“That’s a long ways from here,” he said, handing the scrap of paper back to her. “Why don’t you take the subway? At this time of night there’s a train every quarter of an hour.”
“I ain’t got no bones. I’m footin’ it.”
“Footin’ it all the way to Red Point? You? Gee!”
Once more Letty felt that about her there was something which put her out of the key of her adventure.
“Well, what’s there against me footin’ it?”
“There’s nothin’ against you footin’ it—on’y you don’t seem that sort. Haven’t you got as much as two bits? It wouldn’t come to that if you took the subway over here at––”
“Well, I haven’t got two bits; nor one bit; nor nothin’ at all; so I guess I’ll be lightin’ out.”
She had nodded and passed, when a stride of his long legs brought him up to her again. “Well, see here, sister! If you haven’t got two bits, take this. I can’t have you trampin’ all the way over to Red Point—not you!”
Before knowing what had happened Letty found her hand closing over a silver half-dollar, while her benefactor, as if ashamed of his act, was off again on his beat. She ran after him. Her excitement was such that she forgot the secondary language.