sulk--I wouldn't be as nasty as that,
and--and hold a grudge the way you do--and I was going to be nice and
forgiving; but if you don't care, and don't want--"

By this time he was close--quite close. "Yuh know I care! And yuh know
I want--_you_. Oh, girlie, girlie!"

* * * * *

The colors had all left the sky, save blue and silver-gray, and the
sun was a commonplace, dazzling ball of yellow. Charming Billy Boyle,
his hat set back upon his head at a most eloquent angle, led Barney
from the creek up to the stable. His eyes were alight and his brow was
unwrinkled. His lips had quite lost their bitter lines, and once more
had the humorous, care-free quirk at the corners.

He slammed the stable-door behind him and went off down the street,
singing exultantly:

"--I have been to see my-wife,
She's the joy of my life--"

He jerked open the door of the shack, gave a whoop to raise the dead,
and took Dill ungently by the shoulder.

"Come alive, yuh seven-foot Dill-pickle! What yuh want to lay here
snoring for at this time uh day? Don't yuh know it's morning?"

Dill sat up and blinked, much like an owl in the sunshine. He puckered
his face into a smile. "Aren't you rather uproarious--for so early
in the day, William? I was under the impression that one usually grew
hilarious--"

"Oh, there's other things besides whisky to make a man feel good,"
grinned Billy, his cheeks showing a tinge of red. "I'm in a hurry,
Dilly. I've got to hit the trail immediate--and if it ain't too much
trouble to let me have that money yuh spoke about--"

Dill got out of bed, eying him shrewdly. "Have you been gambling,
William?"

Billy ran the green shade up from the window so energetically that
it slipped from his fingers and buzzed noisily at file top. He craned
his neck, trying to see the hotel. "Maybe yuh'd call it that--an old
bachelor like you! Yuh see, Dilly, I've got business over in Tower.
I've got to be there before noon, and I need--aw, thunder! How's a man
going to get married when he's only got six dollars in his jeans?"

"I should say that would be scarcely feasible, William." Dill was
smiling down at the lacing of his shoes. "We can soon remedy that,
however. I'm--I'm very glad, William."

The cheeks of Charming Billy Boyle grew quite red. "And, by the way,
Dilly," he said hurriedly, as if he shied at the subject of his love
and his marriage, "I've changed my mind about going to N