“No, I wasn’t. I didn’t have anybody to go with. You didn’t go, either, did you?”
“Unh-hunh; I did.”
Em nodded her head, looking up the river to the great Falls, with dreamy, remembering eyes. “We had a splendid time, an’ the walk home along the river was just fine.”
“Well, I could of gone with you if I’d of knew you was goin’. Couldn’t I? Maw was reel well las’ night, too.”
She waited for a reply, but receiving none, repeated rather wistfully—“Couldn’t I?”
Em took her eyes with some reluctance away from the river and looked straight before her.
“Why, I guess,” she said, slowly and with slight condescension. “At least, I wouldn’t of cared if my comp’ny wouldn’t; an’ I guess”—with a beautiful burst of generosity—“he wouldn’t of minded much.”
“Oh,” said Zarelda, “you had comp’ny, did you?”
“W’y, of course. You didn’t s’pose I went up there all alone of myself, did you?”
“You an’ me ust to go alone places, without any fellow, I mean,” said Zarelda. A little color came slowly into her face. She felt vaguely hurt by the other’s tone. “I thought mebbe you went with some o’ the other girls.”