LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| "Jack, Don't You Know Me?" | [Frontispiece] |
| PAGE | |
| Her Tone Was That of Absolute Authority | [19] |
| "Don't Be Funny, Dick; I'm Lost Again" | [119] |
| Ruth Started Up the Aisle on Lord Kent's Arm | [236] |
The Ranch Girls in Europe
CHAPTER I
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
"IT seems incredible, girls, but I simply can't find her."
The young woman who made this remark was standing on the deck of an out-going ocean steamer. The great boat was ploughing its way through the Ambrose channel, leaving the long nose of Sandy Hook a thin line of white on one side. Fading away into the background like dim gray ghosts were the giant towers of New York City. The speaker was wearing a long, gray traveling coat with a blue lining, and a felt hat of the same colors rested close against her ash-brown hair.
Immediately three girls turned to face her. The minute before they had been leaning against the ship's railing. One of them revealed a suspicion of tears in her curiously dark eyes; the second had her lips shut unnecessarily tight to hide her emotion; while the third showed only rejoicing.