JIM. You told him to git a job, didn't you? JOE. Yes--but-- LIZBETH. [_Ready for a fight._] An' that's what you told me. JIM. [_Abetting_ LIZBETH.] Yes. JOE. But my business needs somebody. JIM. Then why don't you let them git married? JOE. An' me support them? JIM. [_In disgust._] Hell!-- JOE. What's the matter? JIM. Ain't he worth his wages? JOE. I never said he wasn't. JIM. [_In superlative display._] And he's made nearly a whole set of furniture. JOE. But if I went to Jefferson, I was goin' to leave this shop with Dave. LIZBETH. [_With pride._] Dave! JIM. Well, that's different. See here! You let 'em get married. I only want Dave to superintend this burnin'--it won't take two half-days a week to kind a-look it over--we kin get niggers to do the work, and Dave kin stay here. LIZBETH. Dave!-- DAVE. [_Hushing her._] Sh-- JOE. Well, I'll think it over and-- JIM. [_Positively._] No! JOE. No? JIM. _I_ can't fool with you, Joe; he gits the girl or we quit. LIZBETH. An' the girl goes too. JOE. What? JIM. Yes, the girl goes too. [_Pause and smile._] It's your say, Joe. [_Foot on chair._] Well, Joe, it's up to you. JOE. [_Giving up._] Well, I can't help it. JIM. [_Passing the approval to_ DAVE _and_ LIZBETH.] There's your girl. And you've got a stiddy job! [DAVE _and_ LIZBETH _half embrace._] What do you think of that? [_To_ JOE, _who is mechanically looking at gumbo._] Thirty dollars per car. JOE. [_Glad to change the subject._] Thirty, eh? JIM. Every per car--and see here--Joe-- JOE. What? JIM. [_Draws second paper from pocket._] I've fixed up a kind of a resignation here. JOE. Resignation? JIM. Yes. I can't tend to this new business and do much work as sheriff, so I'm goin' to resign the sheriff part of it. JOE. You mustn' do it, Jim--why, you've been keepin' the district like a prayer-meeting! JIM. Well, somebody else kin sing the Doxology--you turn that into the council fur me. _Enter_ KATE _and_ MRS. VERNON. MRS. VERNON. I've put my foot down, Kate,--you can't go. KATE. I am going. MRS. VERNON. Joe Vernon, it's time you took a hand a-managin' this family. JOE. What's the matter? MRS. VERNON. I've told Kate she can't go out. JOE. Well, ma,--Kate ain't a child. MRS. VERNON. Your carelessness'll make her disgrace the whole family. JOE. Hol' on, ma. MRS. VERNON. I know what I'm talking about. I see that nigger give Kate a letter. JOE. Why, he don't know how to write. MRS. VERNON. You don't suppose I think the nigger wrote it! It's from someone else. JOE. Who is it from, Kate? KATE. I don't care to tell. I'm going out. [_Starts_. MRS. VERNON. [_Interposes_.] No, Kate, you ain't. JOE. Why, ma--if Kate wants to go walkin'-- MRS. VERNON. All right, she kin walk. But getting letters sneaked to her, and going out to meet a man's another thing. [_Persuasively going to her_.] Why don't you tell, Kate? KATE. [_Down to end of table_.] No one has a right to my letters.