Part 14 (1/2)
Sally d.i.c.kson asked Ruth, aside. ”Or did he know enough to stay away?”
”I don't believe Mr. Hicks could have kept him on the ranch to-night,”
replied Ruth, smiling. ”He has promised to dance with me at least once.
Ike is an awfully nice man, I think-and so kind! He's taught us all to ride and is never out of sorts, or too busy to help us out. We 'tenderfoots' are always getting 'bogged,' you know. And Ike is right there to help us. We all like him immensely.”
Sally looked at her suspiciously. ”Humph!” said she. ”I never expected to hear that Bashful Ike was so popular.”
”Oh, I a.s.sure you he is,” rejoined Ruth, calmly. ”He is developing into quite a lady's man.”
Miss d.i.c.kson snorted. Nothing else could explain her method of emphatically expressing her disbelief. But Ruth was determined that the haughty little schoolmistress should have her eyes opened regarding Bashful Ike before the evening was over, and she proceeded to put into execution a plan she had already conceived on the way over from Silver Ranch.
CHAPTER XIV-BASHFUL IKE COMES OUT STRONG
Ruth first of all took Jane Ann into her confidence. The ranchman's niece had been going about the room renewing her acquaintance with the ”neighbors,” some of whom lived forty miles from Silver Ranch. The Western girl was proud of the friends she had made ”Down East,” too, and she was introducing them all, right and left. But Ruth pinched her arm and signified that she wished to see her alone for a moment.
”Now, Nita,” the girl from the Red Mill whispered, ”we want to see that Mr. Stedman has a good time to-night. You know, he's been awfully good to us all.”
”Bashful Ike?” exclaimed Jane Ann.
”Yes. And we must give him so good a time that he will forget to be bashful.”
”He's a right good feller-yes,” admitted Jane Ann, somewhat puzzled.
”But what can we do for him?”
”Every one of us girls from the ranch must dance with him.”
”Oh, crickey!” chuckled Jane Ann, suddenly. ”You want to try to make Sally d.i.c.kson jealous, don't you?”
”No. I only want to make her see that Ike is popular, even if she doesn't think him worth being kind to. And Ike _is_ worth being kind to.
He's a gentleman, and as kind-hearted a man as I ever saw.”
”He's all of that,” admitted the Western girl. ”But he's so clumsy-”
”Forget that!” exclaimed Ruth. ”And make _him_ forget his clumsiness.
He's as good as gold and deserves better treatment at the hands of Sally than he has been getting. Of course, she won't be jealous of us young girls--”
”Humph! 'Young girls,'” scoffed Jane Ann. ”I don't think we're so awful young.”
”Well, we're too young to be accused of trying to take Sally's beau away from her,” cried Ruth, merrily. ”Now, you'll make him dance with you-and first, too. He'll have to if you say so, for he's your uncle's foreman.”
”I'll do it,” agreed Jane Ann.
Ruth of course found Helen ready and willing to agree to her plan, and Madge did not need much urging. They all liked Ike Stedman, and although the brisk little schoolmistress seemed to be a very nice girl, the foreman of Silver Ranch was quite worthy of her.
”If he dares to dance with me,” chuckled Heavy, ”I am willing to keep it up all the evening. That is, if you think such a course, Ruthie, will awaken Miss d.i.c.kson to poor Ike's good points.”
”And how about those blisters you were complaining about the other day?”