ever did want to rent
our Lodge to the fellow," he protested bitterly. "I knew nothing but
trouble could come from a New York money grabber."

"Why, Mr. Jim, you are unfair," Ruth declared. "You know you were as
anxious, after the first, to come on this caravan trip as the rest of
us. And we couldn't have come without the Harmon money. I am sorry you
haven't enjoyed it."

"I have liked it better than anything I ever did since I was born, Ruth
Drew," Jim replied so solemnly that Ruth was frightened into silence.
"But I suppose we might have managed it somehow without introducing the
plagued Harmon family onto our ranch. What do you think this Harmon man
has written me?"

"I am sure I don't know--what?" Ruth asked a little irritably.

"Oh, nothing but a cool offer to buy Rainbow Ranch off our hands at any
reasonable figure we choose to sell it for. He says he has gotten so
interested in the ranch, and thinks it such a fine place for his
daughter and son, that he would be willing to pay what our neighbors
might think a fancy sum for the place."

For just a half second Ruth's heart stood still, or felt as though it
had. She saw Rainbow Ranch, which had been saved for them once by
Frieda's discovery, slipping away again, the girls scattered, herself
back in the old Vermont village away from this wonderful western life,
and Jim--she wondered _what would_ become of Jim.

Then Ruth came to her senses. "Well, Mr. Jim, I don't see anything so
dreadful in Mr. Harmon's offer. I don't wonder he is in love with our
ranch, but we don't have to sell it to him because he wants it, do we?
Jack would never think of it."

"It isn't all just what Jack wishes, Miss Ruth," Jim answered sadly. "It
is because living on the ranch with you and the girls means more than
everything else in the world to me, that it kind of sinks into me that
we oughtn't to turn Mr. Harmon's offer down without thinking and talking
it over. The ranch don't pay such an awful lot these days--just barely
enough to keep things going; and maybe the girls ought to have
advantages like schools and traveling. You know better than I do, Ruth.
Won't you try and help me think this thing out and decide what is best
for them?"

For a moment Ruth was silent, knowing in her heart why Jim took Mr.
Harmon's offer so seriously. All his own hopes and plans depended on his
refusing it. If he were no longer the overseer of the Rainbow Ranch he
would have nothing to offer the wom