rnestly, "I'll never forgive you."

No one being inclined to risk Blue Bonnet's undying enmity, there was
complete silence for the space of time imposed. They were rolling
along the smooth white road between the railway station and the ranch,
Grandmother Clyde and the girls in a buckboard drawn by sturdy little
mustangs, while Alec, Uncle Joe and Uncle Cliff, who had stayed behind
to look after the luggage, were following on horseback.

Blue Bonnet sat tense and still, her hands clasped in her lap, the
color coming and going in her face in rapid waves of pink and white;
her eyes very shiny, her lips quivering. This home-coming was having
an effect she had not dreamed of. Every familiar object, every turn of
the road that brought her nearer the beloved ranch, gave her a new and
delicious thrill.

As they neared the modern wire fence two dusky little greaser
piccaninnies rose out of the chaparral, hurled themselves on the big
gate and held it open, standing like sentinels, bursting with
importance, as the buckboard rolled through.

"They're Pancho's twins!" cried Blue Bonnet. "Stop, Miguel, while I
give them something." Hurriedly seizing a half-eaten box of candy from
Amanda's surprised hands, Blue Bonnet leaned down and tossed it to the
grinning youngsters.

"_Muchas gracias_, Senorita!" they cried in a duet, their black eyes
wide with joy.

"Bless the babies!" exclaimed Kitty, "--did you hear what they called
you?"

Blue Bonnet laughed. "I'm never called anything else here. They meant
'Many thanks, Ma'am.' You will be 'Senorita' too,--better get used to
it."

"Oh, I shall love it," cried Kitty. "It sounds like a title--'my lady'
or 'your grace' or something grand."

"Grandmother will be 'Senora'--doesn't it just suit her, girls?" asked
Blue Bonnet.

"Mrs. Clyde, may we call you 'Senora,' too?" asked Debby, "--just
while we're on the ranch?"

"Debby believes in the eternal fitness of things," put in Kitty.

"Certainly, you may call me Senora," said Mrs. Clyde. "When you're in
Texas do as the Texans do," she paraphrased.

"I intend to learn all the Spanish I can while I'm here," remarked
Sarah. "I brought a grammar and a dictionary--"

A chorus of indignation went up from the other girls.

"This isn't a 'General Culture Club,' Sarah Blake," scolded Kitty. "We
didn't come to the Blue Bonnet ranch for mutual improvement--but for
_fun_!"

"We'll make a bonfire of those books," warned Blue Bonnet.

"Al