"Hello," she said, "it's a long time since I seen you. How are you, anyways?"
Carrie, though still a homely girl, wore a close-fitting coat that made the best of her figure. Her hat was wide and new and, as she answered, she turned from the light.
"Pretty well," she said, and paused short.
"I guess," said Mary, "you thought it was queer, my never comin' to see you; but I haven't had a single chance. I'll come soon, honest I will. How's Katie?"
"I don't know," Carrie slowly answered, "I'm not living with her any more."
"You ain't? Since when ain't you?"
"Oh, I don't know—a couple of weeks."
"You two didn't scrap?"
"No. I had to go away." And then, to divert the fire, Carrie added: "Are you still working at that place the Settlement-people got for you?"
"No, I left that long ago. Have you gone back to the shirtwaist-factory?"