"No," answered Polly sorrowfully. "Only you've promised, and it doesn't seem as if you ought to break your promise—just because you don't like it here as well as you thought you would. It isn't that I'm not sorry, Mrs. Dick—I mean, Mrs. Tenney—" Polly hurried to explain. "I'm so sorry I could cry! But it doesn't seem right—to me—perhaps it would be, perhaps I don't know." Polly lifted appealing eyes to the woman's flushed face.
"I guess you see things clearer than I do, child! We'll put it to vote. Mrs. Albright, what do you think?"
"I hardly know, and, anyway, I can't decide it for you. I suppose
I should incline to Polly's opinion."
"Miss Sterling? You hold the controlling vote, so be careful!"
Mrs. Tenney laughed uncertainly.
"It is a hard question, Mrs. Dick. I can hardly imagine a worse hell than having to live with such a man as you picture him, and yet—"
"I know! It's three against two! Good-bye, June Holiday Home, with your steam heat and Miss Sniffen! We must adjourn—there's Mrs. Grace and Mrs. Winslow Teed!"
For the ride home Polly sat between Miss Crilly and David in Dr.
Dudley's car.
"Isn't that a great bluff of Miss Sniffen's?" Miss Crilly's tone was too confidential even for Polly's quick ears. The repeated question carried as far as David—Polly knew from his sudden change of expression. But Miss Crilly talked on. "Seemed as if I must tell! I never was so stirred up in my life! It's the last thing I should thought of!"
Polly gave her a cautionary smile.
"O-o-h!" Miss Crilly cast a frightened glance in David's direction.