"He didn't want to, I suppose," said Polly, grimly.

Dotty fell into a brown study. It was certainly very unkind in _some_
man that he hadn't married Miss Polly and taken care of her, so she need
not have wandered around the world with a double-covered basket and a
snuff-box. It was a great pity; still Dotty could not see that just now
it had anything to do with Polly's forgetting to set the table. "I'm so
hungry," said she; "isn't it 'most supper time?"

"It's only five; but you appear to be so lonesome that I'll make a fire
this minute and put on the tea-kettle," replied the kind-hearted Polly.
"What does your grandmother generally have for supper?"

"Cake sometimes," answered Dotty, her eyes brightening; "and tarts."

"And perjerves," added Katie; "and--and--yice puddin'."

"She keeps the cake in a stone jar," said Dotty, eagerly; "and the
strawberries are down cellar in a glass dish--cost a cent apiece."

"The slips they grew from cost a cent apiece; that is what you mean,"
said Polly; "you hear things rather hap-hazard sometimes, Dotty, and you
ought to be more careful."

[Illustration: A DARK DAY.--Page 154.]

The tea-kettle was soon singing on the stove, and Dotty forgot her
peculiar trials when she saw the table covered with dainties. She was
not sure grandma would have approved of the cake and tarts, but they
were certainly very nice, and it was a pleasure to see how Polly enjoyed
them. Dotty presumed she had never had such things when she lived with
the "hard-faced woman."

"It wasn't everywhere," she said, "that she saw such thick cream as rose
to the tops of Mrs. Parlin's pans."

She poured it freely over the strawberries and into her own tea, which
it made so delicious that she drank three cups. Then after supper she
seemed to feel quite cheery for her, and, taking Katie in her arms,
rocked her to sleep to the tune of "China," which is not very lively
music, it must be confessed.

"Aunt 'Ria puts her to bed awake," said Dotty. "She's going to sleep in
my bed to-night."

"Very well," said Polly, "but you will sleep with me."

"Why, Miss Polly! what if Katie should wake up?"

"She won't be likely to; but I can't help it if she does. I may have the
nightmare in the night."

"What is the nightmare?"

"It is something perfectly dreadful, child! I sincerely hope you'll
never know by sad experience. It's the most like dying of any feeling I
ever had in my life. I can't move a finger, but if I