herself on her
knees and hardly knowing what she was doing, breathed all the warm,
vibrant breath of her own vigorous body into Olive's almost frozen
lungs.

After another hour, Olive stirred and moved one hand. She half opened
her black eyes. "I am all right, Jack," she whispered. "I have got home
at last."

CHAPTER XXIV.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

"IT'S the most beautiful one we have ever had, Jim; I'm so glad," Jack
declared happily.

Jim beat the snow from his coat and folded his arms proudly. "It took
all day to get it, Jack, but it's worth it. Where are the other girls?"

Jim Colter and Jacqueline were standing at the base of a wonderful pine
tree, whose top pressed against the ceiling of the living-room at
Rainbow Lodge. The frost still clung to the tree and the snow and
icicles melted into long chains of diamonds, as they fell in drops of
crystal clearness to the floor.

"The girls are in Cousin Ruth's room at work," Jack answered. "Olive and
Frieda have promised not to look at the tree until the evening. We are
going to have everything in pure white, a regular German Christmas tree,
in honor of Frieda's birthday and her name. There is a white world
inside and out and we shall be at peace for to-night at least," Jack
ended with a little sigh.

Jim moved nearer to the tree and shook one of the branches until the
bits of frost fell to the ground with a soft tinkle like the far-off
music of sleigh bells. He kept his clouded blue eyes turned away from
Jack's.

Jack slipped her arm through his and pressed it affectionately.

"Never you mind, Jim, I didn't mean to be doleful," Jack persisted. "I'm
not a bit, really. Olive is all right, and you've seen that that
wretched Josef and old Laska have been sent away, so they can't annoy
her any more. And I think it's perfectly great that we are going to have
such a lovely Christmas to-night as we have hardly ever had before!
Suppose it is our last one at the Lodge, we will have it to remember!
But, Mr. Colter," Jack danced away from Jim and made him a mock curtsy,
"you may kindly observe that I haven't begun to pack up the furniture at
the Lodge just yet. We never say die, do we, Jim? I think I will have
that motto engraved on a coat of arms for Rainbow Ranch."

Jim nodded approvingly. "It's a pretty good sentiment, Jack," he agreed,
as he started toward the door. "I must be off now, but I'll be back
to-night, promptly at seven, for the festivities."

But Jack