Polly in the Southwest

by Lillian Elizabeth Roy

“My! It is just what I pictured it,” sighed Polly, with fervor. And her friends agreed silently with her opinion.

There is no time in which to describe all the joys of that arrival in California. Between days spent in continual pleasure-seeking, and going sight-seeing to one place and another, the weeks passed away. During the most of the time spent in Los Angeles, Mr. Dalken and his two associates were deeply immersed in their business projects. Only in the evenings and on Sundays did they take time to enjoy the society of the girls and the ladies.

But the plan for the development was succeeding far beyond Mr. Dalken’s hopes, and the three men were greatly elated at the promises the future held for them. Mrs. Courtney felt a corresponding glad relief, but Polly and Eleanor thought this was due to her interest in Mr. Dalken.

Quite unexpectedly Mr. Dalken announced to his friends, one night, that it would be necessary to go to San Diego for a time—a week, or more. This was welcome news, because all wished to go there for a visit, yet no one had felt it right to suggest it, because the plan might interfere with the business plans of the men.

“We find there are a number of realty men in San Diego who will be greatly interested in our proposition. Seeing that the farther south we go in California, the nearer the scene of our future development we are, it stands to reason that investors in Southern California are more readily convinced of our ultimate success. They will be enabled to open up better and larger fields of commerce between these ports and those of Colombia, and having a great and powerful organization to back up the South American development, makes the new project secure for investment. So San Diego will be our next stopping place,” explained Mr. Dalken.

“And you really feel certain now, Mr. Dalken, that we have no further cause to worry over the result of this tremendous speculation?” asked Mrs. Courtney, with an expression of relief.

Polly and Eleanor exchanged glances, for they were sure that she was glad poor, dear Dalky would be relieved of the strain of making good, but they were speedily destined to be surprised.

“Quite contrary to failure, dear Mrs. Courtney. You have every promise of clearing thirty per cent this very moment, on all the money you invested with us. Should you care to sell out your own stock to-night, you would clear up a hundred thousand dollars. Even my scatter-brained valet, lounging over there, did a clever thing when he disobeyed my advice and got Fuzzier to invest most of his capital in this company. As for the Latimers and Brewsters, Mr. Maynard, the Ashbys, Evans, Fabians, and all along the line of our tried and trusting friends, I am thankful to be able to announce that their faith is not misplaced. But it made it doubly hard upon me, when I learned how every one of them insisted upon risking their money upon Fuzzier’s and my ‘high-flier,’ because I felt that it would never do to lose an opportunity to turn a trick. Had I failed, I am sure I would have blown myself to bits—to avoid facing my friends. Thanks to Mrs. Courtney’s extensive list of acquaintances throughout the western resorts where we stopped, and Fuzzier’s list of financial magnates, to say nothing of my friends, and Alexander’s associates, in land and mine deals, we now have interested the most important, as well as the most intelligent representatives along the line from Chicago to California. By the time the boys arrive in Los Angeles, we will be back from San Diego, and all will be staged for one great send-off to the travelers bound for Colombia.”

Thus Polly and Eleanor heard with amazement the cause of the confidential chats between Mrs. Courtney and their adored Dalky, and it is doubtful whether they would not have preferred to see the “great plan” go to smash if by that means they might have heard an engagement announced between their pet friends.

The visit to San Diego fulfilled its promise—not alone to the financiers, but to the sight-seers as well. Ten days given to outdoor sports at San Diego and touring to every possible point of interest in or about the city, proved to be quite enough for the girls.