Anne never suspected that Polly and Eleanor had had a "hold-up" at any
time, but she wondered why Mr. Dalken should be so kind as to loan his
car to the girls on school-nights. Polly explained simply. "Why, he
never forgot what we did for Elizabeth, and when he learned we were
trudging back and forth alone, he just wouldn't have it."
"He said he couldn't bear the thought of our even having to travel in
the subway, alone, late at night," added Eleanor.
So Anne, although she read about the two ruffians who had tried to rob a
wealthy broker, one night, never dreamed that _her_ two girls were
victimized before Mr. Dalken appeared to rescue them.
Madam Wellington's school prospered splendidly from the publicity given
it in the papers directly after the fire. And later, when it was learned
that Mr. Ashby, Mr. Dalken, and two other wealthy men had purchased the
corner which had always been disfigured by the old four-story amusement
hall, and proposed erecting a twelve-story high-class apartment house on
the land, the mention of the fire and the bravery of the Wellington
School girls again appeared in the papers.
Letters between Pebbly Pit and New York passed twice a week, and the
last news from home was: "How we should love to have you spend Christmas
with us, Polly dearest. It will not seem like a real Christmas with both
my children away from home."
The letter made Polly feel home-sick and she wrote to her mother
immediately, saying: "I feel that I shall have to come home even if it
takes a month out of school and delays me in my art studies, unless you
can plan some other way that we might see each other this Christmas."
Polly had a very clever plan that suddenly came to her, as she read her
mother's words, and her reply was the first step in working out her plan
successfully.
The second step was to go downtown and call upon Mr. Latimer at his
office. She was welcomed there and asked what good wind blew her
downtown.
Polly laughed. "It's a blizzard from the Rockies--that is why I'm here."
Then she told him about her mother's home-sick words. "And this is what
we must do, Mr. Latimer, or I'll have to leave school and go back home."
"Dear me, I will do anything rather than lose you from New York, Polly,"
Mr. Latimer laughingly replied.
"You must find some excuse on the mining or jewel business, that needs
Daddy's personal presence here in New York. Make it necessary for him to
be here just before, or after Christmas. Then I will write and let them
know that you told me about it, and insist upon having mother come East
with father, for her Christmas. Why, even John and Paul might join us
here without much expense or trouble."
Mr. Latimer smiled. "There is no harm in trying the plan, even if your
father _won't_ leave his ranch while it is under six feet of snow."
Polly laughed at that. "Exactly! Dad doesn't have to stick there in
winter-time, any more than I do. Especially with Jeb on hand to take
care of everything."
Then remembering a warning, she said: "But you've got to find a real
worthy reason for his coming East, because I know my Dad!"
"I'll have you approve the reason before I send it West--how will that
do?"
"I think you will do well. Because I may be able to make a
suggestion--knowing my father as I do."
Mr. Latimer laughed and patted Polly on the head. "Well, now that that
is settled, let us talk about Jim and Ken. You know, do you not, that we
expect them home in a few days?"
"I didn't know, but I took for granted that they would soon be home for
the Holidays. Although it seems like yesterday that they were home for
Thanksgiving Week."
"Not to Jim's mother and me. We miss him very much, as he always was
such a lively boy at home."
"I'm afraid we won't see much of him this time. He never even called us
on the 'phone when he came from New Haven to see Ruth Ashby, two weeks
ago Sunday," said Polly, never dreaming that his father was ignorant of
the visit.
"He didn't! Then Ken should have called on you. He did not come to see a
girl, too, did he?"
"Oh, Ken never knew Jim was coming--so Ruth told us. Jim telephoned her
early Sunday morning and found she would be home, so he ran in Town on
the noon train and stayed until the nine o'clock."
"I'll see that Jim does not go back on his first loves quite so
suddenly," laughed Mr. Latimer, thinking of the teasing he would give
Jim.
"But we are not 'loves' at all--Nolla and I are only good pals for the
boys," corrected Polly, anxiously.
"Whatever you call it, Jim ought to be well advised on such matters, as
long as legal advice costs him nothing."
Polly failed to follow Mr. Latimer, and he immediately changed the
subject. "Now that you are here and it is lunch-hour, why not come with
me. I promised to take you to the Café Savarin or the Lawyer's Club,
some day, and this is the day."
"Oh, it would be lovely, but I just couldn't leave Nolla out of the
treat, you know!" exclaimed Polly, eagerly.
"If Nolla is at home, we will have her down in twenty minutes. We'll
wait for her, and meanwhile I'll dictate a letter to your father for you
to O.K."
Eleanor was moping around the house, wondering where Polly could be,
when the telephone rang and she was invited to join her friends at
luncheon. So in less than half-an-hour the trio were having a merry time
in the sumptuous private restaurant on lower Broadway.
The letter that Polly approved, reached Sam Brewster, and he showed it
to his wife. "Ah have been thinking, dear, that we-all might surprise
Polly by dropping in on her just about Christmas time, eh?"
"Rather than let her come West and lose all that time from classes, I
should say 'yes,' Sam."
"We really have nothing to tie us down at the ranch for a few weeks,
unless the snow buries us for the winter."
"Sary would be in her glory could she keep house alone with Jeb for a
time. Ever since they returned from their honeymoon in Denver, she has
been sighing to run the house," said Mrs. Brewster, "feeding the fire"
carefully.
"Let's go! By the Great Horned Spoon, I feel like taking a vacation to
some other part of the world--so New York will do!"
Then it was quickly decided that they would start on Monday, and this
being Friday, there was no time to lose.
Sary and Jeb accepted the amazing news with smiles and exchange of
knowing looks. But they were relieved when Mrs. Brewster herself
suggested to Sary: "Have all the good times you want, Sary, while we are
gone. Invite your friends, and neighbors, if they can get through the
drifts, and have apple-parties, corn-poppers, Virginia Reels, and
anything on earth you like!"
"Would you-all keer if we-all ast as much as twenty to a time?" asked
Sary, fearfully.
"Ask forty, if you like--and if you can find them," laughed Mrs.
Brewster, recklessly.
"Only see to it that they leave the roof, Sary," ha-hawed Sam Brewster.
"And that the sky-larkin' is all over when we return."
Sary nodded understandingly. She had instantly planned how to create
envy in the souls of her old friends at Yellow Jacket Pass, by asking
them all to her parties.
The Brewsters sent John a wire to say that they would spend a few hours
in Chicago, and would like him to keep that time open. But when they
reached Chicago, John was standing on the platform holding a suit-case
in his hand. Tom Latimer and Paul Stewart stood beside him.
John explained: "Paul and Tom are going, too. Some good fairy sent us
round-trip tickets, but we don't know who it was. Not a line came with
the tickets. So here we are--ready to help in the surprise."
John then introduced Paul, and Mrs. Brewster took his hand as she looked
into his face. "You are the image of our Anne, Paul; I would have known
you anywhere."
"That he is," added Sam Brewster, shaking Paul's hand heartily. So the
party of five continued on the journey, smiling as they pictured the
glad surprise to be given the family at the Studio. Little did they
dream that the Studio family were busy preparing for a gladsome
Christmas for them all. For Mr. Latimer had told them about the telegram
from Pebbly Pit, and that he had heard from Tom that he and John and
Paul were going to join the party coming East. But he did not say that
he, incognito, had mailed the tickets.
The Twentieth Century had a long line of Pullmans to take to New York
that trip, and it was small wonder that passengers having berths in the
last coach, should fail to meet anyone traveling in the first one. So it
was with speechless amazement, that the Brewsters met the Maynards at
Grand Central Station when both parties were waiting to get taxi-cabs.
"Well, well, Ah believe it's Mr. Maynard!" exclaimed Sam Brewster, in
his deep western thunder.
"Brewster? so it is! Indeed I am glad to see you here. Come to cheer up
the little girl, eh?" and Eleanor's father grasped the ranchman's big
hands.
Mrs. Brewster and her two young male companions (Tom had gone to
telephone) were now introduced to Barbara and Mrs. Maynard. The latter
had never met the Brewster family, and Barbara, thinking it wiser to
assume indifference, smiled coldly.
"We're stopping at the Park Hotel, Brewster--what about you folks? Might
as well go where we do," suggested Mr. Maynard.
"I wired there for accommodations; Polly mentioned it in several of her
letters as being quite near the Studio."
"Fine! Then we will go right along. Here Taxi! eight of us and baggage."
"You mean seven, Mr. Maynard?" ventured John, politely.
"No--didn't you know Pete was here with us? He came on another coach
with some chums who were coming East."
"I haven't seen much of Pete, this term. I've been cramming every
moment, so as to finish and be ready to help in the mine, you see,"
explained John, hesitatingly.
Mr. Maynard saw the expression and said nothing, but he determined to
find out why Pete had not seen much of Paul and John and Tom, that term.
Three young men who could be of great advantage to a wild young student
should be cultivated, he thought.
When Sam Brewster did anything, he never did it by halves; consequently
when he wired the Park Hotel for rooms, the day he left Denver, he
engaged a whole suite. No better accommodations than he had, were to be
found in the building, and the Maynards had to accept second-best.
When Mr. Maynard found the ranchman had the very finest the hotel
afforded, he chuckled delightedly to himself, for he had silently
watched the manner in which Barbara received the greetings of the people
who were so kind to her that Summer.
Mrs. Maynard was furious with her husband. "My dear! what possessed you
to come to this horrid place. Don't you know that Bob's position must be
catered to? Even the best hotels here are rather too ordinary. She
should be stopping at the newest and most exclusive one uptown."
"When she marries that little numb-skull you've tagged to her skirts,
she can stop where she likes. But her Dad is running this show. I'm here
to visit Nolla, and I stop where I can call and see her, or she can run
in to see us, without wasting time traveling on the streets."
"You always did spoil Nolla--while poor Bob has to take third place in
your affections," complained Mrs. Maynard.
"Bob's mother makes up for any lack in me. That's why I have to give
double love to Nolla and Pete--Bob has _all_ of yours."
The usual ending to similar scenes might have resulted, had not Mr.
Maynard gone out to hurry over to the Studio. But his wife and Barbara
sulkily unpacked their trunks and made very fine toilets before they
thought of calling at the Studio.
Mr. Maynard rang at the front door of the Studio, but he had to wait a
few moments before the door opened. From within, merry laughter and
joyous shouting could be heard. Then in another moment, Eleanor was in
her father's arms and was dragging him into the happy circle.
The Brewsters, and Paul and Pete were already there, so that the
newcomer's appearance added another reason for Polly and Eleanor's
happiness.
"I haven't enough china to go around for such a family!" Mrs. Stewart
said plaintively; as she came into the room with her arms dusted with
flour.
"And only half of us here, too!" laughed Mr. Maynard.
"What--more on the way?" exclaimed Anne.
"Nolla's mother and Bob will be, shortly."
"Mother--and Bob!" cried Eleanor, eagerly, happy that her mother and
sister cared enough for her to come and visit her.
"Now that adds to all my troubles," Mrs. Stewart declared as she dropped
into a nearby chair.
"But why--the more the merrier," laughed Mrs. Brewster.
"Why--because there are only seven straight chairs in this stable. All
the others are great cushiony things that won't do in a small
dining-room such as ours."
"Motherkins!" said Paul, laughingly picking his mother up and seating
her upon his strong knees, "Did her think we-all would permit her to
cook a great supper for such a mob?"
"Of course--I like it, dear, but I am staggered at the
limitations--china and chairs."
"Mrs. Stewart, we are not going to eat a crumb in this house during the
Holidays, unless it be a theatre supper or afternoon tea! That is all
settled beforehand. Run upstairs and put on your evening dress. We
propose making a party of it this first night," called Mr. Maynard,
trying to make himself heard above the general din.
"Is it your party, Dad?" asked Eleanor, gayly.
"Yes, and to please Bob it is to be at the Ritz. To-morrow it will be
Brewster's turn, and that's up to him to say where we go."
"Oh, Daddy--I know a place!" exclaimed Polly, eagerly. "Eleanor and I
have never been, but we've heard lots about it and this is the chance.
We'll all go down to Chinatown, to-morrow!"
A wild chorus of laughter greeted this proposal, and Polly looked
surprised. To make matters worse, she added explanatorily: "Why, the
girls say chop-suey is great! And at Christmas time the Chinks' stores
are beautiful! The lovely things one can buy then are the best that are
imported from the Orient."
"We'll do Chinatown, thoroughly, Poll, but it may not be to-morrow
night," promised John, who had hitherto been completely engaged with
Anne's whispers and looks.
Thereafter followed delight upon delight, each day filled with new plans
and exciting fulfillments. Ken and his parents, the four Latimers, the
Ashbys, Mr. Fabian, and even Mr. Dalken, were included in the gay whirl
of these pleasure-seekers. Mrs. Maynard and Barbara actually enjoyed the
wholesome fun and almost forgot to be affected or snobbish. To associate
intimately with Mr. Dalken, whose social standing was well-known in
Chicago, as well as in other large cities, was excuse enough to accept
all the other friends. But added to that pleasure, the friendship and
evident intimacy the Ashbys and Latimers entertained for Polly and
Eleanor, made Mrs. Maynard feel there might be hope for Nolla in the
future.
Christmas fell on the Thursday after the Westerners had arrived in New
York; and considering all the fun and gadding that had been indulged in,
on the days preceding the twenty-fifth, that day passed quietly for all.
Each family enjoyed its own gathering and gifts, and all assembled at
the Ashbys in the evening, to enjoy music and dancing, and everyone
declared it had been a fine day!
Friday started anew the excitement of planning and enjoying whatever
came in the way of the party. But Saturday night had been set aside for
Mr. Dalken's Christmas party. Elizabeth was invited to bring her
friends, and everyone in Polly's and Eleanor's friendship ring were
included.
Mr. Dalken lived in modest but very large rooms of a bachelor apartment
house, downtown, and here he had an enormous tree fixed in the center of
the living-room. No one was allowed to see that room until all had
assembled, but when the doors were opened, there were "ahs" and "ohs"
from everyone.
The tree was so beautifully trimmed that it seemed a pity that it should
ever be dismantled. But soon, the attractive white packages tied with
red ribbons, filled the guests with curiosity; and once Eleanor had
peeped at the name written on one box, there was no peace but her host
must distribute the gifts.
Mr. Dalken never spared time or money when he did anything for his
friends, and his Christmas Party was to be one all would remember. The
gifts were carefully selected for each individual and those for the four
girls--Elizabeth, Ruth Ashby, Polly and Eleanor, were exquisite and
costly. Elizabeth had craved a ring. She had it. Ruth, Polly, and
Eleanor each had a long barpin of platinum daintily jewelled.
With her usual impetuosity, Eleanor suddenly sprang up and hugged Mr.
Dalken gratefully for her gift. Polly smiled and shyly shook hands,
while Ruth said he must have read her thoughts, for she had asked Dad
for a pin and had been refused. Now she had it, anyway, and from her
second-best Dad. Elizabeth was pleased, too, but merely murmured
"Thanks, Papa."
"How do you like the jewels in the pins, girls?" asked Mr. Latimer,
quizzically, as no one had mentioned the gems.
Suddenly Polly looked up at him. She caught the twinkle in his eyes, and
instantly wheeled to look at the other men. Each one was smiling as if
there was a fine secret here.
"I just know these are Rainbow Cliff jewels!" exclaimed Polly, joyously.
"No--are they?" demanded Eleanor, holding the pin aloft to let the light
flash over and through them.
"Now I am deeply offended! I want the girls to see that I got the very
best and finest stones in New York, and someone dares suggest that they
may be lava!" grumbled Mr. Dalken, trying to be peevish.
"I can find out by taking mine to Tiffany's, to-morrow," said Ruth,
wisely.
"No, you won't--Tiffany says his store is to be closed all day
to-morrow," laughed Mr. Ashby.
"Why--some one in his family dead?" asked Elizabeth.
"No--but it is Sunday, and he is a church member."
Every one laughed, as it had been forgotten the Sabbath was so near at
hand. Then Eleanor had an idea.
"Why wait for Tiffany? Maybe the box will give us a clue." So she found
her box and examined it. Inside the silk-padded lid were the words in
gold ink: "Rainbow Cliffs' Jewel Company."
"Oh, oh! It is our lava! Polly, now you can carry a little of Pebbly Pit
about with you!" cried Eleanor, dancing about.
"Yes, it is a bit of Polly's own dear heath. These are the very first
jewels the company perfected. And as I am one of the corporation, I
wheedled the cutter into giving me his first output. So, girls, you not
only have pretty pins, but also you have what may be considered a
curiosity," explained Mr. Dalken.
"Are you one of our company?" Polly asked, eagerly.
"Yes, Mr. Ashby and I took stock soon after the fire, because we said
this was going to be a big thing, some day."
"I'm so _glad_, Mr. Dalken," said Polly simply, and in a voice that only
he could hear. "I like you _so_ much, and I'm happy to know that you and
I are members, together, in something."
"Polly, dear, that is the very best Christmas gift I have had in years,"
murmured Mr. Dalken, feelingly.