The Return
Polly was awakened early by clashing talk. The girls, whose room
she shared, were in a wrangle over her pretty, blue hair ribbon.
Sophia had spied it first, and was slyly using it for her own
straight locks, when Maude had snatched it away, and a hubbub
followed.
The owner of it did not interfere, but began to dress, as if she
had no interest in the cause of the quarrel.
"She's more stuck-up 'n she used to be!" Polly overheard Maude
sneer, as she hurried away in response to her aunt's call.
Mr. Bean wass already eating breakfast, and he greeted the little
girl pleasantly, though keeping watch of his wife, who was frying
cakes.
"Here! Give these to you uncle," Polly was bidden; whereupon the
little man began such attempts at kindliness as to draw out a
contemptuous, "Huh!" from over the griddle. After that he
fastened his eyes on his plate, and ate in silence.
By the time the elder children were off for school, and the
younger had departed to a neighboring tenement, Polly's early
tasks were completed, and she sat down again to the button-sewing.
The little kitchen was very still, and Polly's thoughts sped back
to the big house on the hill. She wondered how long it would be
before she should see Dr. Dudley and Miss Lucy. Were they
worrying about her and trying to find her? She could only guess.
"I b'lieve I'll run up and get that ginger-bread receipt of Mis'
Moore's." The nasal voice broke in rudely upon the wondering.
Mrs. Bean shook the threads from her apron, and turned towards the
door.
"If the kids come in and want something to eat, before I get
back," she halted to say, "there's cookies in that little stone
pot in the cupboard. Don't let 'em have but two apiece."
Wild thoughts, entirely foreign to Aunt Jane's directions, were
flashing through Polly's mind.
If only there were time! She could try it! She must let Dr.
Dudley and the others know!
"I shan't be gone long," her aunt was saying. "You stick to your
work!"
Polly waited only to hear her walk the length of the hall above,
and a door open and shut. The she cautiously stole out, and down
the stairs, three long flights. Not more than a block away she
had noticed a grocery. Groceries have telephones. She would run
down there, and call up the hospital! At the outer door she
paused an instant for one troubled look at her short skirt; but
time was precious, and quickly she was speeding down the sidewalk.
"Hoh! Look at her!" jeered a big boy from across the street.
She did not even glance his way.
"Have you a telephone?" was her breathless inquiry of a man at
the entrance of the little shop.
A jerk of his fat thumb towards the dim interior was his only
answer.
"Please, may I use it?"
He nodded indifferently, and then she was hurrying in the
direction indicated.
The instrument was on the wall, and Polly on tiptoe could not
reach the mouthpiece. Looking around for a possible foot-stool,
she spied a small box, which might have been used before for a
similar service, and pulling it into position she found that it
brought her to the proper height. With a trembling hand she
lifted the receiver from its hook. She was familiar with the
hospital number, and gave it without hesitation.
"Put in your nickel!" came distinctly to her ear.
Polly started in dismay. This was a pay station!
"I--have n't any!" she faltered pathetically, and the merciless
snap of the wire told her that her last hope had been cut off.
She pushed the box back where she had found it, and walked slowly
out of the shop. Her feet still lagged when she turned towards
the tenement. What mattered it if Aunt Jane should return and
find her absent? What mattered anything now? Then came a sudden
daring temptation. The road was free--and she was there! Why not
keep on to the hospital? She looked down--her skirts were inches
above her knees! If only Aunt Jane had not insisted that she wear
Sophia's petticoats, to match the length of the borrowed dress!
Could she brave the crowded streets in such attire? One thought
of those she loved best brought instant decision. She could dare
anything for their sakes. With a shrinking, fast-beating heart.
She turned, and went quickly forward.
She had not gone far, when ahead, whirling towards her, seemed a
familiar object. Could it be? There were other dark green
automobiles--but it was!--it was Dr. Dudley!
Polly dashed into the road,--perilously near the track of the
approaching car,--wildly waving her hands. It stopped almost
at her feet, and then she was in Dr. Dudley's arms.
For a moment she could only sob out her joy.
"Where have you been, Polly, child? We were all so worried--"
"I knew you would be! I knew it! But Aunt Jane made me come!
She held me tight and I could n't get away! Mr. Bean was going to
tell you last night; but she would n't let him--she sent him to
bed! And I tried to telephone to you just now, and I had n't any
five cents--oh, dear!"
"Poor little girl!" and the Doctor's voice was very tender.
His eyes passed beyond the curly head to the curb, where a knot of
men and boys regarded them curiously.
"Where is the telephone, Polly?" he asked.
"Up there, in the little grocery store." Her hand showed the
direction.
He swung her gently into the auto, stepped in beside her, and
steered slowly towards the conspicuous sign.
"I'll be back in a minute," he told her and disappeared between
the shelves of fruit and vegetables.
Polly's eyes followed him lovingly. Presently he was beside her
again.
"I wanted to let them know that you are safe," he smiled. "Now
we will see that Aunt Jane."
They went up the long stairs, Polly in advance. Her aunt heard
her, and opened the kitchen door.
"Where in the world--" she began sharply, but stopped at sight
of the tall man.
"I did n't know anybody was with you," she muttered; and then
recognized Dr. Dudley.
"I've had quite a hunt for you," he remarked. "You have moved
recently."
"Yes," she assented, "when I was married; this is nearer his
ship. I s'pose you're after Polly," she added; "but I've made
up my mind not to let her stay at the hospital any longer. I need
her at home."
"You will allow her to come to us for a day," he smiled, in a
tone that admitted of no refusal.
"Ain't no need of her goin' back," she fretted; "I can send for
her things."
"I'll agree to bring her luggage, when she comes for good," the
Doctor returned pleasantly' "but we want her for another day or
two, at the least. Polly, run and get ready! I shall be due at
the hospital before long."
In the little dim bedroom the eager fingers made quick work with
the buttons. This was what Polly had not dared hope for, a day or
two more with those she loved! Presently she was back in her
pretty dress and shoes, and was fastening on her hat before the
little cracked mirror. OH, her locket! She had come near
forgetting it.
"Please, Aunt Jane, can I have my locket and chain?" she asked,
facing the somewhat disturbed woman.
"There's not call for you to wear it today," was the sullen
reply.
"Oh, but I'd like it, please, if you don't mind!" Polly
insisted, gaining courage from Dr. Dudley's presence.
With a toss of her head, Mrs. Bean stalked into the next room.
The moments passed. Still she did not return. When she did
appear, she looked actually troubled.
"That Gregory must have got hold of it, and gone and hid it away,
or something!" she worried. "I've hunted high and low, but 't
ain't anywhere! Now you need n't go to bein' scared, Polly!" for
the little girl's face plainly showed her distress. "I guess you
can stand it if you don't have on any _geegaws_ to-day! I'll get
it fast enough when that kid comes home from school. But, oh,
he's a terror, Gregory is!"
They went downstairs, Polly clinging to the Doctor's hand, as if
she feared that even now something might separate her from him.
In the auto, however, she settled back restfully in her seat. It
was so unspeakably good to feel a loving protector close beside.
Dr. Dudley made quick time on the return trip to the hospital, and
David was waiting for them by the stepping-stone.
"Hullo!" cried Polly blithely.
"Hullo!" he responded; adding, "Oh! What made you give us such a
scare?"
"I could n't help it; truly I could n't!" she replied.
"Well, I'm glad you're back again!" David declared fervently,
insisting on carrying her bundle and her little white sweater.
"Better run up to the ward, and let them have a sight of you,"
the Doctor advised. "Did you tell your uncle?" turning to the
lad.
"Yes, sir. And I called up Mrs. Jocelyn, too; but she said she
had just heard from you."
Polly's eyes grew wide and grave. Had her friends all been
worrying like this?
Dr. Dudley glanced at his watch. "I shall be busy until noon,"
he said; "but, Polly, I wish you would come down directly after
dinner. I want to talk with you."
She went upstairs wondering if the "talk" were to be about going
back to Aunt Jane's. She had not reached any conclusion when the
sight of Miss Lucy and Leonora put the troublesome matter from
their mind.
"My precious!" breathed Miss Lucy in her ear.
"Oh, you darling Polly!" squealed the little lame girl, with a
frantic hug. "We thought you must be kid--kid--kid'aped, or
whatever 't is!" she ended desperately.
"I was--by Aunt Jane," laughed Polly; "but Dr. Dudley rescued
me."
"Maybe he would n't, if it had n't been for Colonel Gresham,"
returned Leonora, with a shake of her head, as the other children
jostled her carelessly, in their eagerness to be at the front.
"What did the Colonel do?" queried Polly wonderingly' but the
rest claimed her, and the answer had to wait.
"You've lost your locket!" cried Stella Pope. "Did you know
it?"
"It is n't los exactly," Polly explained, instinctively
shielding the guilty lad as much as possible in her brief
narration of facts.
"Aw, what a kid!" sniffed Johnny Ryan.
"The horrid boy!" worried Mabel Camp. "What if they don't ever
find it!"
"Where's yer hair ribbon?" asked Frederica, feeling responsible
for the safety of that bit of dainty blue, since she had aided in
its first use.
Again Polly stood in defense.
"My cousin Maude wore it to school, and she had n't come home
when I left."
"What made yer let her?" mourned Frederica. "Bet yer I would
n't!"
"Come, Polly, and change your dress," interposed Miss Lucy,
guessing somewhat of the truth from the little girl's reddening
cheeks and hesitating voice.
In the dressing-room, behind the closed door, the nurse took Polly
in her arms.
"It is so good to have you back again," she told her, with
kisses for emphasis.
The words stabbed the child's heart. The time was to be so short!
Still Polly would not spoil to-day with to-morrow's nor next day's
troubles, and she summoned brave smiles and gay responses, until
she half forgot the dreary fourth-floor flat where she had passed
the night.
Leonora caught an early chance to draw Polly away to a corner
where they could talk--or where she could, for she was bubbling
with excitement over the untold story of last night's doings.
"My! I thought we'd go crazy when Mrs. Jocelyn telephoned to
know why you did n't come! There you'd had time to get to her
house over 'n' over again! Dr. Dudley just left ev'rything and
went off in his auto, and hunted and hunted, and you was n't
anywhere! The he told the police, and they went to lookin'!"
"The police!" repeated Polly, big-eyed with astonishment.
"Yes; but they could n't find you. Miss Lucy 'most cried, and
Dr. Dudley looked so sober I did n't dare speak to him. OH, it
was awful! We was sure you'd been kid--" Leonora hesitated, as
before.
"Kidnaped," prompted Polly.
"Oh, yes, kidnapped! I never can remember how it goes. Well,
David said he knew you had been, and Miss Lucy kep' saying, 'Oh,
no! it can't be!' But she looked as if she'd sink when she said
it."
"And what was it about Colonel Gresham?" Polly asked. "You said
--"
"Yes," Leonora hurried on, "I'm comin' to it! We never any of
us thought of your Aunt Jane, till Colonel Gresham he said had n't
you gone to see her. Dr. Dudley told him of course you wouln n't,
when you' started for Mrs. Jocelyn's, and the Colonel he said he
should try her anyway. So Dr. Dudley jumped right into his auto
and raced off to where you aunt used to live. When she was n't
there, and the folks did n't know where she'd gone, and her name
was n't in the directory at any new place, he did n't know _what_
to do!"
"She's married Mr. Bean," Poly put in, "so she'd Mrs. Bean
now."
"Oh, maybe that's why he could n't find her! Well, he come home,
and he and Miss Lucy talked and talked, and High Price she talked,
too, and--"
"High Price!" Poly broke out.
"Yes, she felt awful about you bein' lost--my! I guess we all
did! You don't know! I did n't want to go to bed, and Miss Lucy
let me sit up, hoping we'd hear something; but finally I had to,
'cause there was a woman sick, and the Doctor had to stop huntin'
for you, and go and 'tend to her, and David went home, for there
was n't anybody any more to telephone to. This morning Dr.
Dudley he said he was going to find your Aunt Jane if she was in
this city, and the next thing we knew David come rushin' in, and
sayin' you was safe and sound--the Doctor had telephoned to
him. My! How glad we were! I never wanted to dance so much in
all my life! Say, why did n't you send word where you was?"
"I could n't." And Polly related something of her unhappy stay
in the house on Chestnut Street.
She had not finished when David called up to know if Polly and
Leonora could be spared. He was alone in the office, and wanted
them.
The lad was eager for Polly's story, and much of it had to be
retold. Then he disclosed news of his own.
"We're going to move up to Uncle David's the first of next week.
Won't that be jolly? You can come over any time; it is so near."
Leonora beamed her pleasure. Polly pushed back the tears.
David's face shaded with sudden dismay.
"You have n't got to go back to your Aunt Jane's?" he demanded
fiercely.
Polly's head gave the answer. At the moment speech seemed
impossible.
"You shall not!" he burst out. "If Dr. Dudley lets you go and
live with those--those heathen, I'll never speak to him again
as long as I live!"
"Why, David Collins!" Polly's gentle voice was grieved and full
of astonishment.
The pale, blue-eyed lad seemed to have vanished, and another to be
standing there before her. His eyes, grown suddenly dark, set in
that flaming face, gave him a most unnatural look.
"I shall have to go--Aunt Jane says I must," she went on
sadly. "There's no other way."
"There would be another way, if I was a man!" he raged. "Oh, oh!
I wish I were! I wish I were!" he cried passionately; and
throwing himself upon the couch, face downward, his shoulders
shook with sobs.
Leonora bent her head on her arm, and wept silently.
Polly was endeavoring to soothe them both when Dr. Dudley came in.
Learning the cause of the tears, he remonstrated in his humorous
way, until Leonora smiled again; but David scorned such comfort,
refusing to move or to speak. Finally the Doctor started to
prepare the medicine he had come for, and the girls went upstairs,
Polly renewing to return directly after the noon meal.