Butthecow-puncherhadceasedtosmile，andnow，whileBarkerranonexuberantly，McLean’swide-openeyesresteduponhim，singularandintent，andintheirhazeldepthsthelastgleamofjocularitywentout。
　　“That’swherethestraincomes，yousee。Twosetsofacquaintances。
　　Gratefulpatientsandloyalvoters，andI’vegottokeepsolidwithbothoutfits，especiallythewivesandmothers。They’rethepeople。Soit’sdrums，anddolls，andsheeponwheels，andgames，andmonkeysonastick，andthesalesladyshowsyouamechanicalbear，anditcoststoomuch，andyouforgetwhethertheJudge’ssecondgirlisNellieorSusie，and——well，I’mjustinformyannualcircusthisafternoon!You’reinluck。
　　Christmasdon’ttroubleachapfixedlikeyou。“
　　LinMcLeanprolongedthesentencelikeadistantecho。
　　“Achapfixedlikeyou!“Thecow-punchersaiditslowlytohimself。“No，sure。“HeseemedtobewatchingShorty，andChalkeye，andDollarBillgoingdowntheroad。“That’sanewidea——Christmas，“hemurmured，foritwasoneofhisoldest，andhewasrecallingtheChristmaswhenheworehisfirstlongtrousers。
　　“Comesonceayearprettyregular，“remarkedtheprosperousGovernor。
　　“Seemsoftenwhenyoupaythebill。“
　　“Ihaven’tmadeaChristmasgift，“pursuedthecow-puncher，dreamily，“notfor——for——Lord!it’sahundredyears，Iguess。Idon’tknowanybodythathasanyrighttolookforsuchathingfromme。“Thiswasindeedanewidea，anditdidnotstopthechillthatwasspreadinginhisheart。
　　“Geewhiz!“saidBarker，briskly，“theregoestwelveo’clock。I’vegottomakeastart。Sorryyoucan’tcomeandhelpme。Good-bye!“
　　HisExcellencylefttheridersittingmotionless，andforgothimatonceinhisownpreoccupation。Hehasteneduponhisjourneytotheshopswiththelist，notinhispocket，butheldfirmly，likeaplankintheimminenceofshipwreck。TheNelliesandSusiespervadedhismind，andhestruggledwiththepresentimentthatinadayortwohewouldrecallsomeomittedandwretchedlyimportantchild。Quickhoof-beatsmadehimlookup，andMr。McLeanpassedlikeawind。TheGovernorabsentlywatchedhimgo，andsawtheponyhunchandstiffeninthecheckofhisspeedwhenLinovertookhiscompanions。Downthereinthedistancetheytookasidestreet，andBarkerrejoicinglyrememberedonemorenameandwroteitashewalked。Inafewminuteshehadcometotheshops，andmetfacetofacewithMr。McLean。
　　“Theboysareseein’aftermyhorse，“Linrapidlybegan，“andI’vegottomeet’emsharpatone。We’retwelveweeksshyonasquaremeal，yu’see，andthisfirsthasbeenadatefrom’wayback。I’dliketo——“HereMr。
　　McLeanclearedhisthroat，andhisspeechwentlesssmoothly。“Doc，I’dlikejustforawhiletowatchyu’gettin’——themmonkeys，yu’know。“
　　TheGovernorexpressedhisagreeablesurpriseatthischangeofmind，andwasgladofMcLean’scompanyandjudgmentduringtheimpendingselections。Apictureofacow-puncherandhimselfdiscussingacoupleofdollsrosenimblyinBarker’smentaleye，anditwaswithanimperfecthonestythathesaid，“You’llhelpmeaheap。“
　　AndLin，quitesincere，replied，“Thankyu’。“
　　SotogetherthesetwowentChristmasinginthethrong。Wyoming’sChiefExecutiveknockedelbowswiththespurredandjinglingwaif，onemanasgoodasanotherinthatraw，hopeful，full-bloodedcattleera，whichnowthesoberedWestremembersasthedaysofitsfondyouth。Foronemanhasbeenasgoodasanotherinthreeplaces——ParadisebeforetheFall；theRockyMountainsbeforethewirefence；andtheDeclarationofIndependence。AndthenthisGovernor，besidebeingyoung，almostasyoungasLinMcLeanortheChiefJusticewholatelyhadcelebratedhisthirty-secondbirthday，hadinhisdoctoringdaysatDryboneknownthecow-puncherwiththatfamiliaritywhichlastsalifetimewithoutbreedingcontempt；accordinglyhenowlaidahandonLin’stallshoulderanddrewhimamongthepetticoatsandtoys。
　　ChristmasfilledthewindowsandChristmasstirredinmankind。Cheyenne，notover-zealousindoctrineorlitanies，andwiththeopinionthataworldinthehandisworthtwointhebush，neverthelesswasflockingtogether，neighbortothinkofneighbor，andeveryonetorememberthechildren；asacredassembly，afterall，gatheredtorehearseunwittinglythearticlesofitsbelief，theCreedandDoctrineoftheChild。Linsawthemhurryandsmileamongthepaperfairies；theyquestionedandhesitated，crowdedandmadedecisions，failedutterlytofindtherightthing，forgotandhastenedback，sufferedallthevariousdesperationsoftheeleventhhour，andturnedhomeward，droppingtheirparcelswiththatundimmedgood-willthatonceayearmakesgracioustheuniversalhumanface。Thisbrotherhoodswamandbeamedbeforethecow-puncher’sbroodingeyes，andinhisearsthegreetingoftheseasonsang。Childrenescapedfromtheirmothersandranchirpingbehindthecounterstotouchandmeddleinplacesforbidden。Friendsdashedagainsteachotherwithrabbitsandmagiclanterns，greetedinhaste，andweregone，amidthesoundofmusicalboxes。
　　ThroughthistinkleandbleatingoflittlemachinerythemurmurofthehumanheartdriftedinandoutofMcLean’shearing；fragmentsofhometalk，tendernesses，economies，intimatefirstnames，anddinnerhours，andwhetheritwasjoyorsadness，itwasincommon；theworldseemedknitinasingleskeinofhometies。Twoorthreecamebywhosepursesmusthavebeenslender，andwhosepurchaseswerehumbleandchosenaftermuchniceadjustment；andwhenoneplainmandroppedawordaboutbothendsmeeting，andthewomanwithhimlaidahandonhisarm，sayingthathischildrenmustnotfeelthisyearwasdifferent，Linmadeasteptowardthem。Therewerehoursandspotswherehecouldreadilyhavedescendeduponthematthat，playedtheroleofclinkingaffluence，wavedthanksasidewithcompetentblasphemy，andtossingoffsomeinfamouswhiskey，canteredawayinthefullself-consciousstrutofthefrontier。
　　Butherewasnotthemoment；theabashedcow-punchercouldmakenosuchparadeinthisplace。Thepeoplebrushedbyhimbackandforth，busyupontheirerrands，andawareofhimscarcelymorethanifhehadbeenaspiritlookingonfromthehelplessdead；andso，whiletheseweavingneedsandkindnessesofmanwerewithinarm’stouchofhim，hewaslockedoutsidewithhisimpulses。Barkerhad，inthenaturalpressofcustomers，longpartedfromhim，tobecomeimmersedinchoosingandrejecting；andnow，withafairpartofhismissionaccomplished，hewasreadytogoontothenextplace，andturnedtobeckonMcLean。Hefoundhimobliteratedinacornerbesidealife-sizedimageofSantaClaus，standingasstillasthefrostysaint。
　　“Helookslivelierthanyoudo，“saidtheheartyGovernor。“’Fraidit’sbeenslowwaiting。“
　　“No，“repliedthecow-puncher，thoughtfully。“No，Iguessnot。“
　　ThisuncertaintywasexpressedwithsuchgentlenessthatBarkerroared。
　　“Youneverdidlietome，“hesaid，“longasI’veknownyou。Well，nevermind。I’vegotsomerealadvicetoaskyounow。“
　　AtthisMr。McLean’sfacegrewmorealert。“SayDoc，“saidhe，“whatdoyu’wantforChristmasthatnobody’slikelytogiveyu’？“
　　“Abigpractice——bigenoughtointerferewithmypolitics。“
　　“Whatelse？Thingsandtruck，Imean。“
　　“Oh——nothingI’llget。Peopledon’tgivethingsmuchtofellowslikeme。“
　　“Don’tthey？Don’tthey？“
　　“Why，youandSantaClausweren’tputtingupanyschemeonmystocking？“
　　“Well——“
　　“Ibelieveyou’reinearnest!“criedhisExcellency。“That’ssimplyrich!“Herewasathingtorelish!TheFrontiercomestotown“heeledforabigtime，“findsthatpresentsarealltherage，andmustimmediatelygivesomebodysomething。Oh，childlike，miscellaneousFrontier!Sothoughtthegood-heartedGovernor；anditseemsavenialmisconception。
　　“Mydearfellow，“headded，meaningaswellaspossible，“Idon’twantyoutospendyourmoneyonme。“
　　“I’vegotplentyallright，“saidLin，shortly。
　　“Plenty’snotthepoint。I’lltakeasmanydrinksasyoupleasewithyou。
　　Youdidn’texpectanythingfromme？“
　　“Thatain’t——thatdon’t——“
　　“There!Ofcourseyoudidn’t。Then，whatareyougettingproudabout？
　　Here’sourshop。“Theysteppedinfromthestreettonewcrowdsandcounters。“Now，“pursuedtheGovernor，“thisisforaveryparticularfriendofmine。Heretheyare。Now，whichofthosedoyoulikebest？“
　　TheyweresetsofTennysonincasesholdinglittlevolumesequalinnumber，butthebindingvarious，andMr。McLeanreachedhisdecisionafteronelook。“That，“saidhe，andlaidalargemuscularhandupontheLaureate。Theyoungladybehindthecounterspokeoutacidly，andLinpulledtheabjecthandaway。Histaste，however，happenedtobesound，or，atleast，itwasatonewiththeGovernor’s；butnowtheylearnedthattherewasadistressingvarianceinthematterofprice。
　　TheGovernorstaredatthedelicatearticleofhischoice。“IknowthatTennysoniswhatshe——iswhat’swanted，“hemuttered；and，feelinghimselfnudged，lookedaroundandsawLin’sextendedfist。Thisgesturehetookforafacetioussympathy，and，dolorouslygraspingthehand，foundhimselfholdingalumpofbills。Sheeramazementrelaxedhim，andthecow-puncher’smattedwealthtumbledonthefloorinsightofallpeople。Barkerpickeditupandgaveitback。“No，no，no!“hesaid，mirthfuloverhisowninclinationtobeannoyed；“youcan’tdothat。I’mjustasmuchobliged，Lin，“headded。
　　“Justasaloan，Doc——someofit。I’mgrass-belliedwithspot-cash。“
　　Agigglebehindthecounterdisturbedthemboth，butthesharpyoungladywasonlydusting。TheGovernoratoncepaidhaughtilyforTennyson’sexpensiveworks，andthecow-puncherpushedhisdiscountenancedsavingsbackintohisclothes。Makinghastetoleavethebookdepartmentofthisshop，theyregainedamutualease，andtheGovernorbecamewaggishoverLin’sconcernatbeingtoorich。Hesuggestedtohimthelistofdelinquenttaxpayersandthelatestcensusfromwhichtoselectindigentpersons。Hehadpatients，too，whoseinveteratepennilessnesshecouldswearcheerfullyto——“sinceyouwanttoboltfromyourownmoney，“heremarked。
　　“Yes，I’magreenhorse，“assentedMr。McLean，gallantly；“ain’tusedtothelooksofatwenty-dollarbill，andIshyat’em。“
　　Fromhisface——thatjocularmask——onemighthavecountedhimthemostsereneandcarelessofvagrants，andinhiswordsonlytheordinaryvoiceofbanterspoketotheGovernor。Agoodwoman，itmaywellbe，wouldhaveguessedbeforethisthesensitivesoulintheblunderingbody，butBarkersawjustthefamiliar，whimsical，happy-go-luckyMcLeanofolddays，andsohewentgaylyandinnocentlyon，treadinguponholyground。
　　“I’vegotit!“heexclaimed；“giveyourwifesomething。“
　　Theruddycow-punchergrinned。Hehadpassedthroughtheworldofwomanwithbutfewdelays，rejoicingininformalandtransiententanglements，andhewelcomedtheturnwhichtheconversationseemednowtobetaking。
　　“Ifyou’llgivemehernameandaddress，“saidhe，withthefutureentirelyinhismind。
　　“Why，Laramie!“andtheGovernorfeignedsurprise。
　　“Say，Doc，“saidLin，uneasily，“noneof’emain’tmarriedmesinceIsawyu’last。“
　　“Thenshehasn’twrittenfromLaramie，“saidthehilariousGovernor，andMr。McLeanunderstoodandwincedinhisspiritdeepdown。“Geewhiz!“
　　wentonBarker，“I’llneverforgetyouandLuskthatday!“
　　Butthemaskfellnow。“You’retalkingofhiswife，notmine，“saidthecow-puncherveryquietly，andsmilingnomore；“and，Doc，I’mgoingtosayawordtoyu’，forIknowyu’vealwaysbeenmygoodfriend。I’llneverforgetthatdaymyself——butIdon’twanttoberemindedofit。“
　　“I’mafool，Lin，“saidtheGovernor，generousinstantly。“Ineversupposed——“
　　“Iknowyu’didn’t，Doc。Itain’tyouthat’sthefool。Andinaway——inaway——“Lin’sspeechendedamonghiscrowdingmemories，andBarker，seeinghowwistfulhisfacehadturned，waited。“ButIain’tquitethesamefoolIwasbeforethathappenedtome，“thecow-puncherresumed，“thoughmaybemyactionsdon’tshowtobewiser。Iknowthattherewasbetterluckthanamanlikemehadanycalltolookfor。“
　　ThesoberedBarkersaid，simply，“Yes，Lin。“Hewasputtothinkingbythesewordsfromtheunsuspectedinnerman。