bought it for me.”
The three were off at last, with Pollyanna’s trunk in behind, and Pollyanna herself snugly ensconced between Nancy and Timothy. During the whole process of getting started, the little girl kept up an uninterrupted stream of comments and questions.
“There! Isn’t this lovely? Is it far? I hope it is – I love to ride,” sighed Pollyanna. What a pretty street! I knew it was going to be pretty;[12] father told me – ”
She stopped with a little choking breath. Nancy saw that her small chin was quivering, and that her eyes were full of tears. In a moment, however, she hurried on, with a brave lifting of her head.
“Father has gone to Heaven to be with mother and the rest of us, you know. He said I must be glad. But it’s pretty hard to, because I need him, as mother and the rest have God and all the angels, while I don’t have anybody but the Ladies’ Aid. But now I’m sure it’ll be easier because I’ve got you, Aunt Polly. I’m so glad I’ve got you!”
“Oh, but – but you’ve made an awful mistake, dear,[13]” she faltered. “I’m only Nancy. I’m not your Aunt Polly!”
“You – you AREN’T?” stammered the little girl.
“No. I’m only Nancy. I never thought you’re taking me for her.”
Timothy chuckled softly.
“But who ARE you?” asked Pollyanna.
“I’m Nancy, the hired girl. I do all the work except the washing and ironing.”
“But there IS an Aunt Polly?” demanded the child, anxiously.
“You bet your life there is,[14]” cut in Timothy.
Pollyanna relaxed visibly.
“Oh, that’s all right, then.” There was a moment’s silence, then she went on brightly: “And do you know? I’m glad, after all, that she didn’t come to meet me; because now I’ve got you besides.”
“I–I was thinking about Miss Polly,” faltered Nancy.
Pollyanna sighed contentedly.
“I was, too. I’m so interested in her. You know she’s all the aunt I’ve got, and I didn’t know I had her for ever so long. Then father told me. He said she lived in a lovely great big house “on top of a hill.”
“She does. You can see it now,” said Nancy. “It’s that big white one with the green blinds.”
“Oh, how pretty! – and what a lot of trees and grass all around it! I never saw such a lot of green grass. Is my Aunt Polly rich, Nancy?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“I’m so glad. It must be perfectly lovely to have lots of money. Does Aunt Polly have ice-cream Sundays?”