More small gravel. Then a face appeared at the window—Manila’s face. And Manila’s pale eyes looked out, and roved inquiringly. But only for a moment. She had something in her hands—a pair of scissors; also some paper. She was busy with these.
Phœbe felt disappointment. Manila was not living up to expectations, to the possibilities of the drama. She should have come flinging against the glass, glad and thankful of a rescuer. Her face should have been very wan, and tear-stained. Her hair should have been free about her shoulders. There should have been a long purple welt across one poor, pitiful cheek.
Instead, Manila’s hair was braided, but very mussy. It stood up around her forehead like a fiery fringe. Phœbe was reminded of savage girls that she had seen at the showing of the Roosevelt South American pictures.
“St! St!” she hissed. She stood up, but stooped. She was determined that she, at least, would do her share toward carrying out the whole thing properly, to make it like a real picture.
Manila saw her, and hoisted the window. “Hullo,” she greeted, with one eye on the work in her hands. “What’re you doin’ out there?”
“Manila Botts,” cried Phœbe, crossly, “I have come to save you!”
Manila, hanging upon the window-sill, thrust out her under lip rebelliously. “But I’m cutting paper dolls,” she protested.
“Manila Botts!” scolded Phœbe, with a stamp of her foot. “Uncle Bob means to take you away from your step-mother, and I’ve come to get you. Now, are you going to act like this?”
Patiently Manila dropped scissors and paper. Then she disposed herself sidewise, face down, upon the sill, let one leg drop over it leisurely, next, another, and slipped quietly to the ground. A moment later Phœbe drew her through a gap in the fence.
Manila seemed not only indifferent, but even reluctant, about being rescued. As for gratitude, there was not a trace of it. As the two made off together along the tradesmen’s dirt road that ran behind the row of houses, she pointed out now one thing, and now another, in a way that made Phœbe more irritated than ever.