The Ranch Girls at Home Again

by Margaret Vandercook

  CHAPTER IX

  A DILEMMA AND A VISITOR

  "GREAT SCOTT," muttered Jim Colter at the breakfast table some dayslater, "if there was only another man around this place to take care ofyou women, I would not let Ralph Merrit carry so much of this burdenalone. It's getting past a one-man's game to manage our presentaffairs."

  In return Jack shook her fist at him with what was not all a pretense ofindignation. "Ruth, you may not object to hearing your husband speak ofyou as a burden," she protested, "but I can't say I ever like hearingthat I am not able to look after myself. Oh, yes, I know what the familythinks of my vanity! But seriously, Jim, there isn't any danger, nomatter what goes on down at the mine, of anybody's annoying us. You neednot worry over leaving us alone. I am quite sure we don't need 'anotherman.' The ranch is too full of them already!" And Jack shrugged hershoulders in the face of her guardian.

  But from her place at the head of the table behind a big silver coffeeurn, Ruth looked at the girl in the seat next her who had just finishedspeaking.

  "I am sorry to hear you say that, Jack," she began quietly, "becausepretty soon we are going to have what you and Jim are pleased to call'another man' as our guest at the Rainbow Lodge and one whom of allothers I most wish to see."

  Jack was puzzled, but Olive Van Mater, with a swift glance at the olderwoman, felt the blood leaving her face and her hands turning cold. Herlids drooped swiftly over her dark eyes and immediately she devotedherself to eating her breakfast, though all the while she was studyingJack's expression.

  At this moment a diversion was created by the entrance of a very fluffy,blue-eyed person in a pale blue breakfast toilet, who after kissing Ruthslipped into a place next her sister.

  "Sorry I'm late," she said, without any suggestion of real contrition,"but since Jim makes us stay in the house so much lately there isn't anyreason for getting up."

  "Thank you, Frieda darling, for the pleasure you take in our society,"Jean murmured, setting down her coffee cup in mock indignation. "I amsure that each and every member of your family feels grateful to you foryour flattering suggestion. But since we are of no interest to you,perhaps you would like to hear that Ruth has just said we are to have anunexpected visitor--a man!"

  Frieda first helped herself to the entire pile of griddle cakes. "Isuppose everyone else has nearly finished," she remarked by way ofexplanation. And then: "Oh, I suppose the visitor is one of thosetiresome men who is coming to help Ralph about the mine. I do wishthings would quiet down, because as soon as our new house is finishedJean and I are dying to have a houseparty. Ralph said himself that hismining engineers were too old to be any fun--the youngest one is pastthirty!"

  "Yet I am still able to get about at that age, Frieda Ralston," JimColter protested.

  At this instant Jack shook her head. "We are being very impolite to Ruthby talking so much," she declared. "Ruth was going to tell us about anew visitor and of course we are desperately anxious to hear. Who ishe, Ruth, a stranger or an old friend? And where are you going to find aplace for any one else at Rainbow Lodge?"

  Purposely Ruth waited a moment in the silence that followed.

  "I'll give you three guesses," she said finally.

  "Peter Drummond and Jessica! Wouldn't it be splendid if they came to uson their wedding trip?" Jack answered immediately.

  "No," Ruth answered.

  "Tom, the chocolate-drop boy!" Jean exclaimed, laughing at Frieda'ssudden blush.

  But Olive Van Mater had put down her knife and fork and was lookingquietly at Ruth. "May I have a turn at guessing, please?" she asked inher usual gentle fashion. "Isn't our visitor to be Frank Kent?"

  And then as Ruth nodded with a smile of pleasure every pair of eyes atthe table immediately turned upon Jacqueline Ralston.

  And Jack's cheeks grew suddenly a deeper pink, like the heart of a pinkrose, for she was too surprised for the present to be self-conscious.

  "You must be mistaken, Ruth dear," she insisted. "Frank hasn't writtenme; I haven't said that he could come." And then seeing what her wordssuggested, she went on in greater confusion, "I thought he was to waituntil our house was finished or until later in the summer or until sometime," she ended lamely. "I don't understand."

  "Perhaps Frank will explain to you, dear," Ruth replied carelessly. Andthen turning toward the other girls:

  "You see Frank has been writing me about his visit for several weeks.But he and I both wanted his coming to be a surprise. He has said thathe could not endure waiting longer to see his dearest friends. So a weekago when he arrived in New York he telegraphed me to know when he couldcome to the Rainbow Ranch and of course I said 'at once.' I rather thinkhe may be here some time this afternoon. You won't have to worry now,Jim, about taking care of your wife and family, for Frank will----"

  But Frieda was clapping her hands together with much more pleasure thanthat slightly selfish young person usually showed.

  "Oh, I am so glad, Jack. We do like Frank better than any one we know,don't we? And if you don't, I am sure Olive does," she persisted.

  Jim got up from his place. "I don't like this fashion you have, Mrs.Colter, of corresponding with gentlemen and not informing your husband,but just the same I am delighted that Kent is coming to us. It's amazingwhat a fine fellow he is for an Englishman, and certainly we owe him alot. When a man marries at another's house--and such a wedding--it'shard work getting even with him!"

  Out to the door Ruth followed her husband.

  "I am dreadfully uneasy about this trouble at the mine. I did not dareshow how much I am worried before the girls. But you must tell me justwhat the conditions are, Jim. You know we don't believe in marriageswhere the woman is shut out from facts," Ruth insisted.

  For half a moment the man hesitated. Then he kissed the little woman whohad to stand on her tip-toes to be on a level with his chin.

  "I don't tell you the facts, Ruthie dear, because I don't know them," heanswered. "How can I tell what a lot of crazy, obstinate men are goingto do? But evidently the miners who deserted us have managed tointimidate the other mine workers in this neighborhood. Ralph has notbeen able to get hold of any men who want to work for us, and things atthe mine have been idle for some time, as you know. So far, all we havebeen able to do is to have the cowboys do picket duty down at the mineso as to keep the other fellows from wrecking our machinery or blowingus up. There, don't turn white as a sheet, Ruth! I don't believe thatthe old miners are that anxious to injure us; yet we have to be on thelook-out. Merrit has got to be away all day today hunting for men, so Imust be on the job. Sorry I can't meet Kent, but you'll see that he islooked after all right and I'll be with you at dinner tonight. I'llbring Merrit with me if I can persuade him--he is apt to be pretty wellfagged."

  The greater part of the day the four girls spent together in the gardennear the Lodge. It was a lovely June day, with the air full of thescents of innumerable wild flowers. And everything within the immediateneighborhood of the Lodge was as peaceful and undisturbed as though themine were a hundred miles away. Jean and Jack at least half a dozentimes confessed to the desire to walk over to the mine and see what wastaking place; but since Jim had given strict orders against it they didnot quite dare.

  A part of the time they spent helping Frieda gather great bunches ofviolets from her old violet beds, which had never been allowed to dieout, until the Lodge was finally filled with them and the big livingroom was fair and fragrant enough for any festival.

  Then, when other amusements failed, there was always the new house to beinvestigated. It was now so nearly completed that when things quieteddown at the mine again, if they were still to have a sufficient incometo meet expenses, the moving into the new home was to take place.

  While the other three girls were rummaging about making suggestions Jackmanaged to slip quietly away. She went directly to Ruth, who was in thenursery with her little son. And as Jack was never used to evasions orto trying to get her own way by indirect methods, she asked immediately:

>   "Ruth dear, may Olive and I drive to the station and meet Frank Kentthis afternoon? I have a special reason for wishing to be there. Yousee, dear, I don't want Frank to think that I am not delighted to seehim or that I have put off his coming to us because I had forgotten him.You knew he had been wanting to come for a long time, didn't you?"

  Ruth nodded. "I had guessed it, Jack, though I did not know positivelyuntil Frank's letter to me. Nor do I know now why you put off his visit.I am not asking you to tell me," she added quickly. For, observing thesudden look of reserve on the girl's face, she appreciated that it mustbe respected. "Frank merely said that he wanted to see us so much, and Idid not see how his coming could fail to give pleasure. You don't mind,do you, dear?" Ruth concluded, wondering if this might be the moment forconfidence.

  Although still keeping her clear, almost transparently honest gray eyeson her friend, Jack flushed.

  "Yes dear, I do want Frank, now that Olive is here," she replied. "Imeant to write him and ask him just as soon as things were quiet at themine again. Now may we go to meet him?"

  Ruth looked worried. "I have been wondering what we ought to do aboutgoing to the station all morning," she returned. "Of course some of thefamily must meet Frank or he will feel deeply wounded, but I can't leavethe baby and yet there seems no man about the place to go with yougirls. Jim has taken possession of everybody."

  Jack kissed Ruth on the hair and then bent over and looked at the babywith a new expression of wonder and reverence. She had always been muchmore afraid of the "little Jimmikins" than the other girls.

  "Don't trouble over things a minute, Ruth. You know the danger that Jimis fearful of for us is what may happen here on the ranch. But we shallbe leaving the ranch as soon as we drive through the gate. Moreover, wecan take Carlos with us for an escort; he is only a boy, but he will doperfectly well. And if we don't take him, it won't make much differencesince he would be more than likely to follow us. As far as I can see hetrails constantly after Olive like a faithful dog. It would annoy me,but I don't believe she has even noticed how much he does it. I wonderwhat the boy's exact reason is? Nevertheless, as it gives Carlos aregular occupation, I suppose we should be grateful."