Part 11 (1/2)

With frightened cries the girls huddled in a corner. The other cowboys upset chairs, springing to their feet, drawing revolvers half-way from holsters as they did so.

Hoover had pressed his thumb into the back of McKee's hand, forcing him to open his fingers and drop his gun on the table. Picking it up, Hoover snapped the weapon open, emptied the cylinders of the cartridges.

Jack made no move to defend himself. He was aware his friends could protect him.

”That'll do,” he said to the raging, disarmed puncher. ”You can go, Buck. When I want you in any festivities, I'll send a special invite to you.”

”I'm sure much obliged,” sneered McKee, making his way toward the door.

”Here's your gun,” cried Slim, tossing the weapon toward him.

McKee caught the weapon, muttering ”Thanks.”

”It needs cleaning,” sneered the Sheriff.

Turning at the doorway, McKee said; ”I ain't much stuck on weddin's, anyway.” Looking at Jack, he continued threateningly: ”Next time we meet it'll be at a little swaree of my own.”

”Get,” was Jack's laconic and ominous command.

With a.s.sumed carelessness, McKee answered: ”I'm a-gettin'. Well, gents, I hopes you all'll enjoy this yere pink tea. Say, Bud, put a piece of weddin'-cake in your pocket for me. I wants to dream on it.”

”Who brought him here?” asked Jack, facing his guests.

”I did,” answered Bud defiantly.

”You might have known better,” was Jack's only comment.

”I'm not a-sayin' who's to come and go. This ain't none of my weddin'.”

Polly stopped further comment by laying her hand over his mouth and slipping into the seat beside him.

”Well, let it go at that,” said Jack, closing the incident.

He rejoined Echo as he spoke. The guests reseated themselves. Mrs.

Allen laid her hand on Jack's shoulder and said: ”Just the same, it ain't right and proper for you to be together before the ceremony without a chaperonie.”

”Nothin' that's right nice is ever right proper,” laughed Slim.

”Well, it ain't the way folks does back East,” replied Mrs. Allen tartly, glaring at the Sheriff.

”Blast the East,” growled Allen. ”We does things in our own way out here.”

With a mischievous smile, Slim glanced at his comrades, and then solemnly observed: ”Still, I hear they does make the two contractin'-parties sit off alone by themselves--”

”What for?” asked Jack.

”Why, to give them the last bit of quiet enjoyment they're goin' to have for the rest of their lives,” chuckled Slim.

The cowboys laughed hilariously at the sally, but Mrs. Allen, throwing her arms about Echo's neck, burst into tears, crying: ”My little girl.”