the thing had been run square and the
faster horse had won. But Dorsey on every occasion since had, drunk or
sober, boasted of Thunderbolt's victory and taken a devilish delight in
rubbing it in on the owner of the Quarter Circle KT.

To-day the Vermejo cattleman had been worse than usual, due, no doubt,
to the rotten boot-leg whisky the brute-like proprietor of Eagle Butte's
rather disreputable Amusement Parlor was supposed secretly to dispense
to those who had the price and the "honor" to keep sacred the source of
supply.

Old Heck was sore and he was ready to go the limit in backing the Gold
Dust maverick. Both he and Skinny had purposely refrained from
mentioning the horse the Ramblin' Kid would enter. The fame of the
outlaw filly extended throughout all of southwestern Texas and if the
Vermejo crowd had learned that the Ramblin' Kid had finally caught her
and was intending to put her against Thunderbolt it was doubtful if the
black horse would be entered at all in the sweepstakes. Even if he was,
Dorsey and his crowd would be shy of the betting.

This was one reason Old Heck had so played the conversation that Dorsey
definitely threw down the challenge and which was so coldly accepted.

The Vermejo cow-man would have to come in heavy on the betting or be
placed in the role of a bluffer.

By the time they reached the ranch Old Heck's good humor was restored.
He thoroughly enjoyed the supper Skinny and Carolyn June prepared and
joked the girl about her coffee-jelly.

"She's learning how to make French toast, now," Skinny said proudly; "it
won't be long till she's a darned good cook!"

"Why not?" Carolyn June laughed. "See who I have to teach me!" and
Skinny flushed while his heart hammered joyously.

"Well, I reckon anybody could live on fried bread and coffee-jelly in a
pinch," Old Heck joked back, "but for my part I'd be a good deal happier
to mix a biscuit or two like Ophelia makes once in a while in with
it"--giving the widow a worshipful look.

It was Ophelia's turn to register pleasurable confusion.

After supper Old Heck and the widow washed the dishes. When they were
finished Ophelia went into the front room. Old Heck took a glass of
water, stepped out of the kitchen door, and diligently scrubbed his
teeth. While he was still at it Skinny came out with a dipper in his
hand and sheepishly drawing a tooth-brush from his hip pocket faithfully
imitated the actions of the other.

"I figure a man's tak