t her right.

"Th' Ramblin' Kid ain't up yet," Skinny volunteered.

"Then the storm did drive him to shelter, after all?" Carolyn June asked
with the barest trace of contempt in her voice.

"I wouldn't hardly say that," Bert Lilly remarked, holding his cup for
Sing Pete to fill with coffee; "--he brought in the Gold Dust maverick."

"Yes," Chuck said with mock gravity, "it was quite an undertaking--he
sprinkled salt on her tail--"

"How clever!" Ophelia exclaimed, looking interested, "and is that the
way they catch--mavericks?" stumbling over the unusual word.

"Chuck's joking," Parker said; "he always was foolish--"

"Uncle Josiah," Carolyn June asked suddenly, "can you take Ophelia to
Eagle Butte to-day?"

"I--Parker can," Old Heck answered, "if he can drive the car. Still
there are probably some pretty bad washouts--"

Ophelia looked quickly at Old Heck, interested by the note she detected
in his voice.

"I--I--got some work to do," he continued, "if you could wait till
to-morrow"--addressing the widow--"I could more than likely go myself--"

"I guess I can handle the car all right," Parker said, looking
significantly at Old Heck; "the roads will be dried up in a little
while."

"It's Parker's day anyhow and he don't want to miss--" Chuck started to
say.

"After breakfast," Old Heck interrupted, scowling at the cowboy, "Chuck
and Pedro had better both ride-line on the upper pasture. The cattle
probably went against the fence in the storm last night and knocked off
a lot of wire. Of course, Skinny will have to stay here," he added, "and
the rest of us, except Parker, ought to look after the fences in the
east bottoms--from the looks of the river this morning a lot of posts
and wire must be washed out."

"Whoever gets up the saddle horses had better catch them in the pasture
corral," Parker declared, "it won't do to turn them in with that wild
filly and Captain Jack."

"I think I shall go see that wonderful filly," Carolyn June said as
they left the table, "she may be the particular broncho I will want to
ride--"

"Not much," Old Heck objected, "these outlaws ain't exactly the kind of
horses for women to fool with. You can use Old Blue. He's gentle."

"Did I tell you I wanted a 'gentle horse'?" Carolyn June asked with a
bit of impatience.

"No, but I figured that was the kind you'd need on account of being
raised back east--"

"Well, I am going to see the Gold Dust maverick," Carolyn June said