xes. They probably don't mean to
hurt her feelin's none, but I 'low they snicker once in a while if Molly
forgets the right sasshay. An' Molly's proud as they make 'em. Sounds
good to me. What you think, Sandy? It's up to you as her guardeen."

"It sure sounds good," said Sandy. "Seems like this Mrs. Keith must be a
pritty fine woman to think of takin' Molly into her own home. I reckon
Molly must have changed a good deal. I'd be inclined to put it this way;
if Molly cottons to the idea, let her hop to it."

"Mirandy ain't brought over the butter yet," put in Mormon, with a
glance at his partners that was half shamefaced. "Why not git her
opinion? Takes a woman to understand a woman. She'd sabe this letter a
heap bettern' we c'ud."

Sam winked covertly at Sandy and shoved his tongue in his cheek.

"That's a good idea, Mormon," said Sandy.

"Never did find out jest what happened to that last wife of your'n, did
ye, Mormon?" asked Sam.

"Never did."

"That's too bad."

"Why?"

"Gen'ral principles." Sam said no more but took out his harmonica, ever
in one hip pocket, and crooned into it. A jiggly-jazz edition of
_Mendelssohn's Wedding March_ strained through the curtains of Sam's
drooping mustache.

"Speakin' wide, the weddin' cake of matrimony has been mostly mildewed
for me," said Mormon reflectively, "but there was one thing about my
last wife I sure admired. Uncommon thing in woman an' missin' in some
men."

Sam, eager for chaffing, fell.

"What was that, Mormon? I heerd she was a good cook."

"It warn't her cookin', though that was prime when she was in the humor.
But she sure c'ud attend to her own business, an' there's damn few can
do that. Sandy's one of the few. I can't call another to mind jest now."

Sam grinned.

"You sure had me that time, ol' hawss. An' the mildew on the weddin'
cake warn't none of yore fault. That sort of pastry's too rich for me to
tackle. I used to wonder why they allus put frostin' on weddin' cake. I
reckon it's a warnin'--or else sarcasm."

"Ef you ever git roped thataway, Sam, you're goin' to fall high an'
hard," said Mormon. "You'll come to consciousness hawg-tied an'
branded."

"That the way it was with you?"

"Yep. I've allus had an affinity fo' the sex. I ain't like Sandy. Nature
give him an instinct ag'in' 'em, as pardners. He was bo'n lucky."

But Sandy had gone out. Sam and Mormon trailed him and saw him walking
toward the cottonwood grove with Grit at hi