LUCY BELLE I--I sol’ ’em. SAM Sol’ ’em--! LUCY BELLE (_with a catch in her voice_) I--I was broke dere fo’ a while--an’ I had ter. SAM (_in tones of heartfelt sympathy_) Yo’ po’ kid! (_Stroking her hair._) Dat’s all right. We ain’ gwine ter boder nuffin’ ’bout dat. (_Studying her face intently._) Yo’ lookin’ mighty thin. LUCY BELLE I’se been wukkin’ hard, Sam. ’Tain’t so easy fo’ a gal alone--an’--an’--wid two chillen. SAM I know it ain’, honey-baby. Nevah min’--yo’ ain’ gwine ter wuk hard no mo’. LUCY BELLE (_eagerly_) Sam--Sam-boy--le’s me an’ yo’ git ’way from yere--! SAM W’at yo’ mean--from Wash’nin’--? LUCY BELLE Yas, yas. From dis ole hard-luck town! SAM (_nodding_) We study ’bout dat d’rectly. LUCY BELLE Le’s go ter Baltimo’. Dey was mo’ wuk w’en yo’ was ovah dere befo’--an’ dey paid bettah wages. SAM Don’ know how it is now. LUCY BELLE Jes’ de same--ev’ybody tell me. An’--an’ ef we stay yere, honey--de _po_-lice be aftah yo’ all de time. SAM No dey won’. LUCY BELLE Dey will--yo’ knows dey will. Ev’y time dey’s a lil’ trouble dey gwine ter pick yo’ up. An’--an’ me an’ yo’ ain’ nevah had no luck in dis town. Befo’ we was gwine ter Baltimo’ jes’ as soon as yo’ got a steady job--an’ den--at las’ we was gwine anaway. Ef--ef we’d picked right up an’ wen’ at fust ole Jeff Bisbee ’ud nevah come foolin’ ’roun’--an’ yo’d nevah wen’ ter jail--would yo’? SAM I reckon not. LUCY BELLE I knows yo’ would’n’. Aftah all de trouble we had yere--I hates dis place--! I gotta feelin’ dat nuffin’ ain’ gwine ter come right long as we stay yere. I wan’s ter git ’way! Le’s don’ wait dis time. Le’s git ’way fo’ any ob dat ole hard luck begin! SAM Lemme git rested up a lil’--an’ den-- LUCY BELLE Baby, le’s git out right away--jes’ as quick as we kin. Mah monf yere ain’ up till nex’ week but I don’ care. Le’s pack up an’ beat it--an’ git ’way from all dat hard luck--an’ _po_-lice an’ lyin’ an’ blackguardin’ niggahs. Won’ yo’, honey-baby? Termorrer or nex’ day--de quicker de bettah. SAM (_nodding_) All right, lil’ gal. Ef dat’s w’at yo’ wan’s, I reckon we’ll do it. LUCY BELLE (_throwing her arms about him_) Baby, baby! Gawd bless yo’! Mah Sam-boy! Mah Sam-boy! (_Aunt Rebecca enters, Left._) LUCY BELLE (_breaking away from Sam_) Oh, Aun’ Becky! Glad ter see yo’! AUNT REBECCA Sam! Gawd bless yo’! SAM H’yo’ all been? AUNT REBECCA ’Tolable! ’Tolable! Down wid rheumatiz fo’ a while--but I’se all right now. Mighty glad yo’s out. SAM I’se mighty glad ter be out. AUNT REBECCA Mus’ ’scuse me. I got ter git home an’ cook some suppah fo’ mah ole man. LUCY BELLE Don’ run ’way, Aun’ Becky. AUNT REBECCA Mus’, mah chile! See yo’ some mo! SAM Goodbye. (_Aunt Rebecca goes out, Back._) LUCY BELLE (_moving toward the Left_) Honey-baby, ’scuse me a minute. SAM Whar yo’ gwine? LUCY BELLE (_nodding toward Left_) In yere. Be right back.