“I’m glad, too,” she replied candidly; “and this is Mrs. Ophelia Cobb—­just Ophelia—­Uncle Josiah,” Carolyn added, turning to Old Heck who clumsily shook hands with the widow while his weather-tanned face flushed a burning, uncomfortably red.

“We was expecting you,” he said, retaining life hold on her hand.

“That was very kind,” Ophelia murmured.  “I am sure we are delighted to be here.”

“Now I guess we are all acquainted,” Carolyn June said with a little laugh.  “It’s easy for folks to get acquainted, isn’t it?” turning suddenly to Skinny.

“Seems like it after they once get started,” Skinny answered.

“We’d better be heading for home I reckon,” Old Heck said, releasing at last the widow’s hand and lifting the bags in the car.  “Sing Pete will have dinner ready by the time we get there.”

“We have some trunks,” Carolyn June said, “can we take them with us?”

“Yes,” Old Heck replied, “get in, and we’ll drive over to the depot and get them.”

With Carolyn June and Ophelia in the rear seat and Skinny and himself in the front Old Heck drove the car across to the station and the trunks were fastened with ropes on the hood of the engine and running-boards of the car.

As they started away Carolyn June asked: 

“Which way now, Uncle Josiah?”

“Out to the ranch.”

“Hadn’t we better stop at the drug store,” she asked soberly, “and get some medicine?”

“Medicine?  Who for?” Old Heck inquired innocently.

“Why, the patients, of course,” Carolyn June answered with a mischievous chuckle.

“What patients?”

“Out at the Quarter Circle KT where that epidemic of smallpox is raging!” she answered sweetly.

“That’s all a mistake,” Old Heck said hastily; “we thought is was smallpox but it wasn’t—­”

“No, everybody’s got over it,” Skinny added nervously; “they’re all cured!”

“Yes, they was just broke out with the heat and didn’t have the smallpox at all—­” Old Heck explained.

“Liars, both of them,” Carolyn June said laughingly to Ophelia; “they just didn’t want us to come!”

“Very likely,” Ophelia answered.

“No, honest, we thought we had it,” Old Heck stammered.

“We were plumb uneasy for fear you wouldn’t arrive,” Skinny declared.  “After we found out it wasn’t smallpox we were going to send a special delivery message and tell you it was all a misunderstanding and to come anyhow!”

“Shall we forgive them?” Carolyn June asked the widow.

“Perhaps, this time—­their first offense!”

“I’ll tell you,” Carolyn June said, “well suspend sentence pending good behavior!”

Skinny leaned close to Old Heck.

“Stop a minute at the Golden Rule,” he whispered; “I want to do some personal trading.”

“If it ain’t important,” Old Heck answered, “we oughtn’t to take the time.  What do you want to buy?”