"Her COYOTE?"

"HER coyote?"

"What the devil was she doing with a COYOTE?"

The Happy Family stood transfixed, and Chip's eyes were seen to laugh.

"HER COYOTE. Did any of you fellows happen to see a dead coyote up on
the grade? Because if you did, it's the doctor's."

Weary Willie walked deliberately over and seized Chip by the shoulders,
bringing him to his feet with one powerful yank.

"Don't you try throwing any loads into THIS crowd, young man. Answer me
truly-s'help yuh. How did that old maid come by a coyote--a dead one?"

Chip squirmed loose and reached for his cigarette book. "She shot it,"
he said, calmly, but with twitching lips.

"Shot it!" Five voices made up the incredulous echo.

"What with?" demanded Weary when he got his breath.

"With my rifle. I brought it out from town today. Bert Rogers had left
it at the barber shop for me."

"Gee whiz! And them creams hating a gun like poison! She didn't shoot
from the rig, did she?"