a summer in a canyon-第31章
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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
