Page:Emma Speed Sampson--The shorn lamb.djvu/218

214 and haughtily refused to address a remark to him. Major Taylor had breakfasted early and gone to the factory, so breakfast was a silent feast.

As soon as possible Rebecca made her way sadly to Aunt Pearly Gates' cabin. Nothing had turned out as she had planned. She had only succeeded in angering the aunts and her uncle had slipped back into silence more dense than before. Doctor's love appeared not to have survived the night. Her hair, in which she had taken a secret pride, had been cut off.

Aunt Pearly Gates listened to Rebecca's troubles with deep sympathy. "Well, honey baby, things ain't so bad as you think. Yo' hair'll be growin' so fas' you cyarn't keep up with it an' befo' you know it you'll have another crap. Now you can fix it yo'se'f. You don't look so bad with short bar lak some 'cause you is got a pretty haid. Bless me if'n I don't think it looks kinder lak Lil' Marse Tom's haid. Ain't none er them noticed that?"

"None of them ever notice anything about me but Grandfather and he is so busy with the factory just now I haven't seen him. He doesn't know what has happened to me yet."

"Well, I'll be boun', he'll have his joke on you, but he won't let nobody else pick on you."