nd it would be the most wonderful
opportunity in the world for you with Ruth."

Jim gazed slowly about the group of girls without the least indication
that he had understood Jack's suggestion. "Well, I will think things
over for a few days and kind of see how the land lies," he announced
aloud, "and if there is anybody around who can look after the ranch for
me, I think maybe I had better see that you don't come to harm."

Jack gave Jim a little shake and Jean pulled him up from the breakfast
table. "Don't talk in that tiresome, dutiful fashion, Jim Colter; we
will not stand it," Jean protested; "for you know perfectly well that
you are as crazy about our jaunt as the rest of us and you wouldn't miss
it now for worlds!"

[Illustration: "I DECLARE, I FEEL LIKE I HADN'T SEEN YOU IN A HUNDRED
YEARS!"]

The entire breakfast party had gotten up from the table and were
fluttering about the room. A little pine fire burned in the fireplace,
but the windows and doors were wide open. Some one walked across the
front porch and knocked, and when no one answered, followed the sound of
the voices indoors. Frieda gave the first exclamation of surprise at
their visitor, tripped over a rocking chair in running to him and landed
in the arms of Frank Kent. "Oh, I am glad to see you!" she exclaimed
happily. "Why, we thought you were at home in England. What can you be
doing here?"

"I have come to see you, Frieda," Frank answered immediately, "but
besides you, every single other person at the Rainbow Ranch." Frank must
have had half a dozen arms to have shaken hands with all his friends in
the room at the same time, yet somehow, in spite of their greetings, he
managed to give both his hands to Jack and to grasp hers in the warm
friendliness to which she was accustomed from him.

"I declare, I feel like I hadn't seen you in a hundred years," he said
simply; "and yet it has been only about six months."

"What are you doing in this part of the world again, Mr. Kent?" Jim
Colter inquired rather coolly. He liked Frank Kent well enough, but the
young man had gone home to England, when the affairs of the ranch girls
were safely settled with his cousin Daniel Norton, who had tried to
steal their home from them, and Jim had not expected nor desired to see
the English fellow again. He didn't care much for foreigners, even
Anglo-Saxon ones.

"I am only here for a little while, Mr. Colter," Frank Kent explained,
answering the question in Jim