Dorothy on a Ranch

e inn, a "calico" pony detached itself from the group of riders and before t

all right-except the one that i

swiftly after, and in a moment more they had encircled the truant with

tened half to death! I don't know what would have become of us except the pony told our

Leslie, my boy!"

ot' man, and the cowboys say it served him right. Only he got off too easy with just a broken

ub her down. Ain't she the best ever?" said Matti

girl like me!" cried Molly, eagerly. "I do believe you

e?" demanded the Gray Lady, placing her hand

e briars and torn his clothes and has had to ride double with a cowboy, or drover, because he

Dorothy was handed down from riding-pillion behind her host. Everybody's tongue was loosened at once and such a hubbub arose that Mrs. Ford clapped her hands to her ears, then caught hold

er grace than usual, understanding that he had given his mothe

'Sorrel Tenderfoot' was to

son to reme

ch way was out and made up their minds to stay till daylight. That Jim Barlow-I tell you he's great!-he fixed a bed with the wagon cushions and laid 'Sorrel' on it. Then he felt the man all over and saw his legs and arms were sound. After that he got the box of the buc

walk back to Denver for help, thinking that was the quickest way, but when he got out of the woods he couldn't go any further. He'd hurt his arm

coming. Said he'd be better cared for by Mrs. Roderick than at any hospital in Denver. He was sort of crazy and they didn't dare oppose him. That's why they are so slow. But they'll be here soon and he'll be put to bed. Lemuel says the man'll take a blazed trail the rest of his life,

helped. But not one mouthful shall you have till you confess your own fau

uld make you laugh. That's how I got to look like this. We might have been in them yet if little Chiquita hadn't stood like a post right beside the rock where we'd been sitting. Her being there, and Molly's hat and jacket that she'd taken off because she was too warm, told the truth. Dorothy saw the hat and knew it at once. So when Roderick came up and recognized Chiquita they made another search an

and in the midst of it came the landlady herself, not even showing surprise, and certainly not offence, at the liberties whi

d; Herbert, Jim, and Manuel electing to ride while Monty was to travel in the wagon with Silent Pete, as driver. He was the better suited

ad slept soundly through all the events of the night-with the four girls. Jedediah, Mr. Ford's colored "bo

first stage. "Tenderfoot Sorrel" was left behind, of course, but he did not greatly regret that.

Wayside Inn, and a sure promise to "come again!" Then a day's journey steadily onward and upward, through river-fed

top. Here Mr. Ford ordered a brief halt, that the travellers might look behind them at the glorious landsc

shut! No peeping

the last ascent was made. Then the wheels seemed to have found a

and-open! Welc

ose spacious verandas and cloistered walks invited to delightful days out of doors; while everywhere were flowers in bloom, fountains playing, vine-clad arbors and c

broke forth in wondering exclamations, whil

nie, does i

plain shack on a mountain side. That's what you called

n thing is to

er?" asked Leslie, coming up and la

eace and good will," he repeated, gravely. Then his accustomed gayety re

d possess your kingdom! You

ught 'twould be just another up-mounting sort of place, not near so nice as Deerhu

ating the establishment. "Think of a man having his own electric light plant away up here!

g the sea to the mountain-tops," said Helena,

r," said Monty, pointing where a glimmer of suns

certainly is water

on the train! He was talking about the 'cabin' as we came along. It had two rooms and he lived in it alone with his mother. By his talk they hadn't always been so poor and she belonged to an old

a natural basin on the mountain side, for thinking that their host and hostess would b

thing, and I'll remind him of it. He'd no business to come on hors

n here before?" aske

s mother. But he's mighty proud of his father

reasons: one that Dorothy had extolled her humble friend till he seemed a paragon of all the virtues; and secondly what he had learned of Jim's eagerness for knowledge had made him ashamed of his own indifference

ogy was as great as the writer's own. He felt that this invitation to his beloved protégé was a wonderful th

ad looked with simple amazement at the tall, awkward youth,

ontaigne, now, is rippin'! He has the right 'air,' and so has the shorty, the fat Monty, only his figure is against him," he had re

g master and formed all his opinions in accordance. So then he, too, cast a supercilious gla

im was studying the rocks upon the farther side and squinting his eyes at something moving

in, Mr.-I mean James. The doctor i

pping her hand under Jim's uninjured arm, and conveying

t because some richer boys looked down upon him was no reason he should look down upon himself. Also, it angered him that he really needed surgical attention. He had suffered intensely d

he had thought, bravely, despite the pain. Now here was he being made the object of everybody's not

ny need-I'm all right. I'm all rig

udeness of her "paragon." Whenever had he used such an expression?

o what he wants, just the same as if he were Dr. Sterling. Besides, I know we all ou

h her. After all, she was the prettiest girl of them all; and, so far as he knew, the richest. She was "thoroughbred;" her family one of the oldest in its native State; and though the poorhouse boy had no f

You just keep me posted on what's what, little girl, and I'll try to behave myself. But it beats creation, to find suc

rothy improved the chance to give "her boy Jim" a little lecture; suggesting tha

l, James Barlow! It's just the will, you see. There was a co

earnin'-just plain knowledge. I wrote a copy once, too, and 'twas that 'Knowledge

and chipped-off words just because you're talking to-me. I notice you are very particular and careful when you speak to our hos

tiful flowers, and quaint little furnishings of that grand lawn-but with his eyes fixed on a distant

that Dan Ford owns! I wonder if he'

e anything but-stones? Here we are at the door and I f

leman meeting the pair, and glancing toward Jim's band

It doesn't need any attenti

wonderful to find a doctor away up here," said Dorothy. Her odd little air of authority over the great

. Step this way, my son, and Miss, I fancy you'd best not follo

d!" said Dorothy turn

e the doctor found the injured arm in bad shape, swollen and inflamed to

tered to by a frail, sweet-faced woman in a white uniform, whose presence on that far away ranc

umption. So he had me sent to Denver for a time, till San Leon was ready. Then I came here. I'm on hand to attend any sick folks who may need me, th

angry against his own weakness and disappointed that he could not at once begin his work of studying the rocks of this region. To do so had been his chief reason for accepting Mr. Ford's genial invitation, for his shyness shrank from meeting strangers and accepting favors from them. Dr. Sterling had talked him "out of his nonsense" for the time being, but he now wished himself back in his famili

where he, Jim belonged, by right. Out in some of the many buildings at the rear; so many, in fact, that they were like a village. He guessed he'd go there

understood her patient's mood, that her presence in his chamber worried him. It was his tim

workmen's quarters, after all. The mountains were better. They called him. They did not seem far away. He would not feel so hot and then so shivery if he could lie down on their