Throughout the meal he was moody. After supper he had little to say and the next few days he brooded constantly over the matter.
Tuesday Parker and the cowboys were expected to return with the beef cattle. Monday morning, at breakfast, the widow asked Old Heck if he would take her to Eagle Butte that day.
"I must see the minister's wife," she said, as Old Heck steered the
Clagstone "Six" up the grade that led out to the bench and to Eagle
Butte, "—it is very important"
Old Heck murmured assent and drove silently on. Probably she was going to start a "Movement" or something to-day! To-morrow, Parker would be back. It sure did put a man in a dickens of a fix!
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.
A few moments later Old Heck stopped the Clagstone "Six" in front of the yellow sandstone county building. Leaving Ophelia in the car with the remark, "I'll be out in a minute!" he went inside and hurried along the dark corridor that led to the clerk's office.