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diff --git a/old/53663-h/53663-h.htm b/old/53663-h/53663-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index ca3c97b..0000000 --- a/old/53663-h/53663-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6496 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Sweet P’s, by Julie M. Lippmann. - </title> - - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - -<style type="text/css"> - -a { - text-decoration: none; -} - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -h1,h2 { - text-align: center; - clear: both; -} - -hr { - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - clear: both; - width: 65%; - margin-left: 17.5%; - margin-right: 17.5%; -} - -p { - margin-top: 0.5em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: 0.5em; - text-indent: 1em; -} - -table { - margin: 1em auto 1em auto; - max-width: 40em; -} - -td { - padding-left: 2.25em; - padding-right: 0.25em; - vertical-align: top; - text-indent: -2em; -} - -.blockquote { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -.caption { - text-align: center; - margin-bottom: 1em; - font-size: 90%; - text-indent: 0em; -} - -.center { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; -} - -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -.noindent { - text-indent: 0em; -} - -.larger { - font-size: 150%; -} - -.pagenum { - position: absolute; - right: 4%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; - font-style: normal; -} - -.poetry-container { - text-align: center; - margin: 1em; -} - -.poetry { - display: inline-block; - text-align: left; -} - -.poetry .verse { - text-indent: -3em; - padding-left: 3em; -} - -.poetry .indent1 { - text-indent: -2em; -} - -.right { - text-align: right; -} - -.smaller { - font-size: 80%; -} - -.smcap { - font-variant: small-caps; - font-style: normal; -} - -.tdr { - text-align: right; -} - -.titlepage { - text-align: center; - margin-top: 3em; - text-indent: 0em; -} - -@media handheld { - -img { - max-width: 100%; - width: auto; - height: auto; -} - -.poetry { - display: block; - margin-left: 1.5em; -} - -.blockquote { - margin-left: 5%; - margin-right: 5%; -} -} - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sweet P's, by Julie Mathilde Lippmann - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Sweet P's - -Author: Julie Mathilde Lippmann - -Illustrator: Ida Waugh - -Release Date: December 4, 2016 [EBook #53663] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SWEET P'S *** - - - - -Produced by MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from -images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="460" height="700" alt="Image of the front cover" /> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 425px;"> -<img src="images/illus1.jpg" width="425" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">SHE SAT OBEDIENTLY STILL</p> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage larger">SWEET P’S</p> - -<p class="titlepage">By<br /> -<span class="larger">JULIE M. LIPPMANN</span></p> - -<p class="center smaller">Author of “Miss Wildfire,” “Dorothy Day,” etc.</p> - -<p class="titlepage">ILLUSTRATED BY IDA WAUGH</p> - -<p class="titlepage">PHILADELPHIA<br /> -THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY<br /> -MCMII</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage smaller"><span class="smcap">Copyright 1902 by The Penn Publishing Company</span></p> - -<p class="center smaller">Published August 5, 1902</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage"><i>TO MY LITTLE FRIEND<br /> -NATALIE WILSON</i></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - -<h2>Contents</h2> - -<table summary="Contents"> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Chap.</span></td> - <td></td> - <td class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Page</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I</a></td> - <td>MISS CISSY’S PLAN</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II</a></td> - <td>“CASH ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FIVE”</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III</a></td> - <td>“THE BEST OF ALL THE GAME”</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV</a></td> - <td>“SWEET P’S”</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V</a></td> - <td>POLLY’S PLUCK</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI</a></td> - <td>SISTER’S PARTY</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII</a></td> - <td>IN THE COUNTRY</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII</a></td> - <td>PRISCILLA’S VICTORY</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX</a></td> - <td>WHAT HAPPENED TO PRISCILLA</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X</a></td> - <td>THE TELEGRAM</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_146">146</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI</a></td> - <td>WHAT HAPPENED TO POLLY</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_161">161</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII</a></td> - <td>HOME AGAIN</td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> - -<h1><i>Sweet P’s</i></h1> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I<br /> -<span class="smaller">MISS CISSY’S PLAN</span></h2> - -<p>“There now! You’re done!” exclaimed Hannah, -the nurse, giving Priscilla an approving pat and looking -her over carefully from head to heels to see that -nothing was amiss. “Now you’ll please to sit in this -chair, like a little lady, and not stir, else you’ll rumple -your pretty frock and then your mamma will be displeased, -for she will want you to look just right before -all the company down-stairs. Your grandpapa -and grandmamma, and uncles and aunts, and Cousin -Cicely—all the line folks who have come to take dinner -with you and bring you lovely birthday presents. -So up you go!”</p> - -<p>Priscilla suffered herself to be lifted into the big -armchair without a word and then sat obediently -still, watching Hannah, as she bustled about the nursery -“tidying up” as she called it.</p> - -<p>Priscilla was a very quiet little girl, with great,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -solemn brown eyes, a small, sober mouth and a quantity -of soft, bright hair that had to be brushed so often -it made her eyes water just to think of it.</p> - -<p>This was her eighth birthday. Now, when strangers -asked her, as they always did, “how old she was” she -could reply “Going on nine,” but she would still be -compelled to give the same old answer to their next -familiar question of, “And have you any brothers and -sisters?” for Priscilla was an only child.</p> - -<p>She sometimes wondered what they meant when -they shook their heads and murmured, “Such a -pity! Poor little thing!” for when Theresa, the -parlor-maid, whom, by the way, Priscilla did not -like very much, came up to the nursery and saw all -her wonderful toys and the new frocks and hats -and coats that were continually being sent home -to her, she always said sharply and with a curl -of the lip: “My! But isn’t she a lucky child! It -must be grand to be such a rich little thing!” For -how can one be “a pity” and “lucky” at the same -time? and “a poor little thing” and a “rich little -thing” at once?</p> - -<p>Priscilla did not like to enquire of her mamma or -Hannah about it, for she had once been very sick with -a pain in her head, and the doctors had come, and she -was in bed for a long time, and after that she had -been told not to ask questions. And whenever she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -sat, as she loved to do, very quietly on the nursery -couch, trying to puzzle things out for herself, Hannah -would come and bid her “stop her studyin’” and go -and play with her dolls, explaining that “little girls -never would grow big and strong and beautiful like -their Cousin Cicely if they sat still all the time and -bothered their brains about things they couldn’t understand.” -So it was not as hard for Priscilla as it -might have been for some other little girls to “sit still -like a lady” in the big armchair, and she was just beginning -to have “a nice time with her mind” when -there was a knock upon the door and James the butler, -announced in his grand, deep voice, “Dinner is served. -And your mamma says as ’ow she wishes you to -come down, miss.”</p> - -<p>She waited for Hannah to lift her to the floor, bade -her good-bye very politely and then tripped daintily -down the long halls and softly carpeted staircases to -the dining-room, where there was a great stir and -murmur of voices and what seemed to Priscilla a vast -crowd of people. She knew them all well, of course; -grandpapa and grandmamma; Uncle Arthur Hamilton, -who was the husband of Aunt Laura; Uncle -Robert and Aunt Louise Duer; dear Cousin Cissy, and -her papa and mamma. They were all very old and -familiar friends, but when they were collected together -they seemed strange and “different” and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -frightened her very much. Her heart always beat exceedingly -fast as she moved about from one to the -other saying, “Yes, aunt” and “No, uncle,” so many -times in succession. When she entered the room now -the hum of voices suddenly stopped and then, the next -instant, broke out afresh and louder than ever.</p> - -<p>“Dear child! Why, I do believe she’s grown!”</p> - -<p>“Bless her heart, so she has!”</p> - -<p>“But she doesn’t grow stout.”</p> - -<p>“Nor rosy.”</p> - -<p>“Come, my pet, and kiss grandpapa!”</p> - -<p>“What a big girl grandmamma has got! Eight -years old! Just fancy!”</p> - -<p>“Do let me have her for a moment. I must have a -kiss this second.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla heaved a deep sigh under the lace of her -frock at which, to her embarrassment, all the company -laughed and dear Cousin Cicely said:</p> - -<p>“She’s bored to death with all our attention and I -don’t wonder. It is a nuisance to have to kiss so many -people. There, Priscilla darling, you shall sit right -here, next to Cousin Cissy, and no one shall bother -you any more.”</p> - -<p>Dinner down here in the big dining-room was always -a very slow and tiresome affair in Priscilla’s -estimation. She liked her own nursery-dinner best, -which she ate in the middle of the day, with Hannah<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -sitting by to see that the baked potatoes were well -done and the beef rare enough. This “down-stairs-dinner” -to-night was no less long and wearisome than -usual, but at last it was done and then Priscilla was -carried in state to the drawing-room upon the -shoulder of tall Uncle Arthur Hamilton, and at the -head of a long procession of laughing and chattering -relations who, she knew, would stand around in a -great, embarrassing circle and watch her as she -examined the beautiful birthday gifts they had -brought her.</p> - -<p>And behold! There was a large table in the -middle of the room, and it was covered with a white -cloth and piled high with wonderful things. Dolls -that walked and dolls that talked; books and games -and music-boxes. A doll’s kitchen and a doll’s carriage; -a little piano with “really-truly” white and -black ivory keys, and all sorts and sizes of fine silk, -and velvet boxes containing gold chains and rings -and pins, with pretty glittering stones.</p> - -<p>Uncle Arthur lifted Priscilla from his shoulder and -set her down upon the floor before the table, where -she stood in silence, looking wistfully at her new -treasures, but not quite knowing what to do about them.</p> - -<p>“See this splendid dolly, Priscilla! She can say -ever so many French words. Don’t you want to -hear her?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Listen to this lovely music-box, Priscilla! What -pretty tunes it can play!”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want me to hang this beautiful chain -around your neck, Priscilla? It will look so pretty -on your white dress.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla gazed from one thing to another, as they -were thrust before her and tried to be polite, as Hannah -had told her to be, but she felt dizzy and bewildered -and could only stand still, clasping and unclasping -her hands in front of her.</p> - -<p>“Why, I don’t believe she cares for them at -all,” said Aunt Louise in a surprised and disappointed -tone.</p> - -<p>“Embarrassment of riches, perhaps,” suggested -Uncle Robert, her husband.</p> - -<p>“Here, Priscilla, dear,” broke in Aunt Laura. “See -this wonderful new dolly that can walk! Now, you -must certainly play with her. Why, when I was a -little girl I would have been delighted if my uncles and -aunts had given me such splendid things! I would -not have stood, as you are doing, and looked as if I -did not care for them.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla obediently took the accomplished dolly -from her Aunt Laura’s hands and held it loosely in -her arms, but she did not make any attempt to “play -with her prettily.” Aunt Laura frowned.</p> - -<p>Grandmamma came forward and passed her arm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -about Priscilla’s waist. “Our dear little girl ought -to be very happy with so many people to love her,” -she said, softly. Somehow her tone, kind as it was, -made Priscilla feel she was being naughty because she -was not so happy as grandmamma thought she ought -to be. She would have liked to be obedient and to -please her relations, but if she was not doing so by -being very proper, and saying, “Yes, aunt,” and “No, -uncle,” in answer to their questions, she did not know -what else they wanted. It puzzled and bewildered -her, and then the first thing she knew, the dolly had -fallen from her arms to the floor with a crash, where -it lay foolishly kicking its legs and sawing the air -with its arms, while she herself was sobbing big tears -over her nice clean dress in a way that she knew -would most dreadfully provoke Hannah.</p> - -<p>In a twinkling she was in her mother’s arms, and -there was a great stir and murmur of voices about -her. No one could understand what was the matter.</p> - -<p>“She must be sick,” observed Aunt Laura.</p> - -<p>“Perhaps something about the doll hurt her—a pin -in its clothes maybe,” suggested Aunt Louise.</p> - -<p>“Doesn’t she like toys?” asked Uncle Robert.</p> - -<p>“We grown-ups frighten her, poor youngster. There -are a good many of us, you know, and you are not all -as handsome as I am,” laughed Uncle Arthur, mischievously, -“are they, Priscilla?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Well, she certainly is an odd child not to be perfectly -delighted with so many nice things. When I -was a little girl——” reiterated Aunt Laura.</p> - -<p>But just then Hannah appeared at the door and -Priscilla’s mother murmured in her ear, “Say ‘Good-night -all,’ my darling, ‘and thank you for giving me -such a happy birthday.’”</p> - -<p>“Good-night all, and thank you for giving me such -a happy birthday,” whispered Priscilla with a sobbing -catch in her voice.</p> - -<p>“Don’t mention it,” responded Uncle Arthur, bowing -low.</p> - -<p>And then Hannah led her off to bed.</p> - -<p>But that was by no means the end of her birthday, -although she thought it was. Long after she was -safely asleep in her little brass bed the grown-up -people down-stairs were still talking about her. It -seemed so remarkable to them that she had not shown -more interest in the beautiful things they had prepared -for her.</p> - -<p>“Priscilla was never a very demonstrative child,” -said her mother a little sadly, as if she were excusing -her.</p> - -<p>“But her heart is in the right place, nevertheless,” -her father declared.</p> - -<p>“Oh, it isn’t that,” broke in Aunt Laura. “She is a -dear little girl, of course, but—all I mean is, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -doesn’t act as a child ought to act; as a healthy child -ought to act. She ought to be full of spirits, jumping -about and laughing and playing. Now when I was a -little girl——”</p> - -<p>“I don’t think you quite understand Priscilla, dear -Aunt Laura,” a bright young voice interrupted -quickly. “She is naturally a quiet, timid little thing. -She would never be boisterous, but you are right in -this, that she doesn’t act as a child of her age might -be expected to act, and the reason is, she is lonely. -She has never known other children. She has never -learned to play. Now these presents here are all very -fine in their way, but they do not really interest her, -because she does not know how to use them.”</p> - -<p>“But dear me,” observed Aunt Laura, “why doesn’t -somebody teach her? I wound up the walking-doll -for her myself——”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely smiled. “I do not mean that,” she replied. -“You couldn’t teach her and I couldn’t, because—we’ve -forgotten how. The only one who -could teach her would be a little girl of about her own -age; a playmate. Believe me, the best present we -could give Priscilla would be a companion; a flesh-and-blood -little girl who could share her pretty things, -and who would teach her how to enjoy them.”</p> - -<p>“Dear me!” exclaimed Aunt Laura. “What a -very curious creature you are, Cicely. Give Priscilla<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -a present of a ‘flesh-and-blood little girl!’ ‘A playmate -of about her own age!’ Fancy!”</p> - -<p>“I know you all think I am too young to know -anything about bringing up children,” continued Miss -Cissy, “and you all, being older, are very much wiser -than I am. But I remember when I was a little -girl——”</p> - -<p>“Stop right there, Cicely,” interrupted Uncle -Arthur. “No one in this family but your Aunt -Laura has any right to remember when she was a -little girl.”</p> - -<p>Pretty Cicely pretended to frown at him, but her -merry eyes laughed in spite of themselves, though she -went on at once: “I was the only child in the family -then, just as Priscilla is now, and it was a very lonesome -position, I assure you, so I can sympathize with -her. I used to long and long for the chance to romp -and play with other children of my own age, but I -was always surrounded by a lot of servants whose business -it was to see that I was very sedate and proper -and who were made to feel that I was altogether too -important and elegant a little personage to be allowed -to associate with the rest of the world. So I saw -from afar other children having jolly times and I had -to be contented, myself, with my fine playthings and -splendid clothes. They did not at all content me. I -knew then, just as Priscilla does now, that such things<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -cannot make one happy. Children are like grown-up -people in this: that they are never really healthy or -happy until they share their good things with some -one else.”</p> - -<p>“Hear! Hear!” cried Uncle Arthur, clapping his -hands approvingly.</p> - -<p>Cicely’s whole face was aglow with earnestness and -hope as she concluded: “There! now, I have had my -say and I am sorry it has been such a long one, but I -simply had to speak out, you know.”</p> - -<p>“But think of the chances there are of Priscilla’s -catching chicken-pox and measles and influenza, if she -plays with other children,” suggested Aunt Louise -anxiously.</p> - -<p>“Children nowadays are so shamefully ill-behaved. -They are regular little ruffians. Fancy how wretched -it would be if Priscilla caught their horrid habits and -became pert and forward and unmannerly,” added -Aunt Laura.</p> - -<p>Cicely nodded brightly. “Yes, of course that is so,” -she admitted, “but on the other hand, fancy how -splendid it would be if Priscilla played with other -children and caught happiness and health from them, -and generosity and kindness and sympathy. Good -things are catching as well as bad, don’t you think -they are, Aunt Laura?”</p> - -<p>This time Uncle Arthur did not cry “Hear!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -Hear!” but he came straight over to where Cicely -sat and took her hand in his.</p> - -<p>“Cissy, my dear,” he said, quite seriously, “let -me congratulate you. You are the wisest member -of the family, by all odds and,” with a twinkle in his -eye, “for your sake I am glad I married your Aunt -Laura. If Priscilla turns out as well as you have -done the Duers will have no cause to be ashamed of -their two representatives—even though they are -‘only girls.’”</p> - -<p>But just here Priscilla’s mother spoke up:</p> - -<p>“I wonder what your plan is, Cissy, dear,” she said. -“We are anxious, of course, to do whatever is for -Priscilla’s good and I can see that she may be lonely, -living so entirely with older people, but—— Do you -think a kindergarten——”</p> - -<p>“No, dear Aunt Edith, that is not at all what I -mean,” Cicely broke in quickly. “What I mean is, -that Priscilla ought to have a playmate—a child—to -live right here in the house with her; one who would -rouse her up and keep her from growing moody and -oversensitive. A little girl who would share her -good things with her and to whom Priscilla would -have to give up and give in once in a while. Each -would learn from the other and I’m sure you would -see that Priscilla would improve directly, in health -and in every other way. Please, please, Aunt Edith,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -try my plan. I assure you it would work like a -charm, if we got the right child and gave the experiment -time.”</p> - -<p>“We will!”</p> - -<p>It was Priscilla’s father who spoke and, of course, -his word settled the matter at once. But now the -question arose where was “the right child” to be -found? It came over Cicely with a sudden shock, -that nothing less than a little cherub right out of the -sky would suit all these extremely particular people, -for no mere human child could possibly fulfil all -their requirements.</p> - -<p>Aunt Louise would insist upon her never, by any -chance, being sick. Aunt Laura would demand that -she always be perfectly quiet and faultlessly well-behaved. -Aunt Edith would wish her to be older -than Priscilla so Priscilla could rely upon her, and -grandmamma desired her to be younger than Priscilla -so Priscilla could learn to be self-reliant: and so it -went on.</p> - -<p>“As far as I can see, Cicely,” spoke up Uncle Arthur, -teasingly, “this scheme of yours is first-rate! -Quite as good, for instance, as the well-known recipe -for cooking a hare, which begins ‘first catch your -hare.’ In this case it is: first catch your child. It -is clearly your place to produce the prodigy. Now -then, my dear, let’s see what sort of a marvel you can<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -discover. It will have to be a superfine article to be -fit to associate with the great and only Hope (but -one, that’s you) of the Duer family.”</p> - -<p>“I tell you what it is,” suggested Cicely. “Let’s -all try to find one. And the best, by common consent, -shall be Priscilla’s playmate. Is it a bargain?”</p> - -<p>There was a great chorus of “Yesses”; a lot of -hand-shaking and laughing and fun, and very shortly -after the company went home, while up-stairs Priscilla -slept peacefully on in her pretty brass bed, never -dreaming of the curious birthday present she was to -receive in the course of the next few days.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II<br /> -<span class="smaller">“CASH ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FIVE”</span></h2> - -<p>When Miss Cicely Duer made up her mind to do a -thing, she generally succeeded in doing it and she had -determined to prove that her plan was a good one. So, -first of all, she set to work putting the family in good -humor. “For,” she said to herself, “they are ever so -much more likely to be reasonable if they are in a -cheerful frame of mind.” So she straightway wrote -out a number of very elegant invitations bidding -Grandpapa and Grandmamma Duer, Uncle Robert -and Aunt Louise Duer, Uncle Arthur and Aunt Laura -Hamilton, Uncle Elliot and Aunt Edith Duer, and -Father and Mother Duer, “to come to Priscilla’s unbirthday -party on Thursday afternoon, February 10th, -at three o’clock and to bring with them, each and -every couple, a little girl not over twelve years of -age and not under six. The grandpapa and grandmamma -or uncle and aunt bringing the nicest little -girl will receive a prize. R.S.V.P.”</p> - -<p>The invitations were sent out promptly and the -answers came in without delay. Not one member of -the family sent a regret: every one was “Pleased to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -accept Miss Cicely Duer’s kind invitation to Miss -Priscilla Duer’s unbirthday party,” etc., etc.</p> - -<p>“It is just like the Queen and Alice,” laughed Miss -Cicely merrily, but her face grew sober as she thought -of the search she would probably have before she -could get anything like the right sort of little girl “to -set before the king,” for the right sort of little girl -doesn’t grow on every bush and Miss Cicely knew it, -and even if it did its parents would not be likely to -want to give it away.</p> - -<p>“I shall not insist on her being pretty, of course, -but she mustn’t be utterly hideous,” the young lady -thought. “I don’t want her to be a goody-goody -little prig but I can’t possibly have a young demon. -Oh, dear me! Suppose I cannot find a child at all -and have to go to the party without my share of -small girl! How they will poke fun at me! It -would be another case of</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“‘Smarty, Smarty gave a party,</div> -<div class="verse">Nobody came but Smarty, Smarty.’”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Her mind was so full of her mission, that one day -while she was shopping she found herself replying to -a salesman before whose counter she stood, “Yes, -please. I want one between six and twelve. Truthful -and not too mischievous,” and she only realized -her mistake when he paused in measuring off the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -yards of silk she had selected and looked at her as if -he thought she was mildly insane and ought to be -carefully guarded.</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely blushed furiously and tried to hide her -embarrassment with a laugh. The shopman laughed -too and Miss Cicely, to explain her absurd blunder, -confided to him that she was really looking for a little -girl between six and twelve years of age who was -truthful and not too mischievous, and did they keep -any of the sort in stock?</p> - -<p>The salesman laughed again.</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, madam, we do,” he replied. “Most of -them are somewhat older than you want, to be sure, -but we have one, at least right here now, that, come -to think of it, ought to just fill the bill. Here! -Cash! Cash one-hundred-and-five! Cash! Cash!”</p> - -<p>As the salesman said no more Miss Cicely concluded -he had merely replied to her joking question -with a joking answer. He made out her bill-of-sale -and placed it with her yards of silk and then again -rapped upon his counter with the blunt end of his -lead-pencil, repeating: “Cash! One-hundred-and -five! Here, Cash!”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely felt vaguely disappointed. Of course -she had known that, even in such a great department -store as this, they did not have little girls on sale, but -the shopman’s manner and his reply to her laughing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -question had been so serious that, for a flash, she had -really thought he was in earnest when he said he -thought they had one that might “just fill the bill.”</p> - -<p>“It was very clever of him to carry out the joke so -completely, any one would have thought him in earnest; -but—well,—Miss Cicely was disappointed. She -had searched and searched and not even the wee-est -sample of a nice little girl had she been able so far to -find. And Thursday was the day after to-morrow!</p> - -<p>“Dear, dear!” she mused, “what in the world shall -I do? The only place I haven’t tried is ‘The Home -for Friendless Children’ and I purposely avoided it -because I knew grandmamma and the aunts would fly -there the first thing, and I thought I’d be superior and -discover something quite original. Well, I suppose it -serves me right! and my pride ought to go before a -fall. But there’s nothing left but an institution evidently! -Oh, me! I wonder if there would be a presentable -little waif at the Orphan Asylum? Positively -I must go there at once and see. How long -one has to wait at these shops! Why doesn’t that -Cash come?”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely grew almost irritable as she thought of -her defeat. She had quite given up the idea of -taking the prize at the contest she herself had arranged, -but she could not face the ridicule that she -knew would be heaped upon her by the family if,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -after all her fine talk, she failed to “produce” a -“specimen” at all. Oh, dear! Why didn’t that -Cash——</p> - -<p>“Cash! Cash! One hundred-and-five!” called -the salesman a third time.</p> - -<p>A very thin, small arm was thrust forward toward -the counter from between Miss Cicely and the crowding -shopper next to her and a very small breathless -voice replied:</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir! Here, sir! Cash one-hundred-and-five, -sir!”</p> - -<p>The salesman nodded.</p> - -<p>“This is the one I was speaking about, madam,” he -said turning to Miss Cicely and indicating the arm -and the voice just beside her.</p> - -<p>Miss Cissy bent her head and looked down. There, -at her elbow, almost crushed flat by the crowd, and -breathless with running, stood a little errand-girl. -She could not have been more than ten years old, -but her great anxious eyes and the little grown-up -furrow between her brows made her appear much -older. Miss Cissy saw her small hand tremble as she -handed the salesman her basket, and noticed, also in a -flash, that it was a clean hand and that the shabby-sleeve -through which it was thrust, was clean also. -Miss Cicely moved to make room for the mite of a -business-woman. The business-woman looked up—and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -the next moment Miss Cicely had put an arm -about her.</p> - -<p>“So you are Cash one-hundred-and-five?” she inquired, -kindly drawing her to her side.</p> - -<p>The child nodded, murmuring, “Yes’m,” and shoved -her basket toward the salesman who pretended -to busy himself putting the silk and bill-of-sale -into it.</p> - -<p>“And how old are you, I wonder?” pursued Miss -Cissy.</p> - -<p>“Ten, ’m,” answered Cash, feeling worried at these -unbusinesslike interruptions, but trying not to let -the fine lady see it.</p> - -<p>“And your name is——?”</p> - -<p>“Ca—I mean Polly—Polly Carter please, ’m.”</p> - -<p>“Polly is one of our best cash-girls, madam,” put in -the salesman quietly. “I don’t know what we’d do -without Polly. She’s so quick and ready, we all try -to get her to carry to the desk for us, and that’s why -she didn’t come at my first call. She wasn’t loitering. -She was just rushed with business. That’s what -comes of being reliable and popular. Polly can -always be trusted and she’s never cross.”</p> - -<p>“Why, that is a royal recommendation!” said Miss -Cissy approvingly. “Now, I wonder how it happens -that Polly is a cash-girl? Hasn’t she anybody to take -care of her? No father or mother?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus2.jpg" width="500" height="650" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">MISS CICELY HAD HER ARM AROUND HER</p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> - -<p>“They’re dead, ’m,” answered Polly promptly. “I -have a big sister and she used to take care of me and -send me to school. She worked here. She was behind -a counter. And she did needlework besides, oh, beautiful -needlework! but she got hurted last winter run -over by a truck, and both her legs were under the -wheels and—so now—I take care of her, and the -s’ciety lets me ’cause I study when I’m through here, -and sister, she teaches me and I’m never sick and it’s -nec’ary, ’cause sister can’t do anything but her needlework -now.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cissy’s arm tightened about the waist of the -little bread-winner.</p> - -<p>“Where does your big sister live?” she asked -quietly.</p> - -<p>Polly gave the down-town east-side street and -number and then reached out for her basket. She felt -that she could not spare any more time to her personal -affairs in business hours, even for such an elegant -customer as this.</p> - -<p>“Well, Polly, I’m very glad to have met you,” said -Miss Cicely, “and I hope we shall see each other -again. Here is a bright, new fifty-cent piece for you. -Won’t you take it, please, and buy yourself something -with it—whatever you like best.”</p> - -<p>It gave Miss Cissy a thrill to see Polly’s face as she -took the bit of shining silver; all in a flash it changed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -from the face of a little careworn woman to that of a -dimpled child.</p> - -<p>“I’ll get sister a book,” she cried happily. “I -thank you ever so much!”</p> - -<p>“Why, she’s actually pretty,” thought Miss Cissy and -she pictured to herself Cash one-hundred-and-five clad -in a neat white frock, with hair cut square round her -neck and tied with crisp ribbon-bows over her temples. -“She’ll do. Most certainly she’ll do. Now, if I can -only get her!” she thought.</p> - -<p>She was so entertained by her visions of the -imagined Polly that it did not seem a second before the -actual one had returned with her bundle and change. -Miss Cissy took them from the salesman and, with a -twinkle in her eyes, thanked him for helping her to -find just the article she wanted. Then she hurried -out into the street where her carriage was awaiting -her.</p> - -<p>It was a long, rough ride over the uneven stones of -the down-town streets, but Miss Cissy did not care for -little inconveniences. She was too full of hope to -mind the jolts and jars that made the coachman grind -his teeth. She readily found the tenement in which -“big sister” lived and she had no trouble in finding -“big sister” herself. The big sister who, by the -way, was not, as it happened, big at all, but quite -little, in fact, heard Miss Cissy out very patiently.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -She seemed used to listening to a great deal of talk -and to seeing a great many strange, fine ladies, and to -not allowing herself to be bewildered by their -promises or them. She was extremely quiet and gave -no sign of either pleasure or surprise as the splendid -plans for Polly’s welfare were unfolded to her. How -was she to know that this fine lady was in earnest -and would prove as good as her word?</p> - -<p>When Miss Cissy had quite finished she said slowly:</p> - -<p>“It is very kind of you to offer to help us. It would -be a grand thing for me, of course, to go to a hospital -and be treated right, and I think your little cousin -would like Polly, but—it would be very bad for Polly -if, after she had had a taste of easy living, she’d have -to go back to the cash-running again and—this,” -pointing to the poor room. “I don’t think I’d better -risk it for her, miss. Polly is a cheerful little soul, -but you can’t tell, it might make her discontented -later.”</p> - -<p>But Miss Cicely was not one to be easily discouraged. -She reassured and she explained, she argued and she -urged.</p> - -<p>At last big sister spoke.</p> - -<p>“I’m bound to tell you this, miss,” she said anxiously. -“You say your little cousin doesn’t know -how to play—well, by the same token, neither does -Polly, I’m afraid. Polly’s always been, as you might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -say, old for her age, and the last year she’s done nothing -but work and wait on me. I’m afraid she’s forgotten -how to frolic as children do—ought, I mean. -The ‘little mothers,’ as they call them down here, -haven’t much time for fun. Not but that she couldn’t -learn, you know. And it all might come back to her, -for she used to be as playful as a kitten, and there’s -lots of life in her yet, poor lamb! But the cash-running -has taken it out of her a lot. It might not be -a good thing to put a child that has seen so much worry, -with your little cousin that hasn’t seen any.”</p> - -<p>“I know it—I have thought of that—” interrupted -Miss Cissy eagerly,—“but children don’t take -things to heart as we older ones are apt to do. I -mean they don’t brood over their ills, and I know that -after Polly gets rested she’ll forget her worries and -be as gay as a lark. I saw it in her face when I gave -her a bit of money. She changed, all in a twinkling, -and was as plump and jolly as any child need be. Do -let her come! I know she’ll be the one chosen for the -place and think what it will mean if you can get -proper care and treatment. It is possible you might -really be cured. Think what it would mean to be -really cured!”</p> - -<p>Big sister’s eyes filled with tears. “Don’t speak of -that, please,” she said hurriedly. “I am trying not to -think of it. If I let you have Polly it won’t be because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -of what I’d get by it, I want you to believe that. -It will be for the good that will come to the child -herself. But I can’t answer you now anyway. I -must think it over. And I must find out if Polly -would be willing. Of course I would not tell her just -how the case stands, for I don’t want her to know she -will be on trial. It would make her ‘show off’ -maybe, and then, too, I think Polly’s a dear, but I -know there are many children much prettier and -more taking than she is. It’s more likely than not -that she wouldn’t get the place at all, and then, if she -knew, she would be disappointed. I’ll let you know—say, -Thursday morning. Will that do? That will -give me to-day and to-morrow to consider. I don’t -want to do anything hasty that, later, I’d be sorry -for.”</p> - -<p>“Couldn’t you possibly make it to-morrow?” pleaded -Miss Cissy earnestly. “I’ll send a messenger down to -you to-morrow. I want time too—I want time to get -a few things ready before Thursday and—and—please -do!”</p> - -<p>Big sister thought it over for a moment. Then she -nodded her head assentingly.</p> - -<p>“All right, I will, miss, I’ll let you know to-morrow,” -she said.</p> - -<p>So it was settled and Miss Cicely drove away, if not -quite in triumph, at least having gained a partial<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -victory. She knew there would be no difficulty in -getting Polly’s dismissal from the store. The firm -would be glad to oblige so valuable a customer as Miss -Duer, and she “felt it in her bones,” as she said to herself, -that she would receive a satisfactory word next -day from big sister. And, sure enough, she did. -Early Wednesday forenoon her messenger brought -back the intelligence that big sister was willing, and -so was Polly, and that if Miss Cicely could arrange it -with the store it would be all right.</p> - -<p>How Miss Cissy did fly around after that! She -astonished the superintendent at the store by flashing -in upon him, with a demand for Cash one-hundred-and-five, -and flashing out again with his consent to -take her. Then she astonished Polly by popping her -up-stairs into the “Misses’ Furnishing Department” -and having her fitted out from head to heels in new -clothes. Shiny black shoes and spotless white stockings; -a lot of neat underclothes with trimmings at the -edges, such as Polly had never even dreamed of before; -a “sweet” white frock; a warm outer coat; a big felt -hat with ribbons on it, and, last of all, and wonder of -wonders! gloves and handkerchiefs and ribbons for -her hair! Then off flew Miss Cissy to the hospital to -arrange matters for big sister. Then back home -again through the evening darkness and just in time -to dress for dinner. She had not stopped to think<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -how tired she was, and she did not now, but she was -glad when she was at last able to go to her own room -and to bed. It had been a long, and busy day.</p> - -<p>The next morning she waked with the feeling that -great things were to be accomplished, and before she -was fairly dressed there was a knock upon her door, -and on the threshold stood Polly with the maid who -had gone down-town to bring her up. It seemed to -Miss Cissy almost like playing dolls again to be washing -and dressing this little girl; cutting her hair in a -straight line around her neck, tying it with two bits -of rosy ribbon over her temples, and slipping on her -pretty underclothes and dainty frock.</p> - -<p>The anxious look had faded from Polly’s eyes and -the anxious furrows had disappeared from between -her brows when, at length, she stood before Miss -Cicely’s cheval-glass all “booted and spurred and fit -for the fight” as her hostess merrily sang. They had -a cozy luncheon up-stairs—just Miss Cissy and Polly -together—at which Polly was so excited she could -hardly eat. It seemed as if it would never be three -o’clock and time to go to the party, but at last it was -time and then off they rolled in, what seemed to Polly, -the most splendid carriage in the world; just exactly -as if she were Cinderella herself and Miss Cissy the -Fairy-Godmother.</p> - -<p>By this time Polly knew about Priscilla, of course,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -but she did not know about the other children who, -like herself, were to be brought to Priscilla’s home, -the best to be chosen for Priscilla’s playmate. She -just thought she was going to a party and to make a -long visit afterwards, for Miss Cicely had decided that -if Polly were not voted the best, and another child -was selected in her stead she herself would keep the -little girl for a while, at least, and in the meantime -big sister should be sent to a hospital where she would -receive the best of treatment and the kindest of care.</p> - -<p>So, when the carriage came to a halt before the -great house in which Priscilla lived, Polly’s little heart -beat quick with pleasure and excitement. To go to a -real party! In brand-new clothes! Why it was just -too good to be true! Miss Cicely looked into the -bright little face and sparkling eyes and was glad that -Polly did not know the real state of the case—that, -in fact, her present and, maybe her future, was to -depend on the way she behaved at Priscilla’s “unbirthday -party.” It might have sobered her happy -heart had she known it, for Polly, young as she was, -had felt responsibility before, and would have realized -what a heavy one lay upon her now. But she did not -know and Miss Cicely did not give her the least little -bit of a hint.</p> - -<p>“I want her to be quite herself—quite natural,” she -thought. “That will be the only way to decide the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -stuff she’s made of, and whether she is really the best -or not.”</p> - -<p>So Polly and Miss Cissy went hand-in-hand up the -broad flight of steps, from the street. A big door -was mysteriously opened as soon as they reached the -top, and then, as it closed behind them, Polly heard a -loud hum of voices, saw a soft flood of light and knew -she was really at the party.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III<br /> -<span class="smaller">“THE BEST OF ALL THE GAME”</span></h2> - -<p>Miss Cicely herself led Polly up-stairs and into a -splendid room, where with her own hands, she unfastened -the little girl’s coat and slipped off her hat -and gloves. There was a fine young woman present -who seemed to Polly to have manners which were -ever so much prouder and haughtier than Miss Cissy’s -and whose jaunty cap sat like a stiff crown upon her -head, while her embroidered apron and white collar -and cuffs were the crispest Polly had ever seen, and -this dignified personage loftily offered to assist Miss -Cicely, but was refused.</p> - -<p>“No, thank you, Theresa, I prefer to do it myself,” -Polly’s friend replied easily at once, as she smoothed -out the wrinkles in Polly’s frock and plucked at the -loops of her ribbon-bows. “By the way, are they all -here, I wonder?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, miss,” Theresa answered. “You’re the last, -miss.”</p> - -<p>“Then we must hurry,” said Miss Cissy, and her -own wraps were cast aside in no time.</p> - -<p>She and Polly went down-stairs as they had come<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -up, hand-in-hand. At the foot Miss Cissy stopped -long enough to give her little companion one last, -careful look and then led her toward the room where -all the talking was. As they entered it Polly heard a -very tall gentleman say:</p> - -<p>“Oho! Here she comes at last! We thought she -had deserted. We had been led to believe that it was -customary for a hostess to be present to receive her -guests, but don’t let a little thing like that trouble -you, Cicely. You usually manage to reverse the natural -order of things and as your guests are here to -receive you, it’s all right.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely laughed and blushed and then the very -tall gentleman suddenly stood extremely erect by the -doorway and announced in a loud, solemn voice:</p> - -<p>“Miss Duer and—and——”</p> - -<p>“Polly Carter,” prompted Miss Cissy.</p> - -<p>“And Miss Polly Carter!” echoed the gentleman.</p> - -<p>If Polly had been used to children’s parties, this -one would have seemed extremely curious to her, for -there appeared to be so few children and so many -grown-up people. By looking very carefully, one -could have discovered five little girls, each of whom -was tucked away somewhere behind or beside one of -the couples of ladies and gentlemen present. None of -the children seemed very glad to be there, and Polly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -who herself made the sixth, was beginning to feel -dimly disappointed, when Miss Cicely spoke up in her -bright, jolly fashion:</p> - -<p>“Now, dear people,” she said, “the first thing to do -is to introduce these little girls to one another. -Grandfather and Grandmother Duer, will you kindly -let me present my little guest to yours? This is -Polly Carter.”</p> - -<p>A youthful-looking, white-haired old lady and -gentleman arose solemnly from the far end of the -long room, and came forward in a very stately -manner, holding a flaxen-braided young person by the -hand.</p> - -<p>“This is Miss Katie Schorr,” announced Grandmamma -Duer, in a voice that trembled a little (though -that could hardly have been from age, for her eyes -and skin were as young and soft as Polly’s own). -“The Superintendent of our Mission Sunday-school -was kind enough to introduce us to Miss Katie Schorr. -He said she was a good, obedient child, and we -believe it.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely stooped and shook Miss Schorr by the -hand in her own cordial way.</p> - -<p>“How do you do, Katie dear,” she said. “I’m glad -to see you here. I hope you will have a good time. -This is Polly Carter. Won’t you two please stand -beside me while I receive the other little friends?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -There, that’s right! Now, Uncle Arthur and Aunt -Laura Hamilton, your guest, please.”</p> - -<p>The very tall gentleman, Polly had noticed before, -sprang up and gallantly assisted a handsome lady -from her chair, offering her his arm with a flourish. -She refused the arm at once, saying, “Nonsense, Arthur! -don’t be absurd!” which Polly thought rather -unkind of her. The little girl they brought forward -was so pretty that it was delightful to look at her. -Her name was pretty, too. Angeline Montague! -And she had elegant manners, for when she was introduced -to Miss Cissy she curtseyed beautifully, with -her right hand upon her heart—or, rather, on the spot -where she supposed her heart was.</p> - -<p>As she stepped beside Polly and Katie, Polly heard -“Aunt Laura” say to Miss Cicely in an undertone:</p> - -<p>“Most excellent connections, I assure you. Her -mother does my fine sewing. Theresa, up-stairs, recommended -her to me. She says they used to have -means. But the father—well, he’s in Canada or -somewhere. Very pitiful!”</p> - -<p>Polly wondered, while “Uncle Robert and Aunt -Louise” were bringing up their little guest, why it -was pitiful that Angeline’s father was in Canada. -She had supposed, from what the “geografy” said -about Canada, that it was a real nice place.</p> - -<p>“‘One, two, three little Indians!’” hummed Uncle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -Arthur, as Miss Cicely, with a kind hand on Angeline’s -shoulder, placed her next to Polly and Katie. -“Now then, next customer!”</p> - -<p>“Miss Rosy Hartigan!” announced Uncle Robert, -handing forward a very, very shy little girl.</p> - -<p>“Her father is an industrious plumber,” explained -Aunt Louise in Miss Cissy’s ear. “But his wife died -last fall, and the children have no one to look out for -them while he is at work.”</p> - -<p>Poor Rosy was frightfully alarmed. She set up a -violent crying at once, shedding the biggest tears -Polly had ever seen, and it took all Miss Cissy’s tact -to comfort her.</p> - -<p>In the meantime a lady and gentleman called -“Aunt Edith” and “Uncle Elliot,” had brought up -another little girl whose hair was as black as Polly’s -boots, and whose eyes almost snapped with mischief.</p> - -<p>“This is Miss Elsie Blair, and she lives at our -beautiful Home for Friend—for Children,” explained -Aunt Edith. “Mrs. McAdams, the matron, says Elsie -is an excellent child.”</p> - -<p>“Now, father and mother,” said Miss Cicely, clasping -Rosy Hartigan with one hand, and patting the -excellent Elsie into line with the other.</p> - -<p>“Father” and “Mother,” it appeared, had brought -Miss Sarah Findlay, who was twelve, and tall for her -age. She was very thin, with not much hair to speak<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -of, and no eyebrows at all. Miss Sarah came from -the country and her father was a minister. “She had -twelve brothers and sisters,” she confided to Polly.</p> - -<p>“Now, I think we have all our party collected -together,” said Miss Cissy cheerfully. “Suppose we -play London Bridge. Come, Polly and Katie and -Angeline! Come, Elsie and Sarah and Rosy! Join -hands! Now sing! ‘London Bridge is falling down, -falling down, falling down!’”</p> - -<p>No one but Miss Cicely could possibly have managed -to make those six little girls feel so at home and -so well-acquainted with one another in so short a time. -By the end of “London Bridge” they felt as if they -had been friends all their lives. Then followed -“Oats, peas, beans and barley grows,” and “Drop -the handkerchief,” and in all the excitement Polly -had no time to wonder where Priscilla was and why -she did not come to her own party. After a while -Miss Cissy sat down at the piano and played a gay -march and then the company was invited out to -supper.</p> - -<p>Polly and Sarah walked together; Katie Schorr and -Angeline Montague made a second couple and Rosy -Hartigan and Elsie Blair brought up the rear.</p> - -<p>“It’s going off surprisingly well,” remarked Aunt -Laura, as the procession filed out into the hall. -“They all seem decent children, but of the lot I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -prefer Angeline Montague. She has such superior -manners. After her I should select Cicely’s Polly -What’s-her-name.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t whistle before you are out of the woods, -my dear,” cautioned Uncle Arthur. “The party -isn’t over yet.”</p> - -<p>In the dining-room the children were reveling in -good things to eat. Dainty chicken sandwiches; -salad that made one’s mouth water; jelly and cake -and candied fruit; bonbons and ice cream, and -chocolate served in tall, slender cups, with whipped -cream on top, and wee silver spoons in the saucers—spoons -that looked as if they were intended for the -daintiest of dolls.</p> - -<p>“Gorry!” whispered Katie Schorr to Angeline -Montague, “isn’t this fine?”</p> - -<p>Uncle Arthur, standing in the doorway behind a -heavy hanging, took a note-book out of his pocket -and jotted something down in it.</p> - -<p>At first there was not much chatter. The children -were too busy for that, but by and by their tongues -were loosened and then, how they did talk!</p> - -<p>Rosy Hartigan became so brave that she actually -consented to spell her name as the teacher in her -school had taught her to do: “R-o, Ro, s-y, sy, Rosy; -H-a-r, Har; syHar; RosyHar; T-i, ti; Harti; syHarti; -RosyHarti; G-a-n, Gan; tigan; Hartigan; syHartigan;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -Rosy Hartigan!” At which Miss Cissy clapped -her hands and cried: “Good!” but Elsie Blair whispered -“Smarty!” in Rosy’s left ear.</p> - -<p>Sarah Findlay, fired by Rosy’s success, said her -brothers “Knew lots and lots of tricks. They had -taught her to make the awfullest cross-eyed face in -the world and she’d do it for them if they wanted her -to. You just had to pull your mouth down at the -corners with your two fingers, like this and then look -cross eyed, like this and then——”</p> - -<p>Uncle Arthur took out his note-book again and -wrote down something in it, though no one saw him -do it.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Rosy Hartigan gave a piercing shriek and -Miss Cissy hurried to her in distress, asking what the -trouble was. It seemed that Rosy’s left arm had -been most terribly pinched, so that it “hurt like -everything,” but when Elsie Blair, who sat on that -side of Rosy, was asked if she had pinched her arm, -she protested “No, she hadn’t, and if Rosy went and -said she had, Rosy was nothing but an old story——”</p> - -<p>But Miss Cicely’s gentle hand over her lips -smothered the rest of the word and, Rosy being -comforted, supper went merrily on. At last, when -nobody could possibly eat another mouthful, Miss -Cissy said they would all go back into the drawing-room -and have more games. So back they went and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -played “Hunt the slipper” and “A tisket, a tasket” -and then a big bag was brought in and they all -“grabbed” for presents. After that it was time to -go home, but Uncle Arthur insisted on one more -game and chose “Forfeits,” which was “the loveliest -fun” in the world, for when Miss Cicely held the -forfeits over his head he invented the funniest things -you ever heard of that the owner must do to redeem -them.</p> - -<p>Katie Schorr was to take what Miss Cissy gave her -without moving a muscle of her face or saying a -word, and how could any little girl be expected to -succeed in doing such an impossible thing as that -when what Miss Cissy gave her was a perfectly -darling doll all dressed in blue, which she was to keep -for her very own? Why, Katie’s mouth danced right -up at the corners and she said “O goody!” before -she knew it.</p> - -<p>Rosy Hartigan had to spell her name before all the -grand ladies and gentlemen (which almost frightened -her out of her wits) but she did it and then she got -a doll just like Katie’s, only hers was dressed in pink.</p> - -<p>Next, Elsie Blair had to “guess” who had pinched -Rosy during supper and if she guessed wrong she was -to have no doll. So Elsie, very red and shamefaced, -guessed right immediately; she “guessed she did it -herself” and then she received a doll dressed in red.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sarah Findlay won her prize by “crossing her -heart and promising sure and true, black and blue,” -she’d never make her cross-eyed face any more, for -Uncle Arthur had known a little girl once who had -crossed her eyes just so, in fun, and when she tried -she couldn’t get them straight again.</p> - -<p>Polly had to tell them all what she wanted most in -the whole world, but if Uncle Arthur thought it -would be difficult for her to decide, he was mistaken. -It did not take her an instant to say: “To have sister -get well.” Then she got her doll—and a pat on the -head from Uncle Arthur, as well.</p> - -<p>But the most curious penalty of all came last. -Angeline Montague was to give Miss Cicely what she -had in her pocket and no one need ask what it was, -for they should never know. So Angeline, very pale -and trembling, and after fumbling in her pocket for -an instant brought out something which she handed -Miss Cissy behind the folds of her dress. Miss Cissy -took it with a look so sad and grieved that Polly -could have cried to see her. She bent down and -whispered a secret in Angeline’s ear and then gave -her her doll. That ended the game. They all joined -in singing “America” and then the party was over.</p> - -<p>While they were up-stairs getting ready to go home -the grown-up people were very busy in the drawing-room -below. Grandpapa and Grandmamma Duer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -were sorry Miss Katie Schorr had said, “Gorry!” as, -of course, Priscilla’s playmate must be a little lady and -ladies do not say “Gorry,” or words like that. Uncle -Robert and Aunt Louise thought Rosy Hartigan was -a good little girl, but something of a cry-baby and a -telltale. Uncle Elliot and Aunt Edith said they -could not dream of having Priscilla associate with a -child like Elsie Blair who did not tell the truth until -she was compelled. Miss Cicely’s father and mother -felt that Sarah Findlay’s brothers had taught her -more tricks than were necessary to complete Priscilla’s -education, so the choice finally lay between -Polly Carter and Angeline Montague.</p> - -<p>Aunt Laura liked Polly well enough and agreed -with the rest that she seemed an unaffected, honest -little creature, but it was easy to see that Angeline’s -pretty face and beautiful manners had bewitched her -as well as the other ladies and that if Miss Cissy had -no objection Angeline would be chosen for the place -of honor. Miss Cissy was in the dressing-room overseeing -the putting on of the children’s hats and wraps -and saying good-bye to them before they were taken -home. Uncle Arthur said it would be unfair not to -wait for her to come down before finally deciding on -Angeline. She had been the one to suggest a playmate -for Priscilla and he thought she had the best -right, next to Uncle Elliot and Aunt Edith, Priscilla’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -father and mother, to decide who the playmate should -be. Aunt Laura was willing, of course to wait for -Cicely, but the more she thought of it the better she -was pleased with the idea of Angeline for Priscilla’s -companion.</p> - -<p>Presently Miss Cissy came down. She listened -patiently to everything every one had to say about the -children, and she gave particular attention to Aunt -Laura’s claim for Angeline, looking so sober meanwhile -that her relations were quite sorry for her, for -though she did not say a word in Polly’s favor, they -gathered that she liked the little girl and was disappointed -because Angeline had proved first-choice.</p> - -<p>“Well, then,” concluded Aunt Laura briskly, “I -suppose we can call it settled that Angeline is to be -the one. I’m a pretty good judge of children and -from the first I took to her. Your little Polly -What’s-her-name is all right, Cicely. I haven’t a word -to say against her and if Angeline were not there I -should certainly choose her, but, under the circumstances, -I think there can be no doubt that Angeline -is the child for the place.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cissy said nothing. For a moment there was -silence. Then Uncle Arthur inquired politely:</p> - -<p>“Have any of you ever heard it suggested that appearances -are sometimes supposed to be deceitful?”</p> - -<p>They all had heard it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> - -<p>Uncle Arthur nodded. “Very well. Now, have -any of you ever heard it mentioned that all is not -gold that glitters?”</p> - -<p>Aunt Laura broke in with a “Don’t be absurd, -Arthur,” but her husband continued without noticing -the interruption, “Or that handsome is as handsome -does? Good! I see you have. Now, it appears -there is still another proverb for you to learn which -evidently Laura’s young friend, Miss Angeline, believes -to be true and which is that a broken chocolate -cup in the pocket is worth two in the saucer.”</p> - -<p>Uncle Arthur paused. In a flash there broke out a -quick chorus of questions.</p> - -<p>“Arthur, what do you mean?” from Aunt Laura.</p> - -<p>“Won’t you please explain?” from Uncle Elliot.</p> - -<p>And “Is it a joke?” “What is the point?” and -“How do you know?” from the rest.</p> - -<p>Uncle Arthur waited a moment until the flurry was -past. Then he said in a very serious voice and one -that was not at all trifling: “I mean, simply, that -Miss Angeline Montague is very pretty to look at and -that her manners are charming and that it is the -greatest of pities that she is not so nice a little girl as -she appears to be, but the truth is—I hate to say it—but -the truth is——”</p> - -<p>“Well, what? Do hurry, please!” urged Aunt -Laura.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> - -<p>Miss Cissy drew something out of her handkerchief, -and held it in her outstretched palm for them all to -see. It was one of Aunt Edith’s pretty chocolate -cups broken into fragments.</p> - -<p>“Poor little Angeline did it,” she explained sadly. -“No one but Uncle Arthur saw the accident and there -would have been no great harm done if Angeline had -not turned coward and tried to place the blame on -some one else. Uncle Arthur watched her closely and -saw her slip Polly’s cup off its saucer and put it upon -her own. You see, her idea was to have the blame -laid on Polly if the accident were discovered and her -plan would have succeeded if it had not been for -Uncle Arthur, for James missed the cup at once and -came and told me that it was gone from the saucer of -the little girl I had brought. I was glad to be able -to say she was not responsible for it and that Mr. -Hamilton knew who was.”</p> - -<p>Tears were in Miss Cissy’s eyes as she finished, and -Uncle Arthur looked so grieved that Aunt Laura rose -and went to him to give his arm a comforting pat. -She knew that honorable people never “tell on” other -people unless they must and when they have to, it -hurts them sadly, so she felt very sorry for Uncle -Arthur and for Miss Cicely too, and last and most of -all, for Angeline.</p> - -<p>So that was how it came about that when the choice<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -of Priscilla’s playmate was put to vote Polly was -“unanimously elected.”</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“The first’s the worst,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">The second’s the same;</div> -<div class="verse">The last the best</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Of all the game.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Miss Cissy hummed happily to herself as she ran -up-stairs to hug and kiss Cash one-hundred-and-five -and explain to her that sister had given her permission -to make Priscilla a long, long visit and that she -was to begin it right off.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV<br /> -<span class="smaller">“SWEET P’S”</span></h2> - -<p>Up-stairs in the nursery the lamps were lit and a -bright fire glowed on the hearth. Hannah was bustling -about in her own busy fashion and Priscilla lay -cuddled up in the big sleepy-hollow chair with a picture-book -in her lap. It was all very quiet and cozy -and Little Boy Blue and Mary, Mary Quite Contrary -and the rest of the dear Mother Goose people who -looked out from their places in the dainty wall-paper, -seemed to nod and wink at Priscilla as if they were -glad it was their good fortune to be here.</p> - -<p>The clock on the mantel-shelf chimed six.</p> - -<p>“I wonder what’s keeping James with your supper,” -murmured Hannah comfortably. “He’s generally -prompt at the stroke o’ six but to-night—— Oh, -there he is now!”</p> - -<p>Priscilla did not look up from her book as the door-knob -turned. She was not hungry and the prospect -of James carrying a tray spread with nice things to -eat was too familiar to interest her. Poor little -Priscilla did not know it, but she was really pining -for a change.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>The door opened, swung wide upon its hinges and -there, on the threshold, stood Miss Cissy clasping a -little stranger-girl by the hand. Hannah gave a -quick exclamation and Priscilla raised her eyes. The -next moment she was in Miss Cissy’s arms.</p> - -<p>The little stranger-girl stood by and smiled, while -Simple Simon and Miss Muffet, in the wall-paper, -quite grinned at each other with satisfaction. It -seemed to Polly as if she had stepped right into the -middle of a fairy-tale, for surely never was there so -wonderful a place as this outside of fairy-land, nor a -little princess who was half so fine and delicate.</p> - -<p>Miss Cissy beckoned her to come forward saying -gaily:</p> - -<p>“See, Priscilla, I have brought you a visitor. This -is Polly Carter. Won’t you shake hands with her, -dear?”</p> - -<p>Priscilla shyly put out a frail, soft little hand which -Polly grasped in her thin, little chapped one.</p> - -<p>“Polly is going to stay all night,” went on Miss -Cicely, “and if she has a good time and enjoys herself, -and if you get on nicely and like each other, she won’t -go home for a while. They will put up a bed for her -in your room, right across the way from yours and -you can chatter to each other in the morning and be -as jolly as you like. Just think what fun it’s going to -be, Priscilla! Why, you can have breakfast-parties<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -and dinner-parties and tea-parties together every day -at your little table, all by yourselves, and you can -show Polly your toys and she can show you new ways -of playing with them, and you can keep house and -visit and have—oh! lots of good times! And perhaps, -if I’m very good, you’ll let me come and join in -the sport sometimes, for I think I like your kind of -play better than the sort they have down-stairs—I -mean, the grown-up people. I wouldn’t tell anybody -but you, of course, but it’s sometimes a little—just -a little dull down there. But up here! dear me! -why there’s no end to the sport you can have up here, -if you want to. I don’t believe Polly ever saw anything -so funny in all her life as your walking-doll was -the other night, Priscilla, when you dropped her on -the floor and she lay there on her back, sawing the -air with her arms, and kicking.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla smiled demurely and drew herself from -Miss Cissy’s arm. “I’ll get her now,” she volunteered -in a timid whisper. “If you wind her up and put her -on the floor she’ll do it again.”</p> - -<p>How Polly did laugh to see the fine French lady in -such an awkward predicament and seeming to be so -indignant about it! Her merry giggle was so irresistible -that Priscilla, after a moment, joined in with -a soft little chuckle on her own account. Then a -music-box was brought out and the Parisian Mademoiselle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -was set upon her feet and made to walk to its -tune. It appeared she could not keep step at all, -though at first she flew about very fast trying to do -so, but by and by she got discouraged and walked -slower and slower, until, at last, she collapsed entirely -and fell on the floor with a final wriggle of despair, as -if she gave it up as a bad job. Polly’s giggle broke -into a laughing shout at this and James, coming in -with a huge tray in his arms, almost stumbled over in -amazement at the unaccustomed sight and sound of -such merriment in the usually quiet nursery.</p> - -<p>Priscilla discovered that supper was a very different -affair when one did not have to sit and eat it alone. -When Hannah served her and Polly to the bread and -butter they bit into their slices and compared the impressions -made by their teeth. Polly’s arch was wide -and shallow with a little uneven place in the centre -where one of her front teeth lapped a trifle, and -Priscilla’s was narrower but quite exact all around. -By biting carefully on one side and another of this -first shape they found they could make different -figures, new patterns being disclosed by each nibble, a -fact which was so amusing that though Priscilla had -not been hungry and Polly had thought she had had as -much as she could possibly eat down-stairs, they -managed to dispose of several slices before they were -aware. Hannah shook her head at such “bad table-manners”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -but Miss Cissy would not have the children -disturbed “just for once.” They sipped their creamy -milk and ate their fruit and, what she said she used to -call “good-for-you pudding” when she was a little -girl, with as much relish as if neither of them had -tasted a mouthful since morning, and by the end of -the meal Polly had told Priscilla about sister and -Priscilla had confided to Polly that she did not like to -have her hair combed “’cause it pulled so and hurt -most aw’fly.”</p> - -<p>“That’s ’cause it’s so fine and curly,” explained -Polly. “Mine is straight and the tangles come out -easy, but I’d rather have yours if I were you. Yours -looks like fine silk—the kind ladies buy at the embroidery -counter to do fancy-work with. Floss, -that’s what they call it. Your hair is just like -floss.”</p> - -<p>Since Polly appeared to think it was nice to have -hair like floss Priscilla felt it might be easier to bear -the pulling of the comb. At any rate she made up -her mind, then and there, that she would be “as brave -as a soldier” after that and show Polly how she could -bear pain without a whimper.</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely stayed until the supper-table was cleared -and the two Sweet P’s, as she called them, were contentedly -cutting out paper dolls in the light of the -lamp, and then she slipped quietly away down-stairs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -to join the rest of the family, who were going in to -dinner.</p> - -<p>Polly passed the evening in a sort of happy dream -of delight. The warmth of the cheerful fire, its soft -light and the pleasant coziness of the room, were so -different from anything she had ever known before -that she felt she would certainly wake up, in a minute -or so and find it all vanished and herself back in the -little room down-town, where the kerosene lamp gave -out a sickening odor, and the fire in the stove couldn’t -be kept burning after supper was prepared because coal -was so high this winter. The wind came in through -the chinks of the windows and door in chilling gusts, -and even when one cuddled up in bed under the blankets -and snuggled next to sister, one hardly got -warmed through before morning. And then, to have -to get up before it was light, and go shivering about -in the dark, groping around blind with sleep, and -have to hurry out into the icy, wintry streets to a -weary day of cash-running at the store! She was so -full of her own thoughts that her scissors had almost -snipped the head off the splendid paper lady she was -cutting out before she knew it, and Priscilla seeing the -narrow escape, gave a little low exclamation of dismay.</p> - -<p>“I guess you’re pretty tired, aren’t you?” Hannah -asked kindly, coming and standing beside her chair<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -and looking down at her benevolently. Polly nodded, -but could not answer in words. The memory of the -cold, bare little down-town room had awakened another -memory: the memory of sister, and all at once -her heart sickened of the warmth and comfort and -light here and just turned hungrily to the poorer place -where sister was, in longing to go back.</p> - -<p>“Come, you two little ladies, it’s time for bed,” -cried Hannah briskly. “Now, which one can get her -clothes off first? I warrant I know.”</p> - -<p>Poor little Priscilla tugged and wrenched in vain; -she was not accustomed to do for herself, and Polly -stood undressed and clad in her “nightie” before she -even had her slippers untied. At sight of her disappointed -little face Hannah caught her up in her arms -and gave her a good hug, and the next moment all her -buttons were unfastened as if by magic. It was an -old story to Priscilla to sit before the fire wrapped in -her downy bath-robe and have her hair brushed and -braided for the night, while Hannah told her stories -of kings and queens or repeated the exciting history -of “The Little Schmall Rid Hin.” But to Polly it -was a new and curious experience which made her -forget for the moment the strange, sickening ache -in her heart. She thrust her feet out toward the -pleasant fire-glow and laughed approvingly when the -fox, having planned to “git the little schmall rid hin”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -and carry her home in a bag to be “biled and ate up, -shure, by his ould marm and he” was cleverly -fooled by the wonderful biddy and, with his wicked -mother, was killed outright when “the pot o’ boilin’ -wather came over thim, kersplash,</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“And scalted thim both to death</div> -<div class="verse indent1">So they couldn’t brathe no more,</div> -<div class="verse">An’ the little schmall rid hin lived safe</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Just where she lived before.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noindent">Priscilla’s head was fairly nodding by the time -prayers were said and Hannah ready to carry her off -to bed and tuck her in. But long after she was -breathing softly on her pillow, Polly lay awake and -thought and thought and thought of sister in her -loneliness, at home in the cold and dark, until, at -length, she could bear it no longer and the tears came -in a flood, quite drenching the fine, embroidered handkerchief -Miss Cissy had given her and of whose new -crispness she had been so proud.</p> - -<p>In a moment Hannah was at her side.</p> - -<p>“What is it, honey? Tell Hannah,” she urged -very tenderly, as she knelt down and slid her arm -under Polly’s head. Then it all came out: about the -dreadful ache and longing in her heart and the choking -in her throat.</p> - -<p>“Why, bless you, you’re homesick and so you are,” -explained Priscilla’s nurse encouragingly. “And no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -wonder at all—not the least in the world. Lots of -folks are homesick and they get over it in no time at -all, if they just make up their minds to it. Why, -think of me! I came over,—away from my father -and mother, across the wide sea, when I was but a -slip of a girl, not seven years older than you. And -think of the gain that’ll come to your sister if you are -good and contented here. Why, the hospital doctors -will look at her and they’ll say: ‘Now, here is a -young woman we must certainly manage to cure -whether or not for Miss Cicely Duer says so.’ And -the nurses will say the same thing. And they’ll give -her a room all to herself with sun coming in at the -windows, and there’ll be flowers on the bureau that -Miss Cicely and Priscilla’s mamma will send. And -her bed will be all soft and white, and the nurses will -have on white caps and aprons and cuffs, just spick -and spandy and they’ll give her lovely things to eat -and then—and then—before you know it almost, -sister will be well and walking around as fine as can -be. And that will be your doing if you’re a good -girl and don’t get mopey and homesick.”</p> - -<p>Polly’s eyes were quite dry by the time Hannah -paused to take breath. The picture of sister in such -pleasant surroundings almost reconciled her to her -own good fortune. She saw the sunlight coming in -at the windows and the flowers nodding on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -bureau and the white-capped nurses hovering round -and then, by and by, Hannah’s voice seemed to melt -into a gentle drone—the drone of a sleepy fly bobbing -against sister’s hospital-room window in the sunlight -and then——</p> - -<p>Polly opened her eyes to see the sunlight really -slanting in at the window of the pretty bedroom in -which she and Priscilla had slept. For a moment she -lay still, trying to remember where she was and how -she came to be in this splendid gold bed, between -soft, fleecy blankets and smooth linen. There was -another bed just like her own standing against the -wall across the room—but the other bed was empty. -Then it all came back to her. Priscilla had slept in -that other bed. Where was Priscilla?</p> - -<p>A sound of splashing and running water seemed to -answer her and in another moment Hannah appeared -carrying Priscilla wrapped in bath-sheets, fresh from -her morning tub.</p> - -<p>“Just wait a moment till I have Priscilla dry and -then in you go,” threatened Hannah with a pretended -frown.</p> - -<p>But Polly was not in the least alarmed. She reveled -in the warm water and plunged about in the -white tub as energetically as if she had been a canary -taking a morning dip in a china dish. Then she and -Priscilla had breakfast in the nursery, with Peter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -Pumpkin-Eater and Jack Sprat-Could-Eat-No-Fat -looking down at them from the walls and probably -wishing they had such delicious milk-toast and cream-of-wheat -and poached eggs to feast upon.</p> - -<p>Priscilla’s mother came to visit them soon after the -meal was over and she proved so sweet and beautiful -a lady that Polly felt there was only one person in -the whole world who was more wonderful than she -and that Miss Cicely was that one. She talked to -Priscilla and Polly for a long time and seemed sorry -when some one—the haughty Theresa—came to -summon her down-stairs and she had to leave -them.</p> - -<p>Then hats and coats were brought out and the -Sweet P’s made ready for a walk. There was not -much fun in pacing slowly up the avenue and around -the windy paths of the Park. Before they had gone -three blocks Polly was stiff and chilly and poor little -Priscilla was having the cold shivers inside her fur -coat.</p> - -<p>“Let’s play las’-tag,” suggested Polly. “Then we -can run, and running makes you warm. Why, I used -to get as hot as anything at the store, just with -running.”</p> - -<p>“What’s las’-tag?” asked Priscilla listlessly.</p> - -<p>Polly explained. “And I’ll be ‘It’ if you like,” she -said. “Now, you run and I’ll try to catch you.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -Hannah’ll be ‘Hunk.’ One, two, three! Off goes -she!”</p> - -<p>In no time at all they were both in a glow, their -cheeks ruddy and tingling with warmth and their -eyes sparkling with fun. Priscilla was delighted and -she and Polly las’-tagged each other merrily all the -way home. Certainly the hated morning walk was -going to be a different affair after this. James could -hardly believe his eyes at the change he saw in Priscilla’s -appearance when he opened the door to them -at one o’clock.</p> - -<p>“Why, she looks like another child,” he said to -Theresa who was passing through the hall.</p> - -<p>Theresa curled her lip.</p> - -<p>“You and Hannah may do as you like,” she snapped -pettishly, “but nobody’ll get me to wait on any -beggar-child—not if I know it. Why couldn’t they -have taken that sweet little Angeline Montague, if -they must have some one, and not given the place to a -common little thing like this Polly-one. I know -Angeline’s mother well. I got her the job at Mrs. -Hamilton’s and she’s a lady,—I tell you. And Angeline -herself is a little angel! Who knows anything -about this child they have taken in?” and Theresa -tossed her head spitefully.</p> - -<p>James pursed his lips as if he were going to whistle. -“I don’t know anything about her, that’s certain,” he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -admitted, “and if you don’t either, Theresa, why, I -guess there ain’t any call for you to clap names on -her like what you’ve done. After all, she ain’t harming -you. Fair play is a jewel. If she don’t interfere -with you, you don’t need to interfere with her!”</p> - -<p>“Interfere with me!” cried Theresa hotly. “Much -you know about it, James Craig. That’s just what -she has done, with a vengeance!”</p> - -<p>James shrugged his shoulders. “Why, I don’t see -what concern it is of yours, if the family chooses to -get a companion for Miss Priscilla. You ain’t got to -pay for her board and keep.”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps I ain’t,” returned Theresa with added -sharpness, “but perhaps, on the other hand, I got to -pay for the board and keep of somebody else, that she -has done out of a rare chance.”</p> - -<p>The butler’s eyes opened wide. “You don’t mean -to say——” he stammered.</p> - -<p>“I don’t mean to say nothing,” the maid retorted -quickly. “I just ain’t going to do anything that’s -outside my work, that’s all. I respect myself too -much to lay a hand to anything I didn’t engage for, -and if you and Hannah choose to fetch and carry for -strangers from no-one-knows-where, you can do it and -welcome! But the more sillies you, that’s all!”</p> - -<p>The good-natured James watched the irate woman -as she flounced up-stairs and then drew in his breath<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -with a long whistling sound. He thought Theresa -was “a terror” and he made up his mind then and -there that he would “steer clear of her” in the -future.</p> - -<p>In the meantime Polly, who was quite unconscious -of having given offense to any one in the world and -who felt at peace with all men, was astonished and -dismayed, as the days went by, to find that Theresa -did not like her. At first she did not realize that -anything was amiss. The maid seemed to her a very -haughty lady whose manners were proud and overbearing -to be sure, and not at all gentle and sweet as -Priscilla’s mother’s and Miss Cicely’s were, but who -was probably, nevertheless, good and kind at heart, -like all the rest of the world. Once or twice she -brushed roughly against Polly in the halls, but Polly -said, “Excuse me,” as sister had taught her to do -when she got in any one’s way, and then thought no -more about it.</p> - -<p>Then, another time, Polly was going down-stairs on -an errand for Hannah and just as she reached the -second flight Theresa came out of the sitting-room -and began to busy herself dusting the top of the baluster-rail. -Polly said, “Good-morning!” as politely -as she could, but Theresa did not appear to hear her -and the next minute Polly’s dress had caught in a -nail or something, it could not have been Theresa’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -hand, of course, and she was crashing down-stairs, -heels over head, bumpety-bump! as hard as she could -go. She was so badly frightened that it took her -some time to recover herself, but her bruises were not -serious and James brought a chocolate spice-cake out -of the butler’s pantry, which he said he would give -her if she did not cry any more. So she dried her -tears and promised she would “look where she -walked” after that and was happy again in no time -at all.</p> - -<p>But before she went up-stairs James whispered in -her ear: “Say, I wouldn’t get in Theresa’s way, if I -were you. Theresa is—er—nervous and little girls -bother her, I guess, and it’s always better when folks -is like that to keep yourself to yourself. See?”</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V<br /> -<span class="smaller">POLLY’S PLUCK</span></h2> - -<p>Angeline Montague did not tell her mother the -forfeit she had had to pay to “redeem” the beautiful -doll she had brought home from Miss Cicely’s party. -In the first place, she conveniently forgot it, and in -the second, she always made a point of keeping very -still when her mother was in a “tantrum,” and her -mother was in a terrible one that day. Something -had gone wrong somewhere, for the moment Angeline -reached home her mother had caught her by the arm -and swung her about roughly, saying: “Ho! So -here you are, are you? Then you didn’t get it, did -you? And after all the trouble I went to, to teach -you how to bow and to hold your tongue and to speak -soft and genteel when you did speak! And the money -I spent on your clothes, too! I’ve half a mind to beat -you well, you great silly. What under the sun your -Aunt Theresa’ll do to you, I don’t know—like as not -she’ll put you in jail or send you to the reform-school -or something. I do declare I never saw such a numb-scull! -Where’s your brains, I’d like to know, to let any -one else get ahead of you like that?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> - -<p>Angeline sobbed.</p> - -<p>“There now,” continued her mother less harshly. -“Quit that, and take off those togs you’ve got on. It -makes me just wild to see ’em and think what they -cost, and then what a fool you were to let such a -chance slip through your fingers.”</p> - -<p>Angeline sobbed still more piteously. She knew it -was the only way to disarm her mother. After a -minute or two the angry woman said: “Hush, hush, -I tell you, Angeline, or the neighbors’ll think I’m killing -you—and they have enough to say about us -already. Besides, you’d better save your tears till -your Aunt Theresa comes, for you’ll need ’em then, -or I’m mistaken. She ain’t as easy as I am, not by a -long sight, and she’ll scold the life out of us both for -your foolishness. She’ll probably stop paying for your -board and keep into the bargain, and then what’ll become -of us, I don’t see. We’ll be turned out into the -street, most likely, for I’m two weeks behind with the -rent as it is, and goodness knows where I’ll get the -money to pay up.”</p> - -<p>Angeline’s sobs grew softer. “I did the best I -could,” she whimpered. “I never told a livin’ soul -my name ain’t Montague or that Aunt Theresa is my -aunt, an’ I bowed just like you tol’ me to, an’ I didn’t -hardly say annything to annyboddy. I just smiled the -way you showed me, as soft as ever I could, an’ Mis’<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -Hamilton she said I was a sweet little thing. I -listened an’ I heard her. I didn’t let noboddy get -ahead of me nor nothing. I got the best cakes an’ -the biggest orange an’—an’—I would have got a—other -things too, but a big man, he was real mean and -kept looking!”</p> - -<p>“Well, go ’long with you now,” said her mother, -whose true name was McGaffey. “Take off those -duds or you’ll tear ’em or something an’ then the fat -will be in the fire.”</p> - -<p>Later that evening when Angeline was in bed her -mother had a visitor. It was Theresa, and her angry -voice made the little girl quail. She knew Aunt -Theresa well and dreaded her, so she pretended to be -asleep when her bedroom door was rudely flung open -and quick steps came toward her where she lay.</p> - -<p>“Get up, you Angeline,” ordered Theresa, clutching -her by the arm. “You ain’t asleep, I know your -tricks. Get up this minute, I want to talk with you.”</p> - -<p>The child came shivering into the outer room.</p> - -<p>“Now tell me this minute,” commanded her aunt, -“every single thing that happened this afternoon at -my house. Don’t you leave out anything, and don’t -you tell me a falsehood, or it’ll be the worse for you.”</p> - -<p>So the wretched Angeline, shaking with cold and -sobbing from fright, confessed to the affair of the -broken chocolate-cup.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<p>“There! What did I tell you,” demanded Theresa -of Mrs. McGaffey when the story was done. “I knew -there was something wrong somewhere, or she’d have -gotten the place, sure as preaching. Her tricks will be -the ruin of us all before she’s through, I tell you, -Harriet. She ought to be beat, that’s what ought to -be done to her. She’s a bad child, right through. -Why, Mrs. Hamilton as good as told me the whole -thing was settled and Angeline was to go straight up -to the nursery then and there, and you was to get sixteen -dollars a month for the loan of her. The young -un that’s there now is nothing to look at—nothing -next to Angeline, but she got the place because she -hasn’t underhand ways and doesn’t try to make other -people suffer for her faults. But I’ll pay her off before -I’m through with her, never you fear. In the -meantime if I could just punish this child here for her -foolishness, it’d do me a world of good. Now go -back to bed, you Angeline McGaffey, and if I ever -catch you deceiving again and running your mother -and me into danger of being disgraced, I’ll attend to -you, rest assured of that.”</p> - -<p>Angeline crept off to her room, greatly relieved that -she had escaped so easily at the hands of her vixenish -aunt. She was accustomed by this time, to loud and -angry talking, and did not let herself be much disturbed -by it. In a very little while, therefore, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -long before her Aunt Theresa had gone, she was -asleep and dreaming, and the next day she had forgotten -all about it. But Theresa did not forget. She had -told her sister that she meant to bide her time and -wait her chance, but that in the end she’d get even -with Polly for having cut Angelina out, as she expressed -it, and she intended to keep her word.</p> - -<p>After her tumble down-stairs, and the whispered -warning James had given her, Polly managed to -avoid Theresa. It was not very difficult to do this, -for the children spent most of their time in the open -air or in the nursery. The cold and stupid morning -walks that Priscilla had used to dread, she now looked -forward to with pleasure, and her skin and eyes were -beginning to show the difference. Miss Cissy’s plan -was working like a charm—there could be no doubt -about that.</p> - -<p>Priscilla, in her quiet, shy little way, had grown to -love Polly dearly, and as for Polly, why, she simply -adored Priscilla, and would have done anything in -the world for her. She “gave up” so entirely in fact, -that Hannah often had to interfere to save Priscilla -from becoming selfish through too much indulgence. -When they played house, Polly was always the baby -and Priscilla the mother; when they played school, -Polly was the scholar and Priscilla the teacher. In -las’-tag, Polly was “It,” no matter how often she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -caught Priscilla, and when Hannah shook her finger -at her, she was sure to whisper: “She’s so little, you -know. She can’t run as fast as I can, and it isn’t -fair. ’Sides, she likes to think she’s beating. When -she las’-tags me she laughs right out loud, she’s so -pleased.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you mustn’t spoil her, that’s all,” warned -Hannah, but she confided to James on more than one -occasion that, “that Polly’s a caution. I never saw -her equal. She don’t know what it means to think of -herself. And the grown-up way she’s got with her, -of looking out for Priscilla! Why, you’d think she’d -been used to protecting some one all her life.”</p> - -<p>“Well, perhaps she has,” suggested James, thoughtfully. -“How about that crippled sister of hers. -Ain’t she had to protect her? An experience like -that puts years on a young thing’s age. By the way, -how is the sister?”</p> - -<p>Hannah shook her head. “It’s a bad case the doctors -think, so Miss Cicely and Mrs. Duer tell me. If -it had been properly attended to in the first place, it -would be different, but the poor thing was neglected -and now it may be too late. We don’t dare tell the -child, for her heart is bound up in her sister, and she’s -set on her getting well. The two of them were all -run down, what with not having enough food to -nourish ’em, and perishin’ with the cold last winter on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -account of no coal, and that tells against the girl’s -getting well. She has nothing to bear up on. See -now, she’s been at the hospital ever since the week -after Priscilla’s birthday, that was the first part of -February, and now it’s the last of March. But we -don’t give up hope. The doctors say she may possibly -get to walk again—only it’ll take a long time, and -she’ll have to go through a lot before it happens, if it -ever does. She’ll be at the hospital all summer anyhow, -and maybe longer. But it’s true, what you say -about her being the cause of Polly’s acting old for -her years, and having such motherly ways. Poor -little creature! She’s actually getting a bit of flesh -on her bones, as well as Priscilla, and I declare she’s -as pretty as a picture sometimes. I told Mrs. Duer -the other day, I was never afraid for Priscilla when -Polly was around. She’d just let herself be cut into -small pieces before she’d see a hair of Priscilla’s head -harmed.”</p> - -<p>“She’s got good pluck, I know that,” answered -James, thinking of Theresa, and Polly’s fall down-stairs.</p> - -<p>Polly had occasion to prove her “pluck” within the -course of the next few days.</p> - -<p>The children had had their regular romp in the -Park one morning and were ready to go home, when -Hannah bethought herself of a few little sewing odds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -and ends that she sorely needed. She made up her -mind she would buy them on the way back. It would -take her but a few blocks out of her way, and the -children would not mind the little extra walk, especially -as it was on the fascinating, forbidden ground -of the bustling avenue, where so many shops and -clanging cable-cars were.</p> - -<p>Poor Polly, who had been perfectly used to shifting -for herself amid crowds, was greatly amused at Hannah’s -command that she “mustn’t let go her hand one -minute,” but she did as she was bade, and clung to -the nurse’s arm until they reached the shop, where -Hannah’s trifles were to be bought. It was an attractive -place enough, full of bright-colored ribbons -and laces and tinsel and gay embroidery stuffs. There -was, however, nothing very interesting to children, -except in one corner, where was a counter upon which -a number of artistically made rag-dolls were perched. -Priscilla fell in love with these at first sight, and tugged -at Hannah’s skirts, begging her to “come and see.”</p> - -<p>Hannah was busy with her own affairs, but she left -them to follow Priscilla and to exclaim, “Why, ain’t -they just splendid, now?” as she knew Priscilla -wanted her to do.</p> - -<p>But Priscilla, it seemed, wanted more than this. -“I wish,” she said, in a hesitating, shy murmur: “I -wish I could have one of those dollies.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> - -<p>Hannah stared. “Eh? Mercy on us, what next? -Why, what in the world should you want with one of -those dolls, when you have a nurseryful already -at home. And such superior ones, into the bargain, -as these couldn’t hold a candle to. Why, these are -nothing but rag-babies, dearie.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla swallowed. “I know it,” she whispered, -with an effort. “But I like them. I wish I could -have one.”</p> - -<p>When the little girl spoke in that wistful tone her -nurse could deny her nothing. “Well, if you ain’t -the curiousest child!” she exclaimed. “But if you -want one, why, you want one, and that’s all there is -about it.”</p> - -<p>The next moment the pinkest-cheeked rag-baby of -them all was in Priscilla’s arms. She hugged it to -her bosom with a loving clutch she had never given -to any of her French dolls, and Hannah exchanged a -wink with the saleswoman at sight of her satisfaction.</p> - -<p>“May I take my dolly into the street? Just to -give her the air?” she asked with motherly solicitude -for her baby’s health.</p> - -<p>Hannah nodded. “Yes, if you’ll be sure not to -leave the door-step. Polly, you go with her, like a -good child, and don’t let anything happen to her. -Now, run along, like dearies, and let me do my shoppin’ -in peace.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 475px;"> -<img src="images/illus3.jpg" width="475" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">“GIVE THAT DOLL BACK THIS MINUTE!”</p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I think,” said Priscilla, as she and Polly stood -outside the shop-door, “I think I’ll name this baby -Polly. Then she’ll be part yours, won’t she? ’Sides, -I think the name of Polly is a ’stremely nice name.”</p> - -<p>Polly laughed right out with pleasure at the compliment. -“If you name her Polly I’ll be her relation, -won’t I? And I’ll have to give her things and look -after her. Oh, dear me! I wonder what Hannah’ll -say?”</p> - -<p>What Hannah would say was never recorded, for -just at this moment a dirty hand thrust itself over -Priscilla’s shoulder and snatched her precious baby -from her arms, while a hoarse voice broke out into a -jeering laugh that almost frightened the children out -of their wits.</p> - -<p>“Hi, there!” it cried roughly. “A doll’s relation! -That’s good! The name of Polly is a ’stremely nice -name! Bless me if it ain’t!”</p> - -<p>Priscilla’s lips were blue with terror and she but -dimly saw the face of the mischievous newsboy, -as he leered wickedly at her darling doll, pretending -to dance it up and down in his dirty hands.</p> - -<p>But Polly’s eyes were blazing. “Give that doll -back this minute!” she broke out in a tremor of indignation.</p> - -<p>The newsboy looked at her and grinned. “Oh, -say, now,” he cried. “Who’ll make me? Ain’t I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -fond o’ dolls meself? An’ ain’t I got a little sister at -home as just dotes on ’em? W’y, my little sister—queer -now, ain’t it, but her name’s Polly! a ’stremely -nice name, Polly is! well my sister Polly will just be -tickled out of her boots when I bring her this.”</p> - -<p>“You give it back,” stammered Polly, breathless -and panting with anger.</p> - -<p>“Not on your life,” jeered the young rascal, delighted -to see he was teasing her so successfully, and -clutching the rag-doll more tightly in one arm while -he shifted his bundle of papers in the other.</p> - -<p>Polly darted at him; her hand swung out, and -the next moment his ear was tingling from a well-aimed -blow. For an instant he was too amazed to -stir. Then he dropped his papers and the doll together -and made a dash for Polly. She ducked, he -tripped on the shallow door-step and lost his footing. -It was Polly’s chance and she did not lose it. In a -twinkling she had dived for his papers, caught them -up and was flying down the street as fast as her swift -feet would carry her.</p> - -<p>“Go in,” she shouted back to Priscilla. “Go in to -Hannah!” Then on she sped like a little whirlwind, -the newsboy after her in hot pursuit.</p> - -<p>She knew he must outstrip her in a very few moments, -for he was far older and stronger than she. -Her breath was already coming in painful gasps and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -she felt she could not hold out much longer with the -wind blowing against her like this. He was rapidly -gaining. She could hear the clatter of his heavy -boots on the pavement. In a second more he would -have clutched her. Her brain worked like lightning. -She snatched a paper from the bunch in her arm and -flung it into the teeth of the wind, not daring to -pause long enough to look back to see if her pursuer -had stopped to capture it. She dropped another and -another, all the while making toward home, as fast -as she could fly. At length she had only one left, -but she was in sight of the house and Priscilla’s tormentor -was a full block behind. She flung the last -one back with a great sob of relief and then paused a -second to catch her breath and look behind her. The -wind carried the paper straight into the young rascal’s -face. He caught it and hurried on without -losing a second. Polly’s heart almost stopped beating. -It seemed to her as if her feet had grown suddenly -heavy as lead. If she could only reach home! -But she heard those heavy boots stamping nearer and -nearer. Lagging and panting she reached the house -and began to crawl and stumble up the steps scrambling -on all fours, like a baby. The fellow was close -at hand. He could leap the flight, two steps at a -time she knew. She reached the top just as he sprung -to the bottom. Her strength served her to touch the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -bell. It faintly rang—but too faintly to bring James -if he did not happen to be right there. On the instant, -however, the door opened and to the butler’s -amazement Polly stumbled blindly over the threshold -and pitched headlong into the hall.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI<br /> -<span class="smaller">SISTER’S PARTY</span></h2> - -<p>When Polly opened her eyes the first thing she -saw was James’ kindly face bending over her anxiously.</p> - -<p>“Hullo!” he said encouragingly.</p> - -<p>Polly sat up, feeling faint and dizzy. “What is -it?” she faltered, trying to get upon her feet.</p> - -<p>“Oh, nothing much,” replied James. “Nothing at -all, in fact. Just, as far as I can make out, you -thought you was the Limited an’ I was Chicago. -You run in on schedule time, and no mistake. Why, -you almost knocked me flat, the way you bolted in -this door.”</p> - -<p>His good-natured laugh gave Polly courage.</p> - -<p>“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” she said in a firmer -voice. “I didn’t mean to.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, that’s all right,” returned the kind-hearted -fellow. “I didn’t mind. I’d a got out of your way -if I’d a known this was your busy day and you was in -such a hurry, you know.”</p> - -<p>He saw that the little girl was weak and trembling -and though he did not know the cause, he wisely concluded -the best plan was to keep her mind off the -matter as long as he could.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p> - -<p>So he chatted cheerfully on, meanwhile helping her -to rise and guiding her to the dining-room where he -offered her a couple of ladies’-fingers and a glass of -raspberry juice to “sort-of give you an appetite for -your luncheon,” he explained.</p> - -<p>But, somehow, Polly’s head had begun to ache and -she felt as if the room were rocking. She did not -want anything to eat, she only wanted to lie down -somewhere and go to sleep. Her eyelids drooped -and her head nodded. James, thinking she might -have had a bad fall, racked his brains for jokes that -would be funny enough to keep her awake and he was -just about to give up in despair when the bell rang -and in came Hannah with Priscilla clinging to her -hand while she clasped a pretty rag-doll to her bosom. -Both were as white as paper. Priscilla was crying -softly. Before James could open his lips Hannah -gasped wildly:</p> - -<p>“Polly! Whatever shall I do? She’s running the -streets! She’ll get killed. If he catches her he’ll -beat her, maybe! Oh, dear! the young ruffian! I -was just coming out of the shop when I saw—— But -she was off like a shot from a shovel and he after -her. I couldn’t keep up with them, not if I’d been -paid a million dollars for it, and in a minute they -were out of sight. Oh, that poor child! Where is -she now?” and Hannah wrung her hands.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> - -<p>James looked bewildered as well he might. “I -haven’t the least notion what you’re talking about,” -he said, “but I kind of dimly make out you’re worried -about Polly. Well, you don’t need to be. She’s in -the dining-room, all safe and sound, though a bit unsteady -in the feet and dizzy in the head, by the looks -of her.”</p> - -<p>But Hannah had not waited to hear more than the -words that told her Polly was safe. The next instant -she was in the dining room with the little girl gathered -tight in her arms. Polly tried to smile at her -and at Priscilla who was gently patting her arms and -whispering something that no one could hear, but she -dared not keep her eyes open when the room whirled -about so dizzily and Hannah had to call on James to -carry her up-stairs and put her on the nursery lounge. -It was while she was curled up there, sleeping off her -fright and fatigue, with Priscilla sitting on guard beside -her, that Hannah told James what had happened. -She did not mind his frequent interruptions of “Good -girl!” “First-rate!” “Hurrah for Polly!” for she -was as excited over the adventure as he was, and was -glad to have the child appreciated for her part in it. -The story had to be gone over again from beginning -to end for the benefit of Priscilla’s mother and Miss -Cicely and when Polly woke it was to find herself -famous. She was surprised and a little shamefaced at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -the praise she received. She could not see why they -made so much of her. She had “just made that -naughty boy give back Priscilla’s doll, that was all. -Of course she knew he’d be mad when she boxed his -ears, but a boy was a coward who made a little girl -cry and he ought to be punished. Then, of course, -she ran when he chased her and—and she snatched -up his papers ’cause somehow, it came into her mind -that if she took them he would forget about Priscilla’s -doll. It was too bad she had scared Hannah. She -would try not to worry her any more.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cissy kissed her tenderly and so did Mrs. -Duer, at which Polly felt as if she were a queen who -had just been crowned. And that was the end of the -affair as far as she knew.</p> - -<p>Priscilla seemed to be thriving so splendidly that it -was decided to leave the city much earlier than usual -so she could spend the bright spring days entirely out -of doors and get the good of the beautiful country air.</p> - -<p>One morning toward the middle of April Hannah -took Polly to the hospital to say good-bye to sister. -Polly had often been there before, but to-day she -found the invalid in a cheerful little sitting-room, with -the sun streaming in at the window and violets and -daffodils upon the table. It was all just as Hannah -had said it would be, even to the white-capped nurses, -“as neat as wax,” bringing sister lovely things to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -eat. Sister had been in bed when Polly was there -before, but now to the little girl’s delight, she found -her sitting up in a wheeled-chair and looking cheerful -and happy in a dainty pink flannel robe with bows of -ribbon on it and lace about the throat and wrists. -Miss Cissy had brought it to her the day before.</p> - -<p>“Why, you’re almost well,” cried Polly joyously.</p> - -<p>Sister smiled. “It looks like it, doesn’t it?” she -replied and hugged her little visitor to her with a sort -of hungry look in her patient eyes.</p> - -<p>“I guess you’ll be walking around before I know it -almost,” quoted Polly eagerly, and sister nodded her -head.</p> - -<p>“So you are going off into the country,” she said -quickly. “What fun you’ll have and how beautiful it -will be to see the flowers blossoming and to hear the -birds singing. The fields will all be green and there’ll -be dandelions in them and daisies, and you must hunt -for four-leafed clovers. Why, you ought to be the -best girl in the world with so much good coming to -you. She tries to do right, doesn’t she, Hannah? I’m -glad. I knew she would. You’ll remember, won’t -you, Polly, that sister wants you to tell the truth -always; never to tell a falsehood. And you must be -kind and generous to every one and cheerful too. -There’s a little young mother here who has the -cunningest baby! A tiny thing only a few months<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -old; and she has made up a song to sing to it that -goes like this:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“‘Nice little babies never, never cry</div> -<div class="verse">Or when they do, we know the reason why.</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Good little babies bravely bear a deal,</div> -<div class="verse">They hold their little heads up</div> -<div class="verse indent1">No matter how they feel.’</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noindent">I want my Polly to ‘hold her little head up, no matter -how she feels,’ for that is the only brave way, you -know.”</p> - -<p>Polly felt a lump rising in her throat. “I’ll try,” -she whispered.</p> - -<p>Then Hannah brought out a basket packed full of -dainties, which Mrs. Duer had sent, and nothing would -do but they must have a tea-party, to which sister insisted -upon inviting Polly, Hannah, the nurse and the -mother of the “nice little baby.”</p> - -<p>While Polly went to carry the invitations Hannah -hurriedly asked, “You are better, though, aren’t you -really? Oh, I hope so, miss.” Sister’s eyes brimmed -with gratitude. “I hope so too,” she said hesitatingly. -“The doctors are giving me a little rest now because -they say I couldn’t stand any more pain for a while. -I tried very hard to be courageous; ‘to bravely bear a -deal,’ you know; ‘to hold my little head up no matter -how I felt,’ but they say I’ll have to rest for a few -weeks. By and by they are going to try again, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -then, if my strength holds out, I may really get better. -They say there is a chance—just think what that -means! a chance that I may be able to walk again! -It makes me too happy!”</p> - -<p>Hannah caught up the basket and hid her face behind -the cover, while she pretended to be very busy -taking out the hidden goodies.</p> - -<p>Polly thought that it was the jolliest tea-party in the -world, though she, herself, ate hardly anything at all -because she was so occupied with the wonderful mite -of a baby which she was permitted to hold in her own -arms, just as if she had been a grown-up woman. Its -mother seemed to see at once that she was reliable -and could be trusted, and that, in itself, was an honor -to be proud of. The baby, too, seemed to have confidence -in her new nurse, for she smiled and gurgled -and blinked her eyes and did all the dear, ridiculous -things that babies do, and then fell fast asleep in -Polly’s lap, with her little hands clinched tight into -two tiny fists, as if she meant to stand up and fight -anybody who said she wasn’t the biggest and bravest -baby in all the town.</p> - -<p>“What’s her name?” whispered Polly at last when -the mite was too sound asleep to be disturbed by her -voice.</p> - -<p>“She hasn’t got a name yet,” answered her mother. -“No name seems quite pretty enough. Do you know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -of any name you think would be nice? What is the -loveliest name you know?”</p> - -<p>“I know lots,” returned Polly confidently. “There’s -Hannah! Hannah is a fine name. And Ruth! Ruth -is sister’s name. Then I think Edith is just sweet and -Priscilla is most the grandest one I ever heard. But, -I know the one I love the best—it’s Cicely! Did you -ever hear of a handsomer name than Cicely? If you -could call this baby Cicely I think it would be perfectly -splendid.”</p> - -<p>The little young mother did not answer at once. -She seemed to be considering. But suddenly she -gave a decided nod of her head. “Well then,” she -announced firmly, “I’ll call the baby Cicely. I’m -sure she’d like to be named by so good a little girl as -you are. So Cicely she will be called, Cicely Bell. -They go nicely together, don’t they, without any -middle name to interfere? When she wakes I’ll tell -her her name’s Cicely.”</p> - -<p>“Whose name is Cicely?”</p> - -<p>The entire tea-party turned around in confusion and -there in the doorway stood Miss Cissy herself and just -behind her a tall and very elegant gentleman.</p> - -<p>“Dear me!” laughed she. “I hope we are not intruding. -But please tell me, before we run away and -leave you to yourselves again, whose name is -Cicely?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span></p> - -<p>Polly seemed to be the only one who could find her -tongue. “Why—why, the baby’s,” she cried eagerly. -“Don’t you see her here in my lap? Mrs. Bell let me -name her. And isn’t she the prettiest, cunningest -baby in the world. See her tiny hands and her darling -ears! And isn’t she good? She let me put her -to sleep. Oh, if she hadn’t been the best baby she -couldn’t have been named Cicely.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cissy flushed with pleasure and amusement at -the genuine compliment and coming forward knelt -down before Polly’s knee.</p> - -<p>“She is indeed a dear baby,” she said, taking one -of the wee pink fists in hers and kissing it lightly. -“And so you have really called her Cicely?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Bell nodded and murmured shyly, “Yes’m. -Polly named her.”</p> - -<p>“Well, that’s my name, you know, and if Polly -gave it to her because it’s mine, of course she is my -namesake, there’s no doubt about that.”</p> - -<p>Little Mrs. Bell flushed and trembled. “Excuse -me, miss,” she stammered faintly. “I didn’t know. -I wouldn’t have made so bold. Indeed I wouldn’t.”</p> - -<p>But Miss Cissy broke in on her apologies with a -merry laugh. “Oh, pray don’t spoil the compliment,” -she begged. “Why, I am as flattered and pleased as -possible.”</p> - -<p>The gentleman who had followed Miss Cissy into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -the room seemed almost as flattered and pleased as -she. His face quite glowed with pride and Polly saw -him draw an important looking leathern wallet from -his inner coat pocket and bring out of it a shining -gold piece. “May I shake hands with your young -daughter?” he enquired of Mrs. Bell and when, -almost dumb with astonishment and confusion she -nodded shyly, he bent over the baby as Miss Cissy -had done, took the mite’s hand in his and, uncurling -the tiny fingers tried to close them around the wonderful -coin, saying, as he did so, and too low for any -but Polly to hear; “There! That’s for your name’s -sake, my little woman.”</p> - -<p>Polly wanted to jump for joy, but all she could do -was to point silently to the treasure the little Cicely -clutched at tightly with her wee, pink fingers, when -her mother came to bear her away. Mrs. Bell was -quite overcome by the baby’s good fortune and found -it a difficult matter to make her way to the door. -But she managed it somehow and nodded again happily -and gratefully as Miss Cissy called after her:</p> - -<p>“I shall not forget my little namesake, Mrs. Bell. -She’ll hear from me every once in a while and I shall -always want to learn how she is getting along. So, -be sure to let me know where she is when you go -away from here.”</p> - -<p>The white-capped nurse slipped out with Mrs. Bell<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -and then Hannah, also, made ready to go, but Miss -Cissy detained her.</p> - -<p>“I want Mr. Cameron to meet my Polly,” she explained. -“I brought him with me to-day because I -knew our patient was sitting up and I was certain she -would not mind seeing a friend of mine.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no indeed!” murmured sister, flushing however -a little. But her shyness melted away in a -twinkling for if she had been the greatest lady in the -land Mr. Cameron could not have shown her more -deference and respect.</p> - -<p>“Ah, he’s a true gentleman,” the little seamstress -thought, and all the while he sat talking to Polly, she -was building beautiful castles in the air in which a -certain lovely young princess named Miss Cicely was -to “live happy ever after” with a certain handsome -young prince, her husband, whose name was—well, -whatever Mr. Cameron’s happened to be.</p> - -<p>“A penny for your thoughts,” announced Miss -Cissy mischievously bending forward and peering up -at sister with eyes full of fun.</p> - -<p>Sister’s cheeks flushed guiltily. “Oh, I was just -having a pretty day-dream,” she replied. “I hope it -will come true.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely’s eyes grew soft and bright. “I think -I know what the dream is,” she said, “and I also hope -it will come true. I think it will come true. In fact,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -I came here to-day to tell you about it, though it is to -be kept a secret from others for a while. But you are -a privileged person and I thought it would interest -you and I wanted to say that when the dream does -come true you are to have a part in it, my dear.”</p> - -<p>This time it was sister’s eyes that grew soft and -bright, seeing which Miss Cissy began to chatter very -fast.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want me to tell you a story?” she asked. -“Well, I intend to do it anyway. Once upon a time -there was a dear little uncomplaining woman who -was so dutiful and kind that every one loved and respected -her. She kept her wee bit of a home in -apple-pie order and she taught her little sister to be as -dutiful and good and uncomplaining as she was. It -was mighty difficult, I can tell you, to be dutiful and -good and uncomplaining where that little woman -lived, for it was in a great wilderness of a place -where there were wolves that it was almost impossible -to keep from the door. But the little woman, by -working early and late, managed to fight them off -and she never complained. Then one day a great, -cruel tyrant came and said: ‘Hark, little woman! -My name is Pain. I am going to chain you to this -chair. Now will you complain?’</p> - -<p>“But the little woman shook her head. Then as the -days grew cold and bleak a great wolf came and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -howled hungrily at her door. ‘Let me in! Let me -in!’ And still the little woman shook her head and -did not complain. Then up sprang the small sister -crying: ‘I’m not very big to be sure, but I think I -can help keep that wolf from our door if you will let -me try. He’s a great nuisance and ought to be put -away. I’m sure some one will get hurt if he’s allowed -to stay where he is, even if he doesn’t eat us both up -beforehand.’</p> - -<p>“This was so sensible that the little woman consented -to let small sister take a hand in the fight. She gave -her a heart full of courage and many other splendid -weapons for use in such struggles and, do you believe -it? Small sister actually did help to keep that wolf at -a distance. Them one day the story of all this came -to the ears of a person——”</p> - -<p>“No, a princess,” corrected sister.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid not,” objected Miss Cicely. “I’m afraid -she was only a person; well, one day the story of all -this came to the ears of a person who said to herself, -‘dear me! these two ladies are just precisely the ones I -have been searching for. They can teach me ever so -many things I don’t know, and if they will only consent -to it, I think I’d like to begin a course of instruction -under them at once.’ So she carried them off -quite out of the wolf’s reach, for she was a very -strong, athletic person, and watched them closely and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -little by little she really did begin to learn of them. -Oh, I can’t begin to tell you the number of things -they taught her, but one was to distinguish between -real and make-believe people. Where she lived there -were a great many make-believe people; in fact, she -just escaped being one herself, though please don’t -mention it. But as she grew wiser she learned to tell -the difference between the real thing and the make-believers, -and that changed her whole life, for it -seemed, there were two suitors for her hand and as -both were dressed exactly alike she hadn’t been able -to tell them apart and hadn’t known at all which one -was real and which only make-believe. But after she -had taken several lessons of the little woman and -small sister she searched for the heart of one of them -and, to her horror, found he hadn’t any, that he was -just a poor make-believer dressed up in fine clothes. -And then she searched for the heart of the other and -there it was all safe and sound! the jolliest, biggest, -truest one you ever saw, only his fine clothes hid it -from every one who hadn’t clear enough eyes to -see. Well, of course that settled it. The person said: -‘Yes’ to the real-one-with-the-heart and they are -going to live happy ever after, unless I’m much mistaken. -But you needn’t think the story ends there. -The little woman is going to be rescued from her -awful tyrant and is going to be quite free to come and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -go as she chooses. Then the person and the real-one-with-the-heart -are going to take her with them—over -the hills and far away, and she is to study in books as -she longs to do, and is to hear music and see pictures -and grow, oh! very wise and learned; only, for my -part, I don’t believe she can learn anything better -than what she knows already which is to be dutiful and -kind and uncomplaining and—well, that’s the beginning -of the end of the story, and I think it’s almost -the best of all.”</p> - -<p>By the looks of her, sister did too, for when Mr. -Cameron and Polly managed to glance up from the -mazes of the wonderful cat’s-cradle they were weaving, -they were surprised to see the change that had -come over her face. All the traces of pain and care -were gone and it was as glad and as young as Polly’s -own.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII<br /> -<span class="smaller">IN THE COUNTRY</span></h2> - -<p>Priscilla and Polly proved to be famous travelers, -for everything about the journey interested them. -They thought it great sport to look out of the car-window -and watch the telegraph-poles flash past and -when this grew less amusing they made up words to -the tune the train was grinding out.</p> - -<p>“Going to the country! Going to the country!” -chanted Polly, “that is what it says.”</p> - -<p>“Priscilla and Polly! Priscilla and Polly!” sang -Priscilla, “don’t you hear it?” And, sure enough, -the tune did actually seem to change as they listened, -and that set them to composing other words for the -wheels to whirl out, and the accommodating train -sang them all.</p> - -<p>Then, it was fun to sit opposite each other across -the aisle and count the white cows they saw. First -there seemed to be more on Polly’s side than on -Priscilla’s, but all at once they flashed by a meadow -where quite a drove of cattle was grazing and Priscilla -got all the benefit of the white cows in it.</p> - -<p>But when, at last, they arrived at “the country”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -itself, Polly could hardly keep from shouting with delight. -Why, it was just the most beautiful place she -had ever dreamed of, and it was precisely as sister had -said it would be. There were the blossoming flowers -and the singing birds and the green fields all starred -over with dandelions and daisies. The daylight was -fading as they drove through the leafy lanes from the -railroad-station to the house and Priscilla’s tired eyelids -were drooping, but Polly was as wide-awake and -alert as when she started out. She saw a big gate of -“curly” iron set between two huge stone posts, a -cozy little cottage that Hannah said was “the Lodge” -nestling beside it, broad lawns and towering trees -and then, after they had passed all these, a great -house standing high and stately against the glowing -sky. It was beneath the carriage entrance of this -that they stopped and Polly was just beginning to -feel strange and awe-struck when out came James, -with smiling face, to welcome them and she felt at -home at once. In another moment Theresa appeared -and busied herself carrying in the wraps and umbrellas, -while she gave Priscilla a radiant smile and -Polly a not unkindly pat on the shoulder. She even -assisted James to serve them at tea, and was so altogether -amiable and accommodating that Polly concluded -the city air had not agreed with her and that -she felt better in her mind here. But she did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -have much opportunity to think about it, for Hannah -whisked her and Priscilla up-stairs and had them -safely tucked into bed in no time and then, somehow, -that was the end of things until the next morning.</p> - -<p>It appeared that, in the stable, there was a little -square basket, perched on two wheels, which was to -be drawn by a wee scrap of a shaggy pony not much -bigger than a St. Bernard dog, and this was Priscilla’s -own private and particular turnout. She could not be -trusted alone to manage her fiery steed and therefore -Hannah always went along when she and Polly drove -out, but, dear me! they didn’t mind that! Hannah -was just like another little girl, she was so jolly and -full of fun. What splendid times they had, to be sure, -trundling along the country-roads behind “Oh-my.”</p> - -<p>Polly thought Oh-my a very curious name and -Priscilla had to explain that pony received it from -Uncle Arthur who had said “He was little but, Oh -my!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t care if he is little,” asserted Priscilla, “I -love him just the same.”</p> - -<p>“Why, of course you do,” responded Polly. “He’s -the best and smartest horse I ever saw. He understands -everything we say and sometimes I think he -likes jokes, ’cause when we make ’em and laugh he -starts up quick as anything, and his sides just shake, -as if he were laughing too.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> - -<p>So Oh-my was made one of them, as it were; was -included in most of their play and had to “make-believe” -he was everything from an elephant in an Indian -jungle to one of the rats that drew Cinderella’s -pumpkin-coach to the ball.</p> - -<p>April was gone in a flash and May and June followed -mild and warm. Then, one day in late July -the Sweet P’s had a bright idea. Polly had been telling -Priscilla about when she was “at home, where -the poor people live” and had grown quite excited -over her description of the sickly, poverty-stricken -children that thronged the tenements and swarmed -out into the streets these breathless days, and Priscilla -had sighed and said, “Oh dear! I didn’t know they -were ever like that! I wish I could give them some -money.”</p> - -<p>“I earned quite a lot being cash-girl,” ventured -Polly.</p> - -<p>“I wish I could be a cash-girl!” murmured Priscilla.</p> - -<p>“For the land’s sake!” Hannah exclaimed.</p> - -<p>Polly was silent for a moment. Then she jumped -to her feet with a bound. “I tell you what!” she -cried. “Let’s make a fair. We can sew lots of pretty -things and tie ribbons around them and Hannah can -sell them behind a counter and you and I’ll be cash-girls. -Miss Cissy and all the rest will buy from us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -and pay real money and we’ll give it to the people -who have the Fresh Air Fun’.”</p> - -<p>Hannah turned away her head and coughed violently -into her handkerchief, but Priscilla clapped her -hands.</p> - -<p>“Oh, do! Oh, let’s!” she cried eagerly.</p> - -<p>“Sister can make the loveliest lace you ever saw,” -continued Polly, “and she’ll do some for us if we ask -her, and—and—— Oh! I know we could have a -beautiful fair.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla was so captivated by the idea that she -could hardly wait for a chance to lay it before her -mother. The dear little girl was timid even with -those she loved best and it required considerable -courage to go and knock upon the great living-room -door and ask if she might, “please come in.”</p> - -<p>“Is that my Priscilla?” asked a dear voice in -response.</p> - -<p>“Yes, mamma,” replied the younger Sweet P.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer held out her arms and gathered her small -daughter into them with a quick laugh of pleasure.</p> - -<p>“Mother is always glad to see her little girl,” she -said.</p> - -<p>Priscilla smiled.</p> - -<p>“What have you been doing to-day? Having a -nice time?”</p> - -<p>Priscilla nodded.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Where is Polly?”</p> - -<p>“Up-stairs,” whispered Polly’s partner.</p> - -<p>“I wonder,” ventured Mrs. Duer, “if there is anything -particular mother can do for her little girl?”</p> - -<p>Priscilla ducked her head quickly.</p> - -<p>“What is it you want, darling? Tell mother and, -who knows, perhaps she can get it for you.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla smiled and swallowed hard.</p> - -<p>“What is it, sweetheart? Surely you’re not afraid -to speak to mother! What do you want?”</p> - -<p>“A fair,” murmured Priscilla with an effort, “We -want to make one, Polly and I do, and tie it with -ribbons and have Hannah sell it behind a counter. -Polly and I will be cash-girls and give the money to -the Fresh Air Fun’.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer hesitated a moment, for Priscilla’s description -of the Sweet P’s plan was not altogether as -clear as it might have been. But the anxious, small -face, flushing and paling with eagerness, hastened her -answer.</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, you dear child,” she returned. “If you -and Polly want to have a fair I see no reason why -you should not have one. In fact, I shall be very glad -to help you all I can. You may tell Theresa to give -Hannah my piece-bag and silk-boxes and you can -choose all the fancy bits you like for pin-balls and -needle-cases and book-marks. And when you have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -shown what you can do I will fit out a table for you -myself.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla did not wait for more. She pressed her -cheek lovingly against her mother’s for an instant -and then hurried away to tell Polly the glorious news.</p> - -<p>How they did work after that! They sat under -the trees and stitched away until the robins must -have wondered what manner of nests these large -birds were building that required such an endless -supply of threads and silks and sweet-smelling cotton-wool. -Hannah was kept breathlessly busy, planning -and cutting out and basting, for when fingers are -willing, needles fly.</p> - -<p>A little bird (perhaps one of the robins) told Miss -Cissy what was afoot and the first thing the Sweet -P’s knew there she was, declaring she did not intend -to be excluded from all the fun and that if they did -not mind she was going to have a finger in their Fresh -Air pie. In spite of their good-will they had discovered -that a fair meant pretty hard work and, sew as -diligently as they might, they seemed to make very -little progress after the first few days. But when -Miss Cicely arrived everything was changed. She -helped them with such energy that, before they knew -it their stock in trade had outgrown the nursery -limits and had to be shifted to the great picture-gallery. -Then, suddenly, contributions began to pour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -in from every side. Grandpapa and grandmamma -sent a huge boxful of the most wonderful articles and -all the uncles and aunts followed suit, until it was plain -that the Sweet P’s modest fair was developing into a -very elaborate affair. Miss Cicely had said she would -take charge of one of the booths, but she soon discovered -she could not do it alone, even with the assistance -of two such tireless cash-girls as Priscilla and -Polly, and so she asked their permission to invite some -of the neighborhood ladies to lend a hand. Then -some one suggested that it would sound much grander -if the fair were called a kirmess and, this being agreed -upon, of course all the booths had to be arranged in -the quaint fashion of those at a German village festival -and the attendants dressed in the peasant costume. -The Sweet P’s were to be arrayed in scarlet woolen -petticoats; black-velvet, gold-laced bodices over white -guimpes, with white aprons, black velvet caps, low, -gilt-buckled shoes and dark-blue stockings. Oh-my -heard them talking about it as they sat behind him in -the little basket-cart that he drew so patiently over -hill and dale for their amusement, and Polly was -quite certain his feelings were hurt because he was -not included in the plans for the bazaar.</p> - -<p>“The poor, dear thing!” she confided to Priscilla. -“He feels left out in the cold.”</p> - -<p>Hannah laughed. “Cold, is it?” she repeated,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -fanning herself with her apron and trying to dodge -the hot sun beneath the little canopy-top of the cart. -“Well, he may be glad of it. I wouldn’t mind being -left out in the cold myself for a bit these stifling -days.”</p> - -<p>“Well, heat, then,” Polly laughingly corrected herself -but with a pretended pout. “I’m quite certain -he feels left out in the—heat.”</p> - -<p>“Do you really think so?” asked Priscilla. “Oh, -poor pony! We didn’t really mean it! We didn’t -really mean to leave you out.”</p> - -<p>“But he mustn’t be left out,” insisted Polly, decidedly. -“He just has got to be part of it, that’s all. -We’ll ask Miss Cissy as soon as we get home what he -can do to help.”</p> - -<p>Miss Cicely knew at once. “He can take all the -little boys and girls for a drive; fare, five cents. -We’ll put ribbons and bells on the cart to make it -look festive and we’ll get some nice lad, who is a careful -driver, to dress himself up as a German Hans, and -then you see if Oh-my does not make a nice pocketful -of money for us.”</p> - -<p>Polly clapped her hands. She was convinced that -Oh-my understood and would be charmed with the -idea. And certainly this seemed to be the case, for -when the great day of the kirmess arrived he proved -as earnest and excited a worker as any there. Up the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -driveway and down he scampered, prancing a bit at -the turning where a low railing protected the road -from the edge of a steep bank of the ravine, and mischievously -making the happy children who crowded -the basket to the brim shriek aloud with excitement -that was half fun, half fear. He was, in fact, -one of the most popular attractions at the festival and -Uncle Arthur, who was in charge of the prize-parcel -booth, threatened to put him off the grounds, he was -so dangerous a rival and monopolized so much of the -custom.</p> - -<p>Polly and Priscilla fluttered about like two tireless, -industrious Gretchens, filling orders and carrying -bundles and doing their duty so thoroughly and well -that it was a pleasure to watch them. The grounds -were thronged and it was difficult to get about amid -such a crowd, but their patience never wavered and -the day bade fair to prove a glorious success. Polly -carried a little chamois-skin bag filled with quarters -and dimes and nickels and whenever there was a bill -to change she seemed to be on the spot to assist in -the transaction.</p> - -<p>“Keep your eyes open, Pollykin,” Miss Cicely had -advised. “And don’t let any one escape with the -apology that they have nothing but bills. Make it -easy for them to get change and then they will have -no excuse for not buying.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - -<p>Polly laughed. “I’ll try,” she said, over her shoulder, -as she skipped away, her eyes flashing and her -breath coming fast.</p> - -<p>But if the gaily decked booths, the pretty nurses -and children and the gold-laced uniforms of the orchestra-men -gave a festive look to the place in the -daytime, the numberless chains of dainty Chinese -lanterns and sparkling electric lights glowing among -the trees made it appear like fairy-land at night.</p> - -<p>Priscilla and Polly were in an ecstasy, for they -were to stay up as long as the kirmess lasted and do -their part to the very end. It was the proudest day -in their lives, for even Oh-my had been led off to his -stable at sunset, and it seemed very grown-up and important -to be tripping about when all the other -children were safely in bed and asleep. But Polly -found her responsibilities heavier than ever, for -whereas the place had been crowded with nurses and -children during the daytime, it was thronged with -gentlemen and ladies now; and gentlemen and ladies -who seemed to carry nothing but big bills in -their pockets, which frequently the saleswomen in -the booths were unable to change. She was here, -there and everywhere at once and as fast as her coins -disappeared she went to Miss Cicely for more.</p> - -<p>“Now, here’s another bagful of silver,” explained -Miss Cissy. “Five dollars’ worth, in halves and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -quarters and dimes. Take good care of it, dear, and -see that you don’t stumble in the shadows; these -electric lights are shifty and it is easy to trip.”</p> - -<p>Polly picked her way carefully over the patches of -light and shadow in the grass and fastened her fingers -more securely about the money-bag she carried. She -was congratulating herself that she had not had one -mishap all day and she was determined it should not -be her fault if everything did not end as well as it -had begun. She was proud of Miss Cissy’s confidence -in her and anxious to prove she deserved it. These -thoughts and a crowd of others were flashing through -her mind when—alas for Polly! she never knew how -it happened, but before she had time to prevent it, -she had missed her footing, had fallen, struck her -head sharply against the iron railing that guarded the -driveway from the steep bank of the ravine and was -only saved from pitching headlong down into the -gorge by the slender bar itself. For one instant she -lay quite still, then she struggled to her feet in terror, -for in the midst of her pain and shock she realized -that her precious bag was gone. The jolt of her fall -had wrenched it from her grasp. Her hands were -bruised and scratched by the sharp gravel-stones, a -rapidly-rising lump upon her head throbbed heavily, -but she lost no time in considering these. Her one -thought was for the money-bag. On hands and knees<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -she crept up and down and across the spot where -she had fallen, groping for her treasure, but all -to no purpose; the bag was nowhere to be found. -Big tears of dismay welled up into her eyes, as second -after second passed and still she had not recovered it. -Suddenly she saw a figure coming toward her that -proved to be Theresa hurrying to the house on some -errand or other.</p> - -<p>“What’s the matter?” asked the maid pausing in -surprise.</p> - -<p>“Oh, dear!” Polly almost sobbed, “I fell—— I -tripped and fell, and my money-bag is gone—with -five dollars in it.”</p> - -<p>Theresa gave a pretended gasp of horror. “Gracious -me!” she exclaimed. “You are in trouble, for sure, -aren’t you? I don’t wonder you feel bad. Five dollars! -That’s a big pile of money, when you haven’t -got it! Like’s not your bag is at the bottom of the -ravine this minute, floating down the brook. I -declare I’m sorry for you, for of course if you don’t -hand it over prompt and quick to Miss Cicely, she’ll -think hard things of you, and maybe turn you out -besides. Goodness! if it was me, I’d run away this -minute and never come back here again. I’d be that -frightened and ashamed!”</p> - -<p>Polly stopped short in her search and looked up at -Theresa with a new terror in her eyes. “What—what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -do you mean?” she stammered. “Why should -I be frightened—and ashamed? It wasn’t my fault! -I tried to be careful. Why should they turn me -out?”</p> - -<p>“Because, silly! That’s why,” replied the maid -sourly. “If you don’t hand that bag over to Miss -Cicely right away she’ll think hard things of you. -She’ll say you’re careless and not to be trusted. Oh, -dear, there is no knowing what she will say and do, -she’ll be so angry at the loss of that much money. I -wouldn’t risk it, if I were you. I’d run away before -they found out.”</p> - -<p>Polly gasped painfully. “It isn’t my fault,” she -repeated, sobbing. “I have tried to be careful, I have, -really and truly. I don’t think Miss Cissy will think -those things of me you say she will, but—but—even -if she does, I can’t run away. It wouldn’t be right to -run away. If I can’t find the bag and she blames me, -I’ll have to—to tell her all about it and stand it, -somehow.”</p> - -<p>Theresa gave a sharp laugh. “Well, do as you -please,” she cried harshly. “It’s none of my business, -I’m sure. But I can tell you this much, you won’t -find your bag, and you will be blamed, so there! -You’re mighty brave and courageous now, but wait -till you’re turned out in disgrace, and then see how -you’ll feel. I guess you’ll wish you had taken my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -advice then. Listen to me! if you want, I’ll hide you -in my room to-night, and to-morrow morning I’ll -smuggle you out of the house as quiet as a mouse, -and no one will ever be the wiser. I’ll slip you down -to the station, and you can go to your sister in the -cars, and—and——”</p> - -<p>For a moment Polly saw herself as Theresa pictured -her: blamed, disgraced, turned out of this home -maybe, where every one had been so kind to her, and -it seemed as if she could not face it.</p> - -<p>“Will you do as I say?” demanded Theresa eagerly, -catching her by the arm.</p> - -<p>Polly gave a quick, low sob and shook her head.</p> - -<p>Theresa released her hold with sudden violence, -turned short round upon her heel and, without another -word, strode toward the house. Polly looked after -her with misery and despair in every line of her pale -little face. Then she fell to searching again, feeling -about blindly along every inch of the spot where she -had fallen. But still the bag could not be found. -Time was flying, and Theresa had said if she did not -return the money at once they would think hard -things of her. She could not believe it! She could -not bear it! She struggled to her feet and tried to -gather her wits together. What should she do? -What would sister tell her to do if she were here and -knew the truth. Suddenly Polly gave a little gasp of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -joy and flew toward the house as fast as her feet -would carry her. She had found a way out of her -trouble, and her heart beat so quick with the relief of -it, that it almost took her breath away. Up into the -nursery she ran, and to her own particular little table -upon which her bank stood. It was so heavy with -money it would hardly rattle, and every cent of it was -her very own by right, to do with as she chose. But -how was she to get at the money? The bank was -locked and she had given sister the key. She twisted -and tugged at it fiercely, but only a stray copper or -nickle slipped through the opening in the top, and at -this rate it would take her all night to shake out the -rest. She thought of James. James would help her! -James was a good friend of hers. She flew down-stairs -like a small whirlwind, and surprised the butler -as he stood in the front doorway, watching the gaieties -outside and resting for a moment from his labors. He -heard her out patiently, though she was so excited her -words came in gasps, and she made confusing work of -her story.</p> - -<p>“So you fell and hurt yourself, and lost your bag -of change, eh?” he commented. “Well, I declare, -that’s rare hard luck, it is! No mistake! And you -want me to open this affair and get the money out of -it to make up for what you lost? Well, you’re a real -up-and-down square one, you are. Now just you wait.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -I’ve a big ring of keys down-stairs, and I’ll bring it -up and see if we can’t fit one into this lock, and if we -can’t—why!——”</p> - -<p>He did not wait to explain what would happen -then but ran quickly below and before many minutes -was back again and trying one key after another into -the obstinate lock that absolutely refused to be fitted. -Polly, at his side, twisted and jerked with impatience -and excitement, and when at last James shook his -head and said with a sigh: “It’s no use! there ain’t -one in the whole lot that’ll do,” she almost broke into -crying again.</p> - -<p>The kind fellow gave her an encouraging glance. -“Don’t you worry,” he said. “If we can’t do one -way we’ll do another. If we can’t unlock the door -we’ll have to break open the bank. Are you -willing?”</p> - -<p>Polly nodded eagerly. “Yes, oh yes!” she -quivered.</p> - -<p>“Well, come along then,” returned James and led -the way down-stairs. Polly following dumbly. She -could hardly wait while he got from his tool-chest the -things he needed and set to work. Once, twice, three -times the heavy hammer fell, and then, with a cry of -joy, Polly made a dash toward the shattered bank -and gathered up the stream of coins that poured out -of it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, James, I thank you ever so much,” she cried -gratefully.</p> - -<p>“Hadn’t you better count your money,” suggested -the butler sensibly. “Are you sure there’s enough -here? It takes a good many pennies and nickles to -make five dollars, you know.”</p> - -<p>The next moment he was almost sorry he had -spoken when he saw all the brightness vanish from -her face as quickly as it had come there. But she did -not stop to lament.</p> - -<p>“Take half, please,” she said, “and count it and I’ll -count the other part and then we’ll add what we’ve -both got.”</p> - -<p>Poor James! He was not, as he himself admitted, -“a lightening calculator,” and his progress was very -slow, so that Polly had announced: “One dollar and -sixteen cents,” while he was still stumbling over, “A -quarter—and ten cents: that makes thirty-five! And -five more: that makes forty,” and so on. Would he -never get done? Would he never say, “One dollar!” -Suppose there were not enough!</p> - -<p>“One dollar!” announced James triumphantly, and -Polly’s heart beat fast for he still held quite a little -heap of coins that were uncounted. It was a -great trial of patience to stand there and wait and -wait, when so much was at stake. Polly wanted to -jump up and down and cry: “Hurry! Hurry!” to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -urge him on, but she shut her teeth hard and kept the -words back.</p> - -<p>“One dollar and fifty!” droned James. “And a -dime: that makes sixty: and five pennies: that -makes sixty-five. And a quarter: that makes ninety: -a dollar and ninety! I guess I’ve got most of the big -pieces! And a dime: two dollars! Two dollars and -ten cents! fifteen! eighteen! and another dime: -that’s twenty-eight! And, hey there! If here ain’t -a fifty-cent piece! That makes two dollars and -seventy-eight. I say, two dollars and seventy-eight is -better than nothing! And your one dollar and sixteen -added to that! why that makes—that makes—three -dollars and ninety-four. Now ten cents makes -four dollars and four cents and six more is ten and—and—four -dollars and ten cents and—and—that’s -all!”</p> - -<p>Yes, Polly had seen it was all. A couple of great -tears crowded out the sight of James and the cruelly -disappointing pile of money he held, and then rolled -down her burning cheeks in two hot streams. But -the next moment she had brushed them hastily aside, -for the butler had grasped her arm with a jolly laugh.</p> - -<p>“Oh, I say!” he shouted. “See here! What’s the -matter with counting in this nice one-dollar bill lying -there all hid away where we didn’t see it! I ain’t -a lightening calculator, and I ain’t proud if I am<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -handsome, but the way I add up four dollars and ten -cents and a one dollar bill, brings it up to five dollars, -with a silver dime over. Now, young lady, just you -take this money and skip as fast as ever you can.”</p> - -<p>Skip! Why Polly fairly flew and James, looking -after her with a smile, patted his vest-pocket approvingly, -muttering to himself: “I got a dollar’s worth -of fun just seeing the worry go out of her eyes and -the glad look come back again. I ain’t rich, but I’m -satisfied I spent that money right!”</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII<br /> -<span class="smaller">PRISCILLA’S VICTORY</span></h2> - -<p>So, after all, the kirmess ended in a blaze of glory -for Polly as well as for every one else and she would -have thought herself the happiest girl in the world -even if, at the close of the evening, when they were -sitting under the trees, eating ice cream and cake -and resting after the fatigue of the day, Miss Cicely -had not risen and said:</p> - -<p>“Now I hope all present who vote our kirmess a -success will give a cheer for the two ladies who, from -the first, have been the means of making it so. I propose -a cheer for our two Sweet P’s.”</p> - -<p>“Three cheers and an extra one for good measure!” -cried Uncle Arthur jumping to his feet, and -although Aunt Laura murmured, “Don’t be absurd, -Arthur!” they were given with a will.</p> - -<p>But the next day! Oh dear, how different everything -seemed then! The grounds were littered with -torn paper and scorched lanterns and scraps of twine -and tattered shreds of muslin and bunting. The -grass of the lawns was cruelly trodden down and, in -some places, fairly torn up by the roots. Indoors it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -was no better. The articles that had been left over -from the fair were scattered here, there, and everywhere -in everybody’s way.</p> - -<p>Priscilla looked pale and worn out and, for the first -time since Polly had known her, was, as Hannah expressed -it, “cross as two sticks.” Polly herself was -far from well. There was a big aching bump upon -her head and her body felt stiff and sore all over. -Her cheeks were flushed and feverish and she, as well -as Priscilla, felt so tired and forlorn that they could -hardly drag themselves to the stable on a visit of condolence -to Oh-my, when it was discovered that the -poor little pony had been overdriven the day before, -had caught cold and would have to be very carefully -tended before he could recover. Even Hannah was -inclined to be irritable, and there was no doubt at all -about Theresa’s and the other servants’ ill-temper.</p> - -<p>The sight of the empty place upon her table where -her precious bank had stood made Polly so melancholy -that she felt like sitting down and having a “good cry” -over it, but she remembered sister’s advice to “hold her -little head up no matter how she felt” and decided that -she would follow it at once. But the sacrifice of her -savings meant a real struggle, for Polly had had great -plans as to what she meant to do with her money and -now it looked as if all those lovely dreams could never -be realized. As soon as her breakfast was eaten she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -left the nursery, inclining to confess to Miss Cissy -about the little chamois-skin bag, but everything was -in confusion down-stairs for, it appeared, Miss Cicely -had to hurry off at once to join a party of friends at -the seaside, the rest of the relations were going their -own ways and, in a very little while, the house would -be left deserted and dull to struggle with the sultry, -trying weather alone.</p> - -<p>“Let’s come out under the trees and play house,” -suggested Polly to Priscilla.</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to,” Priscilla murmured, a little fretfully, -letting herself drop limply upon the veranda -cushions with a whimper.</p> - -<p>“My child, Ruthie Carter, has got the mumps and -the doctor said I must take her to the seashore right -away,” explained Polly, clasping the invalid-doll in -her arms and trying to make herself believe she cared -whether Ruthie Carter recovered from her attack or -not.</p> - -<p>Priscilla did not answer.</p> - -<p>“Is your baby quite well, Mrs. Priscilla?” inquired -Mrs. Polly politely.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Priscilla shook her head silently, and after a -few more unsuccessful attempts to engage her in conversation, -Mrs. Polly gave it up and sauntered slowly -across the lawn, bound for the seashore to which the -imaginary doctor had advised her to take her ailing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -child. She chose the pretty, rustic summer-house -called Pine Lodge, for her play to-day, because it was -shady and quiet there, and its sides, which were open -half-way down from the roof, let the breeze in -unhindered. A bench ran round the walls of the -place, and was very useful and convenient for housekeeping; -purposes, for, with a little arrangement and -imagination, it could be made to serve as table, cupboard, -bed, piano, and a host of other things, just as -one chose. One section of it only was forbidden -ground: that running along the side of the summer-house -that overhung the ravine. It was a rule remaining -over from Priscilla’s baby-days that she was -never to be left alone in Pine Lodge, and that she was -never, never, never to mount upon that particular -portion of the bench, for though now she was -old enough to realize the danger of leaning over -the wall’s edge, an accident might occur, and the -ravine was deep and its steep walls rocky and sheer, -while the tall trees that clung to them showed many a -bare and unsupported root. When Polly had passed -quite out of sight Priscilla began to cry. She had not -wanted to play with her, but neither had she wanted -Polly to go off and play by herself.</p> - -<p>“She’s real mean to leave me all alone,” she sobbed -irritably. “I don’t think she’s very polite.”</p> - -<p>But only a robin, hopping nimbly across the driveway,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -heard her complaint, and as he did not seem to -sympathize with her, she felt it was of no use to say -any more. She gathered herself up with a pettish -sigh and set out to follow Polly across the lawn.</p> - -<p>“Hello!” said Polly as she came in sight.</p> - -<p>“Hello,” returned Priscilla.</p> - -<p>“Didn’t you bring your child with you? The seashore -will do her a lot of good. My Ruthie Carter’s -almost well already.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla shook her head.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want to go and fetch your baby?” inquired -Polly. “Let’s play you came to visit me and -didn’t bring her along, ’cause you were afraid she’d -be a bother, and I said: ‘No, indeed, I’d be pleased -to have her!’”</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to,” returned Priscilla. “My feet -hurt. You go.”</p> - -<p>“My feet hurt, too, and so do my arms and all the -rest of me.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t think you’re very polite, Polly Carter, -so there! Your head doesn’t feel half as bad as mine -does.”</p> - -<p>Polly jumped up and laid Priscilla’s hand on the -big bump that was throbbing beneath her hair. -“There!” she said, triumphantly, “what do you think -of that? Doesn’t that thump? And it aches like -anything.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - -<p>“How did you do it?”</p> - -<p>“I tripped last night in the dark and knocked it -against that iron fence by the driveway. I was running -as quick as I could to make change and all of a -sudden I fell down and my money-bag—the one Miss -Cissy gave me with five dollars in it—jogged out of -my hand and I hit my head and—I guess you’ll believe -I don’t feel very well now!”</p> - -<p>Under all Priscilla’s real sweetness of nature there -lay a hidden rock of obstinacy that made her, at -times, a very difficult little personage to deal with. -Hannah had encountered it often and often, but -Hannah was indulgent and excused her pet to herself -by saying: “She’s so young; she’ll outgrow it by -and by.”</p> - -<p>Polly had, up to this, given in almost entirely to -Priscilla, no matter what her whims might be, and so -had not really had any conflict with the quiet persistence -and iron will that underlay the little girl’s -other really lovable traits. But she was to have one -now.</p> - -<p>Priscilla listened attentively to the story of the bag -and the bruise and then repeated slowly: “I don’t -think you’re very polite. I think you might get my -doll.”</p> - -<p>“Hannah told me not to wait on you so much. She -says it spoils you.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> - -<p>Priscilla silently regarded the toes of her shoes and -seemed to be considering. Her lips were pressed -tightly together, and she did not reply for a minute. -Then she said gently: “I think you might get my -doll.”</p> - -<p>Polly pretended not to hear. She bent over the -mumpy Ruth and drew her handkerchief across the -sick infant’s chest to shield her from the supposed -fresh sea-breeze that was blowing inshore smartly -from the great stretch of imaginary ocean beyond.</p> - -<p>“I think you might get my doll,” droned Priscilla -again.</p> - -<p>“I’ve been hunting for that bag so long this morning -I’m tired clear through to my bones,” explained -Polly at length, with a touch of reproach in her voice.</p> - -<p>“Where do you s’pose it is?” asked Priscilla.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. Down the bank, maybe, and in the -water. Theresa said it was. I went back to the -place before breakfast and searched and searched.”</p> - -<p>“Let’s lean over the edge of this and p’raps we can -see it.”</p> - -<p>“No, no,” protested Polly, quickly. “Don’t you! -don’t you! Your mother ’spressly told us never to -do that. She said you might fall over. She said I -was never to leave you here alone—and that’s another -reason why I can’t go get your doll.”</p> - -<p>For answer Priscilla rose slowly and crossed the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -summer-house to the side that overhung the ravine. -Very slowly and deliberately she mounted the bench, -knelt up upon it and, leaning far over the ledge, -peered into the dark depths of the ravine -below.</p> - -<p>Polly held her breath for a moment, too horrified -to speak. Then she gasped out imploringly: “Don’t, -don’t! Oh, Priscilla, don’t do so! Your mother told -you not to. She said it was dangerous!”</p> - -<p>For response Priscilla leaned out a little further.</p> - -<p>Polly was speechless. She grasped the little girl’s -dress and clutched it fiercely; it was all she could do.</p> - -<p>“I think you might get my doll,” repeated Priscilla.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Priscilla, how can I? I couldn’t leave you -here alone like this for anything. They’d think I was -awful; they’d scold.”</p> - -<p>“You might get my doll.”</p> - -<p>“I can’t.”</p> - -<p>“Then I’ll lean out further.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you! Don’t you!”</p> - -<p>“I will, ’less you get my doll!”</p> - -<p>Priscilla was beginning quite to enjoy herself. Her -usually gentle heart was hardened now with the determination -to have her own way at any cost. There -was a fearful excitement in leaning over that forbidden -ledge, and it was “fun” of a sort to know -that Polly stood in fear of what she would do. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -did not draw back an inch, and the hand on her skirt -tightened fiercely.</p> - -<p>“Let go my dress!”</p> - -<p>“I mustn’t: you’ll fall!”</p> - -<p>“I won’t fall if you’ll get my doll!”</p> - -<p>“Will you get down if I do? Really and truly?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; if you’ll get my doll, I’ll get down.”</p> - -<p>Polly struggled with herself.</p> - -<p>“Oh, I can’t,” she panted. “They told me not to -let you be here alone. I can’t! Honest, I can’t.”</p> - -<p>“I think I see your bag. It’s over there! ’Way -over there down behind the roots of that tree,” declared -Priscilla, unconcernedly.</p> - -<p>“Never mind! Don’t lean over so! Don’t look! -You’ll get dizzy! Come away! Let’s play——”</p> - -<p>“If you’ll get my doll.”</p> - -<p>Polly gasped helplessly. “Well—well——” she -stammered, “I—I will—if you’ll solemnly promise to -come down, I will.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla had won the battle.</p> - -<p>“I’ll promise,” she said gently and slid back upon -the bench and then down to the safety of the floor, as -quietly and obediently as if she had never been defiant -in all her life.</p> - -<p>But the scare and the struggle had been too much -for Polly. At sight of Priscilla’s innocent air, her -eyes blazed resentfully. She felt, somehow, that she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -was being terribly wronged and imposed upon, and -for the first time since she had known Priscilla she -was thoroughly indignant at her.</p> - -<p>The sound of the sweet little voice repeating softly: -“Aren’t you going to get my doll?” roused her to a -sudden quick and uncontrollable anger. She grasped -Priscilla by the arm and shook her fiercely; shook -her till her bright, flossy hair danced up and down -upon her shoulders in a golden cloud and all the color -was gone from her lips and cheeks. Polly’s own face -was scarlet and her eyes flashing fire.</p> - -<p>“You are a naughty girl!” she cried, vehemently. -“As naughty as you can be. You ought to be -punished!”</p> - -<p>Priscilla simply gazed at her and made no answer. -She was so pale, Polly’s heart misgave her.</p> - -<p>“I—I’m sorry I shook you,” she burst out remorsefully. -“I didn’t mean to, Priscilla. I don’t know -what made me do it! I’m awfully sorry.”</p> - -<p>Still Priscilla was silent.</p> - -<p>“You’re not angry at me, are you, Priscilla?”</p> - -<p>Priscilla’s white lips opened just far enough to let -out the words: “I think you might get my doll.”</p> - -<p>Polly started to run, but on the threshold she -stopped and turned back. “Remember what you’ve -promised,” she said, with trembling lips.</p> - -<p>Priscilla nodded; the next minute she was alone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -She watched Polly scudding across the lawn, her soft -blue eyes grown hard and gray as flint. The thoughts -in her busy brain swarmed as stinging midges. She -was very, very angry. Never before in all her young -life had rough hands been laid upon her. Polly had -shaken her! Her face was white as snow, but her -heart was hot with fury. She was shocked, frightened -and terribly resentful. Polly had said she was -naughty and ought to be punished! No one had ever -before spoken so harshly to her. It was Polly who -was naughty and ought to be punished. Polly had -said she was sorry, but there was time enough to -think of that. The thing to do now was to pay Polly -back for what she had done. The stinging thought-midges -in the back of her brain buzzed so loud they -made her dizzy. In a minute Polly would come back -with her doll and then she would want to make up -and be friends again. Priscilla’s lips pressed tight, -one upon the other. She did not want to be friends -with any one just yet. All she wanted was to pay -Polly back.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Polly was making what haste she could -in search of the miserable doll that, as she said to herself, -had been the beginning of all the trouble, but it -was not in its accustomed place in the nursery, nor yet -in the little girls’ bedroom. Hannah was busy helping -settle the place down-stairs and could not stop to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -tell her where it was likely to be found. Up-stairs -and down she hurried, but to no purpose; here, there -and everywhere she hunted, but all in vain. She -dared not go back to Priscilla without the doll and -still, she had been told over and over again never to -leave her alone in that dangerous Lodge. What -should she do? As a last resort she burrowed among -the cushions upon the veranda where Priscilla had -lain a little while before and there, sure enough, lay -the wretched rag-baby, peacefully and uncomplainingly -buried beneath a mountain of down. Polly -snatched her up fiercely and started across the -lawn.</p> - -<p>“Helloa there, Polly!”</p> - -<p>It was James who called.</p> - -<p>Polly paused and turned. “Oh, James, I’m in an -awful hurry,” she gasped anxiously.</p> - -<p>The butler smiled. “Another of your busy days, -I s’pose,” he remarked teasingly. “You seem to have -a good many of ’em, first and last. Take my advice, -go slower and you’ll go surer. It pays in the long run—and -the short one too, for that matter. The more -haste the worse speed, you know.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, James,” protested Polly again.</p> - -<p>“Well, if you’re catching a train I guess I’d better -not detain you. I just had something to say, I -thought you’d like to know, that’s all. About the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -little chamois-bag you dropped last night. I’m going -down the ravine to hunt for it.”</p> - -<p>But Polly had sped out of hearing before he had -finished his sentence and he strolled slowly after her -saying to himself: “She must want something to do, -sprinting around like that, this hot day! But children -don’t seem to mind the heat. My! But her face is -red! All the blood’s in her head! Hannah ought to -tell her she hadn’t ought to exert herself like that -when it’s ninety-four in the shade.”</p> - -<p>It seemed no time at all to Priscilla before Polly -reappeared across the lawn. She was holding the doll -and running as fast as her feet would carry her.</p> - -<p>The biggest and fiercest thought-midge of all stung -Priscilla with so sharp a point that she started as if -she had been pricked with a needle. In a flash she -saw how she could revenge herself on Polly, could -punish her so that her face would look as queer and -terrified as it had done a little while ago when she had -been afraid Priscilla would fall over the ledge of Pine -Lodge and had implored her to come away from it; -in fact had made her getting down from the bench the -condition on which the doll was to be brought. Priscilla -had gotten down, as she had promised to do. -But she had not promised not to get up again. Her -teeth set hard.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img src="images/illus4.jpg" width="500" height="650" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">SHE WAS LEANING FAR, FAR OUT</p> -</div> - -<p>As she drew near the entrance of the summer-house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -Polly heaved a long sigh of relief. There was Priscilla -safe and sound, standing in the doorway just as -she had left her. She had disobeyed orders, of course, -when she left Priscilla alone in Pine Lodge, but she -felt sure that would be forgiven her when she explained -how it was she had come to go and that, notwithstanding, -Priscilla was unharmed.</p> - -<p>“See, Priscilla,” she cried, eagerly as soon as she -was within earshot, “I’ve got her. I would have -come quicker, only I couldn’t find her anywhere. I -hunted every place I could think of and where d’you -s’pose she was? Under the cushions on the veranda. -Now we can play and it’ll be ever so nice.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla made no response. She did not even hold -out her arms for the doll. She waited until Polly -reached the threshold and then she turned on her heel -and very slowly and deliberately walked away from -her and toward the forbidden side of the Lodge. -Polly halted a moment in bewilderment and the skin -all over her body seemed to grow cold and to be -shriveling together, while her eyes turned into two -burning balls that smarted and stung, for Priscilla -was climbing up upon the bench and leaning far, far -over.</p> - -<p>Polly tried to call out but no sound would come. -After a second Priscilla turned her head and glanced -around with a look in her eyes that no one had ever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -seen there before. She had determined to punish -Polly and she meant to do it thoroughly.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Priscilla,” gasped Polly. “Please, please—get -down! Remember, you promised.”</p> - -<p>For answer, Priscilla stared at her coldly with those -strange gray, steely eyes of hers and then bent her -body far over the dangerous ledge again.</p> - -<p>Polly’s breath caught in a tight, choking knot in -her throat and she turned sick all over, and faint and -weak. There was one second in which she was quite -blind and then another in which everything before her -appeared to burn right through her eyes and back into -her brain. The motionless leaves on the trees; the -patches of blue sky through the green boughs: the -soft, gray slab-side walls of Pine Lodge: the low -bench running round them; Priscilla standing upon -the bench and leaning far, far out, and then—and -then—no Priscilla at all. Without a cry, without a -sound she had vanished over the edge,—she had lost -her balance and had fallen into the ravine!</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX<br /> -<span class="smaller">WHAT HAPPENED TO PRISCILLA</span></h2> - -<p>James followed leisurely after in the path Polly -had taken, mopping his perspiring forehead and thinking -uncomplimentary things about the weather.</p> - -<p>“Yes, children don’t mind runnin’ when it’s ninety-four -in the shade,” he observed, “but as for me, you -don’t catch me hurryin’ myself to-day, not for nothin’ -nor nobody. Hark! What’s that?”</p> - -<p>A sharp, piercing, frantic cry tore the stillness into -echoes and went resounding down the length of the -gorge. The butler paused an instant; the cry was -repeated again and again. Without more ado he -started into a fierce run that brought him, in no time -at all, to the threshold of Pine Lodge where, peering -in, he saw Polly crouching on the further bench, leaning -over the ledge and uttering shriek after shriek for -help. He sprang to her side with a bound, gave one -quick glance into the gloom of the ravine below and -then, with a warning “Hush!” to her and an encouraging -nod and smile to the white face turned -toward him from a tangle of brush and gnarled roots<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -upon the bank beneath, wheeled about and, like a -flash, disappeared around the side of the summer-house.</p> - -<p>Polly caught her breath in a queer, gulping sob. -After what seemed to her like ages of time help had -come! Now if Priscilla could but keep her hold upon -that bare pine-tree root to which she was clinging! -If the bare pine-tree root would not give way beneath -her grasp! In some miraculous way she had escaped -plunging headlong to the bottom of the gorge. Her -fall had been broken by the tangle of wild bushes and -the undergrowth of strong young saplings lining the -bank, and in the quick second in which she felt the -earth beneath her again she had managed to brace -herself and cling to a supporting root. But her -strength was almost gone and Polly could see that in -a moment more her slender courage must give way. -Would James never come? Why had he not leaped -right over the side of the Lodge and reached Priscilla -that way? It would have been quicker. Surely it -would have been quicker! But James knew what he -was about, if Polly did not. He had seen at a glance -that the weight of a heavier body might readily dislodge -the insecure rocks and earth that were serving -to support the little girl and that his only safe course -was to skirt the Lodge, go to a farther point of the -bank and, by slipping and sliding down, as best he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -might, reach the bottom of the ravine and rescue -Priscilla from below. It was, in reality, but a few -seconds before Polly saw him again, swinging himself -over the little rail that fenced in the bank, and -dropping carefully down, down from rock to rock to -the bed of the shallow stream that flowed at the base -of the gorge. Once at the bottom he was less impeded. -In a twinkling he had reached the point -where Priscilla hung, had found a firm foothold, and -was urging her to drop into one of his strong arms -while he clung to the supporting roots of a towering -pine with the other. Polly watched him with straining -eyes.</p> - -<p>“Don’t be afraid! Drop!” commanded James -encouragingly.</p> - -<p>Whether Priscilla heard him or not Polly could not -tell, but the frantic grasp of her little fingers around -the root did not relax and her white face and wide-open -eyes stared up blindly from out of the soft -gloom below without a trace of life in them. “Don’t -be afraid! Drop!” repeated James.</p> - -<p>He drew himself up an inch or two higher and -flung his strong arm tight about her. It was not an -instant too soon for, with a sudden, sharp snap and -crack of sundering wood the half-rotten root she -clung to gave way beneath her gripping fingers. The -sound of it and the feeling that she had lost her support,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -seemed the only things she had reason enough -left to realize. With a long, low cry of despair her -arms dropped to her sides and her eyelids closed upon -her staring eyes.</p> - -<p>James’ strong arm was firm and steady; he held -her close. Polly breathlessly watched him as, inch -by inch, he descended the bank to the bottom of the -gorge and then carefully picked his way along to the -far point where a flight of wooden steps, securely -fastened to the rock, led up the terrace beyond.</p> - -<p>Then, for the first time the thought flashed into -Polly’s mind, “What would Priscilla’s mother say?”</p> - -<p>She slid down to the floor, forgetful of dolls, play-toys -and everything else, and ran blindly back to the -house. Her flying feet brought her to the entrance -before James, with his little burden, had fairly -reached the terrace.</p> - -<p>“Hannah! Oh, Hannah!” she called out, as soon -as she had crossed the door-sill and was actually -within the hall.</p> - -<p>Hannah hurried to her from the living-room, -alarmed by her terror-stricken voice.</p> - -<p>“What on earth is it, child? For pity’s sake what’s -happened now?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, Hannah!” Polly panted, “Priscilla! It’s -Priscilla! She—she—— We were in Pine Lodge -and she fell over into the ravine and James has got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -her—he’s bringing her in now, I guess. Oh, Hannah! -Hannah—— She was alive! But her eyes shut when -the root broke and now I’m afraid she’s——”</p> - -<p>“Hush, Polly!” commanded Hannah sternly. -“Stop your crying. Mrs. Duer mustn’t hear you. -She mustn’t know—yet. You say James has got -her? Oh, here he is! Give her to me, James! -Quick, quick, man! How slow you are!”</p> - -<p>“Go easy, Hannah!” the young man said. “She’s -all right. Don’t get upset! She’s got a few bruises, -no doubt, and her hands are torn a bit, but she’ll pull -through all right when she comes out of this faint -and has time to get over the shock and the fright -of it.”</p> - -<p>But Hannah hardly heard him. She gathered her -darling into her arms with a sort of savage eagerness, -and, puffing and panting with the exertion and the -heat, carried her up-stairs into her mother’s room and -closed the door. Polly dared not follow.</p> - -<p>Oh, the wretched hours that passed before the -doctor came! And the miserable hours that passed -while he was there! That closed door seemed to shut -Polly out from all the brightness and joy of the world -and she felt she would never, never, never be happy -again. Midday came, but no one wanted to eat. The -dreary afternoon crawled slowly past and the great -red sun began to sink. Polly could not swallow her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -supper; James had to carry it away again almost -untasted.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you go to being so down-hearted,” he said, -kindly. “Little Miss Priscilla is coming out all right, -never you fear. She’s had an ugly shock, but she’ll -get over it by and by and be as right as a trivet -again.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, James, do you really think so?” Polly cried, -longing to be comforted.</p> - -<p>“Sure!” responded the butler cheerfully.</p> - -<p>Late that night Hannah, stealing noiselessly up-stairs -was surprised to hear Polly’s voice softly calling -to her through the dark.</p> - -<p>“Hannah! is that you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, Polly. Why aren’t you asleep, child?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. How’s Priscilla?”</p> - -<p>“Well, to tell the truth, the doctor isn’t ready to -say. He isn’t worryin’ much about her bruises, but—but—well, -we’ll have to wait, that’s all. She’s got -considerable fever and the fright won’t leave her. -She drops asleep for a minute or two and then starts -up wide awake and shrieking with terror. She can’t -get any rest, poor lamb. It’s that that makes us most -anxious. Of course we don’t take for truth anything -she says in this state, but it’s curious how contrary-minded -people get when they’re not quite themselves. -She has an idea you’re trying to hurt her and she cries<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -out to us not to let you come into the room. I’ve -told her mother over and over again you wouldn’t see -a hair of Priscilla’s head harmed and you wouldn’t, -now would you, Polly?”</p> - -<p>Hannah paused a moment for Polly’s answer, but -when none came she went on consolingly, “I’ve told -Mrs. Duer not to mind the foolish things Priscilla -says, for it isn’t believable that you would lay hands -on her to shake her or that it was because of a falling-out -you had that she fell over the side of the lodge. -Only, you see, Polly, while Priscilla’s head is like this -and she has such foolish sick fancies it wouldn’t do to -excite her and so you’ll just have to keep out of the -way for a while, and not fret to go to her. When -she’s up and about again it’ll be all right, but for the -present it’s pretty hard on us all—the waiting. Now, -go to sleep, like a good girl and to-morrow you shall -tell just how it all happened. You’re not to blame, -I’m sure, Polly, but it will be better all round for you -to let Mrs. Duer know the right of the case and that -Priscilla’s saying you shook her and was the cause of -her fall, is just something she’s dreaming and that it -isn’t really true at all.”</p> - -<p>Then, with a tired “Good-night! Now go to sleep -like a good girl,” and without waiting for more, -Hannah left the room to return to Priscilla, and Polly -was left in the darkness and the silence again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> - -<p>The big clock in the corner ticked out the seconds -with slow distinctness; a little screech-owl in the -branches of the big oak-tree just beyond the window -repeated its dismal, quivering call. Polly buried her -face in the pillows and trembled. She had thought -she was unhappy before, when Priscilla’s sickness was -the only weight upon her heart. But now there was -a worse one added to that. The knowledge that she -would be held responsible for the accident and whatever -resulted from it.</p> - -<p>Poor Polly! She had quite forgotten the little tiff -of the morning but now it came back to her with -cruel clearness for Hannah’s words showed plainly -enough that Priscilla had not forgotten. What could -she say the next morning when Mrs. Duer should ask -her if what Priscilla said was true? For what Priscilla -said was true: Polly could not deny it. It was -true Polly had shaken Priscilla and Priscilla “to pay -her back” it appeared, had leaned over the ledge of -the Lodge. She saw it all now. So it was true also -that Priscilla’s fall was somehow due to Polly’s -temper. It all seemed very terrible and confusing -and hopeless. She knew in her heart that she was -not utterly to blame and yet—and yet she could -not reason out her excuse and she could not explain. -She heard the clock strike “Twelve!”—“one”—“two”—and -then, at last, worn out and thoroughly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -miserable she fell asleep and slept until long after her -usual time for rising.</p> - -<p>This morning there was no kindly Hannah to oversee -her bath; no friendly Priscilla to frolic with. -Everything was lonely, still, and discouraging. She -ate her breakfast in silence and then wandered off to -the nursery window and gazed out disconsolately into -the blinding brightness of the sunny grounds below. -Presently she heard the sound of wheels crunching on -the gravel of the driveway and saw the doctor’s carriage -swing briskly around the sweep in front of the -house. She slipped quickly down-stairs and flew -breathlessly out into the vestibule, just in time to -meet Dr. Crosby on his way into the hall.</p> - -<p>“Good-morning, little lady!” he said genially, resting -a kind hand for a moment upon her shoulder and -looking narrowly into her pale, anxious, tear-stained -face. “And how do you do this fine, hot morning?”</p> - -<p>Polly nodded gratefully and tried to say, “Very -well, I thank you,” but could not quite accomplish it. -The doctor saw she had something upon her mind and -patiently waited to learn what it was. At last she -was able to speak.</p> - -<p>“Priscilla,” she stammered. “Is Priscilla going to—going -to—be worse?”</p> - -<p>“Why, bless your heart, no,” Dr. Crosby replied -promptly. “On the contrary Priscilla is going to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -better very soon, quite well, in fact. When I left her -at four o’clock this morning she was sleeping soundly, -and if she has rested well ever since, we’ll have her up -and about in no time. So don’t be down-hearted, -child. I suppose you are the Polly Priscilla has had -so much to say about, and you’re fretting because she -has sick notions and doesn’t want to see you? Pooh, -pooh! never mind that! We’ll send her away somewhere -for a few weeks for a change, and by the time -she comes back she will have forgotten all about it -and you’ll be as good friends as ever,” and with that, -and an encouraging pat upon the head, the good-hearted -doctor hurried up-stairs.</p> - -<p>Polly crept back to the nursery only half-comforted. -Priscilla might be better and, if she were, of course, -that would be an immense relief, but in the meantime -she was angry at Polly and would have to be taken -away before she would get over it.</p> - -<p>Presently there were the sounds of opening and -closing doors on the floor below; the doctor’s cheery -voice was raised in a jovial laugh, and, after a moment, -Hannah came up-stairs looking tired and -hollow-eyed, to be sure, but still smiling and happy.</p> - -<p>“Thanks be to God,” she said reverently, “the -child is better. She’s had five hours of steady sleep, -and the rest has done her a world of good. She’s her -own dear, quiet little self again.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Then I can go to her?” cried Polly, springing up -eagerly. “She isn’t angry at me any more, now she’s -better?”</p> - -<p>Hannah hesitated. “Well, I can’t say exactly that,” -she replied. “I asked her if she didn’t want to see -you and she shook her head. It’s just a whim of -course, but it wouldn’t do to force her against her -will while she’s so weak, so you’ll just have to wait -patiently till she comes around of herself. Meanwhile -Mrs. Duer wants to have you come to her in the living-room. -There, there, child! don’t look like that! -You’ve nothing to fear. Just keep up a brave heart, -answer her questions truthfully and don’t cry, or tire -her with a long story. She hasn’t slept a wink all -night and she needs rest as much as Priscilla does, so -be quick about what you have to say; only speak when -you’re spoken to and leave her to catch a nap if she -can.”</p> - -<p>How she got down to the living-room door Polly -did not know. The brave heart Hannah had bade -her keep up must have sunk to the region of her shoes, -for her feet were as heavy as lead and her left side -felt quite sickeningly empty and hollow. She managed -to give the door a gentle tap, and when Mrs. -Duer’s gentle voice said, “Come in!” she crossed the -threshold.</p> - -<p>“Good-morning, Polly!” said Priscilla’s mother<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -kindly from where she lay on the couch by the open -French windows.</p> - -<p>“Good-morning!” responded Polly from between -two stiffened lips.</p> - -<p>“Come over here, dear, and sit upon this cushion -beside me. I want to ask you a few questions about -yesterday. I’m sure you can answer them satisfactorily. -There! That is right! Now, you know, -dear, Priscilla had a serious shock yesterday, and for -a number of hours she was not responsible for what -she said. She said strange things which we do not -believe are true. I’m sure, for instance, that you -would not refuse to get her doll for her if she asked -you to do so.”</p> - -<p>Polly did not answer.</p> - -<p>“You did not refuse to get her doll for her, did -you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, Mrs. Duer.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer’s pale cheeks flushed a little. “I’m -sorry,” she said. “I’m very sorry and disappointed, -Polly. That was not like you; it was hardly kind, I -think. But I am quite confident you did not shake -Priscilla because she continued to ask you to get her -doll after you had refused. Tell me, dear, you did not -shake Priscilla?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, Mrs. Duer.”</p> - -<p>For a second or two the room was very quiet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -Polly was having a mighty struggle with herself. -Hannah had told her only to speak when she was -spoken to, and yet she knew that her answers to -Mrs. Duer’s questions, truthful though they were, did -not give a just account of the trouble between her -and Priscilla. There was something amiss somewhere -that she could not straighten out.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer, meanwhile, was struggling on her side -to conquer the feeling that had grown in her against -this ungrateful little girl for whom she had done so -much.</p> - -<p>At length she spoke again.</p> - -<p>“I am very sorry and very much disappointed, -Polly. I never could have believed that you would -grieve me so. To raise your hand against gentle little -Priscilla, who is so delicate and who loved you so much! -Well, child, I suppose you did not realize what you -were doing, and you certainly look as if you had -suffered for your fault. Still, I do not feel as if I -could ever trust you again with my little girl.”</p> - -<p>Then somehow, in spite of Hannah, in spite of -everything, Polly’s self-control gave way. “I wasn’t -to blame! I wasn’t to blame!” she cried chokingly, -over and over again.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer sighed. “I am willing to believe you did -not mean to be to blame,” she admitted patiently. -“But now I want to tell you that I have decided to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -take Priscilla away for a while. She needs a change -and it will be better for you both to be separated for -the present. Hannah will go with me, but you can -stay on here while we are gone, at least, and Theresa -will look after you. I am sure you will be a good and -obedient child and do just as she tells you, so that I -shall not have to be anxious on your account while I -am absent. You have been honest in confessing the -truth and so I am willing to believe you will keep -your promise if you give me your word you will be -good and obedient while I am away and will do as -Theresa tells you. Will you, Polly?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, Mrs. Duer.”</p> - -<p>“You will not go outside the gates unless Theresa -goes with you?”</p> - -<p>“No, Mrs. Duer.”</p> - -<p>“And you will remember your promise to obey her -absolutely?”</p> - -<p>“Ye-es, Mrs. Duer.”</p> - -<p>“Very well. Now I think you may go up-stairs, or -out under the trees to play, or anywhere within the -grounds that you choose.”</p> - -<p>But Polly still lingered, trying to utter the words -that were catching so cruelly in her throat.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer wondered a little why she did not start.</p> - -<p>“May I—may I——”</p> - -<p>“May you what?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<p>“May I go back to—to the—store again, please?”</p> - -<p>“To the store? I don’t understand.”</p> - -<p>“Where I was when Miss Cissy came. Mr. Phelps—he’s -the superintendent—said I—he would take me -back any time. He said I was a trustable—he said I -was a good cash-girl and—and—— I’d like to go, if -you don’t mind,” Polly murmured in broken breaths.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer raised herself upon her elbow. “Ah, -but I do mind,” she replied instantly. “On no consideration -can you go back. In the first place you -would have nowhere to stay—your sister at the hospital -could not have you—and then,—but it is quite -out of the question and we won’t discuss it further.”</p> - -<p>Polly turned slowly and went toward the door. -She had to grope her way because of the blur before -her eyes that shut out everything, but at last she managed -to lay her hand upon the knob and to turn it. -The next moment she was in the cool, dim hall and -the next—she had hung herself face downward on -the great tiger-skin upon the polished floor and was -crying as if her heart would break. No one saw her; -no one heard her.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer in the living-room was trying to rest. -Priscilla was dozing in the darkened bedchamber up-stairs, -with Hannah on guard and James was carrying -down from the attic the trunks and traveling-bags -that would be needed for the journey, and whistling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -cheerfully beneath his breath as he did it, for Mrs. -Duer had told him he might take the occasion of her -absence to go upon a little trip of his own and he was -looking forward to his holiday as eagerly as if he had -been a boy.</p> - -<p>But in the midst of her misery Polly remembered -the absurd little rhyme sister had repeated to her that -last day at the hospital:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“Good little babies bravely bear a deal,</div> -<div class="verse">They hold their little heads up</div> -<div class="verse">No matter how they feel.”</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>She scrambled to her feet in a twinkling, brushed -away her tears and returned to the nursery where she -busied herself setting her writing-desk in order and -rearranging the articles upon her table. She put the -fragments of her shattered bank into the table-drawer -after vainly trying to fit them together again. It was -the first bank she had ever owned and she reflected -sadly that it would probably be the last. For surely -what Mrs. Duer had meant a little while ago was that -she did not wish Priscilla to play with her any more. -And if Priscilla was not to play with her any more -then—then—why then she would be sent away. She -wondered what sister would say; and dear Miss -Cicely! how grieved and disappointed she would be. -And yet, if Miss Cicely were here Polly felt she could -make her understand the things she could not explain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -to Mrs. Duer—the things that would show she was -not so entirely blamable as she seemed. Yes, Miss -Cicely would certainly understand. As for Hannah——</p> - -<p>Good Hannah found an opportunity, in the midst of -all her hurry and worry, to run up-stairs to the nursery -for a minute, just before bedtime and to say in a -confidential whisper:</p> - -<p>“There now, Polly, don’t you go to fretting yourself -to skin and bone over this. Just you keep still -and be good and it will all come out right in the end.”</p> - -<p>“But Hannah, oh, Hannah,” Polly groaned. “Priscilla’s -angry at me, and she stays angry. And Mrs. -Duer said she couldn’t trust me any more.”</p> - -<p>“Well, well, it’s hard, I know, but all the same, be -a good girl and I warrant things will come out right -in the end. We won’t be gone so very long and when -we come back who knows what may happen.”</p> - -<p>So Polly went to sleep with a more hopeful heart -than she had carried for many hours and the next -morning she watched the travelers depart with what -was almost a smile of contentment, for was she not -going to be the best and most obedient of girls while -they were gone, so that when they came back—who -knew what might happen?</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE TELEGRAM</span></h2> - -<p>The days dragged slowly by; hot, sultry, lonely -days. There was nothing much for a little girl to do -in the great empty house, and Polly wandered about -rather disconsolately at first, missing good Hannah -and Priscilla at every turn and learning anew how -dear they had become to her. There was not much -fun in playing with her doll when there was no one -to join in the game. She visited Oh-my in his stable -and found the greatest consolation in telling him her -secrets and feeling that he understood and sympathized -with her.</p> - -<p>“You see, pony,” she explained, “I haven’t got -anybody to talk to now but you, and it makes me feel -lonesome. Theresa has the charge of me, but she -stays down-stairs mostly and doesn’t pay very much -attention. Besides, James told me she doesn’t like -little girls, and I guess it’s true, for sometimes her -voice isn’t very pleasant when she says things to me -and I’d rather not bother her unless I have to, because -it makes her nervous.”</p> - -<p>And Oh-my put his head down and nosed Polly’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -hand in the friendliest, manner possible, as if to say: -“I understand perfectly, my dear. I’ve gone through -the same thing myself, so I know precisely how you -feel.”</p> - -<p>But one thunder-stormy day Polly happened to -stroll into the library down-stairs, because the nursery -seemed so far off when the lightning was flashing and -the great, crashing peals made one’s breath clutch -at one’s throat, and as it happened, that was the last -of her loneliness, for how could one possibly feel solitary -with such a multitude of delightful friends as she -found in those well-filled book-shelves? She forgot -the storm, forgot the heat, forgot everything, in fact, -but the new world she had found and that proved so -full of endless delights and surprises.</p> - -<p>She did not venture to take any of the volumes -very far from their shelves, but she discovered it was -thoroughly comfortable, as well as convenient, to -cuddle back of the library curtains on the wide window-sill, -and, in this hidden nook with her new-found -treasures to keep her company, she was entirely happy -and remained lost to the world for hours at a time. -So long as she appeared promptly at meal-time -Theresa did not care where she was, so Polly got -through the days much bettor than could have been -expected and before she realized it, it was drawing -near the time when the travelers should return.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Priscilla was causing her mother and -Hannah no end of disappointment and worry. The -railroad journeys tired and bored her since there was -no lively Polly across the aisle to invent new plays -for her or take the lead in the old ones. She sat upon -the beach at the seashore and could not be induced to -stir from Hannah’s side. Once or twice, some sociable -child, anxious to make friends, would venture up and -ask if she did not want to come and play, but Priscilla -always turned away her head shyly and refused -to be neighborly.</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you go and play with that nice little -girl, Priscilla?” Hannah urged. “She’s a real little -lady. I’ve watched her ever since we came on the -sands and I’ve never seen her cross or selfish. Go -along, dear! You’ll have lots of fun.”</p> - -<p>But Priscilla shook her head. “I don’t want to,” -she murmured wistfully. “She doesn’t play the -right way. Not—not—the way Polly does. Polly -plays the best way. If Polly were here I’d play.”</p> - -<p>The fresh sea-air brought the color back to her -cheeks and she grew thoroughly strong and well -again, but she was languid and restless and nothing -appeared to please her.</p> - -<p>After three weeks of this her mother grew fairly -discouraged.</p> - -<p>“We have tried the seaside and we have tried the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -mountains,” she declared mournfully to Hannah, after -a particularly dreary day in which everything had -gone wrong with Priscilla. “She doesn’t seem contented -anywhere.”</p> - -<p>“She’s not sick, that’s certain,” Hannah assured her -consolingly. “The doctors all say there’s nothing the -matter with her. Dr. Crosby told me he thought it -was just a miracle the way she got over the shock of -that fall. He said it wouldn’t have been possible if -she were as she used to be.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I know she is not sick,” went on the anxious -mother, “but her spirits do not improve. She was so -happy and merry this summer, it was a pleasure to -see her. Her aunts and uncles all remarked what a -different child she was, but now—ever since her fall—she -has been going back to her old listless, moody -ways again. I am utterly distressed about her.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, now, I wouldn’t feel like that,” ventured -Hannah, who in her heart felt entirely the same, but -wouldn’t have admitted it for the world.</p> - -<p>Just then Priscilla herself wandered into the room. -The corners of her mouth were drooping and her -eyes looked quite ready for tears.</p> - -<p>Her mother held out her arms and the little girl -went to her silently.</p> - -<p>“I wonder,” said Mrs. Duer, kissing the mournful -lips and stroking back the glossy hair with a loving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -hand, “I wonder what pleasant plan we can make -for to-morrow. What would you like to do, little -daughter?”</p> - -<p>For answer Priscilla suddenly buried her face in -her mother’s neck and began to cry.</p> - -<p>“Why, what is it, darling?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” came back in a broken whisper.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you like it here, dear?”</p> - -<p>“N-no.”</p> - -<p>“Would you like to go away?”</p> - -<p>“Y-yes, please.”</p> - -<p>“Very well, dear. We can leave to-morrow. And -we’ll go anywhere you choose.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla raised her head and her eyes were shining -with pleasure as well as tears.</p> - -<p>“Really?—Truly?” she cried eagerly.</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, pet,” her mother assured her in surprise. -“Certainly we can go to-morrow and anywhere -you choose.—Back to the mountains if you like.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla’s face fell and all the light went out of it. -Her lip began to quiver. Her mother and Hannah -exchanged puzzled glances over her head.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want to go back to the mountains?” -Mrs. Duer asked gently.</p> - -<p>“N-no.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we have plenty of time, dear. We can go -where you like. We need not hurry home.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> - -<p>But somehow this comforting assurance seemed -only to start Priscilla’s tears afresh.</p> - -<p>“I don’t want plenty of time,” she wailed dolefully.</p> - -<p>A sudden idea popped into Hannah’s head. She -gave Mrs. Duer a quick glance and then said quietly: -“I shouldn’t want to hurry you on any account, -madam, but perhaps if we were to go home for a day -or two Priscilla might make up her mind better where -she’d like to be. If we didn’t stay out the rest of our -time here, for instance, we could go right home -to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>But Priscilla had started up, her eyes aglow. Hannah -pretended not to notice her and continued unconcernedly: -“We could telegraph to Theresa to-night -that we were coming to-morrow and, if we started -bright and early we could be home by evening, sure.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla clapped her hands. “And s’posing Lawrence -and Richard would meet us at the station!” she -cried, half-laughing, half-crying, her voice quivering -with excitement: “and s’posing Oh-my was there too—and—and -s’posing—s’posing Polly was driving him—and—and——”</p> - -<p>“I shouldn’t wonder one mite if I were to ask the -telegraph operator down in the office to send that -telegram to Theresa,” declared Hannah, “that he’d -send it for me in a minute.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla slipped from her mother’s arms.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, Hannah,” she exclaimed, “would you ask -him, would you?”</p> - -<p>Hannah laughed: “Well, dearie, I rather think I -will,” she said.</p> - -<p>And that was the end of Priscilla’s low spirits. -For the rest of the afternoon she could hardly contain -herself, and had to be warned of the danger of postponing -their journey if she did not sleep, before she -could be induced to compose herself for bed that -night.</p> - -<p>It was plain enough, the child had been homesick.</p> - -<p>Early that same evening Polly, from her perch on -the library window seat, saw a bicycle shoot swiftly -around the sweep of the driveway. She was so absorbed -in her book that she hardly raised her eyes to -look at it and was only dimly aware that the rider -wore a uniform of blue, with the cap of a telegraph-messenger -upon his head. But Theresa was not, by any -means, so blind to what was going on about her. -She spied the boy at once and ran down to the kitchen -area-way at the back of the house to receive him.</p> - -<p>“Oh, botheration!” she ejaculated as she read the -message. “If this ain’t the most provoking world! -Here I was counting on two more weeks’ vacation at -the very least and making plans and everything and -now comes a telegram to say the whole thing is up -to-morrow.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> - -<p>“What’s that?” asked the cook, full of curiosity at -once.</p> - -<p>“Why, the folks are coming-back to-morrow, that’s -what!” Theresa snapped. “And a horrid shame it is -too. Upsetting a body’s arrangements and disappointing -’em of two weeks’ holiday at least. James -is the lucky one! can go off where he chooses and -take it easy.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, my!” exclaimed the cook good-naturedly, “is -that all? Goodness! I thought you’d lost your best -friend, you acted so cut up. Why under the sun -shouldn’t the folks come home if they want to? It’s -their house. They ain’t running it altogether for our -convenience, and as to disappointing us of two extra -weeks’ holiday as you call it—why, that’s just nonsense, -Theresa. We had no right to expect, so we -oughtn’t to be disappointed.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, you’re too good to be true!” Theresa retorted -angrily, as she flounced out of the kitchen.</p> - -<p>The cook looked after her with a broad smile of -amusement on her fat, good-natured face. “Well, -well,” she murmured, comfortably, “Theresa is a -caution, and no mistake. Such a temper as she has -got! And the idea of her being in a fury because the -folks is coming home! Plans! Now, I wonder what -the great plans are that she’s made and that their -coming’ll interfere with.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> - -<p>But it was not Theresa’s way to confide her plans -to others and least of all to one who would be pretty -certain to disapprove of them. She knew very well -that the good-hearted cook would never stand by and -see her carry out a cruel plot of revenge against a -helpless child if she were aware of it. And that was -what, to her shame, Theresa had meant to do. She -had by no means forgotten her grudge against Polly -and had intended to take this opportunity to prove it. -But now the elaborate scheme that it had taken her weeks -to contrive was upset, for, with James and Hannah -about again the little girl would be well protected and -she would have no chance to wreak her spite upon her. -She bit her lips savagely as she went up-stairs with the -unwelcome telegram crushed tightly in her palm.</p> - -<p>Polly, happening to come out of the library just at -the moment that Theresa was crossing the hall, noticed -the maid’s white lips quiver and, thinking she -was sick or unhappy, broke out at once with an impulsive: -“Oh, Theresa, what’s the matter? Has -anything happened?”</p> - -<p>Theresa looked down at her for an instant with an -ugly gleam in her eyes. “Only a telegram,” she muttered -curtly.</p> - -<p>Polly’s cheeks whitened. “A telegram!” she -echoed. “They send telegrams when people are sick -or hurt or dead, don’t they?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> - -<p>Theresa nodded grimly.</p> - -<p>“Is any one you know of sick?” asked poor Polly, -her quick sympathy aroused at once and her thoughts -traveling instantly to sister and reminding her how -badly she would feel if a telegram had come saying sister -was worse.</p> - -<p>Again Theresa nodded.</p> - -<p>“Oh, I’m so sorry,” said Polly heartily. “I’m ever -and ever so sorry, Theresa. I hope it isn’t your sister. -I know how I’d feel if it was my sister.”</p> - -<p>But like a flash of lightning a thought had shot -across Theresa’s brain and before she fairly knew she -was speaking she heard herself say: “It is your -sister!”</p> - -<p>All in an instant she saw her way to get Polly out -of the house before the family returned. One plan -was as good as another; if her first had failed, this -would be pretty sure to succeed.</p> - -<p>“Yes, child,” she went on, “it’s very sad, but—now -don’t get excited,—your sister is very sick! Very, -very sick indeed.”</p> - -<p>“Does—does the telegram say that?” stammered -Polly hoarsely.</p> - -<p>“The telegram says,” declared Theresa, unfolding -the paper and pretending to read it: “‘Sister worse. -Wants Polly. Take first train to-morrow morning.’”</p> - -<p>Polly clung to the stair-rail for support. She did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -not ask to see the telegram. It never entered her innocent -mind that Theresa would stoop to deceive her. -She did not doubt the woman for a moment, there -was no room in her overburdened little heart for anything -but grief over sister.</p> - -<p>“Now, Polly,” said Theresa quietly, “you mustn’t -give way. You must have grit and content yourself -for to-night. And to-morrow morning I’ll get you off -by the first train. There won’t be the slightest -trouble about it. I’ll pack your things in a nice -bundle and you can carry it with you.”</p> - -<p>“But—but——” broke out Polly in despair, “Mrs. -Duer told me not to go outside the gates—and I -promised.”</p> - -<p>“Unless I went with you,” corrected Theresa. -“She told me all about it and she made you give your -word that you’d mind what I said and do everything -I told you to do.”</p> - -<p>“But—but——” cried Polly, still only half-convinced, -“I don’t know the way. I haven’t any -money.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, pshaw!” exclaimed the maid. “That’s nothing. -I’ll be glad to give you your carfare and you -haven’t to change cars once all the way. All you -have to do when you’re in the train is to sit still until -you get to the city. Then you walk through the station -and up Madison Avenue for a while and there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -you are, right at the hospital door. You can’t possibly -lose your way. It’s as plain as a pipe-stem. -And I’ll wake you early to-morrow morning, before -the rest are up, and you can get away on that first -train.”</p> - -<p>Polly’s head was whirling. She passively let -Theresa lead her up-stairs and, in a sort of dream, saw -her make ready a neat bundle containing the very best -of the dainty garments Miss Cissy and Mrs. Duer had -given her. She could not touch her supper, though -Theresa had taken unusual pains to make it an especially -tempting one and kindly urged her, in the -friendliest manner possible, to eat. And later, although -it grew long past her bedtime, her tearless -eyes refused to close. She lay awake staring into the -darkness, hearing the big clock tick and the miserable -little screech-owl moan and thought of sister and -what she would do if—— But here she always had -to stop and go back again to the beginning, for she -could not get her thoughts to carry her beyond the -point of sister’s leaving her in the world alone.</p> - -<p>She must have fallen into a doze at last, for it was -with a start of surprise that she heard Theresa’s voice -whispering in her ear: “Wake up, Polly! Hurry! -It’s time you were up and dressing! I’ve got a glass -of milk for you and some biscuits, and if you’re quick -you won’t have any trouble getting to the station in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -time for the train,” and knew that it was morning and -that she was back in the world again with that -awful gloom of sister’s being worse hanging over her -and shutting out the sunshine.</p> - -<p>Theresa was kindness itself. She helped Polly to -dress, encouraged her to eat her breakfast and quite -laughed with good-natured generosity at Polly’s reluctance -to accept the money for her journey.</p> - -<p>“You see, Theresa, I could have paid for it myself,” -the little girl explained, “but I took the money out of -my bank to give to Miss Cissy when I lost the bag the -night of the Fair.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, you did, did you?” said Theresa. “Did Miss -Cissy know?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I did,” repeated Polly. “No, I started to -tell her, but she went away. I took all there was in -it. We had to break the bank to get it out. The -pieces are in my table-drawer. I couldn’t bear to -throw them away and, oh, dear!—now I guess I’d -better go, please. I can’t eat any more, really! And -I’ve drunk all the milk——”</p> - -<p>“That’s a good girl,” the maid said kindly. “Now, -step soft as ever you can so as not to wake anybody. -I’ll go down to the station, or almost down to it, and -see you in the train myself.”</p> - -<p>“But it’s such a long walk,” protested poor Polly. -“You’ll get all tired out.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, that’s nothing. I’ll carry your bundle and if -we hurry I can be back here in no time—before -Bridget and the rest are up, I’m sure.”</p> - -<p>So, creeping softly and noiselessly down the long, -silent halls and staircases the two stole out of the -house, through the grounds and out into the sunny -stretch of road beyond. It was a long, tiresome -tramp, but Polly was too excited to notice it. She -wanted to hurry, to run, to do anything that would -help her to get to sister more speedily. Theresa -carried her bundle, which was rather heavy, to within -a short distance of the station.</p> - -<p>“Now, I can’t go any further with you,” she said as -they reached the last turn in the road, “for it’s getting -late and I ought to be home if I don’t want the -girls to think I—I’m neglecting my work. But you’re -all right now, you can see the depot there in front of -you. Just you go straight into the waiting-room and -up to the little window in the middle and ask for a -ticket to the city, and if the ticket-seller says ‘return?’ -you say ‘No!’ for I couldn’t very well spare -you the money for both ways and have only given -you enough to carry you down. You won’t need any -change after you get there, for the hospital isn’t very -far, and when you get to the hospital your sister will -see to you or some one else will. There’ll be no -trouble about that. Well, run along now and don’t,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -for the life of you, tell anybody what’s the matter or -why you’re going away or anything. It isn’t safe for -little girls to speak to strangers.”</p> - -<p>Polly promised and, with rather a heavy pat upon -the shoulder that was meant to seem friendly, Theresa -shoved her forward on her way.</p> - -<p>After she had gone the maid stood and watched her -with narrow, eager eyes. She waited there, in fact -hidden from sight behind the roadside trees and -bushes, until she heard the heavy train thunder up and -off again. Then she turned, sped quickly back along -the path she and Polly had come, and reached the -house and the shelter of her own room before any of -the other servants were astir.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI<br /> -<span class="smaller">WHAT HAPPENED TO POLLY</span></h2> - -<p>Priscilla’s spirits rose with every mile that -brought her nearer home. Her mother and Hannah -watched her shining eyes with satisfaction and listened -to the rare sound of her merry chatter as if it had -been the sweetest of music. They were as grateful -for the change in her as sparrows are when, after a -long succession of stormy days, the sun comes out -again.</p> - -<p>One question rather puzzled and disturbed her -mother.</p> - -<p>What was to be done about Polly after their return? -Priscilla seemed to have forgiven and forgotten -their quarrel and was ready and anxious to make -up and be friends once more, as Hannah had foretold -she would be, but Mrs. Duer could not help remembering -that Polly had raised her hand against her darling -and, she felt that no one could blame her if she were -not willing to trust the child with her again. Priscilla -had so tender and compassionate a little heart -that she could never harbor ill-will against anybody, -but she had barely escaped a dreadful calamity and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -her mother felt that it would be worse than reckless -to run the risk of repeating a danger for which, -plainly, Polly was responsible. No; Polly must go, -that was clear, and Priscilla would doubtless soon -cease to miss her, once she was at home again.</p> - -<p>But as they drew nearer and nearer their journey’s -end it was easy to see for whom Priscilla’s heart had -been longing, and for what she had been homesick. -She thought and talked of nothing but Polly and her -usually silent little tongue fairly ran over with eager, -anxious chatter.</p> - -<p>“S’posing Polly were to be at the station to meet -them!” “S’posing Polly didn’t know they were coming -and would be so surprised she’d jump right up and -down with gladness!” There seemed to be no end -to the delightful things Priscilla amused herself by -“s’posing.”</p> - -<p>“When we get home I want to speak to Polly the -first thing,” she confided to Hannah. “I have something -I very p’rtic’larly want to say to her.”</p> - -<p>But when the train at last drew up beside the -station and the travelers stepped out upon the platform, -Priscilla’s happy smile faded to a wistful shadow -of itself, for no Polly was awaiting her anywhere -about, as she had fondly encouraged herself to -“s’pose” might be the case. However, in the pleasant -excitement of feeling she was really at home at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -last, she recovered her good spirits and was as gay -and light-hearted as ever during the brisk drive from -the depot.</p> - -<p>“I guess Polly will be waiting for us at the gate,” -she managed to whisper eagerly in Hannah’s ear, between -quick little peerings this way and that in the -hope of spying her nearer at hand. But the carriage -rolled through the gate and up the shady avenue -without bringing any waiting Polly into view. Again -Priscilla’s expectant smile grew wistful.</p> - -<p>“I s’pose, maybe, she’s waiting for us at the door,” -she murmured still hopefully, and kept her brown -eyes fixed resolutely before her so that, when the carriage -should swing around the sweep in the driveway -and under the porte-cochêre, she might be the -first to call out the glad “Hello!” that would show -Polly she was sorry and wanted to be friends again; -but only Theresa stood upon the steps to receive -them, and Polly was nowhere to be seen.</p> - -<p>Priscilla suffered herself to be lifted out of the carriage -without a word. Her chin was quivering a -little but she did not cry. Perhaps Polly was hiding -somewhere and meant to surprise her by springing out -unexpectedly to welcome her with a kiss and a hug.</p> - -<p>Priscilla was naturally very timid, but in her eagerness -to find Polly she braved the shadowy staircases -and lonely dim halls without a moment’s hesitation.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - -<p>“P’raps she’s in the nursery and won’t come down -’cause I was horrid and wouldn’t see her before I went -away. Of course that’s it! Why didn’t I think of -it before?” Priscilla reasoned, and she ran along the -upper hall crying, “Polly! Polly! I’m home again! -Where are you, Polly dear?”</p> - -<p>But no jolly little figure came bounding forward in -answer to her call and the only sounds to be heard -were those of her own quick-coming breaths and the -solemn ticking of the big clock in the corner. Then -the dimness, the quiet and the sense of her loneliness -and disappointment overcame Priscilla and with a long, -quivering sob she cast herself face downward upon -the nursery-couch, where she and Polly had played so -many happy times and cried the bitterest tears she -had ever shed.</p> - -<p>Down-stairs all was in the greatest confusion, for it -seemed that no one was able to inform Mrs. Duer -where Polly was. Lawrence and Richard, the coachman -and groom, declared they had not seen her near the -stables all day: “And she never missed a morning -all the time you were gone, madam, to come out and -give Oh-my an apple or a lump of sugar.”</p> - -<p>Theresa declared she had served the child her breakfast -but hadn’t had a glimpse of her since.</p> - -<p>“I was so busy getting the place in order, to receive -you, that I hadn’t a minute to think of Polly,” she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -confessed. “And when she didn’t come in to luncheon -I didn’t feel I could spare the time to hunt for her.”</p> - -<p>“And yet I left her especially in your charge,” Mrs. -Duer said, in stern rebuke.</p> - -<p>Poor Hannah, tired as she was, set out immediately -with Lawrence and Richard to scour the grounds, -while Mrs. Duer bade the household servants search -the house from garret to cellar.</p> - -<p>She herself hastened up to the nursery in the hope -of finding some clue to the mystery of the child’s disappearance. -But all she saw on entering the room -was Priscilla crouching on the rug before the nursery-couch -and crying her heart out from loneliness and -disappointment.</p> - -<p>“My dearest, what is it?” asked Mrs. Duer anxiously -hastening to her and gathering her up tenderly -in her arms.</p> - -<p>Priscilla hid her tear-stained face in her mother’s -neck. “I want Polly,” she sobbed out brokenly.</p> - -<p>“Yes, darling, I know you do,” Mrs. Duer said -gently, “and I have no doubt she will be found in a -very little while. She was here, safe and well, this -morning, and she cannot have wandered far, for I forbade -her to go beyond the gates and I cannot believe -she has disobeyed me.”</p> - -<p>“I have something I must p’rtic’larly tell her right -away,” the shaken little voice continued.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I wonder what it can be?” ventured Mrs. Duer, -encouragingly. “Don’t you think you can confide it -to mother?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know.”</p> - -<p>“Try.”</p> - -<p>The big clock in the corner ticked out the seconds -with melancholy distinctness. It seemed to Priscilla -to be reproachfully repeating: “Pol-ly’s gone! -Pol-ly’s gone!” until she could endure it no longer.</p> - -<p>“I wanted to tell Polly I was sorry,” she gasped in -a difficult whisper.</p> - -<p>“Sorry for what, dearest?”</p> - -<p>“The day I fell—I—I was horrid to Polly,” went -on the penitent little voice in a broken undertone. -“I—I wouldn’t play with her first-off when she -wanted me to and then, when she went out to Pine -Lodge, I was lonesome and I wanted her, and so I -went there too. I didn’t have my doll and we -couldn’t play. I asked her to get it ’cause I was -tired. She was tired too; she had a big bump on her -head that hurt her; she let me feel it thump. But—I -teased her to get my doll; I kept right on teasing.—She -would have gone then but you’d told her not to -leave me alone there and then—and then—I felt -wicked in my heart and wanted to be horrid and—I -thought it would frighten her if I got up on the -bench where you said I mustn’t. She begged me to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -get down—but I leaned over—just to tease her. And -I said I’d get down if she’d fetch my doll. At last, -after ever so long, she said she’d go and then I got -down.—But—but I guess she was ’xasp’rated, I had -teased her so, and leaned over the edge when she said -I shouldn’t, and wouldn’t even let her hold on to my -skirt and—and—so—she shook me. She ’most cried -the minute she had done it and asked me to forgive -her and make up. But I wouldn’t.—I don’t know -why I was so horrid;—it was awful—it choked me—but -I couldn’t vanquish it—I just kept on teasing her -to get my doll.—Then she did.—While she was gone -I tried to think of a way to pay her back for shaking -me—and by and by I thought of one.—When she -brought the doll I just walked over to the bench and -got up on it again. I did it to pay her back.—She -begged me not to—and I did—and then—I fell—and -it wasn’t Polly’s fault and—I—I want Polly!”</p> - -<p>And this was how Priscilla fought her first great -battle with her conscience and won. Her mother, -hearing her heart flutter and bound, and feeling the -cold drops of moisture on her temples, knew that the -struggle had been a fierce one and loved her all the -better for it.</p> - -<p>And somehow Priscilla had never felt so happy in -all her life, in spite of her unhappiness, as she did in -that moment when her beautiful young mother, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -whom she had always stood a little in awe, kissed her -tenderly on her forehead and said: “God bless my -little girl for being honest enough to tell the truth -and brave enough to confess her fault,” and they had -both cried and clung together and felt that they were -very fast friends indeed.</p> - -<p>But in the meantime it was growing darker every -moment and still Polly had not been found. Hannah -came hastening up to report that no trace of her had -been discovered anywhere out of doors and Theresa -had no better news to tell of their search within.</p> - -<p>“She was all right and well this morning, I do assure -you, madam,” the maid insisted. “I served her -breakfast with my own hands. She seemed terribly -upset, I will own, when you went away, but after a -while it seemed as if she had found something to take -up her mind for she was more contented-like. Since -she’s been missing it has occurred to me that perhaps -she intended to run away and that she was planning -how to do it all the time I thought she was just amusing -herself with books and so on. I never was the -prying kind, but I wonder if it would be a good idea -to look around and see if her things are all here—her -clothes, I mean, and such-like.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer thought it would be an extremely good -idea and Hannah made haste to the little girl’s bureau -drawers and closet. A great lump rose in her throat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -as she discovered that the very finest and daintiest of -her garments—the ones Polly had liked the best—were -missing from their customary places.</p> - -<p>But Theresa was fingering the articles on Polly’s -little table in the corner, pulling the books and papers -about and rummaging among them busily. Suddenly -she gave a start and exclamation:</p> - -<p>“It seems to me I remember that there used to be -a little iron bank here somewhere, full of loose change, -wasn’t there, Hannah?”</p> - -<p>“Yes! Why?” responded Hannah almost -harshly.</p> - -<p>“Because it isn’t here now,” replied Theresa.</p> - -<p>“It was Polly’s own bank,” Priscilla whispered in -her mother’s ear. “The money belonged to her, to -do what she liked with. When Cousin Cissy gave -her some or Uncle Arthur did, or anybody, Polly -always put it in her bank, and she said she meant to -buy things with it for some people she knew; and I -guess she meant us.”</p> - -<p>While Priscilla was talking Theresa, with a great -ado, pulled open the little drawer of the table. It -came out with a jerk and there, directly before her, -lay the broken fragments of the bank. Without a -word she gathered them up and brought them to her -mistress. They seemed convincing proof that Polly -had deliberately planned to go away (without doubt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -back to the city) and had taken her savings to pay -her fare.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Duer rose. “That is enough, Theresa,” she -said sadly. “Put those pieces back where you found -them, please, and then you can go down-stairs. I shall -not need you here any longer.”</p> - -<p>She was anxious to be alone with Hannah.</p> - -<p>As soon as the maid had left the room she turned -to the nurse exclaiming: “Oh, Hannah, it seems impossible! -I can’t believe it of the child. She promised -me faithfully not to go beyond the gates and I -trusted her perfectly.”</p> - -<p>Hannah hesitated. “Polly thought you didn’t -trust her,” she said quietly. “It was only the night -before we left home that she told me you had said -you couldn’t trust her any more. If it’s true that she -has deliberately gone away I think there’s no doubt -but that’s why. But I’m not ready to believe she’s -run off so without a word of thanks for all the love -and kindness and generosity’s been shown her in this -house. It wouldn’t be like her. I won’t believe it -till I must.”</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Duer’s thoughts were traveling back to -the last time she had seen the little girl: that afternoon -in the living-room when she had asked her about -Priscilla’s accident, when she had told her she could -not trust her any more. She remembered the hurt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -look in Polly’s eyes and the quiver in her voice as she -asked to be permitted to go back to the store where—where—(it -was all clear to her now) where they did -trust her, where they thought she was “a good cash-girl.” -Like a flash the whole thing explained itself to -Mrs. Duer. Polly had gone back to the city, back to -her old place. In a few hurried words she told Hannah -of what she was thinking:</p> - -<p>“I shall telephone at once to the station-master and -learn if she has taken any of the trains from the depot -to-day and if she has I will go to the city the first -thing in the morning and find her, wherever she is, -and bring her back.”</p> - -<p>Priscilla’s tears had ceased. The thought of Polly -alone, far off, somewhere in the distant, dangerous -darkness, made her heart stand still with horror. -She followed her mother and Hannah silently down-stairs -and stood by trembling while the telephone bell -tinkled merrily and the dreadful news came back over -the wire that Polly had indeed taken the earliest -morning train that very day for the city and that if -there was anything wrong the station-master was -very sorry, but he had thought it was all right to let -her go, although, now he came to think of it, he had -wondered at her being permitted to take such a long -journey alone. The ticket-seller said he remembered -her particularly, “because she seemed such a young<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -one to be shifting for herself.” He recollected that -she had bought a ticket to town, but not back, and -had paid for it with a lot of loose change—“quarters -and dimes and nickles and such.” If he could do anything -for Mrs. Duer she’d oblige him by letting him -know.</p> - -<p>But even now Hannah would not believe that Polly -had run away.</p> - -<p>“Why, don’t you see, Mrs. Duer, it’s impossible,” -she exclaimed in real distress. “Polly isn’t disobedient -nor ungrateful nor disloyal and she’d be all of -these and more if she’d gone off so and left us without -a word. There must be some way of explaining it.”</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Duer was not so sure. She felt terribly -anxious and harassed. What could she say to Polly’s -sister if anything had happened to the child? What -could she do?</p> - -<p>Well, certainly nothing to-night. She would take -the earliest train to the city in the morning and in -the meantime they must all get what rest they could. -Priscilla looked white and worn and ought to be put -to bed as soon as she had eaten her supper. But -Priscilla could only choke over her food and beg to -be “excused” from the table. It was a sad ending to -a day that had begun so merrily.</p> - -<p>And how was Polly faring all this time?</p> - -<p>The journey in the train proved to be tediously<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -long and dreary. Quite, quite different from the one -she had taken last, when she and Priscilla had passed -over the same road some months ago, in coming to -the country. After a while she began to feel faint -and sick from the motion of the cars and, though she -did not realize it, from hunger. The cold milk and -hard biscuits of her breakfast were all Theresa had -provided her with, so her usual luncheon time came -and went and she had nothing to eat. Her empty -little stomach rebelled. But she had no thought for -herself, her mind and heart were brimful of sister, -while the train that was carrying her to the city -where sister lay sick—worse—seemed to do no more -than slowly crawl. The wheels refused to grind out -pleasant tunes, the hot sun blazed viciously through -the window next which she sat and the dust and -smoke and cinders blew in and settled upon her until -she was covered with grime and grit.</p> - -<p>Put at last the end of the journey was reached. -Polly took up her heavy, cumbersome bundle and -stumbled blindly out into the vast, busy station, amid -a babel of voices and a hurrying, struggling press of -passengers. She pushed forward in the thickest of -the crowd and presently found herself in the street, -almost deafened by the clang and clatter of trolley -cars, the shouts of eager hackmen and the piercing -cries of shrill-voiced newsboys. The midday sun<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -glared blindly into her eyes and beat pitilessly upon -her burning cheeks. She looked about her in dismay, -for she did not know her way about this part of town -and, for the first time in her life, the confusion of the -city terrified her. Theresa had bade her speak to no -one and so she did not venture to ask her way. -Tugging wearily at her bulky burden she, somehow, -got past the line of shouting hackmen standing about -the station steps, and managed to cross the street. -People pushed and jostled her; draymen, with rough, -hoarse voices, ordered her out of the way, and motormen -clanged their bells to warn her off the track. -She stumbled blindly along, hardly knowing where -she set her feet and really wandering straight in the -wrong direction. It seemed to her that she was forgotten -and forsaken by all the world.</p> - -<p>She had known her way to and from the store and -around and about the streets near Priscilla’s house, -but here she was all astray. She stood still and tried -to recall Theresa’s directions for reaching the hospital: -“You go through the station and up Madison Avenue -for a while and there you are!”</p> - -<p>She had left the station far, far behind and Madison -Avenue was nowhere within sight.</p> - -<p>The twine that Theresa had fastened about her -bundle and that had threatened to break from the -time she started out, gave way with a snap. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -would have to gather up the loose ends and knot -them as best she could to prevent her clothes from -strewing the pavement. While she was bungling -awkwardly over this, balancing the bundle unsteadily -against her knee, some one ran heavily against her -and in an instant her bundle was on the sidewalk. -She dared not turn her head or look around for she -felt pretty sure that whoever had jostled her had -done it “on purpose,” since there was no crowd here -and the street was wide. But the next instant she -heard a shrill whistle, a coarse laugh and then a rough -voice crying jeeringly:</p> - -<p>“My eyes! But if this ain’t a go! Blest if here -isn’t the fine young lady that lives on the Avenoo! -The lady that ran away with my papers one day along -las’ spring! Hi, though, you don’t get off so easy this -time, sis! I owes you one an’ I’m honest, I am. -When I owes, I pays, see?”</p> - -<p>She turned her head, lifted her eyes and stared -straight into the mischievous, leering face of her old -enemy—the newsboy.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII<br /> -<span class="smaller">HOME AGAIN</span></h2> - -<p>Strangely enough the sight seemed to give her -courage. She looked fearlessly up at him and met his -twinkling eyes without flinching.</p> - -<p>“Well, you are a cool one!” he exclaimed appreciatively.</p> - -<p>Polly’s fingers fumbled with the string of her recaptured -bundle, but she said nothing, nor did she -remove her gaze from his face.</p> - -<p>“Say now—you needn’t go to the trouble of tyin’ -up that bundle,” the fellow continued. “I’m goin’ to -carry it for you, see? and I won’t want a string. -You didn’t need a string the time you carried my -papers for me, did you? Droppin’ things behind you, -one by one, can be done better without a string!”</p> - -<p>Polly simply made a knot in the cord she was -fingering and did not reply.</p> - -<p>“I say!” exclaimed the newsboy at last, “what -kind of a girl are you, anyway? Why don’t you -cry?”</p> - -<p>“There’s nothing to cry for,” said Polly, stoutly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Oh, ain’t there! How do you know but I’m goin’ -to cuff you over the ear, same’s you did me?”</p> - -<p>“Because you won’t. It’s cowardly for a boy to -hit a girl.”</p> - -<p>“And how about a girl hittin’ a fellow? Hey?”</p> - -<p>“You took my Priscilla’s doll! You made my -Priscilla cry!”</p> - -<p>“Why, so I did! And you wouldn’t stand it! -And so you hit me! Well, you’re an out-an’-outer, -and no mistake! Say now, d’you want to know all I -have against you?”</p> - -<p>Polly looked at him squarely but was too cautious -to reply.</p> - -<p>“You can’t take a joke. You don’t know when a -feller’s funnin’. Why, bless your boots, I wouldn’t -have took the kid’s doll off of her for a farm! I was -only foolin’, just to see what ye’d do and—my eye! -but the joke was on me—for you did it! you gave me -as good a chase as I want in a hurry! Say now, I -like you a lot! I like any feller a lot that’s got nerve -and grit and when I like a feller a lot I stand by him! -I’m going to stand by you, see?”</p> - -<p>Then suddenly and without any warning Polly felt -her eyes fill.</p> - -<p>The newsboy’s face fell. “Say now,” he exclaimed -in a tone of anxious reproach, “you ain’t goin’ to -weaken now, are ye? When there ain’t anything to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -cry for? An’ me thinkin’ you was an out-an’-outer, -and countin’ on your grit and savin’ I’d stand by -you!”</p> - -<p>Polly smiled through the mist in her eyes. “I guess -that’s just what made me,” she confessed. “You see, -I don’t know my way, and my sister’s sick at the -hospital and I can’t find her, and I thought I was all -alone, and when you said you’d stand by me—why——”</p> - -<p>The newsboy nodded. “I know,” he assured her -bluffly. “But now, just you leave that whole business -to me. I’ll find the ’ospittle for you without any -trouble at all an’ you wait an’ see if your sister ain’t -better by the time you get there. That bundle of -yours ’s no good. Who did it up? Well, they—they -didn’t know how, that’s all. Now you see this -leather? It’s what goes around my papers! Just -you watch me strap it round your bundle, fast an’ -tight, like this—so-fashion! There y’ are. See! -Now come along. Step lively and keep off the -grass!”</p> - -<p>Polly followed as fast as she could in his swinging -steps. He guided her across the crowded streets as -safely and swiftly as if they had been country lanes -and, though it proved a long, long walk, almost before -she knew it, she found herself at the door of the -hospital.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Now, I tell you what it is,” explained her escort, -as she turned to thank him. “I’ll wait out here till -you give me the word that everything’s O.K. inside. -If ’tis, why, good enough! I’ll go about my -business, but if it isn’t—well—all you’ve got to do is -to give me a nod and I’ll be there for whatever ’s to -be done.”</p> - -<p>So Polly went up the steps and timidly rang the -bell. Her heart beat suffocatingly as she asked for -her sister, but no one in the office seemed to be able -to tell anything about her. Some one was sent up-stairs -to enquire and, meanwhile, she sat upon a -wooden bench in the cool, tiled hall and waited. It -seemed ages before the messenger returned. Nurses -flitted through the corridors, laughing and chatting -together, telephone-bells rang, dispatch-boys came -and went and the office was astir with business. But -Polly’s mind and heart were too full for her to feel -any concern in all the interesting bustle and commotion -about her. All she longed for was to be led to -that quiet room up-stairs where sister lay.</p> - -<p>The minutes dragged slowly, slowly by, and the -hands of the round-faced clock over the desk in the -office seemed scarcely to move at all. Then, just as -she was beginning to think the messenger had forgotten -her, he returned accompanied by a cheerful-looking -young woman in nurse’s uniform, who came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -directly up to Polly and said in a kindly voice: “You -are enquiring about Miss Ruth Carter?”</p> - -<p>Polly nodded.</p> - -<p>“Well, her nurse has been called away and I don’t -really know much more than this—that a lady came -for Miss Carter yesterday and took her away. She -isn’t here any more. Another patient has her room.”</p> - -<p>Polly stared hopelessly up at the cheerful-looking -young woman and her lips moved but she could not -speak.</p> - -<p>“Perhaps you are Miss Carter’s little sister? Yes, -I thought you might be. Well, you’ll probably hear -all about her when you get home. If her nurse -hadn’t been called away she could tell you just how -the case stands. I’m new here and don’t know anything -more about Miss Carter than what I’ve told you.”</p> - -<p>“Then you don’t know if she’s worse?” stammered -Polly.</p> - -<p>“Why, no—I don’t,” admitted the nurse.</p> - -<p>“Do they—do they—ever take them away when -they’re worse?” The cheerful-looking nurse examined -her cuffs with a good deal of interest.</p> - -<p>“Why, yes—sometimes they do,” she replied hesitatingly. -“You know this isn’t a hospital for incurables. -If your sister had been here some time and -she couldn’t be cured, or if she grew worse she would -have to be removed.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<p>Polly moved slowly toward the door. The cheerful-looking -nurse did not think it was worth while to take -the trouble of looking up Ruth Carter’s case in the -hospital records just to satisfy a child. She had something -she wanted very much more to do, and so she -let Polly out of the great building with a pleasant, -encouraging smile. The newsboy came whistling -around the corner as soon as the little girl appeared -upon the outer steps.</p> - -<p>“Everything O.K.?” he enquired.</p> - -<p>Polly shook her head.</p> - -<p>“O, I say, nothin’ ’s wrong with the sick lady, is -there?”</p> - -<p>Polly nodded.</p> - -<p>“She ain’t—gone?”</p> - -<p>Again Polly nodded.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’m—I’m sorry! I say, you’re hard hit and -that’s a fact! Come—cry if you want to. Never -mind me! It’ll do you good, p’raps. Even a feller’d -be let cry if—if—his folks at the ’ospittle was—gone.”</p> - -<p>But Polly did not cry. She was too stunned. The -newsboy joined her and they walked slowly and -silently down the street. At last Polly spoke:</p> - -<p>“I—don’t quite know—what I’d better do,” she -said drearily. “I haven’t any place to go and I -haven’t any money.”</p> - -<p>Her companion whistled.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Why, I thought you were one of the four-hundred! -You live on the Avenoo!”</p> - -<p>“Yes, but the house is shut up. No one is there. -They’re all in the country.”</p> - -<p>“What’d they mean then, by lettin’ you come away -alone with no money in your pocket, eh?”</p> - -<p>Polly sighed. “I don’t know,” she said wearily. -“A telegram came and Theresa—she’s the parlor-maid—told -me it was about sister’s being worse and wanting -me, and Theresa got me ready and—and—that’s all.”</p> - -<p>The newsboy considered. “Well, Tresser hasn’t -got much sense—or else—she’s got too much, that’s all -I have to say about it,” he exclaimed. “But that -ain’t our business just now. What’s our business just -now is this: What are you goin’ to do? Now just -you think. Ain’t there any one—not a single soul you -know in this friendly town? Not a one? Just make -a try at it, an’ fish up one! One ain’t much! Oh, I -say, I’d be willing to—to—declare you can think of -one!”</p> - -<p>Polly shook her head.</p> - -<p>“We used to live down-town,” she explained. “But -sister and I didn’t know many people there, and besides -they move about a great deal—the down-town -people do. And all Priscilla’s relations are in the -country. And sister’s nurse at the hospital is away -too and——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Did you, may be, know any one at the ’ospittle besides -your sister?”</p> - -<p>“Only Mrs. Bell.”</p> - -<p>“Who’s Mrs. Bell?”</p> - -<p>“She’s the mother of little Cicely. She isn’t at the -hospital any more. Miss Cissy said she had moved -into a nice little flat.”</p> - -<p>“Where?”</p> - -<p>Polly gave the street and number.</p> - -<p>The newsboy hailed a trolley and the next moment -they were flashing up-town as fast as electricity would -take them. She was too bewildered to know how or -where they went, but blindly followed her leader and -let him pilot her from one car to another without a -word.</p> - -<p>Dazed by the heat and her hunger, and stunned by -the blow she had received at the hospital, Polly did -not even realize that they had reached the street in -which, Miss Cissy said, Mrs. Bell lived and was not -conscious of the fact that her companion had rung the -bell of the ground-floor flat and that they were standing -before the door waiting for it to be opened to -them. But, in another moment her wits returned, for -the door was flung open, a flood of mellow sunlight -streamed into the dim hall in which they stood, and -Mrs. Bell’s hearty voice, full of amazement, was crying -out:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Why, Polly!—Polly Carter! What brings you -here?”</p> - -<p>The newsboy chuckled. Baby Cicely, in her -mother’s arms, crowed lustily and Polly uttered a -sharp cry of joy—for there, just before her—not two -yards away—stood sister! Smiling and happy and—well!</p> - -<p>Nobody could understand how it had all come -about, perhaps because nobody could keep still long -enough to listen to explanations, but one can be very, -very glad and thankful without quite understanding -just the way the things have occurred that make -one so.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Bell would not hear of Polly’s protector leaving -her house till he had promised faithfully to come -back again as soon as he had sold out his “Extry -’Dition! Evenin’ Papers!” But when he had given -his word and gone whistling away she set about getting -Polly something to eat, for it was easy to see, in -spite of her joy and excitement, that the child was -worn out with fatigue and faint from hunger.</p> - -<p>It was nothing less than luxury to sit in Mrs. Bell’s -best chair, sipping cool, fresh milk and eating a soft-boiled -egg and buttered bread, and seeing sister walk—really -walk (somewhat slowly, to be sure, and with -the help of a stick, as yet) but still walk—back and -forth and about the room.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> - -<p>Then, little by little, everything began to explain -itself. Polly’s coming to town on account of the telegram -that had never been sent (at which gentle sister’s -eyes shot sparks of righteous indignation); her -meeting with her old enemy, who proved such a -friend (at which sister’s eyes grew soft again); -sister’s having left the hospital the day before, because -she was entirely cured and because Miss Cicely had -arranged to take her up to the country the following -morning as a surprise for Polly, and Mrs. Bell having -the dearest little flat in the world because her husband -had got a good position in Mr. Cameron’s office and -could afford to give her a comfortable home now, in -which she had begged to be allowed to entertain -sister the first day she was out of the hospital. It all -seemed very wonderful and yet very simple, when the -tangles were unraveled. Even the cloud that had -hung over Polly since Priscilla’s accident seemed to -grow lighter when sister knew of it and pointed out -the way to explain the matter to Mrs. Duer. “We -ought to send a dispatch to her at once,” Ruth Carter -declared. “She will be anxious about you, dear,” but -Polly soon explained that Priscilla, her mother and -Hannah were still at the seashore and would not be -back for a week at least, and that as they had not -known she was absent they would hardly worry about -her safety. So it was decided to wait until to-morrow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -when Polly would go up to the country with Miss -Cicely and sister and they would all three be there together -to welcome the travelers on their return.</p> - -<p>So, while Priscilla and her mother and Hannah -were spending the dolefulest of evenings in the great -country-house, Polly and sister and little Cicely’s parents -and Jim Conroy, the newsboy, were having the -happiest of ones in the little city flat.</p> - -<p>Priscilla, in her lonely night-nursery, fell asleep at -last with her cheek pressed against one of Polly’s old -pinafores, which she had smuggled into bed with her -and was clasping lovingly to her breast, while Mrs. -Duer and Hannah sat up late, talking and planning -about the next day and the hurried trip to the city in -search of Polly that both of them felt should be made -without delay. As it happened they were both so -tired that when they did, finally, go to bed, they slept -so soundly that they were late in waking the next -morning and Mrs. Duer missed her train.</p> - -<p>Her plan had been to go, directly upon reaching the -city, to the store where she felt pretty confident Polly -had meant to return. But now this idea must be -given up and she must think of another way to get -news of the child. She sent a telegram to the firm -and within an hour received the reply:</p> - -<p>“Polly Carter left us in spring. Know nothing of -her present whereabouts.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was a sort of comfort to Hannah and Priscilla -when James returned, as he did that morning. James -had always seemed to like Polly and he would surely -grieve to hear she had gone. The good nurse told -him everything that had happened, as far as she knew -it, with tears in her voice as well as in her eyes, but -when she came to the part where the broken bank -was made to prove that Polly had used her money to -pay her fare to the city, he sprang up with a shout -and Hannah’s eyes grew dry in a twinkling.</p> - -<p>“Why, bless your heart,” the butler exclaimed, “I -can tell you all about that bank. I smashed it myself—the -night of the kirmess. It was this way:——”</p> - -<p>And then out came the story of the little “chamois -bag.”</p> - -<p>“And, by the way,” James concluded, “that bag is -somewhere down the ravine this minute, and I’m -going to find it. I was on the way to, when Miss -Priscilla fell and then, in all the hurry and worry, I -clean forgot about it. But the five dollars in it -belongs to Polly—fair and square—and I’m going to -get it for her, or my name’s not James Craig.”</p> - -<p>“But James,” interposed Hannah, “even if Polly -didn’t take the money to pay her fare, the fact remains -that she’s gone.”</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, true enough,” admitted James, “but if -Mrs. Duer told Polly not to go out of the gates unless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> -Theresa gave her leave, you may be pretty certain -Polly didn’t do it. The kind of character a person -has stands for something, as I look at it, and Polly -has proved she’s the right sort, clear through. You -mark my words, Hannah, there’s a screw loose somewhere, -but it ain’t with Polly.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"> -<img src="images/illus5.jpg" width="460" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption">SHE RUSHED WILDLY FORWARD</p> -</div> - -<p>So James strode off to the ravine to search for the -little “chamois bag,” and Hannah hastened back to -Mrs. Duer to repeat to her what the butler had just -been saying. His cheery air and encouraging words -seemed to lift a weight from the heart of every one in -the house except Theresa. She was plunged in the -deepest gloom, for she seemed to see possibilities of -her deception being discovered and she made up her -mind that if the truth of the telegram were brought -to light she would leave the house of her own accord -rather than risk the disgrace of being discharged by -Mrs. Duer. She had not had an easy moment since she -saw the train sweep by that was carrying Polly into -the sweltering city on her hopeless errand. She had -been haunted by the vision of her trusting, sorrowful -eyes as they had looked when she, Theresa, had told -her of the telegram and Polly had thought it contained -bad news for her. The memory seemed to -stab her every time she thought of the child, and, -somehow, she thought of the child continually. She -did not really believe Polly would come back. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -chances were too many against her. She had no -money, no friends in the city save the sister whom -it was improbable she would find and the heat in -town was reported to be prostrating. To her surprise -Theresa found herself worrying about the little girl’s -danger and her heart softened in spite of herself.</p> - -<p>“The poor scrap,” she muttered uneasily, “I hope -she’ll come to no harm. Who knows, if Angeline had -been like her, I might have been different—better!—And -then, again, who knows, if I’d been like her, -Angeline might have been different—better. Perhaps -I’ll try, if I go away from here, to be nicer to -Angeline and maybe, if I am, and her mother helps -me, we can make a good child of her, after all. And -maybe we’ll be better, helping her, you can’t -tell.”</p> - -<p>Theresa’s eyes grew curiously blurred and dim at -the vision and her hard, handsome face took on a very -gentle, softened look. But all of a sudden its expression -changed to one of eager anxiety. She dropped -Mrs. Duer’s brush and comb, with a handful of other -toilet articles she had been in the act of replacing in -the traveling-bag, which her mistress intended taking -with her when she went to the city, as she expected -to do, that afternoon; flew to the window and gazed -out in a sort of trance of amazement, for there, coming -around the driveway, was one of the station hacks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -and in it were Miss Cicely, Polly and some one else -whom, she knew at a glance, to be sister herself.</p> - -<p>Priscilla had lain hidden away in a shady corner of -the veranda since breakfast, mourning lonesomely, and -refusing to be comforted, when the sound of wheels -upon the gravel made her look up. One glance was -enough. She was on her feet in an instant, rushing -wildly to the carriage entrance and crying: “Polly! -Oh, my Polly! My Polly!” between a shower of -happy tears and a quiver of joyous laughter.</p> - -<p>Polly’s wistful face lit up with sudden surprise. -Her lips trembled and her cheeks grew pale. For a -moment she could not speak; her heart was too full. -But Priscilla, frantic with delight, noticed nothing -but that she had her Polly back again.</p> - -<p>“Polly, oh, my Polly! My Polly!” she repeated -over and over, while James came running around the -side of the house at the sound of her happy voice, -victoriously swinging the recaptured “chamois bag” -above his head, and Mrs. Duer and Hannah appeared -simultaneously from the house to join in the general -jollification.</p> - -<p>It was a reception to be remembered.</p> - -<p>Priscilla clung to Polly and would not let her out -of her sight for an instant. Even the beloved Cousin -Cicely had to take second place on this occasion, but -far from objecting, she joined with the others in giving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -the little wanderer a royal welcome home and told -the story of her trials with so much truth and tenderness -that—well, even James was guilty of a stealthy -sniff as he listened to the recital.</p> - -<p>Lawrence and Richard came up from the stables for -the express purpose of shaking Polly by the hand and -telling her they were glad to have her back again -and Bridget and the rest had to be allowed to give -their greeting too, while the only one who did not -appear was Theresa and even she, it proved, had left -her message behind her, for later in the day Polly, -on going to the nursery, discovered a hurriedly-written -note upon her bureau which read:</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“I’m going away. I’m sorry I acted mean to you. -Tell them to send my trunk where it’s directed to.</p> - -<p class="right">“<span class="smcap">Theresa.</span>”</p> - -</div> - -<p>So Polly’s cup of bliss was filled to the brim and, -as if it needed one drop more for good measure, -pressed down and running over, Miss Cicely supplied -it in the wonderful secret she had to tell and which -sounded very much like the ending to the story she -had told sister that memorable day of the tea-party -in the hospital.</p> - -<p>“But,” concluded Miss Cicely, “if the Person and -The-Real-one-with-the-Heart are to get married, as -they certainly hope to do very soon, why, I’m afraid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -they will have to ask two little girls they know to -assist them through the ceremony. The two little -girls must consent to be dressed in white and lead the -bridal procession up the church aisle, for though there -will be plenty of blossoms to be had for the buying, -there are none the Person and The-Real-one-with-the-Heart -like quite so much as the ones we call—Sweet-P’s.”</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sweet P's, by Julie Mathilde Lippmann - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SWEET P'S *** - -***** This file should be named 53663-h.htm or 53663-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/6/6/53663/ - -Produced by MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from -images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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