way, Mrs. Clover, to see Polly, and see her you
shall."

"I don't want to, Mr. Gammon! I couldn't--"

"Now steady a bit--quiet--don't lose your head. Whether you want to see
her or not, I want you to, and what's more you shall see her. If
Polly's trying to make fools of us she shan't have all the fun; if
she's telling the truth she shall have a fair chance of proving it; if
she's lying we'll have a jolly good try to make her jolly well ashamed
of herself. See here, Mrs. Bubb, will you do as I ask you?"

"And what's that, Mr. Gammon?" asked the landlady, eager to show her
spirit.

"You go up to Polly's room, and you say this: 'Miss Sparkes,' you say,
'you've got to come downstairs and see your aunt. If you'll come, quite
well and good; if you won't, I just got to tell you that the lock on
your door is easy forced, and expense shan't stand in the way.' Now you
just go and say that."

Mrs. Bubb and Mrs. Clover exchanged glances. Both were plainly
impressed by this masculine suggestion, but they hesitated.

"I don't want to make an upset in the house," said Mrs. Clover. "There
isn't a word of truth in what she said; I feel sure of that, and it's
no use."

"If you ask me," Gammon interposed, "I'm not at all sure about that. It
seems to me just as likely as not that she has come across Mr.
Clover--just as likely as not."

Angry agitation again took hold of Polly's aunt, who was very easily
swayed by an opinion from Mr. Gammon. The landlady, too, gave willing
ear to his words.

"Do you mean," she asked, "that we should really break the door open?"

"I do; and what's more--I'll pay the damage. Go up, Mrs. Bubb, and just
say what I told you; and let's see how she takes it."

Mrs. Clover began a faint objection, but Mrs. Bubb did not heed it. Her
face set in the joy of battle, she turned from the room and ran
upstairs.

CHAPTER X

THE STORMING OF THE FORT

Mr. and Mrs. Cheeseman squeezed together at their partly-open door,
were following the course of events with a delighted eagerness which
threatened to break all bounds of discretion. Their grinning faces
signalled to Mrs. Bubb as she went by, and she, no less animated, waved
a hand to them as if promising richer entertainment. The next minute
she was heard parleying with Miss Sparkes. Polly received her, as was
to be expected, with acrimonious defiance.

"Oh, it's you, is it, Mrs. Bubb! Go and clean up your dirty kitchen.
It'll take you all your tim