mall 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 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 shouting 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 laughingly 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 hospital 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 with Riggley &
Ratzger--in fact was their stool-pigeon. He was a clerk in our offices
just to get daily information 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 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