on-sense
lent her a hand, and hope would keep popping up its bright face from the
bottom of her Pandora-box of troubles. Now and then, when any one said
Trix would n't jilt Tom, or that Tom did care for Trix more than he
should, Polly had a pang, and thought she could n't possibly bear it.
But she always found she could, and so came to the conclusion that it
was a merciful provision of nature that girls' hearts could stand
so much, and their appetites continue good, when unrequited love was
starving.

Now, she could not help yearning over this faulty, well-beloved
scapegrace Tom, or help thinking, with a little thrill of hope, "If Trix
only cared for his money, she may cast him off now he 's lost it; but I
'll love him all the better because he 's poor." With this feeling warm
at her heart, I don't wonder that Polly's hand had a soothing effect,
and that after a heave or two, Tom's shoulders were quiet, and certain
smothered sniffs suggested that he would be all right again, if he could
only wipe his eyes without any one's seeing him do it.

Polly seemed to divine his wish, and tucking a little, clean
handkerchief into one of his half-open hands, she said, "I 'm going to
your father, now," and with a farewell smooth, so comforting that Tom
wished she 'd do it again, she went away.

As she paused a minute in the hall to steady herself, Maud called her
from above, and thinking that the women might need her more than the
men, she ran up to find Fanny waiting for her in her own room.

"Mamma's asleep, quite worn out, poor dear, so we can talk in here
without troubling her," said Fanny, receiving her friend so quietly,
that Polly was amazed.

"Let me come, too, I won't make any fuss; it 's so dreadful to be shut
out everywhere, and have people crying and talking, and locked up, and I
not know what it means," said Maud, beseechingly.

"You do know, now; I 've told her, Polly," said Fan, as they sat down
together, and Maud perched herself on the bed, so that she might retire
among the pillows if her feelings were too much for her.

"I 'm glad you take it so well, dear; I was afraid it might upset you,"
said Polly, seeing now that in spite of her quiet manner, Fan's eyes had
an excited look, and her cheeks a feverish color.

"I shall groan and moan by and by, I dare say, but at first it sort of
dazed me, and now it begins to excite me. I ought to be full of sorrow
for poor papa, and I am truly sorry, but, wicked as it