At that moment a pretty young girl in khaki and a cowboy hat made her appearance astride a frisky little mustang. She wore a cartridge belt about her waist--though there was no revolver in her holster. "Is Genevieve coming to-day, sure?" she called out joyfully. "I heard she was, and I've come to meet her." "There, boys," bantered the ranch foreman, "now here's a young lady who knows how to welcome the mistress of the Six Star Ranch!" Then, to the girl: "Sure, Miss Susie, we do expect Genevieve, and we're here to welcome her, as you see," he finished with a sweep of his broad-brimmed hat. It looked, for a moment, as if the wavering, straggling men would break ranks and run; but a sudden distant whistle, and a sharp command from Reddy brought them right about face. "Buck up, boys," he ordered sharply. "I reckon the little mistress ain't a-goin' ter turn us down! She'll like it. You'll see!" The train had scarcely come to a stop before Genevieve was off the car steps. "Mr. Tim, Mr. Tim--here I am! Oh, how good you look!" she cried, holding out both her hands. A minute later she turned to introduce the embarrassed foreman to Mrs. Kennedy and the girls, who, with her father, were following close at her heels. This task was not half completed, however, when she spied the red-faced, anxious-eyed men. As Mr. Tim had done, she stared dumbly for a moment; then, leaving the rest of the introductions to her father, she ran toward them. "Why, it's the boys--our boys! Carlos, Long John, Reddy! But what _is_ the matter? How queer you look! Is anybody sick--or--dead?" she stammered, plainly in doubt what to say. "Sure, it's for you--we're a-welcomin' you," exploded Long John, jerking at his collar which was obviously too small for him. Genevieve's face showed a puzzled frown. "But these clothes!--why are you like this?--and after all I've promised the girls about you, too!" "You mean--you don't like it--this?" demanded Reddy, incredulous hope in his eyes and voice. "Of course I don't like it! I've been promising the girls all the way here that you'd give them a welcome that _was_ a welcome! And now--but why did you do it, boys?" Long John drew himself to his full height. "Why? 'Cause Reddy said to," he answered. "Reddy said we'd better ease up on the shock it would be to you--here, after all you'd been used to back East--fine clothes, fine feed, and fine doin's all around, to say nothin' of books and learnin' in between times; so we--we tried to break ye in easy. That's all," he finished, a little lamely. "And then these clothes mean--that?" demanded the girl. Long John nodded dumbly. Genevieve gave a ringing laugh, but her eyes grew soft as she extended her hand to each man in turn.