With a little cry Pollyanna, looking neither to the right nor the left, fairly ran through the hall to the door at the end and opened it.
The room was large, and sombre with dark woods and hangings like the hall; but through the west window the sun threw a long shaft of gold across the floor, gleamed dully on the tarnished brass andirons in the fireplace, and touched the nickel of the telephone on the great desk in the middle of the room. It was toward this desk that Pollyanna hurriedly tiptoed.
The telephone card was not on its hook; it was on the floor. But Pollyanna found it, and ran her shaking forefinger down through the Cs to Chilton. In due time she had Dr. Chilton himself at the other end of the wires, and was tremblingly delivering her message and answering the doctors terse, pertinent questions. This done, she hung up the receiver and drew a long breath of relief.
Only a brief glance did Pollyanna give about her; then, with a confused vision in her eyes of crimson draperies, book-lined walls, a littered floor, an untidy desk, innumerable closed doors (any one of which might conceal a skeleton), and everywhere dust, dust, dust, she fled back through the hall to the great carved door, still half open as she had left it.
In what seemed, even to the injured man, an incredibly short time, Pollyanna was back in the woods at the mans side.
Well, what is the trouble? Couldnt you get in? he demanded.
Pollyanna opened wide her eyes.
Why, of course I could! Im HERE, she answered. As if Id be here if I hadnt got in! And the doctor will be right up just as soon as possible with the men and things. He said he knew just where you were, so I didnt stay to show him. I wanted to be with you.
Did you? smiled the man, grimly. Well, I cant say I admire your taste. I should think you might find pleasanter companions.
Do you mean because youre so cross?
Thanks for your frankness. Yes.
Pollyanna laughed softly.
But youre only cross OUTSIDE You arent cross inside a bit!
Indeed! How do you know that? asked the man, trying to change the position of his head without moving the rest of his body.
Oh, lots of ways; there like that the way you act with the dog, she added, pointing to the long, slender hand that rested on the dogs sleek head near him. Its funny how dogs and cats know the insides of folks better than other folks do, isnt it? Say, Im going to hold your head, she finished abruptly.
The man winced several times and groaned once; softly while the change was being made; but in the end he found Pollyannas lap a very welcome substitute for the rocky hollow in which his head had lain before.
Well, that is better, he murmured faintly.
He did not speak again for some time. Pollyanna, watching his face, wondered if he were asleep. She did not think he was. He looked as if his lips were tight shut to keep back moans of pain. Pollyanna herself almost cried aloud as she looked at his great, strong body lying there so helpless. One hand, with fingers tightly clenched, lay outflung, motionless. The other, limply open, lay on the dogs head. The dog, his wistful, eager eyes on his masters face, was motionless, too.
Minute by minute the time passed. The sun dropped lower in the west and the shadows grew deeper under the trees. Pollyanna sat so still she hardly seemed to breathe. A bird alighted fearlessly within reach of her hand, and a squirrel whisked his bushy tail on a tree-branch almost under her nose yet with his bright little eyes all the while on the motionless dog.
At last the dog pricked up his ears[95] and whined softly; then he gave a short, sharp bark. The next moment Pollyanna heard voices, and very soon their owners appeared three men carrying a stretcher and various other articles.
The tallest of the party a smooth-shaven, kind-eyed man whom Pollyanna knew by sight as Dr. Chilton advanced cheerily.
Well, my little lady, playing nurse?
Oh, no, sir, smiled Pollyanna. Ive only held his head I havent given him a mite of medicine. But Im glad I was here.
So am I, nodded the doctor, as he turned his absorbed attention to the injured man.
Chapter XIV
Just a Matter of Jelly
Pollyanna was a little late for supper on the night of the accident to John Pendleton; but, as it happened, she escaped without reproof.
Nancy met her at the door.
Well, if I aint glad ter be settin my two eyes on you, she sighed in obvious relief. Its half-past six!
I know it, admitted Pollyanna anxiously; but Im not to blame truly Im not. And I dont think even Aunt Polly will say I am, either.
She wont have the chance, retorted Nancy, with huge satisfaction. Shes gone.
Gone! gasped Pollyanna. You dont mean that Ive driven her away[96]? Through Pollyannas mind at the moment trooped remorseful memories of the morning with its unwanted boy, cat, and dog, and its unwelcome glad and forbidden father that would spring to her forgetful little tongue. Oh, I DIDNt drive her away?
Not much you did, scoffed Nancy. Her cousin died suddenly down to Boston, and she had ter go. She had one o them yeller telegram letters after you went away this afternoon, and she wont be back for three days. Now I guess were glad all right. Well be keepin house tergether, jest you and me, all that time. We will, we will!
Pollyanna looked shocked.
Glad! Oh, Nancy, when its a funeral?
Oh, but twant the funeral I was glad for, Miss Pollyanna. It was Nancy stopped abruptly. A shrewd twinkle came into her eyes. Why, Miss Pollyanna, as if it want yerself that was teachin me ter play the game, she reproached her gravely.
Pollyanna puckered her forehead into a troubled frown.
I cant help it, Nancy, she argued with a shake of her head. It must be that there are some things that tisnt right to play the game on and Im sure funerals is one of them. Theres nothing in a funeral to be glad about.
Nancy chuckled.
We can be glad taint ourn[97], she observed demurely. But Pollyanna did not hear. She had begun to tell of the accident; and in a moment Nancy, open-mouthed, was listening.
At the appointed place the next afternoon, Pollyanna met Jimmy Bean according to agreement. As was to be expected, of course, Jimmy showed keen disappointment that the Ladies Aid preferred a little India boy to himself.
Well, maybe tis natural, he sighed. Of course things you dont know about are always nicern things you do, same as the pertater on tother side of the plate is always the biggest. But I wish I looked that way ter somebody way off. Wouldnt it be jest great, now, if only somebody over in India wanted ME?
Pollyanna clapped her hands.
Why, of course! Thats the very thing, Jimmy! Ill write to my Ladies Aiders about you. They arent over in India; theyre only out West but thats awful far away, just the same. I reckon youd think so if youd come all the way here as I did!
Jimmys face brightened.
Do you think they would truly take me? he asked.
Of course they would! Dont they take little boys in India to bring up? Well, they can just play you are the little India boy this time. I reckon youre far enough away to make a report, all right. You wait. Ill write em. Ill write Mrs. White. No, Ill write Mrs. Jones. Mrs. White has got the most money, but Mrs. Jones gives the most which is kind of funny, isnt it? when you think of it[98]. But I reckon some of the Aiders will take you.
All right but dont furgit ter say Ill work fur my board an keep, put in Jimmy. I aint no beggar, an bizness is bizness, even with Ladies Aiders, Im thinkin. He hesitated, then added: An I spose I better stay where I be fur a spell yet till you hear[99].
Of course, nodded Pollyanna emphatically. Then Ill know just where to find you. And theyll take you Im sure youre far enough away for that. Didnt Aunt Polly take Say! she broke off, suddenly, DO you suppose I was Aunt Pollys little girl from India?
Well, if you aint the queerest kid, grinned Jimmy, as he turned away.
It was about a week after the accident in Pendleton Woods that Pollyanna said to her aunt one morning:
Aunt Polly, please would you mind very much if I took Mrs. Snows calfs-foot jelly this week to some one else? Im sure Mrs. Snow wouldnt this once.
Dear me, Pollyanna, what ARE you up to now?[100] sighed her aunt. You ARE the most extraordinary child!
Pollyanna frowned a little anxiously.
Aunt Polly, please, what is extraordinary? If youre EXtraordinary you cant be ORdinary, can you?
You certainly can not.
Oh, thats all right, then. Im glad Im EXtraordinary, sighed Pollyanna, her face clearing. You see, Mrs. White used to say Mrs. Rawson was a very ordinary woman and she disliked Mrs. Rawson something awful. They were always fight I mean, father had that is, I mean, WE had more trouble keeping peace between them than we did between any of the rest of the Aiders, corrected Pollyanna, a little breathless from her efforts to steer between the Scylla of her fathers past commands in regard to speaking of church quarrels, and the Charybdis[101] of her aunts present commands in regard to speaking of her father.
Yes, yes; well, never mind, interposed Aunt Polly, a trifle impatiently. You do run on so, Pollyanna, and no matter what were talking about you always bring up at those Ladies Aiders!
Yesm, smiled Pollyanna, cheerfully, I reckon I do, maybe. But you see they used to bring me up, and
That will do, Pollyanna, interrupted a cold voice. Now what is it about this jelly?
Nothing, Aunt Polly, truly, that you would mind, Im sure. You let me take jelly to HER, so I thought you would to HIM this once. You see, broken legs arent like like lifelong-invalids, so his wont last forever as Mrs. Snows does, and she can have all the rest of the things after just once or twice.
Him? He? Broken leg? What are you talking about, Pollyanna?
Pollyanna stared; then her face relaxed.
Oh, I forgot. I reckon you didnt know. You see, it happened while you were gone. It was the very day you went that I found him in the woods, you know; and I had to unlock his house and telephone for the men and the doctor, and hold his head, and everything. And of course then I came away and havent seen him since. But when Nancy made the jelly for Mrs. Snow this week I thought how nice it would be if I could take it to him instead of her, just this once[102]. Aunt Polly, may I?
Yes, yes, I suppose so, acquiesced Miss Polly, a little wearily. Who did you say he was?