The nurse nodded happily.  It was good to have Polly back.

“Seems’s if you’d never come!” broke out Elsie Meyer.  “I’ve been waitin’ an’ waitin’ for a story.”

“I’ll have my things off in a minute,” responded Polly, “and you’ll say my story is worth waiting for.”

“A new one?”

“Brand-new!”

“Where’d you get it?”

“A lady told me—­a lady Dr. Dudley took me to see.  It’s a ’Cherry-Pudding Story.’—­Oh, you just wait till I put my coat and hat away, and change my dress!” Polly danced off, the young nurse following with a soft sigh.  What should she do without this little sunshine-maker!

The ward was wide awake when Polly returned.  The few that were far enough along to be up and dressed had left their cots, and were grouped around Elsie Meyer’s bed, each solicitous for the closest seat to the story-teller.

“Everybody ready?” questioned Polly, settling herself comfortable in the little rocker.  Then she popped up.  “You need this chair, Leonora, more than I do;” and before the lame girl had time to protest the exchange had been made.

“Polly, talk loud, so I can hear!” piped up a shrill voice in the corner of the ward.

“Sure I will, Linus,” was the cherry response.  “You must n’t miss a word of the ‘Cherry-Pudding story.’”

“Once upon a time,” she began, in the beautiful old way that all fanciful stories should begin; and not the breath of a rustle broke the sound of her gentle voice, while she narrated the fortunes of the young king who loved stories so much that he decided to wed only the girl that would write him a fresh one every day.

As the little people followed the outcome of the royal edict, their interest grew intense, for Polly was a real story-teller, sweeping her listeners along with the narrative until all else was forgotten.

When after long despairing days, young King Cerise found his future queen in the very last girl, one who lived her stories instead of writing them, and was as charming and good as she was clever, the small folks became radiantly glad, and the tale drew to a happy end with the king and queen living beautiful stories and cherry puddings in every home all over the land.

Nobody spoke as Polly stopped.  Then little Linus, away over in the corner, piped up:—­

“I wasn’t some cherry pudding!”

Than made them laugh, and set the tongues going.

“Aw, ye’ll have ter wait till ye git home!” returned Cornelius O’Shaughnessy.

“Why will he?  Why can’t we all have some, Miss Lucy?”

The rest fairly held their breath at Elsie Meyer’s boldness.

The nurse laughed.  “Perhaps,” she began slowly,—­“mind, I don’t say for sure, but only perhaps,—­if you’ll all live a brave, patient, cheerful story, with never a bit of a whine in it, from now until to-morrow noon,—­well, who knows what may happen!”