"In just a moment!" the widow called from her room. "What are you and me going to do?" Skinny asked Carolyn June as they stepped on to the porch, "take a ride?" "On 'Old Blue'?" Carolyn June questioned scornfully, then, with resignation, as they went inside the house: "Oh, well--I suppose, after a while. I have some letters to write now," and she entered her room leaving Skinny standing perplexed by her varying moods. He looked foolishly at Parker a moment. Going to the graphophone he put on a record-- "_I'm forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air_!" wailed disconsolately through the house. "Good heavens," Carolyn June called, "do you blow bubbles this early in the morning?" "Don't you like it?" Skinny asked soberly. "I thought that was a pretty good tune." "I'm crazy about it!" Carolyn June answered sarcastically. "There and then, but not here and now--" "Where and when?" Skinny queried innocently. "In the valley of the moon at the end of a perfect day!" she laughed back. "--Forgive me, I couldn't help it!" "What does she mean?" Skinny asked Parker in a whisper. "Is she making fun of me?" "No, you blamed fool," Parker replied, "she feels good and is just joking--" Skinny brightened up immediately. "That's a good one," he called to Carolyn June with a snicker; "I never thought of it before!" A ripple of laughter came from Carolyn June's room. "Really, I don't mind," she said; "play _Bubbles_ as much as you like--I think it's rather soothing, but truly I must write my letters now so Ophelia can take them to town." Half an hour later Ophelia appeared dressed for the drive to Eagle Butte. Carolyn June and Skinny went out on the front porch and watched the widow and Parker climb into the Clagstone "Six." As Parker started the engine Skinny suddenly called to him. Parker sat with his foot on the clutch while Skinny hurried out to the car. "What do you want?" he asked impatiently, "We've got to be going!" "Lean over here," Skinny said, his face flushing scarlet, "I want to tell you something." "Well?" "Stop at the Golden Rule and get me a white shirt size number fifteen and--a purple necktie if they've got any!" Skinny whispered. Ophelia heard and choked back a laugh. "Thunderation, he's plumb locoed!" Parker exclaimed, as he jammed the clutch into gear and the car sprang forward. "Don't forget it, Parker," Skinny called earnestly, "I actually need it!" Carolyn June and Skinny stood on the porch and watched the car climb the grade and out on to the bench. The storm of the night before had washed the earth clean and cooled the air. A faint after-breeze fanned the tree-tops. The Costejo peaks stood out, with stereoscopical clearness, against a cloudless sky. The day was a challenge to one who loved the open. "You may saddle 'Old Blue,'" Carolyn June said to Skinny. "--I'll see if I can 'stick on him' long enough to ride as far as the river!" "He's already saddled," Skinny replied, "him and Old Pie Face both."