The Ranch Girls at Home Again

  CHAPTER V

  THEIR RIDE TOGETHER

  OLIVE and Jack had scarcely been alone for more than a half hour at atime since Olive's arrival almost a week before. But before ten o'clockthis morning they had both started off on horseback with their lunchboxes packed, leaving word at home that they were not to be expectedback until sundown.

  First of all they yearned for a long, uninterrupted gallop together overthe sweet-smelling, wild, rose-strewn prairies. For not since the veryfirst year of Olive's life at Rainbow Ranch had they enjoyed thisformerly well-loved entertainment. Soon after then had come Jack'saccident, and until this year she had not been in entirely good healthduring any of their days at the ranch.

  And the beauty of this special windswept, sunlit day was nature's giftto the two friends' reunion.

  Jack rode a little ahead on her own horse, Romeo, which she had boughtimmediately after their return from abroad and christened "Romeo" in akind of joking recollection of their visit in Rome. Of course, he wasthe fastest riding horse on Rainbow Ranch, but not a beautiful animal,since he had been chosen for speed and endurance rather than appearance.And in truth he was only a rough Western pony with sagacity andknowledge of the country, dignified by the name of horse simply becauseof his slightly greater size and length of limb.

  Following close behind, her pretty nose almost able to touch the otheranimal's rough coat, came Olive's smaller mare, which Jean had named"Juliet" by reason of following Jack's horse about whenever they werepermitted to graze in the open fields.

  Juliet had been no one's special property, since she had been born onthe place and no one had chosen her for personal use. So shortly afterOlive's return the other three girls had escorted her to the stables andthere solemnly presented her with "Juliet," avowing that no one elseshould have the privilege of using the mare except with Olive's consent.

  The two friends rode for more than an hour after leaving theneighborhood of the Lodge without speaking, except now and then to callattention to some particularly beautiful effect in the landscape. Firstthey galloped to the farthest outskirts of the great thousand-acreranch, which was still as carefully and scientifically managed as duringthe time when the Rainbow Mine was an undiscovered quantity and when thegirls and Jim's living depended entirely upon its success. There weregroups of cattle scattered here and there wherever the alfalfa grass wasripe for eating, and mares with young colts were allowed free pasture.But by and by when a far-off rim of hills could be seen, with theirsummits glistening with caps of snow and the sky above them so scatteredwith fleece-like clouds that snow and cloud seemed to touch and meltinto each other, Jack slowed down for a moment, waiting for her friendto come up alongside her.

  "Is it because I am a Western girl and all this means childhood and hometo me that the country seems more beautiful and inspiring than anythingwe saw in Europe, Olive dear?" Jack asked.

  And Olive looked into the other girl's face searchingly for an instantbefore replying. She had been wondering for a good many months whyFrank Kent had never come to America to see Jack when on leaving Englandshe had believed that he and Jacqueline were almost on the point ofbeing engaged. Several times recently she had actually written and askedJack why on earth Frank had not made his promised visit to RainbowLodge. Without really answering, Jack had always arranged to evade herquestioning. "Frank was too busy, he was thinking of running forParliament, he preferred waiting until Olive was also able to be athome, so that they might be there together once again." None of thesereplies had made a very profound impression upon the questioner. Sotoday Olive had planned in her own mind to get at the real truth. Jackwould not dare to refuse to answer her direct inquiry if once she hadthe courage to demand it of her. Positively she must know whetherFrank's apparent indifference was due to a change in his own feeling orto an unreasonable request on Jack's part for postponing her decision.

  Now at Jack's question, studying her friend's face, Olive feared thatthis last idea must be the true one. Love of her old home, the gripwhich the western country and atmosphere always had on the girl'scharacter and affections--these must have been waging a winning battleagainst her former affection for Frank Kent.

  Must she ask Jack if this were true? No, Olive decided that she had bestrefrain until later in the day. For Jack was not at the present momentin the mood for confidences. She was just gloriously alive and filledwith the physical beauty and splendor of the morning. Later on, whenthere had been opportunity for more conversation, Olive would make herquery. For there were dozens of intimate personal things which she andher best beloved friend must get at the heart of before this ride oftheirs together was over. So now Olive only laughed, and leaning overlightly stroked the neck of the other horse.

  "It is only because you are such a pagan, Jack, that Europe seems toocrowded for you," she answered. "Besides you know how dearly you finallylearned to love the English country, although it was the direct oppositeof all this! Doesn't its wonderful greenness, the splendid old trees andthe flowers and cultivated beauty of the fields make up to you for thegreat wide spaces and the colors in your prairies?"

  Slowly Jack shook her head, in reply, at the same instant taking off hersoft brown felt hat and hanging it on the pommel of her saddle. "I don'tknow," she answered, drawing in a deep, quiet breath.

  The past year of outdoor work and amusement on the ranch had broughtback to Jacqueline Ralston the glow and brilliant, healthy color of herchildhood. Her complexion was several shades darker than it had been thesummer before, her cheeks more vividly rose and her hair lighter fromexposure to the sun. Then Jack had again grown dreadfully indifferent toclothes since their return home, much to Jean's and Frieda's disgust andto Jim Colter's secret amusement. For quite forgetting their fortune andthe fact that she was now almost ready to cast her first vote inWyoming, Jack had returned to wearing the old brown corduroys or fadedkhakis of her youth, together with almost any soft hat which shehappened to find convenient for her outdoor jaunts. And only when theother girls insisted, or Ruth pleaded, or guests were expected to dinnerat the Lodge, would Jack return to wearing the pretty toilets which shehad brought home from Europe. For not one single dress had she giventime or thought to purchasing since then, although Jean and Friedafrequently amused themselves by sending east for hats and gowns.

  So today, although Jack was actually the older and in times past hadlooked it, Olive would have been considered her senior. For one reasonshe was still weary from the shock and strain of her grandmother's deathand from the business difficulties resulting from her strange will. Thenthere was a last and final interview with Donald Harmon which even yetthe girl did not like to recall. She was sorry not to be able to returnhis affection. Moreover, Olive's new riding-habit was of black cloth,which Miss Winthrop had ordered from a well-known New York tailor,adding to her appearance of age and dignity. Yet in spite of theelegance and decorum of her own riding attire, Olive did not feel theobjection to her friend's as Jean and Frieda undoubtedly would have. ForJack's costume was eminently characteristic. Moreover, the old corduroyskirt and leather leggings and slouch hat were not unbecoming now thather coat was open showing the curve of her strong white throat.

  It was equally characteristic of Jack when they finally reached theclump of trees where they were to have luncheon to jump first from herhorse and then lift Olive as carefully down as though she had been hermasculine escort. Afterwards it was she who led the horses to water, fedthem and then tied them.

  Coming back, she flung herself down on the ground by her friend andtaking one of the girl's hands in hers kissed it, saying carelessly:

  "Olive, child, did you hear any one or anything while I was away? Ithought we were going to have a perfectly peaceful and uninterruptedday, but I have an idea that while I was looking after the horses Iheard some one stirring about not so very far off. Still I may have beenmistaken or it may have been a deer or a wildcat. This woods gets somuch denser as one goes further into it. This is near the same placewhere I managed to break my
poor little pony's legs several years ago.It was when we were making that horrid visit at the Norton's before itwas finally decided that you were to come and live with us. I never havebeen able to think of having to shoot 'Hotspur' without its giving methe shivers." And Jack now took a small pistol out of a leather holsterfastened about her waist. "I never go on a long ride with either of thegirls without carrying this," she remarked carelessly, "but I don'tbelieve I am ever going to like hunting again as I did when I wasyounger. That was one of the lessons I learned when I was ill so long--agreater respect for life, anybody's or anything's." Then the girl'svoice grew suddenly hushed.

  "Didn't you hear a slight noise then?" she whispered.

  After a moment of enforced silence Olive shook her head. "No, or atleast nothing of importance," she replied. "Of course these woods musthave wild game in them, since it is the only place with running waternearer than Rainbow Creek. But it is odd your having this impressionnow. Several times I meant to tell you and forgot--that while we wereriding I kept having the idea that some one was following after us. Halfa dozen times I looked around thinking that it might possibly be eitherJean or Frieda. But I saw no one, so of course it must have been only afancy."

  "Well it certainly was neither Jean nor Frieda," Jack repliedlaughingly. "They have both grown too lazy for such a journey as we aretaking. But come along, because if we are ever to get to your old Indianvillage and back again this afternoon, we must hurry."

  For this had been the supposed object of Jack's and Olive's free daytogether. Soon after her arrival at the Lodge Olive had suggested thatshe would very much like to go back to the little Indian village whereshe had lived as a child with old Laska, and see if the woman and herson were yet alive. She desired also to pay a visit to her formerteacher and first friend, who was still at work among the Indianchildren at the little Indian reservation school.

  Before the two girls had finally arrived at their destination, it wasOlive who discovered the ghost stealthily pursuing them. And it was hewhom Jack must have heard in the woods.

  Olive at once turned apologetically to her friend. "Don't be cross,Jack, and don't scold if I tell you something," she began unexpectedly."But just now I saw at some distance behind us a brown shadow on a brownhorse. So I'm afraid it is Carlos who has been trailing after us. Butreally it is my fault for having told him where we intended going.Probably he won't trouble us if we don't wish to notice him."

  Frowning, Jacqueline returned: "I'm sorry to confess it to you, Olivedear, but really, Carlos is getting to be rather a nuisance to Jim andme. I do hope you may be able to influence him to settle down to somekind of work or study--to anything he likes. Neither Jim nor I care somuch what except that his idleness is a bad influence among the men onthe place. There is no use in my trying to do anything with him, for hehas taken such a violent dislike to me. Frieda says that I am too muchof a boss and it has offended the boy's dignity. But I shan't scoldtoday since Carlos is only following us because he does not entirelytrust me to look after you and adores you so that he does not wish youout of his sight."

  Just as though four or five years had not passed with its crowded andever changing experiences, walking up to old Indian Laska's dirty hutalone Olive Van Mater found the Indian woman still sitting in her sameopen doorway, smoking the apparently identical pipe and clothed in thesame old nondescript rags of former days with a brilliant Indianblanket across her shoulders. But at the sight of her beautifullydressed visitor the Indian woman showed not the slightest sign ofrecognition. Nor did she do anything further than nod and grunt severaltimes in succession when Olive assured her that she had once been thegirl "Olilie," who had lived with her from the time she was a baby.

  Possibly Laska could neither understand nor believe what this charmingAmerican girl was trying to explain to her, but certain it was that shenever once invited Olive inside her former home, nor showed theslightest interest in her, except to smile at the handful of smallchange that was bestowed upon her in parting. For of course Olive hadlong since ceased to feel any bitterness against the old woman, whoseignorance and greed had not been nearly so responsible for her pastunhappiness as her own grandmother's careless neglect of her.

  Olive's interview with her first teacher was such a great pleasure andsatisfaction to them both, that except for Jack's insistence that it wasalready past time to go back to the ranch and that Olive and her oldfriend could now meet each other frequently, the two girls would neverhave started for home until nearly sundown. And as it was they were anhour later than they should have been in leaving.

  They were not able to ride as rapidly as in the morning because neitherof the horses was so fresh. So that by and by, just as both girls hadwished, they fell into the first long, confidential talk they hadenjoyed in nearly a year.

  And there was so much to say! Olive had to repeat the strange terms ofher grandmother's will and her own positive intention not to marryDonald Harmon, no matter what the second will might insist upon--even ifit left her penniless.

  Then Jack confided the present trouble at the Rainbow Mine. For duringRalph's continued and unexplained absence the miners had grown uglier,threatening that unless a new engineer was secured at once they would goupon a strike. Moreover, they would see that no other men be allowed totake their places. Already they insisted that there was not enough goldin the former veins to make Rainbow Mine worth working. A new managerand new machinery must be procured at once.

  Just how to quell the disturbance and set things right neither JimColter nor Jacqueline could decide at present. Of course they wereawaiting with impatience Ralph Merrit's return in order to have a talkwith him. But afterwards what should they do? Would Ralph be forced bythe miners into advising them to buy more machinery before he knew justwhat should be done? This might sink all their capital and make thempoor again.

  "Really it is Jean and Frieda about whom I am worrying the most if we dolose our money," Jack frankly acknowledged. "For Ruth and Jim and I canbe happy living as we used to do. But then of course the building of ournew house must be completed, since the contract is already given forfinishing it."

  So the two friends talked on, and it was small wonder that the sun wassinking as, followed by the ever watchful Carlos, they finally rode upto the Lodge. But Olive had not yet satisfied herself in regard to thestate of affairs now existing between Jack and Frank Kent.

  In answer to a point-blank question Jack had simply replied that she andFrank had not been engaged to be married. Also that she had too muchupon her mind at present to ask him to make them a visit. However, nowthat Olive had arrived, perhaps Frank would wish to come in a shorttime.