ANN CROSSES A SECRET TRAIL

---

It was cool enough for a wrap on deck.
(Page 212) (“Ann Crosses a Secret Trail”)

ANN CROSSES
A SECRET TRAIL

By HARRIET PYNE GROVE

Author of

“Ann Sterling,” “The Courage of Ann,” “Ann and theJolly Six,” “The Greycliff Girls Series,” etc.

A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York

Printed in U. S. A.

Ann Crosses A Secret Trail

CHAPTER I
ON THE SURFACE

After the members of the Jolly Six had departed from Sterling Ranchfor their respective homes, Ann Sterling suffered the usual reaction.It had been “such a wonderful house party,” she told her mother. Thepresence of her aunt at the ranch depressed Ann, though after talkingmatters over with her father, she decided once more not to worry.Little things, however, irritated her, and she had to force herself tobe polite and kind and not to let it seem that she avoided her aunt.This was the easier to manage because Suzanne was there. She and hercousin enjoyed a few quiet visits with Marjorie and Clifford Hart androde out somewhere every morning, for the good of themselves and theirhorses. Kendall Gordon, Clifford’s college friend, had gone and theother boys were making up for lost time on the summer’s work, thoughHerman Olson once brought his sister Hilda, who had been away allsummer and had not seen Ann at all.

4

The beautiful little lodge among the peaks, Ann’s “very own,” wasvisited once more before Suzanne went East with her mother. Mr.Sterling risked his new car, to take Madam LeRoy and Mrs. Tyson there,with Ann, Suzanne and Mrs. Sterling. They drove very slowly, reachingthe lodge without accident; but Madam LeRoy insisted that the slowpace was for the sake of the car, not for her, “though I can enjoy thescenery twice as well because of it,” she said. “I do not wonder, Ann,”she added, “that you love your mountains.”

...