When Skinny stepped into the room he was fully conscious of his unusual appearance.  The morning was warm and he had not put on a coat.  The shirt billowed over his shoulders, arms and chest in a snowy cloud.  It seemed impossible to Skinny that anything in all the world could be so vividly, persistently white as the cloth that literally enveloped the upper half of his body.  It actually gleamed.  The sleeves of the shirt were too long.  A pair of sky-blue, rosette-fastened, satin ribbon sleeve-holders above his elbows kept the cuffs from slipping over his hands.  Parker had been unable to get the purple necktie and had brought, instead, one that was a solid Shamrock green.  Skinny swore when he saw the tie, but decided to wear it anyhow.  Parker had explained by saying he had forgotten the errand until he was starting from town and then stepped into Old Leon’s—­a cheap general store in Eagle Butte—­and purchased the outfit from the Jew.  That accounted also for the surplus length of sleeve—­the shirt was a size and a half larger than Skinny had ordered and for which Parker declared positively he had asked.  Eternal hatred for all Hebrews was born in Skinny’s heart the moment he saw the layout.  But, well, it was there; he was anxious to see if a white shirt would have any effect, and he would wear it anyway.

Skinny knew instantly that he made an impression on Carolyn June.

She looked at him once and was speechless!

“By gosh,” he said to himself, “Chuck was right!  It sure does beat hell how clothes affect a woman!”

Carolyn June, unquestionably, was overcome.  The surprise had been too much for her.  He had knocked her cold!  The shirt had done the work!  She bit nervously at the nail of her thumb, pressed desperately against her teeth.  Her whole body trembled.  Her face flamed scarlet.  Skinny saw her agitation and resolved at that moment that he would never again be without a white shirt!

Ophelia also was visibly affected.  The widow gave one look at Skinny, glanced quickly at Carolyn June, then, with her hands clasped tightly against her breast, she leaned weakly against the table and chewed at her underlip.  She started to speak and stopped.

“Well, I—­I—­got back!” Skinny said, breaking the spell while he grinned somewhat sheepishly and yet with an air of complete satisfaction.

“I—­I—­see you—­did!” Carolyn June choked hysterically.

“I was gone longer than I aimed to be,” Skinny continued, rapidly gaining confidence as he saw the confusion of the women; “after I got the chores done I concluded to fix up a little.  This is the first time I ever wore this shirt,” he went on, feeling that a bit of explanation was entirely proper and would probably help in restoring the composure of Carolyn June and the widow.  “Parker just brought it out yesterday and it was a good deal of trouble to make the collar work right.  It seemed like it was pretty stiff or something.  Generally speaking the whole outfit’s bigger than it really ought to be, but maybe it’ll shrink up some when it’s washed,” he finished in a casual matter-of-fact way.