"Yes," said Polly, "I have."
"All right." And Jasper vanished, and Polly went slowly back, wishing she could be downstairs with all the dear people, instead of trying to comfort this dismal girl. The next moment she was kneeling down by the side of the bed, and trying to get hold of one of Adela's hands. But Adela bounced over to the farther side, and she cried out angrily, "It's all very well for you to say so, because you didn't do it. And everybody likes you. O dear me—tee—hee—boo—hoo!"
"But I've often done things just as bad," confessed Polly, "and, Adela, I've cried like this, too. But Mamsie—oh, Adela! she made me see it was wrong; so I had to stop it, you know."
"How is it wrong?" asked Adela, rolling over, and taking the handkerchief away from one eye enough to see Polly Pepper's face. "I can cry, I guess, if I want to, without asking anybody."
"Oh, no, you can't," said Polly, decidedly. "I mean no one can."
"Why not, pray tell?" said Adela, sniffing very hard. "My eyes are my own, and I shall cry, too, whenever I want to."
"Well, I can't just tell you exactly why you can't cry when you want to," said Polly, afraid she wasn't going to say the right word, "but Mamsie could if she were here. I'll go and call her, Adela." And Polly sprang to her feet. "She'll come, I know."
"Oh, no—no," cried Adela, in mortal alarm. "I don't want her—I mean I'd rather have you. You're a girl; and a woman talking at me scares me."
"Then you mustn't cry if I stay," said Polly, stopping short, and seeing her advantage, "for I surely shall go, Adela," she added firmly, "unless you stop crying."
"O dear me." Adela squirmed all over the bed. "I can't stop—I've always cried as much as I wanted to. O dear me—boo-hoo-hoo! I mean—I'll stop, don't go—" sopping up her wet face with a nervous hand. "See, Pol-ly!" for Polly had slipped out of the room. Adela flew off from the bed. "Polly—Polly, Pol-ly!" she called, in a piteous little tone.