_Enter_ JIM. MRS. VERNON. Good-evenin'. JOE. [_Not turning._] Who is it? JIM. You're all here, are you? JOE. [_Rising._] Hello, Jim. JIM. [_To_ JOE.] Hello. [EM'LY _goes to him; he puts his arm about her._] How long you been here? EM'LY. All day. JIM. What? JOE _goes to the shelf at back and fills his pipe._ EM'LY. So's Sam. SAM. Mrs. Vernon made us stay to dinner. Then _supper_. JOE. Sam didn't feel like seeing the town folks. JIM. Why? SAM. Well, I didn't know how they'd feel about it. JIM. What, think you did do it? SAM. I didn't know. JIM. That's just the reason; why, if you hang back, what can they do? MRS. VERNON. [_Explaining._] Well, Em'ly was here. JIM. I know, but Sam ought to have spunk to face 'em. It's got to come and you might as well know where your friends are. JOE. That's so. SAM. [_Starting to door._] Well, I reckon most of 'em's up at the drug-store. JIM. [_Emphatically._] Walk right in amongst 'em. SAM. Dog gone it! I ain't ashamed, but if they hint anything I'd feel like smashing 'em--huh! JIM. You got to. SAM. All right. [_Exit._ JIM. Don't let me stop the game. LIZBETH. Dave thinks all night. EM'LY. [_To_ JIM, _putting him around._] Where have you been? JIM. St. Louis. Been to see the railroad people. Say, Joe! JOE. Yes? JIM. Sam's got the express people scared. JOE. How's that? JIM. Hearin' I was his friend, they hinted to me that they'd like to square it. JOE. Compromise. JIM. [_Nodding his head._] I worked it up for him. Said Bollinger was a regular terror. EM'LY. Will the express company have to pay Sam? JIM. Well, rather. And after they do, Sam ought to go down to their president's office and kick 'em all around the back-yard. _Exit_ KATE. JOE. What's ailing Kate? MRS. VERNON. Seems out o' sorts--mebbe she'll tell me alone. [_Exit._ DAVE. [_Protesting._] You can't move backwards. LIZBETH. Well? DAVE. That's cornered. JOE. He's got you, Lizbeth. JIM. Dave! DAVE. Yes? JIM. I saw the Wabash folks. DAVE. Have a talk with them? JIM. [_Hands_ DAVE _a paper._] Yes--there's a memorandum agreement--they'll take all I can give 'em at thirty dollars a car-load. JOE. What's that? JIM _takes a piece of gumbo from pocket and hands it to_ JOE. JIM. [_To_ DAVE.] Now I've got a proposition for you. DAVE. What? JIM. You superintend the burnin' of the stuff, and I'll take you in. DAVE. Why, Jim--[_Rises in delight._ JOE. What's this fur? JIM. Ballast. JOE. Ballast? JIM. Yes, that road-bed that washes out. [_Pause._] Thirty dollars a car. JOE. What! JIM. Me an' Dave. DAVE. Why, Jim, I ain't got no claim on you. JIM. You pumped the bellows this morning while I burned it. DAVE. Well-- JIM. And you want a steady job, don't you? DAVE. Well--[_"I should say so," understood; turns to him._ JOE. But see here--[JIM _looks at him--waits._]--You goin' into this? JIM. Wouldn't you, if you got the contract? JOE. But Dave--Dave's helpin' me!