inutes later he knew the names of the five girls, something of their
history, had heard of Jim Colter and Ralph Merrit, and had given a brief
account of himself in exchange, and for the first time in three months
was actually enjoying himself.

The moon was just rising behind the dark circle of evergreen forests
that bordered the Yellowstone Lake on three sides. Going out on the
lawn, Olive was first to discover a dark figure with his hands in his
pockets strolling quietly up and down. Perhaps because in the early
days, when first brought home to Rainbow Ranch, she too had sometimes
felt like an alien, now she was the only one of the caravaners to guess
why Ralph had gone away from them wishing to be alone.

Ralph Merrit was having a fight with himself. In the past ten days, as a
guest of the caravan party, he had learned to care for them very deeply.
If he preferred one of the girls to the others he had not said so nor
showed it in any way. During the trip he felt he had been able to make
himself useful, but since their arrival at the hotel Ralph had felt shy
and ill at ease. Jack had told him they were poor, and in the gay
camaraderie of the open air he had thought little of wealth or poverty;
now he was acutely conscious of his own lack of money. With hardly a
dollar in his pocket and only a change of clothes in his knapsack, he
could not remain one of the travelers through the Yellowstone Park. It
was hard to say farewell to his friends and to start out again to look
for work, but harder to remain and not do his share in the
entertainment. The ranch girls evidently had richer friends than he
dreamed, the Harmons were evidently wealthy people, and Ralph had been
told this Mr. Drummond was a millionaire.

"What's the matter, Ralph?" Jack's friendly voice asked. Olive had drawn
her and Jean over in Ralph's direction, while Mr. Drummond, Ruth and
Frieda walked slowly on.

"We have been wondering what had become of you ever since dinner?" Jean
added.

Ralph cleared his throat a bit huskily.

"I've got a bad case of blues," he said, "but I am glad you found me
out. I have got to be off from here early in the morning, and perhaps it
is better to explain to you to-night."

Jean pouted, Jack gave a surprised exclamation, Olive believed she
understood.

"But I thought you told Jim you would make the trip with us, Ralph,"
Jack argued. "Has anything disagreeable happened? Surely no one of us
has hurt your feelings."