Gal, ef you don’ tu’n me loose I’ll git ugly. Now, look heah. I wants to heah de las’ er dis. I got new ideahs. I got big plots en plans. I done give you de plankses in my flatfo’m an’ I’m a-goin’ to stan’ on hit. When I makes a lot mo’ money in de broker business I’m a-goin’ to give you all de gold youah ap’un’ll hold, ev’y day er youah life, an’ you won’ have to wait long. But till dat day an’ to dat time I’m de treasu’eh er dis lodge an’ I’m de stake holdeh er dis race an’ dat money stays in de pu’se in de hip er my ol’ jeanses. [_He says this last slowly and with growing emphasis and as he ends, gives himself a resounding thwack on the hip over his pocket. There is a moment’s pause. He puts his hand hurriedly in the pocket and then dazedly into one on the other hip._] What dis? Wheah dat roll? LUCY [_Fearfully._] I ain’ tech it. You know I ain’ bin neah you. MADISON [_Rushing to her._] Gimme de coat. [_He snatches the coat and begins going through the pockets, from time to time searching and slapping the garments he is wearing._] Didn’t you git it? You mus’ er tuk it. LUCY No, Madison, I ain’ see nor tech it. You watched me. MADISON Oh, Lawd, he’p me look. [_He begins to run around the room, looking on the table, picking up articles and letting them fall, dropping on his knees and hunting under the table and chairs. As he searches he grows more frantic._] Oh, my Lawd, Oh, wheah is it? I got to have it. Oh, I couldn’ lose it, hit ain’ mine ter lose. Stay by me, Lucy, an’ he’p me fin’ it, git down on youah knees, Lucy. Oh, wheah did I drop it? I’m gittin’ old an’ needs it. Ef I lose dis I lose all my push. I was jes’ goin’ into business an’ we all wuz goin’ to fly high. I got to fin’ it. I ain’ give up. Lemme think. Oh, I hopes some hones’ puhson foun’ it. Lemme come on down—Know I put it on dat side ’cause dat de side Mistah Long he wuz on—Oh, I’ll go crazy— [_He strikes his forehead groaning._] LUCY [_Starting._] Mistah Long! He’s cashiah in de Dime Savin’s! How he give you money? MADISON Oh, lemme see—he gimme de money an’ I put it right in yere. [_He fumbles again distractedly in his pocket._] LUCY [_Pursuing him desperately._] Onliest money at de Dime Savin’s is _de_ money. You couldn’t draw _hit_ out. You didn’ do dat,—you couldn’—Tell me if you did fo’ I’ll fin’ it out tomorrer—Oh, tell me true—you couldn’ when it’s in my name—tell me now fo’ I’ll find it out. MADISON Oh, I can’t stand it. LUCY Ef you wan’ me to he’p you den be free wif me. How you draw money from de Bank? I give you no papeh. You _couldn’_ draw _de_ money. MADISON Wilson Byrd, he gimme de papeh. LUCY I give him no papeh. MADISON He write it fo’ you. LUCY Oh, Gawd, dat w’ite man write my name. You drawed de money—I see it now. You had dealin’s wif a fo’geh, Wilson Byrd. MADISON