saw Blue Creek and felt its coolness rise among the shifting veils of
light。 The red bluff eastward； the tall natural fortress； lost its stern
masonry of shapes； and loomed a soft towering enchantment of violet and
amber and saffron in the changing rays。 The cattle stood quiet about the
levels； and horses were moving among the restless colts。 These the
brother bade his sister look at； for with them was his glory； and I heard
him boasting of his skilltruthful boasting； to be sure。 Had he been
honest in his dealings； the good…will that man's courage and dashing
appearance beget in men would have brought him more employment than he
could have undertaken。 He told Jessamine his way of breaking a horse that
few would dare； and she listened eagerly。 〃Do you remember when I used to
hold the pony for you to get on？〃 she said。 〃You always would scare me；
Nate！〃 And he replied； fluently； Yes； yes； did she see that horse there；
near the fence？ He was a four…year…old； an outlaw； and she would find no
one had tried getting on his back since he had been absent。 This was the
first question he asked on reaching the cabin； where various neighbors
were waiting the mail…rider； and； finding he was right； he turned in
pride to Jessamine
〃They don't know how to handle that horse；〃 said he。 〃I told you so。 Give
me a rope。〃
Did she notice the cold greeting Nate received？ I think not。 Not only was
their welcome to her the kinder； but any one is glad to witness bold
riding； and this chance made a stir which the sister may have taken for
cordiality。 But Lin gave me a look； for it was the same here as it had
been in the Buffalo saloon。
〃The trick is easy enough；〃 said Nate； arriving with his outlaw； and
liking an audience。 〃You don't want a bridle； but a rope hackamore like
thisSpanish style。 Then let them run as hard as they want； and on a
sudden reach down your arm and catch the hackamore short； close up by the
mouth； and jerk them round quick and heavy at full speed。 They quit their
fooling after one or two doses。 Now watch your outlaw！〃
He went into the saddle so swift and secure that the animal； amazed；
trembled stock…still； then sprang headlong。 It stopped； vicious and
knowing； and plunged in a rage； but could do nothing with the man； and
bolted again； and away in a straight blind line over the meadow； when the
rider leaned forward to his trick。 The horse veered in a jagged swerve；
rolled over and over with its twisted impetus； and up on its feet and on
without a stop； the man still seated and upright in the saddle。 How we
cheered to see it！ But the figure now tilted strangely； and something
awful and nameless came over us and chilled our noise to silence。 The
horse； dazed and tamed by the fall； brought its burden towards us； a
wobbling thing； falling by small shakes backward； until the head sank on
the horse's rump。
〃Come away；〃 said Lin McLean to Jessamine and at his voice she obeyed and
went； leaning on his arm。
Jessamine sat by her brother until he died； twelve hours afterwards；
having spoken and known nothing。 The whole weight of the horse had
crushed him internally。 He must have become almost instantly unconscious；
being held in the saddle by his spurs； which had caught in the hair
cinch； it may be that our loud cheer was the last thing of this world
that he knew。 The injuries to his body made impossible any taking him
home； which his sister at first wished to do。 〃Why； I came here to bring
him home；〃 she said； with a smile and tone like cheerfulness in wax。 Her
calm； the unearthly ease with which she spoke to any comer （and she was
surrounded with rough kindness）； embarrassed the listeners； she saw her
calamity clear as they did； but was sleep…walking in it。 It was Lin gave
her what she neededthe repose of his strong； silent presence。 He spoke
no sympathy and no advice； nor even did he argue with her about the
burial； he perceived somehow that she did not really hear what was said
to her； and that these first griefless； sensible words came from some
mechanism of the nerves； so he kept himself near her； and let her tell
her story as she would。 Once I heard him say to her； with the same
authority of that first 〃come away〃； 〃Now you've had enough of the
talking。 Come for a walk。〃 Enough of the talkingas if it were a
treatment！ How did he think of that？ Jessamine； at any rate； again obeyed
him； and I saw the two going quietly about in the meadows and along the
curving brook； and that night she slept well。 On one only point did the
cow…puncher consult me。
〃They figured to put Nate on top of that bald mound；〃 said he。 〃But she
has talked about the flowers and shade where the old folks lie； and where
she wants him to be alongside of them。 I've not let her look at him
to…day； forwell； she might get the way he looks now on her memory。 But
I'd like to show you my idea before going further。〃
Lin had indeed chosen a beautiful place； and so I told him at the first
sight of it。
〃That's all I wanted to know；〃 said he。 〃I'll fix the rest。〃
I believe he never once told Jessamine the body could not travel so far
as Kentucky。 I think he let her live and talk and grieve from hour to
hour； and then led her that afternoon to the nook of sunlight and
sheltering trees； and won her consent to it thus； for there was Nate
laid； and there she went to sit； alone。 Lin did not go with her on those
walks。
But now something new was on the fellow's mind。 He was plainly occupied
with it； whatever else he was doing； and he had some active cattle…work。
On my asking him if Jessamine Buckner had decided when to return east； he
inquired of me； angrily； what was there in Kentucky she could not have in
Wyoming？ Consequently； though I surmised what he must be debating； I felt
myself invited to keep out of his confidence； and I did so。 My advice to
him would have been ill received； andas was soon to be made plain
would have done his delicacy injustice。 Next； one morning he and Billy
were gone。 My first thought was that he had rejoined Jessamine at Mrs。
Pierce's； where she was； and left me away over here on Bear Creek； where
we had come for part of a week。
But stuck in my hat…band I found a pencilled farewell。
Now Mr。 McLean constructed perhaps three letters in the yearpainful；
serious eventslike an interview with some important person with whom
your speech must decorously flow。 No matter to whom he was writing； it
froze all nature stiff in each word he achieved； and his bald business
diction and wild archaic penmanship made documents that I value among my
choicest correspondence； this one； especially：
〃Wensday four a。 m。
〃DEAR SIR this is to Inform you that i have gone to Separ on important
bisness where i expect to meet you on your arrival at same point。 You
will confer a favor and oblidge undersigned by Informing Miss J。 Buckner
of date （if soon） you fix for returning per stage to Separ as Miss J。
Buckner may prefer company for the trip being long and poor
accommodations。
Yours &c。 L。 McLEAN。〃
This seemed to point but one way； and （uncharitable though it sound） that
this girl； so close upon bereavement； should be able to give herself to a
lover was distasteful to me。
But； most extraordinary； Lin had gone away without a word to her； and she
was left as plainly in the dark as myself。 After her first frank surprise
at learning of his departure； his name did not come again from her lips；
at any rate to me。 Good Mrs。 Pierce dropped a word one day as to her
opinion of men who deceive women into expecting something from them。
〃Let us talk straight；〃 said I。 〃Do you mean that Miss Buckner says that；
or that you say it？〃
〃Why； the poor thing says nothing！〃 exclaimed the lady。 〃It's like a man
to think she would。 And I'll not say anything； either； for you're all
just the same； except when you're worse； and that Lin McLean is going to
know what I think of him next time we meet。〃
He did。 On that occasion the kind old dame told him he was the best boy
in the country； and stood on her toes and kissed him。 But meanwhile we
did not know why he had gone； and Jessamine （though he was never subtle
or cruel enough to plan such a thing） missed him； and thus in her
loneliness had the chance to learn how much he had been to her。
Though pressed to stay indefinitely beneath Mrs。 Pierce's hospitable
roof； the girl； after lingering awhile； and going often to that nook in
the hill by Riverside； took her departure。 She was restless； yet clung to
the neighborhood。 It was with a wrench that she fixed her going when I
told her of my own journey back to the railroad。 In Buffalo she walked to
the court…house and stood a moment as if bidding this site of one
life…memory farewell； and from the stage she watched and watched the
receding town and mountains。 〃It's awful to be leaving him！〃 she said。
〃Excuse me for acting so in front of you。〃 With the poignant emptiness
overcoming her in new guise； she blamed herself for not waiting in
Illinois until he had been sent to Joliet； for then； so near home； he
must have gone with her。
How could I tell her that Nate's death was the best end that could have
come to him？ But I said： 〃You know you don't think it was your fault。 You
know you would do the same again。〃 She listened to me； but her eyes had
no interest in them。 〃He never knew pain；〃 I pursued； 〃and he died doing
the thing he liked best in the world。 He was happy and enjoying himself；
and you gave him that。 It's bad only for you。 Some would talk religion；
but I can't。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered； 〃I can think of him so glad to be free。 Thank you
for saying that about religion。 Do you think it's wicked not to want it
to hate it sometimes？ I hope it's not。 Thank you； truly。〃
During our journey she summoned her cheerfulness； and all that she said