ll curiosity the next morning. "Why in the world didn't you
sleep with me?" she asked, sitting up in bed as Molly came in from the
next room.

"Because Mary needed me. She was in awful trouble," replied Molly
soberly.

"What was it?" asked Polly eagerly.

"I can't tell you."

"I think that's real mean," returned Polly indignantly. "You're just a
turncoat, Molly Shelton; first you're friends with me, and then you're
thick as can be with Mary."

"I'm not a turncoat," retorted Molly, angry at being called names.
"She's as much my cousin as you are, and I reckon if you were way off
from your mother and had a dreadful thing happen that you couldn't talk
to her about, you'd want some one to be a little sorry for you."

"I think a dreadful thing is happening to me when you talk that way to
me," said Polly, melting into tears. "I just wish I had never come
here, I do so, and I reckon I want my mother as much as Mary does hers.
I am going to tell Uncle Dick how you act, so I am."

"Oh, please don't tell him!" exclaimed Molly, alarmed. "We don't want
any one to know."

This but whetted Polly's curiosity. "I think you might tell me," she
pouted.

"I can't. I promised I wouldn't. You shall know as soon as Mary says
I may tell."

"Oh, I don't care then. Keep your old secrets if you want to," and
Polly flounced out of bed and began vigorously to prepare for her bath.
For the rest of the time before breakfast she did not speak a word to
Molly who felt that she was indeed between two fires. She had promised
not to tell Aunt Ada and if Polly were to tell Uncle Dick that morning
that something was wrong, it might add to Mary's troubles. She
pondered the matter well while she was dressing, and by the time she
had tied on her hair ribbon she had concluded to forestall Polly by
telling her Uncle Dick something of what was the matter. She decided
that she could do so without betraying Mary's confidence. So she
stepped down-stairs ahead of Polly and joined her Uncle Dick who was
energetically walking up and down the porch.

"Hello, Mollykins!" he cried. "I'm getting up an appetite for
breakfast. Come and join me."

"As if you ever had to do anything to get up an appetite," retorted
Molly, slipping her hand under his arm. "Oh, you take such long steps
I have to take two to keep up with you."

"So much the better, then you work twice as hard and can have twice as
much. I peeped into the kitchen, but Luella loo