The next morning she ran to saddle Miss Brown. To her astonishment, her friend was not in her box, nor in any stall in the stable; neither was any one visible of whom to ask what had become of her; for the first time in her life, everybody had got out of Barbara's way. In the harness-room, however, she came upon one of the stable-boys. He was in tears. When he saw her, he started and turned to run, looking as if he had had a piece of Miss Brown for breakfast, but she stopped him.
“Where is Miss Brown?” she said.
“Don' know, miss.”
“Who knows, then?”
“P'raps master, miss.”
“What are you crying for?”
“Don' know, miss.”
“That's not true. Boys don't cry without knowing why?”
“Well, miss, I ain't sure what I'm crying for.”
“Speak out, man! Don't be foolish.”