e get back to the ranch."

"Let's go!" Kit swung herself into the saddle and as Powder's spirit
had returned he gave an exhibition of bucking and rearing that made Joy
scream for she was certain that Kit would be dashed against the rocks.
At Joy's scream, Powder took fright and madly raced down the steep
trail with Kit clutching the saddle horn for dear life.

"Oh, Bet, she's going to be killed, I know it!" sobbed Joy. "Oh, I
hate horses. Bet, do something! Kit will be hurt!"

"Don't worry about Kit. Just watch her and see how she sits in the
saddle, for all the world as if she were part of the animal." Bet was
fascinated by the skill with which Kit handled her horse, and she urged
her pony forward so as to watch Kit more closely. It took all of
Enid's and Shirley's persuasions to get Joy into the saddle.

"Come on, Joy, don't be a silly! Kit's a trained cowgirl. That horse
can't unseat her."

Knowing that she was headed toward home, Dolly kept up a steady trot
that covered the miles rapidly. There was no more stopping to pant and
blow. Dolly knew that food and drink was waiting at the ranch.

Just as they reached the end of the canyon and prepared to take the
trail to the ranch house, a slouching figure rose from the side of the
canyon.

It was Kie Wicks.

"Well, well, and what are you folks doing in the canyon this morning?"
he asked, for all the world as if he owned the whole district and
feared that they were stealing from him.

"I took them over to Sombrero Butte," replied Tommy Sharpe. "I'm to
show them all the interesting places in the mountains this summer."

Kie Wicks smiled, but the girls could see that he resented their
presence there.

"That's a fine idea. I hope you'll bring them over to Cayuga. Maude
will show them around," he invited cordially, yet as the girls turned
their horses' heads up grade, Bet turned suddenly and was surprised at
the look of hatred and distrust that was in the face of the storekeeper.

"I wonder why he dislikes us so much," thought Bet, but decided not to
pass on her knowledge to the others. Joy would be sure to get nervous
and Kit might get into an argument with Kie or Maude and Enid
Breckenridge would certainly tell her father and he would insist on
them having an escort, or not allowing them to go into the canyon again.

So Bet kept her secret, and the girls did not suspect that Kie was
actively unfriendly, they thought him a brusque, ignorant dese