April 17, 2025 • 10 mins
In this closing volume of the Ranch Girls series, romance takes center stage as the four girls return to Rainbow Ranch. Familiar faces and new adventures lead to heartfelt conclusions.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Slibrivock's recordings in the public domain Rainbow Castle. Some weeks
had passed and it was now early fall at the ranch.
But another change had taken place beside that of the seasons,
for Jim and Ruth and the Ranch girls had moved
away from the old lodge into their splendid new home.
To everybody's satisfaction. However, the lodge was not deserted, for
(00:24):
Ralph Merritt had changed into it from his old quarters,
and his friend Henry Tilford Russell was still with him.
Not that the young professor had become an invalid owing
to his accident at the Rainbow Mine, for his broken
leg was completely healed, but as he had come west
for his general health. Somehow, the Rainbow Ranch seemed to
(00:45):
hold more curative properties than any other place, and Ralph
was delighted to have his society. The youthful professor of
ancient languages appeared to have recovered in a measure from
his previous prejudiced against girls, or at least he was
able to find the companionship of the four ranch girls endurable.
(01:05):
The move to the Big House had been somewhat hastened
for several reasons. The most important, being that Jacqueline Ralston
and Frank Kent were to be married during the first
part of October. Frank would not consent to returning to
England without Jack. He insisted that she was far too
uncertain a quantity to be left alone in her beloved
western lands, since her prairies were his most dangerous rival. Moreover,
(01:30):
as he had promised his father to stand for a
Liberal seat in Parliament that same winter, Jack was needed
at ken House to aid him in winning his election.
Now it seemed that all the intimate friends that the
girls had acquired in their two years away from home
had suddenly decided to pay visits to the Rainbow Ranch.
Among them were the Princess Colonna and her nephew Giovanni, who,
(01:54):
because of the death of her husband without cair had
inherited the Prince's ancient title. Miss Catherine Winthrop had finally arrived,
and her presence seemed to compensate Olive for the loss
of a good deal of Jack's companionship. Yet, when the
two friends were able to be together without any one else,
they were as intimate and as devoted as at any
(02:15):
other time in their lives. And though Jet never referred
to the subject of their unfortunate conversation. She could find
no trace in Olive of unhappiness or regret. It is
true that Miss Winthrop and the girl, who was like
a peculiarly devoted in sympathetic daughter, spent numbers of afternoons
in the nearby Indian village discussing Olive's desire to become
(02:38):
a teacher to the Indians when she was old enough
and sufficiently well trained for the task. For the older
woman was wise enough not to oppose the girl's present fancy,
as Jack had done, only insisting that she wait until
she felt sure of her own fitness. But although Olive
had frequent talks with Old Alaska, would never could entirely
(03:00):
connect the charming young American lady with a child she
had persecuted. There was a new member of the village
community with whom Olive would have no conversation, and this
was her once devoted friend and admirer, the Indian boy Carlos.
After Jacqueline Ralston's homecoming, when she had the opportunity to
explain her unaccountable disappearance, it was Jim Colter, who at
(03:24):
once armed himself with a short wit and demanded that
the business of punishing Carlos be left entirely to him. Yet,
notwithstanding her long night of wandering about in the sand,
too weary and too stupefied to find her way home
or to believe that the boy would not eventually return
with her horse, Jack immediately became Carlos's defender, finally persuading
(03:47):
her guardian to punish the boy no further than by
not permitting him again to set foot on Rainbow Ranch.
She also confessed her own share in the day's difficulties,
taking a part of the blame upon herself by it
so that if she had not struck the boy, he
would never have attempted so ugly in dangerous or revenge.
(04:08):
Jim and Frank, though at last agreeing to Jack's wishes,
did have one interview with Carlos, But though they came
away leaving the boy frightened and submits it, he never
was brought to confess just what he had intended in
riding off with Jack's horse. Perhaps during the long afternoon
he had vainly been trying to think of some form
(04:28):
of vengeance, and then at the last moment, the idea
of stealing Jack's horse and deserting her had come like
a sudden inspiration, or perhaps the boy had meant to return.
No one ever knew he had gone with the two
horses to the nearest Indian village and never again left
it for any other home. For the effort to civilize
(04:50):
Carlos had been a vain one, and he cheerfully reverted
to the habits and companionship of his own race. Nevertheless,
he did not unpunished, although no one ever knew in
what his punishment consisted. But the refusal of Olive's further
friendship was a sorrow which the Indian lad endured in
silence to the end of his days, for he never
(05:13):
married and was that very rare figure among the people,
an old bachelor, looked after by old women and the
squaws of other men. And this when half a dozen
Indian maidens would gladly have mate it with Carlos, for
he was unusually handsome and was always admired and reverenced
by his own nation. At the time they moved into
(05:35):
the new house, Ruth and Jim and the girls were
feeling particularly happy and prosperous, because not long after the
announcement of Jack's and Frank's engagement. Ralph Merritt had made
discoveries of fresh supplies of gold and rainbow mine. Also,
he had devised the long sought for method by which
the gold could be extracted without too great danger and expense.
(05:58):
He had not trusted entirely to his own judgment and experience,
for three of the greatest mining experts in the West
had been sent for who were open in their praises
of Ralph's idea and plan, predicting a big future for
him and offering him opportunities with them should he ever
care to leave the Rainbow mine. But this new pot
(06:19):
of gold at the end of the rainbow Ralph had
straightway announced was to be his particular wedding gift to
Jack and Frank. Certainly, he had no idea of deserting
his old friends now that he was again able to
prove his usefulness, so he was working on in apparent contentment.
When the Princess and the young Prince appeared. Then once
(06:41):
more his dream faded, and it was hard for Ralph
not to think of his work as mere drudgery, in
which the labor was almost all his, and the large
rewards for others. For like lightning out of a clear sky.
Soon after the Princess Colonna's installation in their new home,
even before Ruth or the girls had become accustomed to
(07:02):
her presence, with entire formality, she asked Jim Colter's consent
to Jean Bruce's marriage to her nephew, Giovanni, the young
Prince Colonna. When Jim was only barely able to express
his surprise and consternation at such a suggestion, she explained
to him a complete understanding of his feelings, that this
(07:22):
method of procedure in a question of marriage was accustomed
in Italy, her nephew's country. Therefore, the young Prince would
never dream of speaking to Jean without first obtaining her
guardian's approval. Nevertheless, mister Colter must not believe that there
was any lack of affection on the Prince Colomna's part,
for he had never ceased thinking and talking of Jean
(07:45):
from that first hour of their meeting of the Vincio
Gardens in Rome. In reply to the Princess, Jim could
only flush and stammer, saying that he would prefer first
talking the matter over with Missus Caulter before giving his answer.
For the truth was that Jim really wished to shout
aloud his refusal to consider such a proposition even for
(08:07):
five minutes, Jean to marry a wretched little Italian youth
no taller than she was herself, when she might have
almost any clean, hard working American fellow. It was bad
enough for his adore Jack to be going away with
an Englishman, but then Frank Kent was different. Nevertheless, Jim
understood that the reply which he really wished to make
(08:29):
was not altogether fair and certainly not courteous to their guests.
Ruth must at once find some way of clearing up
the situation. So soon after her husband had explained the
matter to her, Ruth was under the impression that she
did see a way. With the princesses and the Prince
Colonna's consent, she herself would first speak to Jean, letting
(08:53):
them hear later whether Miss Bruce was willing to listen
to the Prince's suit. Of course, this was the best
way out, Jim sighed with relief at his wife's suggestion,
for neither he nor Ruth had the faintest idea that
jan would do anything but refuse, even for a moment
to consider the prince or his offer. Ruth believed that
(09:14):
she had always understood Jane better than any one of
the four ranch girls. Without comment, the girl heard of
the young nobleman's proposal, and instead of declining, she asked
to be allowed to consider it. In the meantime, the
prince and his aunt were to remain at the Rainbow
Ranch in order that Jeanne and the young man might
(09:34):
learn to know each other better. They were frequently together,
and very soon This state of affairs was no secret
dating member of the family or to their closest friends,
And although a number of persons were puzzled, no one
said a word to Jeanne. Could it be possible that
she was going to marry solely for position? No one
(09:57):
believed that she could have come to care so deeply
for the young Italian prince in so brief a time.
End of Chapter nineteen, read by Nancy Cochrane Gergen Gilbert, Arizona,
April fourth, two thousand, twenty three.
Slibrivock's recordings in the public domain Rainbow Castle. Some weeks
had passed and it was now early fall at the ranch.
But another change had taken place beside that of the seasons,
for Jim and Ruth and the Ranch girls had moved
away from the old lodge into their splendid new home.
To everybody's satisfaction. However, the lodge was not deserted, for
(00:24):
Ralph Merritt had changed into it from his old quarters,
and his friend Henry Tilford Russell was still with him.
Not that the young professor had become an invalid owing
to his accident at the Rainbow Mine, for his broken
leg was completely healed, but as he had come west
for his general health. Somehow, the Rainbow Ranch seemed to
(00:45):
hold more curative properties than any other place, and Ralph
was delighted to have his society. The youthful professor of
ancient languages appeared to have recovered in a measure from
his previous prejudiced against girls, or at least he was
able to find the companionship of the four ranch girls endurable.
(01:05):
The move to the Big House had been somewhat hastened
for several reasons. The most important, being that Jacqueline Ralston
and Frank Kent were to be married during the first
part of October. Frank would not consent to returning to
England without Jack. He insisted that she was far too
uncertain a quantity to be left alone in her beloved
western lands, since her prairies were his most dangerous rival. Moreover,
(01:30):
as he had promised his father to stand for a
Liberal seat in Parliament that same winter, Jack was needed
at ken House to aid him in winning his election.
Now it seemed that all the intimate friends that the
girls had acquired in their two years away from home
had suddenly decided to pay visits to the Rainbow Ranch.
Among them were the Princess Colonna and her nephew Giovanni, who,
(01:54):
because of the death of her husband without cair had
inherited the Prince's ancient title. Miss Catherine Winthrop had finally arrived,
and her presence seemed to compensate Olive for the loss
of a good deal of Jack's companionship. Yet, when the
two friends were able to be together without any one else,
they were as intimate and as devoted as at any
(02:15):
other time in their lives. And though Jet never referred
to the subject of their unfortunate conversation. She could find
no trace in Olive of unhappiness or regret. It is
true that Miss Winthrop and the girl, who was like
a peculiarly devoted in sympathetic daughter, spent numbers of afternoons
in the nearby Indian village discussing Olive's desire to become
(02:38):
a teacher to the Indians when she was old enough
and sufficiently well trained for the task. For the older
woman was wise enough not to oppose the girl's present fancy,
as Jack had done, only insisting that she wait until
she felt sure of her own fitness. But although Olive
had frequent talks with Old Alaska, would never could entirely
(03:00):
connect the charming young American lady with a child she
had persecuted. There was a new member of the village
community with whom Olive would have no conversation, and this
was her once devoted friend and admirer, the Indian boy Carlos.
After Jacqueline Ralston's homecoming, when she had the opportunity to
explain her unaccountable disappearance, it was Jim Colter, who at
(03:24):
once armed himself with a short wit and demanded that
the business of punishing Carlos be left entirely to him. Yet,
notwithstanding her long night of wandering about in the sand,
too weary and too stupefied to find her way home
or to believe that the boy would not eventually return
with her horse, Jack immediately became Carlos's defender, finally persuading
(03:47):
her guardian to punish the boy no further than by
not permitting him again to set foot on Rainbow Ranch.
She also confessed her own share in the day's difficulties,
taking a part of the blame upon herself by it
so that if she had not struck the boy, he
would never have attempted so ugly in dangerous or revenge.
(04:08):
Jim and Frank, though at last agreeing to Jack's wishes,
did have one interview with Carlos, But though they came
away leaving the boy frightened and submits it, he never
was brought to confess just what he had intended in
riding off with Jack's horse. Perhaps during the long afternoon
he had vainly been trying to think of some form
(04:28):
of vengeance, and then at the last moment, the idea
of stealing Jack's horse and deserting her had come like
a sudden inspiration, or perhaps the boy had meant to return.
No one ever knew he had gone with the two
horses to the nearest Indian village and never again left
it for any other home. For the effort to civilize
(04:50):
Carlos had been a vain one, and he cheerfully reverted
to the habits and companionship of his own race. Nevertheless,
he did not unpunished, although no one ever knew in
what his punishment consisted. But the refusal of Olive's further
friendship was a sorrow which the Indian lad endured in
silence to the end of his days, for he never
(05:13):
married and was that very rare figure among the people,
an old bachelor, looked after by old women and the
squaws of other men. And this when half a dozen
Indian maidens would gladly have mate it with Carlos, for
he was unusually handsome and was always admired and reverenced
by his own nation. At the time they moved into
(05:35):
the new house, Ruth and Jim and the girls were
feeling particularly happy and prosperous, because not long after the
announcement of Jack's and Frank's engagement. Ralph Merritt had made
discoveries of fresh supplies of gold and rainbow mine. Also,
he had devised the long sought for method by which
the gold could be extracted without too great danger and expense.
(05:58):
He had not trusted entirely to his own judgment and experience,
for three of the greatest mining experts in the West
had been sent for who were open in their praises
of Ralph's idea and plan, predicting a big future for
him and offering him opportunities with them should he ever
care to leave the Rainbow mine. But this new pot
(06:19):
of gold at the end of the rainbow Ralph had
straightway announced was to be his particular wedding gift to
Jack and Frank. Certainly, he had no idea of deserting
his old friends now that he was again able to
prove his usefulness, so he was working on in apparent contentment.
When the Princess and the young Prince appeared. Then once
(06:41):
more his dream faded, and it was hard for Ralph
not to think of his work as mere drudgery, in
which the labor was almost all his, and the large
rewards for others. For like lightning out of a clear sky.
Soon after the Princess Colonna's installation in their new home,
even before Ruth or the girls had become accustomed to
(07:02):
her presence, with entire formality, she asked Jim Colter's consent
to Jean Bruce's marriage to her nephew, Giovanni, the young
Prince Colonna. When Jim was only barely able to express
his surprise and consternation at such a suggestion, she explained
to him a complete understanding of his feelings, that this
(07:22):
method of procedure in a question of marriage was accustomed
in Italy, her nephew's country. Therefore, the young Prince would
never dream of speaking to Jean without first obtaining her
guardian's approval. Nevertheless, mister Colter must not believe that there
was any lack of affection on the Prince Colomna's part,
for he had never ceased thinking and talking of Jean
(07:45):
from that first hour of their meeting of the Vincio
Gardens in Rome. In reply to the Princess, Jim could
only flush and stammer, saying that he would prefer first
talking the matter over with Missus Caulter before giving his answer.
For the truth was that Jim really wished to shout
aloud his refusal to consider such a proposition even for
(08:07):
five minutes, Jean to marry a wretched little Italian youth
no taller than she was herself, when she might have
almost any clean, hard working American fellow. It was bad
enough for his adore Jack to be going away with
an Englishman, but then Frank Kent was different. Nevertheless, Jim
understood that the reply which he really wished to make
(08:29):
was not altogether fair and certainly not courteous to their guests.
Ruth must at once find some way of clearing up
the situation. So soon after her husband had explained the
matter to her, Ruth was under the impression that she
did see a way. With the princesses and the Prince
Colonna's consent, she herself would first speak to Jean, letting
(08:53):
them hear later whether Miss Bruce was willing to listen
to the Prince's suit. Of course, this was the best
way out, Jim sighed with relief at his wife's suggestion,
for neither he nor Ruth had the faintest idea that
jan would do anything but refuse, even for a moment
to consider the prince or his offer. Ruth believed that
(09:14):
she had always understood Jane better than any one of
the four ranch girls. Without comment, the girl heard of
the young nobleman's proposal, and instead of declining, she asked
to be allowed to consider it. In the meantime, the
prince and his aunt were to remain at the Rainbow
Ranch in order that Jeanne and the young man might
(09:34):
learn to know each other better. They were frequently together,
and very soon This state of affairs was no secret
dating member of the family or to their closest friends,
And although a number of persons were puzzled, no one
said a word to Jeanne. Could it be possible that
she was going to marry solely for position? No one
(09:57):
believed that she could have come to care so deeply
for the young Italian prince in so brief a time.
End of Chapter nineteen, read by Nancy Cochrane Gergen Gilbert, Arizona,
April fourth, two thousand, twenty three.
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