Connie Carl at Rainbow Ranch

stil's

bearing down upon her, she dived head foremost, rolling over and over at the

. In vain the guards sought to keep the arena clear. Friendly

from fright than because she had been hurt. H

right, Baby?"

tle girl said accusingly. "Just look at

agreed Connie soothing

s arms, hugging her tightly. Without saying a word he brushed the child's disheve

rt, sir," declared Connie

ked by the accident to make any r

ed. "You saved my granddaughte

r," Connie responded, smiling. "I ju

red. "You risked your life to sav

aid Connie, flushing

," the old gentleman went on. "I was stunned-paralyzed for I though

erstand," Co

the man said offering an engra

card, noticing that it bore a New York address. Sh

e explained. "My granddaughter and I came out here t

nd that you're having an enjoyab

ice, quiet ranch where Doris could run wild and grow heal

really a ranch at all. Don't you find it

night. I've made up my mind to move out. But you're not

thing to tell," sai

ou now. You are the young lady who won the bronco riding contest. Com

onsiderable wealth, and she half suspected that he meant to offer

First he told her more about himself. The head of a large manufacturing company in the east

e care of a governess. That's why I cut loose this summer and brought her out here. I thought I'

stay than Silverhorn Ranch, Mr. Postil. I can under

lared Mr. Postil. "I've not given you an opp

gentleman a most sympathetic listener. He interposed a question here and there an

y any more," Mr. Postil said bris

didn't

you a great debt for saving the life of my grandchild. Doris means more to me t

n Connie. "I coul

t a loa

y tempted but sh

dred and fifty dollars I won today, I'll fix the ranch up a bit and advertise for summer boar

Ranch. With no conscious attempt to exaggerate she

liff dwellings. My father discovered them in the canyon years ago, and experts

enthusiastically. "I've been trying to find just such a plac

"only the ranch house isn't fixed up. The food

ut the week at Silverhorn, then Monday morning I'll come to your place, and I may be able to

eman handed h

ed dollars!" Connie protested

m a very cranky old man and require a lot of service

good fortune. She tried to than

t busy right away and see if I can't locate those fri

e ranch," Connie protested.

that score," said Mr

th the money held tightly in her hand. It did not seem possible that so

ranch," she thought excitedly. "But I'll need to hire extra household h

Lefty. She felt she had to tell someone about her good fortun

ice, received cash in the amount of seven hundred and fifty dollars. Conn

The streets still swarmed with people and Red Gulch would be a lively place

ither side of the lonely road the limestone cliffs were a blaz

ould remodel the ranch house, hire another Mexican woman to help Marie, and still ha

he first time since she had returned hom

s seemed to cast their dark shadow over the earth. A chill wind

t more closely about her. She coul

it steadily climbed toward Eagle Pass. Just ahead was a short tunnel bored i

er, old boy?" Co

but she heard no one. It had grown so dark that she could not see f

glanced nervously over her shoulder. It was as if she could fe

ght ahead. The tunnel had not been longer than f

ent, as she emerged from the tunnel, she heard a h

deliberately blocking the way. A blue bandana handkerchief had been pull

said in a low, grim voice.