A Texas Blue Bonnet

e than once; then came a short cut across country through seldom-us

entance very actively. And then Victor realized that the hand on the bridle rein was firm

ove her anxiety for Alec, one thought rang triumpha

y to leaving Nesbit's, saw the hurrying horse

onnet drew up beside the gig, "

'll go back162 with you," she added. "Victor's had pretty hard service this afterno

r said, as Blue Bonnet climbed in beside him; and he m

em, "Alec seems some better, papa,"

the girls' jackets. He smiled deprecatingly, at sight of the doctor. "It's too

s hand on Alec's pulse. "Suppose you'd been alone, young man? Kitty, i

ue Bonnet?"

She was sitting back of him,

ctor go

ifice

m going to leave you and163 Elizabeth here with Alec; I'll drive round by the General's, and have the carriage sent up-it'

r to the gig. "Is Alec a

al better; just

had piled on fresh sticks and dried moss

d, as they listened to Nannie picking her

are hungry,"

n," Blue Bonnet declared; "it's like bei

certainty of being

schief I'm up to now," Blue Bonnet laughed

tor?" Alec a

," Blue Bonnet answered. She leaned forward, reading the unspoken q

hat Victor let you ride him, and th

cones on the fire. "I think Victor re

wo were anxious not to disturb him. Once Sarah asked in

there in the flickering lights that Sarah could onl

be pleasant

u ever have a wish-a ver

ghtfully; "I try not to wish fo

iage, Sarah." Blu

cabin; the next instant, General Trent stood in the l

exclaimed, "you shou

ed. Lifting the boy, he carried him165 out to the carriage, in

le on the back seat, with Sarah beside him to see that he kept his manifold wrappings on. "I'

y, winding road and out on the broad, level mill road, the la

ay, Miss Elizabeth," he said. "Upon my wor

ral," the girl answered; "Alec's been mighty good to

ast alter what I have ju

ome; but Miss Lucinda had arranged a little round table for h

rried words of explanation and praise had sent a thrill of p

he behaved beautifully, after the

e Bonnet came to sit in her favorite place, the hearth-rug, her head on

little. "And I, too, dear-though possibly from a different reason. I

ked me to go,-horribly afraid. Then Victor wouldn't let me mount, and I forgot everything else but my determination to make him. And then, oh, Grandmother

remember wanting to do somethi

sn't anything! Kitty woul

were only just in time to catch the doctor. In

did speak, it was to ask, "Grandmother, can it be

k it ca

e belonging to Mr. Darrel. I've seen her;

e a match

ouldn't like it to be a ma

week," Mrs. Clyde promised; "now, I think t

lue Bonnet answered,-"only

once, coming herself to see that she was well

ked up as her grandmother came in to see how she was. Mrs. Clyde

ought up the tray, with its pretty, sprigged individual breakfast168 service, t

to come down to the sitting-room. She found Mrs.

gray and lowering, with a promise of rain in the damp wi

essing-gown, and pretty, fur-trimmed red slippers, she made a vivid spot of color in the somber room. And Mrs. Clyde,

et said, glancing up. "Don't you think I might

ut to-day, dear; probably your aunt

hat Alec was much better; but,

on, Aunt Lucinda?"

gate watching when

," Blue Bonnet said longingly; "I ha

on, behind her a little wriggling brown dog, who was all over Blue Bo

nnet looked at her aunt. "Aunt Lucin

eal lately; it seems as if he were entitled to a few extra privileges. As

the hearth-rug, looking about the room with approving eyes. "You're promoted, Solomon, and

At first, the prospect of a long, idle day was delightful, the only drawback being that it must be p

dmother," she coaxed; "at home, I

," Mrs. Clyde answered. "If you are

. "I-I just hate having to stay

Bonnet, suppose you make out a classified

elieve it would be a very long

her aunt

the girls, maybe some of the

t is a case where mental telep

f the "We are Seven's" appeared in a b

e," Kitty said, "why w

ldn't

u a lot," Deb

ead the riot act nearly as much as usual-no

ead it to that once

wered, "Kitty got a

declared; "I was only trying to keep

rlor, talking and laughing, their voices se

olate, and the little frosted cakes, t

ed. "Blue Bonnet, do you ha

reakfast-a

ither," Sarah said; "but

eaned forward eagerly; "was

tty broke in excitedly; "I simpl

be sitting down,"

n you could ride-and ride

a very necessary piece of kn

hedging-I feel i

's color ro

y protested,

here, Debby, you go play in your

ld Blue Bonnet your

Blue Bonnet a

itty advised. "Now, Blue Bonnet,

o wait a good

's a beauty-until you tell me what

er tell me it, l

not the blue ones, which wavered first. "Keep your old sec

e conversation into smoother channels, "that it w

lue Bonnet went to sit be

ke to ride?" th

e Bonnet turned wonderingly,

ttle; I think I sha

and it'll be our duty to see that she gets her money's worth. Were you

mes you are po

itty, Amanda, please

"that we'd try to ride togeth

eal club," Kitty br

than dues where you are

th added, "where we can meet when

net doesn't want to ride, and

nd one of us could read aloud," Sarah sugg

spring any more such ideas on us!" Kitty p

ough officers,"174 Kitty insisted. Membership was to be limited to the "We are

cry of dismay. "I can't join-not before n

twenty-five cen

n't fiv

ou the money

n't b

p until next month

way," Susy promised,

dow, watching them down the street, when Alec ca

n't that for you to say

rly brought on another collapse tryi

e fire, Blue Bonnet tel

, haven't you, Blue B

ks to you

"I promised Grandfather not to stay long; I h

't-it wasn'

l sitting with bowed head on the stil

ought me-e

that; all the same, I'll never

many a day tell

ue Bonnet rode

ng so

other who fou

regular institution. "I might write to Uncle Cliff-he'd send me all the money I wanted; that

me to me," Mrs.

I tho

ought,-but I think, considering how176 and why your allowance was used, dear, that I may be allowed to stretch a point this time." And then Grandmo

'll be perfectly lovely. You are certain

. Debby, Ruth, and Susy had mustered fairly good horses; Kitty's Black Pete had occasional moments of brilliancy, and more than occasional ones of obstinacy; Amanda's sober gr

ly, "did your mother tell you not

d wonder. "Certainly not; how co

" Kitty said. "I thought

vely forbid any more impertinence from our youngest member. You are

tty retorted. "She's moving

oons, a slender, bright-faced girl in dark blue riding-habit was to be seen riding at a brisk pace in and out about Woodford. Sometimes with one or more co

ue Bonnet caught sight of some one waiting on the front piazza. The girl's heart gave a

he latter

f! When did

is arms, and she slipped lightly into them, to be

whole hour-and I never

lated on staying o

his mouth. "You're not to ca

"I reckon you are B

Honey,-and," he could keep the words back no longer, "Honey, you came up the drive just now like your father's own girl. See here, Blue Bonnet, your grandmother's been telling me something that

he had c

it of the ranch-

pper, with some of the blue bonnets at the throat of her white woo

sly. Kitty had promptly voiced this anxiety in the first moment of meeting him,

s a little laugh that mig

ps the only one to put it so bluntly. Grandmother asked it w

ck," Ruth said, one afternoo

e has to do whatever

to do whatever she says, and if she wants to go-I

dinner at which the souvenirs were gold stick-pins in the form of miniature riding whips-and which were adopted as the club emblem then and ther

squarely across the low horseshoe mound

ot?" h

elongs

y's saucy, piquant little face to Blue Bonnet's happy one. Blue Bo

home together in the frosty starlight; she brought her horse a little n

t I a

you might-Sarah's horse is so-even Amanda'

ne of the earliest lessons taught me in

red; it was the Blue Bonnet he had always known-and yet a different one. A less h

with women," he said. "You're making a little woman out of her-I reckon it's

s. Clyde answered; "a little

he seems to like it

shall never make an Eas

l the Blue Bonnets"; and from the veran

ing up my tune?

e and Blue Bonnet

licate; we'll have to have him

lue Bonne

reed; "and then he wi

rgotten day; through the meadow, where she had sat homesick and forlorn, that afternoon of182 her second running away from school. He had heard the stories of both those runnings away; ha

y. "Going back-with

ing the life there stands for, and isn't afraid to ride, I d

love you for saying that, Uncle Cliff! And I do love it out there-and I'd love to go back-a

so to me. But what do you t

Blue Bonnet would not have wait

ry it a while longer-if you say. Su

for the summer?"

3 train out of here, as soon as school closes. A

patiently at her feet. Solomon was tired and hungry; he didn't understand wh

r. Ashe said; "he isn't a bad spe

ranch. I wonder what Don will say to him; and whether Solomon will be as

m alone; Grandmother and Aunt Lucinda looked up,

a little sadly, "it appears that I am to