"Uncle Josiah," Carolyn June asked suddenly, "can you take Ophelia to
Eagle Butte to-day?"
"I—Parker can," Old Heck answered, "if he can drive the car. Still there are probably some pretty bad washouts—"
Ophelia looked quickly at Old Heck, interested by the note she detected in his voice.
"I—I—got some work to do," he continued, "if you could wait till to-morrow"—addressing the widow—"I could more than likely go myself—"
"I guess I can handle the car all right," Parker said, looking significantly at Old Heck; "the roads will be dried up in a little while."
"It's Parker's day anyhow and he don't want to miss—" Chuck started to say.
"After breakfast," Old Heck interrupted, scowling at the cowboy, "Chuck and Pedro had better both ride-line on the upper pasture. The cattle probably went against the fence in the storm last night and knocked off a lot of wire. Of course, Skinny will have to stay here," he added, "and the rest of us, except Parker, ought to look after the fences in the east bottoms—from the looks of the river this morning a lot of posts and wire must be washed out."
"Whoever gets up the saddle horses had better catch them in the pasture corral," Parker declared, "it won't do to turn them in with that wild filly and Captain Jack."
"I think I shall go see that wonderful filly," Carolyn June said as they left the table, "she may be the particular broncho I will want to ride—"
"Not much," Old Heck objected, "these outlaws ain't exactly the kind of horses for women to fool with. You can use Old Blue. He's gentle."