ELLY (_goes away from him. Bitterly._...) You’re lower’n I thought you wuz. I never thought t’ be livin’ with a murderer. (_He comes toward her._) Oh, I ain’t so good. I know. You don’t have t’ tell me. But I never thought t’ come t’ this. I thought I knowed w’at I uz gettin’ into when I went away with you. I knowed you uz a bootlegger. I didn’t keer. It’s clean. It’s right. But killin’ ... I stop at killin’! Why’d you go and do it? Why _did_ you? Now they’ll come and take you. They’ll take you away from me! BUTCH Christ’s sake, shet up! They’d a-took me away fer bootleggin’. ELLY No, they wouldn’ta! They couldn’t ’a’ proved it. But now they’ll take you. They’ll hang you fer murder. (_She clings to him._) No, I won’t let ’em! They _cain’t_ take you! I love you—I cain’t help it. ’N I won’t let ’em take you away frum me! I won’t let em! I’ll find a way! I will! They ain’t proved you done it ... you said no one seen you.... BUTCH They got Jim’s word, I tell you.... ELLY (_calmer_) He’s dead. He cain’t talk now. BUTCH Sh—! I heerd sump’n! (_Excitedly—drawing his pistol._) They won’t git me!... ELLY Gimme that gun! BUTCH ... Not’s long’s I’m alive! ELLY Butch! Give it t’ me! I’m all right now. I ain’t never advised you wrong. I’ll git you outa this! Listen t’ me: you ain’t been outa the house, y’hear—not since yistiddy. Eat yer breakfast! (_She goes to the window, steps on the chair, and looks out._) It’s only a man an’ womern.... BUTCH It’s a _blind_! ELLY No, no! (_Coming down._) It’s jist a boy and girl—a couple o’ kids. BUTCH Keep ’em out! ELLY No! We’ll let ’em _in_! It’s Providence! BUTCH It’s a blind, I tell you.... ELLY It’s luck! It’s our luck. Mebbe we c’n use ’em.... BUTCH How? ELLY Some way. I doan know yit. Gimme the gun. (_He hands it to her, reluctantly._) Keep yer head. These two’ll come in. They’ll keep you frum hangin’, Butch Adams! (_She goes swiftly to the bunks, and hides the pistol under the quilts._ BUTCH _goes back to the table and sits. There is a moment of intense silence. Then a knock._) Come in! (LLOYD _and_ BETTY _come in. They look very slight, very delicate, in this somber place._) LLOYD (_awkwardly_) How’d do? ELLY Howdy. LLOYD You got a fa’r we could git warm at? ELLY Over thar. LLOYD If it ud bother you— If we’d be in yer way. ELLY It won’t bother me. Nuthin’ gits in my way. You’re welcome. Come in, an’ git warm if you want to. (_They come down the steps slowly._ ELLY _turns to the window_.) I’ll git you a cheer. (LLOYD _and_ BETTY _turn, and are about to go to the fireplace when_ BUTCH _rises from the table where he has been sitting. They see him for the first time and stop in alarm._) ELLY (_quickly_)