Polly | Page 8

are agreeable. Father is
going to get the very best daily governess from Nettleship to come here
every morning. She will stay until after early dinner, and then George
will drive her back to town in the pony trap. And then Mr. Masters is to
come twice a week, as usual, about our music, and Mr. Danvers for
drawing. And Miss Wilson is to stay here most of the day to look after
Bunny and Bob. That is a much better arrangement than having a
resident governess, is it not?"
"Yes," said three or four voices, but Polly was silent, and Firefly,
eagerly watching her face, closed her own resolute lips.
"That is part of father's plan," continued Helen. "But the other, and
more important part is this. I am to undertake the housekeeping. Father

says he would like Polly to help me a little, but the burden and
responsibility of the whole thing rests on me. And also, girls, father
says that there must be some one in absolute authority. There must be
some one who can settle disputes, and keep things in order, and so he
says that unless you are all willing to do what I ask you to do, the
scheme must still fall through, and we must be like the Brewsters or
any other unhappy girls whose mothers are no longer with them, and
have our resident governess."
"I know you won't like to obey me," continued Helen, looking
anxiously round, "but I don't think I'll be hard on you. No, I am sure I
shall not be hard on any of you."
"That remains to be proved," said Polly. "I don't think I like that plan. I
won't give any answer at present--I'll think about it. Come along, Fly,"
she nodded to her younger sister, and then, lifting the heavy bottom
sash of the window where Helen had been sitting, stepped lightly out,
followed by the obedient Firefly.
"I don't want to obey Nell," said the little sister, clasping two of Polly's
fingers with her thin, small hand. "If it was you, Poll Parrot, it would be
a different thing, but I don't want to obey Nell. I don't think it's fair;
she's only my sister, like the rest of them. There's nothing said in the
Catechism about obeying sisters. It's only fathers and mothers, and
spiritual pastors and masters."
"And all those put in authority over you," proceeded Polly, shaking her
fingers free, and facing round on Firefly, in a way which caused that
young person to back several inches. "If Helen once gets the authority
the Catechism is on her side, not on yours."
"But I needn't promise, need I?" pouted Firefly. "If it was you, it would
be different. I always did what you wanted me to do, Polly Perkins."
"Of course you did," responded Polly, in a most contemptuous voice.
"Will a duck swim? I led you into mischief--of course you followed.
Well, Fly, it rests with yourself. Don't obey our dear, good, gentle
Nelly, and you'll have Miss Jenkins here. Won't it be fun to see her

squinting at you over her spectacles when she returns your
spelling-lessons. Bread and water will be your principal diet most of
the week. Well, good-by now; I'm off to baby."
Polly took to her heels, and Firefly stood for a moment or two looking
utterly miserable and irresolute on the wide gravel walk in the center of
the flower-garden. She felt very much inclined to stamp her feet and to
screw up her thin little face into contortions of rage. Even very little
girls, however, won't go into paroxysms of anger when there is no one
there to see. Firefly's heart was very sore, for Polly, her idol, had
spoken to her almost roughly.
"I wish mother wasn't in heaven," she murmured in a grieved little
voice, and then she turned and walked back to the house. The nearer
she approached the study window the faster grew her footsteps. At last,
like a little torrent, she vaulted back into the room, and flung her arms
noisily round Helen's neck.
"I'll obey you, darling Nell," she said. "I'd much rather have you than
Miss Jenkins."
And then she sobbed aloud, and really shook herself, for she felt still so
angry with Polly.
"That's a good little Fly," said Helen, kissing her affectionately in
return, and putting her arm round her waist, so as to establish her
comfortably on her knee. The other girls were all lying about in
different easy attitudes, and Firefly joined in the general talk, and found
herself much comforted.
CHAPTER V.
A SAFETY-VALVE.
"Fly caved in, didn't she?" said Polly to her eldest sister that night.
"Yes, poor little mite, she did, in a touching way," said Helen; "but she
seemed