Early after breakfast David had proposed going down to Overlook but Polly had excused herself for lack of time. Lilith, promptly taking her cue from Polly, had many duties which must be performed at once, and so on. Mrs. Daybill would gladly have accepted the invitation, but was unwilling to go unless one of the girls would be of the party. So it came about that Dr. Abbe and David went off in the car alone. Polly hoped fervently that they would not return before noon. She chided herself for her attitude towards David, yet she was unable to bring her mind to any dearer feeling for him than kindliness. Finally she rose and was putting away her mended garments when the purring of a motor car caught her ear. Drawing a little sigh she speeded her work and started towards the front window. Short of it she halted. That car was not hers. She watched it round the corner--Was that--? It was! “Nita!” she whispered joyously and flew down the stairs. CHAPTER XXVII THE BUTTERFLY LADY STAYS Nelson Randolph drew up his car before the chalet as Polly dashed out of the door. A flutter of hands greeted her, and then she and Mrs. Randolph were in each other’s arms. Miss Crilly came next, and Mr. Randolph and Blue and Doodles were not far behind. “I am so glad to see you,” laughed Polly, “I don’t know what to say. You haven’t come up from Fair Harbor this morning?” “We have,” they answered. “Started at five o’clock!” said Miss Crilly. “And ate our breakfast on the way,” put in Doodles. “Gee! isn’t this ’way up!” cried Blue, turning to see the wide circle of mountains with which they were surrounded. “It’s good and cool,” broke out Miss Crilly. “Oo-oo, but it was hot down in some of those places!” “We always get a breeze,” said Polly. “Come right up on the veranda and take off your things.” “Do let me look around a minute! How beautiful it is! I don’t wonder you called it the ‘Top of the World.’” Juanita Randolph gazed admiringly on every side. “It is wonderful!” she said softly. “And how well you are looking!”--throwing an arm round Polly’s slim waist. “The Butterfly Lady,” as she was called by some of the children, greeted the small patients with smiles and handshakes and cheery words. They were very fond of her, and the name given her by Clementina Cunio, on the occasion of her wearing an exquisite dress of black-and-gold, fitted her well this morning as she passed joyously from one to another. It is not surprising that their faces were bright with pleasure as she made her happy way among the wheel-chairs and told her small friends how glad she was to see them again. Benedicta always appeared to be in her chosen sphere when guests beloved of Polly were at the house. Now, as soon as she knew of the party’s arrival, she promptly began planning what rarely delicious dishes she could concoct. “Which do you think they’d rather have,” she asked,--“stuffed beefsteak, or brown London chop, or chicken fried in cream?”