with their saddles still on,
were nipping the grass near the camp--the Ramblin' Kid and Chuck were to
take the first watch, until midnight, at "guard mount." Parker and the
cowboys were squatted, legs doubled under them, their knees forming a
table on which to hold the white porcelain plate of "mulligan," in a
circle at the back of the grub-wagon. Sing Pete trotted around the group
and poured black, blistering-hot coffee into the unbreakable cups on the
ground at the side of the hungry, dusty riders.

The sun had just dipped into the ragged peaks of the Costejo range and a
reddish-purple crown lay on the crest of Sentinel Mountain forty miles
to the southeast.

"It looks to me like Parker's sort of losing out," Chuck suddenly
remarked, as he wiped his lips on the back of his hand after washing
down a mouthful of the savory stew with gulps of steaming coffee.
"Ophelia stuck closer than thunder to Old Heck all through the Rodeo."

Parker reddened and growled: "Aw, hell--don't start that up again!"

"By criminy, she didn't stick any closer to Old Heck than Skinny stuck
to Carolyn June," Bert complained. "Nobody else had a look-in!"

"Skinny's sure earning his money," Charley muttered half enviously.

"Bet he's got on that white shirt and having a high old time right now!
They're probably in the front room and she's playing _La Paloma_ on the
piano while Old Skinny's setting back rolling his eyes up like a bloated
yearling!" Chuck laughed.

"And Old Heck and Ophelia are out on the porch holding hands and looking
affectionate while the mosquitos are chewing their necks and ankles!"
Bert added with a snicker.

"Her and Old Heck'll probably be married before we get back," Chuck said
solemnly, with a wink at the Ramblin' Kid and a sly glance in the
direction of Parker.

"Do you reckon there's any danger of it?" Parker asked in a voice that
showed anxiety, but not of the sort the cowboys thought.

"They're darned near sure to," Chuck replied seriously, heaving what he
tried to make resemble a sigh of sympathy.

"What makes you think so?" Parker questioned, seeking confirmation from
the lips of other, of a hope that had been rising in his heart since the
first moment he had begun to regret his rash proposal of marriage to the
widow.

"Well, for one thing"--Chuck began soberly--"the way they'd look at each
other--"

"I saw her squeeze Old Heck's arm once!" Bert interrupted.

"Aw, she's done that lots of times," C