Emma C. Dowd

“ Polly demurred. “You didn’t use to be this way, Patty. What’s the matter?” She had dropped into a confidential tone.
Patricia’s face grew pink. She laughed uncertainly. “Oh, I’m all right!” she returned, stooping ostensibly to tie her shoe, which the other was positive did not need tying.
“I don’t like it,” Polly went on softly; “I like you best as you always have been. You are too much a woman to be a flirt.”
“It’s fun!” laughed Patricia. “You may as well break men’s hearts as to have them break yours.” ”

“ Dolly Merrifield said nothing; she only smiled, and sighed a sorry little sigh that Polly did not hear, so very soft it was. Nevertheless, the “hospital force,” as Lilith called the grown-up members of the family, did not wander far from the house.
“We must hang around and watch for a telegram,” laughed Polly.
But no word came—and no Sardis, either. The waiting grew tedious.
“It is getting on that child’s nerves,” fretted the White Nurse. “She’ll make herself sick with worrying.”
Benedicta ran to the window every time she caught the whir of a motor car, no matter what she was doing. ”

“ The half-circle of quacking beggars became vociferous, and Dolly fed them until her sandwiches must needs be often replaced, and the giver herself would have been in danger of going hungry if some one had not given out food with a prodigal hand.
Finally the luncheon was over, and the little girl—with a flourish of her small hands—told the birds that they could have no more. Promptly the ducks started off. Only the little lame one seemed reluctant to leave.
“He loves me—that’s why,” announced Dolly. “All the rest care for is something to eat.” ”

“ TROUBLE IN THE KITCHEN THEY had been three days without Benedicta, and she was missed more than she could have been made to believe. Nothing seemed the same. Even the mountain was apparently farther removed from the world of people and homes and all that goes to make life the joy it can be. The food question had not troubled any of them very much, for the housekeeper’s latest baking was not yet exhausted. It was so much diminished, however, that Polly and Lilith had held converse at least twice on the subject, ending with, “Well, we’ll get along some way.” ”

“ Benedicta told her on one of her trips to the kitchen. “A man came along with them early, and I bought more than I realized. He gave me bouncing good measure, and there seems to be a superfluity—see those panfuls!” She pointed to the heaped-up fruit.
“I’m glad you bought them,” returned Polly. “I never tire of blueberries, fresh or cooked.”
“Well,” went on the housekeeper, a pleased, relieved look on her face, “I knew you liked ’em. So do I. And I’ve got time to can to-day; there isn’t going to be any man to dinner. You’ll be glad of them next winter. ”

“ The eyes of the girls met, Polly’s soft with sympathy, the other’s sharp with recklessness.
The next minute Patricia was rattling on again. “I don’t believe I’ll come up, after all,” she observed lightly. “I’m afraid Abbe isn’t a good sport. Why don’t you take Marston? He knows how to keep up his end.”
“I don’t want him,” replied Polly.
“Wouldn’t he feel flattered to know that!” laughed Patricia.
“He wouldn’t like the position. He would want to go down to Overlook every evening. You know Lilith is going up to help me?”
“No! Is she really? I’m afraid you will both die of lonesomeness.” ”

“ Opinions are versatile notions at best. After that informal meal on Overlook Mountain the critical wife of Colonel Gresham looked at Benedicta in a humorous and therefore fairer light, and the light in which a person is viewed makes all the difference in one’s opinion of him. ”

“ Early one afternoon Benedicta appeared at the kitchen door with Grocer Jack, and the welcome that she received would have turned any head which was not as well-balanced as hers.
“Well, now stop talkin’, all of you,” she laughed finally, “and leave me the kitchen to myself! I can’t concoct cookies or doughnuts to such a tintinnabulation as this!”
“But you don’t need to,” cried Lilith. “Mr. Merrifield keeps us beautifully cooked up.”
“Oh!” scoffed Benedicta, turning merry eyes towards the minister, “I know what a man’s cooking is—I’ve had it! ”

“ Two days after Russell Ely had brought her up the hill, an envelope with David’s well-known superscription was put into Polly’s hand. At first it seemed no more than the envelope itself, so thin it was. Then Polly saw that a single sheet was inside.
“Guess he was in a hurry,” she told herself, as she hastened up to her room.
She sat down by the broad window and noted the slight unevenness of the address. David’s [12] chirography was a continual wonder to Polly, every line, every curve, according to rule. ”

“ THE LETTER THE City Hall clock struck twelve, and Polly Dudley was still awake. The circumstances of the afternoon were passing before her. What David had said and what she had said, when he had laughed and when he had been silent, what they had seen on the way—it was all there in the procession that had no end. Just now they were at the corner of Webster Street, where it joined Clayton Avenue. An Italian boy with a push-cart was on the cross-walk, and Polly and David waited to let him pass. A young man was coming towards them, a handsome young man in a shining car. ”

“ She ate her supper that night to the whirring of cars, the blare of motor horns, and—yes, the odor of gasoline. She talked about it, too, as she ate, and never noticed that Aunt Sophie was more than ordinarily silent.
Next morning, as soon as she awoke, the tiny girl found herself in a strange state of excitement, and contrary to her usual custom she called Aunt Sophie to her bedside. ”

“ She arose and hastened downstairs; some of the children might be growing nervous.
In the ward nobody was stirring. Esther Tenniel had been playing with post-cards and had dropped back on her pillow. Jozy and Clementina and Grissel were drowsing in wheel-chairs. Muriel Spencer and Annette Lacouchière were looking at picture books. Little Duke and Dolly Merrifield were asleep on the veranda, with Mrs. Daybill keeping guard over all and deep in a book as well. The kitchen was empty of life except for a droning fly or two. ”

“ Lilith scowled savagely. “I feel like swearing.”
Polly broke into a laugh.
“Don’t!” Lilith was almost in tears.
“I’d cry if ’twould help us out, but it won’t. If I ever stay home long enough I’ll learn to cook. Mother knows every twist and turn of cookery—why didn’t I have her teach me!”
“Same here!” Lilith jerked out. “There’s no sense in a girl’s not knowing how to make bread and roast meat and all that. See how I spoiled the dinner this noon! I was so mortified it choked me—I couldn’t eat.”
“It wasn’t so bad,” fibbed Polly sympathetically.
“I know! I’ve eaten Benedicta’s pot roasts. ”

“ Polly repeated, a tiny scowl fretting her smooth forehead. “Anything but that, I should call it.”
“Well, not much like what you have been accustomed to. I should die to be shut out from everything, the way you are up here.”
Polly’s cheeks grew red, and a queer little smile came and went.
“I think it is a beautiful thing to help little children to be better and happier; don’t you?”
Marietta gave a short laugh, and lifted her eyebrows. ”

“ Polly smiled. “Dr. Abbe is too diffident to look at a girl; but the children like him immensely. He is bashful even with them—I have noticed it. Strange he should be, so able a man.”
The Doctor looked at Polly meditatively. Only that afternoon he had seen this same shy young surgeon stop to gaze from a window that commanded the garden where Polly was gathering sweet pease. He wondered now if it would be wise to send Dr. Abbe to Overlook. ”

“ The sight of the tallest chauffeur coming down the path put a stop to her musings, and she watched him as he disappeared in the garage. He generally drove the big car. “Oh, I hope it will be the big car this afternoon!” she said to herself. It was the big car now, for the tall young fellow drove it from the garage and then stopped, jumped out and ran back for something. He drove directly by the window and up the road to the great house. Mrs. Hamilton Garde was going to ride. The little girl drew a long, happy breath—it was nice to have so beautiful a thing to anticipate. ”

“ WHAT SARDIS SAID POLLY was preparing the chosen ones of her small flock for a ride. Of late automobile rides had been few, the driver’s time having been too full of indoor work. “They will live outdoors in a few days,” she told herself, when her conscience had pricked her for keeping them in the heat of Paradise Ward. But this morning no pressing task was at hand, and she happily made ready for a short ride into the country, planning to call for Dolly Merrifield on the way.
“Miss Dudley, there’s a woman downstairs who wants to see you,” announced Andrew, one of the orderlies. ”

“ Mr. Jack said he knew it was you, because you’ve got such an easy number on your car. I’m glad you have,” she sighed, “or we never should have known it was you.”
Polly said that she was glad of the number, and she smiled to the little fairy and thanked Grocer Jack. Then the children were transferred from the grocery wagon to the automobile and Polly learned that the tall grocer could be as gentle in the handling of a frail child as he was nonchalant in the lifting of a heavy barrel. Her esteem for him increased accordingly.
“Isn’t Rosalind beautiful?” ”

“ David scorned. “Do you want a scene?”
“No. I want to sit still. I am tired.” She sighed wearily.
“Why didn’t you say so before?” pettishly. He took the chair that Russell had vacated.
“Let’s go home,” he resumed. “You are as sick of all this as I am.”
“I am sick of the way you behave,” she returned. “You make me ashamed of you.”
“That should be reversed,” observed David coldly.
A tiny smile puckered Polly’s lips.
“Oh, yes, laugh!” he burst out. “It is what you have been doing all day.”
Marietta and her partner whirled past the doorway.
Polly arose. ”

“ Polly’s eyes had a sad, far-away look as she gazed at Dolly’s ducks taking a swim down the brook.
“It seems as if it would be easier—at home. I must wait. David is a good talker when he sets out to win his point—I am afraid.”
“I see,” nodded the other.
“Maybe. But you can’t—quite. I could only say that I am going to be a nurse, and that I don’t love him. Then he would accuse me of almost everything—I know David. When I go back—well, maybe I’ll write him a letter.”
Juanita laughed. “You won’t be a nurse all your life. ”

“ Polly ran out.
“You can’t control the car in this rain,” she urged, seizing Benedicta’s arm. “You must not go!”
“Let me alone! I’ll put on the chains.”
[216] The door shut behind her, and shortly the car had started on its trip down the mountain.
The children were whimpering. Little Duke lay white and motionless; only the soft breathing told of life.
“She’ll be struck and die, just like Little Duke!” wailed Clementina. Which was the signal for a general shower of tears.
“Don’t! Don’t!” begged Mrs. Daybill. “Little Duke isn’t dead and he isn’t going to be! He is only stunned. ”

“ ROSALIND FERNE BENEDICTA’s tardy presence was briefly apologized for.
“Work’s more necessary ’n party suppers,” she said succinctly.
“I saw yer peekin’ through the trees!” piped up Grissel.
A pink flush on Benedicta’s cheek was the only response, and Polly quickly filled up the break with a laughable little nothing which turned the children’s attention away from the housekeeper.
Benedicta did more than her share of wheeling the children home, as if to make amends for her afternoon’s neglect. When the patients were abed she stole out to the veranda where Polly was sitting. ”

“ Polly looked mischievous. “There are chicken sandwiches and cream-cheese sandwiches and chocolate snaps and oranges and coffee and—”
“Oh!” Lilith clapped her hands to her ears. “Isn’t she naughty, Dolly?”
“No,” answered Dolly; “she couldn’t be—ever.”
“You see, I have a stanch champion,” Polly twinkled.
“Oh, yes,” sighed Lilith in mock distress, “everybody swears allegiance to you. I foresee what lonesome days I am going to have up on the mountain.”
Dolly was looking at the girl with a puzzled expression. Lilith’s face was perfectly serious. ”

“ You know the Mansfields are going to live in California. Ruth has grown pretty stout, and Marietta looks as if she would blow away. Somebody was wondering if she could fill Ruth’s place, and Patricia said very soberly, ‘I think she’ll wabble about a little.’ Wasn’t that bright?”
“Unkind,” he answered forbiddingly.
“Oh, David!” she sighed, “you are so matter-of-fact. You don’t like Patty any better than ever.”
[5] “There is not much of her to like,” he said quietly.
“David Collins!”
“It is true.”
“Every one but you thinks she is lovely,” asserted Polly. ”

“ There was a scream from Polly’s car, a series of screams, and she and the Doctor ran ahead together. The rest came up.
“Don’t be frightened, dears! It’s only a tire.”
“I thought I was shot!” wailed Jozy. “So did I!” chimed in Grissel.
[111] The others laughed.
“Pretty big blow-out,” said Russell. He pulled off his coat that was on only one arm.
Dr. Abbe regarded it ruefully. “Wish I knew how to help,” he said.
“It’s a shame—” began Polly.
“It’s fine,” returned Russell; “I’m glad to have a change from driving. They’ve chosen a good, shady spot for it. And the tools are out—all handy.” ”

“ Within a week Polly had her license and she and Evan were spinning over the country roads in the new car, Polly chuckling over her number, which she declared was the very best in the whole list. She was an apt pupil, and absolutely without fear. Mrs. Dudley soon decided to take some of the children and occupy the back seat, rather than wait at home wondering if anything had happened, and her first ride with Polly at the wheel seemed to rid her of all apprehension. She argued no more against the new machine. ”

“ Polly asserted smilingly. “Father knows what he says. He never makes a statement that he is not able to back up with results.”
“Well”—Benedicta drew a long, doubtful breath—“if she ever should—but I don’t b’lieve she will!—it will be a real authentic miracle.”
“It will seem so,” agreed Polly, “yet it is just such things that father is doing every day.”
The housekeeper looked at her with unbelieving eyes. “Do you mean that your father has ever cured anybody that was like that little Ferne kid?”
“A good many of them. You know about Doodles?” ”

“ Polly was young and she was human. She was at once drawn into the heart of the festivities, until she nearly forgot that she had awakened that morning in company with trouble.
One of a group of merrymakers, she was strolling down towards Cliff Grove, when along the drive by the sea-wall came a trim motor car. Polly’s breath seemed to stop—the driver was David Collins, the girl at his side was Marietta Converse!
Several spied the pair and ran to head them off. Lilith Brooks, who had Polly’s arm, glanced sidewise. Polly was white, and her eyes had a look that made Lilith shrink. ”