at once. I'm going to see if
Katie will give it to us out here. We can use that rustic table over
there."

"Lovely!" the girls cried in a breath. "Make Knight carry out the
chairs."

"Knight's awfully obliging, isn't he?" Kitty Clark said from her
cushion, as she watched his long limbs disappear in the doorway. "And so
terribly good looking! How do you suppose he ever got such adorable
manners on a Texas range? I noticed them the first time I ever met him.
He's really polished, _I_ should say."

"It's a good thing Blue Bonnet didn't hear you say that," Amanda said,
"and--why, Kitty--don't you see Carita? You ought to know that Texas
people are the most courteous in the world after last summer. I think
you owe Carita an apology."

Kitty hastened to make amends.

"Don't bother," Carita said generously. "I know how you feel about it.
One doesn't have much society where we live in Texas; but it doesn't
matter--if one is _born_ a gentleman."

Blue Bonnet came out of the house with a tea-cloth, followed by Knight
and Delia with the chairs.

"There's gingerbread!" Debby announced, sniffing. "My, doesn't it smell
good!"

"Yes, and little hot biscuits with orange marmalade," Blue Bonnet added.
"Cold ham and hot chocolate, too. Katie's an old dear, isn't she?"

It was a merry party, and Knight seemed quite at home, even if he was
the only man in sight. He admitted that he had never been so popular in
his life, and was enjoying the novelty.

"Girls," Amanda said, when the meal was nearly finished. "I have
something to propose. You needn't go away, Knight. Maybe you can help
us. Blue Bonnet doesn't know anything about it--but--we're going to have
a party, and it's to be for Mr. Ashe."

"For Uncle Cliff!" Blue Bonnet said, amazed. "What kind of a party?"

"That's to be decided," Amanda continued. "_I'm_ in favor of having it
to-morrow night, if we can get ready. It's to be a surprise party--that
is, Mr. Ashe isn't to know a thing about it. He's been so perfectly
angelic to all of us that we thought it would be nice to show him our
appreciation if we could. Do you think he'd like it, Blue Bonnet? That
is, if we could get all our parents to come?"

"I think he'd adore it. Where are you going to have it?"

"We haven't decided yet. Where do you think would be the nicest place?
You can come to our house--"

"Why not have it here?" Blue Bonnet interrupted. "I know Grandmother
wouldn't mind. In fact, I think she'd love