Part 18 (1/2)

”And just think how good Father has been,” went on Jasper, too miserable to keep still, ”and all those flowers he had ordered, for of course he couldn't let the florists suffer, and that he sent to the hospitals when it poured so.”

”I know it,” said Polly, swallowing hard.

”And now he has ordered another lot, and everything else--why, you know, Polly, there isn't anything Father hasn't done to make this fair a success, and now she has come!” Jasper flung himself into a chair and buried his face in his hands.

”Oh, Jasper,” cried Polly, running over to him in the greatest distress, ”don't! Oh, dear me! What can we do?”

”Nothing,” said Jasper, in the depths of gloom; ”nothing will do any good so long as she has come.”

”Oh, there must something be done,” declared Polly quite wildly, and feeling equal to anything. If she only knew what would avail! ”_Hush, here comes Grandpapa!_”

”Oh, he mustn't see us feeling badly.” Jasper sprang from his chair. ”Come, Polly,” and they flew out into the side hall.

”Now where are those two, Polly and Jasper?” said old Mr. King to himself, coming to the library in a great state of irritation. ”I've searched this house for them, and n.o.body seems to have the least idea where they have gone. Polly! Jasper!” he cried loudly, and it wasn't a very pleasant voice, either.

”Oh, dear!” Jasper seized Polly's hands in a corner of the hall. ”He's calling us, and we've got to go, Polly, and how we look, you and I!

Whatever shall we do!”

”But we must go,” breathed Polly. Then she looked up into Jasper's face.

”Let's ask him to go out and help us fix the flowers,” she cried suddenly.

Jasper gave her a keen glance. ”All right,” he said. ”Come on,” and before their resolution had time to cool itself, they rushed into the library.

”Oh, Grandpapa,” they both cried together, ”do come out and tell us how to fix the flowers.”

”Hey?” The old gentleman whirled around from the table, where he had begun to throw the papers about. ”Did you know Mrs. Chatterton had come back?” He glared at them over his spectacles, which he had forgotten to remove when he had been interrupted with the unwelcome news while peacefully reading the morning paper.

”Yes--oh, yes,” said Jasper.

”Oh, yes, we know it,” cried Polly cheerfully, ”but, Grandpapa, we want you”--tugging at his hand.

”Hey? you knew it?” The old gentleman's tone softened, and he suffered himself to be led toward the door. ”And you want me, eh?”--feeling with every step as if life, after all, might be worth living.

”Yes, we do indeed, Father,” cried Jasper affectionately, possessing himself of the other hand.

”And oh, the flowers you sent are just too lovely for anything!” cried Polly, dancing away along by his side. ”They're gorgeous, Grandpapa dear.”

”Are they so?” Grandpapa beamed at her, all his happiness returned. ”So you want me to tell you how to arrange them, eh?” And his satisfaction in being appealed to was so intense that he held his head high. ”Well, come on,” and he laughed gayly.

Mrs. Chatterton, newly arrived in the handsome suite of apartments Cousin Horatio's hospitality always allowed her, looked out of the window, and, having no one else to confide her opinions to, was not averse to chatting with her French maid.

”Isn't it perfectly absurd, Hortense, to see that old man?--and to think how particular and aristocratic he used to be! Why, I can remember when he would hardly let Jasper speak to him in some of his moods, and now just see that beggar girl actually holding his hand, and he laughing with her.”

”A beggaire, is it?” cried Hortense, dropping the gown she was brus.h.i.+ng, to run to the window. ”I see no beggaire, madame”--craning her neck.

”You needn't drop your work,” said Mrs. Chatterton, with asperity, ”just because I made a simple remark. You know quite well whom I mean, Hortense.

It's that Polly Pepper I'm speaking of.”

”She is not a beggaire, madame,” declared Hortense pertly, opening her black eyes very wide. ”Oh!” She extended her hands and burst into a series of shrill cackles. ”Why, she's like all de oder children in dis house, and I think truly, madame, de best.”