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Parker noticed the anguish in Old Heck's eyes and a sudden new look of cunning came into his own. "An 'Organizer' I said," he repeated impressively, "she's an 'Organizer' for some kind of 'Movement' or other " "A dis-organizer, you'd better say!" Chuck laughed uncertainly, "judging from the way she's got you and Old Heck stampeding already!" "Great guns!"
In Old Heck's eyes was a set, determined look when he came out of the court-house and stepped up to the Clagstone "Six" in which he had left Ophelia a few moments before. The end of a long yellow envelope protruded from the side pocket of his coat. His face was flushed and his hand trembled slightly as he opened the door of the car and climbed into the front seat beside the widow.
I'm Missus Jasamine Swope an' a married woman an' you'd better not try to get fresh or " Simultaneous with Old Heck's question, Skinny, his eyes riveted on the dowdy girl, asked in a voice barely audible: "Are you are you Carolyn June?" "No, I ain't Carolyn June," she snorted. "Come on, ma; let's go! Them two's crazy or white slavers or somethin'!"
The situation was entirely beyond his control. By right he and Ophelia ought to be sitting there quietly making love, while Skinny and Carolyn June, in another corner of the room or out on the porch, were doing the same thing. He would just have to await developments. Parker was elated. Carolyn June's proposal had broken up Old Heck's evening alone with the widow.
Before they reached the long bridge across the Cimarron a mile from Eagle Butte Old Heck's mind was made up. "You want to stop at the preacher's house?" he asked. "If you please," Ophelia replied, "for some little time. There are things to discuss " "Would you mind if I drove around to the court-house first?" Old Heck questioned again. "Not at all," she answered sweetly.
"Poor Old Blue poor old fellow!" she finished with a little catch in her voice. Old Heck's cheeks whitened as he listened. "Good lord," he half-groaned, "you had a close call! It's lucky th' Ramblin' Kid saw you coming toward the upper ford if he hadn't you'd never got out! But go on into the house and get some dry clothes on.
Chuck led Old Pie Face for Skinny to ride in the parade and Bert took Red John, Old Heck's most showy saddle horse a long-legged, high-stepping, proud-headed, bay gelding for Carolyn June to use, for she, too, had declared her intention of joining in the grand promenade with which the Rodeo would open.
The arrival of the telegram telling of the coming of Carolyn June Dixon, Old Heck's niece, and Ophelia Cobb, her chaperon, filled with varying emotions the hearts of Old Heck, Parker and the cowboys. To Old Heck their presence meant nothing less than calamity. Long years of he-man association had made him dread the petty restraints he imagined would be imposed by intimate contact with womankind.
"I don't understand," the widow said, bewildered by the rapid flow of legal-sounding words. "Nor did I at first," Carolyn June went on, "but I have figured it all out! I have 'discovered' what all this mysterious hinting about 'arrangements, 'the agreement, 'Old Heck's day, 'Parker's time, 'Skinny's job, and so forth means! I have studied it out.
Don't reckon you've taught Old Quicksilver to run yet, have you?" with a boisterous laugh as he referred to the race in which Thunderbolt had defeated Old Heck's crack stallion. The taunt stung Old Heck while it called out a suppressed snicker from the cowboys who were with Dorsey and the loafers in the pool-room.
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