"Yes, they was just broke out with the heat and didn't have the smallpox at all--" Old Heck explained. "Liars, both of them," Carolyn June said laughingly to Ophelia; "they just didn't want us to come!" "Very likely," Ophelia answered. "No, honest, we thought we had it," Old Heck stammered. "We were plumb uneasy for fear you wouldn't arrive," Skinny declared. "After we found out it wasn't smallpox we were going to send a special delivery message and tell you it was all a misunderstanding and to come anyhow!" "Shall we forgive them?" Carolyn June asked the widow. "Perhaps, this time--their first offense!" "I'll tell you," Carolyn June said, "well suspend sentence pending good behavior!" Skinny leaned close to Old Heck. "Stop a minute at the Golden Rule," he whispered; "I want to do some personal trading." "If it ain't important," Old Heck answered, "we oughtn't to take the time. What do you want to buy?" "I want to get me a white shirt--" "Gosh," Old Heck exclaimed, "that bad already! What'll he be in week?" "Did you speak, Uncle Josiah?" Carolyn asked. "Huh--no, I--Skinny just thought I was going to hit a rock!" he answered, and giving the engine more gas, he headed the car, at a thirty-mile clip, toward the east and the Quarter Circle KT. The party rode in silence. The speed of the car and the fan of the warm wind against their faces made conversation difficult. A mile from Eagle Butte they crossed the long, low, iron-railed bridge over the Cimarron River and climbed out on to the bench away from the bottom lands. From that point on to the Quarter Circle KT the road followed the brow of the bench on the south side of the river. It was smooth and good.