ve is up to her old tricks," he said. "She's stopping
the windmill so she can climb to the top of the tower, I reckon."

"Genevieve!--at the top of that tower!" exclaimed Cordelia.

Mr. Hartley's lips twitched.

"Yes. That used to be a daily stunt of hers, and--I let her," added the
man, a little doggedly. "It made her well and strong, anyhow, and helped
to develop her muscle. You see, we--we don't have gymnasiums on the
ranch," he concluded whimsically, as they stepped together out on to the
back gallery.

A babel of gleeful shouts and laughter greeted their ears. A moment
later Mr. Hartley and Cordelia came in sight of the windmill. At its
base four chattering, shrieking girls were laughing and clapping their
hands. Above their heads, Genevieve, in a dark blue gymnasium suit, was
swinging herself gracefully from cross-piece to cross-piece in the
tower.

"You see," smiled Mr. Hartley; but he was interrupted by a shocked,
frightened voice behind him.

"Genevieve, my dear!" gasped Mrs. Kennedy, hurrying forward.

Genevieve did not hear, apparently. To the girls she waved a free hand,
joyously. She was almost at the top.

"It's fine--mighty fine up here," she caroled. "I can see 'way, 'way
over the prairie!"

"Genevieve! Genevieve Hartley, come down this instant," commanded Mrs.
Kennedy. Then her voice shook, and grew piteously frightened, as she
stammered: "No, no--don't come down, dear! Genevieve, how _can_ you come
down?" Mrs. Kennedy was wringing her hands now.

This time Genevieve heard.

"Why, Aunt Julia, what is it? What is the matter?" The girl's voice
expressed only concerned surprise.

"What is the matter?" echoed Mrs. Kennedy, faintly. "Genevieve, how can
you come down?"

"Come down? Why, that's easy! But I don't want to come down."

Mrs. Kennedy's lips grew stern.

"Genevieve," she said, with an obvious effort to speak quietly; "if you
can come down, I desire you to do so at once."

Genevieve came down. Her eyes flashed a little, and her cheeks were
redder than usual. She did not once glance toward the girls, clustered
in a silent, frightened little group. She did not appear to notice even
her father, standing by. She went straight to Mrs. Kennedy.

"I've come down, Aunt Julia."

Mrs. Kennedy had been seriously disturbed, and genuinely frightened. To
her, Genevieve's climb to the top of the windmill tower was very
dangerous, as well as very unladylike. Yet it was the fright, even more
t