Once there, she had
lingered, chatting with Bridget, who was in an unusually dismal
frame of mind, owing to a letter which, had come that morning,
telling her that the youngest child she had left had suddenly
developed a fractious turn of mind, and that her temporary
guardian was "kilt entirely wid the care of her." Naturally
enough, this news was preying upon Bridget, and when Polly went
in, she found her resolving to leave the hospital and all the good
it was doing her, and go home to see to the unmanageable infant.
For this reason, Polly had stayed for some time, soothing
Bridget's anxiety and trying to distract her mind from her worries
by telling her all the funny stories she could remember or invent.
By degrees Bridget's face brightened, and, charmed with her
success, Polly talked on and on till the clock in the church tower
near by chimed three. Then she rose in haste, surprised to find it
so late.
"I don't care if 'tis three," she said to herself, as she went
along the corridor; "I'll just look in on the babies now I'm here.
I haven't been near them, for an age."
As she turned in at the door of the children's ward, what was her
astonishment to find Alan sitting there, quite at his ease,
surrounded by half a dozen small boys who were in a high state of
glee over this new playfellow.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215