Plainly she was endeavoring to appear more enthusiastic than she felt.
She too shook hands. The new stepmother dared not ask that any one of the three girls welcome her more warmly.
She was leaning over to kiss the youngest of the four girls, when Eda slipped from her. With a swift movement of intense affection she flung her arms about her father.
At this moment he had entered the room.
The next the new stepmother found herself standing alone while the four new Ranch Girls were rejoicing over him.
CHAPTER III
THE DAWN
All night Jeanette had been unable to sleep more than half an hour at a time. Never in her life before could she recall such an experience.
Tired after their long excursion and the finding of the silver arrow, the excitement of meeting her father and the new stepmother, she had expected to fall into a sound slumber as soon as her head touched the pillow.
This had not happened and now it was dawn.