ou, Dave--ask that old man in there if he'll have
a glass.

DAVE. Yes'm. [_Exit to shop._

MRS. VERNON. We'll clear the place right up, Kate--don't feel bad
about it.

KATE. You needn't, mother--if Mr. Travers calls, we can go walking.
[_Goes to door._

MRS. VERNON. No, Kate, and I say it only fur your sake--I wouldn't
have the people of Bowling Green see you trapsing the streets at night
with a man you ain't knowed but a month, fur nothin'.

_Enter_ JOE VERNON. JOE _is a six-footer, with full beard. He wears a
leather apron and has his sleeves rolled up._

JOE. Dave says, ma, that--

MRS. VERNON. Yes, here it is. [_Hands glass of beer._] Nearly dead,
Joe?

JOE. [_Smiling._] Oh, no--but I kin stand this.

KATE. Is there any objection to our spending the evening at Mrs.
Woods?

MRS. VERNON. Now, what's the attraction there?

KATE. She has a piano.

MRS. VERNON. Yes, with two teeth broke out of it. Why don't you ever
play on the melodeon? [_Pointing to it._

JOE. Yes, after Jim givin' it to you.

MRS. VERNON. [_Clearing up the ironing._] I wouldn't treat a dog the
way you treat Jim Radburn, Kate.

KATE silent at doorway.

JOE. [_At the wash-basin on the bench at back wall._] Ma, where's the
soap?

MRS. VERNON. I must a-left it in the dish-pan.

JOE _gets it and begins washing in tin basin._

JOE. [_Calling through sputter._] Dave!

DAVE. [_Off._] Yes, sir.

JOE. [_At door of shop._] Might as well shut up.

DAVE. All right.

BOLLINGER. [_Outside to the left._] Good-evening, Katie.

KATE. Good-evening, Colonel.

BOLLINGER. Rain seems to let up. Where's pa? [_Appears window._

JOE. [_Looking up from the basin._] Hello, Tom.

BOLLINGER. Evening, Joe--Mrs. Vernon--Hello, Lizbeth.

LIZBETH. [_Again in the rocker._] Hello, Colonel.

BOLLINGER. Jis' through?

JOE. Been puttin' in a little overtime.

BOLLINGER. Reckon you'll have another job.

JOE. How's that?

BOLLINGER. Louisiana stage bust a tire on the near fore-wheel
to-night.

JOE. That's so? Look out--jus' a minute. [BOLLINGER _steps aside;_ JOE
_throws water out of the window._] There, ma--don't say I lost it now.
[_Throws soap back into dish-pan._] How'd she come to do that?

BOLLINGER. Too big a load, I guess--then the rain's cut up the road
so, and she were stuck in a rut, an' all of 'em pryin' at her with
fence-rails.

JOE. Somethin' had to come.

BOLLINGER. Ye-ep.

MRS. VERNON. [_Sits at table and fans._] Won't yo