"With the make-believe treasure chest?"

"Yes."

"Read it to me, will you, Miss Nurse?" he asked.

"If you will keep still. I never did see such a chatterbox!" exclaimed
Frances, in vexation.

"I'll be just as still as still!" he promised. "Maybe it will put me to
sleep."

"Mercy! I hope it isn't as dull as all that," she said, and began to
read the pages she had written.

CHAPTER XXVII

A DINNER DANCE IN PROSPECT

The girl from Boston did not come over to see Pratt that very next day;
but soon she, as well as the remainder of the young people who had been
the guests of Mr. Bill Edwards and his hospitable wife, were stopping at
the Bar-T daily and inquiring for Pratt; and as soon as he could be
helped downstairs and out upon the veranda, he held a general reception
all day long.

In the afternoon when the Edwards crowd was over, the old
_hacienda_ took on a liveliness of aspect that it had never known
before. The veranda was gay with bright frocks and the air resounded
with laughter.

The boys gathered around Pratt and plans for future hunts and other
junkets were made--for the young bank clerk was rapidly recovering. The
girls meanwhile made much of the old Captain--all but Sue Latrop. But
she did not count for as much as she had at the beginning of her visit
at the Edwards ranch. The other young folk had begun to find her out.

The punchers who were off duty were attracted to this gay party on the
porch, as naturally as flies gravitate to molasses. The Amarillo
girls--and, of course, Mrs. Bill Edwards--saw nothing out of the way in
Captain Rugley's hands lounging up to the _hacienda_ to talk. Most
of them were young fellows of neighboring families, and quite as well
known as were the visitors themselves. Sue Latrop's amazement at this
familiarity only made the other girls laugh.

Unless she would be left alone on the veranda with Pratt (which she
considered very bad form) she was obliged one afternoon to go down to
the corral with the crowd to see a bunch of ponies fresh from the range.

Some of the half-wild ponies rolled their eyes, snorted, and galloped to
the far side of the corral the instant the visitors appeared.

"Get your reserved seats, gals!" cried Fred Purchase, preparing to open
the gate. "Roost all along the rail up there and watch the fun. I bet
Fatty Obendorf falls off and breaks a suspender-button--fust throw out
of the box!"

"Oh my! you don't mean for us to climb up _