Free Place Called Estherville by Erskine Caldwell

should think they’d eat much better than that. But, there are wealthy people who just hate to part with a dollar or two for the better things of life. I always did think Norma counted pennies too closely. A little more money spent wisely on her clothes would improve her appearance, too. There are times when she looks downright dowdy.” She drank some of the coffee and pushed the cup aside. “What’s her bed linen like, Kathyanne? Does she have nice percale sheets, or are they just ordinary muslin? Are her blankets all-wool, or are they rayon and cotton?”
    Kathyanne said carefully, “I never noticed, Miss Madgie.”
    “Then what silver does she use when she doesn’t have company? Is it plated or is it just common tinware? I’ve often wondered about that. Norma’s fastidious in some respects, but in others—”
    “Her silverware is just like yours, Miss Madgie.”
    Madgie was growing increasingly irritated by Kathyanne’s evasive replies, but she was trying her best to conceal it. “Well,” she said, making one more attempt, “I’ve heard it said that Norma makes her husband wear his shirts two or three days at a time so they won’t have to be laundered so often. And he’s vice president of the bank, too, even if she did pick him up in some grocery store, where he was a common clerk, and put him where he is today. Of course, I don’t know if it’s just talk about her saving money that way on laundry. But it does sound a lot like Norma Swayne. Is it true, Kathyanne?”
    “I don’t know, Miss Madgie.”
    Madgie was provoked. Her lips hardened into a narrow taut line across her face. She looked at Kathyanne with a harsh, angry expression.
    “Now, tell me the truth, Kathyanne,” she said in a demanding tone. “Did you leave Mrs. Swayne of your own free will, or did she discharge you? What was the real reason?”
    “I left because I wanted to.”
    “You are very aggravating, Kathyanne. I’m sure there must have been some other reason. I don’t believe you. You told me you worked for her for only six or seven months, and in the past her maids have always stayed with her two or three years or longer. Now, tell me the truth!”
    “It was just as I said, Miss Madgie. I wanted to leave.”
    “I could call her on the phone, you know, and I’m sure she’d tell me. We’ve always been very close friends.”
    “I don’t mind if you call her, Miss Madgie.”
    “But why did you want to leave, Kathyanne?” she asked persistently.
    “I decided it would be better if I worked somewhere else.”
    “So that’s it!” she said with a triumphant smile. “It was a personal reason, wasn’t it? It had nothing to do with your work, or with Norma’s treatment of you, did it? It might have happened in any household in town—isn’t that what you mean, Kathyanne?”
    “I suppose so,” she admitted.
    Madgie smiled engagingly as though to give the impression that she knew exactly what had happened, and that it would be useless for Kathyanne to try to hide anything from her after that.
    “I can readily see that under certain circumstances trouble could easily develop in a household where you worked.” She looked Kathyanne up and down with an appraising glance. “A girl your age, who’s gifted with a certain type of female charm, and with your coloring and figure, would no doubt appeal to some men—those who aren’t particular enough about such things as racial equality. The country is probably full of men with so little character—there are such men in the world, aren’t there, Kathyanne—white men I mean? Of course, you’d know all about it, wouldn’t you, Kathyanne?”
    Kathyanne made no reply, but Madgie took it for granted that Kathyanne would admit it.
    “You’ve had such experiences, of course—right here in town, haven’t you, Kathyanne?”
    Kathyanne remained silent. She was wondering, however, if Norma had suspected the reason for her leaving and had said something about it to Madgie. She