"Please go right back--quick! David"s worse!"
One astonished glance, and he comprehended, and obeyed. Colonel Gresham gave him room for the turn. Then, with a graceful gesture of farewell, and, "I thank you!" he whizzed past them and out of sight.
"Oh, I hope he"ll get there in time!" sighed Polly.
"I think he will," the Colonel nodded. "He looks it."
"I don"t want David to die; he"s such a nice boy."
Lone Star was taking the road easily, after his spurt of speed.
The lines lay loosely on the Colonel"s knee.
"Is this David some relative of yours?" he asked.
"OH, no, sir! I"ve only known him a few weeks, since he was knocked down by a runaway horse, and hurt so badly. He"s David Collins, and I"m Polly May. Dr. Dudley took me up to see him, because he needed cheering up; but now he has bad turns with his heart, and I can"t go. He"s a lovely boy. It was so good of you to take me to catch the Doctor--I don"t know what I should have done if you had n"t! And did n"t your horse go fast! I never saw a horse go so fast before. I think he"s beautiful; don"t you?"
"I like him." The Colonel smiled down into Polly"s eyes quite as if they were old friends. "Suppose I take you for a little longer drive--would your friends mind?"
"Oh, thank you!" Polly began, "I"d love it!" Then she stopped, with sudden recollection. "I guess I can"t, though--I"d forgotten all about it!--I must go back, and finish being punished."
Colonel Gresham laughed outright, so Polly laughed too.
"I made an awful mistake," she explained; "I sprayed some kerosene all around, instead of de-sodarizer."
The Colonel was grave for a polite moment. Then, "And you did n"t smell it?" he laughed.
"Not till Elsie yelled at me to stop. I don"t see shy I did n"t."
"But it seems hardly fair to punish one for a mistake."
"Well," confessed Polly, "that was n"t all. I got mad, and I guess I was pretty saucy to High Price. She said something about Miss Lucy that I did n"t like, and I told her what I thought--I just had to! So she sent me to sit in a chair till she said to get up. Then when the nurse came for me to catch Dr. Dudley, I was so scared about David that I ran right off, without even asking permission--I don"t know what she will do to me now!
But you can"t stop for anything when folks are "most dying, can you?"
"I should say not," the Colonel replied. "I reckon she won"t treat you very badly."
"I don"t care what she does, if David only gets well. But, oh, how can David"s mother stand it, if he does n"t! She"s sick, you know, so she could n"t come to see him--he"s all she"s got, and such a dear boy! He works to earn money for her when he"s well, sells papers, and everything. I guess they"re rather poor; but perhaps I ought n"t to talk about that. Please don"t tell anybody I said it, "cause I don"t really know."
"I shall not speak of it," promised Colonel Gresham gravely.
"But how happens it that you"re at the hospital? You"re not sick, are you?"
"Not a bit now. I was hurt, but Dr. Dudley cured me. I"m on the staff--that"s why I stay," Polly explained soberly.
"Oh! You"re that little girl, are you?"
She nodded.
"I heard something about it at the time. Well, Lone Star and I will be glad to take you for a drive some other day, when you have n"t any punishment on hand." He drew up the horse at the hospital entrance.
"Oh! Is that his name?" exclaimed Polly. "What a loveluscious one! Would he mind if I stroked his nose?" she asked, as the Colonel lifted her down.
"He would like it very much." And they went round to the horse"s head together.
"Now I must go in," Polly sighed, giving the affectionate animal a last, loving pat. "I thank you ever and ever so much, Colonel Gresham, and I should be happy to go to ride with you again some day. I hope I have n"t hindered you. Good-bye."
She skipped up the long walk to the house, the Colonel watching her until she disappeared at a side door.
Polly could not resist peeping into the Doctor"s office before going upstairs. The room was empty, and she went slowly on, thinking of David.
Miss Price was standing near the door of the convalescent ward.
She turned as Polly entered.
"Where have you been staying?" she asked. "Dr Dudley came long ago."
"Yes, I know; but I was with Colonel Gresham, and I could n"t get here till he did."
"Colonel Gresham! Pray, how came you with him?" Miss Price was plainly astonished.
"Why, he took me to catch the Doctor. And Lone Star got there!
Oh, did n"t he go! Is n"t it a love--luscious name?" Polly"s eyes shone.
"Child!" sighed the nurse, "what have I told you about using that word?"
"I forgot," Polly answered meekly.
"You should n"t forget. I hope you did n"t talk that way to Colonel Gresham."
"He would n"t care," replied Polly comfortably.
"He would think you had not had proper training. Now, remember, there is no such word as loveluscious. In this case you should have said that it was a good name or a pleasing name--though it is rather too fanciful," she added.
"I love it!" cried Polly; "but it would n"t sound as if I did, just to say it was good."
Then Polly"s thoughts suddenly went back to Lone Star"s errand.
"Oh, Miss Price!" she asked, "how is David?"
"I have not heard," was the quiet reply.
"Well, I"ll go and finish up being punished now," Polly said, with a tiny sigh, and she walked over to the chair which stood where she had left it.
Miss price did not appear to notice; but the children exchanged surprised glances. Voluntarily to continue a punishment was something with which they were unacquainted. They tried to attract Polly"s attention, but her eyes were feverishly watching the half-open hall door. Dr. Dudley might stop when he came down --unless--! Her heart grew sick with the possibility.
At last she caught his step. Yes, he was coming there! Smilingly he pushed the door wide. Polly smiled in response--at least, David had not died!
"Want to come downstairs?" he invited, crossing over to her.
Still smiling, she shook her head, putting her finger to her lips.