ross the state to the Yellowstone Park, and of course we don't
want to get lost; but Jean and Olive and I planned the whole thing out
this morning just perfectly. We know some of the horses we want to take
with us and we have chosen the very man for our escort."

Jim shook his head obstinately. "You know I am not talking against the
boys on our ranch," he answered solemnly; "they are as good a set of
fellows as can be found anywhere in the business. But there isn't one of
them that's fit to trust with the finest girls in this country."

"Oh, our guide is all right; don't worry about him, Jim," Jean
announced, with the calm assurance of a priestess of the Delphic oracle.
"I know you will thoroughly approve of him as soon as you hear who he
is." Jean tried her best to wink at Ruth, so that she might guess their
meaning, but Ruth was completely in the dark.

"I am pretty sure _not_ to approve of him, you mean," Jim interrupted
gloomily. "I have thought of every man on the place, and there isn't one
of them I would even consider."

"Oh, yes, there is one, Jim; just one, and you haven't thought of him
yet," Jack argued unhesitatingly.

Frieda snickered, Olive smiled and Jean shrugged her shoulders, but Ruth
looked as puzzled as Jim.

"Well, out with your man's name, children," Jim demanded firmly. "You
must not set your heart on this excursion until I know who _he_ is. I am
sorry now that I ever listened to your scheme."

Jean, who was sitting next Ruth, leaned over and whispered something to
her, and Ruth gave a happy laugh and then blushed furiously without
rhyme or reason.

"Jim, there is but one person in the world we want to go with us, and
you certainly ought to know who he is," Jack suggested at this moment.
"Surely you know that it's you. Of course it couldn't be anyone else."

"Me--me!" Jim Colter exclaimed helplessly, the tired, thoughtful
expression which his brown face had worn all morning changing suddenly
to one of joy at Jack's proposition. "Why, you are mad as a March hare,
Miss Ralston. I know you thought of renting Rainbow Lodge for the
magnificent sum of one hundred dollars a month, but I took it that
bargain did not include a thousand or more acres of good Wyoming land,
and I would like to know who would look after the ranch while I was
away."

"Oh, Jim, you are tiresome," Jean protested. "Do you think the ranch
would go to rack and ruin if you left it for a little while? You know
one of the o