[_She looks at Judge._ BEN (_slowly_) It means a lot to me. There’s things I’d like to do. I haven’t dared to think about ’em lately--now I’ll do ’em. [_There is a pause._ HENRY Well, Ben, so you’ve got the money! I guess maybe it’s better than her havin’ it; after all blood’s thicker than water! We’ll help you any way we can and--er--of course you’ll help us. BEN Why will I? HENRY We’re brothers, Ben! We’re old Jordans! BEN What was we when I got back from France? There was a band met us boys at the station. I was your brother all right that day, only somehow, in just a little while you forgot about it. I was a Jordan when I was hidin’ out from the police, and all that kept me from starvin’ was the money Jane sent me! I was your brother the night mother died, and you said you wouldn’t go my bail. ELLA You ain’t going to be hard, Ben! BEN I’m the head of the family now, ain’t I, and you can bet all you’ve got I’m going to be a real Jordan. HENRY I think, Ben---- BEN From now on, there ain’t nobody got any right to think in this house but just me! So run along home, the whole pack of you, and after this, when you feel like you must come here--come separate. ELLA Turn us out, Ben? BEN Sure, why not? NETTIE (_crosses to him. Sweetly_) There ain’t any reason why _we_ can’t be friends, is there? BEN Well, I don’t know. There’s only one way I could ever get to trust you. NETTIE What way, Ben? BEN I’d have to go to jail for five years and see if you’d wait for me! EMMA It’s an awful thing for a mother to have a fool for a child. ELLA (_goes upstage with Nettie_) Well, I must say you made a nice mess of things! NETTIE (_exits with Ella_) Well, I don’t care! I don’t see how anybody would expect me to be a mind reader! SADIE Come, Orin--say good-by to your Uncle Ben. ORIN What will I do that for? SADIE Because I tell you to! ORIN Yesterday you told me he wasn’t worth speakin’ to! SADIE Are you going to move, you stupid little idiot. [_She drags him out._ ORIN (_as they go_) What did I say? You let me alone! HENRY I was wonderin’, Ben, how you’d feel about endorsing that note of mine. BEN You was? HENRY Yes, I don’t know what I’m going to do about it. BEN As far as I care, you can go nail it on a door. (_Henry and Emma start to exit_) No, hold on, I’ll pay it. HENRY You will! BEN Yes, I don’t know as it would do me much good at the bank, havin’ a brother of mine in the poorhouse. [_Ben laughs as Henry and Emma exit._ JUDGE Well, Ben? “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” BEN (_down to stove_) Depends on the head. Mine’s thick, I guess. Anyhow, none of them is going to bother it. I’m boss here now. JUDGE You’ll find a copy here of the inventory of the estate, and other legal papers. Everything is in order. JANE