had that everyone would be suspicious. Here comes our missing Cleo!"
"Well, how are you all today?" Cleo greeted them jauntily, resplendent in Lucy's emerald cloche, beige fox-edged coat and beige sequined dress.
"I'm fine, and Cleo—I don't know how to thank you for the other night," Vida said, remembering Cleo's grey-green face fading in and out of her vision during her agony.
"You're five hours late and what are you all dressed up for?" Lucy said sternly.
"My boy friend's goin' to call for me at five. You shoulda seen me las' night at the Savoy. Boy! I had the shortest skirts there."
"I thought you were going to let out the seams of that dress—it's too tight on you," Lucy said critically of the taut seams.
"I like a dress to fit good and snug so you can see what's good underneath," Cleo retorted, and wiggled herself out of the bedroom.
"Cleo March in her green hat in search of purity," Vida said, laughing for the first time in days.
Lucy giggled. "That's mean."
"You gave her that outfit because of me," Vida said, upset by this added generosity.
"Oh well, she'd have got it eventually, and she was a big help. I'll be glad to get to Master's tomorrow. I haven't practiced all week. I must plan too what I'm going to do. This is the first time I've been without a job since I came to New York, I feel more scared now than I did then. It's an awful feeling. It's lucky I still have some money. I learned a lot working for the recital and I'm glad I did it, but to tell you the truth, I'm sure now that I never could stand traveling around giving concerts with Ranna. Even if they were a big success I'd never feel settled."
She went to the open window and leaned into the tantalizing spring air. Turning her head she looked down the crosstown chasm divided by sun and shade. It was almost four but the days were growing longer which was good because then the nights were shorter. Settled was an odd word to have used, she thought with a jolt. Did it mean she was getting to be like Mother and that the fortuneteller was right? Never never never! What she meant was that to be with Ranna was to be alone. Or it was as though one had learned what he had to teach and was ready to pass to the next grade. Even so it might have worked out if he were a man on his
