Nevah git away wid it--ef I did! LIZZIE An’ yo’ ain’ gwine git away wid nuffin’ like dis--neder! LUCY BELLE Yo’ don’ know w’at yo’ talkin’ ’bout--! LIZZIE I’se knowed Sam as long as yo’ is. LUCY BELLE Who say yo’ ain’--? LIZZIE Yo’ stan’ dere an’ act like somebody was gwine ter steal him--right from under yo’ nose--! LUCY BELLE I don’ know w’at yo’ talkin’ ’bout--! LIZZIE (_mockingly_) No--yo’ don’ know nuffin’--! To yere yo’ talk, yo’d think yo’ owned Sam--got him chain up like a dawg--! Mah soul--! (_Vehemently._) Listen ter me, gal--he’s an’ ole frien’-a mine--an’ I wants ter see him--’bout some bus’ness--an’ ef yo’ know w’ats good fo’ yo’--yo’ bettah quit dis lyin’ an’ beatin’ ’roun’ de bush--an’-- (_Footsteps and whistling are heard off stage, Back. Lizzie breaks off abruptly and both stand listening. A moment later the door, Back, opens and Slim Dorsey enters. He is a tall, slender, light-colored Negro of about twenty-four. He wears a cap pulled around so that the visor slants over one ear, and an old ragged suit of clothes. He glares at Lizzie and nods._) SLIM (_as he slouches toward Left Center_) ’Lo Luce. LIZZIE (_as she sidles toward the door, Back--to Lucy Belle_) Yo’ yered w’at I said--! Dat goes bof ways--an’ all ’roun’ de squah. (_With a hand on the doorknob_). Jes’ remembah dat I’se knowed yo’ a good while, too. (_With drawling, veiled menace._) Is--is yo’ evah tol’ Sam how much yo’ love Jeff Bisbee--? (_Lucy Belle’s body becomes rigid, she clenches her hands, and speaks in a choking voice._) LUCY BELLE Yo’--yo’ shet up--! LIZZIE (_with a bellowing, sardonic laugh_) Ha! Ha! Why don’ yo’ tell him someday--? (_She goes out, Back._) LUCY BELLE (_violently_) Damn her! I’se gwine ter break ev’y bone in her body--ef she keep aftah me! SLIM W’at’s de mattah--? LUCY BELLE She--she de hardes’ ole gal in Wash’nin-- SLIM Jes’ fin’ dat out--? LUCY BELLE Allas gwine ’roun’ makin’ trouble fo’ somebody--! SLIM W’at she comin’ at yo’ ’bout--? LUCY BELLE (_slowly gets control of herself--and ponders for a moment_) Oh--oh, nuffin’--! SLIM Aftah Sam--ain’ she--? LUCY BELLE She think she is--! SLIM Bettah watch her--! LUCY BELLE Don’ yo’ worry--I is! (_She goes to the window, Left Back, and peers out, then turns and comes slowly down to Center._) SLIM How is yo’--? LUCY BELLE I don’ know--not so good dis week--! SLIM Whar Sam--? LUCY BELLE Baltimo’--! W’at d’yo’ know--? SLIM A lot. (_He takes a bag of tobacco and a package of papers from his pocket and proceeds leisurely to roll a cigarette._) LUCY BELLE W’at--? SLIM (_as he painstakingly rolls the cigarette_) Seen Jeff dis mawnin’--. LUCY BELLE (_with a gasp_) Jeff--! Jeff Bisbee--! SLIM (_with a nonchalant nod_) Sho’ nuff--! LUCY BELLE (_clutching his arm_) Whar--? SLIM Bennings--. LUCY BELLE De race track--. SLIM Yas. LUCY BELLE Did he see yo’--? SLIM Sho’ he seen me--! LUCY BELLE Say anathin’--? SLIM (_nodding_)