* * * * * The colors had all left the sky, save blue and silver-gray, and the sun was a commonplace, dazzling ball of yellow. Charming Billy Boyle, his hat set back upon his head at a most eloquent angle, led Barney from the creek up to the stable. His eyes were alight and his brow was unwrinkled. His lips had quite lost their bitter lines, and once more had the humorous, care-free quirk at the corners.
He slammed the stable-door behind him and went off down the street, singing exultantly: "--I have been to see my-wife, She's the joy of my life--"
He jerked open the door of the shack, gave a whoop to raise the dead, and took Dill ungently by the shoulder.
"Come alive, yuh seven-foot Dill-pickle! What yuh want to lay here snoring for at this time uh day? Don't yuh know it's morning?"
Dill sat up and blinked, much like an owl in the sunshine. He puckered his face into a smile. "Aren't you rather uproarious--for so early in the day, William? I was under the impression that one usually grew hilarious--"
"Oh, there's other things besides whisky to make a man feel good," grinned Billy, his cheeks showing a tinge of red. "I'm in a hurry, Dilly. I've got to hit the trail immediate--and if it ain't too much trouble to let me have that money yuh spoke about--"
Dill got out of bed, eying him shrewdly. "Have you been gambling, William?"
Billy ran the green shade up from the window so energetically that it slipped from his fingers and buzzed noisily at file top. He craned his neck, trying to see the hotel. "Maybe yuh'd call it that--an old bachelor like you! Yuh see, Dilly, I've got business over in Tower. I've got to be there before noon, and I need--aw, thunder! How's a man going to get married when he's only got six dollars in his jeans?"
"I should say that would be scarcely feasible, William." Dill was smiling down at the lacing of his shoes. "We can soon remedy that, however. I'm--I'm very glad, William."
The cheeks of Charming Billy Boyle grew quite red. "And, by the way, Dilly," he said hurriedly, as if he shied at the subject of his love and his marriage, "I've changed my mind about going to New Mexico. I--we'll settle down on the Bridger place, if yuh still want me to. She says she'd rather stay here in this country."
Dill settled himself into his clothes, went over, and laid a hand awkwardly upon Billy's arm, "I am very glad, William," he said simply.