Honey, w’at’s de mattah--? LUCY BELLE Oh--nuffin’-- AUNT REBECCA Yo’ did’n’ look right ter me w’en I fus’ look at yo’--in dere jes’ now. LUCY BELLE I’se a lil’ tired--dat’s all, I reckon. AUNT REBECCA (_stepping over and observing Lucy Belle closely_) Why, honey, yo’ all nervous an’ trembly--! LUCY BELLE No, I ain’, Aun’ Becky-- AUNT REBECCA Yo’ is! Now, listen ter me--don’ yo’ go ter wuk dis aftahnoon. LUCY BELLE Got ter! AUNT REBECCA No yo’ ain’! W’at yo’ talkin’ ’bout? LUCY BELLE Put Moy in a hole ef I don’. AUNT REBECCA Don’ make no diff’rence. LUCY BELLE ’Spose ter deliver mos’-a dem clothes termorrer. AUNT REBECCA Yo’ good healf come fust. LUCY BELLE Liable ter git sore an’ git somebody else ef I don’ show up. AUNT REBECCA (_with a snort_) W’at d’yo’ care? Let him! Dat ole Chink ain’ got de onlies’ job in de worl’. LUCY BELLE (_shakes her head_) Ain’ got no time ter go ’roun’ lookin’ fo’ somefin’ else right now. AUNT REBECCA (_impatiently_) Yo’ nevah take no ’vice. LUCY BELLE Yas, I does, Aun’ Becky, but-- AUNT REBECCA Yo’ don’--! Yo’ be in bed ef yo’ ain’ careful. LUCY BELLE (_in conciliatory tones_) ’Deed, I got ter git back dere dis aftahnoon. AUNT REBECCA (_shuffling grumpily toward door, Back_) Go ahaid, den. Git yo’se’f some dinnah fo’ yo’ do, dough. LUCY BELLE I’se sho’ gwine ter! Reckon I feel bettah aftah I gits a lil’ somefin’ ter eat. (_Following Aunt Rebecca to the door._) Come ovah dis evenin! AUNT REBECCA I don’ know-- LUCY BELLE Oh, please, Aun’ Becky. AUNT REBECCA (_at the door_) W’at time? LUCY BELLE Oh--oh, ’bout eight o’clock. AUNT REBECCA (_nodding_) See yo’ some mo’. LUCY BELLE See yo’ some mo’. (_Aunt Rebecca goes out, Back. Lucy Belle puts on her jacket. She goes to the cupboard, Left, opens the top door, removes the lid from the crockery jar, reaches in and gets her pocket book. Something about its flatness rouses her curiosity. She casually opens it. A look of tragic dismay comes over her face as she discovers that the money is missing._) LUCY BELLE Oh, Gawd! (_She fumbles about in the jar again, then searches through her pockets. It suddenly comes over her that she has been robbed. She stands staring dumbly before her with an expression of anguish and despair. Israel and Fanny run in, Back._) ISRAEL Mamma! I’se hangry! FANNY W’en we gwine ter have dinnah? LUCY BELLE (_with a sob_) Hush up! FANNY Yo’ said yo’d have it right ’way. ISRAEL Mamma--ain’ yo’ gwine ter hurry? LUCY BELLE (_in a choking voice_) Yas, yas--Mamma’s gwine right out-- (_She is suddenly seized with a spell of dizziness. She sways unsteadily for a moment or two, finally collapses and sinks heavily down on a chair. The children scream and run to her side. She places one hand against the table, grips the back of the chair with the other and manages to hold herself up._) LUCY BELLE (_in weak, disjointed tones_)