"I was afraid something like this would happen," said Hard. "They told me over in Conejo that there was trouble on. They had an all-night session at Hermosillo and the state seceded." "That's what Pachuca says." "Morgan's taken his family up to Douglas." "Any news from Bob?" "Just a letter for Miss Polly." "We won't desert until we have orders, but I'm rather glad to have the car," continued Scott. "I thought we'd run over and see Herrick in the morning." "I say, Scott, that Chinaman of Herrick's is a doctor. Why not have him take a look at Jimmy's leg?" "A Chinaman!" Polly had come in with Hard's coffee. "Sure!" cried Scott. "Just the thing. I'd forgotten about him. When a Chink is scientific, he's as scientific as the devil." "He came over to practice medicine; you know how the Mexicans feel about the Chinese? His money went and he had to do what he could. Herrick picked him up somewhere and he's been there ever since," said Hard. "We'll get him over here for Jimmy. He's clean at any rate." "Listen to this!" Polly had opened her letter. "It's from Mother," she explained. "Poor old Bob's in the hospital--just been operated on for appendicitis! Isn't that the limit? On a honeymoon!" "Hard luck," commented Scott. "How's he coming on?" "She says he's doing splendidly. You see, he's been dodging that operation for the last ten years, and now it's got him, poor boy. Mother says they're worried to death about me." "And well they may be," remarked Mrs. Van Zandt, heartily. "She says the directors have met but didn't do anything." "That sounds natural," said Hard. "They've been doing that for the last three years." "Trying to figure out which costs less; to give up the property, or to pay us our salaries to hold it down," chuckled Scott. "She says I am to come home at once," continued Polly, "but that I am not to try to travel alone. Either Mr. Scott or Mr. Hard is to go with me to the border." "I'm glad somebody in your family has got good sense," said Scott, grimly. "It's a pity those things aren't hereditary." "Thank you. I think I prefer to have Mr. Hard go." Hard bowed solemnly. "Bob coming back?" he asked. "As soon as they'll let him," said Bob's sister, promptly. "Yes, he likes a scrap," remarked Scott. "I hope they keep the papers away from him this next week. Well, it's lucky for you, Miss Polly, that we've got Pachuca's car. Traveling on these railroads is bad enough at any time, but with a brand new revolution on hand, it'll be the deuce." "I think it's rather horrid of them not to care whether I go home or not," Polly told herself, as she undressed for bed. "They might at least pretend they don't want me to go! I always supposed that the one girl in a mining camp would be dazzlingly popular--but this doesn't look much like it. And yet--he likes me, I know he does! He liked my bringing the car back; I saw it in his eyes, if he did make fun of me.