(_She shakes her head. Chick goes out, Left. Lucy Belle, after a moment or two of deliberation, advances warily toward the door, Back. When almost there she halts again, as though debating whether or not to answer the door. Suddenly the kicking is renewed with increased vigor. Lucy Belle draws back shudderingly, as though to turn and flee. Abruptly the door opens and Jeff Bisbee lunges in. He slams the door shut after him. He is a short, stocky Negro of about thirty--brown in color--with a short, thick neck, a bullet head and a mean, leering manner._) LUCY BELLE (_with a gasp of terror_) Jeff--! JEFF I knowed I’d find yo’--! (_Swaying toward her menacingly._) W’at yo’ leave me fo’? LUCY BELLE Yo’ know why--! JEFF Sneak off like a cat--! LUCY BELLE I was starvin’ ter deaf--. JEFF Like hell yo’ was! LUCY BELLE Yo’ was’n’ wukkin--. JEFF Yo’ know why! LUCY BELLE Yo’ did’n’ want ter--! JEFF I’ll bus’ yo’ in de mouf! (_Takes a step toward her._) I was havin’ some hard luck den. LUCY BELLE Dat’s w’at yo’ allas say. It was allas hard luck--or somefin’! JEFF (_pulls back an arm as though to strike her_) Yo’ knows I was! Could’n’ git nuffin’--! LUCY BELLE Yo’ did’n’ ha’f try. JEFF Yo’ lie--! Times was hard. Look fo’ a monf--an’ could’n’ fin’ nuffin’--! (_As though he were on the point of leaping upon her and choking her._) Watched yo’ chanct--did’n’ yo’--? LUCY BELLE No, no--! JEFF Watched yo’ chanct--an’ run--! Did’n’ stop ter figur’ w’at I’d done fo’ yo’--! LUCY BELLE (_with a cry of derision_) Yo’ nevah done nuffin’ fo’ me--! JEFF Yo’ be on de streets ef it had’n’ been fo’ me! (_Lucy Belle sneers audibly._) Did’n’ have no mo’ sense den a chicken--! LUCY BELLE Ain’ on ’em now, is I? JEFF It ain’ yo’ fault--! LUCY BELLE (_her tones gradually becoming more and more tremulous_) Yo’ crazy--! JEFF Watch till mah back is tuhned--an’ run ter anoder niggah. LUCY BELLE Yo’ dreamin’--! JEFF I got de dope on yo’--an’ got it right--! LUCY BELLE Yo’ think yo’ have--! JEFF Yo’ come yere ter Sam--! LUCY BELLE No, no--! JEFF Come yere ter dat damned ole loon! Beat it ter de man dat git me sent up! Dat’s de way yo’ pay me back, huh--? LUCY BELLE Yo’ don’ know w’at yo’ talkin’ ’bout--! JEFF Livin’ yere wid him--! LUCY BELLE No, no--! JEFF (_savagely_) Don’ yo’ go lyin’ ter me--! I knows! Yo’ kain’t put nuffin’ ovah on me! (_She starts to back away from him._) Yo’ yere--? (_He grabs her by the arm._) LUCY BELLE (_pulling away from him_) Jeff--please-- JEFF (_menacingly_) Come yere--! LUCY BELLE (_getting around to the other side of the table_) Jeff--please-- JEFF Yo’ gwine wid me--! LUCY BELLE No, no--! JEFF An’ yo’ gwine damn quick! LUCY BELLE Jeff--fo’ Gawd’s sake--! JEFF I’se gwine back ter Havre de Grace in de mawnin’ an’ yo’ gwine wid me--! LUCY BELLE (_defiantly_) I ain’ gwine nowhar wid yo’!