The Ramblin’ Kid sat at the right of Carolyn June.  It was the first time they had met at the table.  He said nothing and seemingly was lost in thought.  When they had entered the kitchen Carolyn June and he had spoken and for a moment he looked into her eyes with an expression that caused her own to drop and the warm blood to rush over her throat and face.  She had felt that same sensation of “soul-nakedness” she experienced when she looked into his eyes that first time when she was at the circular corral and he was lying under the shed.  Neither spoke of the incidents of the previous day.

The other cowboys and Old Heck studied Ophelia with a sort of fascination, casting shy upward glances at her from over their plates.

Parker and the Ramblin’ Kid only, were at ease and undisturbed.

“You wouldn’t think she was one by looking at her, would you?” Chuck said in an undertone to Charley.

“Some of them’s so blamed slick they can’t hide it.”

“I reckon that’s right,” Chuck whispered back, “it’s an awful jolt to Old Heck, ain’t it?”

“Yes, he’s taking it pretty hard,” Charley mumbled.

“Her forehead does bulge out a good deal in front, when you come to look at it, don’t it?” Chuck observed under his breath.

“Quite a lot,” Charley answered in the same tone; “that’s one indication!”

Parker gazed at the widow with an expression undeniably adoring.  Old Heck saw it and straightened up with a look of sudden resolution on his face.  If Parker wasn’t afraid of Ophelia, by golly, he wouldn’t be!  The widow had returned the foreman’s look with understanding, while more than a trace of tenderness and sympathy was registered in her eyes.

“To-morrow is Sunday,” Old Heck announced suddenly with startling distinctness, “and we’ll get things in shape to begin the beef round-up on Monday!”

There was immediate interest.

“I’ll be darned,” the Ramblin’ Kid murmured half audibly, “Old Heck is goin’ to ‘Uriah’ Parker!”

“Huh?” Skinny queried across the table.

“Nothin’,” the Ramblin’ Kid answered with a laugh, “I was just reminded of somethin’ I read in a book one time—­”

Carolyn June caught the subtle reference to the Bible story of King David’s unfortunate romance with another man’s “woman” and chuckled.

“Ain’t you starting the beef hunt too early?” Charley asked.

“I don’t know as I am,” Old Heck answered doggedly.

“Aw, that’ll put us right in the middle of it on the Fourth of July when the Rodeo is going on in Eagle Butte—­” Bert began.

“And I ain’t going to miss that, either,” Chuck interrupted, “that Y-Bar outfit over on the Vermejo took everything in the two-mile sweepstakes last year and they’ve been bragging about it ever since.  They think that Thunderbolt horse of theirs can’t be beat.  I was going to put Silver Tip in this year.  He can put that black in second place—­”