there things enough that come to yus uncalled for
and natural； but you must run around huntin' up more that was leavin' yus
alone and givin' yus a chance？ I knowed him onced。 I knowed your Lin
McLean。 And when that was over； I knowed for the first time how men
can be different。' I'm started； Lin； I'm started。 Leave me go on； and when
I'm through I'll quit。 'Some of 'em； anyway；' I says to her； 'has hearts and
self…respect； and ain't hogs clean through。'
〃'I know；〃 she says； thoughtful…like。
〃And at her whispering that way I gets madder。
〃'You know！' I says then。 'What is it that you know？ Do you know that
you have hurt a good man's heart？ For onced I hurt it myself； though
different。 And hurts in them kind of hearts stays。 Some hearts is that
luscious and pasty you can stab 'em and it closes up so yu'd never
suspicion the placebut Lin McLean！ Nor yet don't yus believe his is the
kind that breaksif any kind does that。 You may sit till the gray hairs； and
you may wall up your womanhood； but if a man has got manhood like him；
he will never sit till the gray hairs。 Grief over losin' the best will not stop
him from searchin' for a second best after a while。 He wants a home； and
he has got a right to one；' says I to Miss Jessamine。 'You have not walled
up Lin McLean；' I says to her。 Wait； Lin； wait。 Yus needn't to tell me that's
a lie。 I know a man thinks he's walled up for a while。〃
〃She could have told you it was a lie；〃 said the cow…puncher。
〃She did not。 'Let him get a home；' says she。 'I want him to be happy。'
'That flash in your eyes talks different；' says I。 'Sure enough yus wants him
to be happy。 Sure enough。 But not happy along with Miss Second Best。'
〃Lin； she looked at me that piercin'！
〃And I goes on； for I was w