creek,
at present," he jeered. "You can keep the water on Rainbow Ranch for
another few months, when father and I take possession of the ranch, we
can drain the water over here if we like. So long!" and he glanced
contemptuously at Jack, as he marched by her.

Jack had her riding whip in her left hand. For a second she longed to
strike at Dan Norton with it. How dared he speak in that calm and
self-assured fashion of some day taking possession of their own beloved
Rainbow Ranch? Jack's heart was like lead, but not a muscle of her
lovely face moved, her eyelashes did not even tremble.

Jim watched Dan sneak across the divide and he and Jack waited until the
four men started on foot across the plain. Then Jim smiled a slow smile
which meant many things. "Don't you worry quite so much about our losing
our ranch, Jacqueline Ralston," Jim announced. "If old Daniel Norton had
felt so sure he was going to succeed in getting our place away from us,
he would never have tried to steal our water at this stage of the game."

The two horses were grazing near by and Jim lifted Jack into her saddle.
They turned their faces toward Rainbow Lodge.

Once or twice, Jim rubbed his chin. "Pretty good day's work for us,
boss?" he asked finally.

Jack's eyes danced and a deep rose color glowed in her cheeks. She did
not look in the least like the girl who had received in tears the news
of the possible loss of her home.

Jack laughed softly, under her breath. "It sure was a good day's work,
overseer, and we'll fight till the hat drops," she answered, in the tone
of another cowboy. Then Jack flicked her pony with her whip. "Do let's
hurry, Jim," she called gaily. "I never saw anything in my life so
delicious as the picture you made lassoing Dan. I am just dying to get
home to tell the other girls."

CHAPTER XIII.

THE WET BLANKET.

"JACK, how are we ever going to quit using slang?" Jean groaned.

"Oh, we do worse things, Jean Bruce," Jack answered unfeelingly. "Little
we know how many crimes we do commit! Just wait until a straight-laced
old maid gets hold of us! And what will Cousin Ruth say about Jim's
grammar? You know she is a B.A. from some woman's college. Do you know
Jean, I often wonder if Jim talks in the careless way he does simply
because he has lived so long out here with the cowboys. He must have had
some education when he was young, he seems to have read a great many
books."

"Jim Colter is a clam," Jean rema