sure that father wanted rain, I had enough. I went
down the creek until I was below the orchard, then I crossed, passed
the cowslip bed, climbed the hill and fence, and stopped to think what
I would do first; and there only a few feet away was Shelley. She was
sitting in the shade, her knees drawn up, her hands clasped around
them, staring straight before her across the meadow at nothing in
particular, that I could see. She jumped as if I had been a snake when
she saw me, then she said, "Oh, is it you?" like she was half glad of
it. My chance had come.

I went to her, sat close beside her and tried snuggling up a little.
It worked. She put her arm around me, drew me tight, rubbed her cheek
against my head and we sat there. I was wondering how in the world I
could ask her, and not get slapped. I was growing most too big for
that slapping business, anyway. We sat there; I was looking across the
meadow as she did, only I was watching everything that went on, so when
I saw a grosbeak fly from the wild grape where Shelley had put the
crock for sap, it made me think of her hair. She used to like to have
me play with it so well, she'd give me pennies if I did. I got up, and
began pulling out her pins carefully. I knew I was getting a start
because right away she put up her hand to help me.

"I can get them," I said just as flannel-mouthed as ever I could, like
all of us talked to her now, so I got every one and never pulled a
mite. When I reached over her shoulder to drop them in her lap, being
so close I kissed her cheek. Then I shook down her hair, spread it
out, lifted it, parted it, and held up strands to let the air on her
scalp. She shivered and said: "Mercy child, how good that does feel!
My head has ached lately until it's a wonder there's a hair left on it."

So I was pleasing her. I never did handle hair so carefully. I tried
every single thing it feels good to you to have done with your hair,
rubbed her head gently, and to cheer her up I told her about May and
the snake, and what fool Mehitabel had said, and she couldn't help
laughing; so I had her feeling about as good as she could, for the way
she actually felt, but still I didn't really get ahead. Come right to
the place to do it, that was no very easy question to ask a person,
when you wouldn't hurt their feelings for anything; I was beginning to
wonder if I would lose my chance, when all at once a way I could manage
popped into my mind.

"