Page:Emma Speed Sampson--The shorn lamb.djvu/135

Rh me, and what is better, he will listen," she mused as she followed the path in the lane. "I don't mind the aunts not liking me so much as Uncle Spot, but I do wish he'd loosen up a bit. But they needn't think I'm going to do all the polite trying. If they don't like me they can just lump me. I'm not going to be any more miserable than I can help."

Having decided to get as much enjoyment out of life as possible, Rebecca tried to put all thought of her reluctant relations out of mind. Certainly there were enough delights in the country to keep her fairly contented even though the haughty aunts did make themselves disagreeable and the handsome uncle refused to speak to or even to look at her.

A rabbit ran across her path, his little white tuft of a tail shining in the sun. She found a patch of belated wild strawberries which she picked and devoured greedily. With difficulty she tore herself away from a tree of black heart cherries that hung its luscious fruit invitingly over the fence. She heard a bobwhite call from a thicket beyond, and farther down the lane there was a great whirr as a covey of speckled birds rose in the air.

"Something happenin' every minute, just like the movies!" she cried delightedly. "Listen!