Polly Pepper's hand, was laid across an improvised bed
made of two seats, and a doctor who happened to be on the train, one of
the party going in to the theatre, came up, and looked her over
professionally.

"It's my arm," said Alexia, opening her eyes again; "it was doubled up
someway under me. Oh dear me! I'm so silly to faint."

"You're not silly at all," cried Polly warmly, and holding her well
hand, while her eyes searched the doctor's face anxiously. "Oh, is it
broken?" they asked, as plainly as possible.

"Not a bit of it," said the doctor cheerfully, feeling it all over again
to make quite sure, while Alexia set her teeth together, trying not to
show how very much it hurt. "It's badly strained,--the ligaments
are;--but fortunately no bones are broken."

"Oh dear!" groaned Alexia. "Now why can't it be broken?"

"Oh Alexia!" cried Polly. And now the tears that had been kept back,
were rolling down her cheeks. "I'm so happy, I can't help it," she said.

"And the very idea, Alexia Rhys," exclaimed Clem, "to wish your arm had
been broken!" and she gave a little shiver.

"It hurts just as much," said Alexia, trying to sit up straight, and
making an awful face, "so it might as well be. And I've never been in a
railroad accident. But a sprained arm isn't anything to show; any baby
can have that--oh dear me!"

"Well, you better lie still," counselled Miss Baker tartly. "Dear me! I
little thought when I took charge of you young ladies that any such
thing would occur."

"She acts as if she thought we did it on purpose," said Alexia, turning
her face over to hide it on Polly's arm again, and wishing her own
needn't ache so dreadfully. "Oh dear! such a time as we've had, Polly
Pepper, with those dreadful Briggses,--I mean Mrs. Briggs,--and now to
be all banged up, and this cross old thing to see us home! And now I
never'll be able to get through the term, 'cause I'll have to stay at
home with this old arm, and aunt will scold." She was quite out of
breath with all her woes.

"Oh, yes, you will," cried Polly reassuringly, "I'll run over every day,
and study with you, Alexia. And you'll soon be all well again. Don't try
to talk now, dear," and she patted the poor cheeks, and smoothed her
hair. All the while she was trying to keep down the worry over the
home-circle who would be thrown into the greatest distress, she knew, if
news of the accident should reach their ears.

"Can't somebody telephone them?" she cried