Page 211 - pollyanna
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and Dr. Warren is carrying them out to the letter, of course.
But—Dr. Mead held out almost no hope.’
John Pendleton rose abruptly—though he had but just
come. His face was white, and his mouth was set into stern
lines. Miss Polly, looking at him, knew very well why he felt
that he could not stay longer in her presence. At the door
he turned.
‘I have a message for Pollyanna,’ he said. ‘Will you tell her,
please, that I have seen Jimmy Bean and—that he’s going
to be my boy hereafter. Tell her I thought she would be—
GLAD to know. I shall adopt him, probably.’
For a brief moment Miss Polly lost her usual well-bred
self-control.
‘You will adopt Jimmy Bean!’ she gasped.
The man lifted his chin a little.
‘Yes. I think Pollyanna will understand. You will tell her
I thought she would be—GLAD!’
‘Why, of—of course,’ faltered Miss Polly.
‘Thank you,’ bowed John Pendleton, as he turned to go.
In the middle of the floor Miss Polly stood, silent and
amazed, still looking after the man who had just left her.
Even yet she could scarcely believe what her ears had heard.
John Pendleton ADOPT Jimmy Bean? John Pendleton,
wealthy, independent, morose, reputed to be miserly and
supremely selfish, to adopt a little boy—and such a little
boy?
With a somewhat dazed face Miss Polly went up-stairs to
Pollyanna’s room.
‘Pollyanna, I have a message for you from Mr. John Pend-
10 Pollyanna