Blue Bonnet's Ranch Party

onnet were somewhat uneasy, for they knew he had intended to be back in time for their late

's no tenderfoot," he scoffed, "and holding up t

tance herself innumerable times; but she had practically been reared in the saddle and had lived all her life in this land of great distances. It was very different with Alec. The day of their picnic in Woodford came back to her, and again she saw the boy, worn out by a much shorter ride

ltaneously with the golden disk, came Shady, riding alone. A r

lla at Kooch's," h

ter?" asked Blue

to hand. Blue Bonnet guessed instantly that Alec had sworn the cowboy to secrecy concerning the real re

ill?" Mrs. Clyd

quaring his shoulders he lied boldly: "No, Se?ora,-the

thing her grandmother did not know; but the little Texan, used all her life to the easy give and take of ranch life, understood at once that Alec's real reason for staying at the Dutchman's

oe; and with her fears thus set at rest, Mrs. Clyde pro

stable. Some of the Mexicans were already up, feeding the stock and doing the "chores," and one of them saddled Firefly. None of them wondered at Blue Bonnet's early appearance, for since her infancy she had

ot looking towards her, and after a moment's scrutiny she began to whistle "All the Blue B

" he asked, hardly

d falling in with the strawberry mare-whose

are an ea

needed to rest and be taken care of. She refrained from asking how he felt and instead kept up a steady fire of nonsense, describing their dull day at the ranch without him. If Alec had

e-er-river, I mean," he remarked, looki

breakfast,

ight this minute, but

he charming places about Woodford. It will be different from following the brook as we used to do t

eto?" he echoed

of this river," s

laughed. "The name's bigger t

k, as you'll see. One of them is

istened. "I'm

e the girls learn. You boys and we girls will h

his is the first

everything I used to talk about? It was a novelty then, but after this I won't have anything left to

be any jaunt by the brook next spring-for me,"

d then wished she had not spoken, for

if he wanted to take it all back. "Let's not talk about it now,

lation; she had not dreamed he felt so ill and doubtful of living. She had thought he would g

f the corral gate awaiting them. They had been somewhat startled upon arising to find

onding gaily, dismounted and hastened to the house with the rest, both

just after the siesta, and seeing her grandmother sitting alone in her chosen seat

e admitted; "but it is natural

net shook her head. "I'm

grandmother repeate

got.' Has something the matter wit

Alec that morning. Mrs. Clyde listened in silence, b

a forced hopefulness. "He has been outgrowing his str

the necessity of saying he was tired, yet bringing about the possibility of rest. And often with her own hands she would concoct some nourishing dish, hardly so piquant as Gertrudis' red-hot creations, but

id water. The hastily improvised bathing-suits they wore were of every style and color, and they looked as gay as a flock of parrots in their bright-hued raiment. Blue Bonne

learn to swim," she announced authoritatively as she sat contemplating a plunge. "

ross the ocean?" demand

be prepared. I believe it should be studied as a science,-get the stroke, then do it. It's

or sprawled on the grassy bank. Sarah bent her whole mind to the acquiring of the proper arm action; lay fac

et. "The others must be afraid of getting

ay I go ou

darling

othes on a h

go near

t was perhaps a distance of three yards from where she stood, waist-deep, to the big rock whereon Blue Bonnet was perched, laughing at them;

ter splash; Sarah kicked madly, puffing, panting, and churning the water into foam. All to no avail. Before she had gone a yard she sank like a paving-stone to the bottom of the pool. Blue Bonnet, convulsed with laughter, went down aft

aid inexorably as soo

the fishes," as Blue Bonnet said. It remained for Debby to cover herself with glory. Disdaining science and the instructions of the teacher, she took a lesson from Nat

girls, quite overco

ly successful were so far encouraged that they lost their first great fear of

, "we'll go over to the reservoir above Jonah some time and have a real swim. That is, if Grandmother's willing."

beginning then and there to plan a fetching costume

uggestion. "Why not make your own suits? We may be able to

ubtful. "Will it be as hard as knitting a shawl?" s

you begin it you'll probably have it finished

. "We'll go to Jonah to-morrow-" adding before t

said; but her eyes he