ancing around at the rather
harmless looking crowd on the station platform, "we are surrounded by
thieves and murderers. Though I must say they are a pretty nice looking
set," she added, and the girls giggled.

"Grace could forgive a man anything, if he was only good-looking
enough," remarked Amy.

"Here comes the train!" cried Betty suddenly, as the Western Limited
thundered around a curve in the distance and steamed toward them.
Immediately she forgot everything but that Allen was on that train and
that in a moment more she would see him----

Then Allen himself, handsome as ever, eagerly scanning the faces on the
platform as he jumped from the train the instant the porter opened the
door.

It took him barely a moment to discover the group of girls, and he came
toward them, hand outstretched, eyes alight with greeting.

"Well, if this isn't great!" he cried in his hearty voice, shaking
hands with all of them but looking mostly at Betty. "Knew I could trust
the Outdoor Girls to turn out for a rousing welcome. How's everything?"

"Just fine," they assured him, and then Betty took him in hand.

"We've brought a wagon along from the ranch to carry your luggage," she
said, dragging him over to the wagon beside which two of the boys from
the ranch were waiting bashfully. "Come over and meet a couple of our
cow-punchers, and they will help you load your trunk on board."

All this accomplished, the cowboys and Allen having formed an immediate
and staunch friendship, Betty introduced the latter to the horse she had
brought for him to ride. The pony was a magnificent animal, dark brown
in color with a curve to his graceful neck and a flash to his eye that
proclaimed his thoroughbred ancestry.

"Say, you old peach of a horse," said Allen, fondly stroking the soft
muzzle, "you're just about the most perfect thing of your kind I've ever
seen. It seems almost a sacrilege to ride you."

"His name is Lightning," Amy volunteered. "The boys call him that
because he can outrun almost any other horse on the ranch. Though," she
added loyally, "I shouldn't wonder if Lady could beat him if they
should give her a head start."

This characteristic speech brought a laugh, and Allen regarded the four
other beautiful horses in the group.

"You girls seemed to have picked winners yourselves," he said
admiringly. He studied them a moment, then his eyes narrowed quizzically
as he turned to Betty.

"I'll bet you a box of candy against