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Page 67
"Yes, yes--never mind about all that," interrupted the man. His
face was very, very red now--and no wonder, perhaps: it was not
for "giving things" that John Pendleton had been best known in
the past. "That's all nonsense. 'Twasn't much, anyhow--but what
there was, was because of you. YOU gave those things; not I! Yes,
you did," he repeated, in answer to the shocked denial in her
face. "And that only goes to prove all the more how I need you,
little girl," he added, his voice softening into tender pleading
once more. "If ever, ever I am to play the 'glad game,'
Pollyanna, you'll have to come and play it with me."
The little girl's forehead puckered into a wistful frown.
"Aunt Polly has been so good to me," she began; but the man
interrupted her sharply. The old irritability had come back to
his face. Impatience which would brook no opposition had been a
part of John Pendleton's nature too long to yield very easily now
to restraint.
"Of course she's been good to you! But she doesn't want you, I'll
warrant, half so much as I do," he contested.
"Why, Mr. Pendleton, she's glad, I know, to have--"
"Glad!" interrupted the man, thoroughly losing his patience now.
"I'll wager Miss Polly doesn't know how to be glad--for anything!
Oh, she does her duty, I know. She's a very DUTIFUL woman. I've
had experience with her 'duty,' before. I'll acknowledge we
haven't been the best of friends for the last fifteen or twenty
years. But I know her. Every one knows her--and she isn't the
'glad' kind, Pollyanna. She doesn't know how to be. As for your
coming to me--you just ask her and see if she won't let you come.
And, oh, little girl, little girl, I want you so!" he finished
brokenly.
Pollyanna rose to her feet with a long sigh.
"All right. I'll ask her," she said wistfully. "Of course I don't
mean that I wouldn't like to live here with you, Mr. Pendleton,
but--" She did not complete her sentence. There was a moment's
silence, then she added: "Well, anyhow, I'm glad I didn't tell
her yesterday;--'cause then I supposed SHE was wanted, too."
John Pendleton smiled grimly.
"Well, yes, Pollyanna; I guess it is just as well you didn't
mention it--yesterday."
"I didn't--only to the doctor; and of course he doesn't count."
"The doctor!" cried John Pendleton, turning quickly.
"Not--Dr.--Chilton?"
"Yes; when he came to tell me you wanted to see me to-day, you
know."
"Well, of all the--" muttered the man, falling back in his chair.
Then he sat up with sudden interest. "And what did Dr. Chilton
say?" he asked.
Pollyanna frowned thoughtfully.
"Why, I don't remember. Not much, I reckon. Oh, he did say he
could well imagine you did want to see me."
"Oh, did he, indeed!" answered John Pendleton. And Pollyanna
wondered why he gave that sudden queer little laugh.
CHAPTER XXI. A QUESTION ANSWERED
The sky was darkening fast with what appeared to be an
approaching thunder shower when Pollyanna hurried down the hill
from John Pendleton's house. Half-way home she met Nancy with an
umbrella. By that time, however, the clouds had shifted their
position and the shower was not so imminent.
"Guess it's goin' 'round ter the north," announced Nancy, eyeing
the sky critically. "I thought 'twas, all the time, but Miss Polly
wanted me ter come with this. She was WORRIED about ye!"
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