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unimportant ugliness。
There is gold in Nevada； but Lin and Honey did not find it。
Prospecting of the sort they did； besides proving unfruitful； is not
comfortable。 Now and again； losing patience； Lin would leave his work
and stalk about and gaze down at the scattered men who stooped or knelt
in the water。 Passing each busy prospector； Lin would read on every broad；
upturned pair of overalls the same label； 〃Levi Strauss； No。 2；〃 with a
picture of two lusty horses hitched to one of these garments and vainly
struggling to split them asunder。 Lin remembered he was wearing a label
just like that too； and when he considered all things he laughed to himself。
Then； having stretched the ache out of his long legs； he would return to his
ditch。 As autumn wore on； his feet grew cold in the mushy gravel they
were sunk in。 He beat off the sand that had stiffened on his boots； and
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hated Obo； Nevada。 But he held himself ready to say 〃East〃 whenever he
saw Honey coming along with the bottle。 The cold weather put an end to
this adventure。 The ditches froze and filled with snow； through which the
sordid gravel heaps showed in a dreary fashion； so the two friends drifted
southward。
Near the small new town of Mesa； Arizona； they sat down again in the
dirt。 It was milder here； and； when the sun shone； never quite froze。 But
this part of Arizona is scarcely more grateful to the eye than Nevada。
Moreover； Lin and Honey found no gold at all。 Some men near them
found a little。 Then in January； even though the sun shone； it quite froze
one day。
〃We're seein' the country； anyway；〃 said Honey。
〃Seein' hell；〃 said Lin； 〃and there's more of it above ground than I
thought。〃
〃What'll we do？〃 Honey inquired。
〃Have to walk for a joba good…payin' job；〃 responded the hopeful
cow…puncher。 And he and Honey went to town。
Lin found a job in twenty…five minutes； becoming assistant to the
apothecary in Mesa。 Established at the drug…store； he made up the simpler
prescriptions。 He had studied practical pharmacy in Boston between the
ages of thirteen and fifteen； and； besides this qualification； the apothecary
had seen him when he first came into Mesa； and liked him。 Lin made no
mistakes that he or any one ever knew of； and； as the mild weather began；
he materially increased the apothecary's business by persuading him to
send East for a soda…water fountain。 The ladies of the town clustered
around this entertaining novelty； and while sipping vanilla and lemon
bought knickknacks。 And the gentlemen of the town discovered that
whiskey with soda and strawberry syrup was delicious； and produced just
as competent effects。 A group of them were generally standing in the shop
and shaking dice to decide who should pay for the next； while Lin
administered to each glass the necessary ingredients。 Thus money began to
come to him a little more steadily than had been its wont； and he divided
with the penniless Honey。
But Honey found fortune quickly； too。 Through excellent card…playing
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he won a pinto from a small Mexican horse…thief who came into town
from the South； and who cried bitterly when he delivered up his pet pony
to the new owner。 The new owner； being a man of the world and agile on
his feet； was only slightly stabbed that evening as he walked to the dance…
hall at the edge of the town。 The Mexican was buried on the next day but
one。
The pony stood thirteen two； and was as long as a steamboat。 He had
white eyelashes； pink nostrils； and one eye was bright blue。 If you spoke
pleasantly to him； he rose instantly on his hind…legs and tried to beat your
face。 He did not look as if he could run； and that was what made him so
valuable。 Honey travelled through the country with him； and every
gentleman who saw the pinto and heard Honey became anxious to get up a
race。 Lin always sent money for Wiggin to place； and he soon opened a
bank account； while Honey； besides his racing…bridle； bought a silver…
inlaid one； a pair of forty…dollar spurs； and a beautiful saddle richly
stamped。 Every day （when in Mesa） Honey would step into the drug…store
and inquire； 〃Lin； wher're yu' goin'？〃
But Lin never answered any more。 He merely came to the soda…water
fountain with the whiskey。 The passing of days brought a choked season of
fine sand and hard blazing sky。 Heat rose up from the ground and hung
heavily over man and beast。 Many insects sat out in the sun rattling with
joy； the little tearing river grew clear from the swollen mud； and shrank to
a succession of standing pools； and the fat； squatting cactus bloomed
everywhere into butter…colored flowers big as tulips in the sand。 There
were artesian wells in Mesa； and the water did not taste very good； but if
you drank from the standing pools where the river had been； you repaired
to the drug…store almost immediately。 A troop of wandering players came
dotting along the railroad； and； reaching Mesa； played a brass…band up and
down the street； and announced the powerful drama of 〃East Lynne。〃 Then
Mr。 McLean thought of the Lynn marshes that lie between there and
Chelsea； and of the sea that must look so cool。 He forgot them while
following the painful fortunes of the Lady Isabel； but； going to bed in the
back part of the drug…store； he remembered how he used to beat everybody
swimming in the salt water。
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〃I'm goin'；〃 he said。 Then he got up； and； striking the light； he
inspected his bank account。 〃I'm sure goin'；〃 he repeated； blowing the light
out； 〃and I can buy the fatted calf myself； you bet！〃 for he had often
thought of the bishop's story。 〃You bet！〃 he remarked once more in a
muffled voice； and was asleep in a minute。 The apothecary was sorry to
have him go； and Honey was deeply grieved。
〃I'd pull out with yer；〃 he said； 〃only I can do business round Yuma
and westward with the pinto。〃
For three farewell days Lin and Honey roved together in all sorts of
places； where they were welcome； and once more Lin rode a horse and
was in his native element。 Then he travelled to Deming； and so through
Denver to Omaha； where he was told that his trunk had been sold for some
months。 Besides a suit of clothes for town wear； it had contained a buffalo
coat for his brothersomething scarce to see in these days。
〃Frank'll have to get along without it；〃 he observed； philosophically；
and took the next eastbound train。
If you journey in a Pullman from Mesa to Omaha without a waistcoat；
and with a silk handkerchief knotted over the collar of your flannel shirt
instead of a tie； wearing； besides； tall； high…heeled boots； a soft； gray hat
with a splendid brim； a few people will notice you； but not the majority。
New Mexico and Colorado are used to these things。 As Iowa； with its