“You certainly cut him to-day when you refused his offer to go with us,” she said, watching keenly the effect of her words on her friend. “Serves him right,” Josephine answered spiritedly. “I suppose he thinks I am a very unreasonable girl, but you know we planned to visit the secret passage at the Ricker ranch, and I really wanted to ask him to go with us, but for the last three days I have scarcely been able to get a word with him.” “Jack thinks you are in love with Bud Anderson,” Ethel ventured gently. Josephine laughed merrily. “Bud and I are great friends and I like him immensely,” she answered, a far-away look in her eyes. Percy Vanderpool had been an interested listener up to this point, but now he began to get impatient at the lack of interest they were showing in him. “Aw, I say girls,” he drawled, “do you really think this bally ranch with the aw, secret passage is a safe place to go?” Josephine flashed him an amused glance. “If you are afraid, you may go back, but Ethel and I are going to see this place. There is no danger, for two of Bud’s men are guarding it,” she answered him scornfully. “Oh, Percy is game, all right,” Ethel cut in; “I know he isn’t afraid to go where us girls dare go.” At this praise the fop began to tell of some deeds of daring he had performed while on a trip through the jungles of Africa and the girls listened with much merriment. Thinking he had impressed them with his great prowess he launched into such a lengthy tale of one of his trips that Josephine had to cut him off in the midst of it. They were nearing Trader’s Post where they had planned to halt for a short rest before proceeding on to the Ricker ranch. A foreboding of evil was stealing over Josephine and try as she would, she couldn’t seem to shake it off. She wished most heartily that she had permitted Mason to come with them and felt vexed with herself for being so obstinate. As they entered Trader’s Post she caught sight of one of the cowboys Bud had left in charge of the Ricker ranch. He was on the opposite side of the street and bidding Ethel and Percy to wait, she hastened over and had a chat with him. The cowboy had come to town for a few supplies and was going back at once. He assured her that everything was going fine at the ranch, and feeling relieved she hurried back to join Ethel and Percy. After lunch and a short rest they started for the ranch. The cowboy would reach the ranch ahead of them, but somehow the meeting with him had helped dispel the depressing spirit that seemed to grip her. In the course of an hour they had reached the outbuildings of the ranch, and the desolate condition of the place almost struck terror to the girl’s heart, but remembering the meeting with the cowboy they pressed on. Arriving at the ranch house, Josephine was shocked to find the door partly open, and the house was apparently deserted.