"Oh, but you won't go there; will you?" begged Ruth. "Promise me you
won't, my dear. Daddy, make her!"

"I won't go _alone_, I promise you that," laughed Alice.

"Of course with a party it might be all right," assented Baldy, "but
even then the Indians act rather hostile."

"Mr. Pertell will be sure to want some moving pictures of the Indians,
if he hears about them," said Mr. DeVere. "Better not tell him, or he
might run into danger--or send Russ."

"Then we won't say a thing about it!" exclaimed Ruth, with such sudden
energy that Alice laughed.

"Oh, no, we mustn't endanger _Russ_!" she said, mockingly.

"Alice!" exclaimed Ruth, with gentle dignity, her face the while being
suffused with a burning blush. "I meant I didn't want _anyone_ to run
into danger."

"I understand, my dear. Oh, but isn't that sunset gorgeous?--to change
the subject," and she laughed at the serious expression on Ruth's face.

The scene was indeed beautiful. The _mesa_ seemed to be suffused by a
purple glow, while, farther off, the foothills, from which it was
separated by a level expanse, were in a golden haze. The _mesa_ stood up
boldly, almost like some giant toadstool, save that the stem was
thicker. There was an overhang to the top, or table part, though, that
carried out the resemblance.

"I should think that would be difficult of access," observed Mr. DeVere.

"There's an easy way up on the other side," returned Baldy. "The Indians
always use that side. It's a narrow path to the top."

The cowboys, their work over for the day, were indulging in some of
their pastimes--rough riding, feats in throwing the lariat, jumping,
wrestling and the like.

"Don't you want to go with them?" asked Alice of their escort.

"No, Miss, I--I'd rather be with you," Baldy replied, simply, but he
blushed even under his coat of tan.

"Now who's to blame?" asked Ruth in a low voice of her sister, as she
regarded her with a quizzical smile.

"I can't help it if he likes me," murmured the younger girl.

In fact both Ruth and Alice were favorites with all the cowboys, who
were always willing to perform any little service for them. The other
members of the moving picture company, too, were well liked; but Ruth
and Alice seemed to come first. Perhaps it was because they were both so
natural and girlish, and took such an interest in the life and doings at
Rocky Ranch.

Ruth and Alice were fast becoming adepts in the saddle. The other
members of the