“Miss Nita!” began Polly plaintively.

“I know, dear!  But to think of your saying such things to that dignified man!” She chuckled again.

“Don’t, Miss Nita!  It hurts.  His dignity is all on the outside, I guess.  Anyway, it went off before I left.”

“Oh, Polly!”

“I don’t see a thing to laugh at.  It was as solemn as—­as a sermon.”

“I rather think it was a sermon—­to him!”

“Perhaps.  Anyway, I’m glad I went.”

“I wonder that your father and mother allowed you to go.”

Polly smiled, a tiny, flushed smile.  “They don’t know it.”

“Why, Polly Dudley!”

“Well, it had to be done, and there was nobody but me to do it.  I didn’t dare say anything beforehand, for fear they wouldn’t let me.  Now I’m going home, to tell them all about it.”

Miss Sterling smiled.  “You’ll do, Polly!  When I have a hard errand on hand, I’ll commit it to you.”

CHAPTER XXVII

“I love you, David!”

Polly happened to answer the doorbell when David rang.

“Hallo, David!” she said brightly.

His face was troubled.

“Is your father at home?”

“Why, yes,—­that is, he is in the hospital somewhere.  Who is sick?”

“Aunt Juliet, and she won’t have anybody but Dr. Dudley.  We’ve been trying to get him by telephone, and finally they thought I’d better come up.  Otto brought me, and he’ll take the Doctor back.”

“Oh, the hospital telephones are out of commission, so they’re using ours about all the time.  Sit down, and I’ll find him.”

From ward to ward went Polly, following the Doctor.  She caught him at last on the upper floor, and he drove off with Colonel Gresham’s man.

“Stay a while, can’t you, David?” invited Polly.  “You’ll have to walk home anyway, and there’s no need of your hurrying.”

“They may want me,” he hesitated, fingering his cap.

“No, they won’t!  There are plenty to take care of Mrs. Gresham.  I haven’t seen you in an age.”

David’s face reddened.  “I’ve—­been pretty busy,” he faltered in excuse.

Polly ignored his embarrassment.  “I am sorry for Mrs. Gresham.  She’s not very sick, is she?”

“I’m afraid she is.  She was in terrible pain when I left home.”

“I guess father’ll fix her up all right,” said Polly comfortably.

David smiled.  Polly’s faith in her father was a standing joke among her friends.

“Oh, you may laugh!” she cried.  “It doesn’t disturb me a mite.  He pulled you out of a tight place once.”

“Yes, he did,” agreed the boy.  “I presume I have about as much faith in him as you have.”

They talked for a while in commonplaces.  David seemed interested in nothing.  He grew restless and once or twice said something about going home.  Still he stayed.  Finally he got up.  Then suddenly he sat down and with a visible effort said huskily, “I suppose you think I’m a brute!”