Polly of Lady Gay Cottage

arly February Dr. Dudl

fear I may be delayed I have left word for Joe to come and fill up the heater." Joe was a boy that did odd jobs about the house, and was

nowflakes flying around her. Pa

David?" s

coming," Polly replied. "H

orence are coming from Nevada. Mamma heard last night. He is your cousin, too, same as I am. You'll like him; Lester's all r

said Polly. "Wou

want you and Lester to get well acquain

pt Da

pt anybody when you've seen Lester. Well,

her," Poll

atricia. "Tease

but there were twink

was increasing, and Polly rode home

ty, and there were seemingly no preparations for dinner.

ismayed tone, for her mother was lyi

pain." She put her hand

. She waited until the spasm had passed, and

but never like this. The medicine doesn't seem to take hold

re home. Shan't I

r. Run down and eat your din

ou had

I w

lute, her anxious eyes

y. "Go, dear. There is no

Then she thought of Patricia. Softly shutting the

herself

," Polly told her,

Patricia broke in, "

lly explained, "and

come! Mamma'll send for you, and you can stay all night. Your father'll be home

know how sick mother is. I wou

e just gone and spoi

inute wondering if she could say anything to amend matters, b

then tiptoed up. Her mother lay as if asleep

whirling round house corners with a shriek and a roar. Polly turned from the cold tumult feeling strangely desolate. She read and wandered about by turns, wo

se?" Polly

irmative was t

said feebly, when the pain had lessened, "and get a littl

a sprite, barely wa

." Mrs. Dudley drew t

" she sighed, "but the pain is gr

ts, and two small pills from another

en me this before now if he

want to take it

as long as possible. But I

ou?" Polly's fa

is it that you are home from school so

is afternoon. I wouldn't leave you al

ome. Poor little girl! you are having a dreary tim

ould only be well." Pol

asier now. Perhaps

er she were sleeping or not. The rooms were fast growing shadowy, and Polly felt that the lights would be company, so she lit the gas upstairs and

and slow. She was dreaming of Colonel Gresham and his beautiful Lone Star, when she awoke with a start to find the bed empty and uncertain footsteps in the hall. Leaping to her fee

are you

ash the dishes!" Mrs. Dudley replied. "Po

her, "and I am not tired. Hadn't you bett

to be led back to the bed, where

and began fumbling in her lap. "Where are they

Polly answered. "Please lie down! I

her pillow, and f

but stood and watched the quiet face. Then, suddenly, the lips began to mutter unintelligible things, and Polly's

ong, anxious look she stole softly away and downstairs to

ng save a low sputtering of the wire. She waited, and then gently pressed the hook. Still no answer.

the stairs, and listened. There was no sound. Still not quite satisfied, she crept up to her mother's ro

ered to herself. "She acts just

Thus reassuring herself, she made ready to battle with the storm. It was not long before she opened the front door, but, unprepared for the fury of the wind, she gave a cry as the knob

night, and laid bare the desolate scene. Polly breathed hard as she staggered across the piazza. The steps were a drifty slope of white, making descent

d it again, this time coming to a sitting posture with a gasp of pain.

she half sobbed. "

ct quickly. With a prayer in her heart, she crawled back, little by little, up the steps and over to the door, finally, after much effor

no mutterings. Polly shivered in her damp clothing and went over to the radiator. The warmth was grateful, a

emembered that Joe was to have come to fill up the heater. Could the fire ha

ke off her shoe; but it held fast. She pulled and pushed

he only knew," she muttered sadly-and then a hope popped up. She would

oudest appeal out into the stormy night; but the merciless wind stifled its voice before it could reach a

like a careful little housewife, she shook the snow fr

ill freeze if I don't. P'rhaps I can-I've g

es and a small shovel, she started for the cellar. In baby-fashion she went down, sitting on the top stair and slippin

ull red coals. The damper in the lower door had a bad

his door," she explained to herself, "and I guess

ughts wide, and watching to see if it caught. Soon it began to crackle and blaze

when mother wakes up-oh,

he lingered still longer before she dared shut off the draught. But at last her labor was c

ep. Pain that made her almost cry out for relief kept her awake hour after hour. Mrs. Dudley lay very still. But for her soft breathing the little watcher at her side would have

n there a hundred hours, and yet no sign of day. She wondered

her father and mother were talking of the great storm, the delay of his train, and of her sudden

ipped a pair of scissors from his pocket,

ly in alarm, "these are

though destructive work, and the little suf

school was vacant; but Patricia

he insisted, "you wouldn't have sprained your ankle an

s to her mother wit

nswered, "not to ha

s!" put i

that blizzard lessons are sometimes better than L

looked