And I goes on, for I was wound away up. 'And he will be happy, too,' I
says. 'Miss Second Best will have a talk with him about your picture and
little "Neighbor," which he'll not send back to yus, because the hurt in
his heart is there. And he will keep 'em out of sight somewheres after
his talk with Miss Second Best.' Lin, Lin, I laughed at them words of
mine, but I was that wound up I was strange to myself. And she watchin'
me that way! And I says to her: 'Miss Second Best will not be the crazy
thing to think I am any wife of his standing in her way. He will tell
her about me. He will tell how onced he thought he was solid married to
me till Lusk came back; and she will drop me out of sight along with the
rest that went nameless. They was not uncomprehensible to you, was they?
You have learned something by livin', I guess! And Lin--your Lin, not
mine, nor never mine in heart for a day so deep as he's yourn right
now--he has been gay--gay as any I've knowed. Why, look at that face of
his! Could a boy with a face like that help bein' gay? But that don't
touch what's the true Lin deep down. Nor will his deep-down love for
you hinder him like it will hinder you. Don't you know men and us is
different when it comes to passion? We're all one thing then, but they
ain't simple. They keep along with lots of other things. I can't make
yus know, and I guess it takes a woman like I have been to learn their
nature. But you did know he loved you, and you sent him away, and you'll
be homeless in yer house when he has done the right thing by himself and
found another girl.'

"Lin, all the while I was talkin' all I knowed to her, without knowin'
what I'd be sayin' next, for it come that unexpected, she was lookin'
at me with them steady eyes. And all she says when I quit was, 'If I saw
him I would tell him to find a home.'"

"Didn't she tell yu' she'd made me promise to keep away from seeing
her?" asked the cow-puncher.

Mrs. Lusk laughed. "Oh, you innocent!" said she.

"She said if I came she would leave Separ," muttered McLean, brooding.

Again the large woman laughed out, but more harshly.

"I have kept my promise," Lin continued.

"Keep it some more. Sit here rotting in your chair till she goes away.
Maybe she's gone."

"What's that?" said Lin. But still she only laughed harshly. "I could
be there by to-morrow night," he murmured. Then his face softened. "She
would never do such a thing!" he said, to himself.

He had for