a summer in a canyon-第25部分

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understand；'　she　thought；　'and　yet　Polly　confessed　that　Laura　told
the　truth。　　Poor　child！but　she　has　got　to　learn　patience　and　self…
control　through　suffering。　　However；　I'll　keep　the　matter　a　secret
from　everybody　at　present；　and　stand　between　her　and　my　inquisitive
brood　of　youngsters；'　and　she　slipped　the　note　into　her　pocket。

At　six　o'clock　the　members　of　the　family　came　into　camp　from　various
directions；　and　gathered　about　the　supper…table。　　All　were　surprised
at　Laura's　sudden　departure；　but　no　one　seemed　especially　grief…
stricken。　　Dicky　announced　confidentially　to　Philip　that　Laura　was　a
'norful　'fraid…cat　of　frogs；'　and　Jack　ventured　the　opinion　that　Miss
Laura　hadn't　'boy'　enough　in　her　for　camp…life。

'But　where　is　Polly？'　asked　Bell；　looking　round　the　table；　as　she
pinned　up　her　riding…skirt　and　sat　down　in　her　usual　seat。

'She　has　a　bad　headache；　and　is　lying　down；'　said　Mrs。　Winship；
quietly；　'she'll　be　all　right　in　the　morning。'

'Headache！'　ejaculated　four　or　five　people　at　once；　dropping　their
napkins　and　looking　at　each　other　in　dismay。

'I'll　go　and　rub　her　head　with　Cologne；'　said　Margery。

'Let　me　go　and　sit　with　her；'　said　Elsie。

'Have　you　been　teasing　her；　Jack？'　asked　Mrs。　Howard。

'Too　much　birthday？'　asked　Dr。　Paul。　　'Tell　her　we　can　spare　almost
anybody　else　better。'

'Bless　the　child；　she　wants　me　if　she　is　sick。　　Go　on　with　your
suppers；　I'll　see　to　her；'　and　Bell　rose　from　the　table。

'No；　my　dear；　I　want　you　all　to　leave　her　alone　at　present；'　said
Mrs。　Winship；　decidedly。　　'I've　put　her　to　bed　in　Dicky's　play…tent；
and　I　want　her　to　be　quiet。　　Gin　has　taken　her　some　supper；　and　she
needs　rest。'

Polly　Oliver　in　need　of　rest！　　What　an　incomprehensible　statement！
Nobody　was　satisfied；　but　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　said；　though
Bell　and　Philip　exchanged　glances　as　much　as　to　say；　'Something　is
wrong。'

Supper　ended；　and　they　gathered　round　the　camp…fire；　but　nothing　was
quite　as　usual。　　It　was　all　very　well　to　crack　jokes；　but　where　was　a
certain　merry　laugh　that　was　wont　to　ring　out；　at　the　smallest
provocation；　in　such　an　infectious　way　that　everybody　else　followed
suit？　　And　who　was　there；　when　Polly　had　the　headache；　to　make　a
saucy　speech　and　look　down　into　the　fire　innocently；　while　her
dimples　did　everything　that　was　required　in　order　to　point　the　shaft？
And　pray　what　was　the　use　of　singing　when　there　was　no　alto　to　Bell's
treble；　or　of　giving　conundrums；　since　it　was　always　Polly　who
thought　of　nonsensical　answers　better　than　the　real　ones？　　And　as　for
Jack；　why；　it　was　folly　to　shoot　arrows　of　wit　into　the　air　when
there　was　no　target。　　He　simply　stretched　himself　out　beside　Elsie；
who　was　particularly　quiet　and　snoozed　peacefully；　without　taking　any
part　in　the　conversation；　avowing　his　intention　to　'turn　in'　early。
'Turn　in'　early；　forsooth！　　What　was　the　matter　with　the　boy？

'It's　no　use；'　said　Bell；　plaintively；　'we　can't　be　anything　but
happy；　now　that　we　have　Elsie　here；　but　it　needs　only　one　small
headache　to　show　that　Polly　fills　a　long…felt　want　in　this　camp。　　You
think　of　her　as　a　modest　spoke　in　the　wheel　till　she　disappears；　and
then　you　find　she　was　the　hub。'

'Yes；'　said　Margery；　'I　think　every　one　round　this　fire　is　simply
angelic；　unless　I　except　Jack；　but　the　fact　is　that　Polly　iswell；
she　isPolly；　and　I　dare　any　one　to　contradict　me。'

'The　judgment　of　the　court　is　confirmed；'　said　Philip。


'And　the　shark　said；　〃If　you
Don't　believe　it　is　true；
Just　look　at　my　wisdom　tooth！〃'


sang　Geoffrey。

'And　if　any　one　ever　tells　me　again　that　she　has　red　hair　and　hasn't
good　features；　I　should　just　like　to　show　them　a　picture　of　her　as
she　was　to…day　at　the　dinner…table！'　exclaimed　Bell。

'As　if　anybody　needed　features　with　those　dimples；'　added　Elsie；　'or
would　mind　red　hair　when　it　was　such　pretty　hair！'

'I　think　a　report　of　this　conversation　would　go　far　towards　curing
Polly；'　said　Dr。　Winship；　with　a　smile。

'And　you　say　we　can't　go　in　there　before　we　go　to　bed；　mamacita？'
whispered　Bell　in　her　mother's　ear；　as　the　boys　said　good…nightand
went　towards　their　tent。

'My　dear；'　she　answered　decidedly；　with　a　fond　kiss　for　each　of　the
girls；　'Polly　herself　asked　me　to　keep　everybody　away。'

Polly　herself　wanted　to　be　alone！　　Would　wonders　never　cease？

Meanwhile　Dicky；　who　had　disappeared　for　a　moment；　came　back　to　the
fire；　his　bosom　heaving　with　grief　and　rage。

'I　went　to　my　play…tent；'　he　sobbed；　'and　putted　my　hand　underneath
the　curtain　and　gave　Polly　a　piece　of　my　supper　cake　I　saved　for　her…
…not　the　frosted　part；　but　the　burnt　part　I　couldn't　eatand　she
liked　it　and　kissed　my　handand　then　I　fought　she　was　lonesome；　and
would　like　to　see　my　littlest　frog；　and　I　told　her　to　put　out　her
hand　again　for　a　s'prise；　and　I　squeezed　him　into　it　tight；　so　't　he
wouldn't　jumpand　she　fought　it　was　more　cake；　and　when　she　found　it
wasn't　she　frew　my　littlest　frog　clear　away；　and　it　got　losted！'

This　brought　a　howl　of　mirth　from　everybody；　and　Dicky　was
instructed；　while　being　put　to　bed；　not　to　squeeze　little　frogs　into
people's　hands　in　the　dark；　as　it　sometimes　affected　them
unpleasantly。


All　this　time　Polly　was　lying　in　the　tent；　quite　exhausted　with
crying；　and　made　more　wretched　by　every　sound　of　voices　wafted
towards　her。　　Presently　Gin　appeared　with　her　night…wrapper　and
various　things　for　comfort　sent　her　by　the　girls；　and　as　she　wearily
undressed　herself　and　prepared　for　the　night；　she　found　three　little
messages　of　comfort　pinned　on　the　neck　and　sleeves　of　her　flannel
gown；　written　in　such　colossal　letters　that　she　could　easily　read
them　by　the　moonlight。

On　the　right　sleeve：…


Cheer　up！　　'I　will　never　desert　Mr。　Micawber！'　　BELL


On　the　left　sleeve：…


Darling　Polly；Get　well　soon；　or　we　shall　all　be　sick　in　order　to
stay　with　you。　　Lovingly；　MEG。

PS。Jack　said　you　were　the　LIFE　OF　THE　CAMP！　　What　do　you　think　of
that？？　　M。


On　the　neck：…


Dearest；You　have　always　called　me　the　Fairy　Godmother；　and
pretended　I　could　see　things　that　other　people　couldn't。

The　boys　（great　stupids！）　think　you　have　the　headache。　　We　girls　can
all　see　that　you　are　in　trouble；　but　only　the　Fairy　Godmother　KNOWS
WHY；　and　though　she　can't　make　a　beautiful　gold　coach　out　of　this
pumpkin；　because　there's　something　wrong　about　the　pumpkin；　yet　she
will　do　her　best　for　Cinderella；　and　pull　her　out　of　the　ashes
somehow。

ELSIE。


Polly's　tears　fell　fast　on　the　dear　little　notes；　which　she　kissed
again　and　again；　and　tucked　under　her　pillow　to　bring　her　sleep。
'Elsie　knows　something；'　she　thought；　'but　how？　she　knows　that　I'm　in
trouble　and　that　I've　done　wrong；　or　she　wouldn't　have　said　that
about　not　being　able　to　turn　a　bad　pumpkin　into　a　beautiful　gold
coach；　but　perhaps　she　can　get　Aunt　Truth　to　forgive　me　and　try　me
again。　　Unless　she　can　do　it；　it　will　never　come　to　pass；　for　I
haven't　the　courage　to　ask　her。　　I　would　rather　run　away　early　in　the
morning　and　go　home　than　have　her　look　at　me　again　as　she　did　to…day。
Oh！　what　shall　I　do？'　and　Polly　went　down　on　her　knees　beside　the
rough　couch；　and　sobbed　her　heart　out　in　a　childish　prayer　for　help
and　comfort。　　It　was　just　the　prayer　of　a　little　child　telling　a
sorrowful　story；　because　it　is　when　we　are　alone　and　in　trouble　that
the　unknown　and　mysterious　God　seems　to　us　most　like　a　Father；　and　we
throw　ourselves　into　the　arms　of　His　love　like　helpless　children；　and
tell　Him　our　secret　thoughts　and　griefs。

'Dear　Father　in　heaven；'　she　sobbed；　'don't　forgive　me　if　I　ought　not
to　be　forgiven；　but　please　make　Aunt　Truth　feel　how　sorry　I　am；　and
show　me　whether　I　ought　to　tell　what　made　me　so　angry；　though　it's　no
excuse。　　Bless　and　keep　my　darling　patient　little　mother；　and　help　me
to　grow　more　like　her；　and　braver　and　stronger　too；　so　that　I　can
take　care　of　her　soon；　and　she　needn't　work　hard　any　longer。　　Please
forgive　me　for　hating　some　things　in　my　life　as　much　as　I　do；　and　I
will　try　and　like　them　better；　but　I　thinkyes；　I　knowthat　I　am
full　of　wicked　pride；　and　oh；　it　seems　as　if　I　could　never；　never　get
over　wanting　to　live　in　a　pretty　house；　and　wear　pretty　dresses；　and
have　my　mother　live　like　Bell's　and　Margery's。　　And　oh；　if　Thou　canst
only　forgive　me　for　hating　boarders　so　dreadfully；　and　being　ashamed
of　them　every　minute；　I　will　try　and　like　them　better　and　tell
everybody　that　we　take　themI　will　indeed；　and　if　I　can　only　once
make　Aunt　Truth　love　and　trust　me　again；　I　will　make　the　boarders'
beds　and　dust　their　rooms　for　ever　without　grumbling。　　Please；　dear
Father　in　heaven；　remember　that　I　haven't　any　father　to　love　me　or　to
teach　me　to　be　good；　and　though　mamma　does　her　best；　please　help　her
to　make　something　out　of　me　if　it　can　be　done。　　Amen。'

'Truth；'　said　Mrs。　Howard；　when　all　was　quiet　about　the　camp；　'Elsie
wants　to　see　you　a　moment　before　she　goes　to　sleep。　　Will　you　go　to
her　tent；　while　I　play　a　game　of　cribbage　with　Dr。　Paul？'

Elsie　looked　like　a　blossom　in　all　the　beautiful　greenness　of　her
tent；　with　her　yellow　head　coming　out　from　above　the　greens　and
browns　of　the　cretonne　bed…cover　for　all　the　world　like　a　daffodil
pushing　its　way　up　through　the　mould　towards　the　spring　sunshine。

'Aunt　Truth；'　she　said　softly；　as　Mrs。　Winship　sat　down　beside　her；
'you　remember　that　Dr。　Paul　hung　my　hammock　in　a　new　place　to…day；
just　behind　the　girls'　sleeping…tent。　　Now　I　know　that　Polly　is　in
trouble；　and　that　you　are　displeased　with　her。　　What　I　want　to　ask；
if　I　may；　is；　how　much　you　know；　for　I　overheard　a　great　deal　myself…
…enough　to　feel　that　Polly　deserves　a　hearing。'

'I　overheard　nothing；'　replied　Mrs。　Winship。　　'All　that　I　know　Polly
herself　confessed　in　Laura's　presence。　　Polly　told　Laura；　just　as　she
was　going　away；　that　everybody　would　be　glad　to　see　the　last　of　her；
and　that　she　had　made　everybody　miserable　from　the　beginning　of　her
visit。　　It　was　quite　inexcusable；　you　know；　dear；　for　one　of　my
guests　to　waylay　another；　just　as　she　was　leaving；　and　make　such　a
cruel　speech。　　I　would　rather　anything　else　had　happened。　　I　know　how
impetuous　Polly　is；　and　I　can　forgive　the　child　almost　anything；　her
h