One day on the way home from Sunday school Dr. Chilton met Pollyanna.
“Mr. Pendleton sent a special request for you to go to see him this afternoon. He says it’s very important.”
Pollyanna nodded happily.
“Yes, it is, I know. I’ll go.”
The doctor looked at her with some surprise.
“Yesterday you seemed more upsetting than soothing to him, young lady.”
Pollyanna laughed.
“Oh, it wasn’t me, it was Aunt Polly.”
The doctor turned with a quick start.
“Your – aunt!” he ejaculated.
“Yes,” nodded Pollyanna, happily. “That’s the story-part, you see. I didn’t know it till Nancy told me. She said Aunt Polly had a lover years ago, and they quarrelled. She didn’t know who it was at first. But now we know, it’s Mr. Pendleton!”
“Oh! No; I – didn’t know it,” the doctor said quietly.
“Yes; and I’m so glad now. It’s come out lovely. Mr. Pendleton asked me to come and live with him, but of course I wouldn’t leave Aunt Polly like that – after she’d been so good to me. Then he told me all about the woman he loved and I understood he still needed her heart and hand; and I was so glad! For of course if he wants to make up the quarrel, everything will be all right now, and Aunt Polly and I will both go to live there, or he’ll come to live with us. Of course, Aunt Polly doesn’t know yet, and we haven’t got everything settled; so I suppose that is why he wanted to see me this afternoon, sure.”
The doctor sat suddenly erect. There was an odd smile on his lips.
“Yes; now I understand why Mr. John Pendleton wants to see you today, Pollyanna,” he nodded.
When Pollyanna later saw Mr. Pendleton he was very nervous.
“Pollyanna,” he began at once. “I’ve been trying all night to puzzle out what you meant by all that, yesterday – about my wanting your Aunt Polly’s hand and heart here all those years. What did you mean?”
“Why, because you were lovers, you know once; and I was so glad you still felt that way now.”
“Lovers! – your Aunt Polly and I?”
At the obvious surprise in the man’s voice, Pollyanna opened wide her eyes.
“Why, Mr. Pendleton, Nancy said you were!”
The man gave a short little laugh.
“Well, I’m afraid I shall have to say that Nancy – didn’t know.”
“Then you – weren’t lovers?” Pollyanna’s voice was tragic with dismay.
“Never!”
“I’d have been so glad to come – with Aunt Polly,” almost sobbed Pollyanna.
“And you won’t – now?” The man asked the question without turning his head.
“Of course not! I’m Aunt Polly’s.”
The man turned now, almost fiercely.
“Before you were hers, Pollyanna, you were – your mother’s. And – it was your mother’s hand and heart that I wanted long years ago.”
“My mother’s!”
“Yes. I loved your mother; but she – didn’t love me. And after a time she went away with – your father. The whole world suddenly turned black to me. For long years I have been a cross, unlovable, unloved old man – though I’m not nearly sixty, yet, Pollyanna. Then, one day, like one of the prisms that you love so well, little girl, you danced into my life, and changed the colours around me. I found out, after a time, who you were, and – and I thought then I never wanted to see you again. I didn’t want to be reminded of – your mother. But – you know how that came out. And now I want you always. Pollyanna, won’t you come NOW?”
“But, Mr. Pendleton, there’s Aunt Polly!” Pollyanna’s eyes were filled with tears.
The man made an impatient gesture.
“What about me? How do you suppose I’m going to be ‘glad’ about anything – without you? If I had you for my own little girl, I’d be glad for – anything; and I’d try to make you glad, too, my dear.
“But Aunt Polly, she’s glad, I know, to have – ”
“Glad!” interrupted the man. “I’m sure Miss Polly doesn’t know how to be glad – for anything! Oh, she only does her duty, I know. Everyone knows her – and she isn’t the ‘glad’ kind, Pollyanna. She doesn’t know how to be. As for your coming to me – you just ask her and see if she won’t let you come. And, oh, little girl, little girl, I want you so!” he finished brokenly.
Pollyanna rose to her feet with a long sigh.
“All right. I’ll ask her,” she said wistfully. “Well, I’m glad I didn’t tell her anything yesterday.”
John Pendleton smiled grimly.
“Well, yes, Pollyanna; I guess it is just as well you didn’t mention it – yesterday.”
“I told only to the doctor; and of course, he doesn’t count.”
“The doctor!” cried John Pendleton, turning quickly. “Dr. Chilton?”
“Yes; when he came to tell me you wanted to see me today, you know.”
“And what did Dr. Chilton say?” he asked.
Pollyanna frowned thoughtfully.
“I don’t remember. Not much, I reckon. Oh, he did say he could well imagine you did want to see me.”