human
But you haven't distracted my mind, said Joan judicially,
gpt
How you do go on, Joan! It makes it look better for a lone woman to be livin' by herself if she's called 'Mrs.' Men ain't so apt to get fresh with her.
human
No? murmured Joan. She gazed at Ellen's gaunt unloveliness with twinkling eyes.
gpt
Don't tell me men have been getting fresh with you, Nellen!
human
They have not, and they better not try it.
gpt
Don't you think it's rather a risk darning their socks, then? murmured the girl wickedly.
human
It might give them false ideas.
gpt
I only do it for one of 'em, and he pays me good. Anything's proper so long as you get paid for it.
human
Why, Mrs. Neal, Mrs. Neal, you shock me! What a perilous idea!
gpt
You're awful smart, guyin' me, but I'd be ashamed to think the kind of thoughts you're thinkin' now, said Ellen Neal, unsmiling.
human
And you a spinster yourself! Thoughts are as bad as deeds, any day--worse, 'cause they come easier. That's one thing I've noticed about you lately, Joan. You seem to know about things that ain't ladylike, somehow. Something's happened to you, child. You ain't the nice little girl you used to be.
gpt
No, admitted Joan,
human
I'm not. And the world's not the nice little world it used to be, either. She went over and laid her head on her friend's bony shoulder.
gpt
Don't scold me to-day, dear. You're right, but--Oh, Nellen, father's lost our money! And there's nothing in the world I can call my own. Just absolutely nothing!
human
So, said the old woman.
gpt
You've found out, at last, have you? I've wondered how long it would take. And now what you goin' to do about it? she demanded suddenly.
human
Are you goin' to law?
gpt
You know what Mother would say to that.
human
I suppose she wouldn't hear to it. It was a curious fact that when these two spoke of Mary Darcy, they always spoke as if she were still alive, and near them.
gpt
Anyway, you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip--though I must say I'd like to see _somethin'_ squeezed out of them kind of turnips, if it's only insides! she added quite blood-thirstily.
human
Oh deary me, deary me! How often I've begged your ma to sneak what there was left out of his reach and put it away where I keep mine.
gpt
Where's that, Nellen?
human
In an old stockin'-fut under my bedtick, where you can bet no man on earth ever laid eyes on it, or ever will!
gpt
Land sakes, my cinnamon-rolls! And I'd promised that boy to save him some for breakfast.
human
Breakfast? exclaimed Joan, glad enough of a diversion from discussing her undiscussable father.
gpt
You mean to tell me you're not only keeping your young man darned, but breakfasted? Nellen, I'm positively jealous!
human
You wouldn't be if you could see him eat, said the other seriously.
gpt
Acts like he ain't had enough food to fill him sence he was born. He was gettin' all his meals out to a restaurant before I come, a place he calls 'The Sign of the Dirty Spoon.' Jokin', I suppose--he's a great one for jokes. But he looked so skinny, and was always takin' something for dyspepsy, so I told him I'd give him a good breakfast anyway, just to start the day on. Say, Joan, you ought to see him put it away! He says once, 'I 'spose this is what you call home-cookin', ain't it?' 'Land, sakes,' says I, 'don't you know home-cookin' when you see it?' 'I ain't never seen it before!' he says, laughing.