Page:Emma Speed Sampson--The shorn lamb.djvu/157

Rh She was ever a welcome guest at The Hedges. Elizabeth liked the child for herself, and would have been kind to her because of Philip's interest in her and because she could not but see the good influence the little girl was having on Jo, who before the advent of Rebecca had become more and more difficult to manage, rough and coarse in his manner of speech and with a tendency to untidiness that Elizabeth dreaded more than anything else. Betsy, in spite of several years difference in their ages, found the little New York waif interesting and congenial. She liked to hear her talk about the wonders of the city, her life in the studio, visits to Coney Island and the Bronx Zoo; but also above all did Betsy like to listen to her little friend when she waxed enthusiastic concerning the manly beauty of her Uncle Spottswood.

Even Aunt Peachy was polite to Rebecca, but with a cringing and unctuous manner that her mistress and Betsy well understood meant she hated the child as she did all of the Taylors and those connected with Mill House.

Rebecca was fascinated by the strange ugliness of Aunt Peachy. She had no fear of her, but felt instinctively that she was evil.

"An' how is the pretty lil' missy ter-day?" whined the old woman. "I 'lowed we wa' gonter