" And it was this love-hungry little
girl that had been offered the stored-up affection of twenty-five
years:--and she was old enough to be tempted by love! With a sinking
heart Miss Polly realized that. With a sinking heart, too, she realized
something else: the dreariness of her own future now without Pollyanna.

"Well?" she said. And the man, recognizing the self-control that
vibrated through the harshness of the tone, smiled sadly.

"She would not come," he answered.

"Why?"

"She would not leave you. She said you had been so good to her. She
wanted to stay with you--and she said she THOUGHT you wanted her to
stay," he finished, as he pulled himself to his feet.

He did not look toward Miss Polly. He turned his face resolutely toward
the door. But instantly he heard a swift step at his side, and found a
shaking hand thrust toward him.

"When the specialist comes, and I know anything--definite about
Pollyanna, I will let you hear from me," said a trembling voice.
"Good-by--and thank you for coming. Pollyanna will be pleased."

CHAPTER XXV. A WAITING GAME

On the day after John Pendleton's call at the Harrington homestead, Miss
Polly set herself to the task of preparing Pollyanna for the visit of
the specialist.

"Pollyanna, my dear," she began gently, "we have decided that we want
another doctor besides Dr. Warren to see you. Another one might tell us
something new to do--to help you get well faster, you know."

A joyous light came to Pollyanna's face.

"Dr. Chilton! Oh, Aunt Polly, I'd so love to have Dr. Chilton! I've
wanted him all the time, but I was afraid you didn't, on account of his
seeing you in the sun parlor that day, you know; so I didn't like to say
anything. But I'm so glad you do want him!"

Aunt Polly's face had turned white, then red, then back to white again.
But when she answered, she showed very plainly that she was trying to
speak lightly and cheerfully.

"Oh, no, dear! It wasn't Dr. Chilton at all that I meant. It is a new
doctor--a very famous doctor from New York, who--who knows a great deal
about--about hurts like yours."

Pollyanna's face fell.

"I don't believe he knows half so much as Dr. Chilton."

"Oh, yes, he does, I'm sure, dear."

"But it was Dr. Chilton who doctored Mr. Pendleton's broken leg,
Aunt Polly. If--if you don't mind VERY much, I WOULD LIKE to have Dr.
Chilton--truly I would!"

A distressed color suffused Miss Polly's face. For a moment she did no