nk buds on the apple trees were slowly
uncurling, while on every side the level prairie fields were carpeted
with new grass that rippled softly under the low winds like the surface
of a quiet sea.

"Girls, I don't want to be a wet blanket and I am afraid you will think
_I am_ a discouraging person," Ruth interposed, passing around her
teacups, "but I don't believe we could do much traveling on a hundred
dollars a month. I am awfully sorry, Jean, to disappoint you, but you
must remember that railroad journeys are terribly expensive and we would
have to board somewhere when we were not on trains."

"All right, Ruth," Jack assented, looking half relieved and half
disappointed, as she folded up her letter. "I'll write to Mr. and Mrs.
Harmon to-night and refuse their offer for the 'Lodge.'"

Jean sighed as though she had no further joy in living and Ruth shook
her head. "No, Jack, don't write your letter quite yet," she advised.
"Let's talk things over again before we finally decide. But I do wish
Frieda would come with the cookies; it seems so hateful to have tea
without her. I can't imagine what has kept her so long."

Tearing across the yard that divided the Lodge from the ranch orchard
came a round, chubby girl, with her blond pigtails flying straight out
behind her and her cheeks a bright red from excitement. She had a big
dish of gingercakes in her hands, but as she ran she scattered them
behind her like little "Hop o' My Thumb" did his poor crumbs of bread.

"Oh, do come to the house quick! The most loveliest thing has happened!"
she cried fervently. "A band of gypsies was traveling across the plains
and they have stopped right at our house, and say that if we will give
them some food and water they will tell all our fortunes. There is a man
and a girl and an old woman and the cunningest baby!"

Frieda flung her small self on Jean, and without another word the two
girls rushed off toward the house, while Ruth and Jack and Olive
gathered up the despised tea things and followed them more slowly,
munching the long desired cookies.

Drawn up near the back porch at Rainbow Lodge was a rickety old
canvas-top wagon pulled by two ancient and sadly dilapidated horses, and
seated in state at a table not far away were Frieda's band of gypsies
being generously fed by Aunt Ellen.

Ruth and Olive walked toward their unexpected visitors, but Jack in her
usual impetuous fashion ran up to the horses and began to take off their