ok
rather unpromising. I know how practical you are, and I thought it best
to let you hear how matters stand. Your folks asked me not to mention it,
because they wanted you to finish your studies here, and there are ample
funds to pay for that. But I took it upon myself to warn you about going
deeply into any antique purchases, in your auction fever."

"I'm so glad you did, Mr. Dalken. As you say, I am not a silly child, and
now that I know exactly how matters are at home, I will see if I cannot
do something while studying in New York, to pay my own way," responded
Polly, anxiously.

"Oh, it isn't as bad as that, Child!" laughed Mr. Latimer; "but it is
best for you not to buy in Fifth Avenue shops, or give away rare old
bargains from the country."

Polly smiled. "Mr. Latimer, this is what I propose doing to earn my
expenses in New York. Instead of buying old objects for fun, I shall
secure them to sell again and make money."

"Poll is right! And I propose going with her as the partner in her first
business venture!" declared Eleanor.

"Where will you two girls find customers?" asked Mr. Dalken, admiring the
way they accepted the news that their gold mine seemed wiped out for all
time.

"Oh, Polly'll find a way, never fear!" declared Eleanor with fervent
faith in her friend's ability to accomplish things.

"Yes, I'll get Mr. Ashby, first of all, to permit us to exhibit our goods
in his 'odd room' and we'll pay him a commission for sales, just as other
folks do who wish to exchange, or sell, their antiques," explained Polly.

"Well, if you girls manage to find such valuable things as that famous
missing picture that the Museum made such a time over, I should say you
had found a big gold mine in New York instead of losing a little one in
the Rockies," said Mr. Dalken.

So, shortly after the girls learned that they had to economise on
expenses that year, Polly carried her old coverlets to Mr. Ashby's shop
and left them with him to sell. The fine little mirror had been restored
and was perfectly beautiful. This was placed on exhibition in the Empire
Room of the Ashby Shop, but scarcely had it had time to be friendly with
other rare objects in that room, before it was purchased at a high price.
Thus Polly cleared several hundred dollars on the first sale, and felt
encouraged to invest that money in new purchases.

Mr. Dalken gladly sent Carl with the car, to drive the girls whenever
they heard of a place to visit,