JIM. (To DAVE) Well, who’s shirt did I wet? It’s mine, anyhow, ain’t it? DAVE. (Belligerently) Well, if it’s your shirt, then you come take it off me. I’m tired of your lip. JIM. Well, I will. DAVE. Well, put your fist where you lip is. (Pushing DAISY aside.) DAISY. (Frightened) I want to go home. Now, don’t you all boys fight. (JIM attempts to come up the steps. DAVE pushes him back and he stumbles and falls in the dust. General excitement as the crowd senses a fight.) LITTLE BOY. (On the edge of crowd) Fight, fight, you’re no kin. Kill one another, won’t be no sin. Fight, fight, you’re no kin. (JIM jumps up and rushes for DAVE as the latter starts down the steps. DAVE meets him with his fist squarely in the face and causes him to step backward, confused.) DAISY. (Still on porch, half crying) Aw, my Lawd! I want to go home. (General hubbub, women’s cries of “Don’t let ’em fight.” “Why don’t somebody stop ’em?” “What kind of men is you all, sit there and let them boys fight like that.” Men’s voices urging the fight: “Aw, let ’em fight.” “Go for him, Dave.” “Slug him, Jim.” JIM makes another rush toward the steps. He staggers DAVE. DAVE knocks JIM sprawling once more. This time JIM grabs the mule bone as he rises, rushes DAVE, strikes DAVE over the head with it and knocks him out. DAVE falls prone on his back. There is great excitement.) OLD WOMAN. (Screams) Lawdy, is he kilt? (Several men rush to the fallen man.) VOICE. Run down to the pump and get a dipper o’ water. CLARK. (To his wife in door) Mattie, come out of that store with a bottle of witch hazely oil quick as you can. Jim Weston, I’m gonna arrest you for this. You Lum Boger. Where is that marshall? Lum Boger! (LUM BOGER detaches himself from the crowd.) Arrest Jim. LUM. (Grabs JIM’S arm, relieves him of the mule bone and looks helplessly at the Mayor.) Now I got him arrested, what’s I going to do with him? CLARK. Lock him up back yonder in my barn till Monday when we’ll have the trial in de Baptist Church. LINDSAY. Yeah, just like all the rest of them Methodists … always tryin’to take undercurrents on people. WALTER. Ain’t no worse then some of you Baptists, nohow. You all don’t run this town. We got jus’ as much to say as you have. CLARK. (Angrily to both men) Shut up! Done had enough arguing in front of my place. (To LUM BOGER) Take that boy on and lock him up in my barn. And save that mule bone for evidence. (LUM BOGER leads JIM off toward the back of the store. A crowd follows him. Other men and women are busy applying restoratives to DAVE. DAISY stands alone, unnoticed in the center of the stage.) DAISY. (Worriedly) Now, who’s gonna take me home? :::: CURTAIN:::: ACT TWO SCENE I SETTING: Village street scene; huge oak tree upstage center; a house or two on back drop. When curtain goes up, Sister LUCY TAYLOR is seen standing under the tree. She is painfully spelling it out. (Enter SISTER THOMAS, a younger woman (In her thirties) at left.)