“And I won’t take your dare!” he replied. “But wait! Won’t I be in the way--between you and Mr. Smith?” It was Marjorie’s turn to blush. “No, there’s nothing serious there, John. Kirk has cared for only one girl in all his life, and he has lost her. I don’t think anyone will ever interest him again. He’s rather nice, but he seems awfully old, and sad.” “Poor fellow!” said John, sympathetically. All his jealousy vanished in that moment. Marjorie longed to say something more about the Cape May girl, but she hated to pry. Rather, she would wait until John mentioned her casually; and if he avoided her in his conversation, she would know that there was something serious between them. So she began again to talk on general topics, until it was time to go in to supper. The interest in the radio was temporarily set aside by the imminence of the Yellowstone trip. Everyone on the ranch was planning to go, so the talk at supper was of little else. “You’re quite sure no bears will attack us?” asked Doris for perhaps the fifth time. “No, I’m not sure,” replied Mr. Hilton. “You may be very much annoyed by some tame bears who try to steal your food.” “I’d let them have it,” said the girl, laughingly. “You won’t be the boss!” returned Arthur. “You see, on this trip we don’t do our own cooking; we stop at regular organized camps for our food and beds.” “But if the bears are so tame, I should think it would be a good place to ride,” she said. “Lots of people do take horseback trips through the Park,” said Kirk, “but it requires from about twenty to twenty-five days, and it’s hardly worth while for anyone who has only two months to spend in the West. Now if you were like me, with a year or so before you----” “Kirk!” cried Daisy. “Are you going to stay here next winter?” “I have a job, haven’t I, Mr. Hilton?” answered the young man. “I’m hired to take Bob’s and Art’s places, while they go to college.” “You must think you’re good--taking the place of two men!” retorted Alice, always glad of an opportunity to get in a little dig at Kirk. But Marjorie was thinking of his decision, and wondering at it. How could he, with such an unhappy memory to haunt him, wish to live so comparatively alone, so far away from civilization? Surely he had abandoned all hope! Everyone at the ranch was delighted with John Hadley’s decision to stay and join the party. Kirk Smith’s satisfaction was as evident as that of anyone else, so that John finally forgot whatever jealousy he might have entertained at the beginning of his visit, and believed Marjorie implicitly.