Polly of the Hospital Staff | Page 4

his eyes grew grave and tender, for in the broken little confession he comprehended the child's unspoken abhorrence of the life she had left behind when she had come to the hospital five months before.
"I would n't worry about going back to Aunt Jane's," he said brightly. "You may be sure I shan't let her monopolize my little Polly. Now, run along and get on your hat and coat, for the air is growing cool. We'll have a nice spin up to Warringford, and you'll sleep all the better for it."
Polly skipped away smiling, but presently was down in the office, --without her wraps.
"The children feel so bad to have me go," she said soberly, "I guess I'd better stay with them--seeing it's the last night." Her lip quivered.
"Selfish little pigs!" returned the Doctor. "They are n't willing anybody else shall have a taste of you."
Polly laughed. "Well, they want me to tell them a story, so I'd better, don't you think?"
"I suppose it's kinder to them than to go for a joy ride; but it's hard on me."
Dr. Dudley assumed a scowl of disapproval.
The child hesitated. "You know I'd rather go with you," she said sweetly; "but they--"
"I understand all about it, brave little woman," throwing an arm around the slender shoulders, "and I won't make it any harder for you. Go and tell your story, and let it be a merry one. Remember, that's the Doctor's order! Good-night."
Polly threw him a kiss from the doorway, and then he heard her light footfalls on the stairs.
It was one of his few leisure hours, and he sat for a long time looking out on the quiet street, where his small motor car stood waiting. He had no inclination for a spin to Warringford now; he was thinking too deeply about the little girl who had held so large a share of his big heart since the day when he had first seen her, lying so white and still, with the life all but crushed out of her. It had not seemed possible then that she would ever again dance around like the other children; yet her she was, without even the bit of a limp--and going home to-morrow! Home! He could imagine the kind of place it was, and he shook his head gravely over the picture. Twice in the first months of Polly's stay at the hospital her aunt had been to visit her; recently she had not appeared. He recollected her well,--a tall, lean woman, with unshapely garments, and a strident voice.
At eight o'clock Dr. Dudley cranked up his machine, and started away; but he did not go in the direction of Warringford. He turned down one of the narrow streets that led to Aunt Jane's home.
Meantime, up in the ward, Polly had been following the Doctor's directions until the children had laughed themselves happy.
"I did n't let on that I saw you scoot under the bed when the Doctor came," Elsie Meyer whispered to Polly, at the first chance. "Aimee saw you, an' Brida saw you, an' Francesca saw you; but we did n't say nothin' when Miss Lucy an' the Doctor was wonderin' where you could be. What made you go that way?"
"Come, Polly, say good-night," called the nurse.
And with a soft, "I'll tell you sometime, Elsie," she obeyed.
The next morning Polly went about the little helpful tasks that she had, one after another, taken upon herself, performing each with even more than her usual care, feeling a strange ache in her heart at the thought of its being the last time.
It was shortly after ten o'clock that Dr. Dudley appeared at the door.
"Polly!" he called.
She ran to him, but her answering smile was pathetic, for her lip quivered, as she said, "I'll be ready in a minute."
"You are ready now," he returned, and taking her hand in his led her out into the hall.
"I want you for a little while," was all he said, as they went downstairs together.
Poly was a bit surprised when she found that their destination was the great room where the "Board" was in session, but she could not be afraid with Dr. Dudley; so she smiled to all the gentlemen, and answered their questions in her soft, sweet voice, and behaved quite like the little lady that the physician had pictured to them.
Presently Dr. Dudley left her, while he talked in low tones with the white-haired man at the head of the long table. When he came back, he asked:--
"Polly, how should you like to stay here at the hospital all summer, and help Miss Lucy and me to take care of your little friends?"
The light that flashed into Polly's brown eyes gave them the gleam of a sunny brook. She clasped her small hands ecstatically, crying, "O--o--h! it would