“Yeah?” says Ruth, calmly.
“Yep. See? Well, are you gonna be nice?”
She compresses her lips. “You bet I’m gonna be nice, big boy. Come on, Rosie,” and she opens the door of the car and steps out to the road. Rose hesitates, looking inquiringly at Bill. She reaches tentatively for the door-catch.
Ruthie stamps her foot. “Come ON, Rosie. You ain’t got any sense at all.”
Rose hesitates no longer, but steps hastily out of her seat.
“Wait a minute,” you call together, as your respective maidens start down the road toward town.
“We were only kidding,” says Bill. “Come on back.”
“All right,” assents Rosie, joyfully and with obvious relief, and she climbs back to her place. Ruth follows more slowly. Nor does she deign to look at you until you are back in the city street where you met.
“Now where?” calls Bill. “Want some chop suey?”
“We want to get out just where we got in,” she answers with chilly sweetness. As the car stops—“Come on, Rosie,” she says. And as Rose trots faithfully after her, with only one wistful backward glance——