, and took
in the situation with quick sympathy. She saw her girls' disappointed,
embarrassed faces and their cousin's worn one.

Aunt Ellen gathered Ruth in her arms. "Leave her alone, honies, she is
just tired out," she explained to the ranch girls. And without the least
effort from Ruth, Aunt Ellen got her in bed, fed her some broth and told
her to go to sleep and not to worry.

In the big living-room with its splendid pine fire, Jack, Jean, Frieda
and Olive ate their feast of welcome alone.

It was hardly worth while to have taken so much trouble to get ready for
a guest who looked neither at you nor your house when she came in to it.

Jack was plainly cast down. Jean, Frieda and Olive were almost as
discouraged.

"I think Cousin Ruth is tiresome," Jean exclaimed petulantly. "I don't
see why she couldn't have spoken to us."

Frieda's blue eyes filled with tears. "I don't believe she is going to
like us very much," she added disconsolately.

"I am dreadfully afraid of her already," Olive sighed. "Are you sure,
Jack, that you explained to her about me? She not like my living with
you at the ranch."

Jack put her arm about Olive and drew her toward the fire. "Of course
Cousin Ruth will care for you as much as she does for any one of us,
Olive; she has to," Jack insisted. "Remember that while you haven't any
name of your own, you are Olive Ralston. Isn't it splendid that old
Laska and Josef have left us in peace? I wonder if they do intend to
give you up to us without any more fuss!"

Olive shivered a little in Jack's grasp. "I hope so," she answered
fervently. "Laska and the old Indian life seem hundreds of years away.
Yet I have been at the ranch only a little less than a month."

"Don't worry, Olive," Jack returned thoughtfully. "Let us just be glad
to-night that we have one more evening alone;" which shows how Jack felt
about the arrival of the new chaperon.

The girls sat up quite late. Frieda went to sleep with her head in
Jack's lap, Jean fell to nodding, but Olive and Jack were wide awake.
Olive was older than the ranch girls had thought her at first. She must
have come next to Jack, although old Laska had never told Olive her
exact birthday.

CHAPTER XV.

ALL SAVE JACK!

IT was nearly noon next day when the latest comer to Rainbow Lodge
awoke. She still felt sore and stiff from her long journeyings, but she
could never remember such a blissful sleep in her life.

Out her bedroom wind