aybe Aunt Polly will
play it, though," she added, as an after-thought.

"My stars and stockings!--HER!" breathed Nancy, behind her teeth. Then,
aloud, she said doggedly: "See here, Miss Pollyanna, I ain't sayin' that
I'll play it very well, and I ain't sayin' that I know how, anyway; but
I'll play it with ye, after a fashion--I just will, I will!"

"Oh, Nancy!" exulted Pollyanna, giving her a rapturous hug. "That'll be
splendid! Won't we have fun?"

"Er--maybe," conceded Nancy, in open doubt. "But you mustn't count too
much on me, ye know. I never was no case fur games, but I'm a-goin' ter
make a most awful old try on this one. You're goin' ter have some one
ter play it with, anyhow," she finished, as they entered the kitchen
together.

Pollyanna ate her bread and milk with good appetite; then, at Nancy's
suggestion, she went into the sitting room, where her aunt sat reading.
Miss Polly looked up coldly.

"Have you had your supper, Pollyanna?"

"Yes, Aunt Polly."

"I'm very sorry, Pollyanna, to have been obliged so soon to send you
into the kitchen to eat bread and milk."

"But I was real glad you did it, Aunt Polly. I like bread and milk, and
Nancy, too. You mustn't feel bad about that one bit."

Aunt Polly sat suddenly a little more erect in her chair.

"Pollyanna, it's quite time you were in bed. You have had a hard day,
and to-morrow we must plan your hours and go over your clothing to see
what it is necessary to get for you. Nancy will give you a candle. Be
careful how you handle it. Breakfast will be at half-past seven. See
that you are down to that. Good-night."

Quite as a matter of course, Pollyanna came straight to her aunt's side
and gave her an affectionate hug.

"I've had such a beautiful time, so far," she sighed happily. "I know
I'm going to just love living with you but then, I knew I should before
I came. Good-night," she called cheerfully, as she ran from the room.

"Well, upon my soul!" ejaculated Miss Polly, half aloud. "What a most
extraordinary child!" Then she frowned. "She's 'glad' I punished her,
and I 'mustn't feel bad one bit,' and she's going to 'love to live' with
me! Well, upon my soul!" ejaculated Miss Polly again, as she took up her
book.

Fifteen minutes later, in the attic room, a lonely little girl sobbed
into the tightly-clutched sheet:

"I know, father-among-the-angels, I'm not playing the game one bit
now--not one bit; but I don't believe even you could find anyth