maining for dinner. She seemed loath to leave Dot alone, and Dot said nothing to discourage her staying. For Edna was not Maude, and it was nice to have company.
"I left Floyd with Mrs. Turner," said Edna. "She'll feed him and let him play with her kids."
Dot looked thoughtfully out the window. "You know," she said, "I'd like to go for a little walk."
Edna was dismayed. "Oh, Dot, in this heat?"
"But, Edna, I haven't looked in any store windows or nothing for ages, and I feel so good in comparison to what I felt yesterday."
They locked the little apartment, and Dot began the arduous descent of the stairs. She still wore her cape, and beneath it a black crêpe dress which Edna had given her. She felt happy at being out in the street again, although the pavements steamed and the sun shone with cruel persistence.
They walked the half block to Dyckman Street. "Let's walk straight up to Broadway, then around Two Hundred and Seventh, and then back home," Dot suggested.
"You don't want to overdo it," said Edna.
Dot had her walk. She shopped for dinner things and telephoned Eddie not to make his usual purchases at the grocer's.
"What are you doing out?" he asked.
"Edna's with me. I feel fine."
Edna elected to prepare dinner. There were lamb chops, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, lettuce and tomato salad, jelly roll, and iced tea.
Dot ate a meal that would have satisfied two men. Edna had taken pains to have everything look dainty and appetizing. Eddie ate a meal that satisfied one man very thoroughly, and he thanked Edna for her trouble by not saying anything unpleasant to her.
Edna and Eddie cleared up the dishes. Dot sat on the
