JEAN AND RALPH MERRITT
The marriage between Jean Bruce, the cousin of Frieda and Jacqueline
Ralston and one of the four original Ranch girls, and Ralph Merritt, the
young engineer of the Rainbow mine, had only taken place after a long
and frequently interrupted friendship, since between them there were
many differences of opinion, of taste and of ideals.
Frankly as a young girl Jean always had cared greatly for wealth, for
social position and for fashionable people, a viewpoint which had not
altered with the years, as Jean freely announced.
True that her husband had made a reputation for himself as an expert
mining engineer and at different times in a small way had shared in the
profits of the enterprises which his skill and ability had made valuable
to the owners. Yet never at any time had Ralph Merritt acquired a large
fortune for himself and his family. Notwithstanding his many fine
traits of character he suffered from one weakness. In his effort to
gratify and please his wife now and then he had speculated with Jean's
private fortune and with his own, and although never confessing the
fact, his speculations more often than not had been unsuccessful.
In returning to the old Rainbow ranch to spend a few months, Jean and
Ralph had been glad to say that the opportunity to be reunited for a
short time with their old friends and former associations was not to be
resisted. However, there was another motive, if they preferred not to
speak of it. At the time of Jacqueline Kent's homecoming from England to
the ranch after the death of her husband, Jean and Ralph were passing
through a period of financial stress so that the visit to the big house
with their two little girls would be a relief as well as a pleasure.
There was a chance ahead, in which Ralph Merritt thoroughly believed,
sure to put him on his feet again. Like most other patriotic Americans,
at the outbreak of the war in Europe he had volunteered for service
overseas and been captain in a mining corps in France. Returning home,
if he were rich in experience, he was poor in worldly goods. There was
nothing unusual in this, but unfortunately Jean and Ralph were not
willing to begin over again by living simply and economically until
Ralph could make new business connections. And the fault was actually
more Jean's than her husband's, although she was not aware of the fact.
Nevertheless, among the four Ranch girls, Jean, who loved money more
than any one of them, was the only one without it. Naturally the war and
the high taxes it entailed had decreased the value of the English estate
which Jacqueline Ralston Kent had inherited from her husband, yet the
estate was still large enough for Jack and her son to be entirely
comfortable apart from her own private fortune, due to her share of the
output of the Rainbow mine, which had been wisely and conservatively
invested. Moreover, Jack's own tastes were simple and she wished to
bring up her son in a simple fashion.
Captain MacDonnell possessed only a small estate of his own, but Olive
had inherited wealth from the grandmother who had appeared so
mysteriously in her life during the year spent by "The Ranch Girls at
Boarding School." Moreover, Captain MacDonnell and Olive apparently
cared only for each other, for Captain MacDonnell's art, and the effort
to forget his injury in the war in his new work and life. The truth was
that a large part of her fortune Olive had devoted to the establishment
and upkeep of an Indian school not far from the neighborhood of the
Rainbow ranch. She and her husband preferred to live out of doors in a
tent in the western country whenever the weather made it possible,
partly because of Captain MacDonnell's health and also that he might
constantly study the western types and scenes which he was painting to
the exclusion of all other subjects.
Frieda and her husband, Professor Henry Tilford Russell, were not rich;
in fact, Professor Russell, having resigned his professorship at the
University of Chicago, was at present making no income. Yet his parents
were wealthy and adored Frieda and her little girl, and moreover,
Professor Russell was at this time engaging in scientific experiments
which might bring him fame and fortune or else achieve no result of
importance. An expert chemist who had made several valuable discoveries
during the war, Professor Russell believed that he had earned a year's
holiday at the ranch and the opportunity to indulge in one or two of
his private hobbies. So Jim Colter had offered him one of his small
unused ranch houses in a comparatively isolated spot where the Professor
could conduct his experiments with danger only to himself.
Frieda worried over this possibility, but in the main allowed her
Professor husband to have his way, having found out that without his
work he was restless and miserable. There was a new Frieda in her
relation to her husband following their disagreement and reconciliation
told in "The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure," and the birth of
their little girl. Now Frieda seemed to care only for her husband and
child, and had become an almost too punctilious married woman and
housekeeper in that she wished everyone else to conform to her ideas.
Money problems therefore did not at this time trouble Frieda, whose
interest was concentrated in her little girl's health and in her
husband's success, not for any possible wealth it might bring them, but
that he might enjoy the honors Frieda felt so sure he deserved. In the
meantime she had her own income and knew that at any moment Henry's
mother and father were more than anxious to supply any of their wishes
or needs.
So it was a little cruel that Jean, who cared so much for money, was the
only one of the Ranch girls to endure not alone the pinch of a present
poverty but a painful uncertainty with regard to the future. In fact,
during the weeks of the reunion of the Rainbow Ranch Girls, Jean Merritt
had been under a good deal more of a strain than the others dreamed,
for, except for her few general remarks to Olive and Frieda, she had
made no mention of her anxieties.
Ralph Merritt had accompanied his wife and little girls to the ranch and
remained with them a few days. Afterwards he had gone away, announcing
that he had important business which must be looked into, but that he
might come back at any time. There was nothing exceptional in this, as
Ralph's interests had always required that he move about from place to
place, seeing a number of men who oftentimes wished him to look at a
mine before agreeing to undertake the engineering work in connection
with it. At present among the interests that called Ralph away was the
discovery of a gold mine concerning which his advice was desired.
Ralph Merritt was a decided favorite with Jim Colter, the former manager
of the Rainbow ranch and one of its present owners. Among the husbands
of the four Ranch girls he always had liked Ralph best. But even he had
not suspected that Ralph was in any difficulty, since the younger man
had said nothing which might cause one to suspect the fact.
One day, about a week after the visit from Mrs. Marshall, a note arrived
asking that the former Ranch girls drive over to her home and have tea
with her and a few of their neighbors.
At first Jack insisted upon declining the invitation, saying that she
had not been out of mourning for any length of time and felt a hesitancy
in meeting strangers. But Frieda protested, declaring her sister must
accept or appear unfriendly. Mrs. Marshall had stated that her other
guests would be neighbors, some of whom Jack had known as a girl, and
the others she should learn to know as she contemplated living at the
ranch. So Jack had yielded as she ordinarily did to Frieda in all small
matters, in a way trusting Frieda's judgment rather than her own,
besides not wishing to appear selfish. Without the subject being
mentioned between them again, Jack understood that her sister wished her
to counteract if possible a former unfortunate impression.
But Jean Merritt's refusal of the invitation was more unexpected and
more determined, as usually Jean welcomed every social opportunity.
However, she had a much better excuse to offer than Jack. She announced
that she had received a letter from her husband saying that he might be
expected to reach the ranch some time during the afternoon chosen by
Mrs. Marshall, for her tea party and so there was no question but that
Jean must not be argued into leaving home if she preferred to remain
rather than run the risk of not being able to greet her husband upon his
arrival.
Apparently in her usual state of mind, Jean helped the other girls to
dress, talking to Frieda about a number of casual subjects and walking
half way toward the lodge to meet Jack, who came up to the big house a
little earlier than the hour for starting. Senator and Mrs. Marshall's
summer home was only a few miles away in the direction of the city of
Laramie.
After the others had gone and Jean was alone in her own room, her
nervousness began to reveal itself first in a number of small ways.
Restlessly she walked up and down her large and beautiful bedroom, which
had been especially designed for her as a girl when Rainbow Castle was
built after the discovery of the gold mine and before the marriage of
any one of the four Ranch girls. The room was upholstered in rose,
Jean's favorite color, with cretonne hangings of rose and white and a
low couch by the window filled with cushions of the same material. The
rooms set apart for Frieda, Olive and Jack in the big house were kept as
nearly as possible as they had been arranged in the old days and Frieda
was at present occupying her own apartment. But Jack had never loved the
new place as she had the Rainbow lodge of the days before their fortune,
and moreover preferred her own private establishment. Olive and Captain
MacDonnell chose to enjoy more freedom and seclusion in their tent than
had they lived with the rest of the family.
This afternoon Jean for a time made no pretense of sitting down. When
the motor had disappeared down the avenue of cottonwood trees she
continued to walk up and down, now and then glancing out her open
window. Ralph had written that no one was to attempt making an effort to
meet him, as he was uncertain upon what train he would arrive. He would
either find some one to drive him over to the house or else telephone.
Jean had not dressed since lunch, yet her costume chanced to be a pretty
brown skirt and a cream voile blouse, open at the throat and rather
unusually becoming.
However, in the midst of her restless movement, stopping for an instant,
she gazed at herself in the mirror with distinct disfavor.
"I am afraid I am losing the small claim I once had to good looks," she
announced to herself with a frown of disapproval. "Certainly I am the
least good looking of the four of us! I wonder if Jack is the beauty
these days or Olive? Frieda is pretty, but she has not the air or the
distinction of Jack, or Olive's rare coloring. Oh, well, I suppose I
ought not to mind except for Ralph's sake! Yet if Ralph only brings home
the good news I expect him to bring, I know I shall become a more
attractive person! Sometimes I am afraid I have made things harder than
I intended, yet Ralph knew my weakness before we married. He understood
that I cared more for worldly things than I suppose one should. Oh, at
the time we were engaged perhaps I did seem to care less for them and to
think only of our life together, but one can't always live up to the
best in one. Now I do intend to be more loving and considerate."
Rapidly Jean began changing her simple costume for an afternoon dress, a
rose-colored crepe de chine, by no means new, but one which her husband
especially liked. And as Jean dressed, in spite of the fact that pallor
was usual with her, a warm, cream-colored pallor extraordinarily
attractive with her dark-brown hair and eyes, this afternoon her cheeks
flushed to a deep rose. At the same time her eyes turned from the mirror
to the window, hoping she might see her husband driving toward the
house. Her ears also were listening for the sound of a telephone which
might announce the fact that Ralph was at the station waiting to be sent
for. She had decided not to drive over to meet him herself, as she would
prefer to hear the news he must bring when they were alone.
It could not be possible that the news would be bad news! Jean put this
idea away from her at once. This could not be! Ralph had been so sure
of the new gold mine in which he had lately invested almost everything
they possessed. Perhaps he should not have made the investment before
examining the mine himself, yet he had not been able to wait. The owners
had insisted that he must take the same chance along with them or they
would find some one else to make the investment. If the new mine was
what they hoped and believed, large fortunes would accrue to them all;
if not Ralph Merritt must share the fortunes of war.
The afternoon passed, yet Jean continued to await in vain the appearance
of her husband or the sound of the telephone. Not once did it ring
during the long hours. Four o'clock and then five and still no Ralph.
"After all, it would have been wiser to have gone with the others to
Mrs. Marshall's tea, as it would have been far more interesting, and she
would have felt less nervous than waiting alone," Jean concluded.
Then by and by, woman like, Jean began feeling aggrieved. If Ralph were
unable to return home as he had anticipated why had he not telegraphed?
Surely he must appreciate her anxiety!
Picking up a magazine, Jean dropped down upon the couch by the window,
attempting to read. At first she found it impossible to concentrate her
attention, but later became fairly interested.
A quarter of an hour after, her door opening abruptly, Jean looked up
with a quick exclamation.
"Ralph!"
"What's the trouble, Jean?" Ralph Merritt demanded with an irritation in
his voice and manner most unusual with him, "I have been trying to
telephone the house for the past two hours and finally gave up and have
walked over from the station--three or four miles, isn't it? It felt
like ten. Seems as if some one might have been interested enough to
answer the telephone, especially as I wrote you I'd try to get the house
in case I could not find any one to drive me."
"But, Ralph, the telephone has not rung, I have been listening and
expecting to hear it all afternoon. The connection must be broken. Yet
what does it matter, now you are at home? What is the news?"
"Matter is that I am dead tired," Ralph Merritt answered, flinging
himself down upon the couch Jean had just vacated. His shoes were
covered with dust, his face and hands were soiled, his clothes rumpled.
In a flash Jean thought of the Ralph who had returned to the ranch in
this same condition a number of years before and of their interview
together on the porch of the Rainbow lodge. Ralph had promised her then
never to speculate again, never to risk his hard earned money in a
gamble, which is all that speculation is. Then Jean put the memory
quickly away from her, as there could be no reason to recall it upon
this occasion.
She was standing looking down upon her husband.
"Tell me quickly, Ralph, things are all right; they must be," she
argued, her voice hoarse, her eyes having a peculiar hard brightness
unlike their usual velvety softness.
"Think I would not already have told you, Jean, if they were?" Ralph
Merritt answered. "Suppose I would have spoken first of being tired,
although I am tired straight through, if things had worked out as we
hoped? The new mine is not worth the money it has required to buy the
machinery. It is my fault. I should have known better and taken more
time to consider and investigate. I was suffering from the same trouble
that's taken hold of a good many young American fellows these days,
trying to get rich in too great a hurry. I am sorry, chiefly for your
sake, Jean dear, and the little girls, but more for you because the
little girls won't mind seriously. I'll be able to make a living all
right, but for a while I'm afraid not a big one, and these are hard
times to make money go very far. I have an offer to go into New Mexico
and look over another mine, and if it's any good I am to have the job of
engineer."
Ralph was now sitting up, his look of fatigue and discouragement a
little less apparent as he continued to talk. He was a splendid looking
young fellow, a typical American with a fine, clear-cut face, a strong
nose and a sensitive mouth. The eyes he turned toward Jean were wistful
at this moment.
But Jean was white with disappointment and anger.
"The old story with you, Ralph, always something in the future, nothing
for the present. I trust you are not expecting the little girls and me
to go with you on your wild goose chase into New Mexico. I suppose when
I tell Jim Colter and Jack that we have not a cent to live upon, they
will allow us to remain at the ranch for a time anyhow. If I were only
as clever as Jack perhaps I might be able to support the family without
your help. I have little faith left in you."