Connie Carl at Rainbow Ranch
oming f
the colored porter politely. "We'll be
girl softly, without shifti
aph poles. A faint cloud-like blue line which represented New Mexico's mountains-her m
rn-red hair peeped from beneath her jaunty felt hat. She looked for all the world like a young lady who had just graduated from a stylish Eastern finishing school, wh
nie went quickly down the aisle, waiting in th
she slipped a coin into his hand. "This heah Red
eone will meet me," said Connie with a
e platform. As the train pulled slow
oading freight on a motor truck, but she did not know
," thought Connie. "Perhaps I didn't send
s and carried them into the unswept little station. She walked o
ndy!" sai
nd stared. Then light
nnie Carl! I'm sure g
too, Andy. It seems as if I
how long h
rs-three l
ated you, did
forgotten how to ride a horse. I can hardly wait to g
w outfit in town for a week. Roads have bee
nnie. "Does old Charlie Tr
grin. Then his face became sober. "But
anges?" inquired
vaguely. "Say, I see Charlie across the street
e was entering a cafe. He greeted her with a hearty handshake and
laughed Connie as Charlie loaded h
driver shortly, "but they ain't! You'll find plen
him in surprise. "I thought everything was running well.
his own interests are concerned. You'l
ked Connie in amazement. "And
rth this spring, and some of the other boys hired out to the Drowsy Water outfit. Sho
nnie indignantly. "Why, those boys were my father's most loy
of changes since you
ttend school in the East. I never wished to leave New Mexico because I feel that I belong here
t the girl as he steered the c
so easy to do, Conn
girl asked sharply. "What are you driving at
ty, Connie. You'll get the
anyon, following the bed of a swift-moving stream. On either side rose red rock walls which under the light of the fadin
. She breathed deeply of the fresh, crisp air. It was good t
that she would find many changes at Rainbow Ranch. She wondered if she
nnie leaned forward and glanced down into the valley. She
n gateway. Old Charlie unfastened it and they drove up a long
tall, dark-haired man striding toward her.
ff his sombrero. "Welcome home to Rainbow Ranch. I
ceive my telegra
afternoon, and I couldn't get away as earl
ng me that Shorty
ly. "Here, let me take your bags. You
nie confess
elling very little had been changed. The adobe walls, mellowed by the smoke of the fireplace, were
e in her trips to the ranch took her bags and led h
skirt and blouse. She was tired but she felt too exci
and the barn, and beyond, a lo
r a canter before sup
mount, Silvertail. Connie had raised the big gray from
ard the barn. But she stopped short as she saw a fam
cried a gr
ng his horny hand in her own. "I'm gla
seein' mine much long
mean?" asked
I kin read the signs," replied the cowboy dryly. "But I calcu
can't! Why, I
berly. "I thought a lot of your Dad, and this ranch. But there ain'
y. Now that I'm home, I mean
know jest how bad
been losing money the past year
took over, Connie. Blakeman's handled the ranch
gasped. "Why I thought they
Course you know how the cattle market's been the last few years. An' Blakeman seems
" Connie declared. "If he doesn't wish to hand
t do that
I? Isn't th
I reckon now that the First National Bank has a s
" Connie interrupted, "but I unders
interest out of his own pocket-or so he claims. And you're owin' him more than a year's b
nderstand," m
fellow, Connie. You want to t
e advice, Lefty Forbes m