I lived an independent life in the clubhouse. Miles, noting that I was an orphan, had taken upon himself the role of guardian. When I lived with him he was insufferably bossy.

“A woman has got no business living by herself,” he said when I told him I was moving.

“Half the people in that clubhouse is unmarried women.”

“They’re old women. Spinster schoolteachers and such. A young woman is different. I know how these miners are.”

“Do you, Miles?” I smiled sweetly. “How are they?”

He turned red. “You know what I mean.”

“No. Tell me.”

“Durn it, Carrie—”

“Now you look here. I am a nurse. I seen more naked men than you got working in that mine. I give em baths. I been on my own for three year of school, nobody telling me what to do. I lived in Justice town where they’s bars and whores. Just what do you think you’re protecting me from?”

“Well—”

“I dont like rattling around in this house. Hit’s big enough for all of Scary Creek to live in. You want somebody in here with you, git married and have a passel of younguns. But I want me a place of my own.”

“What if I say no?”

“Then I’ll go somewheres else. They’s a need for nurses anywhere I choose to go. I might go to New Orleans or New York. Or Paris, France or Peking, China. You dont know where I might run off to.”

There was nothing he could say to that, and I got my two rooms on the back corner of the second floor beside the fire escape. They had high ceilings, long narrow windows, rich oak floors and walls of gray wainscoting. I hung green and blue curtains, bought a green bedspread and blue rugs. I also purchased a gray metal electric lamp from the company store, and painted pink flowers around the base. These were the first things I had bought with my own money, and I was very proud.

Still I ate supper with Miles, and sometimes stayed the night. It was a comfort, from time to time, to sleep under the same roof as kinfolks. Miles was usually pleasant company. He was happy with his work, but lonesome. He had been in love at Berea, but never heard from the girl after he graduated. Clary Leach, back on Scary Creek, was out of the question, he said.

“They aint nothing wrong with Clary,” I said.

“Aw, what would she do with a big house like this?”

“Same as you do. Look silly.”

“Come on, Carrie. She’s not educated.”

“That dont mean she’s stupid. If you’re gitting uppity, go on up to Boston and marry one of your old rich boss’s daughters.”

“You know what? I’ve been thinking of going to that Episcopal church in Justice. Those are good people to socialize with.”