--I seen you watchin' our Polly, Mr. Mahony"
--she made Mahony wince by stressing the second syllable of his name.
"Bless you, no--no relation whatsoever. She just 'elps a bit in the
'ouse, an' is company for the girls. We tuck 'er in a year ago--'er own
relations 'ad played 'er a dirty trick. Mustn't let 'er catch me sayin'
so, though; she won't 'ear a word against 'em, and that's as it should
be."
Looking round, and finding Polly absent from the room, she went on to
tell Mahony how Polly's eldest brother, a ten years' resident in
Melbourne, had sent to England for the girl on her leaving school, to
come out and assist in keeping his house. And how an elder sister, who
was governessing in Sydney, had chosen just this moment to throw up her
post and return to quarter herself upon the brother.
"An' so when Polly gets 'ere--a little bit of a thing in short frocks,
in charge of the capt'n--there was no room for 'er, an' she 'ad to look
about 'er for somethin' else to do. We tuck 'er in, an', I will say,
I've never regretted it. Indeed I don't know now, 'ow we ever got on
without 'er.--Yes, it's you I'm talkin' about, miss, singin' yer
praises, an' you needn't get as red as if you'd bin up to mischief!
Pa'll say as much for you, too."
"That I will!" said Mr. Beamish, opening his mouth for the first time
except to put food in it. "That I will," and he patted Polly's hand."
The man as gits Polly'll git a treasure."
Polly blushed, after the helpless, touching fashion of very young
creatures: the blood stained her cheeks, mounted to her forehead, spread
in a warm wave over neck and ears.
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