less she finished her engagement. So finish it she
did, and then hearing of your accident toward the last, as mother and
Esther had kept the news a secret from her for some time, why come here
she would instead of immediately going home. She wanted to help nurse
and amuse you and you had said that you wanted her with you. And then
of course Polly was embarrassed over meeting father and Frank. And
father was angry at her disobedience and her frightening mother and
Mollie. However, that cold of hers has kept on getting worse and she
will have to stay in bed now for a few days anyhow. For I won't let
Polly O'Neill have her own way this time."

A faint smile showed itself on Betty's lips which Sylvia stooped low
enough to see. And then in spite of her own stolid and supposedly cold
temperament, the younger girl's expression changed. For it meant a
good deal for any one to have succeeded in making Betty Ashton smile in
these last few days.

"But you're fonder of Polly than you are of the rest of us, even
Mollie, Sylvia, and you let her lead you around," Betty argued.

Sylvia's flaxen head was resolutely shaken. She no longer wore her
hair in two tight pigtails, but in almost as closely bound braids wound
in a circle about her face. Her complexion was still colorless and her
eyes nondescript, but Sylvia's square chin and her resolute expression
often made persons take a second look at her. It was seldom that one
saw so much character in so young a girl.

"Yes, I am fond of Polly," she agreed, "but you are mistaken if you
think I let her influence me. Some one has to take Polly O'Neill
sensibly for her own sake." And Sylvia just in time stifled a sigh.
For of course her stepsister was in a more serious condition than she
had confessed to the other girl. It was well enough to call the
illness a bad cold--it was that, but possibly something worse,
bronchitis, pneumonia--Dr. Barton had not yet given it a name. She was
only to be kept quiet and watched. Later on he would know better what
to say. Her constitution was not strong.

Some telepathic message, however, must have passed from one friend to
the other, for at this instant Betty sat up suddenly with more energy
than she had yet shown.

"If anything dreadful happens to Polly, I shall never forgive Esther as
long as I live. It is all very well for Polly and your mother to
insist that Esther was not in any possible way responsible. Mollie and
I both fee