Page 117 - pollyanna

CHAPTER XV. DR. CHILTON

he great gray pile of masonry looked very different to
TPollyanna when she made her second visit to the house
of Mr. John Pendleton. Windows were open, an elderly
woman was hanging out clothes in the back yard, and the
doctor’s gig stood under the porte-cochere.
As before Pollyanna went to the side door. This time she
rang the bell—her fingers were not stiff to-day from a tight
clutch on a bunch of keys.
A familiar-looking small dog bounded up the steps to
greet her, but there was a slight delay before the woman who
had been hanging out the clothes opened the door.
‘If you please, I’ve brought some calf’s-foot jelly for Mr.
Pendleton,’ smiled Pollyanna.
‘Thank you,’ said the woman, reaching for the bowl in
the little girl’s hand. ‘Who shall I say sent it? And it’s calf’s-
foot jelly?’
The doctor, coming into the hall at that moment, heard
the woman’s words and saw the disappointed look on Polly-
anna’s face. He stepped quickly forward.
‘Ah! Some calf’s-foot jelly?’ he asked genially. ‘That will
be fine! Maybe you’d like to see our patient, eh?’
‘Oh, yes, sir,’ beamed Pollyanna; and the woman, in obe-
dience to a nod from the doctor, led the way down the hall
at once, though plainly with vast surprise on her face.

11 Pollyanna