it." "I certainly ain't got no time this evening just only left to
thank you. I certainly got to be real busy now, but I certainly
always will admire to see you." The man tried to catch and stop her,
Melanctha Herbert laughed and dodged so that he could not touch her.
Melanctha went quickly down a side street near her and so the man for
that time lost her.

For some days Melanctha did not see any more of her mulatto. One day
Melanctha was with a white man and they saw him. The white man stopped
to speak to him. Afterwards Melanctha left the white man and she then
soon met him. Melanctha stopped to talk to him. Melanctha Herbert soon
began to like him.

Jem Richards, the new man Melanctha had begun to know now, was a
dashing kind of fellow, who had to do with fine horses and with
racing. Sometimes Jem Richards would be betting and would be good and
lucky, and be making lots of money. Sometimes Jem would be betting
badly, and then he would not be having any money.

Jem Richards was a straight man. Jem Richards always knew that by and
by he would win again and pay it, and so Jem mostly did win again, and
then he always paid it.

Jem Richards was a man other men always trusted. Men gave him money
when he lost all his, for they all knew Jem Richards would win again,
and when he did win they knew, and they were right, that he would pay
it.

Melanctha Herbert all her life had always loved to be with horses.
Melanctha liked it that Jem knew all about fine horses. He was a
reckless man was Jem Richards. He knew how to win out, and always all
her life, Melanctha Herbert loved successful power.

Melanctha Herbert always liked Jem Richards better. Things soon began
to be very strong between them.

Jem was more game even than Melanctha. Jem always had known what
it was to have real wisdom. Jem had always all his life been
understanding.

Jem Richards made Melanctha Herbert come fast with him. He never gave
her any time with waiting. Soon Melanctha always had Jem with her.
Melanctha did not want anything better. Now in Jem Richards, Melanctha
found everything she had ever needed to content her.

Melanctha was now less and less with Rose Johnson. Rose did not think
much of the way Melanctha now was going. Jem Richards was all right,
only Melanctha never had no sense of the right kind of way she should
be doing. Rose often was telling Sam now, she did not like the fast
way Melanctha was going. Rose told it to Sam, and to al