ennie should marry at her age," Miss Sterling resumed
after a brief pause, wiping her eyes dry. "She is forty-one, only
two years younger than I."

"Are you forty-three? Nobody'd ever guess it." Polly gazed at her
critically. "I wonder if I couldn't curl your hair at the last
minute, and smuggle you downstairs, all wrapped up, so Miss Sniffen
wouldn't know. You could wet it out the next morning."

Miss Sterling shook her head with a wee smile. "I would if I
dared, but I don't. If Miss Sniffen weren't there to see, Mrs.
Nobbs would be, and nothing escapes her eyes. No, 't would be too
much risk."

"Maybe it would," Polly admitted, and then paused to listen. "It's
three o'clock and I must go. I halfway promised David and Leonora
I'd come down there this afternoon. I guess they're a little bit
jealous of you. It's handy to run over here, and they're so far
away. I should think you'd get tired of me, I come so much."

"Tired of you!" echoed Miss Sterling. "You are the only bit of
cheerfulness I have to look forward to. Last night I couldn't
sleep; I was just upset after seeing Miss Sniffen, and my head felt
wretched. But I kept saying to myself, 'Polly will be here in the
morning!' and that helped me through the night. You don't
know--you never will know!--what a comfort you are!" She pulled
Polly down and gave her a little squeeze.

"And then I didn't come this morning after all!" cried Polly in
sudden contrition. "That was mean! But I had some things to do
for mother, and Chris wanted me to help him with his stamps, and so
I didn't get to it. I'm sorry."

"Dear child! I don't expect you to spend all your time with an old
gray-haired woman who hasn't the mite of a claim on you."

"Gray-haired!" chuckled Polly. "You can't find one gray hair. I
dare you to try!" She shook a threatening finger.

"Don't have to try. I know just where there are two--right in
there." She bent her head.

"Oh, they're only a little pale!" laughed Polly. "They aren't
really gray. But I must go, Miss Nita. Good-bye."

"If you come across the Board anywhere downstairs, you may give it
my compliments."

"Does the Board meet this afternoon?" whispered Polly. "It
wouldn't be compliments I'd give them!" She waved her hand, and
the door shut.

Yes, the Board was in session, the Board of Managers of the June
Holiday Home. A little hum of voices came to Polly's ears from a
room at the left. "I wish--" She st