Jack repeated humbly. "We meant to go for just a
short ride and I didn't think you would care, but we went farther and
farther and Hotspur broke his leg, so we had to come back with just the
three horses. Jean did want to turn back sooner, Aunt Sallie," Jack
whispered. They were now inside the ranch house, under the lights of the
lamps. "Please don't scold her. I know I did very wrong and I'm sorry;
won't you please let me explain better in the morning?"

And then Jack saw everything slipping away from her and the place grew
horribly dark. Big Mr. Simpson caught her in his arms.

"There, Sallie, don't scold any more to-night," he ordered. "The child
is worn out. She did wrong, of course, but I expect she has been
punished enough by losing her pony. It's the boys who are most to blame,
I'll warrant you. Of course they led the girls on this wild goose
chase."

Harry and Frank Kent eagerly bowed their heads. "I didn't think you
would believe any such nonsense as Miss Ralston has been telling you,"
Frank avowed. "Of course Mr. Pryor and I are responsible for the ride
and everything that occurred," he ended, with more gallantry than truth.

Aunt Sallie might have kept up her scolding all night, for she was a
good-hearted woman with a very high temper, adored by her successful
husband and accustomed to having her own way, but she saw that Jack was
in pain. There was something in the girl's white face with the dark
circles under her eyes and the look of penitence and pain instead of her
usual almost haughty expression, that touched her.

"Come to bed, child," she said suddenly. She caught Jack's arm. For the
first time, the girl gave a cry of pain at her own hurt. "I think I have
sprained my shoulder a little, Aunt Sallie," she explained quietly. "I
will be all right in the morning."

It was another hour before Mrs. Simpson got Jack's shoulder properly
bandaged and had her stored away in bed. Fortunately, the shoulder was
only sprained, not broken. Yet Jack could not sleep; it was not alone
the pain that kept her awake, but the realization that she and Jean were
no longer little girls and could not do what they liked without a
thought. It was she who had led Jean into mischief, yet try as she
might, she could not bear the whole burden of the wrongdoing, and she
wished to-night, that the ranch girls had some one to look after them,
some older woman.

CHAPTER X.

BACK TO RAINBOW LODGE.

"AUNT SALLIE, if you do