nce to Jean, because
she did not intend in any way to remind Mr. Colter of his forgotten
promise.

Ruth saw Jim riding up the road that led to the Lodge and drawing
herself up, gave him a stiff little bow. Of course she had known all
along that a cowboy could not be a gentleman, but Jim had struck her as
being rather superior, in spite of his bad grammar. However, no man
worth the name broke a promise to a woman. Ruth turned her back on the
rider and continued her walk with her head in the air.

Jim reined up in front of the frosty young woman. "Good morning," he
said in rather an embarrassed fashion.

The lady's manner was not encouraging. "Good morning," she repeated
severely, "I suppose you wanted to see one of the girls, but they are
all away from the ranch."

Jim shook his head slowly, staring at Miss Ruth Drew with a puzzled
frown. He had not the faintest idea why she was so haughty, and clearing
his throat, continued to stare at her without a word until the silence
grew more and more embarrassing.

Ruth's cheeks grew redder. She was irritated by Jim's silence and the
expression of his eyes, which were as blue and direct as a young boy's.

"Do you want to leave a message for one of the girls or to speak to Aunt
Ellen or Zack?" Ruth inquired irritably.

But still Jim did not speak.

"For heaven's sake, tell me, what do you want, Mr. Colter?" Ruth
demanded. And suddenly Jim laughed.

"Well, I thought I wanted to speak to you, Miss Drew," he drawled in his
slow, good-humored fashion. "But perhaps I had better not. I kind of
thought maybe you would like me to give you a riding lesson this
morning, but I can see now you wouldn't. I have been trying to get one
of the ranch ponies broke in for you ever since I heard you wanted to
learn to ride and now I have got a little broncho that is just about as
gentle as a kitten. But, so long, maybe you'll be feeling more like it
another day."

Jim rode calmly away, leaving Ruth looking as young and foolish as a
cross child.

She did want a horseback lesson to-day of all days, when she was alone
and a little blue. Ruth ran after Jim, entirely forgetting her dignity.

"Mr. Colter, please wait," she called. "I do want to learn to ride,
dreadfully, and I should be awfully glad to have you show me how this
morning, if you don't think I would be too much of a chump."

"Chump!" Ruth's ears burned. Jean's favorite word, "chump," had slipped
out of her lips as unconscious