including Walter when he heard the particulars about Juanita, was
eagerly interested in the mystery of the treasure of Rose Ranch.




CHAPTER XII

ROSE RANCH AT LAST


The closing of school came at length. Bess had said frankly that
she feared it never would come, the time seemed to pass so slowly;
but Nan only laughed at her.

"Do you think something has happened to the 'wheels of Time' we
read about in class the other day?" she asked her chum.

"Well, it does seem," said merry Bess, "as though somebody must
have stuck a stick in the cogs of those wheels, and stopped 'em!"

Both Tillbury girls stood well in their classes; and they were
liked by all the instructors--even by Professor Krenner, who some
of the girls declared wickedly was the school's "self-starter,
Lakeview Hall being altogether too modern to have a crank."

In association with their fellow pupils, Nan and Bess had never any
real difficulty, save with Linda Riggs and her clique. But this
term Linda had not behaved as she had during the fall and winter
semester. This change was partly because of her chum, Cora