CHAPTER I
THE GYPSY CARAVAN
"A hundred dollars a month--it's a fortune!" Jean Bruce exclaimed gayly,pirouetting about on her tip-toes in front of a huge Japanese umbrellafastened upright in the ground in the middle of the orchard at theRainbow Ranch.
Jacqueline Ralston gazed half convinced at the sheet of paper she heldin her hand. She was sitting in Turkish fashion on the grass justoutside the umbrella and, as her Mexican hat had been flung aside, thespring sun shone directly down on the bright bronze of her hair andwarmed to a richer rose the brilliant color in her cheeks. The past fewmonths had wrought little change in her, save that the lifting of theclouds from about her home had left her more radiant and full of purposethan ever before.
"I don't know whether it is an opportunity or not," she answereddreamily. "What do you think, dears?" she inquired of a young woman whowas watching the steam pour forth from a brass teakettle, and of aquiet, dark-haired girl who sat near by contentedly embroidering asquare of linen.
Olive hesitated for a moment, looking toward their chaperon, but Ruthwas too busy with the teakettle--which had chosen that moment to boilover--to have time to reply. "I know a hundred dollars a month doessound like a great deal of money," Olive agreed slowly, "but I wonderwhat the people are like who wish to rent our ranch. And where can we goif we give up our house to them?"
Jack shook her head uncertainly, but Jean flung out both arms in animploring gesture, and a beseeching expression softened her merry browneyes. "Where could we go? Why, haven't we the whole round world tochoose from?" she demanded pleadingly. "And don't the very breezes callus to follow them in search of adventure? Oh, I can feel the spring_Wanderlust_ in my blood this very minute. Cousin Ruth, Jack, Olive,please agree with me or I can't bear it. Surely you must see that thisletter from Mrs. Post's friends, who want Rainbow Lodge for the summer,is just heaven sent. We were dying to take a trip and now we can goeverywhere--or just somewhere, I don't care where, because we have neverbeen anywhere in our lives." And Jean paused only because she was out ofbreath and not because of the laughter that greeted her peculiar form ofeloquence.
The three ranch girls and their chaperon, Ruth Drew, were having animpromptu tea party all to themselves in their miniature orchard on alovely May day. Their fruit trees were not yet large enough for shade.Indeed, at the present time they looked like glorified bouquets set ontall, slender stalks, their branches were so small, so fragrant and socovered with delicate fairylike blossoms. The cherry and plum trees werein full bloom and the pink buds on the apple trees were slowlyuncurling, while on every side the level prairie fields were carpetedwith new grass that rippled softly under the low winds like the surfaceof a quiet sea.
"Girls, I don't want to be a wet blanket and I am afraid you will think_I am_ a discouraging person," Ruth interposed, passing around herteacups, "but I don't believe we could do much traveling on a hundreddollars a month. I am awfully sorry, Jean, to disappoint you, but youmust remember that railroad journeys are terribly expensive and we wouldhave to board somewhere when we were not on trains."
"All right, Ruth," Jack assented, looking half relieved and halfdisappointed, as she folded up her letter. "I'll write to Mr. and Mrs.Harmon to-night and refuse their offer for the 'Lodge.'"
Jean sighed as though she had no further joy in living and Ruth shookher head. "No, Jack, don't write your letter quite yet," she advised."Let's talk things over again before we finally decide. But I do wishFrieda would come with the cookies; it seems so hateful to have teawithout her. I can't imagine what has kept her so long."
Tearing across the yard that divided the Lodge from the ranch orchardcame a round, chubby girl, with her blond pigtails flying straight outbehind her and her cheeks a bright red from excitement. She had a bigdish of gingercakes in her hands, but as she ran she scattered thembehind her like little "Hop o' My Thumb" did his poor crumbs of bread.
"Oh, do come to the house quick! The most loveliest thing has happened!"she cried fervently. "A band of gypsies was traveling across the plainsand they have stopped right at our house, and say that if we will givethem some food and water they will tell all our fortunes. There is a manand a girl and an old woman and the cunningest baby!"
Frieda flung her small self on Jean, and without another word the twogirls rushed off toward the house, while Ruth and Jack and Olivegathered up the despised tea things and followed them more slowly,munching the long desired cookies.
Drawn up near the back porch at Rainbow Lodge was a rickety oldcanvas-top wagon pulled by two ancient and sadly dilapidated horses, andseated in state at a table not far away were Frieda's band of gypsiesbeing generously fed by Aunt Ellen.
Ruth and Olive walked toward their unexpected visitors, but Jack in herusual impetuous fashion ran up to the horses and began to take off theirharness. "Uncle Zack, please come here at once; these poor horses arenearly dead," she called quickly. "Some one will have to help me. I amafraid I can't look after them both, for they can scarcely stand up."But Uncle Zack, the old colored servant of the ranch house, was notwithin sound of Jack's voice and the girls were too much interested inthe gypsies to heed her.
The old horses had great sagging places under their hips; the musclesbeneath their worn coats quivered and jerked with fatigue; their eyeswere bloodshot and their breath came in long, quivering sighs.
Jacqueline Ralston was a ranch girl who had been brought up to lovehorses since she was a tiny baby, and she cared for them so intenselythat nothing stirred her like the sight of them ill used. Now, heedlessof all else, she softly patted and talked to the two horses, lifting offa part of their ragged harness; then suddenly turning, discovered theirgypsy driver calmly eating a comfortable dinner. Jack's eyes flashed andthe hot blood surged to her cheeks.
"Come see to your horses," she ordered sharply. "What do you mean byresting and eating while your horses suffer? Even a tenderfoot knowsbetter than to be so stupid and good for nothing. I thought a gypsy hadmore sense." The young girl turned away her flushed face as she finishedspeaking, for a lump was rising in her throat, and she had seen thegypsy man get up from the table and start over toward her with hisguitar swung jauntily over his shoulder and a supercilious smile on hislips.
"Don't worry about my horses, young lady," he remarked indifferently."If they were worth anything I would look after them better, but theyare worn-out old brutes and won't be fit for use much longer." Withoutany excuse the man gave the nearer horse a brutal kick that made itstagger with pain, and struck the other with the palm of his hand.
"By the way," he remarked, "I'm not a gypsy, as you suppose, though Ihappen to be married to one and running this particular outfit."
Jack saw everything spin around for half a second--she was so angry withthe man for his cruelty--but she managed to speak with dignity. "If youdo another unkind thing to your horses I shall ask our overseer, JimColter, to make you leave our ranch," she declared firmly. "Of course Isee, now you are nearer, that you are not a gypsy." Jack frowned,puzzled by the tramp's unusual appearance. His hair was light brown, hiseyes blue and his features refined and delicate, although his expressionwas crafty and his mouth weak and selfish. Oddly enough, in spite of hisunkempt clothing, it was plain he had been born a gentleman.
Abruptly changing his careless manner the man took off his hat to Jack."I am sorry to have offended you," he remarked politely. "I ought toknow better. Is Jim Colter the overseer of your ranch? I have heard ofhim often, but in all the years I have spent in this country I havenever met him. I came west to locate a gold mine, but instead of myfinding one these gypsy women found me starving in the desert and tookcare of me. So I married the girl and we travel around in their wagon;it's easier than walking. I have been prospecting for gold in thisregion lately. Would you let me have a look over your ranch before Imove on? You may be grazing your cattle above a gold mine thisminute--it's what the old man did who once owned Cripple Creek."
The man's eyes glowed with the peculiar fanatical glow of t
hegold-seeker and Jack _felt_ a thrill of excitement as she watched him,but she shook her head sensibly. And at this moment Jim Colter appearedstrolling along the path toward them from the stables back of the Lodge.His hands were in his pockets and he was whistling cheerfully, with aninquiring expression in his friendly blue eyes. The newcomer did not seehim.
"Want any help with your animals, stranger?" Jim inquired hospitably, ashe came over to where Jack and her companion were standing.
The other man swung slowly around at the sound of a new voice.
Without replying he stared; stared at Jim so long that Jack wonderedwhat had happened to keep him from answering. Then she glanced atJim--he was behaving as strangely as their visitor; his jaw had droppedand his eyes darkened, and if it had been anybody but Jim Colter, Jackmight have thought the overseer of the Rainbow Ranch frightened.
"Is your name Jim Colter?" the new man inquired curiously. "I think Ihave seen you before, yet I don't recollect your name. I'm Joe Dawson;'Gypsy Joe' is what I'm called out here. Funny name for a man who oncehailed from one of the first families in 'Ole Virginie.'"
Jim picked up a bucket of water from the ground, in order to gain time."Suppose you join the other girls now, Jack," he suggested mildly. "Itmay be this stranger and I have met before and will have a few questionsto ask one another. Anyhow, I think the girls need you with them."
Jack moved off obediently and discovered Olive having her fortune told.She was kneeling before the old gypsy with one hand resting in thewoman's wrinkled palm.
"You are not one of these little missies. You are of another brood andanother fortune," the old crone announced calmly. "I don't say I am ableto place you, but you don't rightly belong here."
Olive's cheeks flushed indignantly and she dropped her lids quickly overher surprised eyes. "I don't see why you think I am different from theothers. I _am_ one of the ranch girls," she exclaimed earnestly.
The fortune teller smiled and lightly ran one aged finger around theline of Olive's delicately pointed chin and about her long,almond-shaped black eyes. "I don't _think_ you are different, child; I_know_ it," she replied sternly. "It ain't no use to try to deceive me.I can see, too, that life ain't going to be a bed of roses for you. Someone is standing near us right now who is going to exercise a stronginfluence over your fate. Many times she will help you to happiness, butonce she will cause you great sorrow. She may never know it, for youwill never tell her, but remember--I warn you--'years alone will wipeaway your tears.'"
The gypsy lifted her small, black, haunting eyes with as calm anassurance as though she had been one of the three ancient sisters offate and stared long and imperiously at Jacqueline Ralston. Jack bit herlips and returned the woman's gaze steadfastly.
"If you mean that I shall ever bring sorrow upon my friend, you are verymuch mistaken," she protested defiantly, putting her arm lovingly aboutOlive. "If you intend to make up such hateful and untrue stories youshan't tell any more of her fortune."
But the gypsy gave not the slightest heed to Jack's remonstrance; makinga weird sign across the palm of Olive's hand the old woman mumbled averse of poetry, the girls straining forward to hear:
"'Criss, cross, shadow and loss; Shrouded in mystery, The first of your history! Here there is light, there dark once again. Happiness comes, but after it pain-- Yet your name shall be found and a fortune untold Shall make for your feet a rich pathway of gold.'"
Olive smiled tremulously, drawing away her hand. "I don't believe I careto have my future foretold in poetry," she protested. "Won't you tellMiss Ralston hers? Perhaps you may give her a better fate."
The fortune teller did not like the scornful curve to Jack's full redlips nor the doubting, half-amused expression of her eyes. The woman hadrecognized at once that this girl was not to be so easily influenced asgentle Olive, nor as merry Jean, nor as the littlest maiden with the twoblond pigtails. She was even more difficult than the oldest girl of themall, for Ruth had made no effort to conceal her surprise at the queerjumble of truth and fiction that had come forth in the account ofOlive's history.
Obediently Jack put forth her strong, shapely hand, but the woman didnot touch it, although her shrewd, half-closed eyes never wandered fromthe girl's face.
"Be on your guard. You don't wish other people to do anything for you,"the gypsy spoke low and warningly. "I know you like to help them, butyou are too proud to want to be helped. Some day something you littleexpect is going to happen to you that will make you have to depend onother people for a long, long time." All at once the woman's harshmanner changed and she gazed at her listener more kindly. "You are fondof this ranch and would like to spend your whole life on it, wouldn'tyou?" she questioned keenly.
Silently Jack bowed her head.
"You won't," the fortune teller went on solemnly; "you will travel overa great part of the world and you may settle in a strange land. Anyhow,I can see that you'll marry and have sons and----"
Jack blushed resentfully and the gypsy's beady eyes twinkled, for shewas a good enough judge of character to guess the elder Miss Ralston'sviews on matrimony, merely by observing her pride and reserve. It wastrue that Jack had vowed to the other girls a hundred times that nothingand nobody could induce _her_ to marry; _she_ had more important thingsto do.
"Dear me, granny, haven't you something pleasant to tell somebody?"Jean interposed, coming forward for her turn in the game.
The gypsy frowned severely. "I can tell only the truth," she protestedin an important tone. "But you need not worry yet about your future,young lady, for you don't take things so seriously as these other twogirls. Life is more of a joke to you; only see that you don't carry yourjoking too far."
Jean pouted, jerking away her hand, and Ruth, who was particularly fondof Jean, interrupted the old crone. "Tell our smallest girl's futurenow, auntie; she is sure to have only good luck," she interceded.
The gammer smiled. Frieda had taken the gypsy girl's baby and wascuddling it like a wax doll, its tiny birdlike face contrasting oddlywith her pretty plumpness.
"The youngest lady shall have a fortune like an apple pie, it shall beso trim and neat and nice and good to look at and to taste, with plentyof sugar and kisses in it," the old woman chuckled good naturedly,glancing kindly at happy Frieda.
Ruth turned quickly around and smiled. At this moment Jim Colter camestalking across the yard toward them, with the strange gypsy at hisheels, and Ruth supposed he wished to hear the girls' fortunes. But Jimdid not appear interested and looked at Ruth so queerly that she wasafraid he was angry.
"Shall I tell you your future now, Miss?" the gypsy woman demandedslyly, talking to Ruth, but discerning all of Jim's six feet of shynessand troubled emotion at the same time. "I can see a great change comingin your life, Miss," the fortune teller went on quickly. "You can feelit stirring in you now, but you won't give up to it. You are going totake a long trip and you are going to----"
Whatever the gypsy meant to say Ruth did not wish to hear, so sheremarked quickly: "Please don't tell me anything of my fate. I--I don'tlike to have my fortune told," she explained, blushing furiously. Shefelt angry with herself for her absurdity, as Jim was gazing directly ather across the circle of listening girls.
"I believe you have told us all quite enough of our futures, granny,"Ruth announced. "We are going to leave you to rest," and she beckoned tothe ranch girls to follow her indoors.
Jim watched them until the last fluttering petticoat disappeared. Thenhe and "Gypsy Joe" walked away from the house together. A few hourslater, just before dusk, the ranch girls were in the big living room ofthe Lodge, waiting for Ruth to come in and for Aunt Ellen to bring insupper, when there was a sound of wagon wheels along the road that ledaway from the house to the trail across the ranch. Jean danced to theopen window and signaled to Jack.
The gypsy caravan was rolling slowly toward the distant plains. Adelicate purple mist hung over the world and the wagon seemed to floatalong in the soft evening air; a
single star shone over the travelers.
Jean pinched Jack's arm until she gave a cry of pain. "What is it,Jean?" Jack inquired anxiously, for she could see that her cousin'sexpression was curiously grave and that her eyes were shining and herlips trembling with eagerness.
"Oh, Olive, Frieda, do come here and look," Jean called pleadingly.
Olive slipped her hand in Jack's and Frieda put her arm about Jean'swaist while the four girls stood gazing wonderingly at the moving wagon,toward which Jean was pointing with a prophetic finger.
"Girls, there goes our way to see the world," Jean murmured quietly."There is the kind of private car I would rather ride in than any otherin the world, and we own one already."
"What is the matter, Jean; what are you talking about?" Jack queriedquickly, for she could see that Jean was not joking, but was deeply inearnest.
"I mean that if we rent Rainbow Lodge this summer we can travel about ina caravan," Jean returned dreamily. "We can drive over miles and milesof our beautiful prairies and see the great canyons and forests; and mayeven be able to go as far as the Yellowstone Park. You know we have thewagon and plenty of horses already, and with a hundred dollars amonth--why, we can feed on nectar and ambrosia! Wouldn't you just adorea caravan trip, girls?" She paused wistfully.
"O Jean!" the three other ranch girls gasped in happy chorus as the fullrapture of her suggestion swept over them.
"Shsh!" That young lady put a warning finger to her lips. "Here comesCousin Ruth; don't say anything to her yet. Goodness only knows how wewill be able to make her and Jim agree to our beautiful plan!"
The Ranch Girls' Pot of Gold Page 3