“I guess ther’ wasn’t anybody lyin’ round handy ’t could come. He said I could tell ye the drift of it.” “Did you see it?” questioned Polly. “Only as he had it in his hand. I--” “Why didn’t he send it up by you?” she broke in. “I dunno. Guess likely he didn’t think ’s he could. I didn’t.” Dismay sat on Polly’s face. “And don’t you know whom it was from?” “I was tryin’ to think. I can’t seem to remember. It was a funny name--I’ve heard it before somewhere.” “It wasn’t from my father, was it?” excitement in her voice. “Le’ ’s see, your name’s--” “Dudley. My father is Robert Dudley.” “No, ’twa’n’t that,” was the slow answer. “Sardis Merrifield?” “That’s the ticket! I know now where I’d heard it! I remembered that ‘Church in Sardis,’ there in Revelations, you know. Yere, he’s the one. He’s comin’ this noon. Whatever made anybody name a boy Sardis! ’Xpectin’ of him, was you?” Polly nodded absently. She was looking at the clock and making a quick calculation. Was there time to get down to Overlook before that 11.45 train? She decided she could do it. Running upstairs, she begged Lilith to get Dolly and herself ready for the ride, while she slipped into a fresh frock and then out to the garage. She stood gazing at the car in a bewildered way, when Benedicta rushed up with a little wailing cry. Polly turned, and the woman began to weep into her hands. “What in the world!--First the car and now you! Am I dreaming or not?” “Oh, Miss Polly! Miss Polly! I wish it was a dream! Sinners and snobs, I wish it was!” “What is the matter, Benedicta? What are you crying for?” “Oh, dear! oh, dear! I wish I hadn’t ever touched your chariot at all!” “Where is my car?” asked Polly quietly. “Oh, Miss Polly!--it’s--down in Overlook!” “Did you have an accident? What is the trouble? Stop crying, and tell me about it!” “I will, Miss Polly--oh, to think I should hurt your beautiful car!” And again Benedicta wept. “But what did you do to it?” “I--I can’t bear to say it!” “I will wait till you can. We must get to Overlook in time to meet that train, and I’m going to drive this car, if it’s drivable, no matter whose it is.” Polly proceeded to test the steering-gear and the brakes, without a look towards the sobbing Benedicta. “If that old Sardis had only waited till to-morrow or next day,” began the weeping woman, “then you needn’t have known anything about it--oh, dear! You’ll never trust me again, Miss Polly, and--and--oh, I didn’t mean to do it!” Polly threw up her head and laughed, a genuine, exhilarating little laugh, which brought Benedicta’s hands down from her face, showing her eyes big and red and staring. “I hadn’t the least idea, Benedicta, that you smashed my car on purpose.” She laughed again. “Teeters and tongs!” ejaculated the housekeeper, “if you ain’t the limit!” “I am afraid my patience will be at the ‘limit’ if Lilith and Dolly don’t come pretty quick.” “Oh, I don’t want ’em to, till I’ve told you how it happened!”