l the girls and
men, when she saw them. But Rose was nothing just then to Melanctha.
Melanctha Herbert now only needed Jem Richards to be with her.

And things were always getting stronger between Jem Richards and
Melanctha Herbert. Jem Richards began to talk now as if he wanted to
get married to her. Jem was deep in his love now for her. And as for
Melanctha, Jem was all the world now to her. And so Jem gave her a
ring, like white folks, to show he was engaged to her, and would by
and by be married to her. And Melanctha was filled full with joy to
have Jem so good to her.

Melanctha always loved to go with Jem to the races. Jem had been lucky
lately with his betting, and he had a swell turn-out to drive in, and
Melanctha looked very handsome there beside him.

Melanctha was very proud to have Jem Richards want her. Melanctha
loved it the way Jem knew how to do it. Melanctha loved Jem and
loved that he should want her. She loved it too, that he wanted to be
married to her. Jem Richards was a straight decent man, whom other
men always looked up to and trusted. Melanctha needed badly a man to
content her.

Melanctha's joy made her foolish. Melanctha told everybody about how
Jem Richards, that swell man who owned all those fine horses and was
so game, nothing ever scared him, was engaged to be married to her,
and that was the ring he gave her.

Melanctha let out her joy very often to Rose Johnson. Melanctha had
begun again now to go there.

Melanctha's love for Jem made her foolish. Melanctha had to have some
one always now to talk to and so she went often to Rose Johnson.

Melanctha put all herself into Jem Richards. She was mad and foolish
in the joy she had there.

Rose never liked the way Melanctha did it. "No Sam I don't say never
Melanctha ain't engaged to Jem Richards the way she always says it,
and Jem he is all right for that kind of man he is, though he do think
himself so smart and like he owns the earth and everything he can get
with it, and he sure gave Melanctha a ring like he really meant he
should be married right soon with it, only Sam, I don't ever like it
the way Melanctha is going. When she is engaged to him Sam, she ain't
not right to take on so excited. That ain't no decent kind of a way a
girl ever should be acting. There ain't no kind of a man going stand
that, not like I knows men Sam, and I sure does know them. I knows
them white and I knows them colored, for I was raised by white folks,