Miss Polly did not finish her sentence. To her helpless amazement she found herself in the low chair before the dressing table, with her hair already tumbling about her ears under ten eager, but very gentle fingers.
Oh, my! what pretty hair youve got, prattled Pollyanna; and theres so much more of it than Mrs. Snow has, too! But, of course, you need more, anyhow, because youre well and can go to places where folks can see it. My! I reckon folksll be glad when they do see it and surprised, too, cause youve hid it so long. Why, Aunt Polly, Ill make you so pretty everybodyll just love to look at you!
Pollyanna! gasped a stifled but shocked voice from a veil of hair. I Im sure I dont know why Im letting you do this silly thing.
Why, Aunt Polly, I should think youd be glad to have folks like to look at you! Dont you like to look at pretty things? Im ever so much happier when I look at pretty folks, cause when I look at the other kind Im so sorry for them.
But but
And I just love to do folks hair, purred Pollyanna, contentedly. I did quite a lot of the Ladies Aiders but there wasnt any of them so nice as yours. Mrs. Whites was pretty nice, though, and she looked just lovely one day when I dressed her up in Oh, Aunt Polly, Ive just happened to think of something! But its a secret, and I shant tell. Now your hair is almost done, and pretty quick Im going to leave you just a minute; and you must promise promise PROMISE not to stir nor peek[112], even, till I come back. Now remember! she finished, as she ran from the room.
Aloud Miss Polly said nothing. To herself she said that of course she should at once undo the absurd work of her nieces fingers, and put her hair up properly again. As for peeking just as if she cared how
At that moment unaccountably Miss Polly caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror of the dressing table. And what she saw sent such a flush of rosy color to her cheeks that she only flushed the more at the sight.
She saw a face not young, it is true but just now alight with excitement and surprise. The cheeks were a pretty pink. The eyes sparkled. The hair, dark, and still damp from the outdoor air, lay in loose waves about the forehead and curved back over the ears in wonderfully becoming lines, with softening little curls here and there.
So amazed and so absorbed was Miss Polly with what she saw in the glass that she quite forgot her determination to do over her hair, until she heard Pollyanna enter the room again. Before she could move, then, she felt a folded something slipped across her eyes and tied in the back.
Pollyanna, Pollyanna! What are you doing? she cried.
Pollyanna chuckled.
Thats just what I dont want you to know, Aunt Polly, and I was afraid you WOULD peek, so I tied on the handkerchief. Now sit still. It wont take but just a minute, then Ill let you see.
But, Pollyanna, began Miss Polly, struggling blindly to her feet, you must take this off! You child, child! what ARE you doing? she gasped, as she felt a soft something slipped about her shoulders.
Pollyanna only chuckled the more gleefully. With trembling fingers she was draping about her aunts shoulders the fleecy folds of a beautiful lace shawl, yellowed from long years of packing away, and fragrant with lavender. Pollyanna had found the shawl the week before when Nancy had been regulating the attic[113]; and it had occurred to her to-day that there was no reason why her aunt, as well as Mrs. White of her Western home, should not be dressed up.
Her task completed, Pollyanna surveyed her work with eyes that approved, but that saw yet one touch wanting. Promptly, therefore, she pulled her aunt toward the sun parlor where she could see a belated red rose blooming on the trellis within reach of her hand.
Pollyanna, what are you doing? Where are you taking me to? recoiled Aunt Polly, vainly trying to hold herself back. Pollyanna, I shall not
Its just to the sun parlor only a minute! Ill have you ready now quickern no time, panted Pollyanna, reaching for the rose and thrusting it into the soft hair above Miss Pollys left ear. There! she exulted, untying the knot of the handkerchief and flinging the bit of linen far from her. Oh, Aunt Polly, now I reckon youll be glad I dressed you up!
For one dazed moment Miss Polly looked at her bedecked self, and at her surroundings; then she gave a low cry and fled to her room. Pollyanna, following the direction of her aunts last dismayed gaze, saw, through the open windows of the sun parlor, the horse and gig turning into the driveway. She recognized at once the man who held the reins. Delightedly she leaned forward.
Dr. Chilton, Dr. Chilton! Did you want to see me? Im up here.
Yes, smiled the doctor, a little gravely. Will you come down, please?
In the bedroom Pollyanna found a flushed-faced, angry-eyed woman plucking at the pins that held a lace shawl in place.
Pollyanna, how could you? moaned the woman. To think of your rigging me up like this, and then letting me BE SEEN!
Pollyanna stopped in dismay.
But you looked lovely perfectly lovely, Aunt Polly; and
Lovely! scorned the woman, flinging the shawl to one side and attacking her hair with shaking fingers.
Oh, Aunt Polly, please, please let the hair stay[114]!
Stay? Like this? As if I would! And Miss Polly pulled the locks so tightly back that the last curl lay stretched dead at the ends of her fingers.
O dear! And you did look so pretty, almost sobbed Pollyanna, as she stumbled through the door.
Down-stairs Pollyanna found the doctor waiting in his gig.
Ive prescribed you for a patient, and hes sent me to get the prescription filled, announced the doctor. Will you go?
You mean an errand to the drug store? asked Pollyanna, a little uncertainly. I used to go some for the Ladies Aiders.
The doctor shook his head with a smile.
Not exactly. Its Mr. John Pendleton. He would like to see you to-day, if youll be so good as to come. Its stopped raining, so I drove down after you. Will you come? Ill call for you and bring you back before six oclock.
Id love to! exclaimed Pollyanna. Let me ask Aunt Polly.
In a few moments she returned, hat in hand, but with rather a sober face.
Didnt your aunt want you to go? asked the doctor, a little diffidently, as they drove away.
Y-yes, sighed Pollyanna. She she wanted me to go TOO much[115], Im afraid.
Wanted you to go TOO MUCH!
Pollyanna sighed again.
Yes. I reckon she meant she didnt want me there. You see, she said: Yes, yes, run along, run along do! I wish youd gone before.
The doctor smiled but with his lips only. His eyes were very grave. For some time he said nothing; then, a little hesitatingly, he asked:
Wasnt it your aunt I saw with you a few minutes ago in the window of the sun parlor?
Pollyanna drew a long breath.
Yes; thats whats the whole trouble, I suppose. You see Id dressed her up in a perfectly lovely lace shawl I found up-stairs, and Id fixed her hair and put on a rose, and she looked so pretty. Didnt YOU think she looked just lovely?
For a moment the doctor did not answer. When he did speak his voice was so low Pollyanna could but just hear the words.
Yes, Pollyanna, I I thought she did look just lovely.
Did you? Im so glad! Ill tell her, nodded the little girl, contentedly.
To her surprise the doctor gave a sudden exclamation.
Never! Pollyanna, I Im afraid I shall have to ask you not to tell her that.
Why, Dr. Chilton! Why not? I should think youd be glad
But she might not be, cut in the doctor. Pollyanna considered this for a moment.
Thats so maybe she wouldnt, she sighed. I remember now; twas cause she saw you that she ran. And she she spoke afterwards about her being seen in that rig.
I thought as much, declared the doctor, under his breath.
Still, I dont see why, maintained Pollyanna, when she looked so pretty!
The doctor said nothing. He did not speak again, indeed, until they were almost to the great stone house in which John Pendleton lay with a broken leg.
Chapter XVII
Just Like a Book
John Pendleton greeted Pollyanna to-day with a smile.
Well, Miss Pollyanna, Im thinking you must be a very forgiving little person, else you wouldnt have come to see me again to-day.
Why, Mr. Pendleton, I was real glad to come, and Im sure I dont see why I shouldnt be, either.
Oh, well, you know, I was pretty cross with you[116], Im afraid, both the other day when you so kindly brought me the jelly, and that time when you found me with the broken leg at first. By the way, too, I dont think Ive ever thanked you for that. Now Im sure that even you would admit that you were very forgiving to come and see me, after such ungrateful treatment as that!
Pollyanna stirred uneasily.
But I was glad to find you that is, I dont mean I was glad your leg was broken, of course, she corrected hurriedly.
John Pendleton smiled.
I understand. Your tongue does get away with you once in a while[117], doesnt it, Miss Pollyanna? I do thank you, however; and I consider you a very brave little girl to do what you did that day. I thank you for the jelly, too, he added in a lighter voice.
Did you like it? asked Pollyanna with interest.
Very much. I suppose there isnt any more to-day that that Aunt Polly DIDNt send, is there? he asked with an odd smile.
His visitor looked distressed.
N-no, sir. She hesitated, then went on with heightened color. Please, Mr. Pendleton, I didnt mean to be rude the other day when I said Aunt Polly did NOT send the jelly.
There was no answer. John Pendleton was not smiling now. He was looking straight ahead of him with eyes that seemed to be gazing through and beyond the object before them. After a time he drew a long sigh and turned to Pollyanna. When he spoke his voice carried the old nervous fretfulness.
Well, well, this will never do at all[118]! I didnt send for you to see me moping this time. Listen! Out in the library the big room where the telephone is, you know you will find a carved box on the lower shelf of the big case with glass doors in the corner not far from the fireplace. That is, itll be there if that confounded woman hasnt regulated it to somewhere else! You may bring it to me. It is heavy, but not too heavy for you to carry, I think.