An’ they’ll b’lieve him, eh? His story’ll be better’n mine, eh? ELLY They’ll know it’s the truth. BUTCH I b’lieve you. ELLY Then why don’t you go—before the Shuruff comes?... BUTCH I ain’t goin’! ELLY You ain’t givin’ yerself up? Butch, you mustn’t! It’s wrong of me to say it. You’ve broke the laws, you’ve sold whiskey, you’ve killed a man—you’d oughta suffer fer it. But you mustn’t! You got to go—quick—they’s time! I’ll leave you grub ever’ day by the foot-log that’s been washed up by the Crick. I’ll keep a lookout. When it’s safe— BUTCH I ain’t goin’. I ain’t gonna give myself up, neither. I got a plan. (_Fiercely._) An’ if you try to bungle it, if you try t’ put yer nose in, or even open yer mouth, I’ll kill you, d’ you hear! You know I will, too! ELLY W’at’re you gonna do? BUTCH Put that gun back. Put it back, I say! (_She crosses reluctantly, and is putting the gun back in the bunk. The door is kicked open, viciously. Three men with pistols in their hands eye them from the high threshold. It is the_ SHERIFF _and his deputies_.) SHERIFF (_nervously_) Two of ’em. Keep yer eye on the womern, Plank. (_To_ BUTCH.) Put ’em up! (_The men come down into the room. The_ SHERIFF _is a florid-faced man, with a long mustache_.) Search him, Joe. (JOE _comes over, makes a quick search of_ BUTCH, _and finds nothing_.) No gun, eh? Make shore, Joe. We doan wanna take no chances. JOE They ain’t none, Shuruff. SHERIFF All right. Keep yer gun on him. (_To_ BUTCH.) Guess you know whut we want you fer, Adams. Yer name’s Adams, ain’t it? JOE _Butch_ Adams, Shuruff. SHERIFF You’ve killed a man. BUTCH I doan know whut you’re talkin’ about. Come bustin’ into my house this a-way. Whut right’ve you got? SHERIFF Dry up. BUTCH You got a warrant? SHERIFF Warrant, hell! BUTCH You got no right here. I oughta shoot you down. SHERIFF (_laughs shortly_) Shoot! Whut’ll you shoot with? Strikes me as funny you got no shootin’ iron on you an’ you jist murderin’ a man in cold blood— BUTCH I never! I doan know whut you’re talkin’ about— SHERIFF We won’t argy with you. BUTCH Show me yer warrant. SHERIFF They ain’t no warrant. BUTCH I’ll have the law on you. SHERIFF _I’m_ the law! Le’s go. ’S funny about you havin’ no gun—I doan understand it— PLANK (_suddenly—to_ ELLY) Stand whur you air. Git away from that bunk. Lemme see whut you’re a-doin’— (_He turns back the cover and finds the pistol._) So that’s whut you’re up to, eh? SHERIFF Whut is it, Plank? PLANK She uz reachin’ fer a gun. I thought they uz sump’n funny when we come in. She seemed t’ be a-bendin’ over like she uz huntin’ sump’n— SHERIFF (_taking the pistol_) So that’s it? (_To_ BUTCH.) Didn’t have time t’ git hold of it, did you? ’S lucky we kicked the door open— ELLY He didn’t do it. BUTCH I ain’t been outa the house— ELLY Don’t you take him! He ain’t done nuthin’! BUTCH I ain’t done nuthin’. (_Significantly._) If Jim Dory said my name— SHERIFF