s. "I wanted her as soon as I saw her."

Her claim was not disputed, for Grace was raving over the horse called
Nabob, who was, by a strange coincidence, that very light tan color
which she most adored.

"How did you know I always wanted a horse just like this?" she cried,
turning joyfully to Andy Rawlinson who, with the other "boys" had been
looking on amusedly.

"Well," drawled Andy, with a grin, "seems like you are all suited pretty
well."

For Mollie, whose adventurous spirit craved a spice of the dangerous in
everything, had taken immediately to the sorrel, who had apparently been
given no name. He was a skittish horse, gentle, as Andy explained, but
"pow'ful nervous--had to be sort o' coaxed along."

"You're my horse, all right," Mollie declared, stroking the animal's
muzzle fearlessly, unmindful of rolling eyes and nervously twitching
ears. "I don't like 'em too tame, old boy. And by the way," she added,
struck by a sudden inspiration, "I've thought of just the name for you.
I'm going to call you 'Old Nick.'"

And so, when the selection had been made, to everybody's satisfaction,
nothing would do but the girls must try their mounts that very evening.
They had brought their riding tags in preparation for their summer in
the saddle, and when they had slipped into the tight breeches, and
leather leggings, tailored coat, and snug fitting hat, they looked like
what they were--four thoroughly modern and very pretty Outdoor Girls.

Later, when they rode proudly about the ranch on their splendid mounts,
the ranch hands were lost in admiration of them.

"Gosh," said one, removing his hat and fanning himself with it, for the
evening was warm, "when Andy said they was four girls comin' from the
city to visit us I was plumb skeered. But these here girls, they ain't
no ordinary kind, no siree. An' they sho' does know how to ride."

However, the girls were satisfied with a rather short ride that evening
for they were out of practice and they knew that sore muscles would be
the price of over-exertion.

In the days that followed they took longer and longer rides, even
venturing along the rough forest trails when Andy Rawlinson was with
them as guide and protector. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson rode, too, but, not
being as strenuous as the girls, they were glad to have any one as
capable as Andy Rawlinson to look out for their charges.

But one day, much as they liked him, the girls got a little tired of
Andy's chaperonage, an