e?

Polly assured him they would, and also that he would be welcomed as she
wished to hear about the important matters that he could fully explain to
her.

Soon after eight o'clock, therefore, Mr. Latimer and Mr. Dalken were
announced. Polly and Eleanor--the latter had realized that maybe her
future, because of this disaster to the mine would not be as luxurious as
she had dreamed of--anxiously welcomed the two men. Polly lost no time in
polite nothings, but asked, at once, about the conditions at the mines.

"I see you have heard about the trouble?" ventured Mr. Latimer.

"Yes, I received a long night letter from home, this afternoon. But they
do not say whether there is anything left to pay my way in New York, or
whether I ought to start for home," said Polly.

Eleanor was shocked at her words. "Why, Polly, surely you have no dread
of such being the case, just because our old gold mine is choked again?"

"Don't you understand, Nolla, that starting work on the mine, and all the
machinery for it, costs so much that not only is the lava mine involved,
but the very ranch is risked. Maybe father will have to sell out his
beloved farm and go away," explained Polly, with quivering lips.

"Oh no, Polly," hastily came from Mr. Latimer. "We are all stock-holders
in this venture, you know, and one man alone does not bear the costs of
the mine and its losses. That is why Mr. Dalken and I came over, tonight,
when we got word that John had written you. We feared you might not
understand matters."

"But I understand father, well enough, Mr. Latimer. He will never permit
anyone to lose a penny because of him or his interests."

"Maybe he won't, Polly, but this mining venture was as much our interest
as yours, or your father's, remember. It seems gone, this time, but we
must take our loss as courageously as we would our profits. Tom wired me
to come and see you and explain that you need make no change in any of
your plans, as everything would go on as usual at the ranch. He and John
will devote all of their time to the Cliffs now, instead of dividing
their attention between the two mines, as they have been doing,
heretofore," explained Mr. Latimer.

"But your mother wrote me, Polly," now said Mr. Dalken, "that finances
would be rather strained for the next year, because of this tremendous
outlay on the mines and no income; and the terrible drought that killed
off so many head of cattle on the ranch this year, makes things lo