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"Yes," he said, trying to make his voice sound concerned enough
for sympathy, and not eager enough for curiosity. In a moment he
saw that he need not have worried, however: the doctor was quite
too intent on his errand to notice how that errand was received.
"Pendleton, I want to see that child. I want to make an
examination. I MUST make an examination."
"Well--can't you?"
"CAN'T I! Pendleton, you know very well I haven't been inside
that door for more than fifteen years. You don't know--but I will
tell you--that the mistress of that house told me that the NEXT
time she ASKED me to enter it, I might take it that she was
begging my pardon, and that all would be as before--which meant
that she'd marry me. Perhaps you see her summoning me now--but I
don't!"
"But couldn't you go--without a summons?"
The doctor frowned.
"Well, hardly. _I_ have some pride, you know."
"But if you're so anxious--couldn't you swallow your pride and
forget the quarrel--"
"Forget the quarrel!" interrupted the doctor, savagely. "I'm not
talking of that kind of pride. So far as THAT is concerned, I'd
go from here there on my knees--or on my head--if that would do
any good. It's PROFESSIONAL pride I'm talking about. It's a case
of sickness, and I'm a doctor. I can't butt in and say, 'Here,
take me!'can I?"
"Chilton, what was the quarrel?" demanded Pendleton.
The doctor made an impatient gesture, and got to his feet.
"What was it? What's any lovers' quarrel after it's over?" he
snarled, pacing the room angrily. "A silly wrangle over the size
of the moon or the depth of a river, maybe--it might as well be,
so far as its having any real significance compared to the years
of misery that follow them! Never mind the quarrel! So far as I
am concerned, I am willing to say there was no quarrel.
Pendleton, I must see that child. It may mean life or death. It
will mean--I honestly believe--nine chances out of ten that
Pollyanna Whittier will walk again!"
The words were spoken clearly, impressively; and they were spoken
just as the one who uttered them had almost reached the open
window near John Pendleton's chair. Thus it happened that very
distinctly they reached the ears of a small boy kneeling beneath
the window on the ground outside.
Jimmy Bean, at his Saturday morning task of pulling up the first
little green weeds of the flowerbeds, sat up with ears and eyes
wide open.
"Walk! Pollyanna!" John Pendleton was saying. "What do you
mean?"
"I mean that from what I can hear and learn--a mile from her
bedside--that her case is very much like one that a college
friend of mine has just helped. For years he's been making this
sort of thing a special study. I've kept in touch with him, and
studied, too, in a way. And from what I hear--but I want to SEE
the girl!"
John Pendleton came erect in his chair.
"You must see her, man! Couldn't you--say, through Dr. Warren?"
The other shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. Warren has been very decent, though. He told me
himself that he suggested consultation with me at the first,
but--Miss Harrington said no so decisively that he didn't dare
venture it again, even though he knew of my desire to see the
child. Lately, some of his best patients have come over to me--so
of course that ties my hands still more effectually. But,
Pendleton, I've got to see that child! Think of what it may mean
to her--if I do!"
"Yes, and think of what it will mean--if you don't!" retorted
Pendleton.
"But how can I--without a direct request from her aunt?--which
I'll never get!"
"She must be made to ask you!"
"How?"
"I don't know."
"No, I guess you don't--nor anybody else. She's too proud and too
angry to ask me--after what she said years ago it would mean if
she did ask me. But when I think of that child, doomed to
lifelong misery, and when I think that maybe in my hands lies a
chance of escape, but for that confounded nonsense we call pride
and professional etiquette, I--" He did not finish his sentence,
but with his hands thrust deep into his pockets, he turned and
began to tramp up and down the room again, angrily.
"But if she could be made to see--to understand," urged John
Pendleton.
"Yes; and who's going to do it?" demanded the doctor, with a
savage turn.
"I don't know, I don't know," groaned the other, miserably.
Outside the window Jimmy Bean stirred suddenly. Up to now he had
scarcely breathed, so intently had he listened to every word.
"Well, by Jinks, I know!" he whispered, exultingly. "I'M a-goin'
ter do it!" And forthwith he rose to his feet, crept stealthily
around the corner of the house, and ran with all his might down
Pendleton Hill.
CHAPTER XXX. JIMMY TAKES THE HELM
"It's Jimmy Bean. He wants ter see ye, ma'am," announced Nancy in
the doorway.
"Me?" rejoined Miss Polly, plainly surprised. "Are you sure he
did not mean Miss Pollyanna? He may see her a few minutes to-day,
if he likes."
"Yes'm. I told him. But he said it was you he wanted."
"Very well, I'll come down." And Miss Polly arose from her chair
a little wearily.
In the sitting room she found waiting for her a round-eyed,
flushed-faced boy, who began to speak at once.
"Ma'am, I s'pose it's dreadful--what I'm doin', an' what I'm
sayin'; but I can't help it. It's for Pollyanna, and I'd walk
over hot coals for her, or face you, or--or anythin' like that,
any time. An' I think you would, too, if you thought there was a
chance for her ter walk again. An' so that's why I come ter tell
ye that as long as it's only pride an' et--et-somethin' that's
keepin' Pollyanna from walkin', why I knew you WOULD ask Dr.
Chilton here if you understood--"
"Wh-at?" interrupted Miss Polly, the look of stupefaction on her
face changing to one of angry indignation.
Jimmy sighed despairingly.
"There, I didn't mean ter make ye mad. That's why I begun by
tellin' ye about her walkin' again. I thought you'd listen ter
that."
"Jimmy, what are you talking about?"
Jimmy sighed again.
"That's what I'm tryin' ter tell ye."
"Well, then tell me. But begin at the beginning, and be sure I
understand each thing as you go. Don't plunge into the middle of
it as you did before--and mix everything all up!"
Jimmy wet his lips determinedly.
"Well, ter begin with, Dr. Chilton come ter see Mr. Pendleton,
an' they talked in the library. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, Jimmy." Miss Polly's voice was rather faint.
"Well, the window was open, and I was weedin' the flower-bed
under it; an' I heard 'em talk."
"Oh, Jimmy! LISTENING?"
" 'Twa'n't about me, an' 'twa'n't sneak listenin'," bridled
Jimmy. "And I'm glad I listened. You will be when I tell ye. Why,
it may make Pollyanna--walk!"
"Jimmy, what do you mean?" Miss Polly was leaning forward
eagerly.
"There, I told ye so," nodded Jimmy, contentedly. "Well, Dr.
Chilton knows some doctor somewhere that can cure Pollyanna, he
thinks--make her walk, ye know; but he can't tell sure till he
SEES her. And he wants ter see her somethin' awful, but he told
Mr. Pendleton that you wouldn't let him."
Miss Polly's face turned very red.
"But, Jimmy, I--I can't--I couldn't! That is, I didn't know!"
Miss Polly was twisting her fingers together helplessly.
"Yes, an' that's what I come ter tell ye, so you WOULD know,"
asserted Jimmy, eagerly. "They said that for some reason--I
didn't rightly catch what--you wouldn't let Dr. Chilton come, an'
you told Dr. Warren so; an' Dr. Chilton couldn't come himself,
without you asked him, on account of pride an' professional
et--et--well, et-somethin anyway. An' they was wishin' somebody
could make you understand, only they didn't know who could; an' I
was outside the winder, an' I says ter myself right away, 'By
Jinks, I'll do it!' An' I come--an' have I made ye understand?"
"Yes; but, Jimmy, about that doctor," implored Miss Polly,
feverishly. "Who was he? What did he do? Are they SURE he could
make Pollyanna walk?"
"I don't know who he was. They didn't say. Dr. Chilton knows him,
an' he's just cured somebody just like her, Dr. Chilton thinks.
Anyhow, they didn't seem ter be doin' no worryin' about HIM.
'Twas YOU they was worryin' about, 'cause you wouldn't let Dr.
Chilton see her. An' say--you will let him come, won't you?--now
you understand?"
Miss Polly turned her head from side to side. Her breath was
coming in little uneven, rapid gasps. Jimmy, watching her with
anxious eyes, thought she was going to cry. But she did not cry.
After a minute she said brokenly:
"Yes--I'll let--Dr. Chilton--see her. Now run home, Jimmy--quick!
I've got to speak to Dr. Warren. He's up-stairs now. I saw him
drive in a few minutes ago."
A little later Dr. Warren was surprised to meet an agitated,
flushed-faced Miss Polly in the hall. He was still more surprised
to hear the lady say, a little breathlessly:
"Dr. Warren, you asked me once to allow Dr. Chilton to be called
in consultation, and--I refused. Since then I have reconsidered.
I very much desire that you SHOULD call in Dr. Chilton. Will you
not ask him at once--please? Thank you."
CHAPTER XXXI. A NEW UNCLE
The next time Dr. Warren entered the chamber where Pollyanna lay
watching the dancing shimmer of color on the ceiling, a tall,
broad-shouldered man followed close behind him.
"Dr. Chilton!--oh, Dr. Chilton, how glad I am to see YOU!" cried
Pollyanna. And at the joyous rapture of the voice, more than one
pair of eyes in the room brimmed hot with sudden tears. "But, of
course, if Aunt Polly doesn't want--"
"It is all right, my dear; don't worry," soothed Miss Polly,
agitatedly, hurrying forward. "I have told Dr. Chilton that--that
I want him to look you over--with Dr. Warren, this morning."
"Oh, then you asked him to come," murmured Pollyanna,
contentedly.
"Yes, dear, I asked him. That is--" But it was too late. The
adoring happiness that had leaped to Dr. Chilton's eyes was
unmistakable and Miss Polly had seen it. With very pink cheeks
she turned and left the room hurriedly.
Over in the window the nurse and Dr. Warren were talking
earnestly. Dr. Chilton held out both his hands to Pollyanna.
"Little girl, I'm thinking that one of the very gladdest jobs you
ever did has been done to-day," he said in a voice shaken with
emotion.
At twilight a wonderfully tremulous, wonderfully different Aunt
Polly crept to Pollyanna's bedside. The nurse was at supper. They
had the room to themselves.
"Pollyanna, dear, I'm going to tell you--the very first one of
all. Some day I'm going to give Dr. Chilton to you for
your--uncle. And it's you that have done it all. Oh, Pollyanna,
I'm so--happy! And so--glad!--darling!"
Pollyanna began to clap her hands; but even as she brought her
small palms together the first time, she stopped, and held them
suspended.
"Aunt Polly, Aunt Polly, WERE you the woman's hand and heart he
wanted so long ago? You were--I know you were! And that's what he
meant by saying I'd done the gladdest job of all--to-day. I'm so
glad! Why, Aunt Polly, I don't know but I'm so glad that I don't
mind--even my legs, now!"
Aunt Polly swallowed a sob.
"Perhaps, some day, dear--" But Aunt Polly did not finish. Aunt
Polly did not dare to tell, yet, the great hope that Dr. Chilton
had put into her heart. But she did say this--and surely this was
quite wonderful enough--to Pollyanna's mind:
"Pollyanna, next week you're going to take a journey. On a nice
comfortable little bed you're going to be carried in cars and
carriages to a great doctor who has a big house many miles from
here made on purpose for just such people as you are. He's a dear
friend of Dr. Chilton's, and we're going to see what he can do
for you!"
CHAPTER XXXII. WHICH IS A LETTER FROM POLLYANNA
"Dear Aunt Polly and Uncle Tom:--Oh, I can--I can--I CAN walk! I
did to-day all the way from my bed to the window! It was six
steps. My, how good it was to be on legs again!
"All the doctors stood around and smiled, and all the nurses
stood beside of them and cried. A lady in the next ward who
walked last week first, peeked into the door, and another one who
hopes she can walk next month, was invited in to the party, and
she laid on my nurse's bed and clapped her hands. Even Black
Tilly who washes the floor, looked through the piazza window and
called me 'Honey, child' when she wasn't crying too much to call
me anything.
"I don't see why they cried. _I_ wanted to sing and shout and
yell! Oh--oh--oh! just think, I can walk--walk--WALK! Now I don't
mind being here almost ten months, and I didn't miss the wedding,
anyhow. Wasn't that just like you, Aunt Polly, to come on here
and get married right beside my bed, so I could see you. You
always do think of the gladdest things!
"Pretty soon, they say, I shall go home. I wish I could walk all
the way there. I do. I don't think I shall ever want to ride
anywhere any more. It will be so good just to walk. Oh, I'm so
glad! I'm glad for everything. Why, I'm glad now I lost my legs
for a while, for you never, never know how perfectly lovely legs
are till you haven't got them--that go, I mean. I'm going to walk
eight steps to-morrow.
"With heaps of love to everybody,
"POLLYANNA."
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