--and held her breath. Then she let it
out in one long sigh of rapture.

Before them lay the city, glittering in the afternoon sunshine,
while beyond, to the north and east and south, green hills formed
a living frame for the picture.

"It is worth coming for," said the Colonel, at last. "There is
your home--see?"

"Oh, yes! It looks like a castle in a forest."

And then--when joy was uppermost--Aunt Jane's threat crowded
in.

Polly's eyes wandered from the "castle" in the direction of the
home she dreaded.

Colonel Gresham noted the sudden shadow on the bright face, and
took up the reins.

On the way back they stopped at a confectioner's, and the Colonel
brought out a package and laid it on Polly's lap. "There is
something to remember the drive by," he said.

"Oh, thank you!" she beamed. "But I don't need anything more to
make me remember it," she added. "It has been beautiful--right
straight through!--Except Aunt Jane!" she put in honestly, under
her breath, and again her face was shadowed.

"It is the best way," observed the Colonel, "to let disagreeable
things slip off our shoulders at once. If we should carry them
all, we should have a sorry load."

"I guess I'll do that way," smiled Polly; "but Aunt Jane don't
slip easy!"

"Shake her off," laughed the Colonel, "and she'll go!"

It was a happy moment up in the ward when Polly opened her box of
candy. Such chocolates, such candied cherries and strawberries,
with tiny tongs to lift them with, the children had never seen.
They chose one apiece all round, which Miss Lucy said was enough
for that day, and Polly carried the box down to the Doctor's
office, that he might taste her sweets. It never occurred to her
that she was entitled to more than the others.

Dr. Dudley heard all about the drive, but nothing of Aunt Jane.
Polly had decided to take the Colonel's advice--if she could,
and she recollected with relief that Aunt Jane was always more
ready to threaten than to perform.

A few days afterwards Dr. Dudley early for Polly.

"Anyway it is n't Aunt Jane at this time," she assured herself,
as she ran downstairs.

"Mrs. Jocelyn wants to see you right away," the Doctor told her.

"She does?" wondered Polly. "Do you know for what?"

"I don't _know_ anything," he smiled; "but I _guess_ a good
deal."

"Oh! What do you guess it is?" she entreated.

He shook his head laughingly. "I should hate to have you discover
that I was n't a good gues