gs
anything about father--except the "Old man's drunk again," or
somethin' like that.

DAVE. Your move, Lizbeth.

LIZBETH. [_Petulantly._] Don't I know it?

SAM. Move there.

DAVE. Hold on, I can't beat both of you.

LIZBETH. Don't tell me, Sam. I'd a moved there anyway. Come on, Dave.

KATE. [_Solus._] A whole hour longer; I cannot wait.

MRS. VERNON. What's fretting you, Kate?

KATE. Everything.

MRS. VERNON. [_Indicates the melodeon._] Play something.

KATE. I can't play on that melodeon, mother.

MRS. VERNON. Poor old melodeon! for all the music we git out of
it--might as well be a folding bed.

ESROM. [_Appearing at window._] I knowed they oughtn't be any clinker
in that coke.

JOE. [_From his paper._] That's all right, Esrom.

ESROM. Don't want no mo' coke, Mistah?

JOE. No, no, no!

ESROM _hands_ KATE _a letter._

ESROM. [_Whispering._] He--he wants an answer.

DAVE. Hold on!

LIZBETH. Well, it's a king!

DAVE. Yes--but I move first.

_A knock at street door._

JOE. Come in.

_Enter_ JIM.

MRS. VERNON. Good-evenin'.

JOE. [_Not turning._] Who is it?

JIM. You're all here, are you?

JOE. [_Rising._] Hello, Jim.

JIM. [_To_ JOE.] Hello. [EM'LY _goes to him; he puts his arm about
her._] How long you been here?

EM'LY. All day.

JIM. What?

JOE _goes to the shelf at back and fills his pipe._

EM'LY. So's Sam.

SAM. Mrs. Vernon made us stay to dinner. Then _supper_.

JOE. Sam didn't feel like seeing the town folks.

JIM. Why?

SAM. Well, I didn't know how they'd feel about it.

JIM. What, think you did do it?

SAM. I didn't know.

JIM. That's just the reason; why, if you hang back, what can they do?

MRS. VERNON. [_Explaining._] Well, Em'ly was here.

JIM. I know, but Sam ought to have spunk to face 'em. It's got to come
and you might as well know where your friends are.

JOE. That's so.

SAM. [_Starting to door._] Well, I reckon most of 'em's up at the
drug-store.

JIM. [_Emphatically._] Walk right in amongst 'em.

SAM. Dog gone it! I ain't ashamed, but if they hint anything I'd feel
like smashing 'em--huh!

JIM. You got to.

SAM. All right. [_Exit._

JIM. Don't let me stop the game.

LIZBETH. Dave thinks all night.

EM'LY. [_To_ JIM, _putting him around._] Where have you been?

JIM. St. Louis. Been to see the railroad people. Say, Joe!

JOE. Yes?

JIM. Sam's got the express people scared.

JOE. How's that?

JIM. Hearin' I was his friend