ck led the way into the big, sunlit room, followed by Jean and more
slowly by Frank Kent.

"O! dear here's a kettle of fish," Jack sighed, when Jean finished her
story. She didn't think of her slang till she saw Frank's puzzled
expression, then she blushed. "I am afraid we can't keep this little
Indian girl at the ranch, Jean, if her own people will have her," Jack
went on. "You see I had a long talk with Jim this morning. He says we
must not make the Indians in the neighborhood angry with us. They will
say we kidnapped the girl, or something horrid. And we have troubles
enough without that." A second after Jack was ashamed of having spoken
of their difficulties before a perfect stranger.

To tell the truth affairs were not going very well at Rainbow Ranch.
The big creek which ran along through Rainbow Valley for nearly a mile
and supplied their ranch with water was almost dry in the middle of
October. There might soon be nothing for the cattle and horses to drink
until the winter snows fell. Jim had confided to Jack that he suspected
some one was draining their creek by digging a channel for the water
lower down the valley. He could not find out, but if it were true, it
meant ruin for the ranch girls! There was another, even more serious
difficulty, that might be in store for them, but of this the girls would
not speak.

"Has anything happened, Jack?" Jean asked hurriedly.

Jack shook her head. "Nothing unusual," she replied. "Only I shall feel
dreadfully sorry if we have to send the Indian girl back to her people.
You and Frieda must not think I am hateful if we find we have to."

Frank Kent forgot his English shyness.

"You girls are just bully to be fighting this strange girl's battles,"
he broke in. "I wonder if you wouldn't let me help you! I believe there
is something queer about her parentage anyhow. Even an English duffer
like I am, can tell by looking at her that she isn't a full-blooded
Indian."

Frank's face turned red as a beet and he stammered hurriedly. "Of course
if you let me help you in this, we need not know each other afterwards."

Jacqueline was as fiery red as her guest and Jean giggled again.

"We couldn't be as horrid as all that," Jack declared in a
straightforward fashion, exactly like another boy would have done. "We
would not make use of you and then cut you afterwards. And please don't
be angry with us, if I tell you again, that we simply can't be anything
but just acquaintances wi