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was without surprise； therefore； that they felt themselves lifted
on the shoulders of the men who were making quite a procession
along the steep trail towards the settlement again。 Polly noticed
that at the mouth of the other tunnels they were greeted by men as
if they were carrying tidings of great joy； that they stopped to
rejoice together； and that in some mysterious manner their
conductors had got their faces washed； and had become more like
beings of the outer world。 When they neared the settlement the
excitement seemed to have become greater； people rushed out to
shake hands with the men who were carrying them； and overpowered
even the children with questions they could not understand。 Only
one sentence Polly could clearly remember as being the burden of
all congratulations。 〃Struck the old lead at last！〃 With a faint
consciousness that she knew something about it； she tried to assume
a dignified attitude on the leader's shoulders； even while she was
beginning to be heavy with sleep。
And then she remembered a crowd near her father's house； out of
which her father came smiling pleasantly on her； but not
interfering with her triumphal progress until the leader finally
deposited her in her mother's lap in their own sitting…room。 And
then she remembered being 〃cross；〃 and declining to answer any
questions； and shortly afterwards found herself comfortably in bed。
Then she heard her mother say to her father：
〃It really seems too ridiculous for anything； John； the idea of
those grown men dressing themselves up to play with children。〃
〃Ridiculous or not；〃 said her father； 〃these grown men of the
Excelsior mine have just struck the famous old lode of Red
Mountain； which is as good as a fortune to everybody on the Ridge；
and were as wild as boys！ And they say it never would have been
found if Polly hadn't tumbled over the slide directly on top of the
outcrop； and left the absurd wig of that wretched doll of hers to
mark its site。〃
〃And that；〃 murmured Polly sleepily to her doll as she drew it
closer to her breast； 〃is all that they know of it。〃
End