goin' to be no more fightin' 'bout cattle
and sheep. I stopped by to the Loring ranch. Ole man Loring was sure
ugly, so I reckon he's feelin' nacheral ag'in. He was like to get mad
at me for stopping but his gal, Nell, she smoothed down his wool and
asked me to stay and eat. I wasn't feelin' extra hungry, so I come
along up here."

"I have some good news," said Corliss. "Got a letter from Billy last
week. Didn't have time to tell you. He's working for a broker in
'Frisco. I shouldn't wonder if he should turn up one of these days.
How would you like to drive over to Antelope and meet him when he
comes?"

"I'd sure be glad. Always did like Billy. 'Course you don't know when
he's comin'--and I got to do some drivin' meself right soon."

"So?"

"Yep. 'Course I got the wagon, but they ain't no style to that. I was
wantin' a rig with style to it--like the buckboard." Sundown fidgeted
nervously with the buttons of his shirt. He coughed, took off his hat,
and mopped his face with a red bandanna. Despite his efforts he grew
warmer and warmer. He was about to approach a delicate subject.
Finally he seized the bull by the horns, so to speak, and his tanned
face grew red. "I was wantin' to borrow that buckboard, mebby,
Saturday."

"Sure! Going to Antelope?"

"Nope--not first. I got business over to Chico Miguel's place. I'm
goin' to call on a lady."

"Oh, I see! Anita?"

"Well, I sure ain't goin' to call on her ma--she's married a'ready."

Despite himself, Corliss smiled. "So that's what you wanted that new
bed and table and the chairs for. Did they get marked up much coming
in?"

"The legs some. I rubbed 'em with that hoss-liniment you give me. You
can hardly tell. It kind of smelled like turpentine, and I didn't have
nothin' else."

"Well, anything you want--"

"I know, boss. But this is goin' to be a quiet weddin'. No
brass-bands or ice-cream or pop-corn or style. Just me and her
and--and I reckon a priest, seein' she was brung up that way. I ain't
asked her yet."

"What? About getting married, or the priest?"

"Nothin'. We got kind of a eye-understandin' and her ma and me is good
friends. It's like this. Bein' no hand to do love-makin' stylish, I
just passes her a couple of bouquets onct or twict and said a few
words. Now, you see, if I get that buckboard and a couple of hosses--I
sure would like the white ones--and drive over lookin' like business
and slip the ole man a b