Miss Tracy read carefully:
Dear Charlie,—You do not need to come after me, as I am not coming back. I could not stand it—no girl could.
Yours truly,
Lil.
"Yes; that's great. So long as you ain't sore at him for no other reason, there ain't no use kickin' up. That just shows him where he stands. There ain't no use fightin'—just quit!"
Lilly slipped the bit of paper back into her blouse.
"I'll see you later," she said, with new determination.
"Now don't let me influence you. Make up your mind and do what you think is best. Then don't be a quitter—when I start a thing I always see it through. Give me a girl with backbone every time. I glory in your spunk!"
"Oh, I got the spunk, all right, Loo." They linked arms and went through the little bedroom into the parlor. At the door Miss Tracy lingered.
"Your flat's got the room beat by a long shot; but I always say it don't make no difference whether you live in a palace or a cottage, just so you're happy. Gimme one room and what I want, and you can have all your swell marble-entrance apartments. Ain't that right?"
"You've hit it, Loo. Take this here red parlor set—when me and Charley went down to pick it out I couldn't hardly wait till we got it up in the flat; and now just look! I can't look red plush in the face no more."
"That's the way of the world," said Loo. She sucked in her breath and cluck-clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.