Miss Susan put down the lid-lifter and turned to Henrietta.
“Gone? Run off, you mean? Well, a nice kettle of fish him and you are, I must say, you and your fine husband, lyin' and fightin' with Carter Bruce all over my front yard, and makin' love to Gay and Johnnie! I never heard of such go-ings-on in all my born days. What'd that worthless husband of yours run of! for?”
“It was him stole my money, was n't it?” she said.
“Then he's good riddance, and that's all I've got to say about that,” said Susan. “And the farther that worthless Lem goes and the longer he stays, the better I 'll like it. When you going?”
“Now. Any time. Whenever you wish,” said Henrietta.
“You can't go too soon to suit me,” said Miss Susan. “I've had enough and a plenty of the whole lot of you. If you want to get yourself some breakfast you can, and if you don't want to, you need n't, but I hope I won't see you around too long. I've got to get your room ready for the next boarder that comes, and I'd like to have it empty by noon.”
Henrietta hesitated, but only for a moment. “Of course I'll go if you want me to go, Miss Susan,” she said cheerfully. “You've been very kind and patient with me. I just want to thank you for that. I 'll never forget that. I _will_ have breakfast before I go. I'm ravenous this morning.”
She found the coffee-pot on the back of the stove, and Miss Susan grudgingly opened the oven door and let Henrietta see where her breakfast had been kept warm. Henrietta carried it to the dining-room. She was eating when Johnnie Alberson came in and took a seat opposite her.
“You! Going away! Where? What for?” he asked.
“Miss Susan needs my room; she expects another boarder.”
“But, hold on! You don't mean it, do you? Where are you going?”
“I don't know--yet. Away from Riverbank, I suppose. I have n't had time to think yet. She just told me.”
“But, look here!” he said. “You mean she is sending you away?”
“It does, does it?” said Alberson, and he was out of his chair and on his way to the kitchen, and did not wait, although she called, “Johnnie, wait!” after him.
Henrietta ate her breakfast slowly. She could hear Johnnie's briskly cheerful tone and Miss Susan's voice--at first hard and obstinate, and then yielding. Johnnie came back into the din-ing-room and sat opposite Henrietta again.