"
It was not till they got back to the house and he had made Miss Merivale
drink the cup of tea Wilmot brought her, that he allowed her to know how
serious Pauline's injuries were.
"They fear concussion of the brain," he said. "I have promised Hartley to
telegraph for her friends. Can you give me their address?"
Miss Merivale hesitated. "I am afraid she has no near relatives, poor
girl. I never heard her speak of any."
"But she is continually calling for 'Granny,' Mrs. Hartley says. Her
grandmother ought to be here, if she has one. How could we find out?"
Rhoda, who had been sitting silent till then, now looked up and spoke.
"Her grandparents live at Leyton, Miss Merivale. They have a shop next
door to Aunt Mary's brother. Mr. Smith is a grocer."
Miss Merivale stared at her. "My dear, are you sure?"
"Quite sure," Rhoda answered. "I saw her photograph when I took little
Hugh to his uncle's, and they talked a great deal about her. Polly, they
call her. She writes to them constantly. They brought her up, and I expect
she is really very fond of them."
"But--Rhoda, are you quite sure? Why has she never spoken of them? Do you
think she was ashamed of the shop? It must have been that."
"She had no reason to be ashamed," Rhoda answered quietly. "They are dear,
good people."
"Poor girl, poor girl!" was all Miss Merivale could say; but Tom, who had
brought a telegraph form from the library, asked Rhoda to give him the
address.
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