what I
wanted to tell you!"

Momentarily a pang of regret shot through Parker's heart. It was quickly
followed by a sense of relief.

"You--you--and Ophelia married?" he stammered.

"We sure are," Old Heck answered positively. "We done it to-day!"

Suddenly Parker determined to "cover up."

"My, lord!" he half-groaned, pretending terrible grief, "this is awful!
It--it--come so sudden--but there ain't no hard feelings, Old Heck!
I--I--wish you both joy and happiness!"

"Darned if that ain't white of you, Parker!" Old Heck exclaimed,
immensely relieved. "I won't forget it! When you and the boys take them
steers to Chicago, stay over a week or so and have a good time and count
it in on expenses!"

Parker turned his head and in the darkness winked solemnly at a yellow
star above the peak of Sentinel Mountain.

He and Old Heck started toward the house.

"Hey, you fellows!" Old Heck called, pausing and turning toward the barn
where the cowboys were putting away their saddles, "when you get through
all of you come on up to the house! Ophelia and me's married and the
bride is waiting to be congratulated!"

"Good lord," Charley gasped, "hear that, fellers? Old Heck said him and
the widow's married!"

"Gosh!" Chuck laughed, "it must have been a jolt to Parker! I bet his
heart's plumb bu'sted!"

As soon as their saddles were put away the cowboys hurried toward the
house. They met the Ramblin' Kid, crossing from the circular corral to
the bunk-house.

"Come on," Bert called to him, "Old Heck and Ophelia's gone and got
married! We're going up to the house to sympathize with the widow!"

"I ain't needed," the Ramblin' Kid answered with a careless laugh. "You
fellers can take my 'love' to th' afflicted couple!"

After the cowboys had gone to the house Skinny went and got Old Pie
Face. Stopping at the stable, he saddled the pinto and strolled over to
the bunk-house. The Ramblin' Kid was lying stretched on his bed. Skinny
rolled the white shirt carefully into a bundle and wrapped a newspaper
around it.

"What you goin' to do?" the Ramblin' Kid asked.

"I'm goin' to town!" Skinny answered shortly. "I'm going up to Eagle
Butte and get on a hell of a drunk--if I can get hold of any boot-leg
whisky--Carolyn June and me have bu'sted up on our love-making!"

"Going to get drunk, are you?" the Ramblin' Kid queried with a note of
scorn in his voice, "an' forget your sorrows?"

"Yes," Skinny retorted, "I'm going to get