“Not out of bounds, Aunt Lucinda; I’ve been down at the stable.”
“Down at the stable, Elizabeth!” Miss Clyde looked as though she thought Blue Bonnet had not been strictly within bounds.
“Visiting Denham—he liked it so much, and so did I. The horses are getting to know me, Aunt Lucinda; you see, I take them sugar and fresh clover. I’ve been telling Denham about the ranch, and he’s been telling me about—before Mamma went to Texas.”
“Denham has been asking me when we were going to get you a saddle-horse, Elizabeth,” Grandmother said.
“He said something about it to me to-night, Grandmother. I told him I—didn’t want one.”
Mrs. Clyde looked surprised, but relieved. She had expected Blue Bonnet to ride; and if she rode in the haphazard fashion she did most things, there would have been a good many anxious moments ahead for Lucinda and herself.
“Solomon,” Blue Bonnet said, “I reckon you’d better be going back now.”
Solomon cocked a protesting ear; he was quite content to sit there on the piazza steps and view the landscape. Solomon was a sociable dog and, though fond of Denham, thoroughly enjoyed being in company. Most of all, he enjoyed being wherever Blue Bonnet was.
“Solomon!” Blue Bonnet said warningly.
Solomon rolled over on his back, waving his feet in the air; from the corner of one eye he watched to see what would happen next.