] If he did come back it'd only because he wanted to beat me up
or kill me, I suppose. But even if he did, I'd rather have him come
than not show up at all. I wouldn't care what he did.

CHRIS--Ay guess it's true you vas in love with him all right.

ANNA--You guess!

CHRIS--[Turning to her earnestly.] And Ay'm sorry for you like hell he
don't come, Anna!

ANNA--[Softened.] Seems to me you've changed your tune a lot.

CHRIS--Ay've been tanking, and Ay guess it vas all my fault--all bad
tangs dat happen to you. [Pleadingly.] You try for not hate me, Anna.
Ay'm crazy ole fool, dat's all.

ANNA--Who said I hated you?

CHRIS--Ay'm sorry for everytang Ay do wrong for you, Anna. Ay vant for
you be happy all rest of your life for make up! It make you happy marry
dat Irish fallar, Ay vant it, too.

ANNA--[Dully.]--Well, there ain't no chance. But I'm glad you think
different about it, anyway.

CHRIS--[Supplicatingly.] And you tank--maybe--you forgive me sometime?

ANNA--[With a wan smile.] I'll forgive you right now.

CHRIS--[Seizing her hand and kissing it--brokenly.] Anna lilla! Anna
lilla!

ANNA--[Touched but a bit embarrassed.] Don't bawl about it. There ain't
nothing to forgive, anyway. It ain't your fault, and it ain't mine, and
it ain't his neither. We're all poor nuts, and things happen, and we
yust get mixed in wrong, that's all.

CHRIS--[Eagerly.] You say right tang, Anna, py golly! It ain't nobody's
fault! [Shaking his fist.] It's dat ole davil, sea!

ANNA--[With an exasperated laugh.] Gee, won't you ever can that stuff?
[CHRIS relapses into injured silence. After a pause ANNA continues
curiously.] You said a minute ago you'd fixed something up--about me.
What was it?

CHRIS--[After a hesitating pause.] Ay'm shipping avay on sea again,
Anna.

ANNA--[Astounded.] You're--what?

CHRIS--Ay sign on steamer sail to-morrow. Ay gat my ole yob--bo'sun.
[ANNA stares at him. As he goes on, a bitter smile comes over her
face.] Ay tank dat's best tang for you. Ay only bring you bad luck, Ay
tank. Ay make your mo'der's life sorry. Ay don't vant make yours dat
way, but Ay do yust same. Dat ole davil, sea, she make me Yonah man
ain't no good for nobody. And Ay tank now it ain't no use fight with
sea. No man dat live going to beat her, py yingo!

ANNA--[With a laugh of helpless bitterness.] So that's how you've fixed
me, is it?

CHRIS--Yes, Ay tank if dat ole davil gat me back she leave you alone
den.

ANNA