“My Gawd!” Old Heck gasped, “what does it say?  Give it here!” reaching for the message the cowboy held in his hand.

“Good lord, it didn’t work!” he groaned as he read the telegram and handed it across the table to Parker.

“Read it out loud,” several spoke at once.

“‘We’ve both had it,’” Parker read, “’and are not afraid.  Anyhow we think you are a darned old lovable liar.  Will arrive according to schedule.  If you are not a liar we’ll nurse you back to health and happiness.  If you are, watch out!  Your affectionate but suspicious little niece Carolyn June Dixon.  Postscript:  Are there any nice wild, untamed, young cowboys out there?—­Carolyn J.’”

“Hell-fire!” Skinny said, “what’ll we do?”

No answer.  Chuck went moodily out to attend to his horse, and the meal was finished in silence.  Even Sing Pete seemed deeply depressed.  After supper Old Heck straightened up and in a do-or-die tone said: 

“We’ll all go out where it’s cool and hold a caucus and figure what ought to be done.”

“There ain’t nothing we can do but surrender, as far as I can see,” Parker observed gloomily as they gathered on the porch in front of the house.  “They seem plumb determined to arrive—­”

“I’ve already give up hope,” Old Heck answered, “but what will we do with them when they get here?  We can’t just brand ’em and turn them loose on the range.”

“I make a motion we elect Skinny to ride herd on ’em!” Bert Lilly suggested.

“Damned if I do!” Skinny exclaimed uneasily.

“It’s a good idea,” Parker said.  “From all accounts the young one expects to be made love to and if she ain’t she’ll probably be weeping around all the time—­”

“Well, I can’t stand sobbin’!” Old Heck declared.  “Any female is hard enough to endure and one that gets to mourning is plumb distasteful!

“That’s probably the best thing to do,” he continued, “just appoint Skinny to be official love-maker to Carolyn June while she’s at the Quarter Circle KT.  It will probably save confusion—­”

“I brought the telegram telling about them coming and I’ve done my share,” Skinny protested; “somebody else can be delegated to do the love-making!”

“That’s just the reason it ought to be your job,” Old Heck argued; “you went and got the telegram in the first place and are sort of responsible for them being here.”

“Aw, let th’ Ramblin’ Kid do it,” Skinny pleaded, “he’s an easy talker and everything—­”

The Ramblin’ Kid straightened up and started for the gate.

“Where you going?”

“To catch Capt’n Jack,” he drawled; “after that for a little ride down to th’ Pecos or over in Chihuahua somewhere a couple hundred miles.  I decline with enthusiasm to fall in love on th’ spur of th’ moment for any damned outfit!”

“You come on back,” Parker called, “Skinny’ll have to do it.  He can have all his time for it and just pretend he’s in love and sort of entertain her.  He don’t need to go and do it in earnest.  Come on back, you darned chump, I need you on the beef hunt!”