by their affections, and the woman he marries can make or mar
him.”
“That ‘s true!” cried Fan, as Polly paused to look at the picture,
which appeared to regard her with a grave, steady look, which
seemed rather to belie her assertions.
“I don’t mean that he ‘s weak or bad. If he was, I should hate him;
but he does need some one to love him very much, and make him
happy, as a good woman best knows how,” said Polly, as if
answering the mute language of Tom’s face.
“I hope Maria Bailey is all he thinks her,” she added, softly, “for I
could n’t bear to have him disappointed again.”
“I dare say he don’t care a fig for her, and you are only borrowing
trouble. What do you say Ned answered when you asked about this
inconvenient girl?” said Fanny turning hopeful all at once.
Polly repeated it, and added, “I asked him in another letter if he did
n’t admire Miss B. as much as Tom, and he wrote back that she
was ‘a nice girl,’ but he had no time for nonsense, and I need n’t get
my white kids ready for some years yet, unless to dance at Tom’s
wedding. Since then he has n’t mentioned Maria, so I was sure
there was something serious going on, and being in Tom’s
confidence, he kept quiet.”
“It does look bad. Suppose I say a word to Tom, just inquire after
his heart in a general way, you know, and give him a chance to tell
me, if there is anything to tell.” “I ‘m willing, but you must let me
see the letter. I can’t trust you not to hint or say too much.”
“You shall. I ‘ll keep my promise in spite of everything, but it will
be hard to see things going wrong when a word would set it right.”
“You know what will happen if you do,” and Polly looked so
threatening that Fan trembled before her, discovering that the
gentlest girls when roused are more impressive than any shrew; for
even turtle doves peck gallantly to defend their nests.
“If it is true about Maria, what shall we do?” said Fanny after a
pause.
“Bear it; People always do bear things, somehow,” answered Polly,
looking as if sentence had been passed upon her.
“But if it is n’t?” cried Fan, unable to endure the sight.
“Then I shall wait.” And Polly’s face changed so beautifully that
Fan hugged her on the spot, fervently wishing that Maria Bailey
never had been born.
Then the conversation turned to lover number two, and after a long
confabulation, Polly gave it as her firm belief that A. S. had
forgotten M. M., and was rapidly finding consolation in the regard
of F. S. With this satisfactory decision the council ended after the
ratification of a Loyal League, by which the friends pledged
themselves to stand staunchly by one another, through the trials of
the coming year.
It was a very different winter from the last for both the girls. Fanny
applied herself to her duties with redoubled ardor, for “A. S.” was
a domestic man, and admired housewifely accomplishments. If
Fanny wanted to show him what she could do toward making a
pleasant home, she certainly succeeded better than she suspected,
for in spite of many failures and discouragements behind the
scenes, the little house became a most attractive place, to Mr.
Sydney at least, for he was more the house-friend than ever, and
seemed determined to prove that change of fortune made no
difference to him.
Fanny had been afraid that Polly’s return might endanger her
hopes, but Sydney met Polly with the old friendliness, and very
soon convinced her that the nipping in the bud process had been
effectual, for being taken early, the sprouting affection had died
easy, and left room for an older friendship to blossom into a
happier love.
Fanny seemed glad of this, and Polly soon set her heart at rest by
proving that she had no wish to try her power. She kept much at
home when the day’s work was done, finding it pleasanter to sit