CHAPTER XV
THE OLD RANCH
IT was a wonderful May day when Frieda and her Professor, Jack and hertwo babies and nurse, and Olive arrived at the Rainbow Ranch.
Jim and Ruth Colter and Jean Merritt, who was their own Jean Bruce, ofthe old Ranch Girl days, drove down to the same funny little framestation to meet them. But beside the automobile they brought a greatwagon, which Jim drove himself, in order that they might take up to thehouse as many trunks and as many people as could not be stored away inthe car.
Jack insisted on returning home alongside Jim, seated on the driver'sseat, her feet still not quite touching the floor.
She had put her babies in the automobile, with Ruth and Jean, so thatthey might make each others' acquaintance. Moreover, she had a sentimentin wishing to reach the old ranch with Jim as her companion. No matterwhat had happened to her, no matter what should happen in the future,Jim, who was her first friend, the manager of the old ranch, and her ownand Frieda's guardian, would remain her best friend to the end of thechapter.
She knew, too, that Olive cherished many happy memories, while Friedawas beatific these days in the company of her Professor.
Jack felt a singing in her heart and in her ears as she saw the widemeadows now blossoming with purple clover and heard the western larksrising high over the land, dipping toward it again, then soaring higherup, as if they threw aside the call of the earth for the loftier one ofthe air.
Jim and Ruth with their children, and Jean and Ralph Merritt and theirlittle girl, when they were at the ranch, lived in the great house whichthe Ranch girls had built after coming into their fortune through thediscovery of the mine on their place. But the old Rainbow Lodge, wherethey had all lived as little girls when it was rather hard to makeexpenses in the dry seasons in Wyoming, had never been torn down.Indeed, as a special request from Jack it had been kept in perfectrepair and still remained simply and comfortably furnished.
Whenever there were too many guests at the big house, some of them weresent down here, and more often, when he could bear the ways of highsociety no longer, Jim escaped to the old lodge for a quiet smoke andperhaps an hour to himself. Now and then Ruth, his wife, would come tojoin him, and they would talk of the early days at the ranch and theirfirst meeting, when Ruth was a prim New England schoolmarm.
So, as a favor, Jack had asked that the old Lodge be given over to heruse while she was at home. She and the babies would come up to the bighouse for their meals, except at night when the babies could be bettertaken care of at the Lodge. This would give all the more room for theothers.
So, as Ruth, Jim and Jean, realized that Jack sincerely wished thisarrangement, they had agreed with her desire. Jack had married so soonafter the building of the house, which Frieda had named "The RainbowCastle," that she had never learned to feel any particular affection forit. So in coming home she wished to return to the house she had lovedand remembered.
On either side of the old Lodge, Frieda's violet beds were stillcarefully tended and today were a mass of bloom.
Olive and Frieda and the Professor insisted on getting out first at theLodge with Jack and Jim. When they entered the old living room it was solike the one they recalled that the three women, who were girls nolonger, felt a sudden catching of their breath.
But of course Jim and Jean had arranged the old room to look as muchlike it formerly did as possible. They had the Indian rugs on the floor,the old shelves of books, with just the books the Ranch girls had ownedlong before, the great open fireplace and the tall brass candlesticks onthe mantel.
Then before leaving for the station Jean had filled the room withbunches of violets, as Frieda had once been accustomed to do.
"It is still just the loveliest, homiest place in the world!" Friedaexclaimed.
Jack did not feel that she could speak for the first minute, and thenext Jean had come running in carrying Vive in her arms and with Jimmiebeside her. They were followed by Jean's own little daughter,Jacqueline, and by two other little girls, who belonged to Jim and Ruthand another Jimmie, who was somewhere between the biggest and thelittlest Jim.
Then there was, of course, the immense confusion of the arrival and thesettling of so large a number of guests. Besides there were so manychildren to be looked after who always must be considered first.
That evening there was a dinner at the big house, at which everybodytalked a great deal, asked a great many questions and answered them. Butin reality they were all too tired and excited to get much satisfactionfrom one another.
Afterwards, although Jim and Jack walked home alone to the Lodge, theydid not try to say a great deal to each other. Only at parting Jim said,"Have a cup of coffee in the morning early, Jack. I have promised Ruthnot to take you too far, but I've a new horse for you to try and I wantyou to have the first ride over the ranch with me, while the others arestill asleep. You and I are the only ones who have ever really loved thedawn out here in God's country. Ruth has left some riding togs for yousomewhere in your room."
Waking before six o'clock next morning, Jack was lying in bed breathingdeeply of the sweet clover-scented air, when she heard a never to beforgotten whistle outside her window.
She stuck her head out.
"I'll be down in ten minutes, Jim. Is that the horse for me? Isn't he abeauty? But hitch yours and mine somewhere outside and open the Lodgedoor, I didn't lock it last night, and come in and start my coffee. Ijust opened my eyes this minute."
Ten minutes later, as she had said, Jack slid quietly downstairs so asnot to arouse her children. She smelt the delicious aroma of the coffeein the old Lodge kitchen, once presided over by old Aunt Ellen, who haddied a few years before. She also discovered Jim helping himself to thefirst cup when she appeared. But instead he gave it to her, got anotherfor himself and handed her a napkin filled with sandwiches which Ruthhad provided. Then they drank and munched as silently and contentedly asthey always had in each other's company during many years and variousexperiences.
But they had both stepped out on the big front porch of the Lodge, whenJim suddenly swung round and put his hands on Jack's slender shoulders.
He had seen something in her face which the others had not, perhapsbecause he had always cared for her most.
"Ain't anybody been doin' anything to you, you don't like, Boss?" Jimdemanded, purposely breaking into the old careless speech he had usedbefore Ruth's coming to Rainbow Ranch to educate them all, and Jim morethan any one. "Because if anyone has, you know you can always count onyour old pardner."
But Jack only laughed and shook her head rubbing it against his sleeve,as a young colt does. This had been one of the things she used to do asa girl, half as an expression of affection and half to conceal herembarrassment.
Then Jack ran out to where her horse was waiting. She had on a khakiriding costume, a new one, but except for that, pretty much of the samekind that she had been accustomed to wearing as Jacqueline Ralston.
She was now looking over the horse critically.
"He is one of the most perfect creatures I ever saw, Jim. I don't carewhat other people say, I like our fine western horses better than anyothers in the world."
"Try him, Jack," and Jim lifted her lightly up.
The next instant she had gone down the avenue like a streak of light,whirled and come back again.
"His movement seems perfect, too, but I'll have to give him more of atest before I can decide."
She then started off again with Jim Colter beside her.
"If you like him, Jack, the horse is a present from me. I got him andhad him broken for you. I don't ever want anyone else to use him."
Jack's face flushed. "Jim, there never was anybody so good to me as youhave always been, and no one who has ever understood me so well. I don'tmean that there is much to understand, but what there is I know youbelieve the best of."
"Well, I don't expect there is anybody who began to know you as soon asI did, Jack," Jim Colter answered, realizing again that there wassomet
hing behind Jack's words which she did not exactly wish to confidein him.
It was all very well for the rest of the family to say Jack didn't looka day older. She was better looking than she used to be, if that waswhat they were talking about, and her figure looked very slim and sweetand girlish, as she rode there beside him, as gracefully and as much atease as ever. But Jack's expression was different, there were shadowsunder her eyes, no matter how her lips were smiling. Jim rememberedthat even if he had liked Frank Kent, he never had thought much ofEnglishmen as husbands for American girls.
But he said nothing more on the subject to Jack, only pointing outobjects in the familiar, old landscape which they both loved, andrealizing that if Jack had anything to tell him she would do so of herown accord later on.
They were late to breakfast, of course, so they found that all theothers, having finished, were out on the lawn waiting.
"I suppose Jim tried to show you every horse and every cow on the ranch,Jack," Ruth began. "I hope you are not worn out, child. I told him toallow you one night's rest."
Ruth Colter was growing very matronly these days with her husband andson and two daughters to look after. She and Jim were to have two otherdaughters, to repeat as they always said, another group of four newRanch Girls. But as yet only two had put in their appearance.
"Yes, and after she has had breakfast I want to take Jack and everybodydown to the Rainbow Mine. I always feel it belongs more to Ralph, andto me than to the others. Oh, simply because my husband was its firstengineer."
Jean's eyes were as brown and velvety as ever and she wore that littleexpression of pride and self satisfaction that comes into the faces ofso many women who are married to successful men. It is as if they sharedthe pride and glory of the success, without any of the effort ornecessary disappointment.
"Remember, Henry, when you and Ralph were more or less blown up goingdown the shaft of the old mine. It was after that, Frieda adopted you."
The Professor nodded. "I had my legs broken didn't I, so I couldn't getaway? Well, Frieda always prefers her victims helpless."
Frieda tossed her head and walked away as she always had done when anymember of her family teased her.
Later in the day all the family and half a dozen visitors did go down tothe old mine, which was still yielding a fair amount of gold, but nothalf so much as in the old days. Afterwards, lunch was served in theneighborhood of Rainbow creek and most of the day was spent outdoors.
Toward the close of the afternoon, however, everybody else wandered awayleaving the four one time Ranch Girls together.
They were sitting in the afternoon sunshine on a patch of grass not farfrom the neighborhood of the creek.
Jack was lying down with her head resting in Olive's lap, Frieda wasclose to Jean and now and then putting her hand inside her cousin's fora moment. She and Jean had always been cronies in the old days, when thefour of them had been divided into pairs over some small issue.
"I don't believe this is far from the place where Frank and I discoveredthe first gold in Rainbow creek," Jack remarked drowsily, a little wornout from the excitement of the day. "How filled the old ranch was withmemories and thoughts of her husband!" Jack smiled to herself. Certainlyshe had been the impatient one and Frank the patient in those manymonths of her long illness.
Whatever anger Jack had felt in regard to her husband's autocraticattitude toward her, had entirely disappeared soon after saying farewellto him. But the puzzle was still present. Frank had been kind and sweetto her for the time before she left home. But never once had he franklydeclared that in future he would be willing for Jack to decide importantquestions according to her own judgment, even as he must act by his own.And this was what Jack wanted, the sense of spiritual freedom.
"When is Frank coming over to join you, Jack?" Jean Merritt askedunexpectedly. "Ralph hopes to get home from his work at the canal in afew weeks and it would be a great pleasure if he and Frank could be hereat the same time."
"Frank, oh, Frank isn't coming at all, Jean. He couldn't possibly leavehis own country now, while they are at war. There is so much he feels heought to do."
Jack hoped she was not blushing, but was painfully aware that Frieda'seyes were fixed somewhat critically upon her. Frieda was giving herselfmore airs than ever, now that she and her Professor were reconciled, andshe had been able to persuade the British Government to allow her tobring him to the United States. The truth was the Professor had finishedthe scientific work he had undertaken, and in coming to his own countryat the present time would be enabled to get hold of materials muchneeded in England.
Not actually realizing, but guessing at Jack's embarrassment, Oliveremarked hastily.
"After all there is some advantage in being an old maid, one does nothave to worry continually over being in the same place with one'shusband. You will all have to come over to see my Indian School some daysoon. Perhaps I am wedded to that."
"Nonsense, Olive," Frieda murmured, "but really I don't see why you havenever married. You were obstinate enough about not accepting poor DonHarmon, but then you got most of your grandmother's money after all.Still you must have had other chances. You are as good looking as therest of us and some people like brunettes best."
As Frieda's own yellow hair was at this moment unbound, so that it mightget the air and sunshine, and as she looked at it with uttersatisfaction as she spoke, her three companions laughed unrestrainedly.
"Oh, come now Frieda, you don't really believe anyone has such poortaste as that," Olive teased.
But at this instant seeing that Jack's nurse was coming toward themcarrying Vive in her arms, Frieda got the best of the situation as sheoften did.
"Oh, well, perhaps the combination is prettiest after all. Vive is theonly real beauty with her dark eyes and yellow hair."
Frieda held out her arms for the baby, who came to her with littleripples of happy laughter, and the two blonde heads, which were sonearly the same color, were held close together.
"I believe Vive really is the prettiest of all the children," Jeanremarked critically, which was good of her, since she had a little girlof her own.