“There’s not call for you to wear it today,” was the sullen reply.

“Oh, but I’d like it, please, if you don’t mind!” Polly insisted, gaining courage from Dr. Dudley’s presence.

With a toss of her head, Mrs. Bean stalked into the next room.  The moments passed.  Still she did not return.  When she did appear, she looked actually troubled.

“That Gregory must have got hold of it, and gone and hid it away, or something!” she worried.  “I’ve hunted high and low, but ’t ain’t anywhere!  Now you need n’t go to bein’ scared, Polly!” for the little girl’s face plainly showed her distress.  “I guess you can stand it if you don’t have on any geegaws to-day!  I’ll get it fast enough when that kid comes home from school.  But, oh, he’s a terror, Gregory is!”

They went downstairs, Polly clinging to the Doctor’s hand, as if she feared that even now something might separate her from him.  In the auto, however, she settled back restfully in her seat.  It was so unspeakably good to feel a loving protector close beside.

Dr. Dudley made quick time on the return trip to the hospital, and David was waiting for them by the stepping-stone.

“Hullo!” cried Polly blithely.

“Hullo!” he responded; adding, “Oh!  What made you give us such a scare?”

“I could n’t help it; truly I could n’t!” she replied.

“Well, I’m glad you’re back again!” David declared fervently, insisting on carrying her bundle and her little white sweater.

“Better run up to the ward, and let them have a sight of you,” the Doctor advised.  “Did you tell your uncle?” turning to the lad.

“Yes, sir.  And I called up Mrs. Jocelyn, too; but she said she had just heard from you.”

Polly’s eyes grew wide and grave.  Had her friends all been worrying like this?

Dr. Dudley glanced at his watch.  “I shall be busy until noon,” he said; “but, Polly, I wish you would come down directly after dinner.  I want to talk with you.”

She went upstairs wondering if the “talk” were to be about going back to Aunt Jane’s.  She had not reached any conclusion when the sight of Miss Lucy and Leonora put the troublesome matter from their mind.

“My precious!” breathed Miss Lucy in her ear.

“Oh, you darling Polly!” squealed the little lame girl, with a frantic hug.  “We thought you must be kid—­kid—­kid’aped, or whatever ’t is!” she ended desperately.

“I was—­by Aunt Jane,” laughed Polly; “but Dr. Dudley rescued me.”

“Maybe he would n’t, if it had n’t been for Colonel Gresham,” returned Leonora, with a shake of her head, as the other children jostled her carelessly, in their eagerness to be at the front.

“What did the Colonel do?” queried Polly wonderingly’ but the rest claimed her, and the answer had to wait.

“You’ve lost your locket!” cried Stella Pope.  “Did you know it?”

“It is n’t los exactly,” Polly explained, instinctively shielding the guilty lad as much as possible in her brief narration of facts.