referred to
again, you might let her know the truth, as simply as possible; but
sometimes things are better left unexplained."

Polly was silent, and Dr. Dudley went on.

"I think it will be well for you to keep out of the way of Miss Barron
as much as you can. Should there be an opportunity for any little
kindness, do it unobtrusively and sweetly, as I know you would;
otherwise give her a wide berth--she needs it."

"I'll try to," Polly agreed. "But, father, don't you really care
'cause she called you that?"

"A nobody?" he smiled. "I should be one if I allowed it to annoy me.
My little girl, I wish I could make you see how trivial, how
inconsequent such things are. No human being is a 'nobody' who is
faithful to the best that is in him. It doesn't make much real
difference what people say of us, as long as we keep an honest heart
and serve God and our fellow travelers according to our highest
knowledge. Life is too brief to spend much thought on taunts or
slander. We have too much else to do. I suppose it is scarcely
possible for a person that does anything worth doing to get through
life without sometimes being talked about unpleasantly and
misrepresented. Do you know what Shakespeare says about that? 'Be thou
as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny.'

"But there comes mother! Run, get your hat and coat, and we'll have
our ride."

CHAPTER IV

COUSINS

Contrary to the physicians' fears, Erastus Bean's condition improved
day by day. Polly went often to see him, delighting the little man
with her small attentions and her ready sympathy. It was on a Monday
morning that he found out the letter had been missing from the
rosewood box, and he was at once perturbed over the loss.

"Jane must 'a' put it some'er's else, some'er's else," he complained,
over and over, although Polly begged him not to worry.

"It doesn't matter so very much if I don't know who those relations
are," she assured him, "and anyway we may find the letter sometime."

"Yer don't s'pose the Doctor said anything to Jane about it?" he
queried suddenly, his eyes sharp with anxiety.

"Oh, no! I guess not," Polly replied easily.

"Wal, yer won't let him, will yer?" he pleaded. "Cause I'll sure find
it soon's I git home, an' Jane, she's kind o' cranky, yer know! But
she's got her good streaks, Jane has! She brought me a bowl o' custard
th' other day--that was proper nice o' Jane!" His wrinkled face
lighted at r