At a second tap, however, she gave a reluctant: "Come in," and the door opened.
A little figure stood there for a moment and then darted forward, crying: "Janet, Janet, I'm so glad to find you at home and alone."
"Polly! Why Polly!" Janet held out both hands, and the two rushed to meet each other. "Come right over here by the fire," said Janet. "Take off your things. Sit down here and get warm. You're going to stay and we'll have tea. When did you get here, Polly?"
"Just now. At least, we got in the day before yesterday, but only reached here this morning, and as soon as I could get away, I said I must come over here."
"Got away from whom? Miss Thurston? Are you staying with her?"
"No, I am staying at the Austins'. I left Miss Thurston over in Germany and came back with Minnie and Marion Austin and their aunt, Mrs. Fletcher, and I am making Minnie Austin a visit. Marian is there, too. She wants dreadfully to see you, but I wanted you all to myself this first time." She took Janet's hand and laid her cheek against it.
"You dear child, it is good to see you," said Janet tenderly. "Tell me all about everything. How in the world did you happen to come back with the Austin girls?"
"We met them in Italy a few weeks before we came away. You know Miss Thurston knows them and we were all together until Miss Thurston left us for Germany. Miss Thurston and Mrs. Fletcher were good comrades, so I was thrown with the girls and we became excellent friends."
"Did they know—"
"About Van?" Polly blushed prettily. "No, not at first, but after awhile they did. Once, when Minnie was ill, and I was alone with her a good deal of the time, we became very confidential, and Janet, she was lovely about it. She has smoothed away all the difficulties and has been the dearest thing you ever saw."