The time flew till Sunday. I looked over my clothes and wished I had my gray suit and gray hat. I had saved my money but had not enough yet to buy them. I was apprehensive about meeting Julia. I could picture her coming into the drug store for me in a dashing big hat, rustling silk dress, expensive shoes, all powdered, perfumed, and painted as she was in Madam Singleton’s. And me with my pants too short, my coat sleeves way up my wrists, and my shirt open at the collar. I wanted to go, but at times my heart failed me, and when I went to bed the Saturday night before I was still undecided, hesitating. Sunday morning I got up early, determined to face the thing. I also settled another matter that had disturbed my mind of late. I got a shave. I walked around till I found an idle barber in his empty shop. He fixed me up with as much ceremony as if I had been an old customer. At ten I was at the drug store, and Julia was inside, waiting. I had to look twice to be sure of her. She wore a faded blue tailored suit, a wide-rimmed straw sailor hat with a ribbon, and a pair of worn but substantial shoes. No powder or paint, nothing to remind me of Madam Singleton’s. “Don’t pay any attention to my clothes.” She saw me looking at them. “These are the ones I had on when I went there. I have lots of others, but Miss Kate won’t let me wear them when I go out unless I am with her. I owe her so much money she is afraid I’ll run away. All the girls owe her. They are always in debt to her; that’s the way she keeps them there.” We hunted up a livery stable near by. A big, good-natured fat man was in charge, and we told him we wanted some gentle saddle horses. He looked at Julia. She had a cocky air, and acted more like a boy than a girl. “Do you want to ride straddle-legged, gal? If you do, I’ve got some of them bloomer things.” Julia did not blush or stammer. “No, I don’t want to ride straddle. What do you think I am anyway?” She was angry. “You get me a riding habit and a side saddle and mind your own business.” He went after the horses. “We’ll go down to the river, get the ferry, and go over into the woods. I hope we find some place to eat over there. I am hungry already,” she said. I had been too occupied to think of breakfast and was hungry, too, and suggested that we go across the street and get a bite. When we came back the horses were ready. The fat man boosted Julia up into her saddle, and we dashed off like Indians. Our way to the river led past Miss Kate’s. When we were in front of it Julia pulled up her horse, and we stopped. “They are all dead to the world in there except Jo, the colored girl. They won’t get up till four this afternoon. God, what a place! How I hate to go back there!”