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 Pass."
"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.