"What they call hydraulic mining," Dan put in.

"Yes, that's it. Big ditches to be dug, and all that sort of thing.

Well, this 'Big Bonus Mine' was discovered twenty years ago. A company was started and the stock was put on the market at a dollar a share.

The management made a mess of it, as a management usually does, and it fizzled out. It was believed that the thing was chock-full of gold, but they couldn't get it out."

Polly was beginning to be interested; she usually did find things interesting when she gave her mind to them.

"Well, what did they do?" asked Dan.

"They gave it up for a bad job, and tried to forget all the money they had put into it."

"Then where did your money come from?"

"Out of the 'Big Bonus Placer Gold Mine!' We scoop it right out to-day."

"I wish you'd go ahead!" said Dan, for the guest had paused, and was examining the _Cicero_.

"Well, hydraulic mining improves, like every thing else, and three years ago a new company was formed. Luckily the old company had not gone into debt; perhaps they could not borrow money on their elephant.

However that may be, they agreed to put half their stock back into the treasury, and it was sold at fifty cents a share, which gave us money to work with."

"And it was a howling success!" cried Dan. "I remember; I've heard all about it."

"Yes, we've paid out two dollars a share in dividends in the last six months, and the stock is held at fifteen or sixteen dollars a share to-day. The beauty of it is," Mr. Horace Clapp added, glancing quietly from Dan to Polly, "I am convinced that you are both stockholders."

"We?" they cried in a breath.

"Yes! For Jones tells me that your father was a doctor; that his name was Daniel Reddiman Fitch, and that he once lived in Bington, Ohio."

"Yes," said Polly; "that was when he was first married; before old Doctor Royce died, and left an opening in Fieldham, so that Father came back home again."

"The name of such a stockholder stands on our books, but we haven't heretofore been able to trace him."

"That's why old Jones pumped me so," Dan remarked, giving his mind first to the more familiar aspects of the case.

"What a pity he never knew!" said Polly, with glistening eyes. "He was always so poor."

"Your father's original holdings were five thousand shares, so that you are the possessors of twenty-five hundred shares. If you sell it pretty soon, as I think you may as well do, you will have something over forty thousand dollars to invest; for there is, in addition to the stock, five thousand dollars in back dividends due you."

Dan and Polly looked at each other almost aghast; but that was only for a moment.

"Why, Dan, you can have a saddle-horse of your own!" cried Polly.

"And so can you!"

"And we can--O Mr. Clapp, how rude we are!"

Mr. Clapp looked as if it were a kind of rudeness that he was enjoying very much. As he rose to go, he said:

"Don't you think I'm a pretty good sort of a Santa Claus after all, Miss Polly?"

Polly seized his outstretched hand.

"I didn't believe any one person could be so rich, and so good, too!"

she declared.

"And, O Dan!" cried Polly, the minute they were alone together, "let's send a New-Year's box home. There'll be just time enough. We can get one of those great carriage rugs for Uncle Seth, and a China silk for Aunt Lucia."

"And I'll send Cousin John's boys some Indian bows and arrows."

"And Cousin Martha a dozen Chinese cups and saucers."

"And the old Professor a meerschaum pipe."

"And Miss Louisa Bailey, and dear Mrs. Dodge, and the Widow Criswell,--what _shall_ we send the Widow Criswell, Dan?"

"Some black-bordered pocket-handkerchiefs!" cried the irreverent Dan.

Before going to bed they stepped out on the porch to bid the Peak good-night.

"Going to be a fine day to-morrow, Polly."

"All the days are fine in Colorado," said Polly.

"You forget the blizzard last month."

"Oh, but it was _such a dear blizzard_ not to do you any harm when it caught you out!"

Dan grew thoughtful.

"Do you ever think, Polly, that we should never have come out here if it hadn't been for you?"

"You know it was 'Pike's Peak or bust!' with both of us, Dan."

Dan looked critically from the great Peak, gleaming there in the starlight, to Polly's uplifted face, and then, as they turned to go in, he exclaimed, for the hundred-and-first time:

"Polly, _you beat the world!_"

NANNIE'S THEATRE PARTY

CHAPTER I

NANNIE'S THEATRE PARTY

"Yes, my dear, I went to the the_ett_er myself once when I was quite a girl, younger 'n you be, I guess. 'Twas Uncle 'Bijah Lane that took me, 'n' he was so upsot by their hevin' a fun'ral all acted out on the stage, that he come home and told Ma 'twa'n't no fit place for young girls to go to, 'n' I ain't never ben inside a the_ett_er sence. Doos seem good to see play-actin' agin after all these years, I declare it doos!"--and Miss Becky took up her sewing, which she had laid down in a moment of enthusiasm.