er to the stairs, and listened.
There was no sound. Still not quite satisfied, she crept up to her
mother's room. She found little change, except that the mutterings
were fainter, and at times the lips were at rest.

"I must go! I must!" Polly whispered to herself. "She acts just as
Colonel Gresham did--oh, dear!"

She dreaded to leave the house, fearing that her mother might
rouse--and who knew what she would do! Yet at the hospital was Dr.
Rodman and help. It would take but a few minutes to go. Thus
reassuring herself, she made ready to battle with the storm. It was
not long before she opened the front door, but, unprepared for the
fury of the wind, she gave a cry as the knob was swept from her grasp.
Still she had no thought of turning back, and snapping the night lock,
so that she could return without a key, she succeeded in shutting the
door behind her.

Outside was tumult. A procession of blasts came roaring down the
street. It was biting cold. The snow stung. The muffled lights shone
wanly through the night, and laid bare the desolate scene. Polly
breathed hard as she staggered across the piazza. The steps were a
drifty slope of white, making descent dangerous; but she plunged on,
gained a scant foothold, missed the next, clutched at nothing, and
went down, a helpless little heap in the whirling snow.

Starting to scramble up, she dropped back with a cry. Pluckily she
tried it again, this time coming to a sitting posture with a gasp of
pain. Her ankle had twisted when she fell, and was now throbbing
distressfully.

"Oh, I can't go!" she half sobbed. "Dear, dear mother!"

She looked up and down the street, in hope of help; but none was
there. The pain in her foot increased, and she realized that she must
act quickly. With a prayer in her heart, she crawled back, little by
little, up the steps and over to the door, finally, after much effort,
reaching the knob and letting herself in. Once assured that the door
was fast, she sank into the hall corner, spent with her struggle.

After what seemed a long while Polly crept upstairs. Her mother was
still quiet, as if asleep. There were now no mutterings. Polly
shivered in her damp clothing and went over to the radiator. The
warmth was grateful, and she dropped to the floor, cuddling beside her
iron friend. Soon there were two sleepers in the lonely room.

When she awoke Polly found herself hugging a cold pillow, and she
suddenly remembered that Joe was to have