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LIN McLEAN
and Ogden departed on this mission to the signal service。
〃Well； I must be getting along myself；〃 said Lin； but he continued
walking slowly with me。 〃Where're yu' bound？〃 he said。
〃Nowhere in particular；〃 said I。 And we paced the board sidewalks a
little more。
〃You're going to meet the train to…morrow？〃 said he。
〃The train？ Oh yes。 Hilbrun's。 To…morrow。 You'll be there？〃
〃Yes； I'll be there。 It's sure been a dry spell； ain't it？〃
〃Yes。 Just like last year。 In fact； like all the years。〃
〃Yes。 I've never saw it rain any to speak of in summer。 I expect it's the
rule。 Don't you？〃
〃I shouldn't wonder。〃
〃I don't guess any man knows enough to break such a rule。 Do you？〃
〃No。 But it'll be fun to see him try。〃
〃Sure fun！ Well； I must be getting along。 See yu' to…morrow。〃
〃See you to…morrow； Lin。〃
He left me at a corner； and I stood watching his tall； depressed figure。
A hundred yards down the street he turned； and seeing me looking after
him； pretended he had not turned； and then I took my steps toward the
club； telling myself that I had been something of a skunk； for I had
inquired for Mrs。 McLean in a certain tone； and I had hinted to Lin that he
had lacked caution； and this was nothing but a way of saying 〃I told you
so〃 to the man that is down。 Down Lin certainly was； although it had not
come so home to me until our little walk together just now along the
boards。
At the club I found the Governor teaching Ogden a Cheyenne
specialtya particular drink； the Allston cocktail。 〃It's the bitters that does
the trick；〃 he was saying； but saw me and called out： 〃You ought to have
been with us and seen Jode。 I showed him the telegram； you know。 He
read it through； and just handed it back to me； and went on monkeying
with his anemometer。 Ever seen his instruments？ Every fresh jigger they
get out he sends for。 Well； he monkeyed away； and wouldn't say a word； so
I said； 'You understand； Jode； this telegram comes from Hilbrun。' And Jode；
he quit his anemometer and said； 'I make no doubt； sir； that your despatch
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LIN McLEAN
is genuwine。' Oh； South Carolina's indignant at me！〃 And the Governor
slapped his knee。 〃Why； he's so set against Hilbrun；〃 he continued； 〃I
guess if he knew of something he could explode to stop rain he'd let her
fly！〃
〃No； he wouldn't；〃 said I。 〃He'd not consider that honorable。〃
〃That's so；〃 the Governor assented。 〃Jode'll play fair。〃
It was thus we had come to look at our enterprisea game between a
well…established； respectable weather bureau and an upstart charlatan。 And
it was the charlatan had our sympathyas all charlatans； whether religious；
military； medical； political； or what not； have with the average American。
We met him at the station。 That is； Ogden； McLean； and I； and the
Governor； being engaged； sent （unofficially） his secretary and the
requested cart。 Lin was anxious to see what would be put in the cart； and I
was curious about how a rain…maker would look。 But he turned out an
unassuming； quiet man in blue serge； with a face you could not remember
afterwards； and a few civil； ordinary remarks。 He even said it was a hot
day； as if he had no relations with the weather； and what he put into the
cart were only two packing…boxes of no special significance to the eye。 He
desired no lodging at the hotel； but to sleep with his apparatus in the
building provided for him； and we set out for it at once。 It was an
untenanted barn； and he asked that he and his assistant might cut a hole in
the roof； upon which we noticed the assistant for the first timea tallish；
good…looking young man； but with a weak mouth。 〃This is Mr。 Lusk；〃 said
the rain…maker； and we shook hands； Ogden and I exchanging a glance。
Ourselves and the cart marched up Hill Streetor Capitol Avenue； as it has
become named since Cheyenne has grown fuller of pomp and emptier of
prosperityand I thought we made an unusual procession： the Governor's
secretary； unofficially leading the way to the barn； the cart； and the rain…
maker beside it； guarding his packed…up mysteries； McLean and Lusk；
walking together in unconscious bigamy； and in the rear； Odgen nudging
me in the ribs。 That it was the correct Lusk we had with us I felt sure from
his incompetent； healthy； vacant appearance； strong…bodied and shiftless
the sort of man to weary of one trade and another； and make a failure of
wife beating between whiles。 In Twenty…fourth Street the town's
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LIN McLEAN
uttermost rimthe Governor met us； and stared at Lusk。 〃Christopher！〃
was his single observation； but he never forgets a face cannot afford to；
now that he is in politics； and； besides； Lusk remembered him。 You seldom
really forget a man to whom you owe ten dollars。
〃So you've quit hauling poles？〃 said the Governor。
〃Nothing in it； sir；〃 said Lusk。
〃Is there any objection to my having a hole in the roof？〃 asked the
rain…maker； for this the secretary had been unable to tell him。
〃What！ going to throw your bombs through it？〃 said the Governor；
smiling heartily。
But the rain…maker explained at once that his was not the bomb system；
but a method attended by more rain and less disturbance。 〃Not that the
bomb don't produce first…class results at times and under circumstances；〃
he said； 〃but it's uncertain and costly。〃
The Governor hesitated about the hole in the roof； which Hilbrun told
us was for a metal pipe to conduct his generated gases into the air。 The
owner of the barn had gone to Laramie。 However； we found a stove…pipe
hole； which saved delay。 〃And what day would you prefer the shower？〃
said Hilbrun； after we had gone over our contract with him。
〃Any day would do；〃 the Governor said。
This was Thursday； and Sunday was chosen； as a day when no one had
business to detain him from witnessing the showerthough it seemed to
me that on week…days； too； business in Cheyenne was not so inexorable as
this。 We gave the strangers some information about the town； and left
them。 The sun went away in a cloudle