had not fully recovered consciousness,
but at present she seemed to be resting as comfortably as could be
expected. A trained nurse had been sent for, and would come that night.
That was all. And Nancy turned sobbingly, and went back to her kitchen.
It was sometime during the next forenoon that Pollyanna opened conscious
eyes and realized where she was.
"Why, Aunt Polly, what's the matter? Isn't it daytime? Why don't I get
up?" she cried. "Why, Aunt Polly, I can't get up," she moaned, falling
back on the pillow, after an ineffectual attempt to lift herself.
"No, dear, I wouldn't try--just yet," soothed her aunt quickly, but very
quietly.
"But what is the matter? Why can't I get up?"
Miss Polly's eyes asked an agonized question of the white-capped young
woman standing in the window, out of the range of Pollyanna's eyes.
The young woman nodded.
"Tell her," the lips said.
Miss Polly cleared her throat, and tried to swallow the lump that would
scarcely let her speak.
"You were hurt, dear, by the automobile last night. But never mind that
now. Auntie wants you to rest and go to sleep again."
"Hurt? Oh, yes; I--I ran." Pollyanna's eyes were dazed. She lifted her
hand to her forehead. "Why, it's--done up, and it--hurts!"
"Yes, dear; but never mind. Just--just rest."
"But, Aunt Polly, I feel so funny, and so bad! My legs feel so--so
queer--only they don't FEEL--at all!"
With an imploring look into the nurse's face, Miss Polly struggled to
her feet, and turned away. The nurse came forward quickly.
"Suppose you let me talk to you now," she began cheerily. "I'm sure
I think it's high time we were getting acquainted, and I'm going to
introduce myself. I am Miss Hunt, and I've come to help your aunt take
care of you. And the very first thing I'm going to do is to ask you to
swallow these little white pills for me."
Pollyanna's eyes grew a bit wild.
"But I don't want to be taken care of--that is, not for long! I want to
get up. You know I go to school. Can't I go to school to-morrow?"
From the window where Aunt Polly stood now there came a half-stifled
cry.
"To-morrow?" smiled the nurse, brightly.
"Well, I may not let you out quite so soon as that, Miss Pollyanna.
But just swallow these little pills for me, please, and we'll see what
THEY'LL do."
"All right," agreed Pollyanna, somewhat doubtfully; "but I MUST go to
school day after to-morrow--there are examinations then, you know."
She
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