POLLY AND ELEANOR
 
 POLLY AND ANNE FOLLOWED THE GUIDE. 
 Polly and Eleanor. Frontispiece (Page 21)
 
 POLLY 
 AND ELEANOR 
 
 BY 
 LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY 
 
 Author of 
 
 POLLY OF PEBBLY PIT, POLLY IN NEW YORK, 
 
 POLLY AND HER FRIENDS ABROAD, POLLY*S 
 
 BUSINESS VENTURE. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 
 H. S. BARBOUR 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP: 
 
 PUBLISHERS 
 
 Made in the United States of America
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PACK 
 
 I ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH >, > 1 
 
 II THE CLAIM-JUMPERS . . . > : > . 22 
 
 III AT CHOKO'S FIND .....>. 38 
 
 IV JOHN AND His FRIEND ARRIVE ... 55 
 V POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT THE BEAVERS 81 
 
 VI THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS ... 99 
 
 VII SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS . . . 122 
 
 VIII POLLY-ELEANOR COMPANY, INC. . : . . 143 
 
 IX JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF . . > : . 162 
 
 X A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK . . > . 181 
 
 XI A WILD- WEST COUNTY FAIR . . > . 195 
 
 XII NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP ..... 208 
 
 XIII RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF NEW YORK . . 226 
 
 XIV THE VICTORY 247 
 
 XV COMINGS AND GOINGS ...... 262 
 
 XVI POLLY AND ELEANOR START OUT . . 275 
 
 2088 1 50
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 
 
 Six intensely interested individuals sat about 
 the supper-table in the living room at Pebbly Pit 
 Ranch-house, the evening of the day they rode to 
 Oak Creek to file the claim on the gold mine. 
 Sary, the maid-of-all-work, had the supper ready 
 for the weary riders when they returned from 
 their trip. 
 
 Having served the dessert, Sary went out to the 
 barn to help Jeb, the foreman on the ranch, with 
 the horses which had just come in from the long 
 day's work. So the group about the table felt 
 free to talk as they liked. But Polly Brewster 
 and her friend Eleanor Maynard were almost 
 talked out by the time they finished the last bit 
 of Sary's delicious dessert; and Barbara Maynard 
 tried her best to hide a yawn behind her hand, 
 while Anne Stewart, the pretty teacher who was 
 the fourth member in the party that spent a night
 
 2 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 in the cave, was eager to continue planning for 
 the future of the mine, but Nature demanded rest 
 after the three days' excitement. 
 
 Finally, Polly turned to her father and said: 
 "I wish we could see John's face when he reads 
 that telegram!" 
 
 "If we had only dared word it plainly, there 
 sure would be something queer to laugh at when 
 John read it. But we had to cipher it, you know," 
 chuckled Sam Brewster. 
 
 "I can't see why such foolish fear of talking 
 about it is entertained by all you folks," declared 
 Barbara, loftily. 
 
 "Can't you? Well, then, Bob, Ah'll tell you 
 plainly that that message had to be camouflaged, 
 as we are not taking any risks on having your claim 
 }umped over, night. If we sent a wire to John 
 telling him plainly that you g^rls discovered a vein 
 of gold on Top Notch Trail, every last rascal in 
 Oak Creek would hit the trail before that message 
 was delivered," replied Mr, Brewster. 
 
 "Even as it is, I suppose every one who can 
 read the records at Oak Creek will start out at 
 once, so as to stake new claims as near to Mon- 
 tresor's Mine as possible; perhaps they'll try to 
 pick up some nuggets from your claim, as well," 
 added Mrs. Brewster.
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 3 
 
 "Then, when word spreads around the coun^ 
 try and such news always travels like lightning 
 every gambler and bunco man in Wyoming and 
 Colorado will be seen camping on Top Notch 
 Trail, each trying in his own way to wheedle 
 money or gold-dust from the unwary ones," 
 laughed Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "There now, Daddy! You've laughed, so I 
 know your spell of worry is over with. Won't 
 you tell us what made you so serious?" exclaimed 
 Polly. 
 
 "Ah was trying to plan for the best way to 
 avoid trouble over this claim; and at the same 
 time protect our own rights, and any rights Old 
 Montresor's family might have in this re-discov- 
 ery. That is why Ah insisted upon Simms being 
 one of our party, to-morrow ; and the sheriff with 
 his stalwart son, too. They are both strong, 
 trusty men, and with Simms, Jeb and myself, we 
 ought to be able to hold our own in case of an 
 argument up there." 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Brewster! Do you mean there is 
 likely to be a fight, and shooting?" cried Barbara, 
 horrified at the very idea. 
 
 "Not so that you-all can notice it if we get 
 there first. But let those claim-jumpers camp on 
 our grounds first, and we-all may have to use gun-
 
 4 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 persuasion to move them on to safer ground." 
 
 "Dear me, I think it is going to be more fun 
 than a movie-picture play in the filming!" ex- 
 claimed Eleanor, her eyes shining with excite- 
 ment. 
 
 "I hope we won't have the same kind of gun- 
 play that we see in the wild-west films," hinted 
 Anne Stewart, hitherto a listener. 
 
 "Would you rather remain here, Anne?" asked 
 Barbara, with an eager expression as if to say: 
 " 'I hope you do then I will stay with you.' ' 
 
 "I should say no! I wouldn't miss the picnic 
 we are going to have, to-morrow, for anything in 
 Colorado !" declared Anne, emphatically. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster laughed at the young teacher's 
 vehement tones, and then turned to her husband 
 with a suggestion, 
 
 "Sam, what do you think of sending Jeb on 
 before, in the morning, to tell Rattle-Snake Mike 
 he must act as guide and cook for us while we are 
 on the mountain? He is the cleverest Indian 
 anywhere about, you know." 
 
 "Just the thing, Mary! Ah'm mighty glad 
 you-all thought of it. Jeb can ride on whiles 
 we-all branch off at Bear Forks for the Old In- 
 dian Trail. Then Mike and Jeb can catch up 
 with us."
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 5 
 
 "I don't know about that, Sam," returned Mrs. 
 Brewster, thoughtfully. "I'd rather see Jeb 
 start from here about four o'clock, so Mike and 
 he can meet us at five-thirty at the school-house." 
 
 "You must have some good reason for that," 
 ventured Polly. 
 
 "Yes, Mike may hear about this claim and 
 leave his cabin early, so as to act as guide to 
 strangers who will be glad to pay him any price 
 just to get him and his wonderful scouting ex- 
 perience." 
 
 "Right as usual, Mary! Ah'll run out, right 
 now, and tell Jeb he'd better get to bed if he has 
 to be up before four," exclaimed Mr. Brewster, 
 starting for the bedroom over the barn where he 
 knew Jeb would be. 
 
 "And we had better go to bed, too, so we can 
 be up and have breakfast out of the way before 
 the horses are brought to the door," suggested 
 Mrs. Brewster, leading the way to the front door 
 to look at the night sky. 
 
 "Why, it isn't eight o'clock," complained Bar- 
 bara. 
 
 "No, but eren that leaves us less than eight 
 hours' sleep. After such exciting days as we 
 have been through, we need a good full night's 
 rest," replied Anne.
 
 "Chances are Nolla and I won't close an eye! 
 What, with gold mines, and John, and the Lari- 
 mer boys, and Ken Evans coming to town and 
 claim-jumpers, and everything!" laughed Polly. 
 
 "You mean that young stranger we met at Oak 
 Creek?" asked Barbara, frigidly. 
 
 "Yes, the one who looked so pleasant but 
 forlorn," said Eleanor, sympathetically. 
 
 "His name was Kenneth Evans, you know, 
 Bob," explained Polly, innocently. 
 
 Eleanor and Anne exchanged glances and 
 smiled, for they understood that Barbara meant 
 to be condemnatory in her manner; but Polly, in 
 her very guilelessness, countered the city girl's dis- 
 paragement. 
 
 "It's too bad we couldn't have had him come 
 home with us," added Eleanor, teasingly, to Bar- 
 bara. 
 
 "Dear me, Nolla ! By the time I get you back 
 to Chicago you will need a complete training in 
 social behavior again!" declared Barbara, frown- 
 ing at her younger sister. 
 
 But her remark merely called forth a merry 
 laugh from the light-hearted girl. Mrs. Brews- 
 ter then started the usual preparations for bed, 
 and the group followed her example.
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 7 
 
 For the benefit of any on who has not been 
 fortunate enough to become acquainted with our 
 western friends, in the first book of this series, 
 we wifl introduce you while the girls are soundly 
 sleepteg. 
 
 Polly Brewster, a girl just past fourteen, was 
 a true type of the honest, ambitious ranchers of 
 the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Her home, 
 the extensive farm in the crater of an extinct vol- 
 cano, was called Pebbly Pit because of the giant 
 cliffs of colored stones guarding the entrance trail. 
 This ranch was about eleven miles from Oak 
 Creek, the mining settlement and railroad station 
 for about a thousand inhabitants, where all shop- 
 ping had to be done. The town was much like 
 other rough, half-civilized western settlements, 
 consisting of a post office, a bank, the sheriff's 
 office, and several saloons. A general store was 
 maintained in connection with the post office, and 
 here one must buy anything needed for house o;r 
 farm. The Brewsters, being affluent ranchers, 
 ordered their clothing, house-furnishings, and 
 many tools or luxuries by mail, from illustrated 
 catalogues. But the rough road from the ranch 
 to the town post office, being hard going in a 
 heavy ranch-wagon, often caused the Brewsters
 
 8 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 to forego a mail order on cosmopolitan stores 
 rather than drive in and cart the goods home 
 from Oak Creek. 
 
 Polly had just completed her grammar course 
 at the little Bear Forks' school-house where Anne 
 Stewart had taught two years previous to this 
 summer. Polly had never been elsewhere than 
 at Oak Creek and now she yearned to attend 
 High School in Denver. 
 
 Anne Stewart lived in Denver, and for the past 
 year had been tutoring Eleanor Maynard, while 
 the girl and her older sister Barbara boarded with 
 Mrs. Stewart. The Maynard girls were from 
 Chicago, but Eleanor, who was fourteen, was very 
 delicate, so the doctor had recommended a high 
 altitude for her. 
 
 Anne Stewart was helping her brother Paul 
 through a college in Chicago, and during her visit 
 to him, at the end of his first year, she met his 
 friends John Brewster who was Polly's older 
 brother; Tom Latimer a promising young engi- 
 neer from New York; and Pete Maynard who 
 was a brother to Eleanor and Barbara. It was 
 through this means that the Maynards heard of 
 the Stewarts* home in Denver, and anxiously 
 begged Anne to take the two girls into her home 
 circle. As the salary offered for this privilege
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 9 
 
 was so munificent, the young teacher eagerly ac- 
 cepted, and then found her youngest charge a 
 lovable and merry girl. 
 
 The two Chicago girls had returned home for 
 a few months, but Eleanor could not stand the 
 high winds and stubborn climate of Chicago, so 
 the doctor again ordered her to spend a summer 
 in the mountains of Colorado. In distraction, 
 Mr. Maynard begged Anne Stewart to arrange 
 everything, and thus it was that these two society 
 girls came, with Anne, to board with Polly's fam- 
 ily at Pebbly Pit ranch. 
 
 The Brewsters were considered very wealthy 
 in land and cattle, to say nothing of the Rainbow 
 Cliffs, for which a New York financier had of- 
 fered them half a million dollars for part interest 
 in mining them. But Sam Brewster could afford 
 to refuse such destruction to his beautiful estate. 
 Polly had never had city-made clothing, nor had 
 she the slightest idea of city-ways, until the May- 
 nard girls' advent to Pebbly Pit. But she had 
 had years of thrilling experiences to her credit 
 experiences with wild-life of all kinds, of moun- 
 tain-climbing, of adventures of other sorts, to say 
 nothing about knowledge of farming and domestic 
 animals. This outdoor life gave her abundant 
 health, strength, and the beauty of a fine com-
 
 10 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 plexion, clear eyes, luxuriant glossy hair, and a 
 graceful well-formed figure that was all the more 
 attractive because of the charms her adolescence 
 promised. 
 
 That very day had been spent in Oak Creek in 
 filing the claim to Montresor's Mine, and just as 
 the parry started for home, they had met the 
 young stranger, Kenneth Evans, who sought 
 Carew's Surveying Camp, which was known to be 
 located near Yellow Jacket Pass. The youth 
 was directed how to find Jake, the driver of 
 Carew's wagon, and then he was invited to visit 
 Pebbly Pit, on Sunday. 
 
 As Polly and Eleanor had predicted, they were 
 so excited over the events that promised such 
 thrills on the morrow, that they slept little that 
 night, but tossed and talked most of the time. 
 However, when the call sounded for them all to 
 awake and dress for the mountain trip, it found 
 that these two girls were fast asleep and loath to 
 get up. 
 
 "Good gracious, Anne! My wrist watch says 
 it's four o'clock I You don't suppose we have to 
 get up at this awful hour?" complained Barbara, 
 rubbing her eyes. 
 
 Anne was already up and hurriedly dressing. 
 "Any one who is not ready to start when the man
 
 brings the horses around to the door, remains be- 
 hind, you know." 
 
 That brought Polly and Eleanor out of bed 
 with a hop, as there was only a wooden partition 
 between the two rooms, and Anne's words were 
 plainly heard by them. 
 
 "If there was the least thing to do if I stayed 
 here, I'd not go again for anything. But I should 
 die of ennui if I had to be entertained by Sary 
 for three whole days," grumbled Barbara. 
 
 The very idea of Sary, the "house helper," en- 
 tertaining Barbara, for whom she felt such scorn, 
 caused mirth in the adjoining room. 
 
 Eleanor called out: "More than likely Sary 
 feels as glad to know that you're going, as we 
 would be to have you stay behind." 
 
 "Come, come, Bob ! You must get up and 
 dress !" now urged Anne, as she finished her dress- 
 ing and turned to leave the room. 
 
 The purple gleams of the western dawn shot 
 the heavens of blue and gold, as Jeb brought the 
 sturdy horses from the barn. He had given care- 
 ful attention to the trappings and shoes of the 
 various mounts, and finding each one in splendid 
 condition, started for the house. 
 
 An unusual hubbub came from the living-room 
 where baskets of food and outfits were waiting.
 
 i2 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 The moment Jeb was hailed, however, the noisy 
 girls ran out to look over their horses. 
 
 "Why, Jeb! Isn't Noddy going this time?" 
 asked Polly. 
 
 "Not ef you-all want her to keep any breath 
 in her skin. Ain't she eena-most done up from 
 that other trip?" retorted Jeb, who was the "gen- 
 eral-man" on the ranch. Having been with the 
 Brewsters since he was a boy of twelve, he felt 
 that he was one of the family and he treated 
 Polly as if she were a younger sister. 
 
 "Never mind Noddy, this time, Polly, but let 
 Jeb jump into the saddle and start off. He'K 
 never reach Mike's cabin if you keep on arguing 
 about the burros," said Mrs. Brewster, coming 
 out to call them to breakfast. 
 
 Jeb had gone on to secure the company of 
 Rattle-Snake Mike, and Mr. Brewster sat im- 
 patiently on his horse, waiting to guide the party 
 of women, when all but Barbara were ready; then 
 she came out while still munching her tardy 
 breakfast. 
 
 As the riders passed the Rainbow Cliffs, the 
 rays of the rising sun gilded their peaks, and the 
 girls exclaimed at the beauty of the stones as 
 they reflected the myriad colors of a rainbow. 
 Then on down through the Devil's Causeway and
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 13 
 
 out on the Sand Trail, rode the adventurers, un- 
 til they saw Jeb and Mike riding to meet them. 
 
 "Mike says we-all ain't the fust ones to start 
 up Grizzly Slide, this mornin'," said Jeb, the mo- 
 ment he was within hearing. 
 
 "U-um! Plenty fool go by!" grunted Mike. 
 
 Mike was an entirely new type to the city girls, 
 and they studied him with interest. He was a 
 swarthy-looking Indian; perhaps, as Mr. Brew- 
 ster said, because he smoked himself brown. He 
 always rode his famous Indian pony and carried 
 an. evil-looking gun, besides the revolvers in his 
 belt. Another weapon he had, as evil but not 
 quite so fatal to others as the gun and that was 
 his old pipe, as black as the Asiatic plague. 
 
 Mike was a descendant of a famous Chieftain, 
 so he seldom noticed the miners or common na- 
 tives about Oak Creek, but he considered himself 
 an equal of educated people like the Brewsters. 
 Hence his willingness to act as guide for this 
 party, after he had refused tempting offers from 
 the "scorned" early that morning. 
 
 "Now we'll turn off at the Forks and ride fast 
 to meet Simms and his party," advised Mr. Brew- 
 ster, when they reached the place where the trails 
 forked. 
 
 "Mike says there's the old Indian Trail up the
 
 14 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 mountain, that cuts off half the distance to the 
 Slide," called Jeb, from the front. 
 
 "Him bad trail no like Top Notch," warned 
 the Indian. 
 
 "Whereabouts will we hit it, Mike?" asked Mr. 
 Brewster. 
 
 "Onny Mike say him secret Indian Trail," ex- 
 plained the red-man, ever faithful to his ancestors. 
 
 "Well, will we pass Pine Tree where we are 
 to meet Simms and the sheriff?" added Mrs. 
 Brewster. 
 
 "Nal him run away from Pine Tree. But 
 him save half-day riding." 
 
 Mr. Brewster silently considered this possibil- 
 ity for a few moments, then turned to his wife, 
 and said: "Mary, it seems most important just 
 now for us to get to the cave before others reach 
 it, as we must stake out additional claims adjoin- 
 ing the mine, in order to protect the rights of the 
 girls. Of course, we must have Mike show us 
 his secret trail, and I will go to escort the girls, 
 but you and Jeb might ride on to Pine Tree to 
 meet Simms' party. Then ride with them up 
 along Top Notch Trail. We will all meet at 
 Four Mile Blaze." 
 
 "I was about to suggest the same plan, Sam; 
 but I won't need Jeb with me. I'm so used to
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 15 
 
 this road that I am perfectly safe. It is the Trail 
 that will be hazardous to a lone rider, when once 
 the outlaws hear of this strike. But I will have 
 Mr. Simms and the other men with me, so every- 
 thing will be safe and all right," replied Mrs. 
 Brewster. 
 
 After a hasty good-by, Mrs. Brewster rode 
 away, and the others in the party followed after 
 Mike who led up a hitherto unknown trail to 
 Grizzly Slide. It was so over-grown that no one 
 but an Indian could ever find a way through; 
 however, Mike was an adept in this line. 
 
 "I have been wondering if this could have been 
 the trail Mr. Montresor discovered the day he 
 approached his gold mine from the valley," said 
 Polly, as she followed close at Mike's heels. 
 
 "You may have hit the nail on the head, Poll. 
 It always has been a question whether Montresor 
 was quite sane, because he insisted that he rode 
 up a strange trail that was over-grown with jun- 
 gle before he came upon the ravine that held his 
 gold mine," added Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "Humph! Him good old scout," came from 
 Mike. 
 
 "I'm glad to hear you say so, Mike, because 
 I liked him so much!" sighed Polly, and tears 
 filled her eyes at the memory of her old friend.
 
 1 6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Patsy good scout, too. Solly dem dead," 
 Mike added. 
 
 Conversation now became impossible, as Mike 
 rode far in advance for some reason best known 
 to himself, and the trail was so steep and rough 
 that it took each rider all his attention to keep in 
 the saddle. However, the flora and fauna were 
 so interesting that the girls endured many a jar 
 and jolt for the sake of seeing them. 
 
 Reaching Four Mile Blaze they found they 
 had saved over half the distance it would have 
 been to ride up over Top Notch Trail; and this 
 pleased Mr. Brewster tremendously. He had 
 just turned in his saddle to call out to the girls 
 behind him when Mike held up a warning hand. 
 
 Every one looked at him to see what he had 
 discovered. He grunted unpleasantly, and slid 
 from his horse. He sprawled out on the ground 
 and placed his ear close to the earth. Every one 
 sat still, waiting to hear the report, or cause, of 
 this unusual behavior. 
 
 The Indian listened attentively for a time, then 
 got up and examined the trail along Top Notch, 
 as far back as the blazed tree. There he placed 
 his ear to the ground again, and listened for a 
 longer time than at first. Then he got up slowly
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 17 
 
 and crept about examining the bushes, the broken 
 twigs, rocks, and even the grass. 
 
 The girls watched him with intense interest, as 
 Polly had told them of the wonderful scouting 
 instinct Mike possessed, and now they were go- 
 ing to have it demonstrated to them. Having 
 satisfied himself, Mike came over to Mr. Brew- 
 ster and announced, abruptly: 
 
 "Tree miner gone aleddy two tenderfut 
 comin'." 
 
 "Three up there already! By the Great 
 Horned Spoon! how did they do it?" cried Sam 
 Brewster, aghast at the idea that perhaps they 
 would have trouble when they reached Polly's 
 mine. 
 
 "Maybe the three gone on ahead have no idea 
 that we found gold up there. Maybe they are 
 after pelts, or some other thing," said Anne 
 Stewart. 
 
 Mike grinned complacently, for he had spoken. 
 
 "How do you know those three are miners, 
 Mike?" asked Polly. 
 
 The Indian pointed to the ground where an 
 imprint of a miner's boot was plainly seen. Only 
 the miners at Oak Creek wore such spiked heels, 
 the ranchers and other citizens being satisfied
 
 i 8 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 with heavy leather soles. The foot-print pointed 
 towards the Slide not away from it. 
 
 "That's only one, Mike, and you said there 
 were three!" exclaimed Anne, triumphantly. 
 
 "Tree hass go by see." Mike pointed out 
 three different kinds of horse-shoe imprints. 
 
 "One hoss carry pack an' go lame. Two hoss 
 all light." 
 
 "How do you know he is lame and maybe 
 he isn't packed," Eleanor said. 
 
 Mike sniffed derisively, and pointed at the 
 lighter impression of one hind foot. Then he 
 showed his admiring audience how a slight rip in 
 a flour-sack allowed the contents to trickle down 
 upon the ground at each limp the lame horse gave. 
 
 Mike now said to Mr. Brewster: "Dem go 
 slow lame hoss no go fas', mebbe jus' ahead." 
 
 "If we ride on we can catch up with them!" 
 eagerly exclaimed Anne. 
 
 Mike shook his head and lifted a finger fof 
 silence. Then the girls heard a faint dip-clop 
 of hoof-beats on the rocky trail leading along 
 Top Notch. 
 
 "Two tenderfut 'mos' catch up. We-all wait 
 an' talkee," suggested Mike, settling himself in 
 his saddle to await the riders. 
 
 "Mike's right, because they will only follow us
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 19 
 
 and find out where our claim is located, if we 
 start on now," added Polly. 
 
 Mr. Brewster shook his head. "Ah reckon 
 you-all talk sense but Ah would offer an amend- 
 ment to your plan : to have Polly and Anne take 
 Jeb for an escort and ride on at once. Let the 
 horses have their head and get to the cave as soon 
 as you can. Hold the fort until we-all join you. 
 We-all will see these two men and find out what 
 they are after." 
 
 "Daddy, you must remember a grizzly bear 
 lives in that cave. He may have been injured 
 but he may not have died, the other night. I 
 have my small rifle but Anne hasn't any weapon 
 at all. As for Jeb he's great on the farm, but 
 for this work, huh! Then there are those three 
 miners who are up ahead: they wouldn't hesitate 
 to put two mere girls out of their way, if we 
 interfered with their staking our mine or jumping 
 our claims," said Polly. 
 
 Mike smiled and expressed his opinion. 
 "Miss'r Brooser wait wid two ten'erfut, an' Mike 
 go wid leedle leddies. Ef cabe hab trouble of 
 grizzle er miner, Mike shoot." 
 
 "Good! And Ah'll wait for Simms and the 
 others, and then come after you-all," agreed Mr. 
 Brewster.
 
 20 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "I won't go with Mike if there is any danger 
 at the cave. I didn't come to the Rockies to be 
 killed!" declared Barbara. 
 
 "Daddy, you must keep Eleanor and Barbara 
 here with you and Jeb, and wait for mother and 
 the sheriff's men. Anne and I will go with Mike 
 and see that our rights are protected," now said 
 Polly. 
 
 "I have as much right to go with you, Polly, as 
 Anne has. Why must I remain here with Bob?" 
 demanded Eleanor. 
 
 "I know that, Nolla, but three of us will be too 
 many especially as Anne and you have no fire- 
 arms. I may need Anne to help me load but 
 you can't even do that. So it will be far better 
 for us all if you remain here. Mike will not 
 have to bother over so many of us, then," ex- 
 plained Polly. 
 
 "But everything may be safe at the cave, and 
 all this worry about fighting may be a farce," 
 argued Eleanor. 
 
 "In that case Mike will leave us safely there 
 and come back to guide you-all to us. Once we 
 are safe on that ledge with a pile of dry wood in 
 front of the entrance to the cave, we can defy 
 the whole country." 
 
 "All right! Hurry away and get on to that
 
 ANOTHER TRIP TO TOP NOTCH 21 
 
 ledge before any more rascals steal a march on. 
 you. But be sure to send Mike back for us, 
 the moment Anne and you arrive there and find 
 everything is all right," replied Eleanor. 
 
 So Mike spurred his broncho along the trail, 
 while Polly and Anne rode after him. Soon they 
 disappeared around the bend where giant pines 
 formed a wall on either side of the narrow going.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 
 
 THE moment the three had passed out of sight, 
 Sam Brewster jumped from his horse and led 
 him over to the great tree that caused the trail 
 to turn aside and run around it. He looped 
 the reins over his arm and placed his hands in 
 his coat pockets. As he leaned against the tree- 
 trunk nibbling nonchalantly at a sprig of grass, 
 a tenderfoot would never have dreamed that his 
 fingers were tensely held against the triggers of 
 the revolvers hidden in his pockets. 
 
 Soon after Mr. Brewster had taken his stand 
 where he could see the first appearance of any 
 one coming up the trail, two riders approached 
 eagerly scanning the large trees, in evident search 
 of something. As they came to the giant tree 
 where the rancher waited, both men started in sur- 
 prise. 
 
 "How-dy, friends? Out early this morning, 
 
 22
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 23 
 
 eh?" was the greeting the two amazed men re- 
 ceived from the alert man at the tree. 
 
 "Oh oh, yes!" stammered one, plainly un- 
 easy. 
 
 "Hoh, it's Sam Brewster of Pebbly Pit, ain't 
 it?" said the other, also confused in his manner. 
 
 "Right you are, Hank. You see, when a man 
 has to attend to the girls' gold mine, he has to be 
 up right early to forestall the plans of any claim- 
 jumpers who read the records at Oak Creek, 
 yesterday, after we left there. That's why I got 
 a posse to guard the place. I reckon, now, Hank, 
 that your boss sent you-all on to help we-all up 
 yonder, eh?" laughed Mr. Brewster, tantalizingly, 
 as he recognized Hank to be the clerk at the 
 filing office in Oak Creek. 
 
 The man Hank laughed also, but a discordant 
 note rang through his forced merriment. "We- 
 all ain't claim-jumpers, Mr. Brewster, but it 
 seemed so quare to find Old Montresor's Mine 
 hed ben found again, that Ah sez to my pal, here, 
 'How'd you-all like to run up to the Slide and 
 have a squint at that cave?' An' havin' a day 
 off, he reckoned he'd enjy the trip. So here we- 
 all are." 
 
 "Yes so Ah seel Here you-all are. And 
 Ah says to my girls and the posse, says Ah:
 
 24 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 'There'll be a lot of fools start off at night-fall, 
 to hit this trail to the Slide just out of dern- 
 fool curiosity to have a squint at Old Montresor's 
 Mine. But human nature is human nature, girls, 
 says Ah, so when they get that squint, they may 
 forget one of the Ten Commandments and want 
 to covet their neighbor's property. And seeing 
 how they have lost a good night's sleep through 
 climbing the Top Notch Trail just to arrive early 
 to have that squint, they will sort of feel justified 
 in stealing an acre, or so, of gold-land. That 
 would make them break another Commandment; 
 so Ah felt it a duty, Hank, to send on a regiment 
 in advance, to save the souls of such curious sight- 
 seers." Sam Brewster never changed a muscle 
 of his serious face nor did his voice have the slight- 
 est sign of any other feeling than a reverent desire 
 to help his fellow-man. But the two men knew 
 Sam Brewster by experience as well as from hear- 
 say. 
 
 "Right-o! Hank told me what a good man 
 you war," said the miner who accompanied Hank. 
 But his shifty eyes belied the tone. 
 
 Mr. Brewster smiled. "Yes. Ah did hate to 
 see any one lose a good night's sleep and then 
 get thus far only to be mistaken for claim-jumpers 
 by the Sheriff's men up yonder. Of course, Hank
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 25 
 
 and you-all aren't going to take such chances with 
 the law." 
 
 The miner glanced about uneasily but only saw 
 two girls sitting on their horses a short distance 
 away. Hank's face lowered, however, and he 
 growled forth : "Ah don't see whose business it is 
 whether we break the Sheriff's law or not." 
 
 "Perhaps you don't see but Ah do, Hank. 
 And when the Sheriff says, 'Keep the trail free 
 from all trespassers till my posse can take charge,' 
 you know me Ah'll see that his orders are 
 carried out," returned Mr. Brewster sternly, his 
 pockets moving suspiciously. 
 
 "You-all hain't got no orders, and thar hain't 
 no posse up yander, neither, 'cause they hain't a- 
 comin' till after Simms leaves," exclaimed Hank, 
 unguardedly. 
 
 "Ah ! So you and your man thought you'd get 
 a lead on the Sheriff, eh?" laughed Mr. Brewster. 
 "Oh, but you are an easy tenderfoot to stuff, 
 Hank! Did you-all really believe such a story 
 would have been told at Oak Creek if the posse 
 planned to wait for morning? Why, man, that 
 is just what they wanted to do to catch a lot 
 of rascals red-handed and clean Oak Creek out, 
 once for all! How do you know that there is 
 a real claim staked out up there or whether it
 
 /6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 is the Sheriff's joke to land a ring of crooks?" 
 
 Eleanor and Barbara were so interested in the 
 way Mr. Brewster handled the two rascals with- 
 out telling a direct falsehood that they sighed 
 when the claim-jumpers backed their horses and 
 withdrew to confer anxiously on what they had 
 heard. But Sam Brewster interpolated with: 
 
 "If it is curiosity that brought you-all to lose 
 a night's rest, pass right along and tell the Sheriff 
 and Bill your yarn. They will not only let you 
 take a squint at what you think is a mine, but 
 they will pay you to remain and help arrest all 
 the claim-jumpers who are already on the way." 
 
 Even as he spoke, Mr. Brewster saw the sly 
 move of Hank as he tried to pull his gun from 
 the holster; instantly a hand came from the 
 rancher's pocket and brought to light a cocked 
 revolver. The other man suddenly changed his 
 mind when the bore of Brewster's gun was leveled 
 so that the clerk could look right down into his 
 grave if he made the slightest mistake in this out- 
 ing of his. 
 
 But the miner became ugly; then he saw the 
 other hand of Sam Brewster come from his poc- 
 ket and he knew that he was a dead rascal too, 
 if he made one false step. So his expression 
 changed to a wily smile, and he said:
 
 THE CLAIMJUMPERS 27 
 
 "What you-all ha'r fur ef th' Sheriff's up thar 
 guardin' th' precious mine?" 
 
 "Told to warn away any foolish town-clerks 
 who might be heading straight to Kingdom Come I 
 You know Bill likes to give every chump a loop- 
 hole to save himself, if possible," retorted Mr. 
 Brewster. 
 
 "We ain't lookin' fer no argyment with Bill ner 
 the Shuriff, so we-all'll mosey back an' tell others 
 we meet. Howsomever, you-all won't find it so 
 easy to git rid of curious folks when that miner- 
 gang gits ha'r. Ah happen to know who and 
 how many are plannin' to come." 
 
 With that farewell, Hank turned his horse's 
 head and led the way down the trail, slowly fol- 
 lowed by the unwilling miner. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Brewster! hadn't we better ride 
 after Mike and the girls before the miners' gang 
 gets here?" cried Barbara, fearfully. 
 
 Mr. Brewster laughed. "That was only a bluff 
 of Hank's to make me ride along so he and his 
 pal might follow us. I haven't the least doubt 
 but that both of those cowardly rascals are hiding 
 just out of sight where they can watch my every 
 movement. Should we start to ride along towards 
 the cave, they would follow and shoot us from the 
 rear as sore as anything."
 
 28 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 In spite of his making light of Hank, however, 
 Mr. Brewster kept a wary eye open for an ambus- - 
 cade. Nothing of moment happened, however, 
 and Jeb was just saying: "Maybe we-all had best 
 ride for the cave," when a shot rang out. 
 
 "Welll" gasped he, while the two girls trem- 
 bled with fear. 
 
 "That sounded from Top Notch. It's either 
 Simms and his party, or those rascals. In either 
 case, it won't be cowardly in us to hide behind 
 a clump of pines and await developments," sug- 
 gested the rancher. 
 
 Mr. Brewster stationed Eleanor behind a close 
 growth of young pine and handed her a small 
 rifle. Barbara was hidden deeper in the forest, 
 and then he and Jeb took their places behind a 
 bowlder whence they could watch the up-trail. 
 With a revolver ready in each hand, they waited 
 anxiously. 
 
 But his wise precautions were unnecessary this 
 time, for Bill soon rode up, calling loudly as he 
 came. Sam Brewster sighed with relief to find 
 a group of Oak Creek's leading citizens with 
 the Sheriff. 
 
 "Bill, did you-all shoot, a time back?" queried 
 Mr. Brewster the moment the posse came up. 
 
 Bill laughed. "Ah'll explain in a minute. You-
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 29 
 
 all see it wa'r this way: After you-all left for 
 home, yesterday, it wa'r found how some low- 
 down sneaks got wind of this claim and planned 
 to ride up at once. It looked a lot like claim- 
 jumpin', so we-all got together mighty quick and 
 rode after them to spare the Lord any trouble 
 in judgin' 'em. Also, we-all reckoned to save your 
 party any nonsense over the gold, 'specially as 
 thar wa'r four gals in it." 
 
 "But three rascals got a lead on you," inter- 
 rupted Sam. 
 
 "Yeh, three are at large somewhere, Ah reckon; 
 but two of the worst ones out of that five are 
 back yonder. Hank Johnson and his jail-bird 
 pal are down on Four Mile Blaze. When we 
 get the other three, we'll rid Oak Crick of five of 
 its worst^citizens." 
 
 "Rattle-Snake Mike came up with us, Bill. 
 We rode up the Indian Trail that's how we got 
 here so soon. But Mike went on to the cave 
 with Polly and her friend. They'll guard their 
 claim, all right, unless those three interfere," said 
 Mr. Brewster, with an anxious note in his 
 voice. 
 
 "Ah reckon we'd better make for that cave, 
 then! Thar may be some work cut out fer us 
 thar," whispered Bill, seeing the two city girls
 
 30 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 now ride out from cover and come over to join 
 the group, 
 
 "Where's Mrs. Brewster?" asked Eleanor, 
 anxiously. 
 
 "This is Bill's party they left Oak Creek last 
 night," explained Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "Then where is Simms and your wife?" asked 
 Barbara. 
 
 "You see it will take the others much longer 
 to ride up from Lone Pine than it took us to climb 
 the trappers' trail, so they can't possibly arrive 
 for some time yet. We-all just got here, and 
 we left Oak Creek at midnight," explained one of 
 the men, encouraging the two girls. 
 
 "But we-all stopped on the way and cooked 
 breakfast and fed our hosses. Simms and his 
 party will ride right up and ought to be ha'r pritty 
 soon, now," said Bill. 
 
 "How about leavin' some one here at Four Mile 
 Blaze to direct the Simms' party, while we-all 
 ride on with Sam to hunt those three claim-jump- 
 ers," suggested one of the posse. 
 
 "Barbara and I will wait here with Jeb if you 
 leave us each with a gun," offered Eleanor, ea- 
 gerly. 
 
 Barbara gasped at the very idea, but Eleanor 
 added :
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 31 
 
 "We don't want to be mixed up in a fight with 
 rascals, and we are safer here than up there." 
 
 "The gal's right, Sam. They'd onny be in the 
 road if we-all have to chase them men," said Bill. 
 
 "But they can't shoot! Why give them any 
 guns?" asked Mr. Brewster, anxiously. 
 
 "I just bet I could kill you at forty paces, if 
 you were a claim-jumper and looked at me the 
 way Hank looked at you !" declared Eleanor, em- 
 phatically. 
 
 The men laughed, and Bill wagged his head 
 approvingly. "Ah say, Sam, let the gals take a 
 crack at the Four Mile tree and see." 
 
 "Well, even the sight of guns will make the 
 villains respect us, even if we can't shoot!" 
 added Barbara, who felt that the lesser of the 
 two dangers would be to remain with Eleanor and 
 Jeb where they now were. 
 
 After many instructions and warnings had been 
 given to Jeb and the two city girls, Mr. Brewster 
 spurred his horse on to ride after his companions 
 who were already up the trail. But he had not 
 far to go. 
 
 At the bend of the trail, where there was a 
 small clearing, he saw the men standing up in 
 their stirrups, intent on something ahead. He 
 urged his horse up to join them, and just before
 
 32 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 reaching the group, he called out: "What's 
 wrong?" 
 
 The horses were tossing their heads, pawing the 
 ground, and acting restive. Bill turned half-way 
 around in the saddle and replied : "D'you-all smell 
 anything, Sam?" 
 
 Mr. Brewster noticed then, that the men held 
 faces up and were sniffing in different directions. 
 He then sniffed carefully himself and exclaimed: 
 "Smells like smoke." 
 
 But even as he spoke, the thought reached him : 
 "A forest fire!" His face went white and he 
 murmured a prayer to himself for Polly and Anne. 
 
 "Yeh, Sam. Comin' down from the Slide," 
 was all Bill said. 
 
 "My Gawd, men! what shall we do?" cried one 
 of the posse. 
 
 "We-all must ship them two gals an' Jeb down 
 trail, right away, and then the rest of us'll ride up 
 to see if anything kin be done to stop it. Mebbe 
 it hain't got a headway yet," replied Bill. 
 
 But the two girls were now seen riding up the 
 trail as fast as their horses could travel. Bar- 
 bara rode first and Eleanor after her, shouting 
 aloud in a frantic voice. The men waited fear- 
 fully to hear what new trouble assailed them. 
 
 Barbara almost ran down Mr. Brewster's horse
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 33 
 
 in her blind fear, and when questioned, could not 
 speak. Eleanor then rode up and looked so angry 
 that she could scarcely explain. 
 
 "Bob declared she heard noises behind us and 
 on one side, and then, without giving me or Jeb 
 any warning, she started her horse at a run, to 
 come and meet you men. She cried that it would 
 be safer with a crowd than alone with only Jeb 
 and me and the rifles we knew nothing about. 
 I had to ride after her to see that she reached 
 you safely. Now I'll go back and keep guard 
 again." 
 
 "Stop, Nolla ! Although you are a brave lit- 
 tle girl, it will be of no use to keep guard now. 
 Jeb and you will have to ride down Top Notch 
 Trail as fast as you can, and meet Simms who is 
 coming up with Mrs. Brewster. Send Simms and 
 the men on to help us, but you three women take 
 Jeb and go right on down. There's a forest fire." 
 Mr. Brewster added the last portentous words 
 in an awed voice. 
 
 "Oh, my goodness! Will we be hurt?" cried 
 Barbara. 
 
 But Eleanor thought not of herself. She im- 
 mediately cried: "Are Polly and Anne safe?" 
 
 "Polly whar's she?" demanded Bill, suddenly 
 realizing that the girl was not one of the party.
 
 34 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "She went to the cave with Mike to watch 
 there, in case any claim-jumpers tried to stake 
 their ground," groaned Sam Brewster. 
 
 "Is the cave far from here?" added Bill, 
 quickly. 
 
 "Not as far as Top Notch Trail," replied 
 Eleanor, seeing a possible way for her to get 
 to Polly and Anne, 
 
 "But some one ought to send Simms on to us 
 and then ride on down trail to signal the forest- 
 rangers' look-out so's they could come and help 
 fight the fire," said another man. 
 
 "Can't Bob and I join Polly and Anne in the 
 cave where w will be safe from any fire, and you 
 send Jeb down to signal Simms and the forest- 
 rangers?" asked Eleanor excitedly, seeing how 
 urgent was the need for instant action. 
 
 "All right; take this young man for protection, 
 and get to the cave as quick as you can. You gals 
 wait in the cave till you-all hear from us again. 
 Send Mike down trail to Jeb to hurry Simms and 
 then escort Mrs. Brewster home. We're ridin' 
 up yander to work," ordered Bill, authoritatively. 
 
 Eleanor turned her horse's head to a faint trail 
 that she was sure would bring them to the cave, 
 and the cow-boy followed, while Bill and
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 35 
 
 his men urged the horses to their utmost up the 
 steep Slide. 
 
 "Thar's one good thing about this fire it seems 
 to be comin' down, and it don't travel near so 
 quick that way, like-as-how it do when it goes 
 upward. Mebbe we-all kin choke it in its first 
 stages," explained Bill. 
 
 Eleanor and her two followers now reached the 
 end of the little erosion made by a storm. Then 
 the city girl found it really was no trail at all. 
 They sat their horses looking helplessly about 
 while Barbara began to whimper with fear. 
 
 Even courageous Eleanor began to quail at 
 what would befall them if they were lost, when 
 Mike suddenly appeared in the distance, climbing 
 the steep slope before them. His broncho came 
 on recklessly through the bushes and wild under- 
 growth until he was within speaking distance then 
 he shouted: 
 
 "Mike hear shoots! Gals in cabe alle-right. 
 Mike smell fire. He go see who burn. Fin' 
 tree bad miner One gone happy hunting-groun', 
 two sleep f'm much fire-water. Tree hosses 
 hobble on down trail." As he spoke he acted 
 his words so that it was plain that he had found 
 the three claim-jumpers who were dead drunk, and
 
 36 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 their mounts which were trying to break away 
 in sheer fear of the fire. 
 
 "Mike, Bill and Mr. Brewster said you were 
 to leave us in the cave, if it is safe there, and 
 then ride down trail to meet Jeb and go on to 
 stop Simms' party. Warn the lookout on the 
 forest-ranger's post and then come back to us, 
 but Jeb is to ride home with the Missus!" ex- 
 claimed Eleanor, excitedly. 
 
 Mike frowned. "Indian no like squaw job!" 
 
 "That's just what I was going to say, Mike. 
 Now if you will put us on the right trail, we 
 three can find the way to the cave. We will stay 
 there with the other girls, and let you do as you 
 think best, after you send Jeb away to meet 
 Simms," said Eleanor. 
 
 "Mike mus' tell Boss and Bill 'bout fire. Him 
 eat down-hill, udder side Slide. No burn dis 
 side." 
 
 Meantime, the Indian was leading the way to 
 the trail that would bring the girls out .at the 
 ravine where the cave was. Once on the right 
 trail, the youth whom Bill had sent with the girls, 
 said he could keep to it without going astray. 
 
 Mike waited but a moment to assure himself 
 that they would be safe along the trail, then he 
 started his horse up the steep side. His keen
 
 THE CLAIM-JUMPERS 37 
 
 Indian scout habits now stood him in good stead. 
 He soon had the Sheriff's party tracked and was 
 riding after them. His young broncho galloped 
 along until the group of men bound for the Slide, 
 were hailed by a war-whoop. 
 
 Bill turned and saw the Indian close behind. 
 He called a halt, and when the party stopped, 
 the messenger was already in their midst. 
 
 "Fire up lodge-pole pine side. Eatin' down 
 dat way!" cried Mike, waving a hand at the side 
 of the mountain away from them and the cave. 
 
 "Mike go see an' fin' tree miner. Dey hab 
 big fight two shoot one. Him dead. Udders 
 drunk gone 'sleep. Hosses tie up." 
 
 "Mike, you lead ! Men fall in we-all fight the 
 fire first, then find the drunken miners and arrest 
 them for manslaughter," ordered Bill, and thus 
 the posse rode away.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 
 
 AFTER losing the trail many times only to stum- 
 ble into it again and again, and then slipping, 
 sliding, or jolting down the steep side of the moun- 
 tain where the timber-line ended near the cliff, 
 Eleanor finally recognized the ravine where the 
 cave was located. 
 
 "Oh, thank heavens ! We're almost there," she 
 cried, trying to find the easiest way down to the 
 ledge. 
 
 Polly and Anne were sitting before the en- 
 trance to the cave, when they heard shouts and 
 saw three weary riders coming along the rocky 
 ledge that led to their refuge. 
 
 "Why it's Nolla and Bob and a man!" ex- 
 claimed Polly, jumping up to run and meet the 
 girls. 
 
 "What's wrong any one hurt?" cried Anne, 
 the moment she saw the faces of the girls. 
 
 Eleanor then told about the forest-fire, and 
 38
 
 AT CHORD'S FIND 39 
 
 where the men were. The more recent excitement 
 had quite driven the story of Hank and his claim- 
 jumpers from her mind. But Polly anxiously 
 asked for her mother. 
 
 "Oh, yes Simms and the party hadn't arrived 
 when we left Four Mile Blaze. But they will 
 be all right, as Mike is gone to meet them. Then 
 your mother and Jeb will ride back to warn the 
 forest-rangers about the fire," explained Barbara. 
 
 "Why, no, Bob. Don't you remember, Mike 
 said he would have to tell Polly's father about the 
 drunken men and the fire, first," Eleanor corrected 
 her sister. 
 
 "Well, I'm not worrying about mother because 
 she knows too much to run into unnecessary dan- 
 ger; but father always wants to save everybody 
 and everything from disaster, and so takes his 
 life in his hands, over and over again," Polly 
 worried. 
 
 "Mr. Brewster'll be all right with Bill around, 
 Miss Polly," said the young man who had ac- 
 companied the city girls. "No one is allowed to 
 run any risks for nuthin', when the Sheriff is there 
 to stop 'em." 
 
 "I just hope Bill will keep father in bounds!" 
 declared Polly. 
 
 Very little smoke reached the ravine, which was
 
 40 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 on the opposite side of the mountain from that 
 where the fire raged, so the girls knew not how 
 matters fared until late in the afternoon. Then, 
 to their great relief, Mr. Brewster shouted a 
 signal from the lodge-pole pine forest. 
 
 Polly gave an answering call, and then ran 
 along the dangerous ledge until she reached the 
 place where the pine trees had been blown down 
 the day of the blizzard. Here she could see the 
 dim outlines of several riders as they waited for 
 some evidence that they were on the right 
 trail. 
 
 Before Polly could climb the slope to wave her 
 hat, she saw Mike riding up behind the party and 
 then go on before them down the trail leading to 
 the cave. 
 
 Polly was kept busy with answering the girls 
 who stood at the cave entrance, and in calling to 
 her parents and friends who were approaching as 
 fast as the down-trail would permit. When they 
 rode near enough for Polly to see their faces, she 
 recognized her mother and Jeb in the party; she 
 thought they expressed great concern over some- 
 thing that must have happened to the party or 
 perhaps something that might happen. 
 
 "Well, Polly, you've had all day to dig the gold
 
 AT CHORD'S FIND 41] 
 
 out of your mine; got it tied in bags for us to 
 lug home?" called Mr. Simms, jocularly. 
 
 "Mr. Simms, you needn't worry over that gold 
 as long as there is something worse to trouble 
 you. What is it?" answered Polly. 
 
 "Ha, ha, ha! Poll must be feeling lonesome; 
 when she talks like this, it's a sure sign she needs 
 jolly company," replied the lawyer. 
 
 "Maybe she thought we were chewed up by 
 the grizzlies," added Mr. Brewster, forcing a 
 gayety similar to that of Mr. Simms. 
 
 "What's the matter with you men? Is there 
 any danger from the fire?" demanded Polly. 
 
 "No, the fire's burning over the down-slope on 
 the other side. You know it won't come this 
 way," returned Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Well, then where are the other men? Did 
 those drunken miners shoot any one?" persisted 
 the girl. 
 
 "Don't bother with questions, Polly. Let us 
 get some supper before we think of anything else," 
 advised her mother. 
 
 Mike was soon busy unpacking the outfit for 
 cooking, and Mrs. Brewster joined him to give 
 any assistance he might need. Polly went over to 
 her father to try and get more satisfactory in-
 
 42 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 formation from him, regarding that day's experi- 
 ences. 
 
 "Did you say the miners who came up anead of 
 us to-day were in Bill's custody, Daddy?" 
 
 "Ah didn't say anything; but now Ah'll tell you- 
 all that they are shipped safely to a place where 
 they can do no harm." 
 
 "Oh ! Did Bill go down the Trail with them?" 
 continued Polly. 
 
 "No, Bill's man went down-trail to watch in 
 case of any new trouble." 
 
 "See here, father! Out with your secret! 
 What are you-all keeping from me?" asked Polly, 
 anxiously. 
 
 "Good gracious, Poll! Can't a man feel riled 
 after such a wearing day and with nothing to 
 eat, without his womenfolks asking plaguey ques- 
 tions?" cried Mr. Brewster, testily. 
 
 Polly was silenced for the moment, but she 
 went out to the ledge where her mother was 
 helping Mike, and there she began again. 
 
 "Mother, I know something unusual concerns 
 you-all, so you may as well confide in me." 
 
 "I reckon the men are vexed because we lost 
 all this day hunting up those wretched miners who 
 must have accidentally set the fire going on the 
 other side," was all the reply Polly received.
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 43 
 
 Mike glanced up to look covertly at Mrs. Brew- 
 ster and the inquisitive girl caught his expression. 
 
 "Even Mike is laughing at the poor way in 
 which you are fencing with me. Now treat me 
 as if I were sensible not like a baby, or like 
 Bob!" demanded Polly. 
 
 "Well, to tell the truth, Polly, I'm afraid to tell 
 you everything. If those girls know they will 
 go clean daffy," sighed Mrs. Brewster, passing 
 her hand over a troubled brow. 
 
 "Mother! Did I go daffy when that blizzard 
 carried Choko over the ledge and what did I 
 do up on Grizzly when the snow and ice covered 
 the trail? Did I lose my nerve?" 
 
 At that moment Mr. Simms called out to Mike : 
 " 'Most done cookin', Mike? Ah want you-all to 
 go with me to ketch a grizzly afore it is too dark 
 to see him. Ah promised mah wife she should 
 have a bear-skin rug this trip." 
 
 Mike looked at Mrs. Brewster who nodded for 
 him to go. She calmly took the ladle and con- 
 tinued stirring the soup that the Indian had been 
 attending to, then Mike hurried after Simms. 
 
 "There now I know it is something serious 
 and it is much better for me to know what may 
 happen than to have it come upon me like a thun- 
 der-bolt," said Polly.
 
 44 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Well, then, keep on stirring this broth while 
 I busy myself over the rest of the supper, and 
 I'll tell you. Don't exclaim, or show any shock. 
 It is important for us to keep cool," advised Mrs. 
 Brewster, as she toasted some dry bread over the 
 embers. 
 
 "I wasn't present when this occurred but father 
 told me. The men found the miner who had 
 been shot, and down the slope further on, they 
 saw the forms of the other two. But the panic- 
 stricken horses that had been hobbled and left to 
 graze, were so frightened at the clouds of smoke 
 and crackling fire, that a few of the men had to 
 lead them back to a clear place. There they were 
 tied securely to some trees. 
 
 "Your father, Bill, and one of his men, jumped 
 down the steep sides where the fire was raging, 
 and began to beat out the flames. They could 
 see the two drunken miners just beyond the fire- 
 line down the trail, but they seemed so overcome 
 with whisky and smoke that they failed to re- 
 spond to any shouts from the men, or to the fear 
 of the on-driving fire. 
 
 "Our men had beaten out the ground-fire half- 
 way to the miners, when a terrific rumbling 
 sounded, as from a distance behind them. BilFs 
 man was far in advance of the other two rescuers,
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 45 
 
 and perhaps, the crackling on the ground and 
 the raging fire in the trees overhead, deafened 
 him to this other portentous sound. 
 
 "Father, however, felt that it meant something 
 more terrible than a fire, so he shouted to Bill 
 and tried to warn the man. But a fit of cough- 
 ing from inhaling the smoke, cut his call short. 
 Bill then cried, 'Go on back, Sam I'll get my 
 man!' 
 
 "So your father managed to force his way back 
 towards the Top Trail. There he saw a great 
 white cloud swooping down from the peak of 
 Grizzly Slide. He turned, screamed at Bill and 
 waved his arms to warn them out of the track of 
 the avalanche, if possible. Bill and his man saw 
 this new danger and turned to climb back to safety. 
 
 "Father was leading, Bill a short distance "be- 
 hind him, and the man not far in the rear, when 
 the first two heard a scream. They turned and 
 saw the horse had stumbled and fallen. He 
 tried to scramble to his feet before the onrush of 
 the half-frozen earth and rock and snow could 
 reach him, but it caught and whirled him away on 
 its crest. 
 
 "Father and Bill were thrown down with the 
 shaking of the ground caused by the terrific slide, 
 and several times they were almost sucked into
 
 46 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the vortex caused by the overwhelming ever-grow- 
 ing stream. Had it not been for Mike who had 
 heard the rumble and knew what it meant, both 
 Bill and father would have been lost. But Mike 
 threw out a rope that father caught and quickly 
 wound about himself, while Bill clutched on to 
 father's legs. Thus Mike dragged them up to 
 the tree where he had bound himself. The horses 
 are gone!" 
 
 Mrs. Brewster seemed overcome at the recital 
 of the awful ordeal the men had passed through, 
 but Polly said encouragingly : 
 
 "Don't take on so, mother! 'All's well that 
 nds well' and father and Bill are safe, you 
 know." 
 
 "Oh, but this isn't all, Polly ! Mike says when 
 Grizzly starts an avalanche like that first one, 
 the very force of its tearing away keeps on break- 
 ing away the ice-fields all around the peak. An- 
 other slide may come at any moment and pour 
 down this side, you see. The men who had taken 
 care of the horses when the others were fight- 
 ing the fire were left stationed at the timber-line 
 to watch. If they notice the faintest sign of an- 
 other serious break on the peak, they are to signal 
 a look-out left on the crest of this slope. And 
 they in turn must warn Bill's son who was left
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 47 
 
 sitting on top of this ledge. That is where Simms 
 and Mike hare gone now. There must have beem 
 a signal from Bill's boy to Simms." 
 
 Mrs. Brewster looked at her daughter to see 
 if she could bear the rest of the story. Find- 
 ing Polly as calm as she herself was, she continued : 
 
 "Father said the experience Simms and he went 
 through was mere child's play to what it might 
 be should Grizzly loosen up and send down a slide 
 on this side of the peak. Of course, the fire and 
 smoke added to the horror on the other side, but 
 the actual avalanche was not as tremendous be- 
 cause the slope was partly protected by the abrupt 
 drop of thousands of feet from the peak to the 
 valley, down which the greater flood must have 
 rushed. 
 
 "This side is on the direct down-slope from 
 the peak, with nothing to break a snow-slide, or 
 to carry off the bulk of the debris. 
 
 "This morning, when I rode up with Simms' 
 party, we met two old trappers who were coming 
 down. They had passed Old Grizzly Slide yes- 
 terday, and they said there must have been an 
 awful thaw going on under the surface-ice of the 
 Slide, as the yawning chasm where you discovered 
 the crevice the other day was frightful. It made 
 even their courageous spirits tremble at sight of
 
 48 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 it But they turned again and rode up with us, as 
 they said they could be useful to Bill. They are 
 up on Top Notch now, scouting for the first symp- 
 toms of a slide." 
 
 Polly turned white as she heard the story, but 
 she still had control of her voice, so she whis- 
 pered: "Why don't we-all start down-trail to- 
 night? Why lose time cooking supper, and have 
 the men up there watching for the trouble ?" 
 
 "Mike says we are safer in this cave than on 
 the trail. It is impossible to go down the Indian 
 trail at night, and Top Notch Trail is bad enough 
 in the daytime, so that in the dark it is forbidding. 
 He says this cave is high enough up on the ledge 
 and near enough to the crest to escape most of 
 the drift. The trash will be swept clear over 
 the entrance and down into the ravine, while any 
 snow or ice that might lodge up on the ledge be- 
 fore the cave will soon melt again. Then we 
 can get away, when all is over." 
 
 Polly said nothing, but she was thinking seri- 
 ously. Mrs. Brewster was grateful that her 
 daughter could bear such awesome news without 
 a tremor. So the two completed the supper, and 
 were ready to serve it, when Sam Brewster rode 
 down the ledge. 
 
 "Come on, Daddy! Just in time for a bowl
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 4$ 
 
 of hot soup I" called Polly, gayly waving a ladle. 
 
 Her mother admired the self-control the girl 
 showed over any fear or danger, and followed the 
 brave example set her. "Yes, Sam, if Simms 
 wants to chase a bear in the twilight, let him! 
 You will do far better to enjoy the supper." 
 
 So they sat down to eat toasted bread and soup, 
 while Polly talked vivaciously and caused many a 
 laugh from the unsuspecting girls. As the meager 
 supper was almost finished, however, Mr. Brew- 
 ster mentioned in a casual tone: "Girls, Ah ex- 
 pect John and his friends early to-morrow, you 
 know. Mike is going down to meet them." 
 
 "Oh, yes! And won't we have exciting adven- 
 tures to tell him!" exclaimed Anne, thinking only 
 of John and his coming. 
 
 "Mrs. Brewster is going down with Mike, to 
 meet the boys. So we-all thought you gals would 
 like to ride down, too, instead of sitting up in 
 front of this cave all day and night," continued 
 Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "Why, how foolish! to kill the horses with 
 all that climbing! Up to-day, down to-morrow, 
 and up again the next day I No horse could 
 stand that!" declared Anne, amazed at her host's 
 suggestion. 
 
 "Well, Ah've been thinking you-afl had best
 
 50 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 stay down, once you get there. This is no sort 
 of life for women-folk, anyway. When John 
 and Tom Latimer get here they can look after 
 your mining interests better than you can your- 
 selves." 
 
 "But, Mr. Brewster, you haven't even seen the 
 hole inside of that cave, where I followed after 
 Polly the day we discovered the gold!" exclaimed 
 Eleanor, greatly disappointed in Polly's father. 
 
 "Ah haven't had time, Nolla. What with the 
 doings of the claim-jumpers and everything, 
 Ah've had a full day. Besides, it looks as if 
 we-all are going to have some time up here, and 
 Ah'd feel a heap easier if you women were safe 
 at home." x 
 
 "Are there signs of other claim-jumpers com- 
 ing up, Mr. Brewster?" asked Eleanor, anxiously. 
 
 "From what our scouts report, up on the Trail, 
 we're going to have such a time, if we remain 
 here, that we may not have another good oppor- 
 tunity to escape with our lives," returned the dis- 
 tracted man. 
 
 "Oh dear me! Can't we start now? I never 
 want to see any claim-jumpers again!" cried Bar- 
 bara, wringing her hands. 
 
 "Keep quiet, Bob! We'll do just as Mr.
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 51] 
 
 Brewster says, but your whimpering won't help 
 any," said Anne. 
 
 "Well, girls, I'm so eager to see John again, 
 that I'm willing to ride down with Mike and 
 mother," said Polly, acting her part perfectly. 
 
 "Oh, Polly! I don't want to go and leave the 
 gold mine, but I want you to stay with me," cried 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "Goodness me, Nolla ! Don't you s'pose we 
 can ride up again when the danger blows over? 
 A lot of good the mine would do either one of 
 us if a dozen daim-jumpers put lead through us 
 all at one time I" laughed Polly, but feeling far 
 from humorous. 
 
 "I suppose I'll just have to go, if all the rest 
 of you do!" cried Eleanor, stamping her foot 
 angrily. 
 
 So, after much arguing and explaining, it was 
 decided that every one should be ready to start 
 down-trail at the earliest streak of daylight. 
 
 That night the girls and Mrs. Brewster slept 
 on the pine-beds or at least the city girls slept, 
 while Polly and her mother rested even' as they 
 waited for the first warning call from the guard, 
 who sat by the fire that was started to keep away 
 the wild beasts.
 
 52 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 The hours passed without any new signals, and 
 at three o'clock Mike called out that he was ready 
 to start. The girls demurred about getting up at 
 that hour, but Polly was too energetic to give 
 them any peace. So, shortly after three, the en- 
 tire party started down Indian Trail, traveling as 
 swiftly as possible. 
 
 "Now see here! why do all you men come 
 down, too? I thought it was only the women- 
 folk who had to get out of the way!" exclaimed 
 Eleanor, wonderingly. 
 
 "If, any claim-jumpers are about to stake out 
 our land up there who is there left to stop them?" 
 added Anne, suspiciously, when she saw the deep 
 concern on every man's face as he rode single 
 file down the path. 
 
 "Wall, now, seein* as we-all are well along the 
 way down, Ah may as well tell you-all : thar hain't 
 goin' to be no danger of any claim-jumpers stak- 
 ing your land if Old Grizzly knows anything 
 about it. Thar war a tumble avalanche yester- 
 day and a leetle one at suppertime; it looks like- 
 es-how anuther powerful one will hit the trail any 
 moment. That's why we-all air runnin' away as 
 fast as our hosses kin go," explained Bill. 
 
 "Oh! Tell Mike to hurry!" cried Barbara. 
 
 "No fear but what we-all are as crazy to git
 
 AT CHOKO'S FIND 53 
 
 down as you kin be, young leddy," said Bill, 
 soothingly. 
 
 After four hours' hard traveling, the riders 
 came to a small park where Mike said they could 
 rest and cook their breakfast, and feed the horses. 
 From a certain spot on the clearing on this moun- 
 tainside, the peak of Old Grizzly Slide could be 
 seen opposite them, dazzling in the sunshine. 
 
 "Well, the old rascal is still up there," declared 
 Anne. 
 
 "But you-all can't say how soon its skirts will 
 whisk and send down the trash that always ruins 
 a forest," added Bill. 
 
 Even as he spoke, a strange sight was pre- 
 sented to the group who were admiring the 
 sparkling peak. A great mist seemed to rise sud- 
 denly from its pinnacle, spreading out and obscur- 
 ing the sun for a time. Then an ominous rum- 
 ble echoed along the crest, and rolled down the 
 slopes. The mist was suddenly sucked down by 
 some tremendous force, and then a mighty tremor 
 shook the ground where the escaped riders stood. 
 
 The horses seemed to know instinctively that 
 there was some upheaval of nature taking place, 
 for they quivered along their sensitive nerves and 
 nosed the air questioningly. Several of the high- 
 bred animals pulled at their halters and, with
 
 54 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 drawn-back lips, snapped viciously at the air as if 
 to warn away the destruction. 
 
 "Oh, oh! Will it hit us?" wailed Barbara. 
 
 "No, we are safe on this opposite up-trail now. 
 But a few hours delay in getting away this morn- 
 ing and we would have been caught in the drift," 
 said Sam Brewster, wiping beads of cold perspira- 
 tion from his brow. 
 
 "Daddy, you don't think that avalanche was 
 on the side of our gold mine, do you?" asked 
 Polly, plaintively. 
 
 "Pretty close to Choko's Find, Polly dear," 
 said her father. 
 
 "Humph! Gol' all gone dis time!" added 
 Mike, dramatically. 
 
 "Oh no! don't say that, Mike!" wailed Polly. 
 
 "Not our gold mine!" added Eleanor, with 
 gasping breath. 
 
 "Mebbe no ! Mike t'ink yes." 
 
 There fell a silence at that, and each one 
 looked at the other, while the same thought passed 
 through their minds: "If that slide buried 
 Choko's Find again, where would they all have 
 been had they remained in the cave?"
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 
 
 NOTHING could have been done to avert the 
 catastrophe on Grizzly Slide, so the adventurers 
 finished their breakfast in silence. Mrs. Brew- 
 ster seemed the only one who appeared grateful 
 for their safety. Doubtless, the others felt a 
 certain sense of thanks but they were so disturbed 
 over the evident loss of the mine again, that it 
 was paramount with them. 
 
 Having packed the camp dishes, Mike started 
 on the trail again, silently followed by the rest. 
 Not until they reached Bear Forks where the 
 roads separated, was anything more said about 
 the mine. 
 
 "Jeb can accompany the ladies to Pebbly Pit, 
 while Ah ride on to Oak Creek to meet the train 
 that will bring John and his friends. It doesn't 
 look as if we-all can use their knowledge now, 
 but we may as well talk things over seeing that 
 like-as-how they will have had the long trip here," 
 ventured Mr. Brewster, thoughtfully. 
 
 55
 
 56 
 
 "We-all ought to make up a crowd to go up 
 and try to find Haywuth's body. Mebbe it will 
 show when the snow's melted from the slope," 
 added Bill. 
 
 "Sam, why don't you-all plan while on your 
 ride to Oak Creek, to take Top Notch Trail the 
 same time John and Tom take the expert up? 
 The larger the party the less danger of accident, 
 you know," suggested Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Are we going with them, mother?" Polly said, 
 in a pleading tone. 
 
 "No, indeed, child! Aren't you cured with 
 what happened this time?" 
 
 " 'Lightning never strikes in the same place 
 twice,' Mrs. Brewster," said Eleanor, hopefully. 
 
 "And you know, Maw, such a terrible slide has 
 not occurred hereabouts in twenty years," quickly 
 added Polly, dropping back into her ranch ver- 
 nacular in her anxiety. "It may be another 
 twenty years before such another slide happens." 
 
 "And we can get all the gold out of the cave 
 that we need in a short time," Barbara reminded 
 them. 
 
 This made the men laugh, as the girl's words 
 showed how little she really understood the sit- 
 uation up on the peak. 
 
 "Well, we can talk things over better when the
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 57 
 
 boys are present to advise us. Meantime, you- 
 ail ride home and rest up. Ah'll bring the boys 
 along about night-fall," said Mr. Brewster. 
 
 The inhabitants of Oak Creek had felt the 
 trembling of the ground caused by the huge land- 
 slide on Grizzly, and knowing that so many of 
 their prominent citizens were there at the time, 
 they were grouped about the public house anx- 
 iously talking over the chances for escape that 
 might be had on the mountain-top. 
 
 At first sight of the returned men, a wild wel- 
 come rang out, not only from the families who 
 feared their men-folks might never return, but 
 also from the citizens who were genuinely glad 
 to see Bill and his posse, and Simms and his boy, 
 safely back. 
 
 After having had his hand shaken as if it were 
 a pump-handle, Sam Brewster continued on to the 
 station to await the train from Denver. As he 
 sat on the edge of the horse-trough thinking over 
 the recent thrilling experiences, he suddenly re- 
 alized that if Polly had lost her mine again, she 
 might also lose her desire to go away to school 
 in the Fall. This seemed a happy thought, for 
 he sat beaming at the old box-car until the whistle 
 announced the over-due local. 
 
 Two handsome young men jumped from the
 
 58 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 rear platform the moment the train slowed down, 
 and soon Mr. Brewster had one of them by both 
 hands giving him a hearty welcome. 
 
 "Now, Dad, try your muscle on Tom's arm. 
 Mine has had enough for one day," laughed John, 
 placing an arm affectionately over his father's 
 shoulder. 
 
 With a young man on either side explaining 
 why the expert was not with them, Sam Brewster 
 walked down the street towards Simms' office. 
 Both young men were eagerly talking so the older 
 man had not told them about the avalanche. 
 
 "I was saying to John, what a different town 
 this will be the moment we begin operations on 
 Polly's claim," said Tom Latimer. 
 
 "As the train pulled in I tried to look at the 
 station and streets through future glasses seeing 
 the rows of fine store-buildings and the thrift that 
 always follows on the heels of a rich find," added 
 John. 
 
 "We'll drop in Simms' office, boys, as I have to 
 borrow his horses. I came on to meet you with- 
 out bringing any mounts," said Mr. Brewster. 
 
 Both young men laughed heartily at this admis- 
 sion, and Tom said teasingly: "I suppose you 
 were so excited over Polly's discovery of gold 
 that you dean forgot we were city chaps who
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 5$ 
 
 are not overfond of hiking over these trails." 
 
 Simms was talking to the coroner about the wit- 
 nesses to the death of Bill's man, and the newly 
 arrived young engineers heard him say: "Sam 
 Brewster was the other one who escaped that 
 death." 
 
 "What's he talking about, Dad?" whispered 
 John, anxiously, as he watched the officer take 
 notes. 
 
 Then in as few words as possible, the boys were 
 told all about the land-slide on Grizzly that had, 
 most likely, buried Choko's Find under tons and 
 tons of debris maybe, hid it completely again 
 for all time. 
 
 They sat in Simms' office talking over the plans 
 for the morrow when a large party was to go up 
 Top Notch. As they sat arranging who would 
 be the best men to take, John interrupted the con- 
 versation : 
 
 "Isn't that Jeb riding along the road with two 
 led horses?" 
 
 "Sure enough! Your mother must have re- 
 membered I had but one mount, and so Jeb was 
 hurried here with extra horses for you," replied 
 Mr. Brewster, running to the door and hailing his 
 man. 
 
 On the way to Pebbly Pit, Tom rode along-
 
 60 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 side Mr. Brewster while John rode beside Jeb. 
 The two latter riders had much to say to each 
 other, for John had been Jeb's particular charge 
 when the hired man first went to work at Pebbly 
 Pit. Now John was a head taller than his erst- 
 while guardian, even if he was much the younger. 
 
 Jeb acted very morose and absentminded ; in- 
 stead of giving sensible replies to John's ques- 
 tions about the avalanche, he would mutter and 
 say inconsequent things. Finally John said : 
 
 "Well, it must have been a narrow escape, any- 
 way." 
 
 "That's just it, John. Ef Ah don't run away 
 from Pebbly Pit she'll git me!" returned Jeb, 
 greatly troubled. 
 
 "I'm talking about that land-slide what do 
 you mean?" laughed John, beginning to under- 
 stand that Jeb was worried over something other 
 than the Grizzly experience. 
 
 "Wh y Ah'm meanin' that widder! It's 
 leap-year, you know." 
 
 John had never heard about Sary, so he was 
 unprepared to offer any advice, but he thought 
 best to agree in everything with Jeb, concerning 
 this particular one, and all "widders" in general. 
 
 u Ye-es siree ! That Sary kin ketch any man 
 she starts out to trap. Ef she laid eyes on
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 61 
 
 enny of them farm-hands at Pebbly Pit, like-as- 
 how she has on me, they'd roll right over and 
 eat from her han's. But, you see, John, Ah ain't 
 a marryin' man, so Ah wants to escape." 
 
 u jeb, I have a plan! Suppose we get Tom to 
 flirt with Sary and then let her understand she is 
 fickle, so that you won't consider her for a mate," 
 whispered John, thinking of the fun he could 
 have by playing this joke on his friend. 
 
 Jeb gave John a scornful look that meant vol- 
 umes. "D'ye think Sary would fall fer it? Ah 
 tells you-all she ain't no fule. She kin see straight, 
 an' she knows Tom Latimer ain't in her 
 class." 
 
 Thus trying to plan for Jeb's peace and hap- 
 piness, the two found they had reached the Rain- 
 bow Cliffs. Tom and Mr. Brewster were look- 
 ing over the beautiful shining walls, and Tom 
 sighed: 
 
 "You wouldn't have to waste one regret on 
 Polly's loss of the gold mine, if you would but 
 consent to let us sell a bit of these walls." 
 
 "Ah'm not worryin' over her loss of gold, 
 Tom ; it's glad Ah am that it turned out so. Now 
 she won't coax to go away to some big school 
 where Ah can't see her for six months." 
 
 Tom Latimer turned about in the saddle and
 
 62 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 sent Sam Brewster a keen look and thought: 
 "So that is why he won't consent to these stones 
 being mined and sold!" . 
 
 Then the four men rode up the wide trail that 
 ran from the Cliffs to the house where they found 
 a group of girls and women eagerly awaiting 
 them. Polly ran down the road and caught hold 
 of her brother's stirrup in her impatience to wel- 
 come him. John laughed and jumped from his 
 horse, then gave his sister the kiss and hug she 
 expected. 
 
 Anne Stewart stood on the porch watching this 
 little by-play, and when the brother and sister 
 slowly walked along, arm linked in arm, she 
 smiled and sighed, then turned to greet Tom 
 Latimer. But she did not see Mrs. Brewster's 
 watchful eye quickly turn away from her when 
 she turned from watching John. 
 
 As Tom Latimer was known to the Maynard 
 girls and Anne, having met them at the College 
 Prom the past year, he was warmly welcomed by 
 them as well as by the Brewsters. Barbara felt 
 an especial interest in him, as he was "one of her 
 set" in society, and he had been invited to her 
 home when her brother entertained a few of his 
 college friends. 
 
 Polly now brought her brother up and intro
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 63 
 
 duced him to Eleanor and Barbara, but Anne 
 was not there. 
 
 "Wh-y where did Anne go? She was here 
 this minute?" cried Polly, looking around in 
 amazement. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster 'had seen Anne steal away and 
 she understood the reason. Now she quickly 
 diverted attention by saying: "Of course you boys 
 have heard about the awful land-slide?" 
 
 As it was so recent an event, it instantly ab- 
 sorbed all. Then Mr. Brewster told about the 
 plans to ride up the Trail on the morrow and 
 ascertain just how much damage had been done. 
 John seemed to be as excited a talker as any one, 
 but his mother saw him send many a searching 
 glance around for some one he had not found. 
 
 She managed to reach his side without attrac- 
 ting the attention of the others, and slyly whis- 
 pered: "Anne Stewart went out towards the 
 Cliffs a moment ago. I saw her leave by the back 
 pathway." 
 
 Then while every one was trying to make out 
 the cloud-draped peak of Grizzly Slide, having 
 had their attention directed to it by an exclama- 
 tion from Mrs. Brewster, John backed away and 
 ran behind th<s kitchen to the path that led to 
 the Cliffs and Arme.
 
 64 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Jeb found it necessary to fill the wood-box in 
 the kitchen, and it was just after John had passed 
 there that he stumbled up the stone walk. Sary 
 stood in the doorway grinning sympathetically as 
 she watched John dash away after Anne Stewart, 
 when Jeb said: 
 
 "Lem'me get by wid this load of wood." 
 
 She smirked and said: "Ah, Jeb! Thar's nuth- 
 in' in the wurruld like young love, ain't it?" 
 
 Now Sary's would-be bewitching leer and her 
 dangerous proximity to him, frightened Jeb worse 
 than any Rocky Mountain avalanche ever, so 
 that he forgot he held an armful of wood. He 
 suddenly went lax in the muscles, dropped the 
 wood, and turned to flee to his hay-loft where no 
 Sary dared follow without a chaperone. 
 
 One stick of the wood fell upon Sary's toe, 
 and not having "feet of brass or clay," she uttered 
 a yelp of pain. Jeb never stopped to inquire what 
 had caused that cry whether of baffled love or 
 shooting pains in a toe. 
 
 Sary limped over to a wooden chair and sit- 
 ting there with her foot held tenderly in both 
 hands, she rocked back and forth, threatening, in 
 an undertone, all males but Jeb in particular. 
 
 "You-all jes' wait! Don't think Sary Dodd's 
 a fule cuz she hain't! Ah'J* git you yit, so run
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 65 
 
 away an' make-out like-es-how you are free and 
 not lookin' to any female in pertickler!" 
 
 Having thus unburdened her soul of its wrath 
 against Jeb, the cook limped over to the stove 
 to hang the kettle over the fire. 
 
 Supper was late that night, but no one noticed 
 it. Sary had perfected a scheme she was going 
 to try on Jeb, some day, soon, so she was all 
 smiles and patience when the family gathered 
 about the table. 
 
 "I see you set the table in the living-room, 
 mother," remarked John, approvingly. 
 
 "Oh, we have wrought many changes this sum- 
 mer, John, but the best of all is the one whereby 
 we eat out-of-doors when it is good weather. 
 To-night we will eat here as it is too dark under 
 the old oak," explained Mrs. Brewster, smiling. 
 
 Plans were now discussed for the trip to Top 
 Notch the following morning, and it was decided 
 that Jeb should go for Mike early, and secure 
 his services as before. 
 
 "If such a crowd of men are going, I don't 
 see why the owners of the mine can't go, too. 
 We are as safe there, as here," grumbled Polly. 
 
 "Because we are going to make a three days' 
 trip of this, Poll, and women-folk would not feel 
 comfortable with such a lot of mixed men," ex-
 
 66 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 plained John, pulling his sister's hair, lovingly. 
 
 "Well, Polly and I are as good riders as any 
 one of you, and seeing it is our mine, we ought 
 to have something to say about it," added 
 Eleanor, poutingly. 
 
 "I suppose you-all have forgotten that we in- 
 vited that nice young stranger and his friend, 
 Jim La timer, over to spend this Sunday with us," 
 now ventured Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Oh, that's so! The boy Kenneth who looks 
 like Montresorl" Anne now added, understand- 
 ing Mrs. Brewster' s idea and abetting it. 
 
 "Kenneth Evans! Is it this Sunday he U 
 coming?" asked Eleanor eagerly. 
 
 "We might be back on time for that; this 
 is only Friday night, you know," persisted Polly, 
 clinging to the hope of riding to Top Notch. 
 
 "No girl or woman is going let that end tha 
 argument!" now said Mr. Brewster, with finality. 
 
 There was silence for a moment, then Polly 
 laughingly said to Eleanor: "Nolla, you and I 
 will ride over to visit some old friends of mine 
 to-morrow. We will take our lunch and spend 
 the day with them. As it is half-way on the 
 Bear Forks road we might as well ride with our 
 boys when they go." 
 
 "Polly, we plan to learc here before <dwn so
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 67 
 
 we can be on the climb when day breaks. Nolla 
 and you will please remember to be fast asleep 
 at that time. Good-night!" 
 
 With these words, Sam Brewster got up and 
 started to go to his room, but Polly would not 
 allow her daddy to leave her in that frame of 
 mind. So she ran over and jumped up to throw 
 her arms about his neck in her usual fashion. 
 What she whispered in his ear no one knew but he 
 smiled and nodded his head in meek acquiescence. 
 
 "Poll did he say we might go?" whispered 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "No he won't give in that far, but he said we 
 could ride with them as far as Bear Forks, if 
 we were up in time. Fm bound to wake up, so 
 now Fm going right to bed," said Polly. 
 
 But Polly and Eleanor did not wake up in the 
 morning until seven o'clock. The riders were 
 far up along the trail by that time, so the girls 
 had to make the best of the day. 
 
 When the men riders were well along the 
 trail, Jeb motioned to Mr. Brewster that he wished 
 to speak with him, so they permitted their horses 
 to slow up and drop behind for a time. 
 
 "Ah'm thinkin', Mis'r Brewster, thet Ah'll have 
 to give notice that Ah'm quittin' your ranch. Not 
 what Ah've got any kick comin' about the fam'ly
 
 68 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 thar never w'ar a nicer one. But Ah've got ta 
 save mahself." 
 
 "Jeb!" gasped Sam Brewster in unbelief. 
 "You couldn't leave usl Why, man, you're one 
 of the family." 
 
 "Yeh, Ah knows all that, Mis'r Brewster, but 
 Ah jus' dasent stay where a female badgers my 
 peace o' mind." 
 
 "Tell me what is wrong, Jeb, and Ah'll fix 
 it if Ah can," anxiously promised Sam Brewster. 
 
 Jeb gazed wildly about for, some one to ex- 
 plain for him, and in gazing, his eye rested on 
 John. Big splendid John who had only been a 
 little shaver when he went to Pebbly Pit to 
 work. 
 
 "Oh John! Cain't you-all drop back and tell 
 your Paw what ails me?" shouted Jeb, certain 
 that John, who had been to college, could do 
 anything. 
 
 John dropped behind his companions, and Sam 
 Brewster hurriedly explained that Jeb seemed to 
 have a queer belief that he would be done for if 
 he remained at Pebbly Pit. 
 
 "Oh, did Jeb bother you about that story, Dad? 
 Here, you ride on in my place, and let me get 
 this thing straightened out." 
 
 Alone with Jeb, John said persuasively: "Now
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 69 
 
 tell me all about it, Jeb begin from the begin- 
 ning." 
 
 "Wall, seein' es how you-all is in love, mebbe 
 you-all kin understand about this love-stuff. 
 
 "Now, yuh see, John, when that Sary Dodd 
 come to Pebbly Pit es a widder, to help tyouse- 
 work, she never cast an eye around fer a likely 
 'second' until that derned old dance at the school- 
 house. It wuz that time when she perked up in all 
 that borrered finery that she landed a rich ole 
 bachelor-rancher on her ticket to dinner. But he 
 gave one look and run. He never showed up 
 again that night. 
 
 "Seein' like-es-how her partner vamoosed, she 
 grabbed me to do the Grand March with her. 
 Mebbe it w'ar the way Ah danced, that took her 
 fancy. But whatever it w'ar, she's ben locooed 
 after me sence that night. 
 
 "Now, John, yuh know Sary ain't no prize-win- 
 ner fer looks, en Ah knows a good looker when 
 Ah seez one, cuz Ah hev sat and seen lots of 
 pritty gals on the movie sheet in Oak Crick. 
 Gosh! Some of them peaches Ah see'd would 
 make yuh leave a stiddy job like Pebbly Pit. So 
 Ah saved and saved till now AhVe got a tidy 
 bit laid by fer some pritty gal, like them in the 
 Movies.
 
 70 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Ef Sary Dodd knew Ah had money saved 1 
 Phew ! She'd get at it whar Ah hid it in a hole 
 under the barn-rafters, then she'd hold it out to 
 tempt me, like-es-how yuh lead a balky cow to 
 be milked. But that is one thing Sary don't 
 know!" 
 
 John laughed loud and long at the picture Jeb 
 graphically sketched of Sary and himself, but 
 the orator cared nothing for John's laughing. He 
 was too concerned over his freedom. 
 
 "Sary's got some good points yuh've got to 
 hand it to her, even ef she hain't got a figger like 
 Miss Anne's, and hair like Miss Polly's. But 
 she can cook! Gosh, cain't she cook and clean. 
 So ef it w'ar a housekeeper er a business partner 
 Ah wanted, Ah coulden pick a better one than Sary 
 Dodd. 
 
 "But yuh unnerstand me, John, don't yuh, when 
 Ah says Ah wants something pritty sittin' afore 
 the pianner to sing to me, or dressin' up in finery 
 like Miss Bob's and playin' a lady? Ah've ben 
 a hired man and worked on a ranch all mah life, 
 but now Ah've got a bit saved up Ah kin go to the 
 city and pick th' gal Ah wants. 
 
 "And lem'me tell yuh, John! In the Movies 
 them gals what looks so pritty make fine farm- 
 wives. Gosh, but one city gal with yaller curls
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 71 
 
 hadn't a cent to live on when she met a feller 
 what owned a little ranch in Arizony. They 
 hooked up and she was that happy on the farm! 
 She churned the butter and fed chickens and did 
 all the chores. And he looked after the stock. 
 Evenin's she played and sang fer him and he sat 
 in a big arm-chair and smiled at her. 
 
 "That's the kind of wife Ah wants, John and 
 how kin Ah sit and listen to Sary sing? Mebbe 
 she kin churn better'n that one I saw in the Mov- 
 ies, but Ah bet a plugged penny that she cain't 
 play a pianner!" 
 
 Jeb's tone was so emphatic at the last accusa- 
 tion of Sary's short-comings, that John almost 
 rolled from his horse with laughter. 
 
 Now Jeb had said all that he had to say, so 
 he waited patiently for John to get over his 
 spasm of laughter. Then he looked at him as 
 if to ask what had he to say about such positive 
 evidence as he had brought forth, regarding the 
 Movie girl making the best kind of a rancher's 
 wife? 
 
 "Oh, Jeb! How I love your innocence!" 
 gasped John, wiping his eyes on the back of his 
 hand. "I shall certainly sue the Movies for be- 
 traying your trust and faith in womenkind. For 
 they sure did more than amuse you for .your
 
 72 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 dime. You took for a solid fact, all the silly 
 mush you saw on the screen as real life. But, 
 it was reel life, Jeb, spelled with two 'eV instead 
 of the genuine r-e-a-1 way. 
 
 "Jeb, how'd you like to spend every nickel 
 you've saved, on a girl with dyed hair, belladonna 
 eyes, painted lips you could never kiss, blackened 
 eye-lashes and eye-brows, and goodness only knows 
 what else she puts on and takes off to look pretty 
 in the pictures?" 
 
 Jeb listened with loose jaw and wide-opened 
 eyes to this strange description of all the lady- 
 loves he knew on the screen. 
 
 "Why, Jeb, these blonde Movie beauties have 
 a different husband every few months. The ones 
 who play star-leads make the biggest splash in the 
 puddles, but the little ones try to mimic the big 
 stars and get into all sorts of trouble. I haven't 
 heard of but two or three who could treat a good 
 husband decently. As for sitting at home play- 
 ing and singing for you ha, ha, hal It costs 
 about five hundred dollars each evening to enter- 
 tain one of them. 
 
 "Churn? Did you say she looked so cute in 
 a big bungalow apron churning the butter on a 
 vine-clad porch? Didn't the porch open right out 
 on a little pasture and tidy barnyard, where her
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 73 
 
 devoted husband could stand admiring her? Was 
 it a dear little one-and-a-half story vine-clad house 
 painted white, with green wooden shutters?" 
 
 "Uh, huh ! Just so ! Did you see that gal, 
 John?" eagerly asked Jeb. 
 
 "Jeb, the Movies use that same little house and 
 painted scenery for every farm-picture they 
 make. Sometimes a deserted wife hangs to the 
 post of the porch and plans to kill herself. Or 
 sometimes it is the husband who hears how his 
 head man ran away with his foolish little wife. 
 But, Jeb, never believe anything you see in the 
 Movies, for they have turned more heads than 
 you can count, by their subtle ways. Everything 
 always ends right in the Movies, but it is seldom 
 so in real life. 
 
 "Now do you want my best advice, Jeb?'* 
 
 "Ah shore do, John, cuz you-all knows what's 
 whatl" 
 
 "Then listen, Jeb, and think things over well 
 before you leave Pebbly Pit and take your money 
 away to spend on a pretty Movie gal. 
 
 "You say that Sary is a right smart cook and 
 houseworker. You admit that she is thrifty, and 
 will save that money you've got hidden away in 
 the barn. 
 
 "Now look at that good-fer-nothing Bill Dodd
 
 74 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 she married! In less than a year she had him 
 working on a ranch that she saved up for. Didn't 
 she keep him at it until it was most paid up? If 
 he hadn't gone with the flu, that ranch'd been paid 
 for in another year. 
 
 "Sary isn't so feeble, neither. She can save 
 twenty more ranches before she cripples up. Any 
 man who has ambition would make no mistake 
 in choosing Sary. Now I believe Sary would 
 make a big man of you, Jeb. 
 
 "She may not dye her hair or paint her fac, 
 but she's got a square look, and we-all know what 
 sound stock she comes of. There isn't a better 
 family in all Colorado than the Morson's. And 
 Sary Morson is all there ! She has sterling quali- 
 ties that will last after beauty and singing is worn 
 thread-bare. 
 
 "Of course she isn't anything like Anne Stewart 
 there never was any girl like her! But you 
 make a big mistake if you go away to find a pretty 
 girl, all dolled up like the Movie Queens, for your 
 wife. She'd take all your money and laugh at 
 you the next moment. 
 
 "I've lived in big cities, Jeb, and seen a lot 
 of the ways of pretty girls who dress up and pose 
 for the boys, but not one of that kind is worth 
 a shake. Take it from me, Jeb, you'd be happy
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 75 
 
 and contented if you had a ranch of your own, 
 and a sensible wife to make you toe the mark. 
 You're too easy for any other sort, Jeb, although 
 you figure that you need an ideal. Not so, my 
 man!" 
 
 Jeb heaved a mighty sigh as if he was passing 
 on his rainbow dreams forever. Then he turned 
 sorrowful eyes on John. 
 
 "Wall, Ah cain't fergit that pooty gal in a 
 hurry, even when Sary heaves in sight wid a 
 heaped plate of puddin' fer me. Ah s'pose Ah'll 
 hev to let her marry me, er git out to onct. 
 Sence yuh've ben talkin', Ah have a sort of weak- 
 enin' fer her capable ways, and shore ez shootin', 
 she'll grab the first chanst Ah gives her to know 
 the wust, because this is leap-year." 
 
 John shouted with laughter again, and Tom 
 Latimer turned back his horse to ask what the 
 joke was about. 
 
 "Nothing that concerns little boys like you, 
 Tom," laughed John, as he winked at his friend. 
 
 "But I feel sure I can be of help to Jeb as well 
 as to you, John," insisted Tom. 
 
 "No, Mis'r Tom. It's all over," sighed Jeb, 
 in a funereal tone. "Ah've made up mah mind 
 to take the med'cine, er beat it!" 
 
 With that, Jeb spurred his horse on and joined
 
 76 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 his master, leaving John to merely hint at the 
 great trouble that almost disrupted the household 
 at Pebbly Pit. "Now, thank Heavens, I have 
 saved the ranch from ruin, and united two hearts 
 that ought to beat as one, hereafter!" 
 
 Tom laughed. "I'm glad you confessed to your 
 profession. I'll be wary of your match-making, 
 in the future." 
 
 "But you have to find matches before you can 
 make them," laughed John. 
 
 "You are so blind that you only see one pretty 
 girl at Pebbly Pit, whereas there are four!" ex- 
 claimed Tom, smilingly. 
 
 "Four! Anne Stewart is one, and Miss May- 
 nard may consider herself lovely enough for a 
 match I don't. But mother and Sary will never 
 consent to your including them in your match- 
 making." 
 
 "Hah! I thought so! You are so blind over 
 Anne Stewart, that you fail to see how your 
 own little sister is growing up to be a stunning 
 miss. Why, she will be a beauty at twenty, for 
 she is on the high-way there already." 
 
 "Tom!" gasped John. "Wh-y Polly is only 
 a child!" 
 
 "That's what all brothers think of their pretty 
 sisters. Some day, a fine young fellow will think
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 77 
 
 differently, and you'll want to club him. But the 
 trouble is, that Polly will think exactly as the hand- 
 some man thinks, and she will not listen to her 
 big brother's advice to remain a little girl. 
 
 "Besides Polly, there is Eleanor Maynard. 
 She, too, is a fine girl and will grow to wonder- 
 ful womanhood. Now, John, take more notice 
 of your 'little' sister, for she is what we boys call 
 a 'peach.' " 
 
 "Ha, ha, ha ! I've never heard you say so 
 much about a girl in my life ! If I didn't know 
 better, I'd say you were half-way in love with 
 Polly, yourself. But I know what a quitter you 
 are whenever there is a girl in the party," laughed 
 John. 
 
 Tom flushed slightly but made no reply. Be- 
 fore John could tease him any further, the party 
 reached Four Mile Blaze. Mike tolled off the 
 riders, and warned each one to give strictest at- 
 tention to the going as one misstep meant a 
 crippled horse or a serious accident. 
 
 From there on, the men rode through the lodge- 
 pole forest to avoid the great mass of debris 
 formed of rocks, earth, and torn-up trees that 
 obstructed the old trail. Simms felt sure his man 
 had escaped in some miraculous manner, after 
 the avalanche swept him from his feet. But see-
 
 78 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 ing the mountains of wood-trash that were washed 
 down from the peak and piled up everywhere, he 
 lost faith. 
 
 Still he and his men were bound to make the 
 most of the least hope, so they sought thoroughly 
 over the side where the two miners had been dis- 
 covered, that day. Nothing but trees, rocks, and 
 earth piled in toppling heaps on the steep slope 
 of the mountain were seen, however. 
 
 While Simms and Bill sought over every foot 
 of ground for their missing friend, Mike led Sam 
 Brewster and his two engineers, down the opposite 
 slope, to a blaze that told them they were going 
 towards the cave. But the nearer they came to the 
 claim, the greater was the destruction of the for- 
 est. Finally they could see where the ledge had 
 been, but so massed up was the trash that had 
 been swept down and over the side, that it was 
 impossible to reach the ravine. 
 
 Mike chuckled : "Him unner alia trees on Griz- 
 zly Sly him yaller insides safe miff!" 
 
 "You're right, Mike," laughed John. "If the 
 gold is in that spot it is safe enough for a long 
 time to come." 
 
 "I think this slide was the luckiest thing that 
 ever happened to the girls," ventured Tom Lati- 
 mer, thoughtfully.
 
 JOHN AND HIS FRIEND ARRIVE 79 
 
 "Why?" anxiously demanded Mr. Brewster, 
 visions of his darling being carried away to school 
 uppermost in his mind. 
 
 "When we are ready to bore for the gold, this 
 trash will be an easy thing to burn and clear away. 
 Meantime, it keeps off all claim-jumpers or thieves 
 who need a little hard yellow metal." 
 
 "But you must admit that it is a tough proposi- 
 tion to mine here," said Mr. Brewster. "A land- 
 slide is apt to happen any moment and bury all 
 the apparatus. All previous efforts will be wiped 
 out and you must begin all over again. Then 
 consider the difficulty of transportation, from this 
 peak down the long trail, and over miles of rough 
 country to the Oak Creek railway." 
 
 "Hoh! a mere bagatelle, Mr. Brewster, when 
 gold weighs in the other scale. Why, men will 
 dig through the earth for gold! See what hap- 
 pened in Alaska. Once men found gold to be 
 had for the pain and privation they would be 
 forced to endure, they gladly gave up home, loved 
 ones, all for the lust of gold. 
 
 "And see what that drive did for Alaska. Rail- 
 roads opened, cities founded, people settled there, 
 and all because men fought with odds against 
 finding buried gold!" 
 
 "We wouldn't have to worry over this out-of-
 
 8o POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the-way mine if father would consent to have his 
 cliffs utilized," hinted John. 
 
 "Not with my consent !" retorted Sam Brewster. 
 
 "Well, come on, Mike. Let's pitch camp and 
 get something to eat," said John, resignedly. 
 
 "It's not that I have any silly sentiment over 
 the cliffs, my boys don't mistake me there. But 
 I have a serious reason for refusing to coin money 
 out of that beauty at least for a few years to 
 
 come." 
 
 "If I guess the truth about it, will you admit 
 it to me some day?" quizzed Tom La timer, his 
 eyes twinkling. 
 
 "No, sir! Not even to my wife it's my 
 secret!"
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT THE BEAVERS 
 
 AFTER breakfast the four girls asked each 
 other what there was to do. They had had so 
 much excitement all week, that the simple life 
 palled on them. 
 
 "It's exactly like drinking milk after you have 
 been kept on spice-beer for a long time," laughed t 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "Well, Nolla and I have an invitation to spend 
 the day with friends of mine. We can ride over 
 there any time," said Polly. 
 
 "Then for goodness' sake, come on! I'll be 
 asleep again if we don't do something," exclaimed 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "All right, I'll saddle Noddy and you can have 
 Choko. We will have to harness them ourselves 
 now that Jeb is away, and the other hands are 
 working on the ranch." 
 
 "You're not going far, are you?" asked Anne, 
 suspiciously. 
 
 to
 
 82 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Polly laughed. "Not as far as we went yes- 
 terday." 
 
 Mrs. Brewster had been told where Polly 
 planned to take Eleanor, and she smiled approv- 
 ingly. A nice luncheon was packed up and placed 
 in the panniers of the burros, and the three grown- 
 ups stood and watched the two girls ride down 
 the trail to Rainbow Cliff. 
 
 As they went, Eleanor said: "Did you men- 
 tion the name of your friends? I forgot, if you 
 have." 
 
 Polly laughed. "Maybe I told you, but I don't 
 remember now. Anyway, you wouldn't know 
 them if I did tell you their names." 
 
 "But what do you call them when you address 
 them?" 
 
 "I always call the old one 'Grandfather,' but 
 he has a large family that I never bother with. 
 He is our friend. 
 
 "This family lives and does queer things that 
 no city folks ever dream of," added Polly. 
 
 "Something like that Halsey woman, eh?" 
 laughed Eleanor, who had heard from Sary about 
 the disobedient children. 
 
 "The Beavers are too polite to force their 
 company on us. And as we may not care to eat
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 83 
 
 as they do, I decided to bring lunch, which we can 
 enjoy by ourselves," explained Polly. 
 
 Noddy and Choko now reached the trail lead- 
 ing up the pine-tipped crest of the mountain back 
 of Pebbly Pit, and were soon climbing through 
 a veritable wilderness of sage-brush and aspens. 
 
 "My, what a place to live in!" said Eleanor, 
 surprised. 
 
 "It's not far, now," returned Polly. 
 
 Shortly after this, Polly turned Noddy from 
 the old trail and plunged into a thicket of aspens. 
 
 "Good gracious! How can they ever find 
 their own home?" wondered Eleanor, gazing at 
 the closely growing aspen trees. 
 
 "They know everything! And Noddy knows 
 the way by this time, too, as I like to come here 
 and spend the day. Besides there are blazes on 
 the large trees to guide one." 
 
 Noddy came out of the aspen grove after a 
 time and then followed a mountain-stream up- 
 trail for half a mile or so, before turning to look 
 at her rider. 
 
 "Oh, you wise little Noddy. How did you 
 know I wanted to stop here?" laughed Polly, pat- 
 ting the burro affectionately. 
 
 Noddy flicked back her long ears in approval
 
 84 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 of such words and petting, but Eleanor's cry 
 made the burro listen intently. 
 
 "Polly! What a dreadful place to live in I 
 Surely no one exists in this lonesome wilderness, 
 do they?" 
 
 "Mr. Beaver is clearing away the aspens just 
 as fast as he can, but as soon as they are all cut 
 down, he will move the whole family to some 
 other dense grove, as they live on aspens, you 
 know." 
 
 "What what! I didn't understand you!" 
 cried Eleanor. 
 
 Polly laughed as she pointed to a pond made 
 by a dam crudely built across the stream. It 
 was rough and queer looking, but it answered its 
 purpose very well. 
 
 Eleanor saw half a dozen conical shaped huts 
 built of mud in a row across the dam, then she 
 stared at both sides of the stream, up and down, 
 but no other habitation could she see. On the 
 opposite bank several large trees had been felled 
 and a quantity of aspens had been cut down 
 and piled in confusion on the edge of the 
 water. 
 
 "Do your ranchers live near hear?" asked she. 
 
 "I didn't say they were ranchers, Nolla." 
 
 "Well, woodcutters, or what you call them!"
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 85; 
 
 "Yes," laughed Polly, "they are woodcutters 
 and live in those mud huts." 
 
 "What?" cried Eleanor again. 
 
 "S-sh ! Not so loud or you will frighten them 
 away!" 
 
 "Polly impossible! What do you mean any- 
 way?" ' 
 
 "The beavers live there until the family grows 
 too large, then they either build another story 
 to the house, or start a new colony where aspens 
 can be had in plenty. As there are so many young 
 aspens here in perfect security, for the, beavers, 
 Grandfather Beaver remains here." 
 
 "Oh, Polly ! You mean they are real beavers!" 
 gasped Eleanor. 
 
 "Yes, and I knew you would love to see them 
 at work, but we have to keep very quiet if we 
 want them to come out." 
 
 "Tell me about them quick before we have 
 to go away," begged Eleanor, eagerly. 
 
 "We won't have to go, but we have to keep 
 quiet. You see they must have been cutting as- 
 pens over there, when they heard us coming and 
 so they made a dive for safety. They are now 
 hiding in the huts." 
 
 "What can we do to coax them out again?" 
 
 "We'll lead the burros to the park to graze,
 
 86 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 and we'll come back and sit quietly on this rock 
 to watch for them." 
 
 So the two burros were taken to a small near- 
 by clearing where buffalo grass offered a juicy 
 repast for them. Having hobbled them to keep 
 them from straying, Polly led the way back to 
 the beaver-dam. 
 
 "If you were over there to examine those cut 
 aspens you would find each one about eighteen 
 inches long and about one and a half inches thick. 
 The beavers always build near an aspen grove, 
 as it is their food, but not finding a grove near 
 the water, they have to swim up or down until 
 they reach what they need. That is why you 
 find their huts on water," explained Polly. 
 
 "But I've heard they are water animals." 
 
 Before Polly could reply, a sleek head bobbed 
 up from the water near one of the huts and 
 Eleanor gasped with surprise. The beaver swam 
 to the opposite bank where the trees had been 
 cut down. He climbed quickly out of the stream 
 and started to roll a heavy log over the ground 
 until it splashed down into the pond. He then 
 jumped after it and continued rolling and push- 
 ing it along till he reached the dam. Instantly, 
 more beavers came out from the huts and assisted 
 in towing the log to their dam of aspens.
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 87 
 
 "Oh, oh, Polly!" whispered Eleanor in excited 
 astonishment, but Polly held her finger over her 
 lips in warning. 
 
 "I do believe they plan to build a new dam 
 further up-stream, Nolla. If that is so, we will 
 have something worth while to watch for dur- 
 ing the next few days. Just now they are re- 
 pairing the old houses for the Winter, and that 
 log is to be a bulwark about which green cuttings 
 of willow and young aspens can be woven as a 
 partial strainer for the water. The debris that 
 thus collects in the chinks between the cuttings, 
 makes the dam firmer and yet more flexible than 
 a solid structure would." 
 
 Just then, the sound of a falling tree made 
 Eleanor jump and look across the stream. 
 
 "Other industrious beavers cutting down an- 
 other tree," explained Polly. 
 
 "How do they ever do it, Poll?" 
 
 "If you watch, you will see that beaver go to 
 work." 
 
 Not one beaver appeared, but four that hur- 
 ried to the bank and moved the newly cut tree 
 into the water. One of the four dragged the 
 tree with its branches still on, into the mid-stream 
 where, catching a heavy branch between his teeth, 
 he steered it to the row of huts.
 
 88 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Directly back of the first one, swam the other 
 three, each dragging a section of tree to deposit 
 on the dam, where an old beaver was hard at 
 work. As soon as the first beaver reached the 
 huts, the old fellow gave a peculiar call that 
 brought out a score or more of workers. They 
 all went to their tasks as if drilled by a master. 
 
 "My old Grandfather is not there this morn- 
 ing, or that other boss would not be taking his 
 place," whispered Polly. 
 
 Eleanor had been using her eyes to good ad- 
 vantage and now called to Polly anxiously. 
 "Look a'there, Polly! Those beavers are eat- 
 ing the tree !" 
 
 "They're not eating it but are cutting it down. 
 Now you watch and you will see how they do it." 
 
 The tree in question, stood on the shore and 
 was about six inches in diameter and about sixteen 
 feet in height. The boss of another group of 
 beavers tested the tree by placing his fore-paws 
 against the trunk and spreading out his hind legs 
 as a bracer. He sat upon his tail and took a 
 deliberate bite from the bark. No wonder Elea- 
 nor thought he was eating the tree! 
 
 After gnawing at one side, he thumped the 
 ground with his extended tail and ran away. 
 Other beavers took his place and began cutting in
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 89 
 
 much the same manner. Then the boss beaver, 
 who was superintending the work, pushed the 
 workers away and showed them how to work in 
 a better way. This done, the boss thumped the 
 ground with his tail just as a policeman strikes 
 the walk with his night-club and the cutters went 
 back to work. 
 
 Suddenly the boss thumped the ground re- 
 peatedly and the cutters ran to a safe distance. 
 A moment later, the tree began swaying and 
 crashed down into the pond. It had been so cut 
 and planned that labor and time would be saved 
 by throwing it directly into the stream. 
 
 It was towed down into the general harvest- 
 pile and left for other colonists to saw into re- 
 quired shape and length for the additions to their 
 huts. 
 
 Soon after this, a number of beavers came forth 
 and swam to the extreme upper end of the pond. 
 Here they climbed up ; on the bank and disappeared 
 from sight in the aspen-covered forest. 
 
 "Where are they going?" asked Eleanor, anxi- 
 ously. 
 
 "We'll soon find out!" declared Polly. 
 
 As Polly spoke, a beaver swam along the bank 
 and scrambled out quite near the spot where the 
 two girls sat quietly watching. He sniffed and
 
 90 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 then plunged back to hurry to the huts where 
 he must have reported the result of his trip. 
 Immediately after, the boss commanded him to 
 lead the way, and both returned to the place for 
 a thorough investigation. 
 
 The scout brought his boss up the bank and 
 sniffed. Polly and Eleanor were quivering with 
 excitement, as they saw the beavers making for 
 the trail. 
 
 "Let's see what is wrong?" whispered Polly, 
 cocking her rifle in case of emergency. 
 
 "Oh, don't do that!" cried Eleanor, catching 
 hold of Polly's arm. 
 
 "Stop ! Let go that is how accidents happen. 
 You drag on one's arm and the trigger, all ready 
 to fire, is pulled accidentally. I know what I am 
 about, so you need have no concern." 
 
 Eleanor felt chagrined and meekly followed 
 Polly after this. They crept through the woods 
 without making a sound. 
 
 The two beavers reached the clearing where 
 Noddy and Choko were grazing, and the moment 
 the boss saw the burros, he turned and snapped 
 at the foolish scout that had brought him this 
 journey for naught! But the subdued laughter 
 from the girls made the beavers rush pell-mell into
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 91 
 
 the pond to wonder whether burros could laugh 
 like that! 
 
 On the way back to their rock of observation, 
 Polly said, "Beavers are slow and awkward on 
 land so that the agile panther, the alert wild- 
 cat, or wolves and bears, form a constant menace 
 td them. Because of their unwieldy and short 
 legs, they cannot escape quickly, but in water they 
 are wonderful swimmers, so, water being necessary 
 to their safety, they build their huts on the dams 
 that will not bear up other wild animals. If their 
 dams were constructed solidly, the beavers would 
 soon be extinct, as forest savages would crawl 
 over and glut on the helpless prey." 
 
 "Didn't you say we could follow those other 
 ones that went up-stream?" asked Eleanor. 
 
 "Yes, come on," replied Polly, leading the way 
 for some distance before seeing a sign of a beaver 
 again. Then suddenly, she clutched hold of Elea- 
 nor's arm. 
 
 "Ah, there's Grandfather, hard at work!" 
 
 "Where which?" cried Eleanor, eagerly. 
 
 "The one with a limp and a twisted back!" 
 
 The girls had reached a place where the stream 
 widened and here they found a great number of 
 beavers at work. Some cutting, some dragging,
 
 92 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 others swimming with aspens, willows and alders, 
 and all ordered about by an old crippled beaver. 
 
 But despite his twisted back and decided halt 
 in gait, he moved about quicker than the others, 
 showing them where to place, how to saw, 
 when to cut the aspens, and other important de- 
 tails of construction. 
 
 "There are a lot of pines, Polly why doesn't 
 he use them?" 
 
 "A beaver doesn't like the smelly, pitchy wood, 
 so they never cut them unless they have to clear 
 a roadway from an aspen grove to the stream 
 of water." 
 
 "Then they ought to use all those trees already 
 down. There are lots that have been felled by 
 forest fires, I guess." 
 
 "There again they show their wisdom," ex- 
 plained Polly. "A beaver never cuts dead wood 
 as it dulls and injures his teeth. And dead wood 
 does not last like live trees, either." 
 
 At this moment, Grandfather Beaver seemed 
 to sniff a familiar as well as a doubtful presence. 
 He lifted his nose high and thumped his tail for 
 an assistant. Leaving commands with this bea- 
 ver, the Grandfather went into the stream and 
 swam away. 
 
 Eleanor was sorry to lose sight of him, but al-
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 93 
 
 most before she could speak, the old fellow rose 
 laboriously from the water just in front of her. 
 He waited, sniffing anxiously, but found a stranger 
 with his friend, so he half-slid back into the 
 stream. 
 
 Polly made strange sounds and ran down to- 
 wards him. To Eleanor's amazement the old 
 fellow actually expressed joy at seeing a friend. 
 He emitted peculiar sounds and Polly stood a few 
 feet away uttering queer sounds, too. Then he 
 sent her a look of love if there ever was one 
 and after this welcome he slid back into the water 
 to continue the work as overseer. 
 
 "Polly Brewster I never in all my life !" 
 gasped Eleanor. 
 
 Polly laughed as she watched her beaver join 
 the workers and scold them for laziness while he 
 was absent visiting a friend. 
 
 "Let's get the burros, now, and I'll show you 
 a place where we can lunch while I tell you how 
 Grandfather and I got to know each other so 
 well," suggested Polly. 
 
 As the girls rode along the up-trail, Polly told 
 the stor^. 
 
 * "A few years ago, while out adventuring, I 
 found this colony of beavers. I wanted father 
 
 * A true story.
 
 94 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 to come with me and see them, but he was too 
 busy that year. 
 
 "The following Summer, however, he came and 
 we sat on the same rock where you and I sat 
 to-day. 
 
 "We had to wait for ten minutes or more, 
 before a beaver came out of his hut in the dam. 
 It was not as large or strong a dam, then, as 
 now. The beaver was anxious to reach a spot 
 in the aspen grove where we could hear the other 
 beavers at work. 
 
 "To reach the grove, he had to come up out 
 of the stream and cross some land to the other 
 pond. Just as he climbed up from the water, 
 he sniffed danger. He was directly opposite 
 us and we could see everything very plainly. 
 
 "Father lifted his rifle slowly and very care- 
 fully, and I looked intently to see what it was 
 that he saw. 
 
 "On a bough of a tree almost directly over the 
 beaver, I saw a lithe serpentine thing twitching 
 as if a snake was trying to curl up. But I knew 
 it wasn't a snake. It must be the long tail of 
 a panther who was crouching for a leap, but I 
 could not distinguish a body back of the foliage 
 of the tree. 
 
 "The beaver stood uncertain of action for a
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 95 
 
 moment, and as he turned to dive again to safety, 
 the mountain-lion sprang. At the same instant, 
 father pulled the trigger. But the panther 
 landed almost on top of the beaver's back, while 
 the shot must have grazed his head, making him 
 rage furiously. 
 
 "The beaver, who was on the verge of the 
 stream, fought valiantly with teeth and his power- 
 ful strength, but the lion had the upper hold on 
 him. Slowly the two squirmed and rolled, the 
 beaver trying to drag his enemy into the stream, 
 and the panther fighting to keep his prey on land. 
 
 " 'Father shoot shoot ! Even if you kill the 
 beaver!' I yelled, as I closed my eyes from the 
 awful sight. 
 
 "But daddy already had taken aim and even as 
 I spoke, he pulled the trigger. This time his 
 shot took effect for we saw the beast loose his 
 hold on the beaver and roll over writhing in 
 agony. 
 
 "Father rushed along the bank and crept over 
 the beaver-dam to the other side. Then he put 
 the lion out of pain with a third shot, and stooped 
 to examine the beaver. 
 
 "We always take a doctor's pocket-case when 
 going on a trip, and father now took it out, so I 
 knew the beaver was not dead.
 
 96 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 " 'Poll, try to come over here and bring a pan, 
 sheath-knife, and some hartshorn from the pack.' 
 
 "I did as I was told, and stood helping father 
 when the beaver came too after getting a big 
 whiff of hartshorn. We washed the torn flesh 
 with water, and father poured on something from 
 a bottle that made the old fellow squirm, but he 
 sensed that we were helping him and he offered 
 no resistance. 
 
 "Well, Nolla, when we were done with our 
 surgical work, you just ought to have seen that 
 beaver's gratitude shining from his round eyes. 
 
 "When he had recovered sufficiently to start 
 for home, father swam beside him. And it was 
 well he did for the poor fellow could not have 
 made it alone. Father towed him across the 
 pond and left him on the dam. There, the boss 
 (for he was the boss of the colony) made a strange 
 sound and instantly, a score of beavers came out. 
 
 "Meantime, father had left him alone while 
 I stood a distance away and watched the scene 
 eagerly. As many beavers as could get near him, 
 managed to roll and push him up on the dam 
 where he lay stretched out. 
 
 "Father did not think the poor thing would 
 recover, but I thought he would, so we went back 
 the next day, but he had disappeared.
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR VISIT 97 
 
 "We wished we could find out in some way, 
 whether our friend was recovering or whether he 
 had died and was buried by his family. So father 
 decided to creep out on the dam and investigate. 
 I went, too, and no sooner had we tried to make 
 the same queer sound the Grandfather had made 
 that day, than a beaver poked his nose out of a 
 hut and sniffed. Quickly he disappeared again, 
 but in a few moments, he came out and stood 
 quite close to us making queer sounds at us. He 
 was not afraid, so we took it that he was report- 
 ing on the health of our friend. 
 
 "We did not see Grandfather again that Sum- 
 mer, so early last Spring I went to visit my colony, 
 and there was my friend, bossing things as usual. 
 But his back was crooked and he had to walk with 
 a lame twist, so I suppose that lion injured his 
 backbone. 
 
 "I made a queer sound and he listened. He 
 recognized me and swam over to thump his tail 
 on the ground in front of my rock. I was so de- 
 lighted that I rushed home and brought father 
 over. Then you should have seen that beaver! 
 He squirmed, and barked, and thumped his tail. 
 It was like the meeting of a long-lost friend. 
 Father was so impressed by the incident that he 
 went to Denver and secured permission from the
 
 98 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Government Land Survey Office to establish a per- 
 manent reserve here for the beavers. Now they 
 have law protection and may rest unmolested by 
 hunters or trappers." 
 
 "Oh, Polly! It's just like a fairy tale, but 
 much more interesting. What became of the 
 nasty panther?" cried Eleanor. 
 
 "He's stretched on our living-room floor that 
 skin by the fire-place. We had an awful time 
 lugging the beast home, but I was determined to 
 walk on his head every chance 1 got, so we swung 
 him on a pole and managed to induce the horses to 
 be reasonable about the dead creature." 
 
 By the time Polly had concluded her story, 
 the burros reached the bluff where the girls camped 
 and prepared luncheon. This day of closer inti- 
 macy for the two girls, sealed a life-long friendship 
 between them. Neither girl had ever had a chum 
 of her own age, and now they found so much to 
 admire and respect in each other that their com- 
 panionship continued without the usual envy, quar- 
 rels or jealousies so common in school life between 
 school-mates.
 
 THE PANTHER WAS ABOUT TO LEAP UPON THE BEAVER. 
 Polly and Eleanor. Pa S e 94
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 
 
 DURING the absence of Polly and Eleanor from 
 Pebbly Pit, that Saturday, Mrs. Brewster made 
 preparations for the entertainment of the young 
 visitors who were expected on the morrow. So 
 many days that week had been wasted in riding 
 about the country that the pantry was almost bare. 
 Chickens were killed and dressed, pies baked, and 
 other delectable viands made ready for Sunday's 
 dinner and tea. 
 
 No word had come from the scouting party on 
 Grizzly Slide, but Mrs. Brewster said she had no 
 idea of hearing from them until they had com- 
 pleted their investigations and returned home. 
 Polly and Eleanor were well tired out when they 
 reached the house, after their visit to the beavers, 
 and made no demur when early bed was suggested 
 to them. 
 
 Sunday was a glorious day and the girls bustled 
 
 99
 
 loo POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 around rearranging the living-room, and seeing 
 that the hammock with its cushions and the wicker 
 porch chairs, were invitingly placed. Their own 
 appearance had been seriously discussed so that 
 both girls felt suitably dressed when the time came 
 for the young surveyors to arrive. 
 
 Eleanor had loaned Polly one of her prettiest 
 organdies, and had arranged her really beautiful 
 hair becomingly. Silk stockings now encased 
 Polly's shapely limbs, and her new low shoes 
 looked twice as well with the sheen of silk above 
 them. 
 
 Eleanor wore a dress similar to the one Polly 
 had on, and tried to appear as like her as possible, 
 so that no unfair advantage should arise from 
 appearances. Barbara smiled scornfully at what 
 she considered "childishness" in Eleanor. "Why 
 should she want to have Polly look as well as she 
 could? And why bother, anyway, to dress up 
 for a nobody like Kenneth Evans? Of course, 
 it would be all right for Jim Latimer if he were 
 at home but not in the wilderness. Chances 
 were that the boys would wear everyday working 
 clothes." But all her "cold water" failed to dam- 
 pen the spirits of the girls. 
 
 The hour for the boys' expected appearance
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 101 
 
 came and went but no sound of horse-hoof was 
 heard echoing from the rocky trail that led past 
 the Cliffs. 
 
 "Why ! It is now eleven, and they were to be 
 here at ten-thirty," remarked Eleanor, hearing the 
 old clock strike the hour. 
 
 "Are you sure that that foolish-looking boy un- 
 derstood he was to tell Jim about coming here 
 Sunday?" asked Barbara, feeling rather pleased 
 that the girls felt fidgety over the nonappearance 
 of their company. 
 
 "He wasn't foolish-looking at all! In fact I 
 never saw such a fine head with such intelligence 
 as he had," retorted Eleanor. 
 
 "Come on, Nolla, let's walk down to the Cliffs 
 and sit up on the 'Guards' where we can see the 
 trail all the way to Bear Forks," suggested Polly, 
 jumping up from the chair. 
 
 "All right! we may meet them before we get 
 there," added Eleanor. 
 
 "You two certainly are acting silly over a mere 
 boy you know nothing about!" snapped Barbara, 
 who felt peeved at losing the targets for her sar- 
 casm. 
 
 The only reply given this parting shot was a 
 merry laugh. Both girls skipped blithely along
 
 102 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the path and were soon out of sight where the 
 roadway ran behind the steep banks of the ter 
 race. 
 
 "Now that we are out of the way of Bob's 
 eyes and tongue, let's go slower or we'll spoil our 
 shoes," said Eleanor, stopping to see if any dust 
 showed on her shiny toes. 
 
 "And we won't climb the high Guards, but just 
 sit on the ledge nearest the trail," added Polly. 
 
 The Sunday dinner hour at Pebbly Pit was usu- 
 ally at one o'clock, so everything was ready and 
 waiting just before that time. But no visitors 
 appeared, and Mrs. Brewster sent Anne down 
 the road to see if the girls and boys were visit- 
 ing the Causeway and other unusual features of 
 Rainbow Cliffs. 
 
 "Oh, Anne! Are you alone?" called Eleanor, 
 when she saw the messenger coming from the 
 house. 
 
 "Yes are you?" returned Anne, shading her 
 eyes from the sun, as she looked up at the ledge. 
 
 "Come on up," Polly called, leaning over the 
 rocks. 
 
 Anne soon joined them and looked around. 
 "Where do you suppose those boys can be?" 
 
 "That's just what we want to know. I'm sure 
 we were plain enough in telling that boy that he
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 103 
 
 was to come over with Jim Latimer for Sunday 
 weren't we?" demanded Eleanor. 
 
 "I thought it was plain enough, but Bob de- 
 clares that the boy was too stupid to understand 
 a simple invitation. She is in her glory because 
 every one is disappointed," said Anne. 
 
 "I wouldn't let her see me feeling bad for any- 
 thing!" exclaimed Polly, stiffly. "But I do wish 
 they would come, because I wanted to find out if 
 he ever knew any one like our Old Man Mon- 
 tresor." 
 
 "Look! See way over there out on the Bear 
 Forks road?" now exclaimed Eleanor, pointing 
 away towards the distant trail. 
 
 "Sure enough !" breathed Anne, with relief. 
 
 "But there are three, and we only expected two. 
 Who can the other one be?" added Polly. 
 
 "Maybe they are not our company, at all, but 
 some ranchers riding that way," suggested Elea- 
 nor, fearfully. 
 
 "Ranchers seldom ride that trail, and never 
 on Sundays. Now look!" said Polly. 
 
 The three horses had stopped and soon, one 
 rider was seen going along the trail to Ok Creek, 
 while the other two turned in at the gulch trail 
 and disappeared under the giant over-hanging 
 rocks.
 
 104 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Hurrah!" shouted Eleanor, waving her sun- 
 hat wildly about her head. 
 
 "I reckon our company is coming, after all," 
 said Polly, smiling with satisfaction. 
 
 "I'll run back and tell your mother, Polly, as 
 it will be at least half an hour before they can 
 reach the house," said Anne, happy also that Bar- 
 bara was to be silently contradicted. 
 
 "Don't dally around here, girls, when your com- 
 pany joins you," advised Anne, turning around, 
 after she had started down the cliff-side. 
 
 "I reckon we'd better go back with you mother 
 can be the first to say how-dy to them," ventured 
 Polly, looking like a stage-struck amateur at her 
 first appearance before the public. 
 
 "See here, Polly Brewster ! Don't you go back 
 on me! I wouldn't have Bob watching us meet 
 those boys and then laughing at us afterwards, 
 for anything in the world ! We'll stay right here 
 and get acquainted before we go to the house to 
 be teased and made to feel uncomfortable," de- 
 clared Eleanor, who knew her sister only too 
 well. 
 
 "I guess Eleanor's right, Polly; it struck me that 
 that nice young boy was rather shy with strangers 
 so you will be doing him a great favor if you get 
 acquainted here and then bring him to the house
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 105 
 
 to meet the rest of us," admitted Anne, then she 
 ran down the steep sides of the rocks. 
 
 Now and then the waiting girls had glimpses 
 of the two riders as they rode along the winding 
 trail past the Cliffs. And Jim Latimer also 
 caught a glimpse of the girls as he happened to 
 pause, to point out the Rainbow rocks to his 
 friend. Instantly he pulled off his wide sombrero 
 and waved it gayly at his young hostesses. Then 
 both boys spurred their horses eagerly onward. 
 
 Eleanor and Jim felt perfectly at ease as they 
 met and shook hands, but it was evident that Polly 
 and Kenneth Evans were not accustomed to social 
 ways or behavior, for both acted rather awkward 
 at this meeting. However, Eleanor generally 
 fitted into any breach, and now she unconsciously 
 steered the would-be friendly craft of the four 
 past the reefs of self-consciousness into the haven 
 of youthful reciprocity. 
 
 "We thought you were never coming it's past 
 one o'clock you know, and we looked for you at 
 eleven," said she, catching Jim by the sleeve and 
 leading the way to the road where the two horses 
 were waiting. 
 
 "We expected to be here at half-past ten, or 
 eleven at the latest, but it is a long story to tell, 
 and we ought to explain to your mother at the
 
 io6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 same time," replied Jim, throwing the bridle over 
 his arm and starting to walk beside Eleanor. 
 
 Naturally, Kenneth and Polly followed, but 
 Eleanor turned around every other moment to in- 
 clude them in her vivacious conversation about 
 the land-slide and the fears that Choko's Find 
 was lost. 
 
 "Oh, but say! What a ripping chance we 
 missed, Ken, by not being one of the party on the 
 Slide, eh?" cried Jim, enviously. 
 
 "I'd like to be one of the party up there now. 
 Just fancy the opportunities one would have for 
 seeing how much he knows about engineering," 
 replied Kenneth. 
 
 "Maybe we can fix it so mother'll allow us to 
 show you the way up. I'd love to go again," 
 ventured Polly, enthusiastically, as she forgot her- 
 self in the absorbing subject of the gold mine. 
 
 "Ken and I have to be back at camp to-night! 
 That's the worst of being hired!" grumbled Jim. 
 
 "It's that, or being fired!" retorted Kenneth,, 
 laughingly. 
 
 Youth needs little to laugh at, so the four took 
 this little speech as a cue to laugh loud and long. 
 It attracted Barbara's attention. She had been 
 trying to read, but now she got up to frown at 
 the gay young people she saw climbing the road
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 107 
 
 to the house. Anne also heard the laughter and 
 hurriedly called to Mrs. Brewster: "They're al- 
 most here come right out." 
 
 So the visitors found a pleasant welcome await- 
 ing them as they reached the porch. Immediately 
 after greeting the ladies, the boys apologized for 
 their lateness. Jim then acted as spokesman. 
 
 "We feared we would not be able to be here, at 
 all, as the Boss of our Crew forbid any one tak- 
 ing out a horse to-day. Jake has charge of the 
 horses, you know, and he was instructed not to 
 pass one mount. 
 
 "Maybe the boys weren't furious 1 as we always 
 take Sundays to ride to Oak Creek. It's the only 
 off day we get. But Carew said we had a long 
 move to make to-morrow, and his horses had to 
 be fresh for the trip. 
 
 "Gee! I felt like thundering about camp, as 
 I had looked forward to this visit ever since Ken 
 told me about how he met you folks, and all. 
 Now we both were all fixed ready to make an early 
 start in the morning, and there would be no 
 horses ! 
 
 "Ken and I stole out late last night and tried 
 to bribe Jake with goodies, then with money, and 
 lastly I remembered tobacco I I agreed to hand 
 over a big bag of Cut Plug and a tin box of
 
 io8 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 cigarettes if he would loan us his two wagon- 
 horses. These he could use as they were not in- 
 cluded in the ban on the crew horses. 
 
 "But Jake is a wily fellow and wanted to see 
 our tobacco first. He knew that neither of us 
 used it and he doubted our having any!" 
 
 Jim chuckled at this, and Ken smiled sympa- 
 thetically. The ladies also smiled as an interested 
 audience will. Then the narrator continued : 
 
 "Ken and I knew where Jake kept the store 
 of tobacco that he always sold to the other sur- 
 veyors, so we fixed up a little scheme. We left 
 more than enough money to pay for what we took 
 and then hurried back to Jake with the gift of 
 tobacco. 
 
 "I wish you could have seen him scratch his 
 head in bewilderment when he saw us hand over 
 the star brand of tobacco he kept in stock ! Still 
 he refused to say whether we could start early 
 in the morning, and then I got good and mad. 
 If it wasn't for Ken, here, kicking me in the ribs, 
 I'd have spilled the beans!" 
 
 Every one laughed at Jim's slangy way of de- 
 scribing his interview with Jake, but he was full 
 of his subject and would not be laughed out of 
 countenance. 
 
 "Ken and I were getting ready to go to sleep,
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 109 
 
 when Jake crept under our tent flap and pulled 
 my foot to attract attention. 
 
 "There were three other surveyors in our tent, 
 and Jake did not wish them to hear what was go- 
 ing on. The lights were out, so we were not seen 
 as we slid under the canvas and joined the driver 
 over by the trees where no one could hear us 
 whisper. 
 
 " 'You fresh boys !' was the first thing Jake said. 
 
 "Then he laughed deep down in his throat, and 
 said; 'Ah kin bet on you boys, ef Ah lets you-all 
 have mah team to-morrer, you-all shore will 
 come back in time?' 
 
 "I eagerly promised everything, and he added : 
 'Ah sold a lot of tobakker to some one Ah don't 
 know, but it doesn't matter who the smoker is, 
 'cuz now Ah got mah money and tobakker, too! 
 It's 'cuz that feller is so smart that Ah feels shore 
 the Boss won't get wind of mah hosses bein' lent. 
 'Course Ah hez a right to use mah waggin-team ef 
 Ah likes, but Carew is strick and might get on 
 his high-hoss ef he learned Ah sent two of his men 
 on an errent.' 
 
 "I was so sure no one would ever know we rode 
 the horses if he would only loan them to us, that I 
 agreed to anything. 
 
 "Then he said: 'Wall, now, Ah left one of
 
 no 
 
 the crew's tripods over at Bear Forks line to-day 
 when Ford took an observation. AhVe got'ta go 
 fer it to-morrer er find some good-natured feller 
 who will go fer me. Ah've got'ta get a heap of 
 work done, to-morrer, and it looks well-nigh im- 
 possible fer me to get that tripod !' 
 
 "I caught on at once, and turned to Ken and 
 said: 'Why, Jake, I will get that tripod for you. 
 But I'd hate to walk so far as Bear Forks line, all 
 alone, you know.' 
 
 "That made Jake laugh softly and he said: 'Ef 
 you-all will find that tripod fer me, Ah'll lend you- 
 all the hosses fer the day.' 
 
 "So that is how we got away from camp, but 
 we have been hunting everywhere for that old 
 tripod and haven't seen a shadow of it. While 
 looking for it along the line that Ford surveyed 
 this week, we lost our way and had to have that 
 rancher show us the way back to Bear Forks trail. 
 That's why we are so late." 
 
 "Well, now that you are here, suppose you 
 brush up and get ready for dinner. I've had it 
 waiting this hour and a half," said Mrs. Brew- 
 ster, leading the way over to the pump. 
 
 "And maybe we aren't ready to do justice to 
 your cooking ! We haven't had a crumb since sup- 
 per last night, because we dared not ask the cook
 
 for sandwiches, and we left camp before break- 
 fast-time. Jake said we might not be permitted 
 to hunt up his tripod for him if any one learned 
 he was giving us his horses for the trip," explained 
 Kenneth. 
 
 "Oh, you poor boys ! Do hurry, then, and join 
 us at table over under the oak, yonder!" exclaimed 
 Mrs. Brewster, hasting to bring out towels and 
 brushes for her young visitors. 
 
 The dinner was a great success, both from a 
 culinary and also from the social points of view. 
 While thoroughly enjoying the home-cooking, the 
 boys talked of their work and adventures in the 
 mountains. Jim had been with the survey crew 
 all summer, but Kenneth had but just arrived. So 
 Jim had a store-house filled with recent thrilling 
 experiences and escapes. 
 
 Close-up encounters with bears, rattle-snakes, 
 and land-slides, were passed off as mere trifles by 
 him. But the problems of getting enough good 
 things to eat, now and then a dance at some school- 
 house, or finding a pretty girl one could talk to 
 these were awful! 
 
 When dinner was out of the way, the four young 
 people started to walk to Rainbow Cliffs, as 
 that was the show-spot of all the country-side. 
 Having so many unique features and winding
 
 H2 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 walks made it a delightful place for quiet little 
 chats or tete-a-tetes. 
 
 "I never saw anything like those great masses 
 of color," said Kenneth, as they drew near the 
 sparkling walk. 
 
 "I told Ken when we rode past here to-day, that 
 Tom wanted your father to sell out the cliffs on a 
 royalty basis, but he refused to. Now that Tom 
 is here again with John, and the gold mine is 
 caved in with that land-slide, maybe he will listen, 
 eh?" asked Jim, eagerly. 
 
 Polly shook her head. "I don't believe he will, 
 but we can't find out why he is so stubborn about 
 it." 
 
 "Jim, I don't believe our gold mine has caved in, 
 at all. It's only temporarily buried, up there. 
 If there is any way it can be located again, I'm 
 going to insist upon having it worked!" declared 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "Why? You don't need the money," laughed 
 Jim. 
 
 "How do you know what I need!" retorted 
 Eleanor. "Polly and I need money this Fall, as 
 we are going to go away to school together 
 somewhere. And she can't go unless she has her 
 own money, 'cause her father won't consent to her 
 leaving home, but her mother will so she will
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 1113 
 
 have to have her own money to get away with, 
 see?" 
 
 "No, I don't see that that will work," Kenneth 
 interpolated. 
 
 "Why not? If Mr. Brewster finds Polly is 
 going, anyway, he will soon enough give his con- 
 sent," argued Eleanor. 
 
 "I never said I would go away to school with 
 you, Nolla, although I should like it better than 
 going alone. And I'm sure I couldn't think of 
 leaving home if Daddy objected to it," said Polly 
 seriously. 
 
 "Oh, well, I know you won't, but a lot of money 
 of your very own will help coax him to our way of 
 thinking," explained Eleanor. 
 
 "You seem to think your mine will turn out 
 money in time for you to spend it this Fall," ven- 
 tured Kenneth, amusedly. 
 
 "Why, of course it will, if we can get at it 
 through that land-slide," returned she. 
 
 "Other mines take from one to ten years to pre- 
 pare for and operate. If you do the thing right, 
 and have engineers plan for the apparatus to 
 work the ore, you won't be spending that gold this 
 year," added Jim. 
 
 "No ! Then what good will it do Polly or me ? 
 I have a fine idea that I want to perfect right
 
 U4 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 away, and it needs money. I haven't even told 
 Polly a word of it, as I must see how much money 
 we get from the mine before I mention it." 
 
 "But once your mine begins to pay it will keep 
 on paying for ever so long. You can plan to 
 spend all the money you can possibly use, if the 
 mine has any kind of vein in it," said Kenneth, 
 soothingly. 
 
 "I believe in taking a 'bird in the hand in- 
 stead of the one in the bush,' and here is a fortune 
 right on this wall!" said Jim, pointing at the 
 jeweled cliffs. 
 
 He picked up a handful of the colored lava- 
 stones and showed them to Kenneth. "Do you 
 know, Ken, that I wouldn't be one bit surprised 
 but what that new patent your father got out for 
 cutting rare gems would work on these to some 
 good." 
 
 "I never thought of that! Maybe it would. 
 If only he could come here to investigate and try 
 his machine on the jewels." 
 
 "Why not send him a small box-full of the 
 stones and let him experiment on them with the 
 model he has in father's office?" asked Jim, 
 eagerly. 
 
 "If Polly will give us some I will send them
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 115 
 
 on with a letter of explanation," returned Ken- 
 neth. 
 
 "Of course I Take all you want. Every one 
 is welcome to them," said Polly, breaking off a 
 cluster of fresh stones from the wall. 
 
 "What are you talking about, Jim? I heard 
 Bob say something about a new patented machine 
 that would make millions out of these Cliffs, but 
 what do you mean?" asked Eleanor. 
 
 "I guess we were both speaking of the same 
 idea," replied Jim. "You see, my father is financ- 
 ing the wonderful patent Ken's father invented. 
 Dr. Evans is a great inventor, and every once in 
 a while he has a big idea. That was how he 
 planned the vacuum sweepers, and the self-stop 
 on the victrolas. He has lots of unusual patents 
 granted him, and now he has this idea patented. 
 
 "He can cut a stone so that it surpasses any 
 hand-cut jewel for facets and beauty, by merely 
 dropping the material into the feeder on the 
 machine and letting it cut out the jewel in a few 
 moments. The size of stone wanted can be regu- 
 lated by a screw. And the small bits of refuse 
 left after making large jewels, can be cut into 
 sparkling chips. 
 
 "My father and Uncle George incorporated the
 
 n6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 company that is financing this cutting machine. 
 Now they can try out this lava and see if it is 
 hard enough to cut brilliantly." 
 
 "Wouldn't it be lovely to have Ken's father use 
 these lava jewels in his company, and let Nolla and 
 me have the royalty to send us to school?" ven- 
 tured Polly, wistfully, looking at the distant peak 
 where her gold mine seemed lost for the present. 
 
 Jim and his friend were selecting the finest 
 specimen of the lava as Polly spoke, so they made 
 no reply. Her eyes traveled along the Top 
 Notch Trail and finally came back to the Cliffs at 
 home. She watched the boys gather the stones 
 and suddenly remembered Kenneth's likeness to 
 Montresor. 
 
 "Oh, Kenneth! I 'most forgot to ask you 
 something!" cried she. 
 
 Ken stood up and looked at her with a broad 
 smile. As he waited thus, she was struck by the 
 singular look that was so like her old friend's. 
 
 "That gold mine we told you boys about, was 
 first found and staked by a white-haired man who 
 called himself Montresor. He lost it again in 
 just the same way as we did a land-slide buried it 
 and his stakes, and no one could locate it again. 
 
 "Then he died and left his claim to me. I 
 always bettered he had one, but every one else
 
 laughed at him and said he was crazy. Father 
 was good to him after the mine was lost, and took 
 his part when folks jeered. When he died, Daddy 
 paid for the funeral and has the certificate where 
 he is buried. But we never learned who he was, 
 except the fact that he came from the East, al- 
 though we advertised a lot. 
 
 "Just the day you arrived in Oak Creek, Mr. 
 Simms, our lawyer, read a letter which Old Man 
 Montresor left. It was written to a wife and 
 child, but there was no name or address on it. 
 Then I heard how father spent lots of money try- 
 ing to identify the dear old man and trace his 
 relatives but to no account. 
 
 "When we first saw you, we-all were impressed 
 with your resemblance to our old friend. So now 
 I want to ask you if there ever was any one in your 
 family who went to the Klondike and was re- 
 ported lost there?" 
 
 "Wh-y, ye-es, there is some such story in our 
 family, but I do not know the exact truth about it. 
 And we seldom discussed it as mother always felt 
 badly afterwards. 
 
 "As far as I can understand it, my mother's 
 only brother Peter was a clever mining engineer in 
 the East, but he was too ambitious to be contented 
 with his income. Mother says it was his wife who
 
 u8 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 wanted to spend money like water, who finally 
 urged him to try his luck in Alaska and he left 
 home to seek wealth in the Klondike. 
 
 "He placed all the money he had in the bank 
 for his family, and left Aunt Ada and my Cousin 
 Gail with sufficient to live on if they were econom- 
 ical. But my Aunt was not content with a simple 
 home and a meager income, and thought to add 
 to her comfort and wealth by starting a fine board- 
 ing-house. 
 
 "She knew nothing about the business, however, 
 and soon lost all the money she had been left 
 with and then she ran in debt. When her in- 
 vestment was sold out, she came to us for help. 
 She and Cousin Gail lived with us for two years; 
 then Aunt Ada had pneumonia and died. She 
 begged us to adopt Gail as she had never heard 
 from Uncle after he wrote to her to send him 
 money to get out of Nome. But she had none, so 
 she never told mother about this letter ; we would 
 have helped poor Uncle. 
 
 "As it was a year since he wrote that letter, and 
 he was in wretched health while in the far North, 
 mother felt sure that he had succumbed to the cold 
 and his discouragement. Aunt Ada left a note 
 in which she said that Gail and I were to share
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 119 
 
 like brother and sister in anything Uncle Peter 
 left us. 
 
 "But mother always laughed at the idea that 
 there would be any wealth coming to us from the 
 Klondike. She said the only precious legacy we 
 could claim in the gold-fields of Alaska was the 
 untiring energy and earnestness Uncle was sure 
 to use wherever he went or whatever he did. But 
 she wrote to the postmaster at Nome and received 
 word that her brother was dead. 
 
 "Gail was always delicate, and a year after her 
 mother died, she, too, took sick and was gone in a 
 week's time. So mother tried to forget her dear 
 brother after these sad experiences, and it is only 
 at rare intervals that any one mentions his name 
 to her." 
 
 When Kenneth finished telling his story, Polly 
 asked eagerly: "But you haven't told us your 
 uncle's name nor your mother's maiden name. 
 Was it Montresor?" 
 
 "Oh no! Just a plain New England name 
 mother is called Priscilla Amesbury, and my uncle 
 was Peter Amesbury. I never heard of a Montre- 
 sor in our family, either. But that doesn't say 
 the old gentleman couldn't have chosen an assumed 
 name, you know."
 
 120 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Eleanor and Polly were plainly disappointed 
 that the names of the Klondike uncle and the hero 
 of Polly's life, were not the same. Jim laughed 
 when he saw the girls' evident regret. 
 
 "Any one would think you two girls were anxi- 
 ous to share your gold-mine with the heir of old 
 Montresor. Now what is there to hinder rne 
 from claiming the old man as my uncle and telling 
 you he is a twin-brother of my father's? That 
 will make me the heir to that mine." 
 
 "We wouldn't believe you, because you haven't 
 one bit of resemblance to this friend Polly knew, 
 but Kenneth has. That is why it may turn out 
 that Montresor really was his uncle," said Elea- 
 nor. 
 
 As the sun went down back of Rainbow Cliffs, 
 the two boys regretfully said good-by. Mrs. 
 Brewster planned for them to come and spend the 
 following Sunday at Pebbly Pit with John and 
 Tom there, provided the crew was not too far re- 
 moved for the trip. 
 
 The boys promised to send word by mail, as 
 Jake rode to Oak Creek two or three times a week, 
 and could mail a note from them if they were to 
 be within riding distance. 
 
 "We might even find a way to lose the valuable 
 transit and then have to come and hunt for it,"
 
 THE GIRLS ENTERTAIN GUESTS 121; 
 
 laughed Kenneth, as they got into their saddles 
 for the return ride. 
 
 "But you didn't find the tripod! What will 
 Jake say?" asked Polly, anxiously. 
 
 "We'll let you know next Sunday," laughed both 
 the boys. 
 
 That night when Jake smuggled his two horses 
 back to the corral with the crew's mounts, he 
 turned to the boys and said : 
 
 "Whar did you-all leave it?" 
 
 "Leave what?" asked Jim, wonderingly. 
 
 "Why, mah tripod, yuh coyote !" grinned Jake, 
 winking at Kenneth. 
 
 "Oh, yes ! Well, Jake, I had to leave it at Peb- 
 bly Pit because it was so heavy, but I'll go back 
 for it next Sunday!" 
 
 "Nah, yuh won't, eider some one else brought 
 in th' tripod and ha'r it 'tis!" With that Jake 
 displayed the article wanted. 
 
 "Who found it? No one could take a horse," 
 exclaimed Jim, perplexed. 
 
 Then Jake leaned over and whispered in his 
 ear: "The Boss hisself! He rode to Yaller 
 Jacket to spend Sunda' with his wife, yuh know, 
 an' what shoul' he do but come acrost the tripod 
 whar Ah left it fer you boys to pkk up ! Mebbe 
 Ah didn't get hail on Pagoda !"
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 
 
 MONDAY and Tuesday passed very slowly to the 
 anxious girls, and on Wednesday they began look- 
 ing for the return of their scouting party. Polly 
 figured that three days would prove ample time 
 in which to investigate the conditions and de- 
 termine whether or not the mine could be worked 
 providing it was found again. But in such a 
 dreadful wilderness of torn-up trees, and washed 
 out earth, where mile after mile of mountain-land 
 had changed its appearance, who could hope to 
 locate a tiny square of ground that had been staked 
 as the wonderful mine? And with giant trees 
 uprooted and tossed along the current of the land- 
 slide, how could any one expect the insignificant 
 wooden stakes to remain to mark the place? 
 
 Then Wednesday also passed without a sign 
 of the returning engineers ; so on Thursday, Mrs. 
 Brewstcr told the girls they would have to drive 
 
 122
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 123 
 
 into Oak Creek for supplies and the weekly mail. 
 
 This would be a break in the dull routine of 
 waiting impatiently for news from the Peak, and 
 all four of the girls willingly complied with the 
 order. Two strong horses were hitched to the 
 ranch-wagon, and the gay party drove away, leav- 
 ing Mrs. Brewster waving her hand as they rum- 
 bled down the road past the Cliffs. 
 
 The colored stones reminded Polly of Kenneth's 
 story, and she turned to Eleanor and said: "I 
 wonder if he wrote home to ask his mother about 
 her brother?" 
 
 "Even if he did it will be fully a fortnight 
 before he can have an answer. But we ought to 
 get a letter to-day, telling us whether the boys are 
 coming over Sunday, or not," replied Eleanor. 
 
 "Yes, I know; I thought we'd stop at the post 
 office first of all," answered Polly. 
 
 The girls enjoyed the wonderful drive along 
 the trail that ran to Oak Creek, and having 
 reached their destination, left the team tied to the 
 post in front of Mr. Simms' office, for they pur- 
 posed having a good time. 
 
 Anne and Barbara went to the store where they 
 could buy candy, while Polly and Eleanor ran to 
 the post office. To their surprised delight, they 
 found Kenneth Evans there. He was reading a
 
 124 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 telegram and did not see the girls until he had 
 finished. 
 
 "Oh hullo! I never expected to see you 
 here," exclaimed he, seemingly too excited to re- 
 member that he had not met them since Sunday. 
 
 "I wired mother last Monday sent it in by 
 Jake, you know. And told her to reply so I could 
 get her answer today. The Boss let me off be- 
 cause I finished my work on the old line yester- 
 day. So I came to town myself for the message." 
 
 Kenneth acted so elated that Polly and Eleanor 
 wondered what news he had received to make his 
 eyes sparkle like stars and his face to flush in a 
 way that made him positively handsome. 
 
 "Isn't it great, though? And just think, if it 
 hadn't been for you girls, I never would have 
 known it!" 
 
 "Known what? What have we done that is 
 so great?" asked Eleanor, laughingly. 
 
 "Why, the mine, don't you know!" 
 
 "What about it?" cried both girls at once, 
 thinking that news of some moment from the 
 engineers had reached Oak Creek before they ar- 
 rived there. 
 
 "Why, the mine you know, my uncle's mine!" 
 
 "Your uncle's!" again the girls gasped in aston- 
 ishment.
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 125 
 
 "Of course didn't Polly tell me all about her 
 old friend Montresor? Here, read my mother's 
 night letter to me." And Kenneth placed the yel- 
 low sheet in Eleanor's hand. 
 
 She read aloud to anxious Polly: "One branch 
 of family has a Montresor two generations back 
 the name was used as surname. Brother was 
 christened Peter Miles Montresor Amesbury. 
 Disliked name Montresor, dropped it when young. 
 Every one forgot about it. Am sending letter 
 with photograph of Peter. Show Polly. Wire 
 results. Father may come west. Love, Mother." 
 
 "Oh, oh ! how wonderful !" cried Polly, catching 
 Kenneth's hands delightedly. 
 
 "I'm glad, too, Ken, but I shall have to con- 
 test any of your claims to my mine," laughed 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "Your father ought to be told about the land- 
 slide. Maybe he is coming west to look over the 
 claim, but he won't be able to see anything," re- 
 marked Polly. 
 
 "No, I think Dad plans to come west to look 
 at your Cliffs. I told him in my telegram just 
 what they were, and sent on the box of jewels. 
 When he gets them he will try out his invention 
 and if it cuts them properly, then he may come 
 here to see your family."
 
 126 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Oh! You didn't waste any time attending to 
 things, did you?" said Eleanor, with keen amuse- 
 ment at Kenneth's business methods. 
 
 "No, I never waste time on anything that's 
 worth while. And, by the way, Jim and I are 
 coming over to Pebbly Pit again on Sunday 
 your mother invited us, you know." 
 
 Both girls laughed, and they caught the youth 
 up. "Ah, you must think Pebbly Pit is worth 
 while, then?" 
 
 "Why, I do ! You don't suppose I'd ride 'way 
 over there if I was bored, do you?" replied Ken- 
 neth, earnestly. 
 
 Eleanor laughed this time, but Polly felt he was 
 in too serious a mood for laughter. So she said : 
 "I'm glad you liked us. We'll tell mother you 
 are coming again. That is one reason we drove 
 to Oak Creek to get the letter." 
 
 "I'm afraid it will be our only chance to see you- 
 all again, as our crew moves from Brushy Creek to 
 Silver Creek, and after that we go to Buffalo Park. 
 The Boss says we will have about three weeks' 
 work there, and then go across the desert to work 
 along the Lincoln Highway, until we reach the 
 other lines, completed last year by Carew's men. 
 
 "He doesn't know whether we shall be dis- 
 missed then, or sent on to tie up a few other little
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 127 
 
 jobs before the summer ends. However, it looks 
 as if Jim and I will be too far away to ride over 
 for the day then. It will take us a day and night 
 to cross the desert and over several mountain 
 peaks to reach you." 
 
 Eleanor listened delightedly to this innocent 
 youth, and as he concluded she squealed with 
 amusement: "Oh, don't you love it!" 
 
 "Love what?" asked Kenneth, never having 
 heard this extravagant expression so favored by 
 city misses. 
 
 "Love you, of course !" retorted Eleanor, laugh- 
 ing. 
 
 Polly frowned at this admission, and Kenneth 
 blushed, for he had never before been told so. 
 publicly that a pretty girl loved him! Eleanor 
 doubled over laughing, and gasped: "Oh, you 
 two adorable babes!" 
 
 Further conversation was made impossible now, 
 by Barbara and Anne coming in. They im- 
 mediately joined the three young people, and Anne 
 asked: "Did you get the mail, Nolla?" 
 
 "No, we never thought of it. Ken has such an 
 exciting telegram that we forgot everything else." 
 
 Anne waited to hear no more, but went to the 
 window and inquired for her mail and for that of 
 the family at Pebbly Fit. A bulky package was
 
 128 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 handed out, and caused Polly to exclaim at its 
 size. 
 
 "Why, I never knew so many letters to come 
 at one time." 
 
 "That's because no one's been here to get it 
 for more than a week," returned Anne. 
 
 Barbara had not forgotten the yellow sheet in 
 Kenneth's hand, however, and now asked what 
 the news was that had so thrilled the girls. 
 
 She was given the telegram to read, and having 
 mastered the contents she looked daggers at poor 
 Kenneth; "I suppose you will expect my sister to 
 share her mine with you, now." 
 
 Eleanor instantly interpolated: "Your sister 
 wouldn't think of keeping a mine that belongs to 
 some one else. I'm thankful we had the use of it 
 that night when the panther and bear wanted to 
 get at us. And again the day of the avalanche 1 
 I'm much obliged to Ken for his cave hotel!" 
 
 Barbara sneered unpleasantly and walked away. 
 Kenneth said nothing, but when she had gone he 
 turned to the girls and said: "We were thinking 
 more of knowing for a certainty whether Uncle 
 Peter was still alive, or whether your Montresor 
 is my mother's brother. I almost forgot there 
 was gold in that mine." 
 
 The girls assured him that that was exactly
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 129 
 
 what they believed he was anxious to know, and 
 that the gold was the least of all things to be 
 considered. 
 
 Having spent two hours in the Moving Pic- 
 ture Hall, and completing all the shopping, the 
 girls started back to Pebbly Pit. Kenneth Evans 
 had said good-by and gone on his way, so there 
 was now no side interest for Polly and Eleanor 
 as they drove the obedient horses homeward. 
 
 Barbara and Anne were reading their letters, 
 and the two younger girls on the front seat whis- 
 pered confidences to each other. Anne suddenly 
 exclaimed, as she finished reading a type-written 
 letter : 
 
 "Well, of all things! How did they hear of 
 me?" 
 
 Eleanor half turned around and asked: 
 "What's the matter?" 
 
 "Mother inclosed a letter that came from New 
 York. She thought it might be important, so she 
 slipped it inside the one she was just going to 
 mail to me," murmured Anne, vaguely, studying 
 the dense forest as they drove past. 
 
 "Well, that's nothing to wonder about," said 
 Eleanor. 
 
 Anne glanced at the letter again: "No, but 
 the contents is."
 
 i 3 o POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Maybe it's one of those proposals of marriage 
 you know; the kind where a lonely bachelor, 
 rich, well-bred, perfect in every respect ( except his 
 bald head, glass eye, toothless gums, and palsy) 
 wishes acquaintance with sweet young miss ob- 
 ject matrimony!" Eleanor said, jokingly. 
 
 "Eleanor Maynard! How very unladylike 
 of you I" cried her sister, shocked at her levity. 
 
 "I'm only saying what you can read in the 
 paper any day," argued Eleanor, still laughing 
 at her joke. 
 
 "This is a proposal, but not that kind. It 
 comes from a well-known gentleman in New York 
 City," said Anne. 
 
 Polly was so astonished that she pulled in the 
 horses and suddenly halted them without being 
 aware of it. Eleanor and she turned square 
 about and gazed at Anne questioningly. Bar- 
 bara couldn't say anything as she was at sea for 
 words. 
 
 "For goodness' sake !" exclaimed Eleanor, at 
 last. 
 
 "Wh-y I wanted to live with you in Denver 
 this winter!" complained Polly. Then remem- 
 bering John and his evident preference for Anne, 
 she added severely : "Does John know about this 
 man?"
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 131 
 
 Anne laughed gayly. "No, and that is the 
 only thing that makes me feel unhappy. I'd ac- 
 cept at once, if New York wasn't so far away, or 
 if I had never met John." 
 
 Although Anne spoke in a jocular tone when 
 mentioning John, she blushed most bewitchingly 
 at her acknowledgment. 
 
 Eleanor had been keenly studying Anne's face, 
 and now she exclaimed: "Ha! you didn't tell 
 us what sort of a proposal ! It may be a mason 
 who wants to hire you to carry a hod up the lad- 
 ders." 
 
 As the very idea was so ridiculous, every one 
 laughed, and that broke the tension. Then Anne 
 admitted : "I felt like squaring myself with you, 
 Nolla, for your hint that I was answering ads. 
 in the Matrimonial Mirror." 
 
 "Well, then, is it for a hod-carrier?" insisted 
 the irrepressible Eleanor. 
 
 "Almost as good; it is for a teacher to carry 
 learning up into young ladies' brains at a fash- 
 ionable seminary in New York." 
 
 "What? never!" declared Barbara. 
 
 "Of course why not?" replied Anne. 
 
 Eleanor and Polly were silent, but they thought 
 a lot. But Barbara said: "Because you can 
 never fill a position in a fashionable young ladies'
 
 132 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 school in New York. You know nothing of 
 social life." 
 
 "Bob, I'll have Polly dump you from the wagon 
 if you can't be half-way decent to us. Ever since 
 Polly and I discovered Old Man Montresor's 
 gold mine, you've been as mean as a bear with a 
 sore head. Now etop it, or I'll I'll do some- 
 thing awful to you !" 
 
 Eleanor was angry! And she looked daggers 
 at her sister as she spoke, but she knew there 
 was nothing she could do but patiently allow Bar- 
 bara to say unkind words to others, as was her 
 habit. 
 
 Polly now spoke. "Anne, is there anything 
 that you'd rather do than go East to teach 
 school?" 
 
 Anne caught her meaning and mentally thanked 
 her, but audibly she said: "Not just yet, Polly. 
 You see, my brother Paul has two years still to 
 put in at college, and little mother has to be cared 
 for, as well. This offer is so tempting that I 
 could not refuse it without considering everything 
 that concerns me. In two years' time, I could not 
 only rejoice that Paul is through, but that because 
 of my increased income, mother will have some- 
 thing laid by for her use in the future." 
 
 "Well, then," sighed Polly, resignedly, "I'll
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 133 
 
 give up my hopes of paradise ! I did so want to 
 go to school in a big city this year." As she 
 urged the horses on their way, the young driver 
 felt the tears well up in her eyes, but she refused 
 to brush them away. 
 
 Eleanor saw and understood. She quietly took 
 her own handkerchief and dabbed her friend's 
 wet eyes. Then placed her hand on her shoulder. 
 Not a word was spoken. 
 
 "Polly, dear, I'm not going to do a thing until 
 after I have pondered this step well. I shall 
 have to write the principal for added information, 
 and before I hear again, I will know whether it 
 is wise for me to accept the offer or not," ex- 
 claimed Anne. 
 
 The rest of the drive was concluded in silence, 
 each girl having much to think over. When the 
 horses were turned over to the man who took 
 Jeb's place in his absence, and the girls were on 
 the porch, Mrs. Brewster noticed their unusual 
 quiet. 
 
 "Anything wrong, girls?" asked she. 
 
 "No only Kenneth's uncle is our Montresor, 
 he thinks," said Eleanor, rocking violently back 
 and forth in the wicker chair. 
 
 This so surprised Mrs. Brewster that she be- 
 gan a rapid cross-examination until she had all
 
 i 3 4 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 facts. However the very telling about Kenneth's 
 story enabled Polly to change her thoughts of 
 future trouble, so that she felt much better over 
 the school question before very long. 
 
 Anne's momentous letter was the next impor- 
 tant topic of conversation, and Mrs. Brewster 
 listened to the news with an enigmatical expression, 
 on her face. When Anne finished telling about 
 it, the elder woman spoke. 
 
 "I thought perhaps you would be planning to 
 take a course in Domestic Science. But going to 
 New York to continue your school teaching would 
 lead me to believe that you propose making that 
 the principal object of your life." 
 
 "But you must remember, Mrs. Brewster, I am 
 not alone in the world. I have my mother and 
 younger brother to consider. If I fail Paul now, 
 he will have to stop his college education half- 
 way. I simply have to keep on supplying him 
 and mother with means, until he is through. 
 Then he can help me in caring for mother," ex- 
 plained Anne, diffidently. 
 
 "You might marry a young man who had ample 
 means to take care of both your mother and 
 brother," suggested Barbara. 
 
 "Oh, Bob! you know Paul would never take 
 money that way, when I had such a dreadful time
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 135 
 
 in even persuading him to let me loan him his 
 educational expenses from my own salary!" ex- 
 claimed Anne, flushing uncomfortably when the 
 subject of her marrying a wealthy man was men- 
 tioned. 
 
 "If your brother knows you plan to go to New 
 York just to earn more money for him, he may 
 refuse to take any aid from you," ventured Mrs. 
 Brewster. 
 
 "That is my only concern just now. Of course, 
 I shall take mother with me to keep house for us 
 both, but Paul must complete his studies in Chi- 
 cago, so he must believe there was another reason 
 for my choosing New York other than the mere 
 increased salary offered me." 
 
 "It seems a difficult thing for you to do to 
 find a plausible reason for going so far East," 
 added Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Now 7 know a good one;" spoke up Eleanor, 
 suddenly. "I am crazy to spend a winter in New 
 York, but Bob won't give up her social season 
 at home, and mother wouldn't think of spending 
 the time in New York just to oblige me. As 
 Anne has always been found to be so helpful to 
 me, in everyway, I shall insist upon going to 
 New York this Fall and choosing her as my com- 
 panion while there. Naturally her mother wants
 
 136 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 to go, too, and so we will decide to keep house 
 in one of those cute little three-room-and-kitch- 
 enette apartments. Then Anne has so much time 
 on her hands that she decides to fill in by going 
 to this seminary for certain hours. How's that 
 for a plot!" 
 
 u Oh, it's lovely all but your being able to go 
 East," replied Barbara, sarcastically. 
 
 The others laughed at both plotter and objector, 
 for it sounded so visionary. But once Eleanor 
 had the idea in her mind she mulled it over and 
 over until it really appeared feasible to her. 
 
 The others talked of the mine, of Kenneth's 
 father and the invention for cutting jewels, of 
 everything that concerned any interest in their 
 lives, while Eleanor sat and planned her new 
 idea. 
 
 "Now listen to me, folks I've got everything 
 ironed out smooth for Anne's going. I am ex- 
 pected to remain in Denver all this winter and 
 attend school there. Live with Anne and her 
 mother. These are Mother's orders to the doctor 
 and he ordered them on to Daddy. I know all 
 about it, because Barbara and Mother planned a 
 big campaign to try and marry Bob off sure pop 
 this year! "
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 137 
 
 "Nolla ! I will not sit here quietly and listen 
 to you tell such dreadful stones. You know very 
 well that you are too delicate to live in Chicago 
 where the climate does not agree with you," Bar- 
 bara cried. 
 
 "Tut, tut! We are all old friends here, Bob, 
 and no one will squeal on you about family skele- 
 tons. Anne knows as much about this arrange- 
 ment as you or I do; and Polly, or her mother, 
 are not interested enough to repeat what I say," 
 giggled Eleanor; then she continued her outlines: 
 "Hence, it matters little whether the eager stu- 
 dent (that's me) lives in Denver, New York, or 
 Timbuctoo, as long as she is in 'safe hands' and 
 out of society's way. 
 
 "Now Anne Stewart and her mother have ab- 
 solutely 'safe hands' for such as me; so there will 
 be little argument and no difficulties in convincing 
 mother or Bob to have the doctor say that I must 
 go East with Anne. Convincing Dad of this need, 
 will be the only obstacle. But I shall play upon 
 the fact that he can visit me quite often in New 
 York, whereas he never comes West on business. 
 He can fly across country from Chicago on the 
 Twentieth Century and be in New York in the 
 morning.
 
 138 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Yes, Anne, considering all things, I believe 
 it will be New York for my schooling this Winter, 
 instead of Denver." 
 
 Eleanor wagged her head wisely as she finished 
 speaking, and her hearers began to wonder if she 
 really meant what she said. Anne rather liked 
 the suggestion of having Eleanor go East with 
 her, and Polly sat mute, wishing some one would 
 persuade her mother that it was the only thing 
 to do for her, too. 
 
 Sary came in at this point to say that supper 
 had been waiting so long, that it was all sizzled 
 up in the pan. 
 
 "My goodness! I forgot we hadn't had sup- 
 per!" laughed Eleanor, jumping up and catch- 
 ing Polly by the arm to whirl her away. 
 
 Once out of hearing, she whispered quickly: 
 "Don't say a word to any one about this New 
 York plan of mine if I go, you go, too ; for we 
 are a second 'Ruth and Naomi' you know!" 
 
 Polly smiled, but she knew her friend's sug- 
 gestion for her going, too, would have no back- 
 ing from any one at her home. 
 
 Saturday dawned and every one at Pebbly Pit 
 was on the lookout for the adventurers, as they 
 surely would not remain on the mountain over 
 another Sunday! But it was late m the after-
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 139 
 
 noon when the clip-clop of horses' hoofs rang out 
 over the crater of the ranch. Then the riders 
 were seen passing the Cliffs, and soon they were 
 at the door. 
 
 Such a babble of voices and questions asked, 
 would have deafened any one not concerned in 
 the meeting. But every one, even Sary, had a 
 heart interest In the returned scouts, and no one 
 took the trouble to bottle up their rejoicing. 
 
 Several farm-hands were present, so the horses 
 were sent off to the barn and Jeb was allowed 
 a rest period. Of course, the men were hungry, 
 and every one turned to the well-laden table. 
 
 While eating an early supper, John and Tom 
 were called upon to give expert opinions about 
 "Choko's Find" Mine. 
 
 "As you must know, Tom and I did the job up 
 well while we were up there. That is why we re- 
 mained so long. We've got the plan worked out 
 and we also took photographs of the entire sur- 
 roundings so that investors can see exactly what 
 the difficulties will be," explained John. 
 
 "Oh, then we haven't lost it!" cried Polly and 
 Eleanor together. 
 
 "You couldn't lose it unless Old Grizzly split 
 the whole side of the mountain open and washed 
 the gold down into the bottom. But the land-
 
 i 4 o POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 slide makes the mining more difficult in the begin- 
 ning; once things are going, it will make no dif- 
 ference, excepting that there is always the danger 
 of fresh avalanches wreaking the same havoc this 
 one has done," said Tom Latimer. 
 
 "Well, I always had a theory that I believe 
 will prove to divert a great deal of slide that 
 does the damage, in a case like this one. And 
 since looking around up on Top Notch, I'm sure 
 my idea will work," ventured John. 
 
 "All I can say to that is, if you have such a 
 theory it will prove more valuable than Kenneth 
 Evans* father's patent device for cutting lava 
 jewels from Rainbow Cliffs !" laughed Eleanor. 
 
 "What's that?" demanded John, while Tom 
 Latimer wondered how this Chicago girl ever 
 had heard of Dr. Evans' machine that his father 
 was financially interested in. 
 
 Then Polly and Eleanor had the "speaker's 
 chair" and they told all about Kenneth, his father's 
 patents, and Old Man Montresor's relationship 
 to him. 
 
 "Why then, if this lad is the direct heir to 
 Montresor, he must inherit the mine!" declared 
 John. 
 
 "Not according to law, because Polly was left 
 the claim, but we had to discover it all over again
 
 SEVERAL MOMENTOUS LETTERS 141 
 
 under a new claim, you see," explained Eleanor, 
 anxiously. 
 
 "That will make a fine little problem in law, Fm 
 thinking," laughed Tom, shaking his head. 
 
 "It would if all concerned could not agree, but 
 we all intend to agree Ken said so!" exclaimed 
 Polly, emphatically. 
 
 "Oh you-all know this 'Ken' so well, eh?" 
 teased John. 
 
 "Of course ! And he is the nicest boy as nice 
 as Jim La-timer, anyway," retorted Eleanor. 
 
 Every one laughed, and Tom said : "Well, after 
 paying my kid brother such a left-handed compli- 
 ment, I feel I must continue my work on that mine 
 problem." 
 
 "Give us a chance to finish our reports, won't 
 you, before you tell us you gave away your inter- 
 ests, or launched us all in a will-contest," added 
 John, laughingly. Then he continued: 
 
 "Now this is what we have to say about Choko's 
 Find: The pyramids of trash now covering that 
 area of Top Notch can be readily cleared away. 
 We set fire to certain parts and opened a way to 
 the ravine. There we found the old gulch liter- 
 ally filled in with rocks, earth and roots, so that 
 we could not get through to find the cave. But 
 we brought home bits of gold ore, just the same."
 
 i 4 2 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 John rolled the nuggets across the table, and 
 the girls gazd with bated breath at what they 
 believed had beea buried forever under the land- 
 slide. 
 
 "We have much to tell you about this, so let's 
 go to the living-room to talk," suggested Mr. 
 Brewster, rising.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR COMPANY, INC." 
 
 THE girls were impatient to hear about the 
 plans Mr. Brewster and the two engineers had de- 
 cided upon, but Mrs. Brewster smiled knowingly, 
 as if she had already been told the secret. Mr. 
 Brewster was morose and silent, looking more as 
 if he was compelled to consent to something as 
 a just and fair man, rather than from preference 
 and desire. 
 
 "Now don't you girls ask too many questions 
 if you are displeased or delighted at what we tell 
 you," began John, nodding to Tom to proceed 
 with his story. 
 
 Having promised not to interrupt the impor- 
 tant conference, the girls sat expectantly smiling 
 at the chair-man of the meeting. 
 
 "I have to preface our report on Choko's Find, 
 by telling you-all about a little company that was 
 incorporated in New York several months ago. 
 Father wrote me all about it. 
 
 143
 
 144 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Dr. Evans is a very clever inventor, as you 
 now know, and having this unusual device for cut- 
 ting stones by machine, he called on father's law 
 firm to secure a patent on it for him. Larimer 
 Brothers make a specialty of patents, you know. 
 
 "Well, the doctor had but little money for the 
 costs, and father saw a great fortune in the in- 
 vention if it was properly financed. So articles 
 of agreement were drawn up, that Larimer 
 Brothers were to pay all costs of getting the ma- 
 chine on the market, and for this they were to 
 share in the stock of the company. 
 
 "This was done and when the papers were 
 ready and the shares of stock divided between 
 the principals, an injunction was served on Dad by 
 a tricky company in New York which claimed 
 prior rights to the patent. This has held up 
 everything so that Dr. Evans is not sure whether 
 he will ever realize anything out of his invention 
 or not. Of course, we are fighting the legality 
 of Ratzger & Wriggley's injunction and claims. 
 
 "Having risked all his little bank account on the 
 outcome of this idea of his, the doctor now hasn't 
 a cent to bless himself with. That is why Ken- 
 neth Evans was sent to work this summer, to earn 
 his own keep. 
 
 "Fortunately, Dad had a letter from Jim, who
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 145 
 
 was out in the mountains with a government survey 
 crew, in which it said that they were short a few 
 good men and two young apprentices such as he 
 himself was. Kenneth and Jim attended the same 
 school at home, so Dad telephoned Dr. Evans 
 about the opening. That is how Ken happened 
 to come West. 
 
 "Now I hear that the Courts uphold Dr. Evans 
 in his right to the patent, and the company can 
 go on with their plans. If they can find suit- 
 able material to mine and without too much ex- 
 pense for apparatus, they will start in at once 
 with a close corporation. But should they find it 
 will take great capital to mine the right kind of 
 stones, the original members of the company may 
 have to sell half of their rights, to get sufficient 
 money to launch the work. Do you girls follow 
 me as far as I have explained?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, it's clear as day," replied Eleanor, 
 impatiently. 
 
 "Do you grasp the thing, Polly?" asked John. 
 
 "I don't understand anything about stocks and 
 corporations but I do understand what Tom has 
 said, so far," returned Polly. 
 
 "Well, then, all right; I'll proceed," said Tom. 
 
 "When I first visited at Pebbly Pit with John, 
 I saw the wonderful colored stones of Rainbow
 
 i 4 6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Cliffs and begged Mr. Brewster to allow me to 
 send on samples of them to father, as I was sure 
 they were just what Dr. Evans sought for his 
 machine to cut. But I could not make my friend, 
 here, see any advantage in adding more money to 
 his bank account. So I had to leave without 
 having won my plea. , 
 
 "But I wrote father and told him all about the 
 great store of unmined stones located in plain 
 view at the Cliffs. Later, when the injunction 
 stopped all progress in the work, I almost forgot 
 Rainbow Cliffs again. 
 
 "But now that the 'Evans Jewel Cutter' is pro- 
 tected, and the owners are looking for material 
 to manufacture, the Rainbow Cliffs are in the fore-' 
 ground again for negotiation. 
 
 "Then came the surprising telegram from Oak 
 Creek, informing John about the gold mine 
 claimed by Polly. As we were told to reach Oak 
 Creek without delay, we started without sending 
 word to the folks at home about our leaving our 
 summer work. And now this is what we have 
 planned regarding Choko's Find. 
 
 "If father's firm, Mr. Brewster, and all the 
 friends everywhere, could scrape together all the 
 money they had, it would not be sufficient to carry 
 out the work at Choko's Find. The conditions
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 147 
 
 are such that every precaution must be taken to 
 avoid, in the future, any danger from new land- 
 slides. The lay of the land where the gold is 
 hidden, is such that the vein may not run deep 
 into the mountain it may be merely a surface 
 deposit in the cave. In this case, the real vein 
 may be hidden so deep that it would need the bor- 
 ing down into great depths to find the metal. All 
 this will take time and money. 
 
 "That means that Polly and Eleanor will have 
 to sacrifice the greater interest in their mine to 
 secure capital with which to work it. Or they 
 can sell the claim for cash or they can arrange 
 to be paid a royalty on all the ore metal mined. 
 Where it is possible, it is always best to retain a 
 controlling share of stock in the company formed. 
 
 "John and I have pictures on hand and plans 
 and engineering reports of Top Notch and the 
 claim. We also secured the specimen of gold 
 that you have there. I will tell you the thril- 
 ling experiences we had in getting at the deposit, 
 when I finish this plan. 
 
 "To transport the ore from the mine to some 
 station on the railroad, will necessitate a spur 
 being built from Oak Creek, or a new line being 
 run from the mainline at Denver over to Bear 
 Forks. In either case, it will cost a mint to build
 
 i4 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 and run such a railway because of the long tun= 
 nels that will have to be cut through the mountains, 
 and the lack of other traffic over a new road. 
 
 "Even a sort of switch-back railway running 
 from the mine to the valley will cost us more 
 money than we can get together. So we would 
 have to take in outside capital to supply the needs. 
 OR " 
 
 Here Tom Latimer paused to impress his 
 hearers with what he was about to say. Mr. 
 Brewster moved uneasily in his arm-chair, but 
 every one else was intensely interested. 
 
 "The Polly-Eleanor Company can sell certain 
 stock in their mining company to Sam Brewster. 
 He, or his company that owns and works Rain- 
 bow Cliffs, can furnish capital to build and work 
 things in connection with the mines. 
 
 "The Evans' Jewel Cutting Company will be 
 harvesting such rich returns from Rainbow Cliffs, 
 that it will be able to supply all the capital needed 
 to carry out the vast projects on Top Notch. 
 And the voting stock in both companies will be 
 held by interested parties who can appreciate the 
 fact that neither company can take advantage of 
 the other without both failing. It will be to the 
 good of all concerned to see that everything con-
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." I49 
 
 Mected with both mines, is done on the level and 
 to the best of every one's ability. 
 
 "Of course it will take a year or two before 
 we can be ready to drill down through that cave 
 for the ore, but we can start in on Rainbow Cliffs 
 without any delay and begin to reap the rewards 
 of investment at once. In the case of Mr. Brew- 
 ster agreeing to have his Cliffs mined for the 
 stones, and the Polly-Eleanor Company agree- 
 ing to combine with Evans' Jewel Company for 
 mining their gold, both can erect plants on the 
 same land, and use the same railroad for carry- 
 ing their products to the outside world. That 
 will save a great expense because the cost of build- 
 ing and maintaining railroads and buildings, will 
 be divided by two." 
 
 Tom finished and John eagerly asked: "What 
 do you-all think of our great idea? Of course, 
 Montresor's heirs ought to hold an interest, but 
 should they be Kenneth and his mother, it will 
 simplify matters for all." 
 
 That started such a babel of voices that Sam 
 Brewster got up and left the room. But no one 
 noticed his absence, as all were too interested in 
 planning for the fabulous wealth they conjured 
 up in their thoughts.
 
 150 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 After more than an hour of animated dis- 
 cussion and explanation, it was decided to await 
 the decision of the mechanics in the East who 
 would experiment on the stones from Rainbow 
 Cliffs. A box of the stones would be expressed 
 at once, and a letter from John to Mr. Latimer 
 would explain everything. 
 
 "What does father say to this, mother?" asked 
 Polly. 
 
 "He says that, as the ranch is legally mine, he 
 has no vote in the matter." 
 
 "Oh nonsense! Even if he did deed Pebbly 
 Pit to you for a wedding gift, you always do every- 
 thing to please him," declared John. 
 
 "Yes, but he refuses to say what he thinks is 
 best in this matter," added Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Well, seeing that so much hinges on his will- 
 ingness to cooperate with us," announced John, 
 impatiently, "I am going to say exactly what I 
 have felt to be the real cause of his disapproval 
 of turning the Cliffs into money." 
 
 Mrs* Brewster glanced anxiously from the win- 
 dow to see if her husband could hear what was 
 said, but Sam Brewster had evidently wandered 
 away from the porch as he was not to be seen. 
 
 "Father told Tom and me, while on Top Notch, 
 that he really had no personal objections to hav-
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC" 151, 
 
 ing the stones mined from Rainbow Cliffs, but 
 all unsightly machinery and the riff-raff of miners 
 that would be necessary in such work, must be kept 
 out of sight of the house. He explained that 
 most of the working ends of the project could 
 be stationed back of the cliffs down in the Devil's 
 Causeway, and the road that would have to run 
 to Bear Forks trail for the conveyance of the 
 stone, could be cut through in back of the 
 'Guards' and 'The Imps' of the cliffs. 
 
 "He then said that there was but one condi- 
 tion he exacted from any one who was interested 
 in the plan, and that was that no undue influence 
 would be brought to bear upon Polly to increase 
 her desire to leave home for a higher education. 
 His consent will be willingly given, and he will 
 aid us in every way to a successful issue if Polly 
 agrees to remain at home and give up her plan 
 to go away to school." 
 
 As this unexpected ultimatum was given, every 
 one gasped, and Polly cried: "Oh, no I Father 
 didn't say that, did he?" 
 
 John remained silent, and Polly began to cry 
 pathetically, as her chief delight in having found 
 Choko's Find, was the fact that she would have 
 enough money of her own to not only go to High 
 School, but also to go through one of the large
 
 152 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 women's colleges. Even if her father refused to 
 finance such an educational ideal, she would have 
 had her own income to draw upon. 
 
 "Now wait a moment, Poll, before you lose all 
 hope !" exclaimed John, quickly glancing from 
 Anne to his mother, and then back to his sister. 
 
 "'I asked father if he would agree to your hav- 
 ing a private teacher live at Pebbly Pit to edu- 
 cate you, as you craved to be. He is more than 
 willing to consent to this, as it is not the education 
 or money he begrudges you, but the need of your 
 going away from home to get it. Now isn't that 
 fine?" 
 
 "Where can we find a teacher who will bury 
 herself in this crater just to teach one girl?" de- 
 manded Polly, wiping her eyes. 
 
 "W-h-y I thought perhaps " John stam- 
 mered uncomfortably, then gathered courage to 
 add: "Miss Stewart liked it at Bear Forks one 
 year, and she has been teaching Eleanor for two 
 years. She may agree to teach you this year for 
 a tempting salary." 
 
 "Anne has had an unusual offer to teach a 
 seminary class in New York," said Mrs. Brewster, 
 without any sign of partiality for any one or any 
 plan. 
 
 "Oh!" remarked John.
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 153 
 
 But Tom Latimer eagerly added : "We can offer 
 Miss Stewart a better salary for her time than 
 any New York school can, if she will agree to 
 stay here and help us win our way to Rainbow 
 Cliffs." 
 
 Before Anne could reply, Polly cried: "But I 
 don't want any teacher to live here and educate 
 me ! Can't you see that I want to go out, OUT 
 somewhere, anywhere, away from this volcanic 
 pit where I have been buried for fourteen years !" 
 
 Once Polly freed herself of the reticence of 
 speaking of her own ideals and longings for ex- 
 perience, she almost volleyed forth her words, 
 so that every one sat astonished at her eloquence. 
 
 "When John went away to school I was aw- 
 fully lonesome for he used to take me everywhere 
 he went, and we had good times. 
 
 "Father and mother were good but they don't 
 know what the girl of to-day craves! It isn't 
 that we girls are brought up so differently from 
 our parents, or that they get modern ideas into 
 their heads from mixing with society girls or from 
 reading of them. It is in the air we breathe 
 1 the desire to come out of swaddling clothes and 
 take a stand for our individual rights! Every 
 girl has the germ of self-expression in her some- 
 where, and if it is starved and choked by con-
 
 154 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 ventionalities and parental bonds, she is bound to 
 find an outlet for her energy in some unprofitable 
 way. If folks would only SEE that girls, to-day, 
 are capable of accomplishing what the boys of to- 
 day are doing, and then give us a chance, there 
 won't be so many slatterns and silly women-folk 
 in the future. 
 
 "I learned all I could get out of Bear Forks' 
 school-books, but it wasn't half enough for me. 
 Now I am going to go to High, or leave home 
 to work somewhere. I will not stay here to eat 
 my heart out over the outside world and what 
 it is doing. I may be awfully disappointed when 
 I get acquainted with folks, outside, but at least 
 I want the opportunity NOW, just as my brother 
 John has it. 
 
 "Mother and father took it as a matter of 
 course, that their boy must go to college and 
 carve a career for himself. But their girl ought 
 never to dream of such foibles she must remain 
 at home and learn to sew and cook and do all the 
 household chores ! If any sort of a decent rancher 
 comes along who wants to marry, then I must 
 thank him and tie myself down to take care of 
 his socks and buttons, and rear a fine family! 
 
 "No, no, NO I I tell you I just won't do it!" 
 Polly fairly screamed out the last words and
 
 i "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 155 
 
 stamped her foot vehemently, as she stood de- 
 claring what she thought of such a life. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster hid her face in a handkerchief 
 whether she was weeping or trymg to hide her 
 gratification at hearing her daughter assert her 
 rights in such a positive manner, no one knew. 
 
 "W-h-y Polly Brewster! You are positively 
 unladylike in your manner of speaking of marriage 
 and a future husband!" objected Barbara, shocked. 
 
 Polly turned on her, as the proverbial worm 
 turned : 
 
 "Pooh! What do you know about real life! 
 You a silly selfish moth ! All you can think of 
 is money, 'lothes, beaus! 
 
 "You can't see a spider without fainting, and 
 you mince about the moment you hear John or 
 Tom are near. You're not a woman of to-day! 
 You're a manufactured specimen of the past gen- 
 eration. Thank goodness, such as you are on the 
 wane; and even modern men who are looking for 
 mates not helpless weights upon their backs 
 select them from the business world where girls 
 are climbing to the top of the ladder as fast as 
 conditions will permit them to. 
 
 "Don't you sit there with your powdered face 
 and crimped-up hair and tell me I am unlady- 
 like! You never thought of being the lady your
 
 156 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 sister is, and certainly I wouldn't say that you can 
 hold a candle to me! I was brought up by a lady, 
 and I call myself as thorough a one as any of 
 your society friends!" 
 
 "Oh, Polly dearest!" Eleanor squealed, run- 
 ning over and squeezing her friend in her arms so 
 that she gasped. Then releasing her, said: "I 
 never heard anything so glorious in my life ! Not 
 even the suffrage leader in Chicago, when she was 
 stumping for 'Votes for Women,' was ever as 
 thrilling as you!" 
 
 "Polly, you are right! A giri has as good a 
 right to her individual expression in life as any 
 man has. I will champion your cause, hence- 
 forth, and even try to convince your father that 
 he is narrow-minded in his selfishness about tying 
 you to his heels," declared Anne Stewart, bravely 
 throwing down the "glove" to every one. 
 
 Eleanor now transferred her hugs and admir- 
 ation to Anne, and Mrs. Brewster lifted her face 
 from the screen of a handkerchief to look at 
 John. 
 
 Tom Latimer and John exchanged looks, then 
 turned to Mrs. Brewster. John was the first to 
 speak. 
 
 "Mother, it looks as if Tolly-Eleanor Com- 
 pany' are going to incorporate themselves in spite
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 157 
 
 of all we can do to claim their shares of stock." 
 
 "I haven't a doubt but that the Tolly-Eleanor 
 Company/ is bound to succeed in any venture of 
 life," replied Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Mother, you don't blame me for wanting to 
 get away from you?" cried Polly, running over 
 to her mother. 
 
 "Dearest, I would be a poor mother if I ex- 
 pected to have my children hang about my neck 
 to remind me that I ought to be petted and worked 
 for, just because I claimed the right of being their 
 parent! Every noble parent is only too willing 
 to judiciously assist a child in finding his or her 
 own niche in life. 
 
 "I have known for a long time that you would 
 realize how stunting this ranch-life is to your un-. 
 folding aspirations. For me, it embraces all that 
 I love and have, but for you two ambitious chil- 
 dren of my younger days, it would be a veritable 
 grave. 
 
 "I feel exactly as Anne does about this step 
 try your own wings, dear child, and wisely select 
 your own walk in life. No father or mother 
 can live your life for you, but they can guide 
 and warn you away from snares and pitfalls. 
 When a child has cast aside its Waddling clothes, 
 as you said, it must stand alone.
 
 158 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "I have argued this out with your father, many 
 times this past year, but he clings fondly to the 
 belief that you are too young to leave home; and 
 he has persisted in holding you in the material 
 concept, instead of realizing that you are purely 
 mental and must feed your mental hunger with 
 proper nourishment. 
 
 "I had another argument with him this even- 
 ing, after his return from the Slide. He ex- 
 pected to convince me that everything would go 
 to ruin if the Cliffs were worked and you were 
 allowed to go away to school. But I turned the 
 tables : I convinced him that he was standing in 
 your light of a future glory by keeping you lim- 
 ited in your realization of an ideal. That only a 
 family disaster and your unhappiness, must result 
 from such old-fashioned views. 
 
 "He finally agreed that if you and the others, 
 here, said that a higher education was what his 
 girl craved and needed, he would withdraw all 
 objections once for all. That is why he left 
 us to discuss and settle this momentous question. 
 Polly, you have won !" 
 
 1 Polly flung her arms about her mother's neck 
 , and wept softly: "But poor father! At what 
 costs have I won?" 
 
 "S-sh! Don't let any one hear you weaken
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 159 
 
 now. This is the moment of your triumph, and 
 you must not look back lest you be turned to a 
 'pillar of salt,' " whispered her mother. 
 
 "Then father did agree to have Polly go to 
 school?" asked John, curiously. 
 
 "Yes, if you-all agreed that it was for the 
 best." 
 
 "And are we to have the Cliffs if the stone 
 proves valuable?" eagerly added Tom Latimer. 
 
 "Having waived his right to keep Polly at 
 home, he says we can turn the whole crater upside- 
 down if we like," said Mrs. Brewster, smilingly. 
 "But I wouldn't goad him, too far, just now. We 
 have won such a mighty victory, that you haven't 
 the faintest idea of what it means to the van- 
 quished. It is doubtful if we can know anything 
 definite about the Cliffs for the next two or three 
 weeks, so let us not speak of it until then." 
 
 "But, Mrs. Brewster, if Anne goes to New 
 York to teach, and takes her mother, where will 
 Polly stay? I've been thinking how fine it will 
 be to have her live with me in Chicago," said 
 Eleanor, eagerly. 
 
 "Why Eleanor Maynard! You can't invite 
 strangers to your mother's home ! It may not be 
 convenient to have any one there this winter," ob- 
 jected Barbara.
 
 160 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Well, don't borrow trouble, Bob ! It's fath- 
 er's home as well as mother's, and I can ask a 
 friend to stay with me if I like." 
 
 "I wouldn't think of ever going to your home, 
 Nolla dear. I'd love to know your father from 
 all you tell me, but I never would stay in that 
 house," declared Polly, quickly. 
 
 "We have several weeks to discuss a school for 
 Polly," remarked Mrs. Brewster, rising to go out 
 and seek her husband. 
 
 "I'd love to be with Anne," ventured Polly, 
 wistfully. 
 
 "Maybe you will, dear. Don't say any more 
 about it, now, but trust to your dear mother's 
 wisdom and ways. Whatever is best for you, 
 she will see that it is brought about," replied 
 Anne, thus winning a grateful smile from John. 
 
 Barbara now went to her room, as she felt the 
 company was not appreciative of her presence, 
 and was too attentive on Polly. Polly and Elea- 
 nor went over to incidentally ask Tom Latimer 
 about certain details in Evans' patent, and more 
 especially what did he know about Kenneth Evans. 
 As both girls were acquainted with Jim Latimer, 
 they had not the same curiosity to hear any one 
 talk about him. 
 
 But John took advantage of this trio tete-a-tete
 
 "POLLY-ELEANOR CO., INC." 161 
 
 to hurry Anne out of the room. Quite naturally, 
 they took the path that ran about the side of the 
 house, where the rose-climbers cast heavy shad- 
 ows in the moon-light. Thence they walked, arm 
 in arm, along the crater-trail where it led to the 
 Clrffs.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 
 
 JIM LATIMER and Kenneth Evans made their 
 appearance much earlier on Sunday morning, than 
 they had on the previous one. When greetings 
 with his brother, and the family at Pebbly Pit 
 were over, Jim explained: "The Boss lifted his 
 ban on using the horses, when he found his men 
 grumbling all week over their wretched Sunday." 
 
 Of course, the two new arrivals were interested 
 in hearing all about the gold mine and its present 
 condition, not only because there might be a pos- 
 sibility that Kenneth's uncle was the Montresor 
 who first discovered the vein of ore, but also be- 
 cause Polly and Eleanor were such good pals, and 
 they deserved something big like a gold mine! 
 Which goes to show that youth needs no time or 
 preparation to discover and appreciate any de- 
 sirable qualities of mind and soul. 
 
 Barbara was in her element that Sunday, as 
 John escorted Anne wherever they went, and the 
 
 162
 
 JEB WAS PRACTICING LOVE-MAKING FROM A BOOK. 
 Polly and Eleanor. Page 169
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 163 
 
 two younger girls had Jim and Kenneth for com- 
 panions. So, quite naturally, Tom Latimer fell 
 to her lot. As she had been carefully trained to 
 make the most of any opportunity offered, espe- 
 cially with a rich and desirable young man for the 
 prize, she used every art to captivate Bob. But 
 the young man was sensibly educated and won- 
 dered why really good-looking girls should act 
 as silly as Barbara did on this occasion. 
 
 He felt embarrassed at having to look at her 
 from time to time, as she was powdered and 
 rouged as she would have been for a ballroom 
 in the city, and poor Tom thought that, perhaps, 
 she had some loathsome irruption on her face that 
 necessitated this covering of the natural skin. 
 Consequently he managed to keep his eyes turned 
 away that the girl might not feel too unhappy over 
 her trouble. 
 
 But Barbara thought her cavalier was so ef- 
 fected that he could not look at her without feel- 
 ing her powers of beauty and attraction; so she 
 posed and minced her way as she fondly believed 
 into Tom's plastic heart. Had she but known 
 the truth! 
 
 A merry family group sat down, at noon, to the 
 delicious dinner served under the giant oak-tree. 
 And Mr. Brewster, as affable as if he had nor
 
 1 64 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 been tried by a family-court the night previous, 
 asked the younger boys how their survey-work was 
 progressing. 
 
 "Oh fine I We have lots of fun in camp, and 
 when we go out on a section the work is so inter- 
 esting!" exclaimed Kenneth. 
 
 "With such a large crowd of men, I suppose 
 you two boys are considered more as kids who are 
 to be teased and imposed upon, eh?" asked Tom 
 Latimer, having read his brother's letters about 
 the crew. 
 
 "That's the best part of the crowd they seem 
 to forget that we both are tenderfeet and years 
 younger than they are. Ken and I are treated 
 exactly like any of the older men in the crew," 
 replied Jim. 
 
 "Yes, we are paired off with certain groups to 
 rain-proof the canvas tents, to act as commissary 
 agents, and to share in all the chores the others 
 do. Just because Jim has a rich father and be- 
 cause I have to work for a living, makes no dif- 
 ference to them. Caste and wealth counts as 
 nothing out fn these wilds. It is what a fellow 
 stands for and can prove that is his introduction 
 and guarantee of manliness," added Kenneth. 
 
 "Did your crew move to a new line, as you 
 thought they would?" asked Eleanor.
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 165 
 
 "Yes, we are now at Silver Creek, but we only 
 have another week's work to do there. Then we 
 move on to the next section which will be near 
 Buffalo Park. Isn't that the place where you said 
 Old Montresor had a cabin?" said Jim. 
 
 "Yes, and it is a lovely spot. I've been there, 
 and I promised Nolla I'd ride there with her 
 some day," returned Polly. 
 
 "Oh, I say, girls 1 Wouldn't it be great to 
 have you-aK ride up while we camped there ? You 
 could make up a party of it, couldn't you ?" asked 
 Kenneth, eagerly. 
 
 "And we'd get Old Carew to give you a 
 regular party! The men in our crowd are gen- 
 tlemen from different parts of the States, and they 
 would help us entertain," added Jim. 
 
 "I think it would be a treat, Mrs. Brewster, 
 for all of us. John and I would join the pic- 
 nickers," now said Tom Latimer. 
 
 "Say, would you really, Tom?" cried Jim, de- 
 lightedly. 
 
 "Sure thing. If Mr. and Mrs. Brewster ap- 
 prove." 
 
 John looked at his mother. "It will be dandy, 
 Mother, if you and Dad will go, too." 
 
 "Father and I wouldn't go, John, if Tom and 
 you will escort the girls," returned Mrs. Brewster.
 
 1 66 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Oh, but we couldn't think of going, Mrs. 
 Brewster, unless you chaperoned us among so 
 many men!" exclaimed Barbara. Then when she 
 saw Tom Larimer looking at her she modestly 
 drooped her head. 
 
 Tom was thinking: "Of all the empty-headed 
 vain creatures it ever was my misfortune to meet, 
 she takes the cake!" 
 
 "That needn't trouble you, girls. If you will 
 come on a Saturday and spend Sunday at camp 
 with us, we will have the Boss's wife there to act 
 as hostess. Mrs. Carew always spends Sundays 
 at camp unless the Boss rides down to town to 
 visit her. Sometimes she brings the school 
 teacher from Oak Creek, or other ladies who en- 
 joy the novel life in a survey camp," explained 
 Jim, enthusiastically. 
 
 "Do let's go, Anne! Can't we say yes?" said 
 Eleanor, eagerly. 
 
 "How long will both of you boys be here?" 
 Anne asked of John. 
 
 "We planned to wait until we hear, one way 
 or the other, regarding the stones we sent to New 
 York, and about the financing of Choko's Find. 
 Perhaps Dad and Dr. Evans might even come 
 out and look the ground over for themselves, be- 
 fore answering my letter," said John.
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 167 
 
 "Then we could safely arrange to go next Sun- 
 day, or the Sunday after?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, we will be home for a month, most 
 likely." ' 
 
 John's voice betrayed his satisfaction that such 
 was to be the case, and Anne smiled faintly, be- 
 cause she could not control her own pleasure in 
 hearing him say so. Mrs. Brewster and Tom 
 Latimer exchanged glances of understanding but 
 no one else saw them. 
 
 So it was decided that if Mrs. Carew was to 
 visit her husband over the following week-end, 
 and the weather permitted, the young folks would 
 form a party to ride up to Buffalo Park on Sat- 
 urday. With this pleasure in view, the two boys 
 went back to camp in the early afternoon, the dis- 
 tance being so far from Pebbly Pit, that it would 
 be quite dark before they reached camp. 
 
 After they had gone, Polly and Eleanor wan- 
 dered around at a loss for something to do. Be- 
 ing Sunday, their sports were limited to a quiet 
 time. So they decided to visit the corrals and see 
 Noddy and Choko, as the burros had been 
 neglected by their riders during the past few days 
 of the excitement over gold. 
 
 They were passing the wagon-house, when 
 Polly caught hold of Eleanor's arm for silence.
 
 1 68 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Both girls listened and distinctly heard a man 
 speaking in dramatic tones. The voice was not 
 recognizable, although Polly had not heard of any 
 new hand having been hired. 
 
 "Ef Ah wasn't shore we-all'd be happy, Ah 
 never would be h'ar askin' fur yor hajnd a'n' 
 heart." Then there was a pause. 
 
 A low mumbling followed, and then the voice 
 again cried: 
 
 "Ef you-all w'arn't my match, Ah'd go away 
 and nary trouble this ranch agin. But folkses kin 
 see we-all w'ar made fer each other. Even John 
 says so!" Then sounded another jumble of in- 
 coherent words. 
 
 "Who under the sun is it? A couple who are 
 in love with each other?" wondered Eleanor, 
 aloud, as she turned to Polly. 
 
 "Whoever it is, they are behind the wagon- 
 shed. Let's creep up to the harness loft and see 
 who it is. There isn't another woman on the 
 farm beside Sary, and I'm sure I saw her in the 
 house, when we left there." 
 
 Polly led the way up the ladder to the loft, and 
 then they crept carefully across the floor until she 
 reached the wide loft-window. This she opened 
 quietly and tilted the slats so they could look 
 down in the yard behind the barn.
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 169 
 
 There sat Jeb with a few loose pages from a 
 pamphlet in his hands. He was memorizing the 
 words, and as he did so he mumbled them. 
 
 Every time he had mastered a certain para- 
 graph, he would stand up, strike a pose, and de- 
 claim in an unnatural voice, to the pig-sty that 
 was not more than twenty feet away from the 
 sheds. 
 
 Suddenly Polly clapped a hand over her mouth 
 and rocked back and forth. Instantly Eleanor 
 wanted to know what the joke was. 
 
 "Oh, oh! I know now where Jeb got that 
 paper book. It was advertised in our Farm 
 Journal as being the most complete education on 
 how to propose gracefully to a woman that man 
 ever could find. I just bet Jeb sent for it, one 
 day, when he asked me to address an envelope 
 for him. He must be practicing to ask some Oak 
 Creek girl to marry him." 
 
 Both girls now smothered their laughter, for 
 the idea of simple little Jeb in love with some one 
 was too funny for words. He seemed terribly 
 in earnest, however, as he stood up again and 
 declared his love, and beat his breast and pre- 
 tended to tear at his hair: 
 
 " 'Ef you-all refuse me Ah shall end mah 
 wretched existence! What is life widdout love?
 
 I 7 o POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Oh, beuchus maiden ' no, no, Ah musen't call 
 her 'maiden' er she'll knock me down," murmured 
 Jeb, scratching his head in perplexity. 
 
 His audience almost choked with laughter, but 
 he suddenly brightened up again and said to him- 
 self: "Yeh, that's it! She'll like thct." Then 
 he began again with one hand over his heart and 
 the other tearing at the thin covering of hair on 
 his head, " 'Ef you-all refuse me Ah shall end this 
 wretched life ' no, not Ah shall end this 
 wretched EXISTENCE! What is life widdout 
 love? Oh, beau-chus widder, will you-all be 
 mine?" 
 
 As Jeb spoke his last lines, he smirked to him- 
 self and said: "Thar now, Jeb! That'll fetch 
 her, er John's all wrong." 
 
 Polly and Eleanor looked at each other in con- 
 sternation. Who was the widow and what had 
 John to do with this proposal? 
 
 Jeb was placing the little paper book in his 
 breast pocket when the girls looked out again. 
 Then he picked up the bucket of swill and ran 
 over to feed the pigs. His audience, up in the 
 loft, heard him still reciting various love-thrilling 
 lines to himself, as the pigs grunted and snorted 
 and ate their supper. But Eleanor said they'd 
 better get away before Jeb found them.
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 171 
 
 Polly studied her brother's face keenly, during 
 supper, but John seemed as free from guile as 
 any babe. So after the table was cleared, she 
 went up to him and whispered: "Did you tell 
 Jeb to propose to any widow you know?" 
 
 "Why?" John's eyes twinkled with fun. 
 
 "Because he was behind the shed all afternoon, 
 reciting impassioned lines he had learned in a 
 paper book. We heard him say that that would 
 fetch the widow or you wasn't as wise as you 
 seemed to be." 
 
 John laughed loudly, and merely murmured: 
 "We ought to be on guard to-night, lest Jeb com- 
 mit some folly. Better watch him, Polly, and 
 see where he goes, eh?" 
 
 "He never goes anywhere on Sunday nights. 
 He sits on the terrace by the crater and smokes 
 his pipe." 
 
 "Well, he is safe there, but if you see him come 
 by, all togged out in his church clothes, let me 
 know and I'll see that he conies to no harm. He 
 may be a bit off, you know," John lightly tapped 
 his head as he spoke. 
 
 "Oh, I hope not. Jeb is such a good hand. 
 Father would never know what to do without 
 him. Perhaps we'd best tell father of your sus- 
 picions," cried Polly, deeply concerned.
 
 172 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "No, no ! Don't bother father. I'll take care 
 of Jeb. You just see that he keeps quiet, to- 
 night, wherever he goes to smoke his pipe." 
 
 Innocent Polly then sought for Eleanor, who 
 had been called to the kitchen by Sary. Polly 
 found her giving a plaid ribbon and a corsage 
 nosegay to Sary. But it developed that the maid 
 had higher aspirations than ribbon and flowers. 
 
 "Miss Nolla, Ah see'd a figgered dress 
 a-hangin' from the hook in yur room, one day. 
 No one never wears it, an' Ah wuz wonderin' ef 
 it was yur's, er Miss Bob's, er Miss Anne's?" 
 
 "Oh, that is a striped dimity that mother must 
 have packed by mistake. It happens to be one 
 of hers, so we hung it back in the corner till we 
 go home again." 
 
 "Ah s'pose yur Maw woulden mind much ef 
 she lent it to me fer to-night eh?" hinted 
 Sary. 
 
 "I don't suppose mother will ever think of it 
 again, as it is last year's style, anyway. I'll take 
 the risk of giving it to you, Sary, if you promise 
 never to let Bob know where it went." 
 
 "Oh, Ah shore will promise, Miss Nolla! 
 And Ah kin tell you-all Ah'il be the happiest gal 
 in the West, to-night!" Sary said, giggling like a 
 veritable school-girl.
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 173 
 
 Polly watched her depart with the coveted dress 
 over her arm, then she turned to Eleanor. "All 
 the help are going crazy, it seems to me!" 
 
 About half an hour later, Sary was seen steal- 
 ing from the kitchen door, and tip-toeing over the 
 brick pathway towards the "Second-best" ham- 
 mock that always swung behind the lilac bushes. 
 It was a nice little retreat for any one wishing to 
 take a nap on a sultry afternoon, but Polly had 
 never known Sary to have a weakness for swing- 
 ing. 
 
 "Do you know, Nolla, if I didn't have to watch 
 for Jeb, I'd just love to follow after Sary and 
 see what she is up to," said Polly to Eleanor, as 
 both girls sat alone on the porch steps. 
 
 "Jeb! Why, I saw him come from the barn 
 all dressed up in his church clothes. He turned 
 down the Shrubbery Walk," replied Eleanor. 
 
 "Did he have his pipe?" asked Polly, anxiously. 
 
 "No, he looked around at every step as if to 
 make sure no one was following him." 
 
 "Dear me ! I promised John I'd keep my eye 
 on him!" cried Polly, distressed beyond words. 
 
 "What's the matter? I can show you where 
 he went," said Eleanor, comfortingly. 
 
 So she led Polly to the place where Jeb had 
 left the road and turned down to the shrubbery
 
 174 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 walk. The two girls walked over the soft sod 
 that gave forth no sound, and quite suddenly came 
 upon a scene that caused Eleanor to crush her 
 handkerchief into her mouth to choke her laugh- 
 ter, while Polly stood speechless. 
 
 Sary sat in the hammock, one foot used to 
 propel herself gently back and forth. The newly- 
 acquired striped dress was such a tight fit for her 
 rubicund form, that it cracked ominously every 
 time the wearer took a deep breath. But the 
 short-coming of the two fronts over her ample 
 bosom was camouflaged with the plaid ribbon and 
 many pins. The corsage bouquet was tucked high 
 under her chin where it would show most. 
 
 It was not very dark as yet, so the girls could 
 see how dreadfully white Sary seemed to be, and 
 her lips were startlingly crimson. Suddenly 
 Eleanor guessed the truth. 
 
 "She's gone and used Bob's powder and rouge ! 
 Oh, how funny!" 
 
 Then, before either one of the accidental eaves- 
 droppers could say another word, Sary perked 
 her head sideways, like a hen does when it hears 
 a strange sound. She quickly frizzed up her hair 
 by ruffing it backwards, and patted the ribbon 
 on her waist-front, then gently used her foot again 
 to propel the hammock back and forth.
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 175 
 
 Gradually it dawned upon Polly and Eleanor 
 what all this meant ! They could see Jeb coming 
 from behind the lilac bushes; some ten feet away 
 from the swinger. He seemed ill at ease, and 
 loosened his stiff collar, pulled down his vest, and 
 cleared his throat several times. 
 
 "Oh, Poll! He's going to propose to the 
 'widder' !" whispered Eleanor, burying her face 
 in Polly's back to stop the spasm of laughter. 
 
 Polly was too hypnotized to reply, or move, 
 and Jeb soon was heard to say: "Sary, Ah cum 
 'cuz you-all invited me to be compny t'night." 
 
 "So Ah did, Jeb. Won't you-all sit in th' 
 hammick beside me ?" came from Sary, coyly. 
 
 "It broke thru, last season, Sary, an Ah mended 
 it. But Ah ain't shore it'll hoi' enny more'n you." 
 However, Jeb moved two or three feet nearer the 
 hammock. 
 
 "It's a fine evenin', Jeb," suggested Sary, as 
 seriously as if the weather was the subject up- 
 permost in her mind, just then. 
 
 Jeb gazed up and around as if to verify Sary's 
 statement, then admitted, slowly: "Yeh, it 'pears 
 to be fine." 
 
 Silence reigned for several moments, then Sary 
 said very sweetly (Eleanor whispered to Polly 
 that she must have had a mouthful of honey),
 
 176 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Ah shore am glad to see you, Jeb. Won't you- 
 all sit down on this stool?" 
 
 The girls then saw that Sary had provided the 
 three-legged milk-stool for her visitor. But it was 
 too close to Sary for Jeb's peace of mind. He 
 reached out very warily and caught hold of one 
 leg of the stool, and pulled it towards him. Then 
 he sat gingerly on the edge of it. 
 
 But Sary was determined to carry off a captive 
 that night, or waste all of her ammunition in the 
 attempt. 
 
 "Ah jes' loves to swing, but Ah cain't tech the 
 ground easy when Ah'm sittin' back. Would you- 
 all mind swingin' me, Jeb?" 
 
 Jeb got up slowly from his stool and took hold 
 of the upper end strands of the hammock. He 
 pulled it back and forth a few times, while Sary 
 smiled alluringly up at him. Then he cleared his 
 throat and began to speak. 
 
 "This world was made fur love. Oh, what 
 woul' arth be widdout de flowers of love to par- 
 fume our way?" Jeb coughed. 
 
 Now this was just the sort of romance Sary 
 had always dreamed of but never heard before, 
 and she sighed heavily as her visitor coughed. 
 If Jeb needed encouragement, she was not the one 
 to disappoint him!
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 177 
 
 He gave the hammock a strong tug as he be- 
 gan another line. Sary had to catch hold of the 
 edges to prevent herself from being thrown back- 
 ward. 
 
 "Man wuz not made to live alone. Th' Good 
 Book says so. What so glorious ez a sweet bride 
 waitin' t' welcome a man after a hard day's labor? 
 What man is thar what woulden give his wealth 
 of all Crows-see-us fer love?" 
 
 Jeb pronounced the unfamiliar word very care- 
 fully, but Sary had never heard of Croesus, so 
 it mattered not how Jeb said it. But Polly and 
 Eleanor were clasping each other tightly now, to 
 keep from making a sound that would ruin the 
 entertainment. 
 
 Again Jeb cleared his throat with difficulty and 
 pulled at the hammock as if he was trying to drag 
 a whale from the deep sea. Sary uttered no com- 
 plaint, however, even though her neck almost 
 snapped at each sudden jerk. She was wise 
 enough to realize that the momentous time had 
 come for Jeb. He might never again summon 
 courage, if he failed to-night ! 
 
 Without further warning, then, Jeb began his 
 memorized lines, and as he progressed with the 
 "love sonnet" he unconsciously swung the ham- 
 mock higher and higher.
 
 178 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Ef Ah wuzn't shore we-all w'ar made fur each 
 other Ah wooden be ha'r beggin' fur yur heart an' 
 hand." 
 
 A long and mighty pull on the hammock almost 
 landed Sary out in the grass, but she clung like a 
 vise to the hempen ropes. 
 
 "Enny one kin see we-all w'ar made fur each 
 other, oh darlin' of mah heart! Soul of mah 
 soul!" Jeb coughed violently as he remembered 
 he was two paragraphs ahead in his speech. Now 
 he couldn't remember what went just before that 
 "soul of my soul !" but he knew the tragic part to 
 perfection, so he skipped all that went before and 
 ended with: 
 
 "Ef you-all refuse me, Ah shall end this 
 wretched existence in life widdout love! Oh, 
 beauchus maiden" (strangling as he realized he 
 should have said "widder" and now utterly con- 
 founded, he said) : "Oh, Sary! be mah widder 
 widdout mah love NO, Sary, be mah wife 
 widdout my widder. Oh, Sary, Ah don't know 
 w hat Ah " 
 
 In his frenzy, Jeb yanked on the hammock so 
 manfully that the mended strands suddenly sun- 
 dered and Sary was unexpectedly thrown into her 
 suitor's arms. 
 
 Such an unforeseen accident, however, found
 
 JEB'S SUNDAY NIGHT OFF 179 
 
 Sary ready with presence of mind to meet the 
 emergency. She flung her powerful arms about 
 Jeb's slender form and smacked him heartily on 
 the lips. The dramatic lover then trembled and 
 gasped for breath. How to get away safely was 
 all he could think of. But Sary, as tenacious in 
 her hold as "ivy on the sturdy oak," managed to 
 calm her lover's fears. 
 
 "Oh, Jeb! What a wooer you-all do make! 
 Ah never dreamed a man could talk so wonder- 
 ful!" Sary sighed and placed her head down upon 
 Jeb's shoulder. 
 
 Now had Jeb accepted this sweet praise and 
 been satisfied therewith, his wooing need not have 
 ended so abruptly, but manlike, he wanted to 
 hear added words of flattery about himself, so 
 he sat down on the three-legged stool, and drew 
 the over-willing Sary upon his knee. 
 
 "Ah forgot to say half what is in mah soul, 
 Sary," he began, as his lines came back to him. 
 "Oh, Ah must tell you-all what joy you fill me 
 wid, when you consent to listen to mah cause " 
 
 In leaning back to emphasize his speech with 
 an out-flung arm, Jeb lost his balance, and the 
 stool being treacherous on its three legs, promptly 
 turned over and sent both lovers from ecstasy 
 down to earth. As Sary and Jeb managed to get
 
 i8o POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 upon their feet, they thought they heard sounds 
 of smothered laughter and scampering feet over 
 the brick walk, but when they got from behind 
 the lilac bushes to reconnoiter, everything between 
 the kitchen and the Shrubbery Walk was silent as 
 the tomb.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 
 
 WORD was received through Jeb, who met Jake 
 at Oak Creek, that Mrs. Carew would spend the 
 week-end at Camp to welcome the party from the 
 ranch; so the young folks at Pebbly Pit eagerly 
 prepared for the trip to Buffalo Park. The pan- 
 niers were packed with luncheon for the riders, 
 besides the cakes and homemade pies which Mrs. 
 Brewster sent to the boys in camp. 
 
 At dawn on Saturday morning, the party 
 started, Mrs. Brewster watching them ride down 
 the trail until they disappeared back of Rainbow 
 Cliffs. Then she went back to attend to her 
 household duties. 
 
 Polly rode Noddy as usual, and Eleanor had 
 Choko. The other four members of the party 
 rode horses, but one extra burro, Nigger, was 
 taken to carry the luggage. The trail from Bear 
 Forks across the mountain-side was very rough, 
 
 181
 
 1 82 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 being seldom used; most riders, going to Buf- 
 falo Park, took the old worn trail that ran from 
 Silver Creek. 
 
 Finally, the going was found to be so steep that 
 it was deemed best to, attach the pack-burro to 
 John's horse, by means of a rope. This would 
 necessitate the burro following after John's horse 
 instead of wandering away in the maze of forest 
 trees. 
 
 But sometimes, these little burros get stubborn 
 when they are made to follow in the rear of a 
 horse, and it was so with Nigger. He acted like 
 a sulky child, and made the girls laugh at his con- 
 trary behavior. He seemed to have lost all in- 
 dividual ambition, and made John's horse drag 
 him at the unusually hard places in the trail. 
 
 They had been climbing steadily for two hours 
 and hoped soon to reach the clearer trail that ran 
 direct to Buffalo Park. But the trees grew so 
 closely together, now, that they offered obstruc- 
 tions in every direction the horses went. Some- 
 times it was even necessary for the riders to dis- 
 mount and follow after the horses to eliminate 
 the extra width caused by stirrups and legs. 
 
 Nigger's panniers were packed with food, cook- 
 ing utensils to use while on the trail, and rifles. 
 This bulky roll projected over a foot on either
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 183 
 
 side of him, often creating a "blockade" in the 
 narrow going between trees. 
 
 John's horse, being unable to read blazes as 
 easily as his rider could, would choose the wrong 
 turn now and then, sulkily followed by Nigger. 
 Then the horse would come to a spot impossible 
 to pass through and would decide to back out. 
 Nigger, with his clumsy pack and grouchy man- 
 ner, stood and fairly laughed at such times. Polly 
 and Eleanor enjoyed these funny experiences 
 thoroughly; but John felt annoyed, as he wished 
 to appear his best before Anne, and how can a 
 young gallant impress his lady-love favorably 
 when his horse is making a fool of itself? 
 
 While Nigger and Snowball (John's horse was 
 white) were engaged in disentangling themselves 
 from one of these snarls, the other riders went 
 ahead. Finding John was not immediately be- 
 hind, they halted and turned to watch him get his 
 two steeds straightened out and going again. 
 
 AH was serene once more and Snowball started 
 briskly up the trail, but unfortunately, she went 
 about a tree on one side of the trail while Nigger 
 insisted upon choosing the other side. Both were 
 suddenly yanked up when the tie-rope tautened 
 about the tree, so that John was almost thrown 
 out of the saddle. Neither beast would give in
 
 i 84 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 but tugged stubbornly to make the other waive his 
 right of way, until finally, John had to jump down 
 again, and compel Snowball to walk back and 
 around the tree on the right side, where the burro 
 waited. 
 
 Nigger stood with neck stretched and his mouth 
 half-open, while his eyes gleamed impishly. John 
 roared at the expression on the burro's face, as 
 true to a malicious grin as ever a human could 
 produce it. Then they resumed the climb. 
 
 But Nigger had found a new way to tantalize 
 Snowball. He would step upon a stone and allow 
 it to trip him. This would make his pack strike 
 the tree on the side he rolled. Then the tree, 
 resisting the impact, would slew him back again. 
 Naturally, every time he performed this way, 
 Snowball was unceremoniously yanked up too, and 
 this sudden stopping interfered with John's con- 
 versation with Anne. 
 
 After Polly had laughed herself weak over 
 Nigger's clever performances, she called to John. 
 "No use ! You'll have to give Nig his freedom ! 
 He'll land Snowball in kingdom come if you keep 
 him tied." 
 
 So wise little Nigger was freed once more, and 
 thereafter he walked as circumspectly as any good 
 burro should. But the going was better, too,
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 185 
 
 with the trail running through miles and miles of 
 dark green forests, patterned here and there with 
 golden stretches of mesa and parks. 
 
 "Are you sure you know the trail, Polly?" 
 asked John, as he gazed about at the unfamiliar 
 path. 
 
 "Oh, yes, I've gone this way lots of times when 
 Mr. Montresor lived in the cabin where Carew's 
 men are now camping." 
 
 "Well, if it is much farther, then I say we'd 
 best halt for something to eat." 
 
 "I will second that motion whether it is far or 
 near. We had best have a bite, as we will have 
 to wait for the crew's dinner-time when we ar- 
 rive in camp," added Tom Latimer. 
 
 So the riders dismounted and hastily prepared 
 a luncheon. When they were ready to proceed 
 on the way, Nigger found his pack much lighter 
 than before, so he, too, was delighted to have 
 had the humans stop for lunch. 
 
 It was past noon before the visitors reached 
 Carew's Camp, but once there, they were given a 
 hearty welcome by every one. Cookee had been 
 mixing and stirring viands ever since the break- 
 fast had been cleared away, and now he was ready 
 to smile satisfactorily at results, for he was going 
 to give these guests a rare meal that day.
 
 1 86 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Mrs. Carew was a Chicago lady and, for once, 
 Barbara was happy, as she found her hostess knew 
 several people that the Maynards felt were ex- 
 alted enough to be classed "in their set." 
 
 As soon as their section master gave them the 
 afternoon's vacation, Jim Latimer and Kenneth 
 appropriated Polly and Eleanor, and the four 
 started off on fresh horses from the corral, for 
 an excursion. 
 
 Jim wanted to ride to one of the peaks where 
 they had surveyed that week, and show the girls 
 the far-off desert that stretched for miles and 
 miles between Buffalo Park and the Lincoln 
 Memorial Highway. 
 
 The trail was well defined, as the crew had 
 traveled it twice a day that week, and had worn 
 down cactus and sage-brush. 
 
 The four finally reached the pinnacle where the 
 gray expanse of sand could be seen stretching out 
 to meet the blue sky on the horizon, and Jim 
 laughingly remarked: "Ken and I came near 
 finding a sandy grave there the other day." 
 
 "How?" eagerly asked the girls. 
 
 "Why, we were sent with our superior, to tie 
 up a line at the edge of the desert down there, 
 and having done so, one of the crew saw a fine 
 little bit of water and a few trees growing about
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 187 
 
 It, not more than half-a-mile from where we were 
 working. 
 
 "We concluded it would make an admirable 
 place to rest and have lunch, and give the horses 
 a good drink, too, at the same time. So we all 
 started over the sand to enjoy the unusual oasis. 
 
 "Well, we kept on going and going, but the 
 darn old oasis seemed as far away as ever. Sud- 
 denly, I thought I was going queer in my head, 
 because it slowly vanished like mist. I rubbed 
 my eyes and called on Ken to verify the fact. 
 Then you should have heard the men swear! 
 Phew!" 
 
 Both boys laughed as they recalled the irrita- 
 tion of the men who found they had been riding 
 for a mirage And lunch farther off than ever. 
 
 "However, we saw a gigantic bowlder of lava 
 and sand rear its head from the desert a short 
 distance off, so we decided to make for that and 
 see if there was a crevice in its side where we 
 might find shelter from the baking sun. 
 
 "We left the horses hobbled while we scram- 
 bled up its sides to look for any projection that 
 would cast a shadow for us. 
 
 "The men separated when we started to climb, 
 but we all met at the top without having found 
 any shade. The wind that blew across the desert,
 
 1 88 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 was comparatively cool, however, so we sat on 
 the uncomfortable spikes of lava and planned 
 where we might have something to eat. 
 
 "Ken turned to speak to me, and a great mass 
 of shale broke away from his feet and rolled 
 down the steep sides of the crag. But he man- 
 aged to catch himself from slipping. Then we 
 began breaking off fragments of shale and tried 
 to see who could throw it the farthest out on the 
 desert. We laid wagers, and one of the party 
 said he would go down, after a bit, and mark the 
 ones that were prize-winners. That made us 
 laugh as no one would ever be able to find any 
 individual chunk of shale out on that wild place. 
 
 "The breeze that had been blowing rather too 
 strong, now became stronger, and then Prang, 
 who was in charge of us, that day, shaded his 
 eyes with a hand and stared off at the horizon. 
 We all gazed in the same direction, but we were 
 not experienced enough to know what it was he 
 saw. 
 
 " 'My God, boys ! slide down this crag as fast 
 as you can that's a storm blowing across the 
 sands. It will hit us in a few moments. Grab 
 the horses or they'll bolt and we'll all be lost on 
 the desert!'" 
 
 "Gee! didn't we get down those awful sides.
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 189 
 
 Ken slid more than half-way down, then he lost 
 his grasp on the side. His back and arms are 
 all scraped now, from the way he rolled the rest 
 of the way." 
 
 The girls sympathized with Ken, but he laughed 
 away the thought that he had been too tender to 
 stand such a test. 
 
 "Well, most of us got down and had caught 
 our horses before the sand-storm struck us, but 
 two of our crowd had to stumble through the ter- 
 rific storm that blinded them. Had we not kept 
 on calling and shouting to direct them, they would 
 have wandered away and been buried. 
 
 "It was an awful experience, but now that it is 
 over, I'm glad we had it. I will have something 
 to brag about when I'm at college, this Fall." 
 
 Ken laughed. "I'd rather not brag than to go 
 through such a hair-raising time again." 
 
 "Do both of you boys intend going to college?" 
 asked Eleanor. 
 
 "Yes ; we've gone through school together since 
 we were little shavers. And that's quite a record 
 for boys in New York, where folks are always 
 moving from one district to another," replied 
 Jim. 
 
 "I believe your brother Tom said you were go- 
 ing to Yale?" continued Eleanor.
 
 190 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "We will, if we pass the tests. I'm sure Ken 
 will, but I'm not so sure of myself." 
 
 "Now don't belittle yourself. You know you 
 will pass," added Kenneth. 
 
 "I'm sorry you both will be away from home, 
 because Polly and I expect to attend school in 
 New York this Winter," remarked Eleanor. 
 
 "Me? School in New York?" cried Polly, as- 
 tonished. 
 
 "Why, yes, of course ! Didn't you know what 
 was in my mind when I decided I would like to go 
 to New York with Anne Stewart?" 
 
 "But that doesn't mean I'm going there!" ex- 
 claimed Polly. 
 
 "Of course you are. I don't want to go with- 
 out you, so I shall scheme to win your folks over 
 to my way of thinking." 
 
 "Well, all I can say, is this : If you win them 
 over to see how important it is for me to go to 
 school in New York, you are a wizard that's 
 all!" declared Polly, laughingly. 
 
 "Your laugh sounds dubious, but I'll show you, 
 pretty soon." 
 
 "Now, if you two girls should find yourselves 
 in New York, we will have our folks meet you 
 and pilot you through the wilderness. It's worse
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 191 
 
 than out here on the mountains, you know," 
 laughed Jim. 
 
 "In case I don't pass for college, I won't mind 
 so much, as long as you girls will be in the city 
 to console me," added Kenneth, gallantly. 
 
 They laughed. "We won't waste much time 
 consoling any one, I can tell you," added Polly. 
 
 "No ; Polly and I are going to study some pro- 
 fession, you know, and begin business as soon as 
 we complete our education." 
 
 "What?" exclaimed Jim, surprised to hear 
 such young girls plan for a business life. 
 
 "Yep! Polly is just daffy over interior deco- 
 rating, and since she showed me all her magazines 
 and other books on it, I am crazy about it, too." 
 
 "But you don't have to study that!" declared 
 Kenneth. 
 
 "That shows how little a man knows about it. 
 Why, not only must a decorator a real one, we 
 mean know all about periods in architecture 
 and furnishings of all kinds, but she must know 
 at a glance, whether an object is genuine antique or 
 a counterfeit," explained Eleanor, glad to impress 
 her male friends with her understanding of what 
 is essentially a woman's profession. 
 
 "Besides that," added Polly, "a good interior
 
 i 9 2 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 decorator must know the name of a painter of 
 pictures, whether an old master or a modern 
 artist. Not an engraving or etching shown but 
 the good decorator ought to be able to say who 
 did it, and name its date. 
 
 "There are lots of counterfeit antique china 
 sold to-day, but a good decorator can tell instantly 
 whether it is real antique or not. 
 
 "Besides china and pictures, one must be able 
 to name a rug its qualities and value, at a glance. 
 As for draperies and wall-hangings, well! It all 
 has to be thoroughly learned," said Polly. 
 
 "I always thought a man took up interior 
 decorating just because he happened to have been 
 an upholsterer or fresco painter. I never knew 
 there was any studying to be done, first," said 
 Jim. 
 
 "You didn't, eh! Well then, let me tell you 
 this much; Polly and I intend to use our money 
 from the mine, to put us both through school in 
 New York. Any other city would do, I suppose, 
 only Anne Stewart will be there, and I never can 
 study under any one else! So I have to attend 
 class in New York," Eleanor spoke with the 
 greatest assurance that all she said had already 
 been agreed to by Polly's family. 
 
 "Then when Polly and I have had a year or
 
 A TRIP TO BUFFALO PARK 193 
 
 two with Anne, we will take a special course in 
 some one of the best schools on the subject. This 
 course finished, we propose going to Europe to 
 study Italian, French, Spanish, and English 
 periods and styles. If we have an extra year or 
 so, to spare, we might go to Japan and Egypt, 
 as I just adore those two lands." 
 
 "W-h-y! Eleanor! You never mentioned a 
 word of this to me before! Who told you we 
 could go?" gasped Polly. 
 
 Eleanor laughed merrily. "You big innocent! 
 Why, / just told you myself that we were going 
 abroad." 
 
 "If I ever manage to break away from Pebbly 
 Pit after the awful speech I made recently, I'll 
 be lucky, and let New York or Europe alone!" 
 laughed Polly. 
 
 "You never would have had gumption to speak 
 as you did, Polly, if it hadn't been for my train- 
 ing you. This is what I have done to you 
 you are growing to be more independent of 
 others." 
 
 Eleanor smiled self-complacently at Polly, but 
 the latter retorted: "I owe you nothing on an 
 exchange, Nolla, because you must admit that I 
 have filled you up with ideas you never dreamed 
 of before you came to the ranch!"
 
 H94 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Shake, old girll" laughed Eleanor, holding 
 out her hand. 
 
 r "But about New York girls. It would be 
 great if you can fix it. Ken and I will be home 
 every holiday, and perhaps we can run down 
 from New Haven, now and then, over Sundays," 
 remarked Jim, eagerly. 
 
 Eleanor held up an assuring hand, as she 
 nodded her wise little head knowingly and said: 
 "Leave it to Nolla, boys!" 
 
 They laughed and agreed that there was no 
 one else that could arrange affairs any better! 
 
 Polly sat mute, for she wondered if it ever 
 would come true what Eleanor had planned 
 about Europe. In her wildest fancies she had 
 never dared allow her thought to outline such 
 possibilities. But here was a harum-scarum 
 friend who seemed to get everything she wanted 
 by merely saying, "We must have it, you know!" 
 
 "I guess we'd better be starting back to camp," 
 suggested Kenneth, looking up at the sun. 
 
 "Yes, it will take us fully an hour, riding 
 down," agreed Jim. 
 
 So they helped the girls into their saddles, and 
 soon all four were having a good time going 
 back to Buffalo Park.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 
 
 THAT same night while at supper, Mrs. Carew 
 asked her guests if they had ever visited one of 
 the western celebrations. 
 
 "Polly says she has, but we have never seen 
 one," replied Anne, eagerly. 
 
 "Well, Oak Creek is going to have its annual 
 fair, or celebration, two weeks from Monday. 
 It generally lasts for three days, and they have 
 all sorts of stunts there. You-all must be sure to 
 
 go." 
 
 "The Boss says we can have a day off and go, 
 too !" declared Jim. 
 
 "I wish it would happen to come on the day 
 you girls go," added Kenneth, anxiously. 
 
 "We'll try and plan it that way. Maybe we 
 will go to each day's show," quickly said Eleanor. 
 
 "Maybe you can find out from Mrs. Carew 
 what day her husband thinks we can have," ven- 
 tured Jim, in a whisper. 
 
 Eleanor nodded; then she turned to John and 
 195
 
 i 9 6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 told him what they wanted to know from Mrs. 
 Carew. 
 
 Thus it was learned that the survey Crew was 
 to be given Tuesday and Wednesday as it would 
 take almost half a day to travel to Oak Creek, 
 and another half day to get back to camp. The 
 boys gave a wild hurrah when they heard this 
 good news, and immediately planned to start from 
 camp directly after midnight Monday so as to en- 
 joy a full day at the fair. 
 
 After good-bys were said, and the Pebbly Pit 
 party were ready to start on the homeward trail, 
 Jim whispered to Polly and Eleanor, "Now don't 
 forget! Ken and I have a date with you two at 
 the Fair, Tuesday and Wednesday." 
 
 And the girls laughingly promised to make a 
 note in their social calendar book. 
 
 The two weeks intervening between the visit to 
 Buffalo Park, and the celebration at Oak Creek, 
 passed rapidly, for John and Tom had a new 
 excursion planned for each day. Of course, 
 Polly and Eleanor were members of these picnics, 
 so they almost forgot about the fair until a day, 
 or so, before the time. 
 
 "We-all attend the fair, you know, and take 
 our camp outfit with us," said Mr. Brewster, at 
 supper on Sunday evening.
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 197 
 
 "Aren't there any restaurants where we can 
 dine?" asked Barbara. 
 
 "Well, there is Snake-Bill's place where you get 
 hash piled up with your pie and odds or ends, 
 all on an inch-thick dish. Then there is the 
 Rocky Mountain Cafie as every one calls it, 
 but ladies are not welcome, there. Neither of 
 these places will appeal to you girls, Ah'm sure," 
 explained Sam Brewster. 
 
 "Oh, no ! They have no idea of what it is 
 like, Sam," declared Mrs. Brewster, holding up 
 both hands in horror at the very idea. 
 
 "Will we start early in the morning?" now 
 asked Eleanor, wondering if they would be on 
 time to keep their engagements. 
 
 "Oh, we will leave here about one or two 
 o'clock," replied Mr. Brewster, nonchalantly. 
 
 "One or two!" cried Barbara, aghast, thinking 
 he meant A. M. 
 
 "Yes, then we will arrive about four or five. 
 By the time we have the tents pitched and every- 
 thing in tip-top working order, it will be supper- 
 time. There won't be so much going on the first 
 night, you know, but we will be there for Tues- 
 day's early games." 
 
 "Oh, my goodness ! You don't mean we shall 
 camp over night?" exclaimed Barbara.
 
 198 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Of course ! We could never travel back and 
 forth each day, as it is a long ride and tough 
 roads for the horses to pull a heavy ranch-wagon," 
 returned Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "I don't see why you won't have automobiles 
 out here! It would not cost much to have a 
 Ford, or some other cheap affair, but the con- 
 venience and time you'd save my!" said Bar- 
 bara. 
 
 "An auto ! Can you see us driving a car over 
 such awful roads as there are for miles around 
 Oak Creek? To say nothing of the wild trails 
 that go to Pebbly Pit and other far-off ranches," 
 said John. 
 
 "Whenever there is a rain, or in winter, the 
 roads are impassable, you know, Bob," added 
 Mrs. Brewster. "I'd love to have a car just for 
 fun, but there is no pleasure in riding it around 
 the farm where I know every foot of ground. 
 And excepting on our own land, there are no de- 
 cent roads." 
 
 "I never thought of that!" admitted Barbara. 
 
 "So we make the best of things, and ride to 
 the fair in a wagon that will hold a village of 
 people," concluded Polly. 
 
 "I think it will be heaps of fun to camp right
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 199 
 
 in town where crowds of other folks are camp- 
 ing," said Eleanor, giggling. 
 
 "It is. You never know who your next-door 
 neighbor is going to be," laughed Polly. "Once, 
 we camped right next to a horse-thief who was 
 wanted by the sheriff. My, but we had an ex- 
 citing time when he crawled into mother's bed and 
 hid!" 
 
 "Polly ! You forgot to say that this happened 
 while we were at the fair and he was driven from 
 his own tent," hastily added Mrs. Brewster, while 
 the others laughed heartily at Polly's omission. 
 
 At these yearly events, every workhand on a 
 ranch went to the fair, whether the cattle starved 
 or not. But with Mr. Brewster's help, it was so 
 planned that half of them went from Monday 
 morning until Tuesday noon, and then the other 
 half went from Tuesday noon until Wednesday 
 night. In this way each side had plenty of time 
 to spend their hoardings, and to drink all the 
 "Sure Death" whisky that could be had in Oak 
 Creek. 
 
 The great ranch-wagon rumbled away Monday 
 noon, and a gay party it carried, too. The tents 
 were tightly rolled and tied to the sides, while 
 rolls of bedding and hampers of food were
 
 200 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 stacked under the high front seat. Hard wooden 
 seats were clamped to each side for the travelers 
 to sit upon. 
 
 Tom Latimer and John kept every one laugh- 
 ing, so that no one complained of the uncomfort- 
 able seats that seemed to grow harder the nearer 
 the travelers came to Oak Creek. 
 
 Then the party drew near their objective. But 
 such a different Oak Creek from its usual sleepy 
 appearance! The entire countryside, outside of 
 the settlement proper, was dotted with canvas 
 tents, and campers were running back and forth. 
 Just to the right of the town stood a vast tent, 
 like a circus canvas; and in line with it were sev- 
 eral smaller ones. 
 
 "That larger one is where all the exhibits are 
 shown and where the contests take place, such as 
 eating pan-cakes, shoveling coal, testing mining 
 tools, and other tame games," explained John. 
 
 "Do they bust the bronchos there, too?" asked 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "No, that, and the trick riding, is done out in 
 the ring," replied Mr. Brewster. 
 
 While the men pitched the tents and carried 
 the folding cots from the wagon, Sary unpacked 
 her meager cooking outfit, and Mrs. Brewster ar- 
 ranged the hampers in a safe place in her tent.
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 201 
 
 Eleanor and Polly stood watching the crowds of 
 incoming ranchers drive by, all on the look-out 
 for a good camping-site. 
 
 "I do hope the boys from Buffalo Park will 
 be in time to find a place near us," whispered 
 Polly. 
 
 "Yes, but it looks now, as if there wouldn't be 
 an inch of room left after to-night," returned 
 Eleanor. 
 
 Mr. Brewster then joined them. "Well, girls, 
 want to go with me to have a look over the fair- 
 grounds? To-morrow you will be escorted by 
 younger chaps, I suppose; but they won't be able 
 to explain things any better than I can." 
 
 "Oh yes, Daddy! Let's go," cried Polly, 
 eagerly. 
 
 As it was all new to Eleanor, she also wanted 
 to go, so the three found a way between the 
 tents that had sprung up, since they drove in from 
 the trail and had selected their own site. 
 
 Every one was merry and good-natured, and 
 many a joke was exchanged between people who 
 might be master and servant at home, but at the 
 Celebration, they all were equals. 
 
 Mr. Brewster pointed out where the races 
 would take place, and where the wild horse-break- 
 ing generally was held. He told Eleanor that a
 
 202 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 purse of five hundred dollars was always made 
 up by collections, and given to the man who was 
 able to tame the worst outlaw horse of the year. 
 
 Then the girls were taken to the booths where 
 refreshments were served. Sam Brewster or- 
 dered three ice-cream cones and three sodas. He 
 also bought two boxes of candy for the girls. 
 
 "Let's have ice-cream sodas instead of soda 
 and cones," suggested Eleanor. 
 
 "They can't mix ice-cream sodas, out here," 
 explained Polly.- "So we buy cones and mix our 
 own when we want a New York drink." 
 
 Eleanor laughed. "Isn't that funny! It's 
 just as easy!" 
 
 So they emptied their cones into their soda 
 water and stirred the drink with a spoon. But 
 Eleanor learned that the western people would 
 do certain things their way, and no one could 
 convince them that it was much easier to accom- 
 plish the task a different way. 
 
 The cots were hard as rocks but every one fell 
 asleep without complaints that night, and in the 
 morning the mad babel of sounds roused the 
 campers without alarm clocks. As Tuesday was 
 a great day at the fair, no time was lost by steal- 
 ing an extra wink. Breakfast out of the way, 
 the entire party started for the Fair Grounds.
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 203 
 
 "I wonder where the boys are?" whispered 
 Polly. 
 
 "We'll never find them in this mob," returned 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "They said we were to meet at the Bridal Con- 
 test but where is that?" wondered Polly. 
 
 "Let's ask Tom Latimer; we'll tell him Jim 
 is going to be there at ten o'clock." 
 
 Tom heard the girls and laughed: "But why 
 at the Bridal Contest tent? Why not at the coal- 
 heaving contest?" 
 
 "Perhaps the boys thought there wouldn't be 
 such a crowd at the Bridal," ventured Polly, 
 guilelessly. 
 
 Tom and Eleanor laughed, and the former 
 said: "Well, I'll see that you two get there in 
 ample time for the Bridal." 
 
 Long before ten o'clock, John and Anne had 
 disappeared, and that left Tom to the sweet mercy 
 of Barbara. He clung desperately to Polly and 
 Eleanor until it was time to take them to the 
 Bridal Contest, and then he begged Mrs. Brews- 
 ter to take care of Barbara while he was absent 
 with the girls. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster understood that Tom did not 
 care for the young lady's company, and she said 
 in a low tone: "I would feel easier if I thought
 
 204 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 those four young people had a sensible head to 
 look after them in this great multitude, Tom." 
 
 Tom looked at her, but she seemed innocent 
 of any hidden meaning; so he replied fervently: 
 "If you will tell Polly this> I will be only too 
 happy to be the 'head' they need." 
 
 So Tom really acted as "Official Guide" that 
 day and, incidentally, paid all the bills for the 
 young celebrators. This suited Jim and Kenneth, 
 all right, as they were puzzling how to make a 
 big splash in the puddle before these two girls, 
 and yet escape bankruptcy. 
 
 The Bridal Contest was a strange sight. Any 
 couple who wanted to marry in haste, could secure 
 a special license at this booth and be married 
 forthwith. And to every pair so married, the 
 managers of the fair presented a twenty-dollar 
 gold piece, that more than defrayed the costs of 
 the ceremony. To say the Bridal Booth was a 
 failure, would be rank envy and jealousy on the 
 part of any single cow-boy or woman that attended 
 the fair and failed in securing a mate. 
 
 The girls watched while three pairs were mar- 
 ried, and in each case, the bride was a stranger 
 in Oak Creek, while the groom was a newly- 
 fledged rancher who needed a housekeeper worse 
 than he needed his freedom.
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 205 
 
 As the other contests were scheduled for eleven, 
 the four young people, following after their Of- 
 ficial Guide, went the rounds. Not one sight 
 missed them that day, and they turned weary 
 bodies towards the camp that night, thinking of 
 but one thing the cot-beds that awaited them. 
 
 Wednesday was the day when the races took 
 place. Not only the broncho busting, but horse- 
 racing and other events of the kind. A novelty 
 was offered this year, by having several Nebraska 
 cow-boys race on steers. The people for twenty 
 miles around Oak Creek, had seen bull fights, 
 wild steer breaking, and all sorts of horse-racing, 
 but never had they witnessed a steer race. 
 
 It proved very exciting, as the men who rode 
 the animals were gayly trapped out and made a 
 great noise when the race started. Their shout- 
 ing and wildly waving hats, added no little to the 
 frenzy of the steers. One animal tripped and 
 threw his rider, and another balked outright and 
 began to stampede. Finding he could not dis- 
 lodge the encumbrance that clung to his back, he 
 suddenly threw himself and rolled. 
 
 Every one screamed, but the rider was alert and 
 the moment the steer touched the earth, he was 
 up on his feet, bowing and smiling. A wild 
 cheering greeted him, but he had no claim to the
 
 206 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 prize, as that went to the rider who won the race. 
 
 Polly and Eleanor became well-acquainted with 
 Jim and Kenneth during those two days at the 
 fair, and when it was time to say good-by, the 
 boys felt as if they were losing two old chums. 
 
 "We have to ride across the desert to-morrow, 
 you know," explained Jim, regretfully. 
 
 "That's so! where will you work next?" asked 
 Tom. 
 
 "From Rabbitt's Ear Inn to the Highway," 
 said Kenneth. 
 
 "And when will you be back again? When 
 can you come to Pebbly Pit again to visit us?" 
 asked Eleanor. 
 
 "We may not be there again this summer, as 
 our work now leads away from this section. In 
 fact, the Boss says, if the cold does not come too 
 early to interfere, he wants to finish his survey 
 all along the other side of the desert, this year," 
 explained Kenneth. 
 
 "Oh pshaw ! then we won't have any more good 
 times," said Eleanor, poutingly. 
 
 "But we will when we all meet in New York," 
 reminded Jim. 
 
 Tom looked from one to the other, for here 
 was news!
 
 A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR 207 
 
 "Never mind that, Tom it's a secret with usl" 
 laughed Eleanor. 
 
 "I'm sure it must be, for John never said a 
 word about it to me. And if you girls were go- 
 ing with Anne Stewart, he would have told me," 
 replied Tom. 
 
 "You know the old adage, 'Plans of mice and 
 men go astray,' but it did not say 'Plans of girls 
 and mice.' So my plan will come out fine, you- 
 all wait and see !" 
 
 "Yes, I reckon we will waitl" laughed Polly, 
 incredulously.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 
 
 THE days passed joyously at Pebbly Pit, until 
 John and Tom declared they must return to their 
 work beyond Denver. They had been postpon- 
 ing their departure, because John had confided to 
 his chum, that Anne was waiting to hear definitely 
 about the school in New York City, and upon her 
 going there depended many other important 
 things. 
 
 Tom smiled knowingly to himself, as he was 
 sure one of the "many things" to John was his 
 proposal to Anne. Every one felt more or less in- 
 terested in the expectant letter, and when it finally 
 arrived, Anne had a circle of anxious friends 
 waiting to hear the verdict. 
 
 "Well, I've been accepted and I am to report at 
 the address in New York on September twenty- 
 fifth," said Anne, hastily scanning the short note. 
 
 "Hurrah! That means we go with you!" 
 shouted Eleanor, catching hold of Anne and danc- 
 ing her about. 
 
 208
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 209 
 
 Polly looked very glum. "Anne, how does 
 your going effect my school plans?" 
 
 "You can talk about school some other time, 
 Poll, but Tom and I have to start back to camp 
 to-morrow, and / want to know from Anne just 
 how her going effects me?" demanded John, look- 
 ing her in the eyes. 
 
 Anne smiled bravely back at him and said: 
 "Just what I told you. I must help Paul complete 
 his college course, then I will be free to sign other 
 agreements." 
 
 "Meanwhile, I am to go on plodding through 
 classes and camp without knowing whether or not 
 I am ever going to be rewarded !" grumbled John, 
 so discouraged that every one felt sorry for him. 
 
 "One doesn't plod through studies or work, 
 for mere reward. Polly says she wants to study 
 for the love of it, and Eleanor wants to go into 
 business for the love of that! It is the only way 
 one can succeed," ventured Mrs. Brewster, more 
 to fill up an embarrassing gap in the conversation 
 than for anything else. 
 
 John turned sullenly and stamped away. He 
 continued down the trail to the Cliffs and was 
 soon lost to sight. The girls then coaxed Anne 
 to come away with them as they had a plan to 
 ask her about.
 
 2io POLLY, AND ELEANOR 
 
 Mrs. Brewster waited until every one was gone 
 his or her way, then she ran after her son. No 
 one knows what was said or done, then or during 
 the day but that night, as they all sat at supper, 
 John stood up and smiled. 
 
 Jeb was just passing with a basket of newly laid 
 eggs, and Sary was leaning over Mr. Brewster's 
 back with a deep dish of milk-toast that she ex- 
 pected to place before him. John coughed sig- 
 nificantly, and Sary stopped to listen. 
 
 "I'm going to announce good news to you-all, 
 to-night. I finally persuaded Anne to promise to 
 be my wife, someday. So she goes to New York 
 City as my fiancee, and I will study hard and do 
 everything possible to be worthy of her, for she 
 is a brave girl!" 
 
 Sam Brewster half arose to congratulate the two 
 young people, but Sary's dish was in the way. 
 He bumped his head and the dish slid from her 
 hands. 
 
 Sary threw up both hands in dismay there was 
 the milk-toast spattered all over the ground I 
 But a laugh from her mistress caused her to look 
 in the direction the family-group were gazing. 
 She saw Jeb standing as if rooted to the grass, 
 his lower jaw sagging as he frowned at a basket 
 of broken eggs upon the ground.
 
 NOLUA'S PLANS DEVELOP 211 
 
 Sary threw her inspiration into the double 
 breach caused by maid and man. "Thar goes th' 
 supper an' them eggs, but tush! Trifles don't 
 count none when a man hez sech fine news ez John 
 an' Jeb hes. Come right over here, Jeb, an' 
 spring yur secret now that John hes split his'n to 
 the fam'ly!" 
 
 Jeb scuffled his feet and sheepishly hung his 
 head. One foot unconsciously stirred the yolks 
 of the broken eggs. But Sary was not a woman 
 to stand for such shyness when it cast reflections 
 on her ardent manner in which she described how 
 Jeb rose to the bait temptingly hung before his 
 yery nose. 
 
 She forgot milk-toast and all else in this final 
 bout with her unwilling lover. She hurried over 
 and nudged him sharply in the ribs, then whispered 
 in a stage tone: 
 
 "G'wan now, Jeb ! Spruce up an' tell 'em like- 
 ez-how this air goin' to be a double trick! John 
 an' Miss Anne, me an' you seel" 
 
 Polly and Eleanor laughed appreciatively, and 
 Mrs. Brewster smiled for she had had suspicions. 
 But Sam Brewster was so amazed, that he leaned 
 back in his chair and puffed for breath. To think 
 that Jeb could ever have summoned enough cour- 
 age to propose to a woman but let that woman
 
 -12 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 be an Amazon like Sary, was past his comprehen- 
 sion! 
 
 H<.' could not get over it, and later, his wife 
 confided: "I actually believe that Sary made this 
 match for herself. Jeb could never have stood 
 the strain of making love, had not Sary met him 
 more than half-way." 
 
 That evening when John and Anne were talk- 
 ing confidentially about the future, John said: 
 "Mother, I haven't a ring for Anne and I want 
 her to have it before she goes to New York, so 
 I propose going to Denver and buy it for her 
 before I go back to work." 
 
 "And I thought, Mrs. Brewster, that it would 
 be a good plan to see an agent about renting our 
 house for a year or two. If mother and I live 
 in New York, there is no sense in closing the place 
 when we can rent it for enough to pay taxes and 
 upkeep." 
 
 "I think you are perfectly right there, Anne, 
 and the sooner you place it in good hands, the 
 better. When did you think of running up to 
 tow?" said Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Well, you see, mother, Tom and I should have 
 joined our men long ago, but one thing or another 
 kept us on here. Now that all is settled for two 
 years at least, I want to get away and plunge
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 213 
 
 into work so I will be ready for Anne when she 
 comes back," said John. 
 
 Mrs, Brewster smiled. "Will you go to Den- 
 ver to-day?" 
 
 "To-night ! Why, it is eight o'clock! But I 
 could take the noon train when it goes back from 
 Oak Creek, and Anne might go with me." 
 
 "That's what I thought you could do, but your 
 evident impatience made me wonder if you had 
 an air-route you could travel by." 
 
 John laughed, and Anne placed her arm about 
 her future mother-in-law. Then the talk veered 
 to Polly and her future education. John and 
 his fiancee had a hard task in convincing Mrs. 
 Brewster that it was best for Polly to accompany 
 the Stewarts to New York, to school; but finally, 
 when all three returned to the house, a resigned 
 look was upon Mrs. Brewster's face. But not 
 a word was said at that time. 
 
 The next morning, every member of the family 
 accompanied John and Anne to Oak Creek, and 
 gave them a merry send-off to Denver. 
 
 "It's only for a few days, you big sillies!" 
 laughed Anne, as she leaned from the little car- 
 window to answer many questions from her friends 
 on the platform. 
 
 "True, but think of all that can happen in a
 
 2i 4 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 few days! Jeb may jilt Sary and elope with 
 Barbara I've seen her casting jealous eyes at 
 Sary, lately! Then Tom Latimer may suddenly 
 
 find he is in love with " but Barbara choked 
 
 further words from Eleanor at this point, by shak- 
 ing her viciously from the rear. 
 
 The others had to laugh at Eleanor's teasing, 
 but her sister was furious. "I simply will not 
 stand this treatment, so now! You can act like 
 fools and farmers, but I am a lady!" 
 
 So saying, Barbara wheeled and marched de- 
 fiantly over to the box-car station. She entered 
 and remained there until the train had disappeared 
 around the bend. Then she came forth with a 
 victorious look upon her face. No one asked 
 her what caused the change of expression, and 
 soon the incident was forgotten for the day. 
 
 Tom Latimer was unusually quiet on the home- 
 ward drive, and when he had assisted Eleanor to 
 alight from the great wagon, he whispered for 
 her ears alone: "Who were you going to have 
 me propose to, Nolla?" 
 
 She sent him a mischievous look and whispered 
 back "Polly." 
 
 He laughed softly and pinched her arm, but 
 she noted that the rich red color flushed his face 
 suddenly, and she wondered, precociously, whether
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 215 
 
 she had accidently touched npon a secret spot hid- 
 den in his heart? The very fact of such a dis- 
 covery made her defy, silently, the possibility of 
 any one ever daring to confess love to her Polly. 
 "No indeed! Polly and she were cut out for 
 business only." 
 
 But the disquieting thought that a fine chap 
 like Tom Latimer might be in love with simple 
 wonderful little Polly, made Eleanor zealous in 
 her plans for carrying her friend off to a New 
 York school. No one knew that she had already 
 started the machinery going for her own benefit, 
 but they were soon to find out that this fun-lov- 
 ing girl was as persistent and persevering as one 
 could find anywhere, when she had a pet problem 
 to work out. 
 
 The evening after John and Anne had gone 
 to Mrs. Stewarts, in Denver, Barbara asked a 
 favor of her host. The very manner in which 
 she asked it, surprised every one at table. "Mr. 
 Brewster, I have an important errand to do at 
 Oak Creek, to-morrow, and I want you to allow 
 Jeb to drive me in." 
 
 "To-morrow! Why, we just got back from 
 there." 
 
 "Yes, I know, but it could not have been done 
 to-day, so I have to go in to-morrow. H
 
 216 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Jeb has to superintend the mowing of our first 
 crops to-morrow, if it is clear. Maybe Tom 
 will drive you in if it is so urgertf." 
 
 Barbara turned imploring eyes on Tom Lati- 
 mer. Then Eleanor spoke up: "I, too, must go 
 in as I expect a telegram from Chicago." 
 
 Her sister scowled at her, but she seemed sur- 
 prised as well. She stammered: "What have you 
 to wire for?" 
 
 "Ah! Is that what you did? Let's see you 
 managed it this noon, while we were watching 
 the train depart, didn't you? You were in that 
 station just long enough I" exulted Eleanor, grin- 
 ning at Barbara daringly. 
 
 But her sister would not be drawn into an argu- 
 ment this time, and Eleanor decided that it must 
 be something important, indeed, when Bob would 
 not snap back at her. There had been times at 
 home when Barbara had secrets that she feared 
 others to share, then she would keep her peace 
 with Eleanor. 
 
 "Unless it is a personal matter that needs your 
 presence in Oak Creek, Alec Hewitt will look 
 after it. He goes to and from the post office 
 every day, and often brings our mail or messages 
 for us," said Mrs. Brewster, hoping to spare the 
 horses another hard day's work.
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 217 
 
 "I have to be there myself, as I may have to 
 decide on a very important personal matter," re- 
 turned Barbara, slightly embarrassed. 
 
 So it was settled that Tom Latimer would ride 
 with the three girls to Oak Creek on the follow- 
 ing morning. This would spare the wagon team 
 the trip and at the same time take the place of 
 any other pleasure ride that might have been 
 planned. 
 
 Polly was at a loss to understand why such 
 secrecy should exist between these two sisters 
 Bob refusing to confide in Eleanor, and Nolla 
 smilingly keeping her own counsel, about the im- 
 portant errands. 
 
 As Eleanor had suspected, Barbara went di- 
 rectly to the box-car where the telegrams were 
 received. But to the latter's disappointment, 
 there was one only and that one was for Eleanor 
 Maynard ! 
 
 "Are you sure you did not get the name wrong 
 I am to hear surely, to-day, about something 
 very urgent !" complained Barbara. 
 
 "This is mine, all right, Bob, for I expected 
 it. If you like, you can read it now that I know 
 what it says," and Eleanor tendered the yellow 
 sheet to her sister. 
 
 Barbara, snatched it and read in angry surprise :
 
 2i 8 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Your wire received. Expect me Sat- 
 urday. Will visit there for a week. 
 Love to you both, 
 
 FATHER" 
 
 "How dare you ask father to come here? 
 How do you know the Brewsters want him? 
 And besides, there is no place for him to use as 
 a sleeping-room!" she managed to say in her fury. 
 
 Polly and Tom had been sitting outside on a 
 truck but they could not help hearing Barbara's 
 words. Polly smiled up at her companion. 
 Then Eleanor was heard saying: 
 
 "No need to rear up like a mad rattler, Bob. 
 I have a nice little plan under way, but it now 
 needs Daddy's persuasive powers to perfect it. I 
 wired him twice this past week, but no one knew 
 of it. If you wired for money or something 
 else, he likely will bring it with him on Satur- 
 day." 
 
 The very coolness of Eleanor's reply caused 
 Barbara to lose her self-control and she retorted : 
 "Pooh! I wouldn't think of asking father for 
 anything. You can't patronize me this time, 
 Eleanor Maynard. / am waiting for word fromf 
 mother! There!"
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 219 
 
 "From mother! why she is in Newport for the 
 Season." 
 
 "You mean she was there. Now she is one of 
 a very select party of the best New York society 
 that is camping at Mrs. Van Alstynes' wonderful 
 bungalow in the Muskoka Woods. And I trust 
 /, too, will soon be a member of that circle I" 
 
 "Oh, ho! So that is your little game, eh! 
 Well, Bob, I heartily wish you luck. You haven't 
 any idea how quiet and enjoyable Pebbly Pit 
 will be with you away from it!" retorted Elea- 
 nor. 
 
 With this parting shaft, the younger sister 
 walked out, and found Tom with Polly over by 
 the watering trough where the seven wardrobe 
 trunks had offered such a fine table surface for the 
 gamblers on the day the Chicago girls came to 
 Oak Creek. As she felt sure these two friends 
 had not over-heard the conversation between Bar- 
 bara and herself, there was no need in explaining, 
 as yet. 
 
 Barbara failed to appear, however, and finally 
 Eleanor went to the door to call her. Her im- 
 patient words were arrested by hearing the opera- 
 tor at the telegraph instrument, read a message 
 aloud.
 
 220 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Wire with news received. Have ar- 
 ranged for you. Plenty of marriageable 
 men in party. Do not oppose anything 
 father wants. Win his consent and money 
 for visit. Nolla will be all right there 
 with Anne. Father now back at bank. 
 Write him immediately. Do not waive 
 your rights on mine. We will fight if nec- 
 essary. It means a fortune for you. 
 Wire me minute you have news. Big af- 
 fair on next week. MOTHER." 
 
 Eleanor managed to slip away without Bar- 
 bara's seeing her. And so elated was the elder 
 sister over her mother's message, that she failed to 
 find any omission in the telegram. But Eleanor 
 realized that her mother did not mention her love 
 for her daughter it was all about society, money, 
 and graft! 
 
 But her mother's message could not throw cold 
 water over Eleanor; because of the fact that her 
 father would be with her the end of that very 
 week ! This was good news enough for any one, 
 so she ran over to Polly, waving her message. 
 
 "Just thinkt Daddy is coming to visit us at 
 Pebbly Pit. Won't it be fun for him to sleep in 
 the barn with John and Tom?"
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 221 
 
 "Oh, he never could, Nolla I" gasped Polly. 
 
 "Why not? He is no better than the boys, 
 here!" 
 
 "But well, I'm sure father won't like him to. 
 We must plan somewhere else for him," replied 
 Polly. 
 
 "I'll tell you-all a secret, if you won't tell any 
 one. I got Daddy to hurry here on purpose to 
 meet John and Tom. I believe he will do some- 
 thing about the mine and the Cliffs if he hears 
 the plans from the boys. You know, his bank 
 makes big investments at times. But don't let 
 Bob know this, for anything in the world!" 
 
 Tom looked pleasantly surprised at the sug- 
 gestion. He had forgotten all about Mr. May- 
 nard's connection with a flourishing bank. 
 
 "Won't it be nice to have your father meet 
 my father," remarked Polly, thinking not so much 
 of finances as of hospitality. 
 
 "Yes, and I hope he won't interfere with Bob's 
 plans to join mother in the North Woods. If 
 only we could get rid of her right off, what a fine 
 time we could have with Dad here!" Eleanor 
 sighed. 
 
 Polly never could understand the lack of love 
 and family pride between these two sisters, but 
 then she had never seen how many families there
 
 222 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 are, where husband and wife have opposite ten- 
 dencies and ideals; it inevitably followed that the 
 children showed these antagonistic qualities in their 
 behavior to each other. 
 
 Having replied to their telegrams, both sisters 
 were ready to ride back to the ranch. But Tom 
 suggested that they visit the Movies where a great 
 society drama was being shown. This pleased 
 the girls, and soon they were following the hair- 
 breadth escapes of an unscrupulous society im- 
 postor, and the wreck he had made of a young 
 damsel's faith. 
 
 As they filed from the low-ceiled, ill-smelling 
 theater, Eleanor laughed and said: "That's the 
 kind of life Bob wants ! If she ever had a fortune 
 of her own, she would have to fend off just such 
 rascals. Watch me wasting my life trying to 
 catch a husband Pouf!" 
 
 Tom laughed merrily for he liked the bluntness 
 of this girl, but he was surprised at the flush Bar- 
 bara manifested as she wondered if this astute 
 sister of hers could have heard that message 
 f read: "Mother mentioned 'a fortune' and 'mar- 
 
 j 
 
 riageable men. 1 ' But Eleanor's expression was 
 as innocent as a babe's just then. 
 
 That evening after supper, Eleanor drew Polly
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 223 
 
 out to the terrace, which was isolated at that time, 
 and shared her plans with her. 
 
 "I was afraid to let you, or any one, know 
 what I was doing, so I just went ahead and did 
 it!" 
 
 Polly manifested no surprise at these words, 
 as she expected to hear much more, so she pa- 
 tiently waited. Eleanor seemed at a loss, for 
 once in her lifetime, to know how to tell her story 
 without having it condemned by this upright con- 
 scientious friend. 
 
 "I wrote mother just after we discovered the 
 mine, and told her how unhappy Barbara was in 
 this forgotten corner of the earth. You see, I 
 wanted mother to send for her at once, and I 
 was anxious to help Bob relieve us of her company, 
 But I never dreamed that Bob was as anxious to 
 get away, as we were to have her go !" 
 
 "Oh, Nolla ! we are not anxious to have her 
 go don't say that!" remonstrated Polly. 
 
 "Well, you know what I mean everything will 
 be so nice with no one to be forever finding fault 
 and nagging at one !" 
 
 "Maybe she wouldn't nag so much if you did 
 not tease her so! Nolla, you know you are so 
 clever that you have no patience with Bob's slow-
 
 224 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 ness in getting things," replied Polly, unconscious 
 of the fact that she had found the very root of 
 the trouble between the sisters. 
 
 "Anyway, Bob is on the high road to a society 
 camp in the East, and we will be able to go our 
 own sweet way without her. But I brought you 
 out here to confess what I did! I wired father 
 all about the mine, and the Cliffs, and the Latimers 
 and all and also told him that the doctor thinks 
 a winter in New York will harden me splendidly. 
 I wired the doctor to tell him that this was true, 
 and he must tell father so. 
 
 "Well, I heard from Daddy; he balked at first 
 said it was rank foolishness for any doctor to 
 recommend the beastly climate of New York City 
 in preference to the West with its dryness. I 
 had to calm him on that point, and then I told him 
 that Anne and her mother were going to New 
 York and I wanted to go with them. He knows 
 how I hate the teas, and bridge, and parties mother 
 is always giving Bob, so I told him how wretched 
 I always was in winter, without friends or any 
 one to talk to as mother and Bob were always 
 too busy with social duties. 
 
 "Father hates these duties as much as I do, 
 and he says mother has no right to give all her 
 time to Bob and never see me from one week's
 
 NOLLA'S PLANS DEVELOP 225 
 
 end to another. So he was vulnerable in that 
 spot. When I told him how he could visit me 
 in New York once a month, and spend several 
 days going around with me, he just caved in. 
 And, Polly, I am sure he will agree to my going 
 with Anne. 
 
 "To-day, after I got his wire, I waited till Bob 
 was out of the way, then I sent a message to 
 Anne, to tell her to be on the lookout for Dad 
 who was coming here on Saturday. I said it 
 would be so nice for him to ride down from Den- 
 ver with John and her. And maybe John could 
 explain the financing of the two companies to him. 
 
 "I sent the second wire to Dad telling him to 
 be sure and meet Anne at the Denver Terminal 
 at noon, on Saturday, as she would be expecting 
 him. So now I have all my irons in the fire and 
 they're getting red-hot, too!" 
 
 As Eleanor concluded, Polly laughed at her 
 funny expression but remarked, "It would be ter- 
 rible if your irons got so hot that they melted be- 
 fore you could use any one of them, wouldn't it?"
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF NEW YORK 
 
 EVERY day that week was crowded with events 
 for the people at Pebbly Pit, and never had so 
 many telegrams passed through the hands of the 
 amazed agent at Oak Creek. First there were 
 those sent by Barbara and Eleanor, and the re- 
 plies to them. Next day the two girls telegraphed 
 anew from Oak Creek, and these had replies which 
 were forwarded by Alec Hewitt who passed Brew- 
 ster's ranch. Following these, came a telegram 
 from Anne, saying she had heard from Mr. May- 
 iiard and would meet him as planned. Then there 
 came one from Mr. Latimer's office in New York 
 to Tom, saying that Dr. Evans and Mr. Latimer 
 had started for the West on Thursday, on the 
 Limited. Probably they would reach Pebbly Pit 
 on Sunday or Monday. Closely following that 
 message, came one to Mr. Brewster from New 
 York, signed Riggley & Ratzger, Lawyers, to the 
 effect that "they had been appointed the repre- 
 
 226
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 227 
 
 sentatives for the company that was formed to 
 make jewels from lava-stone, and they would take 
 great pleasure in visiting Pebbly Pit on Saturday 
 or Sunday, in order to inspect the Rainbow Cliffs. 
 They might be induced to make an offer for the 
 ranch." 
 
 The latter suggestion caused Sam Brewster to 
 laugh as he had not done since he heard his Polly 
 was determined to go to school. "What do you 
 think of such sublime fools, Maw?" chuckled he, 
 handing the telegram across the table as they sat 
 on the porch. 
 
 "Why, I don't understand. If Evans and Lati- 
 mer are on their way here, why do they need 
 representatives ? Isn't Tom's father a real good 
 lawyer in New York?" said she. 
 
 "Sure, but the names alone give me an idea that 
 they are crooks listen: Riggley and Ratzger. 
 Doesn't it make you think of all queer kinds of fish 
 that one finds in big cities?" laughed her husband. 
 
 Tom came from the barns about this time, and 
 Mrs. Brewster turned to tell him the latest news 
 about the seekers of lava-stones. In corrobora- 
 tion of his wife's words, Sam Brewster held out 
 the telegram. 
 
 Tom took it in trembling hands, for he had 
 heard of the men whose names were signed to
 
 228 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the message. Then he glanced at the signatures 
 and that broke his amazed spell of silence. 
 
 "Why! Mr. Brewster, how dare they plan to 
 visit here ?" he shouted, his face as red as a poppy. 
 
 "Oh, do you know them?" wondered Mr. Brew- 
 ster. 
 
 "Know them? Why, man alive, they are the 
 same two rascals who served the injunction on 
 father and Dr. Evans, and then they tried to steal 
 the patent. They fought in Court, but lost their 
 case. When they appealed, the Court sustained 
 the first verdict, so they had no choice but to give 
 up. I wonder what game they are coming here 
 for?" 
 
 Mr. Brewster considered. "Tom, I wouldn't 
 be surprised if they came here, not knowing your 
 folks are, also, coming. Maybe they hope to 
 get first shot at this proposition of Rainbow 
 Cliffs and in this way, make your father pay a 
 fabulous price for the stone." 
 
 "Some crooked deal like that, you may be as- 
 sured. But I can't understand how they ever 
 heard of Rainbow Cliffs and this ranch? There 
 has been a leak, somewhere, in Dad's organiza- 
 tion," said Tom, emphatically. 
 
 "Well, let's decide now, before they come, what 
 is best for us to do. If they get here before your
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 229 
 
 father and Evans, we must not give them any idea 
 that we expect other guests, nor must we say that 
 we suspect them of foul play. We must give 
 them rope enough with which to hang them- 
 selves." 
 
 Here Mrs. Brewster interpolated: "We may 
 serve all of our friends a good turn by receiving 
 these strangers with the same western welcome 
 that we extend to every one. But let us not give 
 any one else here a hint of what we now know." 
 
 Tom agreed that this was a wise plan, so no 
 one suspected there was an under-current of ex- 
 citement running in the elder Brewsters' and Tom's 
 thoughts, during the time that must elapse be- 
 fore the New York "representatives" could arrive 
 at Pebbly Pit. 
 
 Meanwhile, Mr. Maynard met Anne and John 
 in Denver, and the three took the noon local for 
 Oak Creek. Polly and Eleanor were busy help- 
 ing Barbara pack her five trunks to have them 
 ready for the ranch-wagon to take to the station 
 on Saturday, when Tom offered to drive in and 
 meet the train from Denver. This done, and 
 Tom on his way, the two girls wondered what 
 next they could do until the return of the party 
 from Oak Creek. 
 
 "I say! Let's run to the Cliffs and watch for
 
 230 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the first glimpse of Daddy," suggested Eleanor. 
 
 "And I'll take some doughnuts to eat in case 
 we get hungry," added Polly. 
 
 Fortified with a bag of these delectable balls, 
 the two girls hastened away. Barbara was all 
 sweetness and generosity, now that she was sure 
 of going to join her mother in a fashionable camp. 
 And many fine bits of underwear, or dresses fell 
 Sary's way, when Barbara went through her ward- 
 robe, and discarded the things she felt would be 
 too ordinary-looking in such an exclusive "set" as 
 she was about to join. 
 
 Sary refused nothing, carrying everything 
 thrown to her, in her arms as carefully as if she 
 were holding a new-born babe. On the first trip 
 she made through the kitchen in order to reach her 
 private domain, she stopped before Mrs. Brewster 
 and held out the lace-trimmed underwear. 
 
 "Mis Brewster, Ah never did think Ah would 
 have sech fine troosos fer my marritch. When 
 Ah married Bill Ah diden have nawthin' but a 
 new cambric dress and a sun-bunnet. But this 
 marritch will be the reel thing, what with all the 
 stuff I'm k'lectin, already." 
 
 "You are fortunate, Sary, to be on hand just 
 as Miss Bob's trunks are cleared out," remarked 
 her mistress.
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 231 
 
 "Yeh, and d'ye know what?" Sary leaned over 
 to whisper confidentially. "Yeh see Ah'm not 
 lettin' anythin' she gives me lay around one 
 minute, 'cause she may change her mind. And 
 ef she once saw what a heap she is throwin' away, 
 she might think Ah was gettin' too much!" 
 
 Mrs. Brewster laughed at Sary's wily ways, 
 and replied: "Well, I'll spare you from all the 
 work as long as you are gathering plums from 
 Bob's orchard. I hope you can fill a whole trunk, 
 Sary." 
 
 But an unforeseen outgrowth of all these dona- 
 tions was sure to happen. Once Sary had watched 
 the trunks hoisted up in the ranch wagon, and 
 realized that there would be no more "pickin's" 
 for her, she ran to her room and began sorting 
 and gloating over the mass of cast-off clothing. 
 And so mesmerized was she with pictures of her- 
 self adorned in the dresses that were made for the 
 form half her girth that Mrs. Brewster found it 
 impossible to coax her back to the kitchen. 
 
 Having the Saturday's baking to do, as well 
 as to prepare the dinner for extra ones that night, 
 she went to the door to ask Polly and Eleanor to 
 come in and help her. But the two girls were not 
 in sight. 
 
 There was but one hope left ! She must do as
 
 232 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 clever generals did in battle, when the fight seems 
 to go against them strategy. 
 
 She hurried to Sary's door which was closed 
 and locked. 
 
 "Oh Sary! I remembered something that I 
 wished to ask you about several times this past 
 week. Did Jeb give you the engagement ring 
 yet?" 
 
 Not a sound came from within for a few- 
 moments, then the key turned and Sary's amazed 
 face appeared in the doorway. The floor and bed 
 were covered with finery, each piece spread out 
 full length. 
 
 "Ah clean fergot all about it. Is Miss Anne 
 got her'n?" 
 
 "Oh, yes! John went to Denver with her to 
 choose the stone." 
 
 "Kin Jeb git a ring in Oak Crick, d'ye s'pose?" 
 
 "Mercy no! Oak Creek hasn't any jewelry 
 shop, you know." 
 
 Sary was lost in thought for a time, and this 
 was Mrs. Brewster's opportunity. "I've been, 
 wondering how it would do to hint to Jeb that it 
 would make a lovely trip if he were to accompany 
 you to Denver for a day, and let you select your 
 own ring." 
 
 "Oh!"
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 233 
 
 The one word breathed in a scarcely audible 
 sound plainly expressed Sary's ecstasy. Her great 
 hands were loosely clasped before her as her eyes 
 turned ceiling-ward. 
 
 "Of course with the house full of company for a 
 few days it will be impossible to think of such a 
 thing, but Bob is going away the first of the week, 
 and then John and Tom leave; next Miss Anne 
 goes back to Denver to see about sending her stuff 
 to New York, or selling what she really won't 
 need, and then you will have time to take such 
 a trip. I will see that Jeb realizes that it is his 
 privilege to do this for you." 
 
 "Oh, Mis Brewster, what kin Ah ever do fer 
 you?" 
 
 "Well, you can begin to repay me for my kind- 
 ness by coming out to help me with Saturday's 
 work. And while we are doing that I will plan 
 with you what had best be said and done." 
 
 Sary felt that there was a cunning here that she 
 was not able to cope with, but she could not resist 
 the temptation to talk and plan about an engage- 
 ment ring for herself, so she bravely turned her 
 back on the array of finery, and stoically followed 
 her mistress. 
 
 Meantime Polly and Eleanor climbed the cliffs 
 and sat where they could see the Bear Fork's trail
 
 234 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 in the distance. Polly was sure they would see the 
 great ranch-wagon the moment it came around the 
 bend. 
 
 They had not been seated there more than 
 twenty minutes before Eleanor craned her neck 
 and gazed earnestly at two dots that seemed to 
 be crawling along the trail. Polly turned and 
 gazed also. 
 
 "Why, it's two horsemen! I wonder if Jim 
 and Ken can be thinking of visiting us over Sun- 
 day, because Mr. Latimer is coming, you know," 
 exclaimed Eleanor, joyfully surprised. 
 
 "They wouldn't be arriving Saturday afternoon, 
 as they wouldn't be able to leave camp until Sun- 
 day," added Polly. 
 
 Both girls shaded their eyes with their hands 
 but neither could make out the forms of the riders. 
 They were mere specks on the white trail. But 
 the girls held their breath when the horsemen 
 turned from Bear Forks trail and rode in under 
 the precipice that overhung the entrance to Pebbly 
 Pit. 
 
 "Whoever it is, they are coming here," said 
 Polly. 
 
 "I wonder if it could be Mr. Latimer and Dr. 
 Evans they may have arrived in Oak Creek 
 sooner than they expected," ventured Eleanor.
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 235 
 
 "We can watch better from this point than 
 anywhere else, and when they pass the Rainbow 
 Cliffs, we can see who they are," now said Polly. 
 
 So they watched impatiently until the riders 
 came from under the hanging walls of rock, and 
 rode again along the top of the shale that covered 
 a wide area between the ravines and the Cliffs. 
 
 This great stretch of shale was very treacherous 
 going, as on the both sides were deep gulches, or 
 erosions, made by floods from thaws and storms. 
 An abandoned trail ran quite close to one of these 
 ravines but the land-slides of shale had compelled 
 the people at Pebbly Pit to break out a new and 
 safer trail through the middle of the field. To 
 strange eyes, the old trail on the edge of the 
 gulch, was the harder and easier going, but every 
 one coming to the ranch knew the center-trail to 
 be the one always used. Strangers seldom visited 
 Pebbly Pit, and never without a member of the 
 ranch family, or a neighbor to escort them. 
 
 When the two horsemen reached the branch- 
 ing of the trails, they halted, and the girls saw 
 them ponder. One man motioned with a hand at 
 the rough trail running over the top of the shale 
 in the middle of the area, but the other seemed 
 to argue that the edge-trail was the best one to 
 take.
 
 2 3 6 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Oh dear! I hope they won't take that slip- 
 pery one!" cried Polly, in tense nervousness. 
 
 "I wish we could yell and warn them!" ex- 
 claimed Eleanor, half-rising from her seat. 
 
 "They'll never hear us at this distance, but we 
 might run along the top-trail and beckon them to 
 climb up there." 
 
 "But, Polly, by the time we reach the shale they 
 will be almost at the Rainbow Cliffs," objected 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "Yes, I know, but it seems awful to sit here and 
 watch them ride over that dangerous road." 
 
 "To relieve our minds, we can go down as far 
 as possible and meet them when they ride out at 
 Rainbow Cliffs," suggested Eleanor. 
 
 So the two girls scrambled down from their 
 high point of observation, and started along the 
 rock-ribbed road that led past the Cliffs. They 
 had not gone far along this trail, however, be- 
 fore Polly saw Jeb riding down from the cor- 
 rals. 
 
 "If I could only get Jeb's attention, he could ride 
 fast and warn those men of their danger," Polly 
 said, thinking aloud. 
 
 "Let's both scream at the top of our lungs and 
 see if he can hear us."
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 237 
 
 So the two girls stood out on the edge of a huge 
 bowlder and, making megaphones of thetr hands, 
 shouted again and again. The depression made 
 by the crater that lay between the Cliffs and the 
 corral, acted as a hollow tube, so Jeb finally wheel- 
 ed around and tried to locate the call. When he 
 saw the girls, he immediately started to meet them 
 as no one on the ranch would shout that way for 
 fun. 
 
 It took ten minutes for Jeb to cover the circui- 
 tous path and join the girls, and when they had 
 hastily explained the cause of their concern, he re- 
 plied: "Gosh ! Ah was told to hang a sign on that 
 flat cliff to warn folks offen the bad trail!" 
 
 "Well, you didn't, so now race down the good 
 trail and try to make the men hear you," demanded 
 Polly. 
 
 Jeb spurred his horse at that, and was soon out 
 of sight, but Polly and Eleanor continued in the 
 same direction, to see if all turned out well for 
 the riders. 
 
 Having reached and passed the last spur of the 
 Rainbow Cliffs, and then climbing the steep ascent 
 to the top-trail, they finally came to a rise whence 
 the whole shale-field could be seen. But not a 
 sign of horsemen could be seen. Jeb, riding like
 
 238 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 mad, right across the loose shale in reckless risk 
 of breaking his broncho's legs, was the only man 
 visible. 
 
 Eleanor turned and looked in wonderment at 
 Polly, but when she saw the look of horror on her 
 friend's face, she caught at her arm. 
 
 "Polly! What do you think has happened?" 
 
 "Oh, Nolla! I fear they are down in that 
 gulch ! Most likely the shale started sliding under 
 their horses' hoofs, and before they realized their 
 danger, they were swept along over the top !" 
 
 "Oh, mercy! Polly never that! Why they 
 will be killed!" 
 
 Polly never said a word but watched Jeb as he 
 reined in his horse. Jumping from the saddle and 
 hobbling the animal, he very carefully crawled over 
 the apparently safe surface between himself and 
 the ravine. 
 
 "Now I'm sure that's what happened, Nolla, 
 or Jeb wouldn't try to get over there. He's going 
 to see just how bad things are." 
 
 "Poll, we'd better run as fast as we can, and get 
 things ready at the ranch. Your father ought to 
 know this, so he can hitch a cart to two strong 
 horses and drive there to help carry the men to the 
 house." 
 
 "Nolla, I fear there will be nothing left to carry
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 239 
 
 away. Once the shale starts to slide down that 
 gulch, it goes like the wind and buries everything 
 under its weight and bulk." 
 
 "All the same, I will feel that I am doing some- 
 thing to help let's go !" 
 
 So Polly and her companion turned and ran back 
 along the Rainbow Cliffs trail, until they reached 
 the spot whence they had called to Jeb. They 
 stopped for a moment to catch their breath, and 
 while straining their eyes towards the house, saw 
 Mr. Brewster just leaving it. 
 
 His horse was waiting at the block, so both 
 girls instantly began shouting to attract his atten- 
 tion. He had keen hearing, and turned to see 
 what might be wrong in the direction of the Cliffs. 
 When he saw the two girls wildly beckoning him to 
 come, he sprang into the saddle and galloped the 
 horse over the intervening space to meet them. 
 
 Their story was told in a few words, and Sam 
 Brewster immediately surmised who the riders 
 were. He told the girls to go on to the house and 
 tell Mrs. Brewster to be ready with emergencies, in 
 case either of the travelers were found. Then he 
 turned his horse and galloped to the barns where 
 he called several of the men to help in the rescue 
 work. 
 
 Polly and Eleanor would have preferred to go
 
 2 4 o POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 back to the shale-fields and watch the men, but 
 they had to go where they could be of most service 
 in the case. 
 
 "Where shall we put them, mother, if father 
 brings both back to the house?" asked Polly. 
 
 "There is only one thing we can do, and that is 
 to prepare the cots in the harness-room for them. 
 It is in times of need, like this, that I wish we had 
 a large house." 
 
 Down on the shale-fields, Jeb had crept to the 
 edge of the gully and peered over. Far, far be- 
 low, where the stream roared over the rocks and 
 down waterfalls like a miniature Niagara, he saw 
 one 'horse doubled up in an unnatural heap. He 
 surmised at once, that it was dead. But half-way 
 up he spied hoofs protruding from the shale, and to 
 this spot he tried to make his way. 
 
 As he thought, the rider was still entangled with 
 the stirrups of the horse and could not jump free 
 when the accident had occurred. 
 
 By dint of working down, clinging like lichen to 
 the shale surface, Jeb reached the animal whose 
 hoofs stuck pathetically upward. He carefully 
 scraped away the shale and exposed the head of a 
 man. He could not say whether the victim was 
 alive or dead, and he dared not dig away more 
 shale, just then, or the whole side would begin to
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 241 
 
 move again. Having cleared the head so the man 
 could breathe, if possible, he looked anxiously 
 around for the second rider. Not a sign of him 
 was seen from the place where Jeb clung. 
 
 Believing that one live man was worth two dead 
 ones, Jeb returned to the task of unearthing the one 
 he had found. Every slab of shale was slowly re- 
 moved, meanwhile Jeb watched the loose sides 
 above him for the least intimation that it might 
 slide again. But so careful was he, that the body 
 was uncovered without the surrounding shale be- 
 ing disturbed. Jeb felt of the man's heart and 
 found a very slight pulsation there. He was 
 alive ! 
 
 But how to get his feet free from the leather on 
 the horse, and how to carry the big heavy fellow 
 up that treacherous side? Jeb never lost his pres- 
 ence of mind, nor did he ever feel unduly excited 
 over what he thought could not be helped ; had he 
 known what a fatalist was, he would have told you 
 that that is what he was. 
 
 He sat perfectly still, because the unwary move- 
 ment of a single muscle might move that mountain- 
 side down upon him, but he could think and what 
 could hinder him from doing it? As if the very 
 discovery that he was superior in that way, to the 
 senseless shale all about him, made him master of
 
 242 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the situation, so he smiled and patiently waited. 
 
 " 'Cuz Ah knows Polly and Miss Nolla'll get 
 word to Mis'r Brews'er an' he'll know what to do 
 fer us." So he sat and waited. 
 
 It's all well enough to say, "Oh, he wouldn't do 
 anything else. Any one could have waited!" 
 But how many would have waited in that same 
 situation, without a qualm of fear, or without 
 doubting the simple assurance that the master of 
 the ranch would know best what to do to help ? 
 
 As if to reward this faith, Jeb soon heard voices 
 shouting back and forth above his head, and after 
 a time, he saw the noose of a stout rope falling 
 down in his direction. 
 
 He grinned. "Ah never thought of that!" 
 murmured he. 
 
 "Jeb," came the deep tones of Mr. Brewster 
 from above, u try to fix this safely around you, 
 and then see if there is anything down there that 
 you can do. Shout up if you want help, and we 
 will try to let another man down to work with 
 you." 
 
 Jeb soon had the rope about his body, and feel- 
 ing free to dig, went to work to pull the uncon- 
 scious man out of the saddle. The side that the 
 dead horse had fallen upon pinned the man's one 
 leg down so securely that Jeb could not manage
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 243 
 
 to extricate it without help. So he held on to the 
 body he had thus far brought out from the shale v 
 and then called up to his master. 
 
 u Ah cain't git his left laig out from the sturrup ! 
 This dead hoss is too heavy fer me to shove over. 
 Ef some one'll come down an' use a crow-bar Ah 
 reckon we-all kin manage it all right." 
 
 With all the tension and doubt of being of any 
 use in this accident, Mr. Brewster could not help 
 thinking of Jeb's way of asking assistance as if 
 he was in the kitchen of the house and told Sary to 
 come downstairs to entertain him. 
 
 Another man was lowered by means of a second 
 rope, and as he came opposite the dead horse, he 
 called a halt on the pulley above. With his crow- 
 bar, he worked just as carefully as Jeb had done in 
 loosening the shale about the body. But the mo- 
 ment Jeb found he could extract the crushed foot 
 from the side that had been buried in the stone, 
 the other man ceased prodding, as one little prod 
 too many might turn the whole loose lava upon 
 them again. 
 
 "Lower another rope fer the stranger !" shouted 
 the hired man. And soon the limp body was 
 drawn slowly up to safety. 
 
 "What about the other one, Jeb?" shouted Mr. 
 Brewster.
 
 244 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Reckon he went on down, 'cuz his hoss is down 
 thar. Shall Ah go on down and see ?" 
 
 "No! we-all can get down from the Devil's 
 Causeway, without taking any risks on this loose 
 wall. Better see if you-all can find any papers or 
 wallet in the panniers of that horse." 
 
 Jeb then felt and brought forth a fine leather 
 bag shaped like a knap-sack. But he was not 
 aware that most lawyers and professional men in 
 cities use similar bags. Then the word was given 
 to hoist, and both men were soon up beside the 
 unconscious stranger. 
 
 While Mr, Brewster used first-aid on the 
 stranger, several men of the party started for the 
 cleft back of the Cliffs from which one could get 
 down in to the gulch. In fact, it was the great 
 flood of water that ran from the back o-f the Cliffs 
 that caused this deep washout, or gully. 
 
 Having taken hold of the unknown man and 
 suddenly turned him so that he hung limply over 
 the back and shoulders of his carrier, Mr. Brew- 
 ster started his horse across the shale, and then 
 turned in on the Cliff trail. The sooner the un- 
 conscious man was treated the better, thought the 
 ranch-man. 
 
 Jeb and his men were left to help the others 
 who, after having carefully picked a way over the
 
 RIGGLEY & RATZGER OF N. Y. 245 
 
 shale, would search in the gulch for any signs of 
 the second man. 
 
 By the time the would-Jbe rescuers reached the 
 place where the dead horse was seen doubled up, 
 moans attracted their attention to a clump of buf- 
 falo grass that had forced its way up beside the 
 stream. 
 
 Thetse, almost hidden by great bowlders that 
 had caught the drift of shale as it swept down 
 from the top of the ravine, they found the second 
 rider. As the horse was more than forty feet 
 above this spot, they figured that the man must 
 have shot from the saddle when all were precipi- 
 tated over the top, and landed as if by a miracle 
 in this comparatively safe niche made by the rocks. 
 
 The moment the man heard human voices he 
 tried to attract their attention, but they had already 
 heard and planned how best to reach him. He 
 could not move, as those limbs which had not suf- 
 fered fractures, were rendered helpless by the 
 weight of. shale pinning them down. His chest 
 was free, however, and in spite of the gashes and 
 bruises all over his face and neck, he could breathe 
 easily. 
 
 "Ah i&ckon we-all had better carry him up the 
 gulch to the Devil's Causeway, and git out by that 
 route," suggested one of the men.
 
 24* POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Yeh ! Let's call to Jeb to go back and meet we 
 all at the Cliffs so's we kin put him acrost one of 
 the hosses." 
 
 In half an hour, therefore, Mr. Ratzger, the 
 senior member of the law firm of Riggley and 
 Ratzger, of New York, was carried in front of the 
 Rainbow Cliffs and placed in Jeb's arms, while an- 
 other man led Jeb's horse carefully towards the 
 ranch-house. 
 
 "Ah, so these are Rainbow Cliffs, are they! 
 Shall I ever forget them? Had Riggley listened 
 to my advice we both would now be sitting in our 
 comfortable office-chairs in New York. But no ! 
 he must needs try to force gold from a stone- 
 wall!" As Ratzger sighed, Jeb remarked philo- 
 sophically: "Ef you-a\\'d rather be sittin' at home 
 than a galavantin' round places where money kin 
 be found, Ah b'lieves it's the onny reason you-all is 
 spared whiles your friend is locooed." 
 
 Ratzger had never heard the term "locooed" so 
 he was not quite sure what Jeb meant. But he 
 was thankful that he had life enough left even to 
 suffer with the broken arms and legs; for a trifle 
 like that was not to be scorned when he might have 
 been done for completely even as he feared old 
 Riggley was.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE VICTORY 
 
 SERENELY oblivious of all the excitement that 
 had been caused at Pebbly Pit by the accident, Tom 
 Latimer drove Mr. Maynard and the happy be- 
 trothed pair back to the ranch. John and Anne 
 sat on the back seat while Mr. Maynard sat beside 
 Tom. Finding that John and his fiancee needed 
 no assistance from him in entertaining themselves, 
 Tom gave his full attention to the banker from 
 Chicago. 
 
 Hence, by the time they reached Rainbow Cliffs, 
 Mr. Maynard was like the blood-hound when he 
 scents a new trail he was more than anxious to 
 join these energetic men in financing the vast pro- 
 jects so well described by young Latimer. 
 
 At the Cliffs Mr. Maynard placed a hand on the 
 lines in order to stop the horses. He gazed and 
 gazed, as if he saw the great walls covered with 
 gold dollars instead of colored stones. Then he 
 sighed and smiled at Tom. 
 
 247
 
 248 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "This promises to be the luckiest thing I ever 
 did sending Nolla to Pebbly Fit for her health!" 
 
 "And wait until you see Nolla ! My, but she is 
 rosy and roly now. And besides, Mr. Maynard, 
 she is a born financier. I love to listen to her 
 plan and then see her work out her own schemes. 
 She has one on the carpet at present, and I verily 
 believe she will pull it off !" exclaimed Tom, very 
 much interested in his subject. 
 
 "Yes, that girl of mine is worth more to me than 
 any gold-mine or other treasure in the world." 
 
 "Oh, really! Well, this time 'listening fools 
 heard some good of themselves'," laughed a 
 merry voice from a crevice in the wall, and im- 
 mediately afterwards, Eleanor sprang out, with 
 Polly close upon her heels. 
 
 The horses were stopped until Eleanor and her 
 father had done with their hugging, and then she 
 remembered to introduce him to Polly. 
 
 "The very best chum in the world, Daddy, and 
 so we have sworn never to be separated not even 
 for money, business, or love!" cried the happy 
 girl, maternally patting Polly on the head as she 
 spoke. 
 
 Eleanor sat upon her father's knee and Polly 
 sat upon the floor of the wagon, as they proceeded 
 on their way, but when John called to his sister
 
 THE VICTORY 249 
 
 and asked what had been doing in his absence, she 
 jumped up suddenly and exclaimed. 
 
 "Oh I we forgot all about the two men who came 
 this morning and fell over the edge of the gulch!" 
 
 Then followed an excited and graphic descrip- 
 tion of the two New York lawyers who came to 
 Pebbly Pit to buy the Cliffs. When John heard 
 the names, he whistled and looked at Tom. 
 
 "Well, even providence is on your side, Polly, 
 for those two men are the rascals who tried to 
 steal Evans' patent rights in the little machine that 
 cuts the jewels. So this is the way they were re- 
 ceived at Pebbly Pit, eh?" Tom mused silently 
 after that, but John and Mr. Maynard asked all 
 sorts of questions until they reached the house. 
 
 In these isolated mountain ranches, almost every 
 intelligent man can set broken bones, and take care 
 of minor troubles ; a doctor living in a town ten to 
 twenty miles away, needs plenty of time to reach a 
 ranch, in cases of illness, and during that time a 
 patient must suffer agonies or be helped by home- 
 aid. Thus, Mr. Ratzger had his bones set by Mr. 
 Brewster and his assistants, and was left neatly 
 bandaged upon a cot in the harness-room. But 
 the other patient seemed past the simple aid from 
 the ranchers, so Jeb had to ride to Oak Creek for 
 a doctor to come and try to save this life.
 
 250 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 With all the sudden advent of excitement and 
 work, the thought of Anne's engagement ring had 
 not entered into any one's mind, but once the 
 household had quieted down again, and Mr. 
 Brewster could sit on the porch and mop his weary 
 brow, John smiled knowingly at his fiancee. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster caught the look and interpreted 
 it instantly: "Oh, Anne, dear! We never asked 
 you to show us the symbol!" 
 
 "Yes, yes, Anne ! Let me look !" cried Eleanor, 
 jumping up from the grass where Polly and she 
 had thrown themselves. 
 
 Anne, with an embarrassed laugh, held forth 
 her left hand and displayed a beautiful solitaire. 
 "Ahhs!" and "Ohs" and other exclamations of 
 admiration pleased John and Anne mightly, and 
 both felt that this mundane life was really a 
 Paradise. 
 
 With one accord it had been agreed to postpone 
 the talk of Rainbow Cliffs and Choko's Find until 
 after supper that evening. By that time the doc- 
 tor would have arrived and expressed an opinion 
 about the injured Riggley, and see if Ratzger was 
 doing nicely under the home-treatment given him. 
 
 "Because it makes me feel rather guilty to talk 
 over our future plans about this big combination, 
 when we know that not far off are two men so fear-
 
 THE VICTORY 251 
 
 fully injured on account of this very fortune," 
 added Mrs. Brewster, when she heard the business 
 talk would not take place at once. 
 
 "As long as I am here and having such a wonder- 
 ful rest, I would just as soon wait for Latimer and 
 Evans to put in an appearance, before we discuss 
 finances," said Mr. Maynard. 
 
 "We'll have enough talk left over to warm up 
 for them," remarked Tom, whimsically. 
 
 "And we want to get you first, Dad, and see how 
 much money you will put in. When there are too 
 many men about to talk to at once, the force of 
 our arguments will be scattered," declared El- 
 eanor, nodding her head wisely. 
 
 Every one laughed the first hearty laugh since 
 the accident on the shale-fields. And every one 
 felt much better for that laugh. 
 
 "I tell you what, boys, isn't this girl of mine 
 a born business-brain?" added Mr. Maynard 
 fondly patting Eleanor on the head. 
 
 "Sure! That's why I am going to run the 
 business end of Polly's and my company, while 
 she supplies all the ideals and plans for the work," 
 asserted Eleanor. 
 
 "What's this? Something new on your old 
 Dad?" asked her father. 
 
 "Not 'very new; only since 1 came here and met
 
 252 POLLY AND ELEANOK 
 
 Polly." Eleanor squirmed away from Polly's 
 warning nip on the arm, and added: "You see, 
 Dad, I am bound to go with Anne when she starts 
 for New York to school that has all been settled 
 between us, hasn't it?" 
 
 Mr. Maynard smiled indulgently as if to con- 
 cede any proposition to this child, and Eleanor 
 continued with more assurance: 
 
 "And Polly, having all her hopes of attending 
 school in Denver blasted by Anne and her mother 
 going on to New York, now has decided that 
 the only thing for her to do is to go with us to 
 New York. It is a wonderful opportunity for 
 her, too, as she is as determined to take up In- 
 terior Decorating for a profession, as I am. And 
 where on earth can one find such store-houses 
 of valuable lore on the subject, as right in New 
 York!" 
 
 Mr. Brewster cleared his throat preparatory 
 to an objection but Eleanor kept right on talking 
 fast and loud in order to down him. 
 
 "After figuring the whole plan out, Polly and I 
 find that we need a few years more of regular 
 school under Anne's tuition; then a few years of 
 a special course of decorating in a first-rate school 
 in New York then, if we are not too old, we will 
 go abroad for a visit to the art galleries in
 
 THE VICTORY 253 
 
 Europe. But we may have to give that delight- 
 ful trip up and turn right into work, as we must 
 not wait until old age cripples our abilities. So 
 you see " 
 
 "Nolla, let me say a word, won't you?" began 
 Polly, seeing her father's expression. 
 
 "No, Poll, not now! I have said all I want to 
 tell Dad about our future business connections, 
 and it may influence him somewhat in going into 
 our mine company. But now that he knows just 
 what I shall do from now on, we can leave them 
 to discuss matters while we go in and look over 
 your wardrobe and see what you will need before 
 going to New York." 
 
 So saying, Eleanor dragged Polly up from her 
 seat on the grass and, by dint of winks and tugs, 
 made her understand that it was best for all con- 
 cerned if they were well out of hearing. 
 
 Tom, John, and Mr. Maynard laughed hearti- 
 ly at Eleanor's speech and manner of getting 
 Polly away from an evident discussion. Mrs. 
 Brewster and Anne exchanged concerned glances, 
 but Sam Brewster moodily stared for a few 
 minutes away at Rainbow Cliffs. Then quite sud- 
 denly, and to the great amazement of every one 
 present, he laughed and said, "To think the new 
 woman has acquired such power that centuries of
 
 254 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 accepted habit is set aside and the male has to 
 fall in line in the rebr. Look at me! I have 
 been the Great Mogul in this family and in all 
 Oak Creek, too, until my baby girl begins to talk 
 plainly and then she quietly pushes me out of my 
 place and steps into it. 
 
 "And look at Eleanor Maynard! Talks like 
 an experienced business potentate of forty yet 
 she is only fourteen. Oh, I tell you what, friends, 
 we are living in a strange time !" And Sam 
 Brewster laughed again, a queer-sounding laugh 
 this. Every one sat still and dreaded to say a 
 word. In a few moments, he continued: 
 
 "Here's a wonderful freak of nature, been 
 standing over there for ages untold; and I settle 
 down beside those Cliffs because I can see there 
 will be something in them for my children in days 
 to come. But then, without warning, my baby 
 grows suddenly up and rears her head, and de- 
 clares 'Those Cliffs must furnish me with money 
 to go away from here. I am of the new order of 
 things, and I must be well prepared to meet my 
 fate!' So she packs her kit and scampers off to 
 New York to imbibe the higher education for 
 women. 
 
 "Meantime, her poor lonesome father re- 
 mains behind in Pebbly Pit and takes charge of
 
 THE VICTORY 255; 
 
 the complete blasting of his precious Rainbow 
 Hopes. Ah well! Ah trust Polly will never 
 regret going to New York with you-all!" 
 
 As Sam Brewster sighed and got up to walk 
 away, his wife remarked quietly: "Any one would 
 think, Sam, that Polly was your very own person- 
 al property. If you could but remember that she 
 has a mother who loves her devotedly and is 
 silently breaking her heart right now, so that the 
 child may follow her own life-line without foolish 
 barriers placed in her pathway!" 
 
 Mr. Brewster sent a startled glance at his wife 
 and then hurried away to the barns. But Mr. 
 Maynard said fervently: "There spoke the true 
 mother, Mrs. Brewster. That is what we are 
 parents for, I firmly believe that we may help 
 the next generation to a higher and firmer foot- 
 hold on progress. If only there were more 
 mothers like you !" 
 
 Then John crept over and flung his arm over 
 his mother's shoulders. "Yes, Mr. Maynard 
 she is great. And we shall live to call her 'bles- 
 sed,' for this temporary parting from Polly will 
 soon be a dream of the past, and both father 
 and mother will laugh at this talk!" 
 
 Drawing Polly into the house, Eleanor whis- 
 pered: "I know just what you are going to say,
 
 256 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Goody-good! You were ready to explode be- 
 cause you had not told me any such things as I 
 pretended you had. But, don't you see, I had to 
 take lots of things for granted to put the plan 
 over in a few seconds? Suppose I had started 
 out with turning to you every few moments for 
 approval, where would we have ended." 
 
 "That's what you think, Nolla, but let me tell 
 you this much right here" and Polly planted 
 her feet firmly and lifted her head upon her 
 proud neck, until Eleanor stood admiring her 
 independence "I can talk for myself, every 
 time! Don't ever quote me again in any thing 
 that I ever said or did. You may think it is all 
 right because you win out on those grounds, and 
 simply because you never have been taught prop- 
 erly by your mother. But / know better and I 
 won't accept any victory won on any other basis 
 than a clear conscience. Ask Anne Stewart 
 whether she does not agree with me on this point. 
 Now let me tell you, that much as I had yearned 
 to go to New York with you-all I cannot go be- 
 cause you took my personal rights from me. I 
 love you and I was crazy to leave home to go to 
 school, but I will never consent to have any one 
 say or act for me, in any way, when I am per- 
 fectly able to do so for myself."
 
 THE VICTORY 257 
 
 "Oh, Poll! I don't mean it that way don't 
 jou know I only did it to help you out?" cried 
 Eleanor aghast at the turn in events. 
 
 "Who asked you to help me out?" demanded 
 Polly, her blue eyes emitting sparks of fire. 
 
 "Why wh y you see I had to win your 
 father over!" 
 
 "But who told you so? You know very well 
 that it was your own pride in your ability to talk 
 that made you take the bit between your teeth. 
 But you will learn now, that I intend driving my 
 own steed, and will not allow others to whip my 
 mount!" 
 
 Eleanor was silenced as she began to review 
 the very recent talk she had given out on the ter- 
 race. Polly was right! 
 
 "It hurts me to tell you this, Nolla, but it is best 
 that we have a clean slate from this night on. 
 You are awfully clever and witty, too, but you 
 do exaggerate something terrible! I cannot sit 
 tamely by and accept all the things you say of me 
 and our plans. Why, we scarcely said a dozen 
 words about college and Europe !" 
 
 "But I did it all for your sake," was all Elea- 
 nor could offer in self-defense. 
 
 "That's just it! I will not have any one say 
 they had to tell lies to help me along. If I can't
 
 258 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 paddle my own canoe through the rapids, I can go 
 ashore. But I will balk every time another tries 
 to turn me from the course I know to be my true 
 one. So there!" 
 
 "Polly dearest! Do you mean that after all 
 I have done to get Dad here and win your 
 father's consent to your going, that you refuse to 
 leave home just because I colored my words a 
 bit too vividly?" 
 
 "You can color your words as rashly and with 
 as vivid colors as you choose, Nolla, but I say that 
 when you begin to infer that the coloring is of 
 my choosing and that I am in hearty sympathy 
 with the way you win out in matters, then I will 
 balk and if necessary, deny it in the future. I hate 
 color when it is daubed on falsely!" 
 
 Eleanor stood self-conscious of her mistakes, 
 and Polly sent her one sorry look and then walk- 
 ed into her room. Eleanor did not dare follow 
 as she was too awed by her friend's honest speech. 
 And she admired Polly all the more for daring 
 to tell her the unvarnished truth about her pro- 
 clivity to prevaricate. 
 
 "It always was my weak spot," grumbled Elea- 
 nor to herself, as she walked slowly to the kitchen 
 to see if Sary was there to keep her company.
 
 THE VICTORY 259 
 
 But the big cool kitchen was empty, so the girl sat 
 down in the wooden chair and thought. 
 
 "If I had had a different training maybe I 
 wouldn't be so ready to lie," murmured Eleanor. 
 Then, suddenly sneering at herself she added: 
 "Poor fish ! Can't even accept what you know is 
 a fact without trying to blame it on some one else. 
 You've scorned Bob for being such a fool, but 
 here you are, ten times worse, because you have 
 wits enough yet you pervert the use of them. 
 Eleanor Maynard, I just feel as if I wanted to 
 give you the biggest hiding you ever heard 
 of!" 
 
 As she knew of no way in which to inflict this 
 punishment upon herself, she cried instead. 
 From a prolonged sniffle that caused her to wipe 
 her eyes on her dimity sleeves, she began to weep 
 freely. And finally, heart-broken sobs shook her 
 slender frame. By this time her eyes and nose 
 were rivers of salt-water and the poor girl had no 
 handkerchief. Just when she felt compelled to 
 turn up her skirt to use the rufHe of her white pet- 
 ticoat, Anne came in. 
 
 "Why, Nolla! What has happened?" 
 "Oo-h, Anne I lost my handkerchief!" 
 "Is that all, darling I Here use mine It's
 
 260 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 clean. But don't cry over a trifle like that. It 
 is sure to be somewhere about the place." 
 
 Before Anne could dry the flooded eyes and 
 hold the bit of white linen at Eleanor's nose, the 
 girl broke into a merry laugh so close were 
 tears and laughter in Eleanor's makeup. 
 
 "Oh, oh Arme ! I didn't mean that that was 
 what made me cry! But I am so disgusted with 
 myself that is why I am weeping. If some one 
 would only whip me soundly, I would feel so 
 much better!" 
 
 "Oh, I see! you're crying because you are so 
 selfish, eh?" 
 
 Eleanor looked up astonished. "Selfish no, 
 I want to be thrashed, you know." 
 
 "And because you cannot get what you think 
 you want, you sit out here and weep ! Oh come, 
 Nolla ! come out on the terrace and let your Dad 
 see how happy you are!" 
 
 The very illumination that came with Anne's 
 unexpected words choked the sobs in Eleanor's 
 throat, and she meekly followed Anne to the 
 pump where cold water was dashed upon her red 
 eye-lids. As she dried her face on a clean towel 
 that hung back of the door, she thought: "Yes, 
 sir ! Even in howling for a licking I was fooling 
 myself into believing I was doing the right thing I
 
 THE VICTORY 261 
 
 Oh, Nolla, Nolla ! how much you have to change 
 your old ways of thinking and talking before you 
 can feel as honest and wise as Anne Stewart or 
 Polly 1"
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 COMINGS AND GOINGS 
 
 IT was very late when the doctor reached the 
 ranch, that night, and having examined the still 
 unconscious man, pronounced his opinion to the 
 men who had accompanied him from the house. 
 
 "It's a bad concussion on the brain, I believe, 
 following a slight fracture of the skull. He has 
 suffered internal injuries, too, from the slight ex- 
 amination I can make here. But we can do noth- 
 ing for him under these conditions. He ought 
 to be in a hospital in Denver where an operation 
 could take place." 
 
 "Would it be a risk to try and carry him 
 there?" asked John, anxiously. 
 
 "He won't suffer during the trip, if that is what 
 you mean, as he is unconscious of physical pain. 
 And the sooner he could be operated upon the 
 better. He will slowly pass away if left like 
 this," returned the doctor. 
 
 "But to-morrow's Sunday, John, and no trains 
 262
 
 COMINGS AND GOINGS 263 
 
 run to Denver until Monday noon," said Tom 
 Latimer. 
 
 "There's the morning milk-train, you know," 
 suggested the doctor. "If I explained the case, 
 they would gladly take these men on and turn 
 them over to the physicians at Denver." 
 
 "Then we'd have to get them in to Oak Creek 
 to-night," added Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "You'd have to fix up some sort of hammocks 
 in the wagon to spare the poor fellows any jolts. 
 If it can be done, I will wait and ride back with 
 them," said the doctor. 
 
 "We'll turn the ranch inside out and upside 
 down in order to help in any way," hastily assert- 
 ed Mr. Brewster. Then turning to Jeb, who 
 stood watching the scene, commanded him. 
 
 "Jeb, get out the truck wagon the one with 
 the chestnut posts on either side and hook up 
 four of our best horses. While Jeb is doing that, 
 we will get the two hammocks from the girls and 
 fix up some sort of mattress in each. These 
 hammocks can swing from the posts. I'll go with 
 the doctor and see that no little thing is over- 
 looked." 
 
 "John and I thought of going in, Mr. Brewster, 
 and if three are going, you would not have to 
 take this trip to-night," said Tom.
 
 264 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "W-ee-11 I would rather not use myself up 
 in riding all night without being able to do any 
 good to any one, if you young men will go in my 
 place," Sam Brewster sighed. 
 
 "An' Ah'll drive the four bosses, cuz, yuh know, 
 it's no joke seein' ahead of th' bosses' noses along 
 that trail in th' dark," announced Jeb, in a mat- 
 ter-of-course tone. 
 
 "Jeb, if you would! It will be a great relief 
 to know you are driving you are such a wizard 
 with a four-in-hand," exclaimed John, smiling sud- 
 denly at Jeb. 
 
 "Wha Ah bed no idee you-all diden know Ah 
 was goin' t' do th' drivin'," returned Jeb, surpris- 
 ed at the others for their lack of comprehension. 
 
 It was twelve o'clock that night when all was 
 ready and the great wagon lumbered past the 
 ranch-house. The women were all grouped on 
 the porch, silently praying for the safe transpor- 
 tation of the unfortunate schemers from New 
 York. 
 
 "Ah don't suppose we will really know why 
 these men came West until Latimer or Evans gets 
 here to explain," said Mr. Brewster, as the re- 
 maining members of the family went indoors. 
 
 "Didn't you look through the papers in that
 
 COMINGS AND GOINGS 265 
 
 leather bag?" asked Mr. Maynard of his host. 
 
 "No, not when Ratzger came to and told us 
 who they were. I handed the bag to him and 
 felt I had no right to pry into his secrets especi- 
 ally as he acted so fearful of the contents of the 
 wallet." 
 
 "I suppose they hired those horses from Oak 
 Creek," ventured Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Doubtless; and I told John to make sure and 
 then ask Ratzger what had best be done to settle 
 for them. If the men have ample means they can 
 pay the damages, but if they haven't, I will pay 
 for them myself," explained Mr. Brewster. 
 
 "I don't see why you should! You had noth- 
 ing to do with their hiring, nor with anything con- 
 nected with this accident," said Mr. Maynard. 
 
 "No, but folks here-abouts stick together more 
 or less, and if one has a loss, the others generally 
 help out. Now I can spare twenty horses from 
 my corral sooner than have a friend in Oak Creek 
 think I had something to do with his loss of two 
 good saddle horses." 
 
 "If every one thought and acted like that, Mr. 
 Brewster, we would bring in the millennium with- 
 out delay," Mr. Maynard remarked. 
 
 "Ah feel happy to state that Ah will never de-
 
 266 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 fer the coming of that same millennium by any 
 trifle like a few horses given away to a less fortu- 
 nate friend." 
 
 All that evening Polly and Eleanor were as 
 cordial and chummy as ever to observers, but no 
 one knew that the two girls had changed places. 
 Only Anns knew that Eleanor had been in the 
 kitchen weeping, and even she did not know the 
 cause of the tears. She fancied there had been a 
 girlish quarrel between the friends but that would 
 soon be made up again. So she paid no further 
 attention to the case. 
 
 Eleanor felt humbled by the frank truth spoken, 
 by Polly, and realizing that it was absolutely as 
 her friend had stated, she tried to impress upon 
 Polly that she was repentant and would never 
 again do or say a thing that might offend. 
 Hitherto Eleanor had taken for granted that she 
 was more experienced in every way than her 
 simple little friend of the ranch; and without 
 meaning to take the upper hand, had actually as- 
 sumed that position, until she had reached the 
 point where Polly rebelled against this friendly 
 leadership. 
 
 But after the fearless speech from Polly that 
 afternoon, Eleanor comprehended how far be- 
 hind she really was in this warfare between ego-
 
 COMINGS AND GOINGS 267 
 
 tism and egoism. She began to understand that 
 the first expressed stubbornness and selfishness 
 which eventually would result in unhappiness for 
 all concerned; while egoism meant exactly what 
 Polly was trying to demonstrate for herself that 
 upright fearless stand for Truth, and the sacrifice 
 of everything that interfered with the perfect 
 working out of the highest good. 
 
 Hence, without meaning to do so, and in fact, 
 never realizing that it was so, Polly took the lead 
 in everything after that day. When with her 
 friend, Eleanor seldom exaggerated and never 
 took the aggressive attitude again. And with 
 others, she seemed to be developing a quieter and 
 more lovable disposition. But her family and 
 friends declared it was due to the fact that she 
 was out-growing her torn-boy habits. 
 
 Sunday morning was far spent before the family 
 met under the oak trees for their first meal. See- 
 ing how late it was, Mrs. Brewster and Sary de- 
 cided to have but two meals that day a combi- 
 nation breakfast and lunch and a good dinner and 
 supper about five o'clock. The very unusual 
 break in the habits of other Sabbaths, and the 
 various causes that led to such a change, kept 
 every one lounging quietly about the house and 
 porch.
 
 268 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Mr. Maynard took advantage of the restful 
 hours, to ask Barbara just how much money she 
 needed to defray her expenses in camp, with her 
 mother. And in spite of her mentioning an ex- 
 orbitant sum, he silently wrote out the check for 
 her. 
 
 Barbara had expected rebellion and so was pre- 
 pared to argue that she needed a new wardrobe 
 for such a select gathering, but finding her father 
 had offered no resistance, she wished she had de- 
 manded much more. Had she but known that the 
 only reason he gave her what she wanted, was the 
 qualm of conscience he felt. He was really glad 
 to have his daughter so eager to join her mother 
 in the East, so that he would be relieved of the 
 nagging and unhappiness he was always subjected 
 to when his wife and oldest daughter were with 
 him. 
 
 But there was a sub-conscious reason, too, for 
 his ready writing of the check. He was as eager 
 to have Eleanor live with Anne and her mother in 
 New York, as the girl was to go there. And this 
 unexpected plan might meet with various objec- 
 tions from his wife if she dreamed of the extra cost 
 it would be. As he seldom came to an open quar- 
 rel with Mrs. Maynard, he considered he was
 
 COMINGS AND GOINGS 269 
 
 placating both wife and daughter by extending 
 this generous sum of money for their pleasures. 
 Should they offer strenuous objections against 
 Eleanor's plan to live in New York, he would 
 have one cudgel, at least, to use against them. 
 
 The sinking sun was bathing Rainbow Cliffs in 
 a glory of color before the echo of the lumbering 
 ranch-wagon was heard sounding across the cra- 
 ter. Then every one ran out upon the terrace to 
 watch the home-coming of the weary boys. 
 
 "Was everything all right?" anxiously asked 
 Mrs. Brewster, thinking of the two poor suf- 
 ferers. 
 
 "Oh yes; the hammocks served splendidly, but 
 poor Ratzger groaned continually because of the 
 pain in his limbs," sighed John. 
 
 "And we had an awful job carrying them from 
 the wagon to the milk-train. They both are 
 corpulent men, you know," added Tom. 
 
 "The docter went along widdem to Denver," 
 observed Jeb. "Gosh! Ah wisht Ah wuz a 
 doctor, en Ah'd have gone, too. It wuz a free 
 ride fer him, yuh-know." 
 
 The humor of the remark made every one 
 smile, and Jeb gazed from one to the other to 
 find out just where he had been witty.
 
 270 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Never mind, Jeb; you and Sary are going to 
 Denver, you know, for that ring," whispered 
 Mrs. Brewster, aside to Jeb. 
 
 "It ain't the same. Sary'll tote me aroun' jest 
 whar she wants to go, en Ah have t' trot behin' 
 her like a poodle I" grumbled Jeb. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster understood immediately. It 
 was the call of freedom to the male who is soon 
 to be shackled, to have one last fling. So she 
 whispered back: "I'll see that you get a few days 
 off for a nice visit there all by yourself. Perhaps 
 we can arrange to have you go with the girls and 
 look after their luggage on their way to New 
 York." 
 
 At this unexpected offer of bliss, even if it was 
 lonesome, Jeb grinned and shuffled away to drive 
 the horses to the barns. 
 
 As Jeb had to make another trip to meet the 
 train on Monday noon at Oak Creek, he was 
 only too glad when Tom announced that he was 
 going, too, to meet his father and Dr. Evans. 
 
 John and Anne found so much to say to each 
 other before the separation came, that they were 
 not to be seen all that day. Polly felt sure she 
 would find them seated on the Imps at the Cliffs, 
 if she wanted to take the trouble to walk there. 
 But she didn't.
 
 COMINGS. AND GOINGS 271 
 
 Mrs. Brewster and Eleanor were together, 
 talking over many pleasant secrets, or at least 
 Polly thought they must be pleasant from the 
 smiling countenance on her friend. Now and then 
 she caught such words as "you know all about 
 such things, Nolla," or Eleanor might say "she 
 will be on top of the heap, if I know it, Mrs. 
 Brewster," so it was evident that she, Polly, was 
 the subject of their conversation. But Polly her- 
 self, felt little concern about it all, as she saw the 
 forlorn expression on her father's face as he went 
 about his ranch-duties. Finally she decided upon 
 taking a radical step. 
 
 She went to the room where she found her 
 meager wardrobe displayed in every country-like 
 detail. So this was what Eleanor was planning 
 a conquest made with fine clothes such as she 
 had! 
 
 "Mother," she began; "I have changed my 
 mind about going to school. I have decided to 
 remain here with father and you." 
 
 "Oh, Poll ! You just can't !" cried Eleanor. 
 
 "Why this sad countenance, daughter, if you 
 believe you will be happier here than away?" 
 countered Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Because I am as miserable as Daddy about 
 leaving."
 
 272 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Mrs. Brewster laughed merrily, albeit she felt 
 no joy in her soul. "Then the sooner we dispel 
 this gloom by packing you off, the better. I 
 haven't the slightest doubt but that you will won- 
 der at your present attitude, the moment John and 
 Tom have gone. Once let every young person 
 leave us here all alone for the long solitary win- 
 ter, and you will eat your heart out to think that 
 you could have been so mistaken as to refuse this 
 wonderful opportunity to make something of 
 yourself and your wealth." 
 
 Polly knew in her heart that her mother spoke 
 the truth, but she never dreamed what it cost 
 that mother to speak cheerily as she did about her 
 only girl's going in fact, almost persuading her 
 to go. For that wise mother had heard the yearn- 
 ings in Polly's voice the day she spoke so daringly 
 of all her ambitions and of her future. And she 
 understood that this transitory spell of regret was 
 merely the contagion of Mr. Brewster's woe-be- 
 gone thoughts and behavior. 
 
 "I'll get after Sam, and that good and plenty!" 
 thought Mrs. Brewster to herself, as she watched 
 Polly with keen understanding. 
 
 "Poll, your mother says Anne is to get every 
 last dud you need in the swellest shops in New 
 York. Because you and I will have plenty of
 
 COMINGS AND GOINGS 273 
 
 money for our future, and we must dress up to 
 our station. Your mother said our success in busi- 
 ness would be influenced, to a great extent, by our 
 careful consideration of apparel. She is right." 
 
 "But, mother, you said to me, one time, that 
 clothes should never occupy a woman's mind," 
 Polly said, wonderingly. 
 
 "I was right in saying so. I do not believe in 
 having anything so perishable as dress occupying 
 anybody's mind. But that does not mean that 
 you should become careless of your appearance 
 nor wear cheap and vulgar apparel. I always 
 felt that an individual expresses his own position 
 in life by the clothes he selects and wears. It is 
 generally a key to one's character. You will find 
 that any one who has slip-shod apparel, is careless 
 . in everything else in life, and one who dons gaudy 
 attire cheap and destructible will soon show 
 you how small a nature he has. The same 
 with well-selected refined apparel; one garbed in 
 the best, no matter how many seasons they may 
 have to wear the articles, will prove reliable and 
 conscientious in other ways. 
 
 "Oh, I never dreamed this would end up in a 
 sermon !" Mrs. Brewster suddenly laughed, and 
 then she whisked from the room. 
 
 The new arrivals came at sun-down, and every
 
 274 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 one was eager to welcome Tom's father, and his 
 friend Dr. Evans. Both men were made to feel 
 at home, and as the dinner had been kept waiting 
 for the past half-hour, Sary lost no time in shout- 
 ing for every one to "setdown." 
 
 Smiles on every face, was the rule at that meal, 
 and no one dreamed that Mrs. Brewster had 
 given her spouse the worst "Dressing down" 
 he had had since they were married. He laugh- 
 ingly referred to it later on, and confessed that 
 now he knew where Polly got her "woman's 
 rights" idea, so unexpectedly betrayed the day she 
 stood up for herself.
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START OUT 
 
 "Now let us hear all about those two strangers 
 from New York?" Mr. Brewster reminded his 
 new guests, as they strolled away from the table. 
 
 "Well, it was as much a shock for us to find 
 that they had been here and were now at a hos- 
 pital in Denver, as it was for you to learn who 
 they were," replied the doctor. 
 
 "I suspected some crooked work last week, but 
 I must say that I never thought they would come 
 out here on such a meager chance," added Mr. 
 Latimer. "You see, it was this way: I had a 
 rascal employed in my office as clerk, but I never 
 knew that he was in constant touch w^th Riggley 
 & Ratzger in fact was their stool-pigeon. He 
 was a clerk in our offices just to get daily informa- 
 tion about patents. And thus the other firm got 
 hold of many tips. 
 
 "When the Court upheld us in our rights, and 
 this firm of crooks tried in other ways to get that 
 
 275
 
 276 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 valuable patent and model, this clerk Brown 
 made an accurate blue-print of the drawing we 
 always kept locked in our safe. Then when he 
 heard of our success in cutting the lava-jewels 
 from the material sent us from Pebbly Pit, he did 
 everything to locate this ranch. 
 
 "Had we wasted any time in planning to come 
 West and meet you people here, I doubt not but 
 that Riggley & Ratzger would have had a new 
 scheme to hold us up. But we moved so swiftly 
 after hearing from Kenneth and Tom, that they 
 had to catch breath to keep up in the race. 
 
 "I am convinced that they hurried here with 
 no set plans about the future they wanted to 
 get a hold on this place so as to try and bar us 
 from immediate work, or perhaps, to make a for- 
 tune out of us by selling their option to us. They 
 never dreamed that Latimer had a son right here, 
 and that there was a deeper cause for our meeting 
 you all than mere business reasons. Had either 
 of these lawyers known about Montresor and that 
 mine, they would not have spent so much time 
 and money to get here to outwit us. 
 
 "It is fortunate that the doctor kept those let- 
 ters at home where Brown could not read and 
 copy them for his firm of rascals. But, to tell 
 the truth, that was one reason why Dr. Evans was
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 277 
 
 so anxious to meet you-all. We want to hear 
 everything about the old man and that claim." 
 
 As Mr. Latimer finished speaking, Dr. Evans 
 said: "If you will pardon me, a moment, I have 
 here a photograph taken of my brother-in-law 
 just before he left for the Klondike. Perhaps 
 you will recognize something in the face to assure 
 us it was your Montresor." 
 
 The doctor took out his large flat pocket-book 
 and removed the card-photograph wrapped in 
 tissue paper. This was passed to Sam Brewster, 
 who needed but a glance to tell him that the pic- 
 tured face was the same man that he had de- 
 fended so valiantly to others. 
 
 Polly ran over to her father's side and took 
 the picture. "Oh, you dear old friend it is our 
 Old Man Montresor, sure enough, but his hair 
 was white when we knew him !" she exclaimed. 
 
 She impulsively kissed the senseless card, and 
 every one smiled sympathetically, even though 
 there was a suspicion of moisture in most eyes. 
 
 "I am so glad to find that he had good friends, 
 somewhere, even though he was too proud to let 
 any one know about his relatives. And Ken ! I'm 
 so glad to know that he, and you people, will all 
 come in on Choko's, Find or to be exact, it is 
 Montresor's Mine," said Polly.
 
 278 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "That's going to be a fine tangle in law, Polly,'* 
 remarked Mr. Latimer. "You see, Montresor 
 made you his sole heiress, so the mine rs yours, 
 not only by inheritance, but also by rediscovery 
 after it was lost in the first land-slide. 
 
 "We stopped at Simms' office to-day that is 
 what made us late and learned, without a doubt, 
 that the two claims are the same. As it now 
 stands, Polly and her friends are claim-jumpers 
 on the same claim that Montresor bequeathed to 
 Polly a few years ago. And should you all go 
 to law over the tangle, the State of Colorado 
 would benefit, in-as-much as the costs of an end" 
 less suit would fill the State coffers." Mr. La- 
 timer laughed at the picture of such a thrilling law- 
 tangle for his unraveling. 
 
 "But we are not going to law, and if that gold 
 is mine so that no one else has any right to say 
 what I can, or cannot do with it, I shall do what 
 I always planned to do with it even before Nolla 
 and I found it again. I made up my mind that 
 if ever one of dear old Montresor's relatives ap- 
 peared I would go halves. And if they wanted 
 the whole thing then they could take it, rather 
 than fight for it. So now I am going to give half 
 to your wife, right off, Doctor, and my other half
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 279 
 
 I will divide with the girls who were with me when 
 we located it again." Polly was magnificent in 
 her earnest generosity. 
 
 "Why, Miss Polly, my wife would never ac- 
 cept half of it. Ken wrote something of what 
 you told him, and Mrs. Evans told me to be sure 
 to tell you that you cannot give half away. Be- 
 sides, the fact that I will have so many friends 
 willing to invest money in this device of mine, is 
 better than all the gold in the Rockies. The 
 jewel-cutter is now an assured success, and it will 
 turn out dollars like a sausage grinder turns out 
 that toothsome breakfast meat." 
 
 Every one laughed at the doctor's funny com- 
 parison, and he continued: "However, let us 
 hear from Tom and the others, how they man- 
 aged to get down into the cave if it was buried 
 under such mountains of trash." 
 
 "Oh, yes, John! You promised to tell us the 
 moment Mr. Latimer and the doctor arrived," 
 cried Eleanor, eagerly. 
 
 So without preamble, John began: "When 
 Mike had made a temporary camp for us on Top 
 Notch, he tried to show Tom and me just where 
 the cave had been. But none other than a clever 
 Indian scout could ever have found one familiar
 
 280 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 sign anywhere. Even Mike had to hunt and dig 
 and trail around, again and again, before he gave 
 a war-whoop. 
 
 "To cut it short, I will say, we found that the 
 ravine upon which the cave opened, was com- 
 pletely filled with trash and, in fact, there were 
 many feet of earth and timber on top of the ledge 
 so that it would need a great deal of digging and 
 blasting before we could hope to enter that cave 
 again. 
 
 "But Tom and I had not been lazy during the 
 time Mike was seeking for some sign to locate 
 the cave. And after we learned how impossible 
 it was to enter the mine at that side where the 
 girls had gone in, Tom and I took scientific obser- 
 vations with our instruments, and finally, after 
 tiresome days, found a rushing river that gushed 
 from some underground source. 
 
 "We immediately remembered the pit Polly had 
 told us of, and the rushing sound of waters she 
 had heard when leaning over the edge of the pit, 
 so we decided that here we had found the outlet. 
 
 "We could not determine how far the river 
 traveled underground from the pit, until it came 
 out in the open again, but we got Mike to come 
 with us, and, daring fellow that he is, he crept into 
 the tunnel that hooded the stream. We tried to
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 281 
 
 dissuade him from taking such a risk, but he 
 grinned and said: 'Mike like fun.' 
 
 "When he returned, half an hour later, he 
 made us understand that we might follow quite 
 safely. My ! But that was some thrill, eh, Tom?" 
 laughed John, shivering delightfully at the rem- 
 iniscence. 
 
 Tom laughingly admitted that it was a "hair- 
 raiser" and John continued: "We managed to cling 
 to the narrow ledge of rock that was less than a 
 foot above the turbulent water, and even that 
 must have been submerged most of the time, as it 
 was damp and slippery. Mike said the* recent 
 land-slide had had some effect on lowering the 
 water-line of the river and that was what left the 
 rock exposed. 
 
 "We crept slowly along this foot-hold and soon 
 realized that we were nearing some suction-hole. 
 Mike explained that it was the very tube that rose 
 to the rocky floor where Polly knelt that day. 
 I couldn't see where this journey was going to 
 benefit us, but Mike knew. 
 
 "Reaching the tube that slanted upwards, so 
 that we could see roots and stubborn vines grow- 
 ing out of its rocky walls, we also discovered that 
 we had a flat space of more than six feet square 
 on which we were standing. Now Mike demon-
 
 282 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 strated what he proposed doing. All our threats, 
 persuasions, and anger, left no impression. He 
 smiled. 
 
 "He made us understand that he was about to 
 scale the wall by means of those roots and vines. 
 Should he miss and fall, the rope he tied about his 
 body would keep him from being swept down into 
 the current. He gave us the end of the rope to 
 fasten to our waists. When he arrived at the top, 
 he would draw us up, one after the other. 
 
 "He managed to land on top, but I'll have to 
 tell you-all some other time, all that happened be- 
 fore we reached the underground cave where the 
 gold was shining from walls and ceiling. It i> 
 exactly as Polly described it, and we picked up a 
 number of nuggets that were found in the dust of 
 ages on the stone floor, and then tried to take 
 scientific observations. Tom took a flash-light of 
 the cave, and we had it developed, but it was not 
 a howling success. Still, it shows something of 
 the interior. 
 
 "When we got back to open air again, we 
 noticed the vast mountain-top that sat down upon 
 that gold-mine. This would have to be removed 
 if we mined from the top. But I believe we can 
 manage to work in through that tunnel and secure 
 the gold by means of lifts in that tube. This is
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 283 
 
 a matter of discussion. The gold is there and 
 it can be gotten out, just so long as Old Grizzly 
 will behave." 
 
 There was a general chorus of sighs when John 
 had concluded his story, and as technical matters 
 were taken up by the men, and in this the girls 
 were not interested, they wandered away to enjoy 
 the twilight. 
 
 During the days that followed, Barbara left 
 Pebbly Pit, with no regrets on her part, and not 
 very many on the part of her summer companions. 
 She was not in her rightful place on a ranch, and 
 every one was honest enough to admit it. But 
 now she was going to join "her own" and she was 
 happy. 
 
 Tom and John were the next to leave the happy 
 circle at the ranch. But not until all plans about 
 the incorporating of the two companies were per- 
 fected. Each man present at that meeting, sign- 
 ing up liberally to supply the money to launch the 
 two big enterprises. 
 
 The evening before John and Tom were to go 
 back to their engineering work with their old 
 Crew, Polly and Eleanor were out on the terrace 
 with Tom, talking eagerly of the plans made for 
 mining the ore from Choko's Find. From this 
 subject it was quite natural for the girls to launch
 
 284 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 j 
 
 the subject of their anticipated winter in New York 
 City. 
 
 "I suppose you two girls will see quite a little 
 of Jim and Ken, when you arrive in New York," 
 ventured Tom, wistfully (or so it seemed to 
 romantic Eleanor) . 
 
 "They said so; Jim says New Haven is not so 
 far from New York but that the two of them 
 I mean the boys not the cities," laughed Polly 
 "may be able to visit us every week-end. That 
 will be great fun for us, won't it, Tom?" 
 
 "I suppose so. I wonder if John would care 
 for you to see so much of the two boys as you 
 plan to," replied Tom, suggestively. 
 
 "Oh, John won't care! Why should he?" re- 
 torted Polly. 
 
 "Why. shouldn't he? He's your brother and 
 you are growing up to be a young lady, Polly; 
 you must think of appearances, you know," said 
 Tom. 
 
 Polly laughed merrily. "Why, Tom! One 
 would think you were concerned about my future, 
 the way you preach. Just like Daddy does." 
 
 Eleanor interpreted the speech to suit herself 
 and watched Tom's expression closely. Tom 
 frowned at Polly's laugh and bit his lip to restrain 
 himself from further preachings.
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 285 
 
 "Besides," added Polly, in a few moments, "Jim 
 is your own kid brother, and Ken is his pal. You- 
 all say Ken is a jewel of a boy, so why should I 
 worry about appearances' sake when I am with 
 them?" 
 
 Tom refused to reply to her question, and 
 Polly quickly forgot his strange remark. But 
 Eleanor thought over various little incidents of 
 the past few days, and finally decided to make a 
 radical move for Tom. 
 
 "I'm going indoors, for a minute, children 
 will you excuse me?" said she, starting to leave 
 the two alone. 
 
 "With the greatest of pleasure !" declared Tom, 
 laughingly, to Eleanor. 
 
 Eleanor tossed her saucy head and winked at 
 Tom as she ran away. Tom flushed and won- 
 dered just what Eleanor thought or what she had 
 tried to make him understand by that wink. 
 
 The moment Eleanor had gone Tom turned to 
 Polly and said: "Shall we walk to the Cliffs and 
 have a last look at the jewels in this glorious 
 moonlight?" 
 
 "Oh no !" cried Polly, nervously, as she glanced 
 at Tom's facial expression, and thought of the 
 tremble in his voice as he spoke. 
 
 "All right, then ; but I thought you would want
 
 286 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 to remember just how they looked, tonight. 
 When you are in that crowded city of rush and 
 hustle, it would be a pleasant memory." 
 
 "Eleanor and I are going to get a snap-shot 
 of them, tomorrow, after you boys are gone," ex- 
 plained Polly, in a matter-of-fact tone. 
 
 Tom smothered a sigh and was trying to think 
 of some other excuse to coax Polly away from the 
 nearness of the house, when Mr. Maynard and 
 Mr. Latimer strolled over to join the two young 
 people. Polly turned to them with a smiling 
 welcome but Tom gnashed his teeth in impatience 
 at their untimely intrusion. 
 
 The two men immediately began speaking of 
 the projects for the incorporated companies and 
 demanded so much of Tom's attention that Polly 
 managed to glide away and go back to the house. 
 This ended Tom's first attempt at romance with 
 Polly, and it was evident that he disliked the in- 
 terruption. 
 
 After Mr. Maynard, Mr. Latimer, and Dr. 
 Evans had gone, it was Anne Stewart's turn to say 
 good-by. She was going to Denver to see that 
 her mother wound up all their private affairs, and 
 there she would await the coming of Eleanor and 
 Polly. 
 
 After Anne had gone, Mrs. Brewster took
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 287 
 
 Polly and Eleanor to her room and sat down to 
 have a confidential talk with the girls. To her 
 surprise Polly found all her ranch-dresses and 
 other apparel bundled up in a loose roll with a 
 rope tied about it. 
 
 "Why, mother! How can I take my clothes 
 to New York that way?" asked she, having 
 studied the bundle wonderingly for a time. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster laughed. "You're not. These 
 are going to some poor ranchers' children over at 
 Yellow Jacket Pass." 
 
 "But, mother!" gasped Polly. "I haven't any- 
 thing left to wear in New York I" 
 
 "That's what I wish to tell you about, Polly. 
 Now listen to what I have already told Eleanor 
 who knows about these things better than we do." 
 
 Then Mrs. Brewster proceeded to instruct 
 Polly as Eleanor had suggested previously 
 
 "I know how foolish it appears to you, Polly, 
 to give much thought to clothes, because at home 
 on the ranch it matters so little what the style is. 
 But once you are in New York, or any other large 
 city where all kinds of people are to be found, 
 your appearance makes a great difference. You 
 are not to take any of your home-made ranch 
 clothes with you, Polly not even on the train after 
 you leave Denver. I am going to purchase a
 
 288 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 neat tailor-made suit at Denver for you to wear, 
 and your old suit I shall bring back home. 
 
 "When you reach New York Anne and Elea- 
 nor have my orders to attend to your shopping the 
 very first thing. I want you to go to the very 
 best and most exclusive shops on Fifth Avenue 
 above Forty-second street for all you need and 
 many accessories that you think you do not need, 
 Polly. 
 
 "Remember 1 this, dear, the tag of the maker 
 of your apparel is not the only important mark 
 of an exclusive shop the principal mark is the 
 cut and style, and these high-grade shops turn out 
 hats, coats and gowns which the other shops en- 
 deavor in vain to imitate. That is why one can be 
 recognized in a way by the clothes they wear. 
 And that is why I insist upon your having the best. 
 
 "Another thing I know to be true, is this: 
 Girls at school (and I feel sure the girls at your 
 exclusive school in New York City will do so) 
 judge others by the maker of their clothes. You 
 will have no heart-aches if your clothes have the 
 best maker's name inside. It sounds small, Polly, 
 but it really is a serious matter when you come in 
 contact with small-minded girls or adults. 
 
 "Anne carries the check-book, Polly, and Elea-
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 289 
 
 nor carries the social experience in dressing as 
 becomes a young lady of the best society. You 
 must remember you are that and so you must 
 never be ashamed of your apparel. When one is 
 so clothed that one need not think of dress, or 
 any apology for what they have on, one is at ease 
 and forgets about such trifles. That is one good 
 argument for having the best, Polly one for- 
 gets oneself." 
 
 Polly listened to her mother's wise remarks 
 with serious expression, but Eleanor sat and 
 nodded her head approvingly whenever Mrs. 
 Brewster made a point that pleased the girl. 
 When Mrs. Brewster paused for a moment, Elea- 
 nor spoke eagerly. 
 
 "My! Won't I just make the gold from 
 Choko's Find mine fly when I select the wardrobe 
 for our Polly!" 
 
 "You can't spend something you never had," 
 laughed Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "But we will have it, some day, soon," retorted 
 Eleanor. 
 
 "Well, then, I'll spend it when we get it, not 
 till then!" exclaimed Polly, practically. 
 
 "There speaks the logical one," laughed Elea- 
 nor.
 
 290 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 "Polly will have more than enough in the bank 
 to defray all bills while in New York, Nolla, with- 
 out borrowing from the mine." 
 
 At last came the day when Polly had to say 
 good-by to her beloved pets on the ranch. Dear 
 little Noddy followed her about and would not be 
 separated from her. It was as if the burro knew 
 her beloved mistress was leaving home. And so 
 heart-broken was Polly to realize that she would 
 not see her Noddy again for almost a year, that 
 she took the woolly head in her arms and kissed 
 the cold nose in a fond farewell. 
 
 Eleanor stood by and dabbed her eyes with her 
 fist at sight of such affection, but she had to laugh 
 when Noddy tried to return that kiss. Her red 
 tongue was long and supple and Polly was taken 
 by surprise when it curled about her ear. 
 
 And then at last I Well, Sary refused absolutely 
 to be left at home when she found Jeb was going 
 with the family to help Polly carry the bags. 
 "What," she exclaimed to Mrs. Brewster the night 
 before, "you-all mus' think Ah'm empty-headed 
 to let Jeb go t' Denver alone. AhVe hearn say 
 how gals go about them streets lookin' fer a 
 handsome young beau ! No-siree ! Ef Jeb goes, 
 Ah goes tool" And she went! 
 
 Sary furnished endless amusement to the Brew,
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 291 
 
 star group as the train sped on its way from Oak 
 Creek to Denver. Polly was the only one in the 
 circle who paid little attention to the excited wo- 
 man, for Polly had all she could do to keep down 
 her own nervous excitement because of the won- 
 ders of the first train-ride she had ever had. 
 
 "Ah d'clar' to goodness, Missus Brewster, is 
 this business runnin' away?" exclaimed Sary, after 
 the local had started from Oak Creek. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster sat in front of Sary who, with 
 Jeb, occupied the last seat in the coach. The 
 chosen seat was Jeb's plan ; akhough he did not ex- 
 plain to any one that he figured out it would be 
 much better to be near the door in case one had 
 to make a quick exit. Trains did run off their 
 tracks, and also there might be a collision. He 
 had heard folks talking of these dreadful acci- 
 dents. 
 
 When Sary addressed her mistress with a tone 
 of anxiety in her voice, Mrs. Brewster turned her 
 head and smiled reassuringly as she replied: 
 
 "Oh, no, Saryl The train hasn't really started 
 to go, as yet. Wait until we get past these little 
 local stations, then you shall see." 
 
 "Wall, Ah don't know ez Ah wants to ride any 
 faster. Ef the driver could slow up a bit we-all 
 could enjy the country views better," said Sary.
 
 292 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 Eleanor giggled and nudged Polly but Polly 
 turned a serious face to her friend. "Nolla, I 
 think the same as Sary I'd rather go slower." 
 
 "Good gracious, Polly, are you frightened, 
 too?" exclaimed Eleanor. 
 
 "No, but I want to remember every inch of 
 this grand country if I am to stay in New York 
 for many months, you see." 
 
 Eleanor understood, and left Polly to her si- 
 lent work of impressing her mind with the views 
 she wished to remember, later; Sary would provide 
 enough entertainment for Eleanor during the trip 
 to Denver. 
 
 "Jeb, what you-all clutchin' at my arm like-as- 
 how you are?" now asked Sary, in no weak or ten- 
 der voice. 
 
 "Ah ain't clutchin' nothin', Sary!" was Jeb's 
 defense of his manhood. 
 
 "Ah don't know what you call it, then. Sit 
 up like a regular traveler, Jeb, and don't slump in 
 the seat like-as-how your head wants to duck from 
 some crash," declared Sary, heroically trying to 
 lift Jeb's courage by gripping his coat collar and 
 hoisting him almost out of his badly fitting coat- 
 Eleanor smothered a laugh but said nothing to 
 disturb the vaudeville she was enjoying. Mr. and
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 293 
 
 Mrs. Brewster were talking earnestly about the fu- 
 ture of their daughter. 
 
 Suddenly Polly cried thrillingly: "Oh, look, 
 everybody! We're coming to a torrent, and the 
 train won't slow up !" 
 
 Sary instantly turned to the window and saw 
 what seemed to be an unavoidable end of all 
 earthly things, so she half rose from the seat and 
 grabbed Jeb in her ample embrace. "Ef we go, 
 we goes together, Jeb!" 
 
 Her voice, never soft and melodious, now rose 
 above the whistle of the engine just as it reached 
 the high bridge over the stream. Jeb's small 
 head was completely hidden by the unexpected pro-, 
 tection thrust upon him, but Eleanor had no idea 
 of thus missing the pleasure of watching Jeb's 
 face when the train should cross the bridge. 
 
 "Look look, Jeb and Sary! We're riding 
 over the water!" she cried. 
 
 Thus induced, Sary left Jeb's head to its fate 
 and quickly sought the cause of Eleanor's excite- 
 ment. The amazing experience of being on a 
 vehicle that glided directly over a rushing stream 
 of water while there was no apparent land to up- 
 hold the vehicle, held Sary and Jeb spell-bound. 
 
 When the train reached land, once more, and
 
 294 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 was steaming along its way, Sary sighed audibly 
 and whispered to Jeb: "Did you-all ever know 
 sech doin's went on when one traveled?" 
 
 But Jeb was too surprised to make a sound. 
 He sat and stared from the small window of the 
 car without even having heard his fiancee's words. 
 
 The conductor had passed through the car many 
 times since the Brewster family boarded the train, 
 and when the last local station had been left be- 
 hind and he had punched all the tickets of the 
 passengers on that trip, he entered the car and sat 
 upon the arm of the seat just opposite Sam Brew- 
 ster, in order to converse with the man every one 
 about Oak Creek knew so well. 
 
 Having no stops to make for a long stretch, 
 and the track running on a level line for many 
 miles, the engineer increased the speed of his en- 
 gine with corresponding results in Sary's anxiety. 
 She stepped over Jeb's obstructing feet and made 
 madly for the conductor, taking that worthy man 
 quite by surprise. 
 
 "See here, Mr. Boss, Ah ain't going to pay 
 fer no ticket to ride on a runaway injun! It's 
 your job to get up front and see what's ailin' this 
 car. Ef it's locooed you'd better cut loose from 
 th' injun come along!" 
 
 And before the amazed conductor or Mr. Brew-
 
 295 
 
 ster could resist or explain, Sary had the man by 
 the shoulder and was actually lifting him along 
 the aisle towards the door. 
 
 "Hi, there, Sary! Stop that!" shouted Sam 
 Brewster, jumping up and trying to rescue the 
 poor victim from Sary's mighty hold. 
 
 "Ain't it so, Mister Brewster? We-all paid 
 good money fer this joy-ride, an' we-all ain't got 
 nothin' from it but jumpin' nerves, so far!" 
 
 Every one but the poor conductor laughed 
 heartily at Sary's complaint. But Mr. Brewster 
 persuaded Sary to loose her prisoner and let him 
 collect his scattered senses; when the shaken man 
 was able to once more think reasonably, he gave 
 Sary one look and disappeared from that coach, 
 nor did he venture his head inside the door again, 
 until he had to take up all the tickets. 
 
 The eventful trip finally ended when the local 
 pulled into Denver station; the Brewster party 
 lost no time in leaving the train and threading a 
 way through the crowds at the waiting-room. 
 They were to go directly to Anne Stewart's house 
 where luncheon would be waiting for them. 
 
 "Well, friends ! glad to see you I" called Anne, 
 as she welcomed the travelers. "Come right in 
 and meet mother." 
 
 Introductions over, Mrs. Stewart led the way to
 
 296 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 the cozy little dining-room where the table was 
 ready-spread for the luncheon. 
 
 "I didn't pretend to provide much, Mrs. Brew- 
 ster," explained Mrs. Stewart, "because, you see, 
 the house is rented furnished for two years and I 
 could not leave a pan full of soiled dishes and 
 crumbs of food about for my new tenant to clear 
 away. Of course, the lady is an old neighbor of 
 mine, and would understand how hurried we are 
 to-day in order to get off on the afternoon train 
 for New York; still I never like to do things 
 wrong." 
 
 "Now see here, Miss Stewart," declared Sary 
 who had overheard the remark, "you-all jes' go 
 along to the cars an' leave me to do up the work." 
 
 "No, Sary, this is your great holiday in Den- 
 ver," contradicted Mrs. Brewster, "and Jeb wants 
 to fit that engagement ring on your finger, you 
 know; after lunch, you get away with Jeb and see 
 the city while I do up the dishes and help Mrs. 
 Stewart dress and get ready to leave." 
 
 That was a merry although hurried luncheon. 
 Immediately after the cake and tea were finished, 
 Jeb and Sary started away to hunt the ring; but 
 many were the admonitions sent after them as 
 they left the door, to be on hand at the railway
 
 TOLLY AND ELEANOR START 297 
 
 terminal to see Polly and her friends off for New 
 York. 
 
 Mrs. Brewster and her husband cleared away 
 the remains of the luncheon while Mrs. Stewart 
 and Anne completed their packing and dressed 
 for the long trip to the East. Everything in con- 
 nection with the lease and the inventory of furni- 
 ture had been attended to before this day, so there 
 were really no errands or work left to be done 
 at the last. 
 
 Finally Mrs. Stewart locked the door and gave 
 the key to a next-door neighbor who had offered 
 to keep it until the tenant called for it ; then good- 
 bys were said to the congregated friends of Anne 
 and her mother's, and at last the party started 
 for the station where the New York train was 
 scheduled to leave at five o'clock. 
 
 "Dear me, I do hope Sary and Jeb will be there 
 on time," sighed Mrs. Brewster, with a worried 
 frown. 
 
 "Don't worry about them, Mah, because I'll 
 say they have been waiting for us this last hour," 
 laughed Sam Brewster. 
 
 "Sary wouldn't give Jeb a moment's piece until 
 she got that ring," added Anne Stewart, laugh- 
 ingly, "and once she had it she would never give
 
 298 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 him another moment's peace until she had shown 
 it to every one of us !" 
 
 "Anne's right, mother," giggled Polly, nodding 
 her head wisely. 
 
 And so it turned out. When the Brewster party 
 reached the station in Denver, and before Sam 
 Brewster could seek for his two servants Sary 
 shouted so that every one at that end of the build- 
 ing heard her. 
 
 "Here we-all be, Mr. Brewster! Jeb an' me's 
 be'n lookin' out f er you-all this last hour ! Come 
 right on, and see mah ring!" 
 
 Eyes turned in the direction of the voice and 
 there stood Sary, perched upon one of the benches 
 in order to look over the heads of the people who 
 stood about in groups or who kept going and com- 
 ing through the station. She was waving her hand 
 wildly to attract the attention of her party. Elea- 
 nor laughed so hysterically at the sight that she 
 could hardly stand, but Polly dragged her along 
 after the others until they reached Sary and 
 Jeb. 
 
 "Ah d'clar' to goodness, folks! This city is 
 one big camp, all right!" vouchsafed Jeb, his eyes 
 wide enough to pop at the great adventure. 
 
 "Don't you-all go talkin' of sech things, Jeb, 
 when we-all got more important things to do,"
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 29$ 
 
 was Sary's scathing criticism, as she gave Jeb a 
 shove to quiet him. "Here jest you-all look at 
 this diamond! Three times bigger'n Anne Ste- 
 wart's! Pull off that glove, Anne, and le's see 
 mine and your'n side by side!" exclaimed Sary, 
 eagerly. 
 
 Anne laughed but complied with the challenge. 
 Two hands were compared a small white hand 
 with polished nails and with a sparkling diamond 
 Chining upon the third finger of the left hand, 
 and a large-boned red hand with stubby nails on 
 the fingers, but one finger displaying a great Rhine- 
 stone set so high that it would have been a menace 
 had Sary tried to use her fist on an enemy. Jeb 
 stood by grinning widely at the praise bestowed 
 upon him for his choice of the largest stone in 
 the department store. 
 
 "Cost some cash, that stone, eh Jeb?" chuckled 
 Sam Brewster. 
 
 "Bet chure life, Boss !" was Jeb's snappy reply. 
 
 Eleanor now pulled Sary's head down in order 
 to whisper into her ear. "Sary, when you get 
 back to Pebbly Pit, Mrs. Brewster will give you 
 a pile of finery I left for your trousseau. You 
 will be delighted to get the laces and other trim- 
 mings for your hope-box." 
 
 "Ah, Nolla, won't ah, jest! An* when Ah
 
 300 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 comes to Noo York to see you-all, you won't know 
 me in my fine togs!" was Sary's eager reply. 
 
 "Oh ! were you expecting to come, Sary?" Elea- 
 nor asked. 
 
 "Shure thing, Nolla. Onct Ah'm married 
 Ah'm goin' to travel every year!" exclaimed Sary. 
 
 "New York's a long way off from here, Sary," 
 ventured Eleanor. 
 
 "Oh, Ah don't mean to say Jeb an' me'll go 
 thar fust. Ah'm goin' to figger on takin' a side 
 trip to Chicargo fust, you know. Mebbe you kin 
 fix it so's we-all kin visit your maw whiles we-all 
 stop at that town, Nolla. An' nex' time we-all 
 kin go on to Noo York, like-as-how Ah said." 
 
 Eleanor caught her breath at this astounding 
 news. The picture of Barbara and her mother 
 receiving Sary and Jeb proved too much for her 
 risibles and she laughed merrily as she replied 
 to Sary's announcement. 
 
 "Sary, if Jeb and you would honor our house 
 with a visit, I'd tell Daddy to look after you-all. 
 But you must let me know, first, so my father can 
 meet you two and see that you are shown about 
 in true style." 
 
 "Nolla, that Ah will, when we-all get time to go 
 thar. Ah says to mahself, jest the other day, Ah 
 ain't never had no fun or chanct to better mah-
 
 301 
 
 self, Ah says : 'Sary Dodd, when you get Jeb you 
 plan to go about like-as-how Anne Stewart is do- 
 in'.' Nolla, thar ain't nuthin' like a bit of travel 
 to polish folks up, is thar now?" 
 
 "You're right, Sary! Just exactly right," 
 laughed Eleanor. 
 
 But Sam Brewster was now heard calling Elea- 
 nor that the train was ready and the gates were 
 opened, so Sary caught Jeb by his sleeves and fol- 
 lowed after the others when the entire group 
 started for the New York train. 
 
 One would think, to hear Sary's excited tones, 
 that she was about to take the long, long journey 
 from which there is no returning; but once Anne 
 Stewart and her charges were aboard the long 
 Pullman train, the ones who remained behind 
 stood upon the platform waiting for the\ girls to 
 find their compartments and open the windows 
 in order to converse until the last moment. 
 
 Sam Brewster went over to a guard and asked 
 several questions, then he hurried back and said 
 to his party: "We can go aboard for a few 
 minutes, as the train will not pull out for seven 
 or eight minutes. Do you care to see how Polly 
 will be located for the trip?" 
 
 With motherly concern Mrs. Brewster followed 
 her husband, and in order to be experienced when.
 
 302 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 that trip east was to be taken, Sary dragged Jeb 
 after the Brewsters. 
 
 "Wall, suh!" breathed Sary, when Eleanor 
 demonstrated where the beds were hidden, and 
 what the push buttons were for, and how the 
 window shades ran up or down on springs ! She 
 could hardly believe her eyes when she was told 
 about the convenience of modern traveling. 
 
 "All out not going East!" came a loud call 
 from the colored porter at the end of the Pullman, 
 so Sam Brewster turned and hugged Polly until 
 she almost choked. 
 
 "Come out, Sary bring your man!" ordered 
 Sam Brewster in a harsh tone, madly dabbing his 
 eyes with a fist, as he left Polly to her mother. 
 
 "Jeb, Jeb ! Come along er we-all'll get taken 
 along the trip!" cried Sary, excitedly, trying to 
 force Jeb ahead of her as she stumbled out of 
 the Pullman after Mr. Brewster. 
 
 The sight of big Sary urging little Jeb out to 
 safety was so funny that every one had to laugh 
 in spite of tears at the parting, so that Sary actu- 
 ally accomplished a great thing she turned the 
 sadness at Polly's leaving her parents into a merry 
 laughing scene for every one. 
 
 Once the four who were to remain behind were 
 on the platform again, the four in the Pullman
 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR START 303 
 
 gazed from their windows. Polly suddenly re- 
 membered one last order about her ranch-home. 
 
 "Paw, don't you or Jeb ever forget to do for; 
 Noddy just what I would do if I was home,'* 
 was her choking command. 
 
 "No danger, Poll! Little Noddy will be my 
 own pet charge, now. It's all Ah will have at 
 the old crater to tell me about you!" called Sam 
 Brewster 1 as the conductor signaled the engineer 
 to start the engine. 
 
 At this crucial moment Jeb remembered an im- 
 portant letter with which he had been intrusted. 
 He made a wild search in his pockets and as the 
 train slowly pulled away from the Brewster group, 
 he found it. He gazed distractedly at the car 
 window where Polly's face was flattened against 
 the wire-netting, then instant action possessed him. 
 His faculties began to exert themselves. 
 
 "Hey, there ! Mister Conductor, stop that car 
 'cause Ah got a big fat letter for Polly!" Jeb 
 shouted with all the power his small frame could 
 produce in such a hurry, but the conductor heard 
 him not. 
 
 "Stop that car! Oh, jumpin' rattlesnakes 
 won't you-all stop that car?" His yearning was 
 pitiful but the car cared naught. 
 
 "Here, here, Jeb! what is the matter with you-
 
 304 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 
 " called Mr. Brewster, just as Jeb took a long 
 breath and planned to sprint after the train. 
 
 "It's a good-by letter a friend left with me for 
 Polly, Mr. Brewster, an' now Ah done gone and 
 clean forgot it!" wailed Jeb. 
 
 "Too late now, Jeb. We'll change the address 
 and send it on to her New York hotel. It will 
 reach her almost as soon as she gets there," ex- 
 plained Mrs. Brewster. 
 
 "Yeh! Wall now, Ah wouldn't have believed 
 that." So Jeb placed the letter that Polly never 
 received in his coat pocket and lost it that same 
 evening in the excitement of catching the local 
 out of Denver. 
 
 Consequently, when the New York train pulled 
 slowly out of the Denver Terminal, with Polly 
 and her companions on board trying to get a last 
 look of dear ones left on the platform of the 
 station, the only glimpse to be had of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Brewster was their squirming desperately, 
 now this side, now that, of Sary's ponderous 
 form. And Sary, who had planted her bulk un- 
 expectedly in front of them, held her arm high 
 above her head, and slowly waved her hand in 
 farewell back and forth in the rays of the sun. 
 But her gaze was not following the moving train. 
 Instead it was riveted, like a bird hypnotized by
 
 3<>5 
 
 a serpent, upon a 10 carat rhinestone engagement 
 ring that sparkled from the index finger of her 
 red right hand. 
 
 The last coach of the train vanished and the 
 two Brewsters sighed. Then they saw Sary still 
 waving her hand, oblivious of all else about her. 
 Jeb stood gaping at her queer actions wondering 
 if she might be "ofl in her head." But the smite 
 on his master's face reassured him. As Mrs. 
 Brewster murmured, "Sary, that's all !" the proud 
 possessor of die ring came to earth again. 
 
 But it was not all! Because "Polry and Elea- 
 nor in New York" had so many interesting ex- 
 periences in this great city that it will take another 
 book to tell about them. 
 
 THE END
 
 Would you like to know what 
 became of the good friends you 
 have made in this book? 
 
 Would you like to read other 
 stories continuing their adventures 
 and experiences, or other books 
 quite as entertaining by the same 
 author ? 
 
 On the reverse side of the wrap- 
 per which comes with this book, 
 you will find a wonderful list of 
 stories which you can buy at the 
 same store where you got this book. 
 
 Don't throw away the Wrapper 
 
 Use it as a handy catalog of the books 
 you want some day to have, ^ut in 
 case you do mislay it, write to the 
 ^Publishers for a complete catalog.
 
 THE POLLY BREWSTER SERIES 
 
 By LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY 
 
 Durably Bound. Illustrated. Colored Wrappers. 
 Every Volume Complete in It&tetf. 
 
 A delightful series for girls in which they will fol- 
 low PoUy and Eleanor through many interesting 
 adventures and enjoyable trips to various places in 
 the United States, Europe and South America, 
 
 POLLY OF PEBBLY PIT 
 POLLY AND ELEANOR 
 POLLY IN NEW YORK 
 POLLY AND HER FRIENDS ABROAD 
 POLLY'S BUSINESS VENTURE 
 POLLY'S SOUTHERN CRUISE 
 POLLY IN SOUTH AMERICA 
 POLLY IN THE SOUTHWEST 
 POLLY IN ALASKA 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
 
 GIRL SCOUTS SERIES 
 
 By LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY 
 Author of the " Polly Brewster Books" 
 
 Handsomely Bound. Colored Wrappers. Illustrated 
 Each Volume Complete in Itself. 
 
 Here is a series that holds the same position for girls that 
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 They are delightful stories of Girl Scout camp life amid 
 beautiful surroundings and are filled with stirring adventures. 
 
 GIRL SCOUTS AT DANDELION CAMP 
 
 This is a story which centers around the making and the 
 enjoying of a mountain camp, spiced with the fun of a lively 
 troop of Girl Scouts. The charm of living in the woods, of 
 learning woodcraft of all sorts, of adventuring into the un- 
 known, combine to make a busy and an exciting summer 
 for the girls. 
 GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ADIRONDACK^ 
 
 New scenery, new problems of camping, association with 
 a neighboring camp of Boy Scouts, and a long canoe trip 
 with them through the Fulton Chain, all in the setting of 
 the marvelous Adirondacks, bring to the girls enlargement 
 of horizon, new development, and new joys. 
 GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES 
 
 On horseback from Denver through Estes Park as far as 
 the Continental Divide, climbing peaks, riding wild trails, 
 canoeing through canyons, shooting rapids, encountering a 
 landslide, a summer blizzard, a sand storm, wild animals, 
 and forest fires, the girls pack the days full with unforget- 
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 GIRL SCOUTS IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO 
 
 The Girl Scouts visit the mountains and deserts of Ari- 
 zona and New Mexico. They travel over the old Sante Fe 
 trail, cross the Painted Desert, and visit the Grand Canyon, 
 Their exciting adventures form a most interesting story. 
 GIRL SCOUTS IN THE REDWOODS 
 
 The girls spend their summer in the Redwoods of Cali- 
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 tion picture director in Hollywood to offer to produce a 
 film that stars the Girl Scouts of America. 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP. PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
 
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 Lilian Garis is one of the writers who always 
 wrote. She expressed herself in verse from early 
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 .this sentiment, while still at high school, she took 
 charge of the woman's page for a city paper and her 
 work there attracted such favorable attention that she 
 left school to take entire charge of the woman's page 
 for the largest daily in an important Eastern city. 
 
 Mrs. Garis turned to girls* books directly after her 
 marirage, and of these she has written many. She 
 believes in girls, studies them and depicts them with 
 pen both skilled and sympathetic. 
 
 BARBARA HALE: A DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER 
 BARBARA HALE AND COZETTE 
 GLORIA: A GIRL AND HER DAD 
 GLORIA AT BOARDING SCHOOL 
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 JOAN'S GARDEN OF ADVENTURE 
 CONNIE LORING'S AMBITION 
 CONNIE LORING'S DILEMMA 
 
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 Marjorie is a happy little girl of twelve, up to 
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 MARJORIE'S VACATION 
 MARJORIE'S BUSY DAYS 
 MARJORIE'S NEW FRIEND 
 MARJORIE IN COMMAND 
 MARJORIE'S MAYTIME 
 MARJORIE AT SEACOTE 
 
 THE TWO LITTLE WOMEN SERIES 
 
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 sweet, serious, timid and a little slow, and Dorothy 
 Rose a sparkling brunette, quick, elf-like, high 
 tempered, full of mischief and always getting into 
 scrapes. 
 
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 TWO LITTLE WOMEN AND TREASURE 
 
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 DICK AND DOLLY'S ADVENTURES 
 
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 FOR GIRLS 
 
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 type of Miss Alcott and also Mrs. Meade ; but all are 
 thoroughly up-to-date and wholly American in scene 
 and action. Good, clean absorbing tales that all girls 
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 THE OLDEST OF FOUR ; Or, Natalie's Way Out. 
 
 A sweet story of the struggles of a live girl to keep a family from want. 
 THE GIRLS AT HILLCREST FARM ; Or, The Secret of the Rocks. 
 
 Relating the trials of two girls who take boarders on an old farm. 
 A LITTLE MISS NOBODT ; Or, With the Girls of Pinewood Hall. 
 
 Tells of a school girl who was literally a nobody until she solved the 
 mystery of her identity. 
 
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 A ranch girl comes to New York to meet relat'ves she has never seen. 
 Her adventures make unusually good reading. 
 
 WYN'S CAMPING DAYS ; Or, The Outing of the GO-AHEAD CLUB. 
 
 A tale of happy days on the water and under canvas, with a touch of 
 mystery and considerable excitement. 
 
 FRANCES OF THE RANGES ; Or, The Old Ranchman's Treasure. 
 
 A vivid picture of life on the great cattle ranges of the West. 
 THE GIRLS OF RIVERCLIFF SCHOOL ; Or, Beth Baldwin's Resolve. 
 
 This is one of the most entertaining stories centering about a girl's 
 school that has ever been written. 
 
 WHEN ORIOLE CAME TO HARBOR LIGHT. 
 
 The story of a young girl, cast up by the sea, and rescued by an old 
 lighthouse keeper. 
 
 WHEN ORIOLE TRAVELED WESTWARD. 
 
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 WHEN ORIOLE WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOL. 
 
 How this brave girl bears up under the most trying experiences, makes 
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 GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES 
 
 By LAURA LEE HOPE 
 
 Author of the "Bobbsey Twins," "Bunny Brown" Series,Etc. 
 
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 clean and wholesome and free from sensationalism. 
 
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 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW' 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN ARMY SERVICE 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT THE HOSTESS 
 
 HOUSE 
 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT BLUFF POINT 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT WILD ROSE LODGE 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN THE SADDLE 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AROUND THE CAMP- 
 FIRE 
 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON CAPE COD 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT FOAMING FALLS 
 THE OUTDOOR"GIRLS ALONG THE COAST 
 THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT SPRING HILL FARM 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
 
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 Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustration* by 
 
 THELMA GOOCH 
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 The Blythe girls, three in number, were left alone in 
 New York City. Helen, who went in for art and mu- 
 sic, kept the little flat uptown, while Margy, just out 
 of a business school, obtained a position as a private 
 secretary and Rose, plain-spoken and businesslike, took 
 what she called a "job" in a department store. 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS : HELEN, MARGY AND ROSE 
 
 A fascinating tale of real happenings in the great metropolis 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS : MARGY'S QUEER INHERITANCE 
 
 The Girls had a peculiar old aunt and when she died she left 
 an unusual inheritance. 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S GREAT PROBLEM 
 
 Rose, still at work in the big department store, is one day faced 
 with the greatest problem of her life. 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS : HELEN'S STRANGE BOARDER 
 
 Helen goes to the assistance of a strange girl, whose real iden- 
 tity is a puzzle. Who the girl really was comes as a tremendous 
 suprise. 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS : THREE ON A VACATION 
 
 The girls go to the country for two weeks and fall in with all 
 sorts of curious and exciting happenings. 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S SECRET MISSION 
 
 Of course we cannot divulge the big secret, but nevertheless 
 the girls as usual have many exciting experiences. 
 
 THE BLYTHE GIRLS: ROSE'S ODD DISCOVERY 
 
 A very interesting story, telling how Rose aided an old man in 
 the almost hopeless search for his daughter. 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK
 
 A 000 050 930 7
 
 Ui