Part 27 (1/2)
”Oh, where are the others?”
”Gone over to the other side where the underground river comes out, you know.”
”I was saying, Tom, that this must have taken a lot of money.”
”More than we figured on, but once we begin to get out the ore, it will roll back four-fold.”
Polly was impressed, but still wondered ”Where did all the money come from, Tom?”
”Stocks. We wanted to keep most of the Capital for you and the first owners, you know; but investors wouldn't put up so much money without a vote. So we had to sell out some of the voting shares. That's where Mr.
Dalken came in-he bought a big block of your stock, and it is his money that's doing this.”
”I think he is the nicest man! I used to think he sent me a wonderful bunch of American Beauty roses for a valentine, but I only learned the other day that it was John! Wasn't it funny?”
Tom laughed with Polly, and said: ”What made you think Mr. Dalken sent them?”
”Oh, something happened once to Nolla and me, in New York that n.o.body knows-so don't you go and tell on us, Tom!” Polly waited anxiously to get Tom's promise, then she proceeded.
”And Mr. Dalken happened along in time to save us from the beasts. After that he made us use his small automobile when we went to night-school.
We were awfully grateful to him for it.
”Then when Valentine Day came along, I suggested to Nolla that we send him a lovely card telling him how good he was to us. I sent it, and late that night the roses came. I felt sure, all the time, that he sent them; I thought he had forgotten it was Valentine Day until after my card reached him. I always wondered why he didn't put Nolla's name on the card, too, as well as mine. But now I know he never sent them.”
”Does John know you've found him out?” asked Tom.
”No, not yet; but some day I'll tease him about it.”
”Don't! let him think you are still trying to guess who sent the roses.
It will tickle him to pieces to believe you think it is an ardent admirer of yours.” Tom laughed merrily with Polly at the very idea.
”That's just what I will! And you and I will sometimes pretend _you_ sent the roses to me, and then we will watch John's face. Maybe he will up and tell the truth!” added Polly.
”No, I doubt it. You see, Polly, John is a wonderful actor, and one never knows just what he thinks. If he managed to keep a close mouth to me, his best friend, all this time, it must be because he didn't want Anne to find out he sent you such roses.”
Then the two conspirators walked back to join the others, but Polly and Tom felt that they had a good joke between them, thereafter.
CHAPTER XIV-ANOTHER YEAR AT SCHOOL
The summer vacation pa.s.sed quickly for Polly and Eleanor, and September came in with wonderful Autumn weather, when riding and mountain-climbing were just the thing. However, all such outings ended to plan for the return to New York.
A letter had arrived from Mr. Fabian, in which he spoke of his delightful visit with his wife and daughter. They had gone to various places in Europe and England, inspecting and studying all the famous old works of art, and the ancient buildings that made fitting caskets for these rare curios.
”When I read this letter, of all Mr. Fabian has done with his Summer, I feel guilty,” said Polly to her friend, Nolla.
”Why should you? We had to rest and drop all idea of study so's to be fresh for this year's work. Didn't we do it?”
”Yes, we rested, all right, Nolla; but it seems we might have done some of the work we planned to do, before we left New York. There is that chest with our colors, paper and other things-we never as much as unlocked it.”