us to miss it, and Don
and Elizabeth are so in love with your ranch girls they believe they
will enjoy it twice as much with you here. We came on after Beth had a
letter from Miss Ralston telling her about the time you expected to
arrive."

There was one member of the caravan party who had no hesitation in
expressing his views of the unexpected appearance of the three members
of the Harmon family. Jim was frankly displeased. "It wasn't enough to
rent them our Lodge for the summer and have them drive me plumb crazy
with questions before I got away," he complained to Ruth as soon as she
broke the news to him, "but now we have got to tote 'em over the whole
of the Yellowstone. I guess they must think I'm the original Cooks' Tour
man," he growled, forgetting his newly acquired English in his bad
temper.

But Ruth laughed sympathetically. "Never mind, Mr. Jim," she returned.
"I am sorry myself that we can't have our trip to ourselves, but I hope
pleasure will somehow come out of the presence of the Harmons here."

So far as Ruth or any member of the Rainbow Ranch family could see for
many months to come not good, but great evil grew out of the entrance of
these new acquaintances into their lives.

CHAPTER XIV

MR. DRUMMOND AND RALPH CHANGE PLACES

The ranch girls, Jim and Ralph Merrit were at supper later that evening
when some one walked down the length of the long dining room, glancing
for an instant toward their table as he passed by.

Frieda nearly choked over her soup. "Look, Jack, there's the man who
gave me the pretty yellow stone this afternoon!" she exclaimed in a loud
whisper.

Jack look up quickly and blushed. Then to hide her confusion, she smiled
and bowed in an unexpectedly friendly fashion, surprising the others, as
she was usually shy with strangers. Mr. Drummond returned her greeting
cordially, smiling at Frieda; and straightway the social position of the
caravaners reached the high-water mark. He was said to be a wealthy
bachelor from New York, but as no one actually knew anything about him
and he had refused to associate with the other guests, his reserve
caused him to be regarded as a very important person.

After dinner, as the girls went out on the verandah, they looked as
though they had dressed to illustrate the name of the Rainbow Ranch.
Weary of their traveling costumes they had put on their best summer
muslins. Jack wore a violet organdie, Jean a red one, Olive was in pale
yell