"He didn't send one, Miss Ashe."
Blue Bonnet went to her room, took a sweeping glance in the mirror, gave her hair an extra brushing, got out a clean handkerchief and went down-stairs quickly.
A tall young man came forward eagerly as she entered the reception-room.
For a moment she stared in dumb amazement, then she gave a cry of delight:
"Alec! Oh, how glad I am to see you! How ever in the world did you happen to come? How's Uncle Cliff, and Uncle Joe, and everybody on the ranch? Have you been to Woodford or are you just going?"
"One question at a time—please. Let's see, the first—Oh, yes; I happened to come because I got my appointment to West Point—"
"You did? How perfectly splendid! When?"
"A couple of weeks ago. I came on immediately to prepare. Mr. Ashe is well, so is Uncle Joe. They sent you all sorts of messages. I have been in Woodford for several days. I came through here the first of the week, but I wasn't in shape to call—exactly—not on a young lady in a fashionable boarding-school. I'm afraid I wouldn't have been admitted. I had to have some clothes—"
"How awfully well you're looking," Blue Bonnet interrupted.
"Oh, I'm fine—can hold my own now, I think; thanks to Texas. That's a great country you've got down there."