nings. I don't see why I have to do all the studying, because I am
the youngest. When we planned to live by ourselves this winter, you and
Jean declared that you were going to study three or four hours every
day."

Jack pulled Frieda's hair and Jean had just picked up her French grammar
with a sigh when there came the noise of some one riding up to the ranch
house.

The three girls flew to the window. It was too dark to recognize the
figure on horseback. But a few moments later, Aunt Ellen brought in an
envelope addressed to "Miss Jacqueline Ralston."

It was a surly note of apology from Dan Norton for his rudeness to her
in the afternoon. The girls wondered what in the world had induced him
to write it.

Long after Jean and Frieda were asleep, Jacqueline lay awake. She was
the oldest and most responsible member of the ranch girl family of
three. Frieda was right, she and Jean had been neglecting their studies
shamefully. Now and then Jack could not help thinking that perhaps it
was not wise for them to live without a teacher or a chaperon. They did
not want to grow up perfect greenhorns, yet how they hated the idea of
introducing a stranger into their home at Rainbow Ranch. Jack was still
puzzling, when she fell asleep, with the familiar sound in her ears of
the far-off lowing of the wild cattle across the prairie and the distant
bark of the faithful sheep dogs.

CHAPTER II.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE GIANT'S FACE.

FRIEDA walked ankle deep in purple violets. Her hands were full of them
and she carried a brimful basket on her arm.

"What a picture you are, Frieda," Jack called, as she came out on the
broad veranda of the ranch house at about eight o'clock the next
morning.

"I don't care if we don't make our everlasting fortunes with our violet
beds, they are just too sweet for anything! Jean is coming out to help
you pick the flowers in a minute; I have got to go down to the rancho to
make my peace with Jim."

Jack walked briskly along. It was a gentle October day with a bright sun
and warm wind. You seemed to be able to see half way across the world,
the horizon line stretched so far beyond you.

One of the ways in which Jean and Frieda had been trying to help to make
the ranch pay was by starting a violet farm. Nearly an acre of land near
the house had been irrigated and glistened with the dark green leaves
and purple stars of the young plants. The flowers were to be covered
with glass later on. No