"All right," she said, "I'll see about it, but it will take longer to wait for a team to be hitched up." "That can't be helped. I'm afraid I'm not equal to another five miles on foot. Do you know Mr. Graham?" Marjorie laughed. "Of course I do," she said in her frank, friendly way; "he's my father." "Your father!" repeated the gentleman, his face lighting up; "why, you don't mean to tell me you are little Marjorie?" "I'm Marjorie Graham, but I'm not very little. I'm five feet, three, and I was fourteen last March." "Well, you were about two feet, three when I last saw you," said the gentleman, smiling; "so you must forgive me for not recognizing you at once. Have you ever heard of your uncle Henry Carleton?" With a joyous exclamation, impulsive Marjorie sprang from her pony and leaving the faithful Roland to his own devices, rushed to her uncle's side, holding out both hands. "Of course I have!" she cried, lifting her radiant face for the expected kiss. "Oh, Uncle Henry, I'm so glad you've come to see us at last; Mother will be so happy." Although somewhat surprised by the warmth of this greeting, Mr. Carleton was not at all displeased. Indeed, he was smiling very pleasantly by the time he had given his niece the kiss she was evidently expecting, and his face softened as he regarded her more attentively. "I ought to have known you, Marjorie," he said, "for you are very like your mother." Marjorie flushed with pleasure. "I'm glad," she said; "I'd rather look like Mother than any one else. Is Elsie with you?" "Elsie? You know about my little girl, too, then?" "Oh, yes, indeed; I know she is just about my age. Mother has a photograph of her, taken when she was a baby, and I've always wished I could see her. Having a cousin of one's own age must be almost as good as having a sister. Oh, I do hope she's coming to the ranch!" Mr. Carleton shook his head. "Elsie and her mother were with me, but they have gone back to New York. We have been through the Canadian Rockies and the Yosemite together, and yesterday we stopped at the Grand Canyon. Your aunt and cousin have gone on in the train, but I thought I would like a few days with your mother, so I got off at the nearest station to the ranch, and was driving out. I suppose I should have written, but I thought I would rather enjoy giving your mother a surprise. I hope I sha'n't be in the way." "No, indeed, you won't," declared Marjorie heartily. "Mother and Father will be delighted, and so will Aunt Jessie. We so seldom have visitors, and it's such a treat, but I'm dreadfully sorry Aunt Julia and Elsie aren't coming, too. What a lucky girl Elsie is to have seen all those wonderful places! Father is going to take Mother and me to the Canyon some day when he can afford it. But I was so glad to see you that I forgot to introduce my friend. Undine, this is my uncle, Mr. Carleton. "Uncle Henry, this is my friend, Miss Undine--we don't know her other name."