"I—I—see you—did!" Carolyn June choked hysterically.
"I was gone longer than I aimed to be," Skinny continued, rapidly gaining confidence as he saw the confusion of the women; "after I got the chores done I concluded to fix up a little. This is the first time I ever wore this shirt," he went on, feeling that a bit of explanation was entirely proper and would probably help in restoring the composure of Carolyn June and the widow. "Parker just brought it out yesterday and it was a good deal of trouble to make the collar work right. It seemed like it was pretty stiff or something. Generally speaking the whole outfit's bigger than it really ought to be, but maybe it'll shrink up some when it's washed," he finished in a casual matter-of-fact way.
"It—it—is wonderful!" Carolyn June stammered, "it is—I don't think I ever saw one that was—was—whiter—"
"It looked that way to me," Skinny interrupted as if glad some one else had noticed a peculiarity of the garment that already had troubled him somewhat, "I thought it was uncommonly white!"
"Perhaps it just seems that way because we are not used to it," Ophelia suggested sympathetically.
"That's it!" Carolyn June exclaimed feverishly, "it is because we are not used to it—it will be perfectly all right when we have looked at it a little more!"
Skinny decided he would risk the gauntlet of comment from Parker, Old
Heck and the cowboys and wear the shirt the rest of the day.
Carolyn June was really sorry for Skinny, but—she needed air—she felt she must have it.
"Please," she cried suddenly and with, an effort, "excuse me! I—I—have something I wish to do! You," speaking to Skinny, "and Ophelia stay here and visit each other a while!"
Without waiting for an answer she stepped quickly into the kitchen, asked Sing Pete for a handful of sugar and hurried out to the circular corral.