I hope for her sake shes quiet and sensible, and dont drop knives nor bang doors, she sighed to Timothy, who had sauntered up to her.
Well, if she aint, nobody knows whatll become of the rest of us, grinned Timothy. Imagine Miss Polly and a NOISY kid! Gorry! there goes the whistle now!
Oh, Timothy, II think it was mean ter send me, chattered the suddenly frightened Nancy, as she turned and hurried to a point where she could best watch the passengers alight at the little station.
It was not long before Nancy saw her-the slender little girl in the red-checked gingham with two fat braids of flaxen hair hanging down her back. Beneath the straw hat, an eager, freckled little face turned to the right and to the left, plainly searching for some one.
Nancy knew the child at once, but not for some time could she control her shaking knees sufficiently to go to her. The little girl was standing quite by herself when Nancy finally did approach her.
Are you Miss-Pollyanna? she faltered. The next moment she found herself half smothered in the clasp of two gingham-clad arms.
Oh, Im so glad, GLAD, GLAD to see you, cried an eager voice in her ear. Of course Im Pollyanna, and Im so glad you came to meet me! I hoped you would.
You-you did? stammered Nancy, vaguely wondering how Pollyanna could possibly have known her-and wanted her. You-you did? she repeated, trying to straighten her hat.
Oh, yes; and Ive been wondering all the way here what you looked like, cried the little girl, dancing on her toes, and sweeping the embarrassed Nancy from head to foot, with her eyes. And now I know, and Im glad you look just like you do look.
Nancy was relieved just then to have Timothy come up. Pollyannas words had been most confusing.
This is Timothy. Maybe you have a trunk, she stammered.
Yes, I have, nodded Pollyanna, importantly. Ive got a brand-new one. The Ladies Aid bought it for me-and wasnt it lovely of them, when they wanted the carpet so? Of course I dont know how much red carpet a trunk could buy, but it ought to buy some, anyhow-much as half an aisle, dont you think? Ive got a little thing here in my bag that Mr. Gray said was a check, and that I must give it to you before I could get my trunk. Mr. Gray is Mrs. Grays husband. Theyre cousins of Deacon Carrs wife. I came East with them, and theyre lovely! And-there, here tis, she finished, producing the check after much fumbling in the bag she carried.
Nancy drew a long breath. Instinctively she felt that some one had to draw one-after that speech. Then she stole a glance at Timothy. Timothys eyes were studiously turned away.
The three were off at last, with Pollyannas trunk in behind, and Pollyanna herself snugly ensconced between Nancy and Timothy. During the whole process of getting started, the little girl had kept up an uninterrupted stream of comments and questions, until the somewhat dazed Nancy found herself quite out of breath trying to keep up with her.
There! Isnt this lovely? Is it far? I hope tis-I love to ride, sighed Pollyanna, as the wheels began to turn. Of course, if tisnt far, I shant mind, though, cause Ill be glad to get there all the sooner, you know. What a pretty street! I knew twas going to be pretty; father told me-
She stopped with a little choking breath. Nancy, looking at her apprehensively, saw that her small chin was quivering, and that her eyes were full of tears. In a moment, however, she hurried on, with a brave lifting of her head.
Father told me all about it. He remembered. And-and I ought to have explained before. Mrs. Gray told me to, at once-about this red gingham dress, you know, and why Im not in black. She said youd think twas queer. But there werent any black things in the last missionary barrel, only a ladys velvet basque which Deacon Carrs wife said wasnt suitable for me at all; besides, it had white spots-worn, you know-on both elbows, and some other places. Part of the Ladies Aid wanted to buy me a black dress and hat, but the other part thought the money ought to go toward the red carpet theyre trying to get-for the church, you know. Mrs. White said maybe it was just as well, anyway, for she didnt like children in black-that is, I mean, she liked the children, of course, but not the black part.
Pollyanna paused for breath, and Nancy managed to stammer:
Well, Im sure it-itll be all right.
Im glad you feel that way. I do, too, nodded Pollyanna, again with that choking little breath. Of course, twould have been a good deal harder to be glad in black-
Glad! gasped Nancy, surprised into an interruption.
Yes-that fathers gone to Heaven to be with mother and the rest of us, you know. He said I must be glad. But its been pretty hard to-to do it, even in red gingham, because II wanted him, so; and I couldnt help feeling I OUGHT to have him, specially as mother and the rest have God and all the angels, while I didnt have anybody but the Ladies Aid. But now Im sure itll be easier because Ive got you, Aunt Polly. Im so glad Ive got you!
Nancys aching sympathy for the poor little forlornness beside her turned suddenly into shocked terror.
Oh, but-but youve made an awful mistake, d-dear, she faltered. Im only Nancy. I aint your Aunt Polly, at all!
You-you ARENT? stammered the little girl, in plain dismay.
No. Im only Nancy. I never thought of your takin me for her. We-we aint a bit alike we aint, we aint!
Timothy chuckled softly; but Nancy was too disturbed to answer the merry flash from his eyes.
But who ARE you? questioned Pollyanna. You dont look a bit like a Ladies Aider!
Timothy laughed outright this time.
Im Nancy, the hired girl. I do all the work except the washin an hard ironin. Mis Durgin does that.
But there IS an Aunt Polly? demanded the child, anxiously.
You bet your life there is, cut in Timothy.
Pollyanna relaxed visibly.
Oh, thats all right, then. There was a moments silence, then she went on brightly: And do you know? Im glad, after all, that she didnt come to meet me; because now Ive got HER still coming, and Ive got you besides.
Nancy flushed. Timothy turned to her with a quizzical smile.
I call that a pretty slick compliment, he said. Why dont you thank the little lady?
II was thinkin about-Miss Polly, faltered Nancy.
Pollyanna sighed contentedly.
I was, too. Im so interested in her. You know shes all the aunt Ive got, and I didnt know I had her for ever so long. Then father told me. He said she lived in a lovely great big house way on top of a hill.
She does. You can see it now, said Nancy.
Its that big white one with the green blinds, way ahead.
Oh, how pretty! and what a lot of trees and grass all around it! I never saw such a lot of green grass, seems so, all at once. Is my Aunt Polly rich, Nancy?
Yes, Miss.
Im so glad. It must be perfectly lovely to have lots of money. I never knew anyone that did have, only the Whites-theyre some rich. They have carpets in every room and ice-cream Sundays. Does Aunt Polly have ice-cream Sundays?
Nancy shook her head. Her lips twitched. She threw a merry look into Timothys eyes.
No, Miss. Your aunt dont like ice-cream, I guess; leastways I never saw it on her table.
Pollyannas face fell.
Oh, doesnt she? Im so sorry! I dont see how she can help liking ice-cream. But-anyhow, I can be kinder glad about that, cause the ice-cream you dont eat cant make your stomach ache like Mrs. Whites did-that is, I ate hers, you know, lots of it. Maybe Aunt Polly has got the carpets, though.
Yes, shes got the carpets.
In every room?
Well, in almost every room, answered Nancy, frowning suddenly at the thought of that bare little attic room where there was no carpet.
Oh, Im so glad, exulted Pollyanna. I love carpets. We didnt have any, only two little rugs that came in a missionary barrel, and one of those had ink spots on it. Mrs. White had pictures, too, perfectly beautiful ones of roses and little girls kneeling and a kitty and some lambs and a lion-not together, you know-the lambs and the lion. Oh, of course the Bible says they will sometime, but they havent yet-that is, I mean Mrs. Whites havent. Dont you just love pictures?