Chapter V
With the Assistance of Lone Star
A strain of music floated up from the street, and the children that were able to be on their feet rushed for the windows.
"It's a band wagon!" cried Ethel.
"Two!" amended Moses. "Say, Miss Price, can't Polly just come and look at 'em?"
"No," was the quiet answer, while Cornelius O'Shaughnessy made faces at the young woman's back.
But Polly was not missing as much as the children feared. At first her mind was in too great a tumult for her to care for band wagons. Then, as the music soothed her excited nerves and drew her thoughts into pleasanter paths, she pictured the great wagons, and ther performers in scarlet and gold, as she had seen them scores of times, and she seemed to watch their progress under the arch of elms as perfectly as if she were not in the idle of the room with her eyes shut.
Them music grew faint and fainter, and was finally lost in the noise of the street. The children returned to their various occupations, giving Polly furtive tokens of sympathy on their way back. Leonora squeezed her hand; Cornelius patted her shoulder; Moses gently pulled a curl—one of his friendly amusements; and Brida, who was now about on crutches, stooped to kiss her cheek.
"Brida, do not talk to Polly!"
The sudden command startled the child almost into tripping.