"
"All the more reason," I continued, fortifying myself with new
confidence; "why you should have been firm with her. She is not fit to go
off by herself in that way. She's a child! a child! She needs some one to
tell her what to do."
"I know that; that's what worries me!" cried Aunt Patty, bursting into
tears; "but what could I do, teacher? what could I do?"
"Well, never mind," I said, assuming with readiness the attitude of the
consoler; "we will have Becky home again in a very short time. I will
write this evening and if she does not come, why, we shall have to go
after her, that's all!"
This last I was able to utter almost gayly, looking into Aunt Patty's
face.
The woman's poor, worn hand placed in mine, the look of confidence
upturned to me in her tearful eyes, her readiness to forgive, to forget
any resentment which she might have cherished towards me, all touched me
deeply and strengthened me in a sincere determination to win Rebecca
back.
"She made me promise I wouldn't let George Olver know where she was,
teacher," said Aunt Patty, breathlessly, as I was going out of the door.
"She had her reasons; we'd ought to respect 'em some.
Pages:
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332