Third time in de las’ two days. LUCY BELLE (_nodding_) --but, yo’ see, wid de chillen an’ mah oder wuk-- POCHER Kain’t he’p dat--! LUCY BELLE Kain’t allas be stickin’ mah haid out dat do’. POCHER Nevah seen nuffin’ like it. LUCY BELLE Yas, yas--! I’se gwine ter sweep it right off. (_She goes to the closet door, up Left, opens it, takes out a broom, closes the door and goes quickly to the doorway, Back, where she stands sweeping off the doorstep._) POCHER De spell done wuk. LUCY BELLE (_as she sweeps_) Yo’ reckon so? POCHER It wuk ef de salt stay dere two secon’s. LUCY BELLE ’Deed, I’se sorry, Mistah Pocher. POCHER Nuffin’ kin stop ’em rizin’ up now. LUCY BELLE Dem boys ain’ gwine ter git neah dis do’ agin. POCHER Dey riz up an’ riz up on yo’ till de spell done break. LUCY BELLE Yo’ see, I don’ yere ’em ha’f de time--even w’en I’se home. Dey slips up on de sly an’ draps it on. POCHER Yo’ wan’ ter die? LUCY BELLE (_pausing in her work and turning_) No, no--Mistah Pocher. POCHER Dem evil sparits git ter wukkin’ on yo’ in yo’ sleep-- LUCY BELLE I know, I know-- POCHER Liable ter choke yo’ ter deaf. LUCY BELLE Sho’ don’ wan’ nuffin’ like dat ter happen. POCHER Salt on de do’step draw ’em like syrup do flies. LUCY BELLE I know, I know-- POCHER (_shuffling over to the door, Right_) Ain’ gwine ter put up wid it no longer! LUCY BELLE I’se gwine ter do mah bes’ ter stop ’em. POCHER (_vehemently_) Ain’ gwine ter put up wid it no longer! (_He goes out, Right._) LUCY BELLE (_her gaze remaining ruefully fixed on the door, Right_) Ain’ dat de limit? Gawd--! SLIM Damn ole fool. LUCY BELLE I sartainly gwine ter make trouble fo’ somebody in dis alley. (_She turns to the doorway again and completes the task of sweeping off the steps. This done she closes the door, crosses thoughtfully to closet, places the broom in it, then comes down to Left Center. Slim stands, Right Center, puffing away at his cigarette._) LUCY BELLE (_abstractedly_) Dey gittin’ wuss lately. SLIM Done tol’ yo’ w’at ter do. (_Lucy Belle gives a little nod and stands lost in thought. Slim regards her with a look of sly, calculating appraisal._) SLIM (_at length_) Luce--. LUCY BELLE Yas--? SLIM He’p me out a lil’--? LUCY BELLE W’at yo’ mean? SLIM Lemme eat yere fo’ a few days. LUCY BELLE Eat yere--! SLIM Jes’ till I gits on mah feet. LUCY BELLE (_tartly facetious_) W’at yo’ standin’ on--yo’ han’s? SLIM Gwine ter take me a week ter git goin’. LUCY BELLE Yo’ mean a monf. SLIM Lay off me wid dat kin’-a talk. LUCY BELLE Nuffin’ doin’--! SLIM Luce--please-- LUCY BELLE Yo’ yered w’at I say. SLIM I’se only jes’ out-a de hospital-- LUCY BELLE Yo’ own fault yo’ wen’ dere. SLIM Yo’ lie--! LUCY BELLE Git in a fight in Messer’s stable--an’ somebody bus’ yo’ ovah de haid wid a stick. SLIM Who say I did? LUCY BELLE I yered all ’bout it. SLIM Nevah raise a han’--. LUCY BELLE Dat’s wa’t yo’ say. SLIM