r now that she had ever thought for a minute of
leaving her--this dear Aunt Polly!

"The child's presence," stammered Pollyanna, hastily. "Mr. Pendleton
told me once, you see, that only a woman's hand and heart or a child's
presence could make a--a home. And now he's got it--the child's
presence."

"Oh, I--see," said Miss Polly very gently; and she did see--more than
Pollyanna realized. She saw something of the pressure that was probably
brought to bear on Pollyanna herself at the time John Pendleton was
asking HER to be the "child's presence," which was to transform his
great pile of gray stone into a home. "I see," she finished, her eyes
stinging with sudden tears.

Pollyanna, fearful that her aunt might ask further embarrassing
questions, hastened to lead the conversation away from the Pendleton
house and its master.

"Dr. Chilton says so, too--that it takes a woman's hand and heart, or a
child's presence, to make a home, you know," she remarked.

Miss Polly turned with a start.

"DR. CHILTON! How do you know--that?"

"He told me so. 'Twas when he said he lived in just rooms, you know--not
a home."

Miss Polly did not answer. Her eyes were out the window.

"So I asked him why he didn't get 'em.--a woman's hand and heart, and
have a home."

"Pollyanna!" Miss Polly had turned sharply. Her cheeks showed a sudden
color.

"Well, I did. He looked so--so sorrowful."

"What did he--say?" Miss Polly asked the question as if in spite of some
force within her that was urging her not to ask it.

"He didn't say anything for a minute; then he said very low that you
couldn't always get 'em for the asking."

There was a brief silence. Miss Polly's eyes had turned again to the
window. Her cheeks were still unnaturally pink.

Pollyanna sighed.

"He wants one, anyhow, I know, and I wish he could have one."

"Why, Pollyanna, HOW do you know?"

"Because, afterwards, on another day, he said something else. He said
that low, too, but I heard him. He said that he'd give all the world
if he did have one woman's hand and heart. Why, Aunt Polly, what's the
matter?" Aunt Polly had risen hurriedly and gone to the window.

"Nothing, dear. I was changing the position of this prism," said Aunt
Polly, whose whole face now was aflame.

CHAPTER XXVIII. THE GAME AND ITS PLAYERS

It was not long after John Pendleton's second visit that Milly Snow
called one afternoon. Milly Snow had never before been to the Harrington
ho