“Does she live all alone when she is home?” queried Polly.

“Alone with her servants.”

“Oh, then she is n’t poor!  I thought she must be.”

Dr. Dudley smilingly shook his head.  “She has more money than probably you or I will ever handle, little girl; but we’ll have better riches than gold, won’t we?”

“Yes; you’ll make people well, and I’ll try to make them happy,” returned Polly, a sweet seriousness on her usually merry face.  “I wish I could make everybody in the world happy,” she added.

“That is too big a job for one little Thistledown,” laughed Dr. Dudley.  “There!” he exclaimed, “I nearly forgot what I called you down for!  Colonel Gresham hailed me out here, and asked if you could go to Forest Park, this afternoon, with him and Lone Star.  I said yes.  Was that all right?

“Of course!” beamed Polly.  “Is n’t it lovely of him to ask me?  Had I better tell him that David is better?”

“Not unless he inquires,” the Doctor answered.  “He said he would be here at three o’clock.  You can come down a little before that, and keep a lookout for him, so as not to make him wait.”

Polly was on hand, in the Doctor’s office, while it still lacked fifteen minutes of the hour; but the Colonel was early, and the waiting time was short.  Very sweet she looked, as she ran down the stone walk to the street, in her dainty new white dress with simple ruffles edging neck and sleeves.  In the delight of the moment Polly did not forget the children up an the ward windows, but waved them a gay good-bye, while Colonel Gresham greeted the bobbing heads with a graceful swing of his straw hat.

There was not much talk at first, for the way to the park lay through the heart of the city; but Polly was content silently to watch the changing throngs around them.

Suddenly the Colonel drew up his horse in response to call from the sidewalk, and presently was in a business talk with the man who arrested him.

“I shall have to leave you for a moment,” he said, at length, turning to Polly.  “I’ll be back shortly.”  And, having fastened Lone Star, he disappeared up a stairway.

Polly was enjoying this little break, when she caught sight of a well-known face.  “It’s Aunt Jane!” she murmured, and was promptly seized with a desire to hide.  Breathlessly she watched the woman in the black dress, hoping for escape from those ferret eyes; but the horse and carriage were conspicuous, and Aunt Jane’s glance fell first on Lone Star and then passed to the little girl upon the seat.

“Polly May!” she exclaimed, and Polly smiled a somewhat uncertain greeting.

“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?”