be empty; but that without the lad, Jamie, it would be worse than
that. To her pride this knowledge was not pleasing. To her heart it
was torture--since the boy had twice said that he would not come. For
a time, during those last few days of Pollyanna's stay, the struggle
was a bitter one, though pride always kept the ascendancy. Then, on
what Mrs. Carew knew would be Jamie's last visit, her heart triumphed,
and once more she asked Jamie to come and be to her the Jamie that was
lost.

What she said she never could remember afterwards; but what the boy
said, she never forgot. After all, it was compassed in six short
words.

For what seemed a long, long minute his eyes had searched her face;
then to his own had come a transfiguring light, as he breathed:

"Oh, yes! Why, you--CARE, now!"




CHAPTER XIV

JIMMY AND THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER


This time Beldingsville did not literally welcome Pollyanna home with
brass bands and bunting--perhaps because the hour of her expected
arrival was known to but few of the townspeople. But there certainly
was no lack of joyful greetings on the part of everybody from the