One by one the short winter days came and went. But for Pollyanna the days were long and sometimes full of pain. While other children went skating on the frozen ice or sledding on the snowy hills, Pollyanna lay in bed.
Now that Aunt Polly was playing the Glad Game, Pollyanna tried to be cheerful. Like Mrs. Snow, Pollyanna had taken up knitting. "At least I can still use my arms and hands!" she said to Aunt Polly.
"Hold out your arms, and we'll wind this yarn into a ball," Aunt Polly said.
They had just finished when Nancy entered the room. "You have two visitors, Pollyanna," she said.
"Two at once?" Pollyanna was delighted. "I rarely have one."
"I'd better go see who they are," Aunt Polly said.
A few minutes later, Mr. Pendleton and Jimmy entered Pollyanna's room. Mr. Pendleton was carrying another prism, and Jimmy had a box of chocolates.
"We won't stay long," Mr. Pendleton said. "I just wanted you to know how well Jimmy's doing. He's turning into a fine boy!"
"I have a wonderful home now," Jimmy added. "Mr. Pendleton is turning into a fine family!"
"I owe it all to you!" Jimmy and Mr. Pendleton said to Pollyanna at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed.
Noticing how happy they were together, Pollyanna smiled. "I'm so glad!"
As spring arrived, there was little change in Pollyanna's condition. The townspeople kept up with the latest news, but everyone felt discouraged. Despite Dr. Mead's treatments, Pollyanna was not improving.
Dr. Chilton was especially concerned about her. Although he never spoke to Aunt Polly, he always managed to hear about Pollyanna's condition. "I need to do more than worry about Pollyanna," he thought one day in his office.
The next Saturday morning, he went to see Mr. Pendleton. It was a lovely spring day, and the windows were open as the two men sat in the library.
"I've come to you because you've lived in this town your whole life," Dr. Chilton said. "Of anyone here, you know the most about my past relationship with Polly Harrington. I want to examine Pollyanna. I must examine her!"
"Why can't you?"
"You know very well that I haven't been inside that house for over 15 years. When Miss Polly and I quarreled, she said she'd never ask me there again. Not unless she was ready to beg my forgiveness and marry me."
Mr. Pendleton thought for a moment. "I don't understand why you have to be asked to the house. Can't you go on your own?"
Dr. Chilton shook his head. "Out of courtesy to Dr. Warren and Dr. Mead, I can't just barge in."
"Maybe you need to focus on making up with Miss Polly. What did you quarrel about?"
"Forget the quarrel." The doctor made an impatient gesture and stood up. "It was a silly argument about nothing. What's important is that if I can see Pollyanna, there's a 90 percent chance she'll walk again." As Dr. Chilton said that in a loud voice, he paced over to the window.
In the garden below, Jimmy was pulling weeds. He stopped weeding and sat up, his ears wide open.
"Pollyanna! Walk again!" Mr. Pendleton exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"
"I have a doctor friend who specializes in this type of paralysis. From what I've been able to gather, Pollyanna's case sounds similar to one he just cured."
"You must see her right away!" Mr. Pendleton was now standing too. "Couldn't you see her through Dr. Warren?"
"No!" Dr. Chilton slammed his fist on Mr. Pendleton's desk. "Dr. Warren suggested early on that I examine Pollyanna. But Miss Polly said no so firmly that Dr. Warren didn't dare mention it again."
"Miss Polly must be made to ask you!"
"But how? She's too proud and angry to ask me herself."
"Miss Polly must be made to understand how vitally important this is," Mr. Pendleton said.
"And who's going to do that?" Dr. Chilton said bitterly.
Mr. Pendleton groaned. "I have no idea."
Outside the window Jimmy had hardly moved since he started eavesdropping. "I know," he whispered. "I'm going to do it!"
As fast as he could, Jimmy ran down Pendleton Hill toward Miss Polly's house.