so
unhappy, I suppose."

"They are safe enough. Father has n't touched mother's money; he 'could
n't rob his girls,' he said, and that 's all safe for 'em. Is n't he
a trump, Polly?" And Tom's face shone with pride, even while his lips
would twitch with a tenderer feeling.

"If I could only do anything to help," cried Polly, oppressed with her
own powerlessness.

"You can. Go and be good to him; you know how; he needs it enough, all
alone there. I can't do it, for I 'm only a curse instead of a comfort
to him."

"How did he take your news?" asked Polly, who, for a time, had forgotten
the lesser trouble in the greater.

"Like a lamb; for when I 'd done, he only said, 'My poor lad, we must
bear with one another.' and then told his story."

"I 'm glad he was kind," began Polly, in a soothing tone; but Tom cried
out, remorsefully, "That 's what knocks me over! Just when I ought to
be a pride and a prop to him, I bring him my debts and disgrace, and he
never says a word of blame. It 's no use, I can't stand it!" and Tom's
head went down again with something very like a sob, that would come
in spite of manful efforts to keep it back, for the poor fellow had the
warmest heart that ever was, and all the fine waistcoats outside could
n't spoil it.

That sound gave Polly more pain than the news of a dozen failures and
expulsions, and it was as impossible for her to resist putting her
hand tenderly on the bent head, as it was for her to help noticing with
pleasure how brown the little curls were growing, and how soft they
were. In spite of her sorrow, she enjoyed that minute very much, for she
was a born consoler, and, it is hardly necessary for me to add, loved
this reprehensible Tom with all her heart. It was a very foolish thing
for her to do, she quite agreed to that; she could n't understand it,
explain it, or help it; she only felt that she did care for him very
much, in spite of his faults, his indifference, and his engagement. You
see, she learned to love him one summer, when he made them a visit. That
was before Trix caught him; and when she heard that piece of news, Polly
could n't unlove him all at once, though she tried very hard, as was her
duty. That engagement was such a farce, that she never had much faith
in it, so she put her love away in a corner of her heart, and tried to
forget it, hoping it would either die, or have a right to live. It did
n't make her very miserable, because patience, work, and comm