And all Martha said was, "I'll let you know next time before I come, mammie."
Emily felt encouraged about Martha in those days. About Johnnie she grew less and less certain as the spring came on.
Once she had to say to him: "Johnnie, I want to ask you something. I want you to tell me what your plans are. What are you going to do?"
He was walking about her living room gloomily, with his hands in his pockets. He stopped and looked at her. She liked him, and she saw she had hurt him deeply.
"You getting sore at me, too?" he asked.
"No," she said, "but you are going to work sometime, of course?"
"I'm working now," he said. He stopped in front of her. He stroked his hair nervously. "I'm trying to persuade Martha to marry me!" he said, bluntly.
"Oh, Johnnie!" she exclaimed.
"You mean she won't?" he asked.
"Johnnie, no! I don't think she will. I don't think Martha'll marry—young. It doesn't seem to me—that it's likely."