"I'm sorry I was so saucy this afternoon," came in a soft voice.
"I did n't know about your sister then. I hope she'll get
well."

For a moment Miss Price did not speak, and Polly fancied she saw
tears in the black eyes.

"Thank you, my dear," she replied then. "Perhaps I was too
severe. But we will be friends now, won't we?"

Polly gave a serious assent, in doubt whether she should proffer a
kiss or not; but finally went away without giving the token. She
had a vague feeling that Miss Hortensia Price would not care for
kisses.



Chapter VI

Elsie's Birthday

For a week Elsie Meyers had been talking about her coming
birthday, and half wishing that she could be discharged early
enough to allow its celebration at home.

"Mamma always makes a cake for our birthdays," she told the
children, plaintively. "Last year mine was choc'late, and year
before that, jelly. Mamma said next time she'd have it orange,
same's she did Ida's. Now I can't have no cake or nothin', 'count
o' this old hip!" and she pouted discontentedly.