Eleanor tossed her saucy head and winked at Tom as she ran away. Tom flushed and wondered 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 to remember just how they looked, to-night. 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, to-morrow, after you boys are gone," explained 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 interruption.
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 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 Pa.s.s."
"But, mother!" gasped Polly. "I haven"t anything left to wear in New York!"
"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 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 Eleanor 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 this, dear, the tag of the maker of your apparel is not the only important mark of an exclusive shop--the princ.i.p.al mark is the cut and style, and these high-grade shops turn out hats, coats and gowns which the other shops endeavor 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 Eleanor 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 forgets 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, Eleanor 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 Eleanor.
"Polly will have more than enough in the bank to defray all bills while in New York, Nolla, without 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! 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. Ah"ve hearn say how gals go about them streets lookin" fer a handsome young beau!
No-siree! Ef Jeb goes, Ah goes too!" And she went!
Sary furnished endless amus.e.m.e.nt to the Brewster 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 woman, for Polly had all she could do to keep down her own nervous excitement because of the wonders 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; although he did not explain 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 accidents.
When Sary addressed her mistress with a tone of anxiety in her voice, Mrs. Brewster turned her head and smiled rea.s.suringly as she replied:
"Oh, no, Sary! 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.
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 silent 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 tender 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 Mrs. Brewster were talking earnestly about the future 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 protection 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.