oked up, at that, and came swiftly toward them.

They saw then: the brown eyes were full of tears.

The girls had intended to repeat their Texas yell; but with one accord
now they cried out in dismay:

[Illustration: "A TALL, SLENDER GIRL ... APPEARED AT A CAR DOOR"]

"Genevieve! Why, Genevieve, you're--crying!"

"I know I am, and I could shake myself," choked Genevieve, hugging each
girl in turn spasmodically.

"But, Genevieve, what is the matter?" appealed Cordelia.

"I don't know, I don't know--and that's what's the trouble," wailed
Genevieve. "I don't know why I'm crying when I'm so g-glad to see you.
But I reckon 'twas that--'Texas'!"

"But we thought you'd like that," argued Elsie.

"I did--I do," stammered Genevieve, incoherently; "and it made me cry to
think I did--I mean, to think I do--so much!"

"Well, we're glad you did, or do, anyhow," laughed Harold Day, holding
out his hand. "And we're glad you're back again. I've got Jerry here and
the cart. This your bag?"

"Yes, right here; and thank you, Harold," she smiled a little mistily.
"And girls, you're lovely--just lovely; and I don't know why I'm crying.
But you're to come over--straight over to the house this very afternoon.
I want to hear that 'T-Texas' again. I want to hear it six times
running!" she finished, as she sprang lightly into the cart.

On the way with Harold, she grew more calm.

"You see, once, last fall, I said I hated Sunbridge, and that I wouldn't
stay," she explained a little shame-facedly.

"You said you hated it!" cried Harold. "You never told me that. Why, I
thought you liked it here."

"I do, now, and I did--very soon, specially after I'd met some one I
could talk Texas to all I wanted to--_you_, you know! I reckon I never
told you, but you were a regular safety valve for me in those days."

"Was I?" laughed the lad.

"Yes, even from that first day," nodded Genevieve, with a half-wistful
smile. "Did I ever tell you the reason, the real reason, why Aunt Julia
called you into the yard that afternoon?"

"Why, no--not that I know of." Harold's face showed a puzzled frown.

"Well, 'twas this. I'd been here a week, and I was so homesick and
lonesome for father and the ranch and all. I was threatening to go back.
I declared I'd walk back, if there was no other way. Poor Aunt Julia!
She tried everything. Specially she tried to have me meet some nice
girls, but I just wouldn't. I said I didn't want any girls that weren't