“Did I?” Then she was electrified at the entrance of still another cowboy.

“’S-s-scuse me, f-f-folks, w-w-w-where’s Wess?”

“Tay-Tay, he’s gone to the post an’ I wish you wouldn’t…”

“Like h-h-hell he has,” interrupted Tay-Tay.

“Linn is lookin’ fer him.”

“L-l-last I saw of Linn he was runnin’ the car in the shed.”

“Good. Then he won’t be right back an’ Wess’ll have to find him.”

Cherry stood fascinated by Tay-Tay’s struggle with words.

“B-b-b-bad I’d say. For you an’ Wess. The cows are yore job, an’ yore both locoed b-by this d-d-dame. It’s g-g-goner rain like hell!”

Cherry turned to Mojave. “Perhaps you b-b-better go…Well, I hope to die if I’m not stuttering too.”

Here Lorenzo, filling the doorway, struck a dramatic pose and fixed sentimental eyes on Cherry.

“Por ultimo. Señorita mía,” he said eloquently.

“Too many languages around here for me,” returned Cherry.

“Here’s Lorenzo to give a hand. I was jest tellin’ Miss Winters how you could ride. An’ she’s shore ailin’ to see you round up the cows.”

Lorenzo’s look of fiery pride slowly changed to one of suspicion, and Tay-Tay stared from him to Mojave. The next thing to happen was Wess shoving Lorenzo into the room and stalking after him, to transfix Mojave with menacing eyes.

“Wal, for gawd’s sake! So you was jest gettin’ me out of the way. Said Linn was lookin’ for me. Wal, cowboy, he ain’t.”

“Don’t you accuse me of no sneakin’ trick,” replied Mojave, flaring up.

“Linn was askin’ fer you. He’s plumb forgot. He’s gettin’ absent-minded, you know. Ask Tay-Tay here if Linn didn’t send him lookin’ fer you to fetch in the cows.”

“S-s-smatter with you, Mojave?” retorted Tay-Tay. “L-L-Linn didn’t send me nowhere. I c-c-came fer myself.”

“Tay-Tay, yore tongue’s not only more tied since you seen Miss Winters, but yore mind is wuss,” complained Mojave.

Then followed a silence that Cherry hugely enjoyed. What a time she was going to have. Wouldn’t she turn the tables on her tricky father? Mojave backed away from the threatening Wess. The other boys edged nearer to Cherry, who thought it wise to retreat to the window seat. The suspense of the moment was broken by the entrance of Zoroaster, who swung two pairs of boxing gloves in his hands. Behind him entered the Indian maid.

“Mees, your room ees ready,” she announced, and retired.

Cherry was in no hurry to follow. Something might happen here too good to miss.

“Thar you are!” announced Zoroaster, indicating Tay-Tay.

He might be a Mormon, but he is certainly good to look at, decided Cherry.

“W-w-what y-y-you w-w-want me for?” Tay-Tay stuttered rebelliously.

“Yore time’s come. I’ve been layin’ fer you. An’ right now we can have it out,” returned the grim Mormon.

“W-w-why right now more’n another time?” asked Tay-Tay.

“Wal,” spoke up Wess, “I reckon a blind man could see thet. Lope on outdoors, Tay-Tay, an’ get yours.”

Lorenzo showed his white teeth in a gleaming smile. “Geeve the gloves to Wess an’ Mojave. They’re lookeen for trouble.”

“It’s me who’s lookin’ fer trouble, an’, after I’m through with Tay-Tay, I’ll take any of you on. Savvy?”

“B-b-but if I w-w-want to q-q-quit in the m-m-middle of a round, I won’t be able to say s-s-s-stop,” replied Tay-Tay.

“Aw, yore jest plain backin’ out before this lady…Wal, who of you will put them on?”

Zoroaster looked from one to the other. They all appeared to have become absent-minded.

Cherry had an inspiration, and rose, radiant, from the window seat.