The Ranch Girls at Home Again

by Margaret Vandercook

  CHAPTER XIX

  RAINBOW CASTLE

  SOME weeks had passed, and it was now early fall at the ranch. Butanother change had taken place besides that of the seasons, for Jim andRuth and the Ranch girls had moved away from the old Lodge into theirsplendid new home.

  To everybody's satisfaction, however, the Lodge was not deserted; forRalph Merrit had changed into it from his old quarters, and his friend,Henry Tilford Russell, was still with him--not that the young professorhad become an invalid owing to his accident at the Rainbow Mine, for hisbroken leg was completely healed. But as he had come west for hisgeneral health somehow the Rainbow Ranch seemed to hold more curativeproperties than any other place. And Ralph was delighted to have hissociety. The youthful professor of ancient languages appeared to haverecovered in a measure from his previous prejudice against girls, or atleast he was able to find the companionship of the four Ranch girlsendurable.

  The move to the big house had been somewhat hastened for severalreasons, the most important being that Jacqueline Ralston and Frank Kentwere to be married during the first part of October. Frank would notconsent to returning to England without Jack. He insisted that she wasfar too uncertain a quantity to be left alone in her beloved westernlands, since her prairies were his most dangerous rival. Moreover, as hehad promised his father to stand for a Liberal seat in Parliament thatsame winter, Jack was needed at Kent House to aid him in winning hiselection.

  Now it seemed that all of the intimate friends that the girls hadacquired in their two years away from home, had suddenly decided to payvisits to the Rainbow Ranch. Among them were the Princess Colonna andher nephew, Giovanni, who, because of the death of her husband withoutheir, had inherited the Prince's ancient title.

  Miss Katherine Winthrop had finally arrived, and her presence seemed tocompensate Olive for the loss of a good deal of Jack's companionship;yet when the two friends were able to be together without any one else,they were as intimate and as devoted as at any time in their lives. Andthough Jack never referred to the subject of their unfortunateconversation, she could find no trace in Olive of unhappiness or regret.

  It is true that Miss Winthrop and the girl, who was like a peculiarlydevoted and sympathetic daughter, spent numbers of afternoons in thenearby Indian village discussing Olive's desire to become a teacher tothe Indians when she was old enough and sufficiently well trained forthe task. For the older woman was wise enough not to oppose the girl'spresent fancy as Jack had done, only insisting that she wait until shefelt sure of her own fitness.

  But although Olive had frequent talks with old Laska, who never couldentirely connect the charming young American lady with the child she hadpersecuted, there was a new member of the village community with whomOlive would have no conversation. And this was her once devoted friendand admirer, the Indian boy, Carlos.

  After Jacqueline Ralston's home-coming, when she had the opportunity toexplain her unaccountable disappearance, it was Jim Colter who at oncearmed himself with a short whip and demanded that the business ofpunishing Carlos be left entirely to him. Yet, notwithstanding her longnight of wandering about in the sand, too weary and too stupefied tofind her way home or to believe that the boy would not eventually returnwith her horse, Jack immediately became Carlos' defender, finallypersuading her guardian to punish the boy no further than by notpermitting him again to set foot on Rainbow Ranch. She also confessedher own share in the day's difficulties, taking a part of the blame uponherself by insisting that if she had not struck the boy he would neverhave attempted so ugly and dangerous a revenge.

  Jim and Frank, though at last agreeing to Jack's wish, did have oneinterview with Carlos. But though they came away leaving the boyfrightened and submissive, he never was brought to confess just what hehad intended in riding off with Jack's horse. Perhaps during the longafternoon he had vainly been trying to think of some form of vengeanceand then at the last moment the idea of stealing Jack's horse anddeserting her had come like a sudden inspiration. Or perhaps the boyhad meant to return--no one ever knew. He had gone on with the twohorses to the nearest Indian village and never again left it for anyother home. For the effort to civilize Carlos had been a vain one and hecheerfully reverted to the habits and companionship of his own race.

  Nevertheless, he did not go unpunished, although no one ever knew inwhat his punishment consisted. But the refusal of Olive's furtherfriendship was a sorrow which the Indian lad endured in silence to theend of his days. For he never married and was that very rare figureamong his people--an old bachelor, looked after by old women and thesquaws of other men. And this when half a dozen Indian maidens wouldgladly have mated with Carlos. For he was unusually handsome and wasalways admired and reverenced by his own nation.

  At the time they moved into the new house Ruth and Jim and the girlswere feeling particularly happy and prosperous, because, not long afterthe announcement of Jack's and Frank's engagement, Ralph Merrit had madediscoveries of fresh supplies of gold in Rainbow Mine. Also, he haddevised the long-sought-for method by which the gold could be extractedwithout too great danger and expense. He had not trusted entirely to hisown judgment and experience, for three of the greatest mining experts inthe West had been sent for, who were open in their praises of Ralph'sidea and plan, predicting a big future for him and offering himopportunities with them should he ever care to leave the Rainbow Mine.

  But this new "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow," Ralph hadstraightway announced was to be his particular wedding gift to Jack andFrank. Certainly he had no idea of deserting his old friends, now thathe was again able to prove his usefulness. So he was working on inapparent contentment when the Princess and the young Prince appeared.Then once more his dream faded and it was hard for Ralph not to think ofhis work as mere drudgery in which the labor was almost all his and thelarge rewards for others.

  For like lightning out of a clear sky, soon after the Princess Colonna'sinstallation in their new home, even before Ruth or the girls had becomeaccustomed to her presence, with entire formality she asked Jim Colter'sconsent to Jean Bruce's marriage to her nephew, Giovanni, the youngPrince Colonna. When Jim was only barely able to express his surpriseand consternation at such a suggestion, she explained to him a completeunderstanding of his feelings, that this method of procedure in aquestion of marriage was the custom in Italy, her nephew's country.Therefore the young Prince would never dream of speaking to Jean withoutfirst obtaining her guardian's approval. Nevertheless, Mr. Colter mustnot believe that there was any lack of affection on the Prince Colonna'spart, for he had never ceased thinking and talking of Jean from thatfirst hour of their meeting in the Pincio Gardens in Rome.

  In reply to the Princess, Jim could only flush and stammer, saying thathe would prefer first talking the matter over with Mrs. Colter beforegiving his answer. For the truth was that Jim really wished to shoutaloud his refusal to consider such a proposition even for five minutes.Jean to marry a wretched little Italian youth, no taller than she washerself, when she might have almost any clean, hard working Americanfellow! It was bad enough for his adored Jack to be going away with an_Englishman_, but then Frank Kent was different!

  Nevertheless, Jim understood that the reply which he really wished tomake was not altogether fair and certainly not courteous to theirguests. Ruth must at once find some way of clearing up the situation.

  So soon as her husband had explained the matter to her Ruth was underthe impression that she did see a way. With the Princess' and the PrinceColonna's consent she herself would first speak to Jean, letting themhear later whether Miss Bruce was willing to listen to the Prince'ssuit.

  Of course this was the best way out! Jim sighed with relief at hiswife's suggestion, for neither he nor Ruth had the faintest idea thatJean would do anything but refuse even for a moment to consider thePrince or his offer. Ruth believed that she had always understood Jeanbetter than any one of the four Ranch girls.

  Without comment the girl heard of the young nobleman's proposal, andinstead of decl
ining, she asked to be allowed to consider it. In themeantime the Prince and his aunt were to remain at the Rainbow Ranch inorder that Jean and the young man might learn to know each other better.

  They were frequently together and very soon the state of affairs was nosecret to any member of the family, or to their closest friends. Andalthough a number of persons were puzzled, no one said a word to Jean.Could it be possible that she was going to marry solely for position? Noone believed that she could have come to care so deeply for the youngItalian prince in so brief a time.