Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch Part 15

Ike grinned feebly. But he was feeling better. He had actually forgotten his feet-even in Sally's presence. Jennie Stone, although an all too solid bit of humanity, was remarkably light upon her feet when it came to dancing. Indeed, she was so good a dancer that she steered Ike over the floor to such good purpose that he-as well as other people-began to believe that Bashful Ike was no more awkward than the next man off the range.

"Why, Ruthie!" whispered Madge Steele, who was the next "victim" in line. "Ike is a regular Beau Brummel beside some of these fellows. Look at Heavy steering him around! And look at the teacher watching them.

Humph! young lady I believe you're got a 'great head on you,' to quote Master Bobbie."

"Now, you be real nice to him, Madge," Ruth urged.

"Of course I shall, child," replied Miss Steele, with her most "grown-uppish" air. "He's nice anyway; and if we can 'wake teacher' up to his importance, I'll gladly do my part."

"If it only gives him a grain of confidence in himself, I shall be satisfied," declared Ruth. "That is what Ike lacks."

The foreman of Silver Ranch was coming out pretty strong, however. The Virginia Reel was the favorite dance, and when Helen stopped playing the applause was so great, that she responded with a repet.i.tion of the whole figure; so Ike and Heavy continued on the floor for a much longer period, and the big cowpuncher gained more ease of manner. When they ceased dancing the stout girl led her escort right into the clutches of Madge Steele.

Now, Madge was taller than the schoolmistress and in her city-made gown looked years older. The boys were rather afraid of Madge when she "put on the real thing," as her brother inelegantly expressed it, for she seemed then quite a young lady grown!

"I really believe you Western men are gallant, Mr. Stedman," she announced. "Chivalrous, and unafraid, and bold, and all that. I am deeply disappointed."

"How's that, Miss?" exclaimed poor Ike.

"I haven't had an invitation to dance yet," pursued Madge. "If I had scarletina, or the measles-or even the mumps-I do not think I should be more avoided by the male portion of the a.s.sembly. What do you suppose is the matter with me, Mr. Stedman?"

"Why, I-I--"

Ike was on the verge of declaring that he would find her a partner if he had to use a gun to get one to come forward; but he was inspired for once to do the right thing. He really bowed before Madge with something of a flourish, as the tinkle of the violin strings began again.

"If you think you can stand _me_, Miss Steele," declared the big foreman, "I'd be near about tickled to death to lead you out myself."

"You are very good," said Madge, demurely. "But are you sure-I think that pretty little teacher is looking this way. You are not neglecting any old friends for _me_ I hope, Mr. Stedman?"

Ike's face flamed again furiously. He stole a glance at Sally d.i.c.kson, who had just refused Jimsey for a partner-and with sharpness.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be a whole lot better off with you, Miss," he admitted. "Jest now, especially."

Madge's ringing laugh caught Sally's ear, as the Eastern girl bore the foreman of Silver Ranch off to join the next set of dancers. The teacher did not dance that number at all.

Mrs. "Jule" Marvin, the young and buxom wife of the owner of the Two-Ten Ranch, caught Ike's hand and whispered loudly:

"I never suspected you was such a heart-breaker, Ike. Goodness me!

you're dancing every dance, and with a new partner each time. I haven't got to be left out in the cold just because I'm married to Tom, I hope?

He can't dance with that game leg, poor old man! You going to save a dance for me, Ike?"

"Suah's your bawn, honey!" responded the foreman, who was beginning to enjoy his prominence and had known Mrs. Jule for years. "The next one's yours if you say the word."

"You're my meat, then, Ike," declared the jolly Western matron, as she glided away with her present partner.

So there was a little rift in Ruth Fielding's scheme, for Ike danced next with the ranchman's wife. But that pleased the girl from the Red Mill and her fellow conspirators quite as well. Ike was no neglected male "wall-flower." Sally only skipped one dance; but she watched the big foreman with growing wonder.

A rest was due Helen anyway; and Bob Steele was at hand with his never-failing harmonica. "The heart-rending strains," as Madge termed the rather trying music from the mouth-organ, were sufficiently lively for most of the party, and the floor was filled with dancers when Helen captured Ike and he led her into a set just forming.

"You must be the best dancer among the men, Mr. Ike," declared Ruth's chum, dimpling merrily. "You are in such demand."

"I b'lieve you gals have jest been ladlin' the syrup intuh me, Miss Cam'ron," Ike responded, but grinning with growing confidence. "It's been mighty nice of you."

"You'd better give Sally a chance pretty soon," whispered Helen. "There is surely fire in her eye."

"Great Peter!" groaned Ike. "I'm almost afraid to meet up with her now."

"Pluck up your spirit, sir!" commanded Helen. And she maneuvered so that, when the dance was done, they stood right next to Sally d.i.c.kson and her last partner.

"Well, ain't you the busy little bee, Ike," said the school-teacher, in a low voice. "Are you bespoke for the rest of the evening? These young-ones certainly have turned your head."

"Me, Sally?" responded her bashful friend. "They like tuh dance, I reckon, like all other young things-an' the other boys seem kinder backward with 'em; 'cause they're Bawston, I s'pose."

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Miss Sally; "you ain't such a gump as to believe all that. That little Smartie, Ruth Fielding, planned all this, I bet a cent!"

"Miss Ruth?" queried Ike, in surprise. "Why, I ain't danced with her at all."

"Nor you ain't a-goin' to!" snapped Sally. "You can dance with me for a spell now." And for the remainder of that hilarious evening Sally scarcely allowed Bashful Ike out of her clutches.

CHAPTER XV-"THE NIGHT TRICK"

The party at the schoolhouse was declared a success by all Jane Ann Hick's Eastern friends-saving, of course, The Fox. She had only danced with Tom and Bob and had disproved haughtily of the entire proceedings.

She had p.r.o.nounced Ruth's little plot for getting Ike and Sally together, "a silly trick," although the other girls had found considerable innocent enjoyment in it, and the big foreman of Silver Ranch rode home with them after midnight in a plain condition of ecstacy.

"Ike suah has made the hit of his life," Jimsey declared, to the other cowboys.

"He was the 'belle of the ball' all right," chimed in another.

"If I warn't a person of puffectly tame an' gentle nature, I'd suah be a whole lot jealous of his popularity," proceeded he of the purple necktie. "But I see a-many of you 'ombres jest standin' around and a-gnas.h.i.+n' of your teeth at the way Ike carried off the gals."

"Huh!" grunted Bud. "We weren't gnas.h.i.+n' no teeth at old Ike. What put our grinders on edge was that yere purple necktie an' pink-striped s.h.i.+rt you're wearin'. Ev'ry gal that danced with you, Jimsey, was in danger of gettin' cross-eyed lookin' at that ne-fa-ri-ous combination."

Sunday was a quiet day at the ranch. Although there was no church nearer than Bullhide, Bill Hicks made a practice of doing as little work as possible on the first day of the week, and his gangs were instructed to simply keep the herds in bounds.

At the ranch house Ruth and her girl friends arranged a song-service for the evening to which all the men about the home corral, and those who could be spared to ride in from the range, were invited. This broke up several card games in the bunk house-games innocent in themselves, perhaps, but an amus.e.m.e.nt better engaged in on week days.

The boys gathered in the dusk on the wide porch and listened to the really beautiful music that the girls had learned at Briarwood Hall.

Ruth was in splendid voice, and her singing was applauded warmly by the cowboys.

"My soul, Bud!" gasped Jimsey. "Couldn't that leetle gal jest sing a herd of millin' cattle to by-low on the night trick, with that yere voice of hers?"

"Uh-huh!" agreed Bud. "She could stop a stampede, she could."

"Oh, I'd love to see a real stampede!" exclaimed Helen, who overheard this conversation.

"You would eh?" responded Jane Ann. "Well, here's hoping you never get your wish-eh, boys?"