our foolishness."

"My foolishness has got me stopped."

"If you expect to eat supper here tonight, stop your noise."

"Honor bright!" persisted Sawdy, "what do you say?"

Belle took it up with Kate: "With him and John Lefever both nagging at
me what can I do?" she demanded, greatly vexed. "I've got to marry a
fat man anyway I fix it."

When Lefever learned Belle's choice had fallen on his running mate he
was naturally incensed: "I've been jobbed all 'round," he declared at
Tenison's. "First, Jim sends me up to the Reservation on a wild-goose
chase after his two birds and bags 'em both himself within gunshot of
town. Then my own partner beats me home by a day and cops off Belle.
Blast a widower, anyway. He'll beat out an honest man, every time.
Anyway, boys, this town is dead. Everything's getting settled up
around here. I'm sending my resignation in to Farrell Kennedy today
and I'm going to strike out for new country."

"Not till I get married, John," said Laramie, when John repeated the
dire threat. "And Kate wants a new foreman up at the ranch. You know
her father's turned everything over to her."

"What'll she pay?"

"More than you're worth, John. Don't worry about that!"

Some diplomacy was needed to restore general good feeling, but all was
managed. From the men, John got no sympathy. The women were more
considerate; and when Kate and Belle threatened there would be no
double wedding unless John stood up with the party, he bade them go
ahead with the "fixings."

The breakfast at the Mountain House, Harry Tenison's personal
compliment to the wedding party, restored John Lefever quite to his
bubbling humor. It was a brave company that sat down. And a
democratic one, for despite feminine protests it numbered at the
different tables pretty much every friend of Laramie's, in the high
country, including John Frying Pan--only the blanket men from the
Reservation were excluded. Lefever acted as toastmaster.

"Jim," he demanded, addressing Laramie in genial tones, when everything
was moving well, "just what in your eventful career do you most pride
yourself on?"

Laramie answered in like humor. "Keeping out of jail," he retorted
laconically.

"Been some job, I imagine," suggested Lefever cheerily.

"At times, a man's job."

"But you're not dead yet," persisted Lefever.

"I'm married--that's just as good."

"Why, Jim!" protested his bride with spirit.

"I mean," explained Laramie, look