eed, Polly."

So Polly, feeling quite happy, albeit the remembrance of the morning
still lay deep in her mind, ran off for the brush and comb. "And I'm
going to braid it all over," she said with great satisfaction, "after
I've rubbed your head."

"Well, now tell on," said Alexia, as Polly climbed up back of the
pillows, and began to smooth the long light fluffs of hair, trying to do
it just as Mamsie always did for her. "You say Professor Mills didn't
come--oh dear! and think of that black silk gown wasted on the girls.
Well, I suppose she was cross as two sticks because he didn't come,
wasn't she, Polly? Oh dear me! well, I'm glad I wasn't there," she
hurried on, not waiting for a reply; "I'd rather be in with this old
bundle"--she patted her bandages--"Oh Polly!" She started up so suddenly
that the brush flew out of Polly's lap and spun away across the floor.
"Take care," said Polly, "oh, there goes the comb now," and she skipped
down, recovered the articles, and jumped up to her post again. "What is
it, Alexia?"

"Why, I've just thought--you don't suppose Miss Salisbury will appoint
the day for the picnic, do you, while my arm is lame?"

The color in Polly's cheeks went out, and she was glad that she could
get well behind the pillows.

"Oh, no, Alexia," she made herself say, "we wouldn't ever in all this
world have the picnic till you were well. How could you think it,
Alexia?"

"I didn't believe you would," cried Alexia, much gratified, and huddling
down again, without once seeing Polly's face, "but most of the girls
don't care about me, Polly, and they wouldn't mind."

"Oh yes, they do," said Polly reassuringly, "they're very fond of you,
most of them are."

"Well," said Alexia, "I'm not fond of them, so I don't really expect
them to be, Polly. But I shouldn't like 'em to go off and have that
picnic when I couldn't go. Was anything said about it, Polly?" she asked
abruptly.

"Miss Salisbury or Miss Anstice didn't say a word," said Polly,
trembling for the next question. Just then Mother Fisher looked in with
a smile. "Polly, you are wanted," she said. "Grandpapa and Jasper are
ready to go to the railroad station. I'm going to stay with Alexia and
finish her hair just as I do for Polly."

Alexia looked up and smiled. It was next best to having Polly, to have
Mrs. Fisher. So Polly, happy to have a respite from Alexia's questions
about the picnic, and happier still to be going to find out something
about