Don’ see me wastin’ no time on a night like dis. (_Giving Slim a stony stare._) ’Lo, Slim. (_She drops the basket near the door, and removes her hat and coat._) SLIM (_jumping up and going to her quickly_) Luce--! LUCY BELLE W’at--? SLIM Sam’s yere! LUCY BELLE (_blankly, as she searches his face_) W’at d’yo’ mean? SLIM He’s back yere in Wash’nin’. LUCY BELLE (_with a gasp_) Oh, Gawd! (_Comes down to Right Center and drops her hat and coat on a chair._) SLIM Mink Hall jes’ seen him uptown. He stops in Seventh Street ter buy yo’ all somefin’. LUCY BELLE Whar did yo’ see Mink? SLIM On de wharf. Jes’ come ovah dere from uptown. Sam tol’ him dat he comin’ right on out yere. LUCY BELLE (_with a cry of ecstasy_) Sam! Mah Sam-boy! (_Then in tones tremulous with emotion_) How did he git out so soon? SLIM Got his sentence cut short fo’ bein good--like I done tol’ yo’ he might. LUCY BELLE (_agitatedly_) W’at--w’at did Mink say ter him--’bout me? SLIM Nuffin’, I reckon--’Cept dat he ain’ seen yo’ in a good while--an’ dat yo’ still livin’ yere in Goat Alley. LUCY BELLE Yo’--yo’ ain’ nevah tol’ Mink dat I--I got-- SLIM Yo’ mean’ ’bout de baby? (_She nods._) No, no! W’at I tell him dat fo’? LUCY BELLE (_in earnest entreaty_) Slim--Slim--! Go down ter end ob de alley--dere by de stable. Sam gwine ter come in dat way sho’ as yo’ bawn ef he been up on Seventh Street. Ketch him dere--an’ take him ovah ter Gerner’s. Say dat I gone ovah ter Mag’s an’ dat I be back late ternight. SLIM I ain’ boderin’ ’bout him. LUCY BELLE Slim, please, honey! Won’ yo’? Dat ain’ gwine ter hurt yo’. (_She pulls up her skirt, reaches down in her stocking and pulls out a dollar bill._) Yere! (_She hands it to Slim._) Please--jes’ dis onct! Won’ yo’--? (_He slowly nods, and starts toward the door. She calls after him. He halts and turns._) Slim, don’ tell him whar I is. Jes’--jes’ say I’se gone away--an’ dat I won’ be back till in de mawnin’. Yo’ yere? Say yo ’don’ know whar I is! SLIM All right. (_He goes out, Back._) LUCY BELLE (TURNING TO AUNT REBECCA) I--I did’n’ have no kin’-a idea Sam ’ud git out so soon. (_Rapturously._) Sam! Mah, Sam! (_Then fearfully._) But--but I kain’t see him yet--no, no--! AUNT REBECCA Now, now--! Don’ yo’ git yo’se’f in no stew. LUCY BELLE (_wringing her hands_) I tol’ yo’ I ain’ nevah had no luck! W’at kin’ a po’ gal like me do? Yo’--yo’ see I got dis yere baby. It--it’s free mon’s ole, now. Ef--ef he see dat--Oh, Gawd! AUNT REBECCA Yo’ reckon--! LUCY BELLE