BELLA.  Well, if I don’t—­

[Shutting her teeth, she unconsciously pulls GEORGIANA’S hair.

GEORGIANA.  Oh, oh!

BELLA.  Oh, I beg your pardon!

GEORGIANA.  Don’t take it out on me, wait till Mr. Gootch gets back!

BELLA. [Combing.] I don’t know as you’re the jealous kind.  Judging from your hair you ain’t.  It usually goes with blonde or red, or else crimpy, and what I dislike about red hair is the freckles—­you can almost count on ’em!  You’ve got sort of trusting hair.  But besides, Mr. Coleman wasn’t a floor walker in a shop with over a hundred lady clerks—­I think that’s apt to make a gentleman flightier; and he being bald, has me to a disadvantage, so to speak.  I can’t judge by my customary signs.

GEORGIANA. [Looking at COLEMAN’S photograph.] Bella, I should say
Lieutenant Coleman has splendid, straight, honest hair, shouldn’t you?

BELLA.  I can’t say as I’ve ever really had any experience of his hair, ma’am.

GEORGIANA.  But do you think him an awfully handsome man, Bella, or am I prejudiced?

BELLA.  No, indeed, I never seen a handsomer gentleman, not even in the pictures of gentlemen’s clothes in tailor store windows. [Puts comb down, and takes brush and brushes again.] But what continues to make me nervous about Mr. Gootch is that he’s right there among all those black creatures, whose manners is very free, I’m told, and whose style of dressing is peculiar, the least you say!  Mr. Gootch always did favor dark-complexioned people, and if that letter don’t come to-morrow—­

[Getting excited, she again pulls GEORGIANA’S hair.

GEORGIANA.  Ouch! [Laughing, holds up her hand, and catches her hair to ward off another pull.] Be careful!

BELLA.  Excuse me! in my art, there’s no use talking, you oughtn’t let your mind wander from the subject in hand—­does your head feel better?

GEORGIANA.  I don’t know, Bella, if it does or not!  Your treatment is very heroic.

BELLA. [Spraying her hair.] You don’t feel worried about something happening to them way out there, do you, Miss Georgiana?

GEORGIANA.  I daren’t think of it.  Oh, Bella, I’ve had lots of trouble to-day, and I’ve a serious time ahead of me—­but all the same I am such a happy woman. [Turning to look at BELLA, she disarranges her hair, much to BELLA’S disapproval.] Do you love Mr. Gootch tremendously, Bella?

BELLA.  Why, love isn’t the word! my feeling for Mr. Gootch is a positive worship.  When I get to thinking of him in the underground I always go by my station, sometimes two.

GEORGIANA.  Be grateful for your love, Bella; it’s a wonderful thing.

BELLA. [Finishing the dressing of the hair.] You know I’ve just done Mrs. Wishings, she puts too much on!

GEORGIANA.  Does she rouge?