into the kitchen from the
rear, Ophelia and Carolyn June, followed by Old Heck and Skinny Rawlins,
both looking sheepish and somewhat ashamed, stepped into the room from
the front.

All stood waiting and Old Heck, ill at ease and in a voice that
trembled, gave the party formal introduction:

"Missus Ophelia Cobb and Miss Carolyn June Dixon," motioning first at
the widow and then the girl, "Mister Parker, Mister Bert Lilly, Mister
Charley Saunders, Mister Chuck Slithers, Mister Pedro Valencia--"
indicating each in turn with his hand as he called the names, "--I
reckon you're already acquainted with Skinny!"

The cowboys mumbled greetings which Carolyn June and Ophelia graciously
acknowledged.

Sing Pete had laid two extra covers.

"You boys can take your regular places--all except you, Parker," Old
Heck said, "--you set at that side on this end," pointing to the seat at
the left next to the head of the table. "Carolyn June, you can set at
that end and Ophelia at this end--I'll set here," taking the seat at the
widow's right and directly across from Parker.

This placed Old Heck, Bert Lilly, Pedro and Skinny Rawlins on the right
of the table in the order named, Skinny sitting at the end on Carolyn's
left. On the opposite side sat Parker, Chuck Slithers and Charley. Next
to Charley, at the right of Carolyn June, and opposite Skinny, was a
vacant chair.

"Who is this for?" Carolyn June inquired, indicating the unoccupied
seat.

"That's th' Ramblin' Kid's place," Old Heck replied; "he may come in and
again he mayn't--"

"It was him you saw to-day," Skinny added, "riding down toward the
Narrows when we was coming from Eagle Butte."

"Do you know; where he went, Parker?" Old Heck asked.

"No. When we started over to the Springs he was here. Said he reckoned
we could get along without him and he wouldn't go--"

"He's just got one of them lonesome spells," Bert said, "and wanted to
get off by himself somewhere."

"He knowed we was going to have company, too," Chuck observed.

"More than likely that's why he went," Skinny suggested.

"Is he afraid of women?" Carolyn June laughed.

"Not particularly," Skinny replied; "he don't bother with them, that's
all."

"I think he went after that Gold Dust maverick," Charley said. "He'll
probably come in when he sees how it's going to storm--"

"He don't give a darn for storms," Bert declared. "--Pass them frijoles,
Pedro.--Remember that time it blowed the hay derric