lovely lace shawl I found up-stairs, and I'd fixed
her hair and put on a rose, and she looked so pretty. Didn't YOU think
she looked just lovely?"

For a moment the doctor did not answer. When he did speak his voice was
so low Pollyanna could but just hear the words.

"Yes, Pollyanna, I--I thought she did look--just lovely."

"Did you? I'm so glad! I'll tell her," nodded the little girl,
contentedly.

To her surprise the doctor gave a sudden exclamation.

"Never! Pollyanna, I--I'm afraid I shall have to ask you not to tell
her--that."

"Why, Dr. Chilton! Why not? I should think you'd be glad--"

"But she might not be," cut in the doctor.

Pollyanna considered this for a moment.

"That's so--maybe she wouldn't," she sighed. "I remember now; 'twas
'cause she saw you that she ran. And she--she spoke afterwards about her
being seen in that rig."

"I thought as much," declared the doctor, under his breath.

"Still, I don't see why," maintained Pollyanna, "--when she looked so
pretty!"

The doctor said nothing. He did not speak again, indeed, until they
were almost to the great stone house in which John Pendleton lay with a
broken leg.

CHAPTER XVII. "JUST LIKE A BOOK"

John Pendleton greeted Pollyanna to-day with a smile.

"Well, Miss Pollyanna, I'm thinking you must be a very forgiving little
person, else you wouldn't have come to see me again to-day."

"Why, Mr. Pendleton, I was real glad to come, and I'm sure I don't see
why I shouldn't be, either."

"Oh, well, you know, I was pretty cross with you, I'm afraid, both the
other day when you so kindly brought me the jelly, and that time when
you found me with the broken leg at first. By the way, too, I don't
think I've ever thanked you for that. Now I'm sure that even you would
admit that you were very forgiving to come and see me, after such
ungrateful treatment as that!"

Pollyanna stirred uneasily.

"But I was glad to find you--that is, I don't mean I was glad your leg
was broken, of course," she corrected hurriedly.

John Pendleton smiled.

"I understand. Your tongue does get away with you once in a while,
doesn't it, Miss Pollyanna? I do thank you, however; and I consider you
a very brave little girl to do what you did that day. I thank you for
the jelly, too," he added in a lighter voice.

"Did you like it?" asked Pollyanna with interest.

"Very much. I suppose--there isn't any more to-day that--that Aunt Polly
DIDN'T send, is there?