Contents

I. [The Cherry-Pudding Story]
II. [The Election of Polly]
III. [Popover]
IV. [David]
V. [With the Assistance of Lone Star]
VI. [Elsie's Birthday]
VII. [The Little Sad Lady]
VIII. [A Warning from Aunt Jane]
IX. [A Night of Song]
X. [The Ward's Anniversary]
XI. [Polly Plays the part of Eva]
XII. [The Kidnapping of Polly]
XIII. [The Return]
XIV. [Polly's "Anne Sisters"]
XV. [A Bid for Polly]
XVI. [A Secret]
XVII. [The Wedding]

Illustrations

[The Story of the Wonderful White Flower] — Title Page
["Once upon a Time," she began] — Chapter I
[Forgetting all but the music she loved] — Chapter XV
[This document makes you legally our own daughter] — Chapter XVII

Chapter I
The Cherry-Pudding Story

The June breeze hurried up from the harbor to the big house on the hill, and fluttered playfully past the window vines into the children's convalescent ward. It was a common saying at the hospital that the tidal breeze always reached the children's ward first. Sometimes the little people were waiting for it, ready with their welcome; but to-day there were none to laugh a greeting. The room was very quiet. The occupants of the little white cots had slept unusually long, and the few that had awakened from their afternoon naps were still too drowsy to be astir. Besides, Polly was not there, and the ward was never the same without Polly.

As the young nurse in charge passed noiselessly between the rows of beds, a small hand pulled at her apron.