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Show Nettie, Page 62 "But, . . . but . . . you haven't any hair." Nettie's first reaction was that he was teasing, but when she saw how serious Clarence was, she stopped in mid-sentence. Struggling against the rigidity in her arms she slowly but stiffly raised them to her head and felt unbelievingly in small tender touches the completely bald smooth scalp. "Mama, mama," Nettie called, whispering at first but raising her voice untillher desperation uas evident. "Mama, my hair! My hair is gone!" Nettie wept huge uncontrollable sobs. It was too much to cope with any more. Nettie had endured the pain, the fever, the knowledge of her paralysis, the long, lonely hours in bed while all about her was bustling activity that she longed to be a part of. All had been absorbed, but the horrible realization that she had been utterly humiliated with the loss of all her hair was the last straw. She poured out her frustration and fear and anguish in great, gulping sobs that racked her body and tore at Mama's heart. She tried her best to comfort the devastated child and Papa, too, C2ine to'console and comfort, to ease in some way this ultimate indignity. Exhausted, Nettie at last fell asleep. Mama fell into Papa's arms, near exhaustion herself. "What can we do for her, Margaret?" Papa cast about in his mind for an answer. Mama shook her head, too numb with the assault on her emotions to think clearly. "We've got to reach that fierce spirit of hers, that love of the |