The Ranch Girls at Home Again

by Margaret Vandercook

  CHAPTER XX

  A PARTY AT THE NEW HOUSE

  THE society people in that part of Wyoming within the radius of theRainbow Ranch were deeply interested and some of them a good dealexcited over the fact that an American-Italian Princess and an ItalianPrince were being entertained in their midst.

  For some time previous to the coming of their guests Ruth and the girlshad planned giving a large evening party. Originally the idea had beento make it a kind of house-warming as well as a formal announcement ofJack's engagement. But as Jack begged not to be made speciallyconspicuous in regard to the invitations, they were finally issued byMr. and Mrs. Colter asking that their friends do them the honor ofmeeting Miss Katherine Winthrop, the Princess Colonna and her nephew,the Prince Giovanni Colonna, on a certain September evening. Accordingto the desires of the Ranch girls the entertainment was to be both areception and dance, for the new home was large enough for both. Forwhile the older guests were talking to one another in the music room andlibrary, the big living room could be used for dancing.

  It was about six o'clock on the afternoon before the ball when the fourgirls in dressing gowns of various shades slipped through the widecolonial hall and entered the big parlor. Frieda dropped into a chairset close against the wall and sighed deeply. Her yellow hair had beenwashed only a few hours before and was now in a big loose knot on top ofher head, though it kept breaking forth into delicious curls about herwhite forehead and neck.

  In answer to the sigh Jack sat down on the floor at her younger sister'sfeet. "Isn't everything all right, Baby? Isn't the room as lovely as youexpected?" she asked anxiously. For although Jack had always beenunusually tender and devoted to Frieda, she was even more in these days,with the thought of leaving her so close at hand.

  Again Frieda sighed, but this time she explained herself. "It is morethan all right. It is more beautiful than I ever expected any placebelonging to us could be. Not that I did not love the dear old Lodge,but this house is, well--different. Isn't it dreadful that you are goingaway so soon, Jack, dearest, after all our work and planning? It willnever seem just like home without you."

  With a sudden movement Jean crossed the room, placing her fingerslightly upon Frieda's lips.

  "We have promised Jack not to say anything like that, Frieda dear," sheprotested, "at least not tonight. We must all have the happiest eveningof our lives, one that none of us shall forget."

  The younger girl glanced up at her cousin wistfully with a question onher lips, but instead of asking it she clapped her hands softlytogether.

  "See that lovely light coming through our stained-glass window! Isn't itlike a rainbow! Oh, I hope it means good luck just as it always has inthe past! And somehow it makes this room more beautiful. I did not dreamanything could!"

  Naturally Frieda was prejudiced and an enthusiast, and yet she had amplereason for her point of view. For a moment there was an unusual silenceas the four girls looked around them. Consciously or unconsciously theyrealized that these next few weeks were to mark important changes intheir lives. For after they had slipped by things could never be exactlythe same. Jack would be married and that would represent the firstimportant break, and after that--well, they were not little girls anylonger, for even Frieda had lately shown unmistakable signs of beinggrown-up.

  The walls of the long room were hung with western smilax and since theparty was to be a typical American one, the girls had been wildlyextravagant and used American Beauty roses for the decoration. Now theair was fragrant with their rich and penetrating perfume. The oldcolonial mantel was banked with them, and garlands of green swingingfrom one white column to another had big baskets filled with rosessuspended between the posts. The room itself was fifty feet long andthree-fourths as broad. All the woodwork and the walls were a warm gray.The greater part of the furniture had of course been removed and a whitetarpaulin covered the hardwood floor, but in the bay window there werepalms and vases of roses and an old-fashioned colonial sofa, besidesseveral chairs. Also there were occasional chairs along the walls forthe older persons who might care to watch the dancing. The music was tobe concealed in the hall behind a bank of evergreens just beneath thewide mahogany stairs.

  "Well, if there is anything more that can be done to make this placemore attractive, I am sure I don't know what it is," Jean insisted atlast. "And I am especially glad that we asked Mr. Parker to cometonight. Because of course he may have built more expensive houses thanours, yet I am quite sure he has never made one more attractive.Besides, he is awfully nice. Gracious, girls, who is that knocking? Ruththinks we are being nice and obedient and lying down until seven."

  But Olive had walked over to the closed door and opened it half-way.

  "Don't be alarmed," she laughed back. "It is only the flowers Frank issending us for tonight. Let's open them now and see what choice he hasmade. Ruth told him about our dresses, so that he could not make anyserious mistake."

  Almost concealed by four great boxes reaching as high as her head,Olive came back to where Jack was sitting and placed them in a greatpile before her.

  "You give them to us, Jack dear, since they are from Frank," she urged.

  The first was marked with Frieda's name, but as she took the top off thebox and lifted out a card her cheeks turned suddenly crimson.

  "These are not from Frank after all," Frieda remarked with a pretense ofunconcern, "Mr. Russell says that I was so kind about reading to himwhen his leg was broken that he asked Frank as a special favor to lethim send me my bouquet for tonight." Her fingers fumbled nervously atthe tissue paper and her eyes were downcast, since she did not speciallycare to have any one staring at her at this moment. She could imagineJack's puzzled and slightly worried expression and Jean's and Olive'steasing looks. For the absurd friendship that had developed between thesolemn young Professor and Frieda was one of the ill-concealed jokes inthe family.

  "What do you suppose that a man who dabbles in Egyptology for anamusement would send as a bouquet to a baby?" Jean inquired mockingly."Possibly a lotus flower, for there are learned persons who declare thatCleopatra was a bewildering blond lady," and Jean pulled at Frieda'syellow curls.

  The next moment along with the other girls she gave a cry of admiration.Who would ever have suspected the Professor of such exquisite taste? Forin some way he had managed to make his bouquet suggest the girl to whomit was offered. For it was formed of hundreds of tiny forget-me-nots setclose together and encircled with small white star-like flowers.

  Jean's roses were the deep pink color that she always loved and Olive'swere a wonderful golden yellow. But Jack hesitated a moment beforeopening her box, which was the largest of the four and curiously heavy.

  Half guessing how she felt Olive laid her hand lovingly on her friend's.

  "Take your flowers up to your own room and look at them first byyourself if you would rather," she suggested. However, Jean and Friedaboth raised a storm of protest.

  And Jack laughed. "It isn't that I am such a bashful person that I don'twant you to see even the flowers Frank has given me--I would not be soabsurd," she confessed. "But I have an idea that perhaps Frank has putsomething more than flowers in my box. And I don't think I shall ever,ever be able to wear them. Oh, children, what made me fall in love withan Englishman and one who may inherit a title? Certainly I shall neverbe able to live up to it!" Doing her best to hide her nervousness Jackburied her hot cheeks in a great bunch of white jasmine flowers; butFrieda's fingers were pointing inexorably to a white velvet jewel casewhich still remained in the flower box half buried in evergreens.

  With a smile Jack picked it up, touching the spring. On the satin shonea miniature crown of diamonds and pearls and an exquisite necklace ofthe same jewels.

  "Gracious," Frieda gasped, "I didn't know Frank Kent was a millionaire!Why he always has declared that he was a great deal poorer than lots ofAmerican fellows! I wonder if he has been deceiving you all this time,Jack, to keep you from marrying him for his money."

  "Goose!"
Jack laughed; but Frieda's absurdity relieved the situation."Don't you know that these jewels are heirlooms in the Kent family,that they always belong to the wife of the eldest son? I told Frank towait until our wedding day; but he seemed to wish me to wear themtonight. I don't believe I possibly can, they are too lovely--andsomehow they don't seem to suit me."

  Olive placed the tiara on Jack's gold-brown head. The girl's gray eyeswere shining softly, her head was tilted back the least bit and a richcolor flooded her cheeks and lips.

  "I don't think Frank need be exactly ashamed of you, Lady Kent," Jeanmurmured with teasing affectation. And then: "You funny Jack! Is thereany other girl in America who would not care more than you do forFrank's splendid position and all the rest of it? Not for a singleinstant do I believe that you gave it a thought! Dear me, I wish yourown sweet cousin were so high-minded!"

  "Girls," said a reproachful voice suddenly, "is this the way you keepyour sacred promise to me to rest until dinner time? Go back to yourrooms instantly," Ruth Colter scolded. Yet she was hardly an impressivefigure with her hair rolled up in a tight knot and a light shawl thrownover her kimono. "I heard such a terrible chattering in here that I wasafraid a collection of magpies had gotten in an open window and thoughtthey had come upon an enchanted garden." Here Ruth ceased talkingsuddenly, having caught sight of the beautiful ornament on Jack's hair.

  "Gracious, dear, what a wonderful possession! Do let me see it moreclosely," she asked. "But take it off first and then come here and kissme. A diamond tiara is hardly appropriate with a dressing gown and Ican't bear to see you looking so regal and so far away from the rest ofus."

  And with a break in her voice, Ruth put her arm around Jack and then ledthe small procession forth from the room.