BARNEY. It’s to the river he would! The blackguard! ’Pon my word, I’ll bat that thafe! Now didn’t that little girrul be doing that well! The illegant little baste! And it’s so decavin where the little darlin’ found the kay! It was killed she was intirely, whin she found out it was me she was chokin’. ’Pon my word, it is a thafe of a clown that wouldn’t be proud to be choked by a pretty little girrul like that. She jist cried as if she was killed. I told her she should choke me to death, and I would find no fault. (_A sudden start as if a noise. Looking about._) Ah’r, so ye would do that. (_Looking out L. U. E._) ’Pon my word, that cow! (_Turning to look cautiously out R._) Let me see, (_cogitating_), it was meself that would surround the blackguard, when Hezekiah would bat the thafe when he would come round by them cook-houses. (_Enter Brightly, L. U. E., stealthily. Dis. Barney; halts; draws a knife from his bootleg. Creeps stealthily towards Barney, as Hez. enters behind him; throws off hat, coat, gun, seizes a stone, and follows Brightly, with the evident intention of knocking his head off. Meantime Barney is saying_)— BARNEY. Let me say that agin, and I won’t be forgetin’ it. It is I, meself, that will surround thim cook-houses, while the blackguard will bat Hezekiah, and its to the river says he—(_Arriving close up to Barney, Brightly prepares to stab him. As he is about to do so, Hez. flings the stone at his head with all his might. It grazes the top of Brightly’s head, knocks his hat off, strikes Barney in the back, and knocks him on his knees. Brightly dashes out R. U. E. Hez. kicks at him, misses, then pursues. Barney springs up and with shut eyes, strikes wildly towards his supposed assailant with both hands. He stops, looks about and sees nothing. Supposing his assailant to be concealed very near, he drops on one knee, spanks his hand on the floor._) BARNEY. Come out wid yer! Come out, come out! I’ll bat your dam head off you! Come out! (_Gets no response; gets gun and hat hastily, and hurrying out L. U. E., saying,_) I will hunt two years for that thafe! (_Enter Halcom, R. saying_) HALCOM. A most marvelous escape! The poor child is excused in supposing she was saving her friend. (_Enter Zina, L, trembling with fear. Drops on her knees sobbing._) Your offence is forgotten. ZINA. Oh, sir, I did not mean to do wrong. Please say you do not hate me for that. HALCOM. I do not. Your heroic impulsiveness for one you believed to be your friend, excites only my admiration, though so disastrous to you, as well as myself. ZINA. Oh, I try so hard to do right. (_Sobbing._) HALCOM. Do not feel so bad; the past can never be helped. ZINA. Though he is so bad, I ought to love my master. Perhaps, when the war is over, I can do something to make him a better man. Oh, you will not think bad of me, I have so little to love. (_Sobbing._)