"Remember what I told you. Don't you make too much love. Let Angie do
that."
"Gosh, that'll be the hardest rule of all for me!" A shadow clouded
Tracey's honest eyes. "But I got to do it that way, anyway. I can't
ask her to marry me yit. I can't afford to get married."
"It's a contrary world, Tracey, a contrary world!" sighed Nat in a tone
of deepest melancholy.
"What makes you say that? You kin git married's soon's you want to."
"You think so, Tracey?"
"All you got to do's ask Josie--"
"I'm almost afraid you're right."
"Why? Don't you want to git married?"
"Well"--Nat smiled--"no. Don't believe I do. Not just now, at any
rate."
"Well, you don't have to if you don't want to.... G'd-night."
"Yes, I do," Nat told Tracey's back. "The rules say so. If the girl
asks me, I must."
He grimaced ruefully beneath his wisp of a moustache. "Anyhow, I've got
a few months left...."