LIGHT 127

IX. A MODERN HORSE FAIR 142

X. AN UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE 157

XI. THE SHEEP HERDER'S CABIN 172

XII. PLAY THAT WAS WORK AND WORK
THAT WAS PLAY 187

XIII. THE HEN OF WUN SING 205

XIV. THE GRIZZLY AND THE INDIANS 220

XV. A TRIP TO BALD EAGLE ROCK 235

XVI. PROSPERITY AND PARTING 250

DOROTHY ON A RANCH

CHAPTER I

THE TRIP IN THE ERMINIE

The "Erminie," private car of "Railway Boss, Dan Ford," stood
side-tracked at Denver, and his guests within it were the happy people
whom, some readers may remember, we left keeping a belated Christmas in
the old adobe on the mesa, in southern California.

To Dorothy, the trip thus far had been like a wonderful dream.

"Just think, Alfy Babcock, of owning a real car, going and stopping
just as you please, same's riding in a carriage with horses! Even
darling Aunt Betty, who's been 'most everywhere and seen 'most
everything, in her long life, never travelled 'private coaching' this
way before. I hate to think it's over, that I'll have to say good-by
to her so soon. Seems if I ought not. Seems if she'll be dreadful
lonesome without me all summer. I'm her own folks and I--I believe I
shall go home with her after all, 'stead of into the mountains to that
ranch with the Gray Lady."

Alfaretta gave a vigorous tug to the shawl-strap she was fastening
about a curious assortment of her personal belongings and answered:

"That's enough of your 'seems-if-ing,' Dolly Doodles! It's all
settled, isn't it? And when a thing's fixed--it ought to stay fixed.
Mrs. Calvert don't want either of us. She said so, more 'n once, too.
She's tickled to death to think there's such a good time comin' for
us. She's got all that prop'ty that got itself into trouble to look
after, and she's got them ladies, her old friends, that's been in San
Diego all winter, to go home to New York with her. You better stop
frettin' and lookin' out o' winder, and pick up your things. You've
lots more 'n I have and that's sayin' consid'able. The way that Mr.
Ford moves makes other folks hustle, too! Hurry up, do! He said we
was all to go to a big hotel for our dinners and I'm real ready for
mine. I a