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at the prospect of going anywhere。 Polly's back was turned； but she
could not disappear entirely within the tent without causing Mrs。
Winship surprise； and she went through a lifetime of misery and self…
reproach in that minute of shame and fear； when she dared neither to
advance nor retreat。
'I don't quite like to let you go alone； Laura； without consulting
the doctor； and I can't find him；' said Mrs。 Winship。 'Why； you are
nervous and trembling！ Hadn't you better wait until to…morrow？'
'No； thank you； Mrs。 Winship。 I am all ready now； and would prefer
to go。 I think perhaps I have stayed quite long enough； as Polly has
just told me that everybody is glad to see the last of me； and that
I've made you all miserable since I came。
This was the climax to Polly's misery； for she was already so
overcome by the thought of her rudeness that she was on the point of
begging Laura's pardon for that particular speech then and there； and
she had only to hear her exact words repeated to feel how they would
sound in Mrs。 Winship's ears。
Mrs。 Winship was so entirely taken aback by Laura's remark； that she
could only ejaculate； 'Pollysaidthat！ What do you mean？'
'Oh； I am quite ready to think she said more than she intended； but
those were her words。'
'Polly！'
Polly turned。 Alas！ it was plain enough that this was no false
accusation。 Her downcast eyes； flushed； tear…stained cheeks；
quivering lips； and the silent shame of her whole figure； spoke too
clearly。
'Can it be possible； Polly； that you spoke in such a way to a guest
who was about to leave my house？'
'Yes。'
The word was wrung from Polly's trembling lips。 What could she say
but 'Yes；'it was true；and how could she repeat the taunts that
had provoked her to retort？ They were not a sufficient excuse； and
for that matter； nothing could be a sufficient excuse for her
language。 Now that she was confronted with her own fault； Laura's
seemed so small beside it that she would have been ashamed to offer
it as any justification。
Mrs。 Winship grew pale； and for a moment was quite at a loss as to
the treatment of such a situation。
'Don't say any more about it； Mrs。 Winship；' said Laura； 'we were
both angry； or we should never have forgotten ourselves； and I shall
think no more of it。' Laura spoke with such an air of modest virtue；
and seemed so ready to forgive and forget； that Polly in her silence
and confusion appeared worse than ever。
'But I want you to remember that you are my guest； not Pauline's；
that I asked you to come and ask you to remain。 I cannot allow you
to go simply because you do not chance to be a favourite with another
of my guests。' （Oh！ the pang these words gave Polly's faulty； tender
little heart！）
'I am only going because I feel so ill；not a bit because of what
Polly said； I was in the wrong； too； perhaps； but I promise not to
let anybody nor anything make me quarrel when I visit you again。
Good…bye！' and Laura stepped into the wagon。
'I trust you will not mention this to your mother； since I hope it is
the only unpleasant incident of your visit； and it is no fault of
mine that you go away with an unhappy impression of our hospitality。'
Here Mrs。 Winship reached up and kissed little Anne； and as the
horses were restive； and no one seemed to have anything further to
say； Pancho drove off。
'I don't care to talk with you any more at present； Polly；' said Mrs。
Winship。 'I am too hurt and too indignant to speak of your conduct
quietly。 I know the struggles you have with your temper； and I am
quite willing to sympathise with you even when you do not come off
victorious； but this is something quite different。 I can't conceive
how any amount of provocation or dislike could have led you into such
disloyalty to me'； and with this she walked away。
Polly staggered into a little play…room tent of Dicky's； where she
knew that she could be alone； pinned the curtains together so that no
one could peep in； and threw herself down upon the long cushioned
seat where Dicky was wont to take his afternoon nap。 There； in grief
and despair； she sobbed the afternoon through； dreading to be
disturbed and dreading to be questioned。
'My beautiful birthday spoiled；' she moaned； 'and all my own fault！
I was so happy this morning； but now was ever anybody so miserable as
I？ And even if I tell Aunt Truth what Laura said； she will think it
no excuse； and it isn't！'
As it neared supper…time she made an opening in the back of the tent；
and after long watching caught sight of Gin on his way to the brook
for water； signalled him； and gave him this despairing little note
for Mrs。 Winship：…
Dear Aunt Truth；I don't ask you to forgive meI don't deserve to
be forgivenbut I ask you to do me just one more of your dear little
kindnesses。 Let me stay alone in Dicky's tent till morning； and
please don't let any one come near me。 You can tell everybody the
whole story to…night； if you think best； though I should be glad if
only Dr。 Paul and Bell need know； but I do not mind anything after
displeasing younothing can be so bad as that。 Perhaps you think I
ought to come out and confess it to them myself； as a punishment； but
oh； Aunt Truth； I am punishing myself in here alone worse than any
one else can do it。 I will go back to Santa Barbara any time that
you can send me to the stage station； and I will never ask you to
love me again until I have learned how to control my temper。 Your
wretched； wretched
POLLY。
P。S。I remember that it is my birthday； and all that you have done
for me； to…day and all the other days。 It looks as if I were
ungrateful； but in spite of what I did I am not。 The words just
blazed out； and I never knew that they were going to be said till I
heard them falling from my mouth。 It seems to me that if I ever
atone for this I will have a slate and pencil hanging to my belt； and
only write what I have to say。 POLLY。
The moisture came to Mrs。 Winship's eyes as she read this tear…
stained little note。 'There's something here I don't quite
understand；' she thought； 'and yet Polly confessed that Laura told
the truth。 Poor child！but she has got to learn patience and self…
control through suffering。 However； I'll keep the matter a secret
from everybody at present； and stand between her and my inquisitive
brood of youngsters；' and she slipped the note into her pocket。
At six o'clock the members of the family came into camp from various
directions； and gathered about the supper…table。 All were surprised
at Laura's sudden departure； but no one seemed especially grief…
stricken。 Dicky announced confidentially to Philip that Laura was a
'norful 'fraid…cat of frogs；' and Jack ventured the opinion that Miss
Laura hadn't 'boy' enough in her for camp…life。
'But where is Polly？' asked Bell； looking round the table； as she
pinned up her riding…skirt and sat down in her usual seat。
'She has a bad headache； and is lying down；' said Mrs。 Winship；
quietly； 'she'll be all right in the morning。'
'Headache！' ejaculated four or five people at once； dropping their
napkins and looking at each other in dismay。
'I'll go and rub her head with Cologne；' said Margery。
'Let me go and sit with her；' said Elsie。
'Have you been teasing her； Jack？' asked Mrs。 Howard。
'Too much birthday？' asked Dr。 Paul。 'Tell her we can spare almost
anybody else better。'
'Bless the child； she wants me if she is sick。 Go on with your
suppers； I'll see to her；' and Bell rose from the table。
'No； my dear； I want you all to leave her alone at present；' said
Mrs。 Winship； decidedly。 'I've put her to bed in Dicky's play…tent；
and I want her to be quiet。 Gin has taken her some supper； and she
needs rest。'
Polly Oliver in need of rest！ What an incomprehensible statement！
Nobody was satisfied； but there was nothing more to be said； though
Bell and Philip exchanged glances as much as to say； 'Something is
wrong。'
Supper ended； and they gathered round the camp…fire； but nothing was
quite as usual。 It was all very well to crack jokes； but where was a
certain merry laugh that was wont to ring out； at the smallest
provocation； in such an infectious way that everybody else followed
suit？ And who was there； when Polly had the headache； to make a
saucy speech and look down into the fire innocently； while her
dimples did everything that was required in order to point the shaft？
And pray what was the use of singing when there was no alto to Bell's
treble； or of giving conundrums； since it was always Polly who
thought of nonsensical answers better than the real ones？ And as for
Jack； why； it was folly to shoot arrows of wit into the air when
there was no target。 He simply stretched himself out beside Elsie；
who was particularly quiet and snoozed peacefully； without taking any
part in the conversation； avowing his intention to 'turn in' early。
'Turn in' early； forsooth！ What was the matter with the boy？
'It's no use；' said Bell； plaintively； 'we can't be anything but
happy； now that we have Elsie here； but it needs only one small
headache to show that Polly fills a long…felt want in this camp。 You
think of her as a modest spoke in