Polly was eagerly anticipating the time when Elsie should be presented with the signet ring, and followed Miss Lucy’s movements with watchful eyes.  At last the nurse left the ward, and disappeared in the direction of her own room.  The moment must be close at hand!

Dr. Dudley told funny stories, and Polly laughed with the rest; but her eyes were on the doorway, and her heart in a flutter of excitement.  The moments piled up, and Miss Lucy did not come back.  Polly grew anxious.  Even Dr. Dudley looked at his watch, and glanced towards the door.

When, after a good quarter of an hour, the nurse returned, Polly knew that something was wrong.  Dr. Dudley knew it, too; and soon he and Miss Lucy were talking together in low tones beyond the reach of Polly’s ears.  Had something befallen the ring?  What could be the matter?  The children gleefully discussing the Doctor’s last story; but Polly’s thoughts were at the other end of the room.  When Miss Lucy and Dr. Dudley came back to them, however, both faces were so bright, Polly decided that she must have been mistaken, and looked for the ring to appear.  But it was not so much as mentioned.  The Doctor bade Elsie and the others good-bye, and Miss Lucy accompanied him into the hall.

After a while the suspense became unbearable, and Polly started for Miss Lucy’s room.  It was around the corner, on another corridor, and as Polly reached the turn she heard voices.  Involuntarily she halted.

“It’s the strangest thing,” Miss Lucy was saying.  “I remember laying it on the dresser after showing it to you, and then I was called away, and I can’t recollect putting it in the box.  I know I locked the door when I went out—­I don’t understand it!”

“And you say nobody but Polly has been in the room since?”

The voice belonged to Miss Curtis, one of Miss Lucy’s closest friends.

“Unless it was entered with a skeleton key.”

“Well, there’s only one solution to the musterd, it seems to me,” Miss Curtis replied.

“I won’t, I won’t believe it!” Miss Lucy burst out.  “Polly is honesty itself.  She would n’t do such a thing any more than—­ you or I would.  If it were some children—­but Polly!”

“You might question her anyway; ask her if she noticed the ring when she came in after those napkins.”

“I—­can’t!  She’d see through it at once.  Polly is bright.  It would break her heart to know we had such a thought.  I believe it got knocked off the dresser some way and will be found sooner or later; but I wanted to give it to Elsie to-day.  I’m all upset about it!”

“Well, I can’t help thinking—­”

Polly, weak and wretched, shrank away, and went softly back through the long corridor.  At the door of the ward she met Dr. Dudley.

“I was looking for you,” he said.  “Don’t you want to take that ride you missed this morning?  I have a call to go down to Linwood, and it is just cool enough now to be pleasant.  Better put on your coat; your dress is thin.”