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Miguel； seated upon a convenient rock in a sunny spot； was
painstakingly combing out the tangled hair of his chaps； which he
had washed quite as carefully not long before； as the cake of
soap beside him testified。
〃Combingcombinghis chaps； by cripes！〃 Big Medicine gasped；
and waggled his finger at the spectacle。 〃Haw…haw…haw！ C…
combin'hischaps！〃
Miguel glanced up at them as impersonally as if they were two
cackling hens； rather than derisive humans； then bent his head
over a stubborn knot and whistled La Paloma softly while he
coaxed out the tangle。
Pink's eyes widened as he looked； but he did not say anything。 He
backed up the path and went thoughtfully to the corrals； leaving
Big Medicine to follow or not； as he chose。
〃Combin'his chaps； by cripes！〃 came rumbling behind him。 Pink
turned。
〃Say！ Don't make so much noise about it；〃 he advised guardedly。
〃I've got an idea。〃
〃Yuh want to hog…tie it； then；〃 Big Medicine retorted； resentful
because Pink seemed not to grasp the full humor of the thing。
〃Idees sure seems to be skurce in this outfitor that there
lily…uh…the…valley couldn't set and comb no chaps in broad
daylight； by cripes； not and get off with it。〃
〃He's an ornament to the Flying U；〃 Pink stated dreamily。 〃Us
boneheads don't appreciate him； is all that ails us。 What we
ought to do ishelp him be as pretty as he wants to be； and〃
〃Looky here； Little One。〃 Big Medicine hurried his steps until he
was close alongside。 〃I wouldn't give a punched nickel for a
four…horse load uh them idees； and that's the truth。〃 He passed
Pink and went on ahead； disgust in every line of his square…
shouldered figure。 〃Combin' his chaps； by cripes！〃 he snorted
again； and straightway told the tale profanely to his fellows；
who laughed until they were weak and watery…eyed as they
listened。
Afterward； because Pink implored them and made a mystery of it；
they invited Miguel to take a hand in a long…winded gamerather；
a series of gamesof seven…up； while his chaps hung to dry upon
a willow by the creek bankor so he believed。
The chaps； however； were up in the white…house kitchen； where
were also the reek of scorched hair and the laughing
expostulations of the Little Doctor and the boyish titter of Pink
and Irish； who were curling laboriously the chaps of Miguel with
the curling tongs of the Little Doctor and those of the Countess
besides。
〃It's a shame； and I just hope Miguel thrashes you both for it；〃
the Little Doctor told them more than once； but she laughed；
nevertheless； and showed Pink how to give the twist which made of
each lock a corkscrew ringlet。 The Countess stopped； with her
dishcloth dangling from one red； bony hand； while she looked。
〃You boys couldn't sleep nights if you didn't pester the life
outa somebody；〃 she scolded。 〃Seems to me I'd friz them diamonds；
if I was goin' to be mean enough to do anything。〃
〃You would； eh？〃 Pink glanced up at her and dimpled。 〃I'll find
you a rich husband to pay for that。〃 He straightway proceeded to
friz the diamonds of white。
〃Why don't you have a strip of ringlets down each leg； with tight
little curls between？〃 suggested the Little Doctor； not to be
outdone by any other woman。
〃Correct you are；〃 praised Irish。
〃And； remember； you're not heating branding…irons； mister man；〃
she added。 〃You'll burn all the hair off； if you let the tongs
get red…hot。 Just so they'll sizzle； I've told you five times
already。〃 She picked up the Kid； kissed many times the finger he
held up for sympathythe finger with which he had touched the
tongs as Pink was putting them back into the grate of the kitchen
stove； and spoke again to ease her conscience。 〃I think it's
awfully mean of you to do it。 Miguel ought to thrash you both。〃
〃We're dead willing to let him try； Mrs。 Chip。 We know it's mean。
We're real ashamed of ourselves。〃 Irish tested his tongs as he
had been told to do。 〃But we'd rather be ashamed than good； any
old time。〃
The Little Doctor giggled behind the Kid's tousled curls； and
reached out a slim hand once more to give Pink's tongs the expert
twist he was trying awkwardly to learn。 〃I'm sorry for Miguel；
he's got lovely eyes； anyway。〃
〃Yes； ain't he？〃 Pink looked up briefly from his task。 〃How's
your leg； Irish？ Mine's done。〃
〃Seems to me I'd make a deep border of them corkscrew curls all
around the bottoms； if I was doin' it；〃 said the Countess
peevishly； from the kitchen sink。 〃If I was that dago I'd murder
the hull outfit； I never did see a body so hectored in my life
and him not ever ketchin' on。 He must be plumb simple…minded。〃
When the curling was done to the hilarious satisfaction of Irish
and Pink； and； while Pink was dancing in them to show them off；
another entered with mail from town。 And； because the mail…
bearer was Andy Green himself； back from a winter's journeyings；
Cal； Happy Jack and Slim followed close behind； talking all at
once； in their joy at beholding the man they loved well and hated
occasionally also。 Andy delivered the mail into the hands of the
Little Doctor； pinched the Kid's cheek； and said how he had grown
good…looking as his mother； almost； spoke a cheerful howdy to the
Countess； and turned to shake hands with Pink。 It was then that
the honest； gray eyes of him widened with amazement。
〃Well； by golly！〃 gasped Slim； goggling at the chaps of Miguel。
〃That there Natiff Son'll just about kill yuh for that；〃 warned
Happy Jack； as mournfully as he might with laughing。 〃He'll knife
yuh； sure。〃
Andy； demanding the meaning of it all； learned all about Miguel
Rapponifrom the viewpoint of the Happy Family。 At least； he
learned as much as it was politic to tell in the presence of the
Little Doctor； and afterward； while Pink was putting the chaps
back upon the willow； where Miguel had left them； he was told
that they looked to him； Andy Green； for assistance。
〃Oh； gosh！ You don't want to depend on me； Pink；〃 Andy
expostulated modestly。 〃I can't think of anythingand； besides；
I've reformed。 I don't know as it's any compliment to me； by
graciousbeing told soon as I land that I'm expected to lie to a
perfect stranger。〃
〃You come on down to the stable and take a look at his saddle and
bridle；〃 urged Cal。 〃And wait till you see him smoking and
looking past you； as if you was an ornery little peak that didn't
do nothing but obstruct the scenery。 I've seen mean cusseslots
of 'em； and I've seen men that was stuck on themselves。 But I
never〃
〃Come outa that 'doby；〃 Pink interrupted； 〃mud to his eyebrows；
just about。 And he knew darned well we headed him in there
deliberate。 And when I remarks it's soft going； he says： 'It is；
kinda；'just like that。〃 Pink managed to imitate the languid
tone of Miguel very well。 〃Not another word outa him。 Didn't even
make him mad！ He〃
〃Tell him about the parrots； Slim；〃 Cal suggested soberly。 But
Slim only turned purple at the memory； and swore。
〃Old Patsy sure has got it in for him；〃 Happy Jack observed。 〃He
asked Patsy if he ever had enchiladas。 Patsy won't speak to him
no more。 He claims Mig…u…ell insulted him。 He told Mig…u…ell〃
〃Enchiladas are sure fine eating；〃 said Andy。 〃I took to 'em like
a she…bear to honey； down in New Mexico this winter。 Your Native
Son is solid there； all right。〃
〃Aw； gwan！ He ain't solid nowhere but in the head。 Maybe you'll
love him to death when yuh see himchances is you will； if
you've took to eatin' dago grub。〃
Andy patted Happy Jack reassuringly on the shoulder。 〃Don't get
excited；〃 he soothed。 〃I'll put it all over the gentleman； just
to show my heart's in the right place。 Just this once； though；
I've reformed。 And I've got to have time to size him up。 Where do
you keep him when he ain't in the show window？〃 He swung into
step with Pink。 〃I'll tell you the truth；〃 he confided
engagingly。 〃Any man that'll wear chaps like he's goteven
leaving out the extra finish you fellows have given 'emhad
ought to be taught a lesson he'll remember。 He sure must be a
tough proposition； if the whole bunch of yuh have had to give him
up。 By gracious〃
〃We haven't tried；〃 Pink defended。 〃It kinda looked to us as if
he was aiming to make us guy him； so we didn't。 We've left him
strictly alone。 To…day〃he glanced over his shoulder to where
the becurled chaps swung comically from the willow
branch〃to…day's the first time anybody's made a move。 Unless；〃
he added； as an afterthought； 〃you count yesterday in the 'doby
patchand even then we didn't tell him to ride into it； we just
let him do it。〃
〃And kinda herded him over towards it；〃 Cal amended slyly。
〃Can he ride？〃 asked Andy； going straight to the main point； in
the mind of a cowpuncher。
〃W…e…ell…he hasn't been piled； so far。 But then；〃 Pink qualified
hastily； 〃he hasn't topped anything worse than Crow… hop。 He