"How in the world did you come here?" twanged the remembered voice.
"Colonel Gresham is taking me to ride," was the explanation, "and he's gone upstairs a minute."
"Colonel Gresham! Goodness gracious me! Well, you are coming up in the world! Why hain't you been round to see me?"
"I'm—pretty busy," answered Polly, "I—"
"Busy! Huh, you must be! Well, so'm I busy, or I should 'a' been up after you before this. Guess you've stayed at that hospital 'bout long enough. You might 's well be helpin' me as gallivantin' round with Tom, Dick, and Harry."
"I—thought I was going to stay all summer," faltered Polly.
"I did n't make no special agreement, and now there's cannin' and picklin' and what-not to do, I could keep you out o' mischief easy. Where'd you get that dress?"
"Miss Lucy bought it for me."
"She did, hey? Well, 't ain't hurt with trimmin', is it?"
The Colonel appearing at the moment, Aunt Jane made a rather hurried departure, while she assured Polly that she would "be round before long."