his real elaborate costumes in the attic. One day
he showed them to us. They're wonderful!"

"What does he do with all of them?" asked the puzzled Kit.

"Oh, Dad's a collector. Didn't you ever collect anything, Kit?"

"Oh, sure. I have a lot of birds' eggs and arrowheads and Indian
baskets. I have heaps of baskets at home."

"Well, Dad collects Colonial dresses and everything else from that
period. Some of the gowns came from Europe at about that time and are
of gold cloth."

"Are they very valuable?" asked Kit.

"Some are, and then others are not so costly. This one isn't. He told
us we could sometimes play with it. Probably it belonged to an
ordinary person.

"How can he tell whether they are valuable or not, is what I'd like to
know," said Shirley. "If I were going to buy anything, I'm sure I'd
get cheated."

"Well the best of them get fooled once in a while. Daddy bought an
imitation once. Can you imagine that? But only once, for my Dad is
pretty smart."

When Kit was arrayed in the satin gown she looked quite stately and the
girls escorted her down the winding stairs to the drawing room with
great ceremony. By this time Kit was in a daze from all the unusual
and extravagant things about her. She scarcely saw the furniture in
the drawing room, for at that moment Colonel Baxter arrived and was
being greeted by the girls.

Kit's eyes rested on the man who had just opened the door. Bet's
father! He was tall and slender, with hair that had just begun to turn
gray. His large hazel eyes were gentle and intense in their interest.

There was something very boyish in the face that lit up with pleasure
at sight of Bet and her chums, and his quick glance around seemed to
take in everything.

Kit saw the look of amused surprise on his face as he beheld her, but
in a moment the amusement had been replaced by a very formal smile of
welcome as Bet introduced her new friend. The stately bow as he kissed
her finger tips quite startled Kit and made her flush with
embarrassment. But this quickly passed as the girls laughed heartily
and gathered about him, treating him as if he were their own age.

"Oh, what do you think, Dad! Kit has come all the way from Arizona.
--And she has a cowpony."

"And oh, Colonel Baxter, just think," exclaimed Joy. "She knows a lot
of cowboys and she can rope a wild steer just like they do in the
movies! Don't you think she's wonderful!"

"Well that _is_ wonderful,