"Miss Twining said that Amelia Sniffen used to go round in society with her youngest brother, Walter, and that she was dead in love with him. Walter fairly hated her, and never paid her the least attention when he could get out of it; but she would put herself in his way, as some girls will, until he was married and even afterwards. And when Alice Twining came here and found that Miss Sniffen had been appointed superintendent she was almost a mind to back out; but she hadn"t any other place to go, so she stayed, and she said Miss Sniffen had seemed to take delight in being mean to her ever since. Well, it"s a tight box that Amelia Sniffen has got herself into this time!" Mrs. Albright sighed.
"Please go on!" whispered Polly.
"Yes, dear. I got Miss Twining to bed, and she quieted down a little. Finally I left her and crept back to my room. I don"t know what time it was,--but after eleven,--I woke dreaming that I heard my name called. I jumped up and ran and opened the door.
Everything was still. But I waited, and pretty soon I heard a voice in the room opposite. I rushed across the hall--the door was locked! "Miss Twining! Miss Twining!" I called, two or three times. At first n.o.body answered; then Miss Sniffen came over to the door and said, "Shut up and go to bed!" I asked her to let me in, but she wouldn"t. I said things that I shouldn"t have dared to say if I"d been cooler; but I"m glad I did! After a while I went back to my room, and I took out my key and hid it. I was afraid she"d lock me in. She did mean to, but for once she got fooled. I lay still as a mouse, hearing her fumble round my door. Finally she went downstairs. When I was sure she"d gone for good I took my key and stole across the hall. Sure enough, it unlocked the door, just as I hoped it would. Oh, that poor child was so glad to see me! Miss Sniffen had come up prepared to give her a whipping! She had brought a little riding-whip with her! But the very sight of it so upset Miss Twining, in her nervous state, that she had a bad turn with her heart,--you know her heart always bothers her,--and once she gave a little cry. Of course, Miss Sniffen didn"t want any rumpus, and she just clapped her hand hard over Miss Twining"s mouth. She says she doesn"t know whether it took her breath away suddenly, or what; but she fainted! When she came to, Miss Sniffen was rubbing her--I guess she was pretty well frightened! There wasn"t anything more said about whipping! After she made up her mind that Miss Twining wasn"t likely to die right off, she and the riding-whip left."
"Oh, dear, what will become of us!" cried Miss Crilly. "We are not safe a minute!"
"You shall be!" Polly burst out excitedly. "I"m going to tell Mr.
Randolph everything about it!"
"Polly! Polly!" Miss Sterling laid a quieting hand on her shoulder.
The girl threw it off. Then she caught it to her lips and kissed it pa.s.sionately. "I can"t bear it! I can"t bear it!" she cried.
"To think of you all in such danger! You don"t know what she"ll do!"
"I don"t think we need have any fear until she gets over her scare about this," said Mrs. Albright rea.s.suringly. "She seems to me pretty well cowed down. Her eyes looked actually frightened when I caught her off guard. You see, she"s in a fix! She knows Miss Twining needs a doctor; but, of course, he would ask first thing what brought this on, and she couldn"t make the patient lie it out."
"I guess lying wouldn"t trouble her any," put in Miss Crilly.
"Dear Miss Twining!" murmured Polly plaintively.
"She is a sweet little woman," Miss Crilly sighed.
"How is she this morning?" asked Polly.
"I hardly know what to tell you," hesitated Mrs. Albright. "I think if Miss Sniffen would keep away she"d be better. Still, when she got up and tried to dress, she fainted again. Now Miss Sniffen has told her to stay abed, and she has put a notice on her door that she is too ill to receive visitors."
"Then can"t you go in?" queried Polly anxiously.
"I do," chuckled Mrs. Albright. "They"d have to do more contriving than they"ve done yet to shut me out!"
"Oh, I"m so glad!" cried Polly. "But she ought to have a doctor!
I suppose if she did it would be that Dr. Gunnip--He"s no good!
Father says he"s little more than a quack and he isn"t safe. I wish father could see her; but he can"t unless he is called. It is too bad! I believe I"ll go straight to Mr. Randolph!"
"I don"t dare have you," returned Mrs. Albright. "He would, of course, favor the Home, and if Miss Sniffen should hear of it--"
"Before I say anything I shall make him promise not to tell."
"I"m awfully afraid to let you do it--oh, Polly, don"t!" Miss Crilly was close to tears.
"Had you rather die?" she demanded. "You may be sick yourself and want a doctor! How are you going to get him?"
"If I"m sick I bet I"ll make such a fuss they"ll send for a doctor--and a good one too!" cried Miss Crilly hysterically.
Polly had risen, and Miss Sterling drew her within the circle of her arm. "When the time comes we"ll decide what is best to do,"
said she.
"I should think the time had come now!" the girl fumed. "Poor Miss Twining! It"s just an outrage!"
"Oh, I forgot!" Mrs. Albright bent toward Polly, with lowered voice. "She gave me something for you, dear."
"Me?" Polly calmed at once.
"Yes. When I was with her in the night I think she feared that her heart might give out, and she said, "If anything should happen, I wish you would give Polly those papers in my portfolio--or you may give her the whole portfolio. She will understand.""
"Oh, I know! Yesterday morning she was planning to write some poems, and those must be the "papers." But perhaps she won"t want me to have them now."
"She spoke of it again to-day," nodded Mrs. Albright. "She said she should somehow feel easier for you to keep them."
"I hope Miss Sniffen won"t rummage round and get hold of them first," returned Polly anxiously.
"I guess she won"t find "em in a hurry!" chuckled Mrs. Albright.
"They"re in my room!"
CHAPTER XXVI
MR. PARCELL"S LESSON
Polly carried the portfolio home with her, and later, alone in her room, read the poems it contained. Tears blurred her eyes as she read and read again the verses dated the day before. Such a lilting, joyous song it was! And now--!
"Oh, but she will get well and write again!" Polly said softly.
Then she sighed, thinking of the bright plans that had so suddenly ceased.
Her thoughts went farther back, to the days of watching and waiting for the message that had never come, to the sleepless nights of grieving--
"Oh!" she burst out impetuously, "he"s got to know it! Somebody must tell him how he has made her suffer! Miss Nita would do it beautifully; but I don"t suppose I could hire her to! Maybe father will."
When this suggestion was made to him, however, Dr. Dudley shook his head promptly, and his impulsive daughter began at once to form other plans. "Mother wouldn"t," she told herself. "No use asking her. Dear! dear! if there were only somebody besides me! Perhaps I can coax Miss Nita--"
A telephone call broke in upon her musings, and the disturbing thoughts were exchanged for a ride and a luncheon with Patricia Illingworth. On her way home in the afternoon, the matter came up again.
"I may as well go now and have it over with," she decided suddenly, and she turned into a street which led to the home of the Reverend Norman Parcell.
Yes, he was in and alone, the maid said, and Polly was shown directly to the study.
"How do you do, Miss Polly!" The minister grasped her hand cordially. "This is a pleasant surprise." He drew forward an easy chair and saw her comfortably seated.
"Have you heard that Miss Twining is ill?" Polly began.
"Miss Twining?" he repeated interrogatively. "M-m--no, I had not heard. Is she an especial friend of yours, some one I ought to know?" He smiled apologetically. "I find it difficult always to place people on the instant."
His apology might not have been attended by a smile if Polly"s indignant thought had been vocal. When she spoke, her voice was tense.
"Yes, Mr. Parcell, she is a very dear friend." Her lip quivered, and she shook herself mentally; she was not going to break down at this juncture. She went quickly on, ahead of the phrase of sympathy on its way to the minister"s lips. "She lives at the June Holiday Home."