iendly intentions."

Jean slipped through an opening in the trees, carrying a tin bucket on
her arm. "I have been for some milk," she explained. "The cows Jim keeps
for our use have their stable near Jim's house and Aunt Ellen wanted
some extra milk and sent me for it. I hope you feel quite rested."

Jean sometimes tilted her head, with its mass of heavy brown hair, a bit
to one side, when she was deeply interested. She surveyed their new
chaperon with such a merry, friendly sparkle in her wide-open brown eyes
that Ruth was charmed with her at once. She couldn't have guessed that
Miss Jean Bruce was making a rapid inventory of Miss Ruth Drew's
character, inside and out.

"Manner, stiff and old maidy; complexion, bad; hair pretty, if she fixed
it differently; mouth looks like she has eaten something acid, except
when she smiles, then mouth and eyes quite nice; figure small, but
distinctly good."

Ruth was patting old Shep, for as usual Jean was talking in a steady
stream. "Hope you didn't mind our going off and leaving you," she
apologized. "You see we have a good many small duties about the ranch.
Jack probably won't be back until luncheon, but I am sure we will soon
find Frieda and Olive."

Ruth leaned over. "Won't you kiss me, Jean?" she asked unexpectedly. "I
have an idea you and I may be good friends." She guessed that Jean was
mischievous and full of fun, but not nearly so hard to influence as
headstrong Jack.

Jean's manner softened. She put down her milk pail and gave the
much-discussed cousin an affectionate hug. "I hope you are going to be
happy with us at Rainbow Lodge," she exclaimed. "You know we are used to
doing pretty much what we like, but remember, if things go wrong, you
are going to tell us how to behave," and she ended her advice with such
a funny expression that Cousin Ruth laughed and slipped her hand through
Jean's arm.

"Just let me get through with playing 'Molly the Milkmaid,' Cousin Ruth,
and we will go find the other girls," Jean suggested when they got back
to the ranch house. A minute later Jean reported that Aunt Ellen thought
Olive and Frieda were somewhere near the creek. Olive had suggested that
she would try to catch some fresh fish for Cousin Ruth's luncheon.

The waters of Rainbow Creek were no longer in danger of flowing into the
Norton ranch. Jim and his men had built a dam at the end of Rainbow
Lake, where the dynamite explosion had taken place. The Ralston Ranch
had fil