d this,
Miss Stone, but I can tell you right now, that Helen has nothing fit to
wear to your dinner party. She came here a little pauper--with nothing fit
to wear in her trunk. Pa _did_ find money enough for a new street dress
and hat for her; but he did not feel that he could support in luxury every
pauper who came here and claimed relationship with him."

Miss Stone's mouth fairly hung open, and her eyes were as round as eyes
could be, with wonder and surprise.

"What is this you tell me?" she murmured. "Helen Morrell a pauper?"

"I presume those people out there in Montana wanted to get the girl off
their hands," said Belle, coldly, "and merely shipped her East, hoping
that Pa would make provision for her. She has been a great source of
annoyance to us, I do assure you."

"A source of annoyance?" repeated the caller.

"And why not? Without a rag decent to wear. With no money. Scarcely
education enough to make herself intelligibly understood----"

Flossie began to giggle. But Jessie Stone rose to her feet. This volatile,
talkative girl could be very dignified when she was aroused.

"You are speaking of _my_ friend, Helen Morrell," she interrupted Belle's
flow of angry language, sternly. "Whether she is your cousin, or not, she
is _my_ friend, and I will not listen to you talk about her in that way.
Besides, you must be crazy if you believe your own words! Helen Morrell
poor! Helen Morrell uneducated!

"Why, Helen was four years in one of the best preparatory schools of the
West--in Denver. Let me tell you that Denver is some city, too. And as for
being poor and having nothing to wear--Why, whatever can you mean? She
owns one of the few big ranches left in the West, with thousands upon
thousands of cattle and horses upon it. And her father left her all that,
and perhaps a quarter of a million in cash or investments beside."

"Not Helen?" shrieked Belle, sitting down very suddenly.

"Little Helen--_rich_?" murmured Hortense.

"Does Helen really _own_ Sunset Ranch?" cried Flossie, eagerly.

"She certainly does--every acre of it. Why, Dud knows all about her and
all about her affairs. If you consider that girl poor and uneducated you
have fooled yourselves nicely."

"I'm glad of it! I'm glad of it!" exclaimed Flossie, clapping her hands
and pirouetting about the room. "Serves you right, Belle! _I_ found out
she knew a whole lot more than I did, long ago. She's been helping me with
my lessons."

"And she _i