imms right, walking fast, Bible under
his arm, almost collides with Mrs. Jones. She nods and smiles and
exits.)

ELDER SIMMS
How you do, Sister Taylor, Sister Thomas.

BOTH
Good evenin', Elder

SIMMS
Sho is a hot day

SISTER TAYLOR
Yeah, de bear is walkin' de earth lak a natural man.

SISTER THOMAS
Reverend, look like you headed de wrong way. It's almost time for de
trial and youse all de dependence we got.

ELDER SIMMS
I know it. I'm trying to find de Marshall so we kin go after Jim. I
wants a chance to talk wid him a minute before court sits.

SISTER TAYLOR
Y'think he'll come clear?

ELDER SIMMS
(proudly) I _know_ it! (shakes the Bible) I'm going to law 'em from
Genesis to Revelation.

SISTER THOMAS
Give it to 'em, Elder. Wear 'em out!

ELDER SIMMS
We'se liable to have a new Mayor when all dis dust settle. Well, I
better scuffle on down de road.

(Exit Sims left)

SISTER THOMAS
Lord, lemme gwan home and put dese greens on. (looks off stage left)
Here come Mayor Clark now, wid his belly settin' out in front of him
like a cow-catcher. His name oughter be Mayor Belly.

SISTER TAYLOR
(akimbo) Jus' look at him! Trying to look like a jigadier Breneral.

(Enter Clarke hot and perspiring. They look at him coldly.)

CLARKE
I God, de bear got me! (silence for a moment) How y'all feelin'
ladies?

SISTER TAYLOR
Brother Mayor, I ain't one of these folks dat bite my tongue and bust
my gall--Whuts inside got to come out! I can't see to my rest why you
cloakin' in wid dese Baptist buzzards ginst yo' own Church.

MAYOR CLARKE
I ain't cloakin' in wid _none_. I'm de Mayor of dis whole town.
I stands for de right and against de wrong. I don't keer who it kill
or cure.

SISTER THOMAS
You think it's right to be runnin' dat boy off for nothin?

MAYOR CLARKE
I God! You call knockin' a man in de head wid a mule bone nothin'?
'Nother thing--I done missed nine of my best-layin' hens. I ain't
sayin' Jim got 'em--but different people has told me he buries a
powerful lot of feathers in his back yard. I God, I'm a ruint man! (He
starts towards the right exit, but Lum Rogers enters right.) I God,
Lum, I been lookin' for you all day. It's almost three o'clock. (hands
him a key from his ring) Take dis key and go fetch Jim Weston on to de
church.

LUM
Have you got yo' gavel from de lodge-room?

CLARKE
I God, that's right, Lum. I'll go get it from de lodge room whilst you
go git de bone an' de prisoner. Hurry