hions before
the fire. Jim was smoking comfortably in the corner, his face almost in
shadow, yet wearing an expression of happiness that glowed like an inner
radiance. His eyes were fixed on Ruth, though she alone was restless
to-night and kept flitting about on unnecessary errands, with her cheeks
deeply flushed from her long day out of doors.

Frank walked directly up to Jim Colter.

"Mr. Colter," he announced without wasting time, "I find you have gold
on the Rainbow Ranch. I have been examining the bed of your creek all
afternoon and as far as I can tell it is encrusted with fine particles
of gold. I don't want you to trust to my judgment, but I do want you to
send immediately for some one who knows more of placer mining than I do,
for I believe we are on the verge of a great discovery."

All of the girls, except Jack, laughed and Ruth shrugged her shoulders.

"The thing is quite impossible, Frank!" Ruth argued. "I don't mean to
doubt your word, but Mr. Colter could not have lived on the ranch all
these years without finding out whether there was gold in the creek."

"Oh, yes, I could, Ruth," Jim answered slowly. "I told you I didn't know
a chunk of gold from a lump of mud. I--" Jim always talked slowly, but
to-night it seemed as though his words would never come--"I ain't one to
go off half cocked and I'm a pretty hard fellow to convince of good
luck, but I believe what Kent has found out is true. I have been
puzzling my brains ever since we come home to know why this man Harmon
is so anxious to buy our ranch that he will give almost any price for it
and why he has had Joe Dawson hanging around here all summer. Seems like
I kind'er guess now. Dawson found the gold lode and Harmon thought it
would be a good business to buy the ranch and take his chances on
striking it rich before we got on to things. Girls, you've got to take
Mr. Kent's advice and keep this discovery a secret until we find out for
sure if there is enough gold on the ranch for us to get happy." Jim
lowered his voice. "Who can we send for to investigate for us, whom we
can trust with our secret?"

"Ralph Merrit," Jean suggested.

"Ralph Merrit, the very man!" Jim replied instantly. "Who would have
thought of your having so much practical sense, Jean? But don't get
excited over this business, for heaven's sake, don't get excited," he
repeated, charging up and down the room like a lion. "I tell you all is
not gold that glitters and there is many