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You ought to know that.”
    â€œI’m going to see his wife.”
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œBusiness,” she said.
    â€œWhat business?”
    â€œMy business,” she said.
    â€œYou bringing money?”
    â€œI don’t have to tell you.”
    â€œYou are bringing money. I see it in your pockets,” said Kicker. “You better get out of here.”
    â€œDo you own this end of town?”
    â€œThere’s something I could tell you about it. Listen. There’s a gang here. If they think you’ve got money, they’ll get it away from you.”
    â€œI was here yesterday. I didn’t see any gang.”
    â€œYou were lucky.”
    â€œGet out of my way,” she said. “I’m going to Al’s.”
    â€œAll right.” He stepped aside. “Go on, you fool.”
    She went past him.
    â€œBut if you’re going to be a fool,” he said, “I’m going with you.”
    He walked behind her all the way to Al’s house. She knocked at the door. No one answered.
    She turned back toward home.
    Still Kicker walked behind her. He followed her to the railroad tracks.
    â€œYou were lucky again,” he said. “But don’t you ever come down here with money any more.”
    She walked on alone. She was thinking. Kicker was ugly. He was mean. She’d hated him for trying to bully her.
    And now she didn’t hate him. Because maybe there had been danger and he’d been trying to help her. Maybe she had been a fool because she hadn’t listened.

A Letter
----
    That night she and Aunt Claudia went to the hospital. They found Al in a room with two other men. He was sleeping.
    His wife was sitting by the bed.
    â€œI went to your house today,” Sarah Ida told her.
    â€œI wasn’t home,” said Doris. “I’ve been here with Al.”
    â€œHow is he?” asked Aunt Claudia.
    â€œBetter,” said Doris. “At first they thought he was—you know—hurt inside. But they found out he wasn’t. They think he can go home tomorrow.”
    Al woke up. He saw Aunt Claudia first. “Miss Becker!” he said. “I couldn’t believe it was you.”
    She shook his hand.
    Sarah Ida went to the bed.
    â€œI guess I’ll talk to you,” he said, “even if you didn’t do what I told you.”
    â€œWhat was it I didn’t do?”
    â€œThe other day I told you to lock up and go home,” he said. “You didn’t do it.”
    â€œAren’t you glad I didn’t? Look.” She began to take money out of her pockets and spread it out on the bed.
    He picked up some of the money. He turned it over in his hand. “Where did you get this?”
    â€œCustomers.”
    â€œYou didn’t ask for this, did you?”
    â€œI didn’t ask for anything,” she said.
    â€œThey like you, Al,” said his wife.
    â€œBut it’s not mine,” he said. “Some of it goes to Sarah Ida.”
    â€œNo,” she said.
    â€œWe’ll see about it,” he said. “When I’m back on my feet, we’ll see about it.”
    â€œWhen will you be back on your feet?” asked Aunt Claudia.
    â€œWell, I got a bad place here.” He put a hand to his ribs. “But I’ll be back at work sooner than you think.”
    Al was back at work in a week. He and Sarah Ida were working side by side again. Old friends and customers were stopping to talk.
    â€œWe didn’t get much done,” Sarah Ida said to Aunt Claudia that evening. “It was like a party. Everybody was glad to see Al.”
    â€œHow is he?” asked Aunt Claudia.
    â€œNot quite as quick as he was,” said Sarah Ida. “I know his side hurts sometimes. But he’s all right, with me to help him.”
    They had finished dinner and were sitting at the table. Sarah Ida looked at the clock. “Rossi is coming over. Shall we do the dishes now, before she