"No, you won't-Tiffany says his store is to be closed all day to-morrow," laughed Mr. Ashby.

"Why-some one in his family dead?" asked Elizabeth.

"No-but it is Sunday, and he is a church member."

Every one laughed, as it had been forgotten the Sabbath was so near at hand. Then Eleanor had an idea.

"Why wait for Tiffany? Maybe the box will give us a clue." So she found her box and examined it. Inside the silk-padded lid were the words in gold ink: "Rainbow Cliffs' Jewel Company."

"Oh, oh! It is our lava! Polly, now you can carry a little of Pebbly Pit about with you!" cried Eleanor, dancing about.

"Yes, it is a bit of Polly's own dear heath. These are the very first jewels the company perfected. And as I am one of the corporation, I wheedled the cutter into giving me his first output. So, girls, you not only have pretty pins, but also you have what may be considered a curiosity," explained Mr. Dalken.

"Are you one of our company?" Polly asked, eagerly.

"Yes, Mr. Ashby and I took stock soon after the fire, because we said this was going to be a big thing, some day."

"I'm so _glad_, Mr. Dalken," said Polly simply, and in a voice that only he could hear. "I like you _so_ much, and I'm happy to know that you and I are members, together, in something."

"Polly, dear, that is the very best Christmas gift I have had in years,"

murmured Mr. Dalken, feelingly.

CHAPTER XI-THE VALENTINES

With the pa.s.sing of this gay Holiday Season, the two girls began to feel that it would be a relief to sit down once more and spend a quiet evening at school. Two weeks of constant going and dissipation had become tiresome.

The Westerners had gone home again; John, Tom, Paul and Pete back to Chicago, and the two boys, Ken and Jim, back at Yale; and then Mrs.

Wellington's school reopened. Lessons went on as if there never had been a vacation, and on Wednesday evening of that same week, the art school resumed cla.s.ses.

This term was to be devoted to Applied Design and its uses in architecture and decorations of interiors. After having had such interesting work as Egyptian ornament, art, and symbols, it seemed rather dry to start out the New Year with drawing straight lines an inch long.

Then to draw a dozen of these lines-next to connect them and make a design of these dozen simple lines. But the next lesson was still more foolish. They were told to draw a square. Then this large square of twenty inches each side was divided into smaller squares. And in each of these squares the pupils were told to draw whatever they liked, but each square must repeat the first one figure designed.

Thus the scholars found that they had a pattern of the design. This began to look more promising, and Eleanor wished she had paid more attention to the squares so that the design would have been neater.

The next lesson was on grouping certain designs. The talk given by Mr.

Fabian that evening was on eye-measurement and judgment in lines.

"Unless one has a good eye for lines in anything, it is a waste of time to study a profession that is based fundamentally on a true judgment of lines-whether of beauty, grace, or usefulness. Unless one has a true sense of 'line' one can never know where to build a window, a door, or a fire-place.

"Not only does 'line' govern the size of rooms and halls, but the entire building is dependent upon true lines. Also, this basis line governs furniture and decorations in an interior.

"Can you picture a room where the portieres are all of different lengths?-because the decorator had no sense of 'line value?' And what would one say if the chairs had legs of various lengths? Is not 'line value' to be used here, too? It is found necessary, everywhere."

So the lessons and lectures continued until the girls took up the study of colors. This was very interesting, and soon, both Polly and Eleanor knew that yellow, blue and red were primary colors and they could glibly tell you what that meant, and how important a part the knowledge played, in the progressive art of decorating.

When the demonstration of these lessons began in the painting, the girls realized that they were actually going to be able to carry home samples of their work. From that time on, they showed more zeal in doing everything as correctly and perfectly as possible. And Mr. Fabian, at his next monthly report to Mr. Ashby (which were quite unknown to Polly and Eleanor) said: "They're deeply interested in the actual art and not merely for the fun of some day going into business."

"I am glad to hear it. There is so much of this idea of taking up interior decorating because it is comparatively a new field, but so few really ought to be in it. It should be made a matter of diplomas the same as other professions. Then the restriction would soon clear away all the quacks in the art. If these two girls but escape the snares of matrimony until they are finished artists, I shall be rejoiced to welcome them to our fold."

Mr. Fabian nodded approvingly, and murmured: "I have faith in them. I'm sure that both these girls are sensible and not to be easily influenced by a good looking beau."

Mr. Ashby smiled. "They're much safer in New York than if they lived in smaller towns. Girls in this city haven't time to find beaux or think of husbands."

"Don't be so sure, Mr. Ashby," retorted Mr. Fabian. "If the girls are as pretty as my two are, and clever and rich as well, they'd find it hard to escape."

"But you are speaking of society girls, while these two students seldom give that empty life a thought-I'm glad to say."

Which conversation goes to show that more than one adult was watching the experiment these two girls were unconsciously making of their school days, with intense interest and a desire to aid.

Polly and Eleanor were not aware of all that had been done to insure them perfect freedom and liberty to continue their art cla.s.ses. Had they known the arguments Mr. Latimer had had with Jim and Ken to keep those boys from usurping so much of the time the girls had to devote to study!

Then Jim had bl.u.s.tered and boasted of all he would do once he was at college: His father wouldn't know how many letters he would write, nor the visits to the girls, of an evening!

And one reason Tom Latimer and John seldom wrote to Polly and Eleanor, was because of Anne's suggestion-to leave the girls to plan their spare time for their very own work, and not be made to feel that they had letters to answer, all the time.

It was Tom who had begged Jim not to waste his own, or the girls' time, in writing silly letters or in traveling back and forth from college to New York. And Tom, wise big brother that he was, took Jim into his confidence and explained how anxious John and he were to have Polly climb to the top of the ladder in her art. That she had to make good in New York those first two years or go back home and starve her artistic soul on a lonesome ranch.

But Valentine's Day was coming, and Jim felt that on that day he would be privileged to not only write to the girls, but to send each one a fine valentine, describing his sentiments.

Polly and Eleanor could not forget Valentine's Day was at hand, for every shop-window they pa.s.sed invited sentimental people to step in and see the love cards.

"I'd like to send a perfect dear to Mr. Dalken, Nolla," said Polly, reading the verse on a card.

"To Mr. Dalken! Why, Poll, he is an old married man!"

"But what of that! Can't I send him a card that states how much I like him?"

"Oh, ye-es-I suppose so; but valentines are really meant for lovers, you see."

"It's nothing of the kind, Nolla. Dear old St. Valentine never meant all his notes for lovers; but for everyone he _loved!_ and that is very different, I think."

"Well, send yours to anyone you like, but I am going to buy one for Jim," said Eleanor, searching over the piles of cards on the tray, but not finding what she sought.

"Oh, Nolla," laughed Polly, teasingly. "Are you selecting Jim for your first love?"

"First love! I should say double no! I am hunting for a _comic_ one for him-just because he is so sentimental and sits with moony eyes when he is near any pretty girl. I thought I would die with laughter that night he sat and gazed with soulful eyes at Ruth."

Finally the girls found several very funny cards which had sarcastic lines under the pictures. These they were going to mail to Jim and Ken.

Then Eleanor had an idea.

"I just guess I'll mail one each to John, Tom, Pete and Paul, too. If I dared, I'd get Pete to re-mail one to Bob so she wouldn't know who sent it. Being postmarked 'Chicago' she'd break her head trying to think who sent it to her."

"Oh, that will be fun, Nolla. Have them remailed so the boys won't know we sent them. Let's do that with all of ours."