Pollyooly Author:Edgar Jepson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III POLLYOOLY VINDICATES HER PERSONAL HUMAN DIGNITY A" he devoured his bacon next morning the Honorable John Ruffin gazed at the angel face of Poll... more »yooly with a warmer approval than ever. Presently he said, "By the way, Mrs. Bride, in the stress and turmoil of our negotiations I forgot to congratulate you on the readiness and resource you displayed yesterday morning." "Yes, sir," said Pollyooly in polite but somewhat doubtful assent, for she did not know with any exactitude what either readiness or resource was. "Yes, you screamed," said the Honorable John Ruffin. "You screamed splendidly." "Yes, sir," said PAllypoly in a somewhat perplexed tone, for she had never associated a scream with any kind of splendor. "Ah, I see that you don't appreciate the admirable nature of your own action. It must have been instinctive," he said gravely; then he added in his most impressive tone: "But remember, Pollyooly, that a woman's chief armor is her scream—never forget that." "No, sir," said Pollyooly, properly impressed. "A woman's chief weapon of offense is her tears —and deucedly offensive they are. Her chief armor is her scream. Bear that in mind always; and the world will hold no terrors for you," he said again impressively. "Yes, sir," said Pollyooly. The Honorable John Ruffin returned to his bacon with the profound air of satisfaction of a sage who has just conferred upon the world a boon of priceless wisdom. Pollyooly carried an armful of scattered garments into his bedroom, pondering his words of wisdom with extreme gravity. The next morning there came to Mr. Gedge- Tomkins her check for twenty pounds from Mr, Montague Fitzgerald. When she brought in his breakfast he took the check out of its envelope and regarded her somberly; then he s...« less