Page 96 - pollyanna

row.’
‘Where?’
‘By the road—where I found you to-day; near Mrs. Snow’s
house.’
‘All right. I’ll be there.’ The boy paused before he went on
slowly: ‘Maybe I’d better go back, then, for ter-night, ter the
Home. You see I hain’t no other place ter stay; and—and I
didn’t leave till this mornin’. I slipped out. I didn’t tell ‘em
I wasn’t comin’ back, else they’d pretend I couldn’t come—
though I’m thinkin’ they won’t do no worryin’ when I don’t
show up sometime. They ain’t like FOLKS, ye know. They
don’t CARE!’
‘I know,’ nodded Pollyanna, with understanding eyes.
‘But I’m sure, when I see you to-morrow, I’ll have just a com-
mon home and folks that do care all ready for you. Good-by!’
she called brightly, as she turned back toward the house.
In the sitting-room window at that moment, Miss Pol-
ly, who had been watching the two children, followed with
sombre eyes the boy until a bend of the road hid him from
sight. Then she sighed, turned, and walked listlesly up-
stairs—and Miss Polly did not usually move listlessly. In
her ears still was the boy’s scornful ‘you was so good and
kind.’ In her heart was a curious sense of desolation—as of
something lost.