She started to shut the door, but she wasn’t able to. For Jacqueline, at this last cruel blow, simply slumped down on the threshold and let go the tears that she had held back so long.
“Oh, dumb it!” she wailed. You remember Jacqueline usually cried more for anger than for sorrow. “What’ll I do? Oh, sniveling opossums, what’ll I do now?”
“Well, you can’t sit there crying,” said Sallie.
“I can! I am!” howled Jacqueline.
“What’s the matter?” boomed a deep voice from the hall behind them, and Hannah Means, the tried and trusty cook at The Chimnies, bore down upon them, with her head done up in a dust cloth. “What young one’s that, Sallie? And whatever ails her?”
Jacqueline wept regardless. Sallie started to shake her, but changed her mind and patted her shoulder instead.
“Have you lost something?” asked Sallie.
“Have you got a stomach ache?” questioned Hannah, in the same breath.
“No, no!” sobbed Jacqueline.
“Did you get a licking?” pursued Sallie.