“Yes, Aunt Polly.”
“Thank you; that is better. I believe you have everything that you need here,” she added. “I will send Nancy to help you unpack your truck. Supper is at six o’clock,” she finished and left the room.
For a moment Pollyanna stood quite still. Then she turned her wide eyes to the bare wall, the bare floor, the bare windows and fell on her knees, covering her face with her hands.
Nancy found her there when she came up a few minutes later.
“There, there, you, poor lamb,[18]” she crooned, drawing the little girl into her arms.
“Oh, Nancy, I’m so wicked,” she sobbed. “I just can’t understand why God and the angels need my father more than I do.”
“There, there, child, let’s have your key and we’ll get inside this trunk and take out your dresses.”
Pollyanna produced the key.
“There aren’t very many there,” she faltered.
“Then they’re all soon be unpacked,” declared Nancy.
“It’s such a nice room! Don’t you think so?” Pollyanna stammered.
There was no answer. Nancy was very busy with the trunk.
“And I can be glad there isn’t any looking-glass here, too, because where there ISN’T any glass I can’t see my freckles.”
A few minutes later, Pollyanna clapped her hands joyously.
“Oh, Nancy, look at these trees and the houses and that lovely church spire, and the river. Oh, I’m so glad now she let me have this room!”
To Pollyanna’s surprise, Nancy burst into tears.
“Why, Nancy – what is it?” she cried; “This wasn’t – YOUR room, was it?”
“My room!” stormed Nancy. “You are a little angel straight from Heaven!”
After that Nancy sprang to her feet and went down the stairs.
Left alone, Pollyanna went back to her “picture,” as she mentally designated the beautiful view from the window. The next moment she opened the window. She ran then to the other window and opened it too. Then Pollyanna made a wonderful discovery – against this window there was a huge tree. Suddenly she laughed aloud.
“I believe I can do it,” she chuckled. The next moment she climbed to the window ledge. From there it was easy to step to the nearest tree-branch. Then she reached the lowest branch and dropped to the ground.
She was at the back of the house. Then Pollyanna reached the path that ran through the open field.
Fifteen minutes later the great clock struck six. At the last stroke Nancy sounded the bell for supper.