“Lem has run away,” Henrietta said without preliminaries.
“And good riddance. Hope I never set eyes on him again, the mean thief! Him and his pa, indeed! Robbin' and cheatin'!”
“No, Lem's not a thief. Here is the money you missed.”
Miss Susan looked at the bills.
“What's that money? I got mine off of him. He did n't go and steal it over again? You don't mean to tell me that young—”
“No. It wasn't your money you found on him. That was money his father gave him—to run away with, I suppose. He did not take your money at all. Miss Susan, Freeman has gone.”
Miss Susan put down the lid-lifter and turned to Henrietta.
“Gone? Run off, you mean? Well, a nice kettle of fish him and you are, I must say, you and your fine husband, lyin' and fightin' with Carter Bruce all over my front yard, and makin' love to Gay and Johnnie! I never heard of such go-ings-on in all my born days. What'd that worthless husband of yours run of! for?”
She looked at Henrietta keenly.
“It was him stole my money, was n't it?” she said.