ing-room, thinking she would find Ruth there. She had no
idea how beautiful she looked.

The room was empty. The pine tree stood in one corner, lifting its noble
green branches hung in dim festoons and covered with myriads of small
white candles. It was quite dark. Only the fire, that never went out all
winter long at the Lodge, flickered and danced and threw fantastic
shadows over the girl who was standing near the Christmas tree.

Jack's eyes were misty as she gazed about her. Her loves were not so
very many, but they were deep and strong. She cared for the old ranch
house more than most girls would for a fairy palace.

Suddenly Jack heard a stamping on the porch just outside the front door
and Shep's quick bark. She ran swiftly to open it. She supposed Jim had
come up to the house earlier than he had promised. But it was dark and
the glare of the snow for a moment blinded her.

Frank Kent held out his hand. "May I come in, Miss Ralston?" he asked.
"I know it's late, but I have tramped all the way over here and it's
taken a long time. I want to tell you something and I want to say
good-bye."

Jack hurried Frank in near the fire. He had been to the Lodge once since
Olive was found, but the girls had not seen or heard of him in several
days.

Jack lit the candles on the mantelpiece and then turned to smile at her
guest. Frank stared at her boyishly and then: "Gee, Miss Ralston," he
exclaimed. "If you don't mind my saying it, you look perfectly ripping!"

But Jack was regarding Frank anxiously. He had a deep and rather
unbecoming bruise over one eye and the other side of his face was
somewhat swollen.

"What on earth is the matter with you, Frank, Mr. Kent, I mean?" Jack
demanded. "You look like you had been in a fight." And Jack laughed at
the thought of so well-bred a fellow as Frank Kent engaging in such a
small-boy occupation.

"I have. That is what I came over to tell you about." Frank replied.
"That is, I didn't come to tell you about the fight, but of something
that led to it. I shall not go back to the Norton ranch again. I am
through with those people forever." Frank dropped into a chair which
Jack drew forward. "You see, Miss Ralston, it's like this. I have been
knowing for some time that Dan Norton, Jr., was a cad, and I have had a
good many scores to settle with him. But I didn't know that he and his
father were thieves until to-day. I happened to be in the room next Mr.
Norton's study, when I hear