“You mean—­an errand—­to the drug store?” asked Pollyanna, a little uncertainly.  “I used to go some—­for the Ladies’ Aiders.”

The doctor shook his head with a smile.

“Not exactly.  It’s Mr. John Pendleton.  He would like to see you to-day, if you’ll be so good as to come.  It’s stopped raining, so I drove down after you.  Will you come?  I’ll call for you and bring you back before six o’clock.”

“I’d love to!” exclaimed Pollyanna.  “Let me ask Aunt Polly.”

In a few moments she returned, hat in hand, but with rather a sober face.

“Didn’t—­your aunt want you to go?” asked the doctor, a little diffidently, as they drove away.

“Y-yes,” sighed Pollyanna.  “She—­she wanted me to go too much, I’m afraid.”

“Wanted you to go too much!”

Pollyanna sighed again.

“Yes.  I reckon she meant she didn’t want me there.  You see, she said:  ’Yes, yes, run along, run along—­do!  I wish you’d gone before.’ "

The doctor smiled—­but with his lips only.  His eyes were very grave.  For some time he said nothing; then, a little hesitatingly, he asked: 

“Wasn’t it—­your aunt I saw with you a few minutes ago—­in the window of the sun parlor?”

Pollyanna drew a long breath.

“Yes; that’s what’s the whole trouble, I suppose.  You see I’d dressed her up in a perfectly lovely lace shawl I found up-stairs, and I’d fixed her hair and put on a rose, and she looked so pretty.  Didn’t you think she looked just lovely?”

For a moment the doctor did not answer.  When he did speak his voice was so low Pollyanna could but just hear the words.

“Yes, Pollyanna, I—­I thought she did look—­just lovely.”

“Did you?  I’m so glad!  I’ll tell her,” nodded the little girl, contentedly.

To her surprise the doctor gave a sudden exclamation.

“Never!  Pollyanna, I—­I’m afraid I shall have to ask you not to tell her—­that.”

“Why, Dr. Chilton!  Why not?  I should think you’d be glad—­”

“But she might not be,” cut in the doctor.

Pollyanna considered this for a moment.

“That’s so—­maybe she wouldn’t,” she sighed.  “I remember now; ’twas ’cause she saw you that she ran.  And she—­she spoke afterwards about her being seen in that rig.”

“I thought as much,” declared the doctor, under his breath.

“Still, I don’t see why,” maintained Pollyanna, “—­when she looked so pretty!”

The doctor said nothing.  He did not speak again, indeed, until they were almost to the great stone house in which John Pendleton lay with a broken leg.

CHAPTER XVII.  “JUST LIKE A BOOK”

John Pendleton greeted Pollyanna to-day with a smile.

“Well, Miss Pollyanna, I’m thinking you must be a very forgiving little person, else you wouldn’t have come to see me again to-day.”