The parting with Grandmother had been something of a wrench. Blue Bonnet had managed to keep herself pretty well in hand, for Grandmother's sake; but to-day it was different. Everything was so strange--so forbidding. Even the presence of Carita seemed of small comfort. Carita was lovely--but, after all, she couldn't fill Grandmother's place, nor Uncle Cliff's, nor even Aunt Lucinda's. Uncle Cliff rose from the stiff-backed chair he had been occupying for the last half hour, and took Blue Bonnet's hand. Aunt Lucinda got up, too. A frightened, half panicky look came into Blue Bonnet's face. The feeling that she was about to be left alone with strangers for the first time in her life came over her in a great wave. She reached up and taking hold of the lapels of her uncle's coat, held him fast. "Must you go now--right this minute, Uncle Cliff?" she said, and he could feel her trembling. Mr. Ashe looked at his watch. "I am afraid so, Honey. Trains don't wait, you know. I must be off to-night, sure." Blue Bonnet turned to Aunt Lucinda and kissed her with warmth; then she walked between her uncle and aunt down the length of the long corridor to the front door. Carita also clung to Uncle Cliff. At the door they all paused. "Now you have everything that you need, Blue Bonnet?" Aunt Lucinda inquired. "You are quite sure? You can write immediately if anything has been forgotten, remember--" "Yes, you are to have whatever you need, Honey," Mr. Ashe interrupted. "Yes, Aunt Lucinda, I won't forget. Yes, yes, Uncle Cliff, and you'll write often, won't you? I'll be so lonesome just at first. Good-by--good-by!" There was a droop to the last note of the second good-by--a quaver that went straight to Uncle Cliff's heart and made him turn round and take Blue Bonnet once more in his arms. "Why, Honey!" he said, as the brown head went down on his breast, and the quick sobs shook the slender form. "Now, now! What are you crying for? Do you want to go back to Grandmother's? You only have to say so, you know." The head shook violently on the broad shoulder that sheltered it, but no answer came. "Do you want to go home with me--back to the ranch?" Again the head shook--no! Mr. Ashe unlocked the arms that had gone about his neck so lovingly, and lifting the wet face looked into it tenderly. "Don't, Honey," he said, and there was a catch in his own voice. "Don't, please. Uncle Cliff can't bear to have you cry. He'll hear those sobs every step of the way back to Texas--and long after." Blue Bonnet straightened up and made a brave effort to smile through her tears. "Oh, no, you mustn't! I didn't mean to give way like that. I thought I was going to be all right--and then--all at once--it just had to come. It's homesickness. I've been fighting it for a month!" "Remember you are responsible for Carita, too." Mr. Ashe drew the solemn-eyed young girl who had been witnessing Blue Bonnet's little outburst into the circle.