DICK. It's all right, Sergeant. I asked her to get me an apple.
SERGEANT. Dick, take this lantern and search the barn. [DICK takes the
lantern from the SERGEANT and goes out back.] [To THADDEUS.] Come in
here with me. [Takes the candle from centre table.] [The SERGEANT and
THADDEUS move toward the door left. As though in a stupor, MARY starts
to follow.] Sit down! [MARY falls into the chair at the right of the
centre table. The SERGEANT and THADDEUS go into the room at left. They
can be heard moving furniture about. MARY'S eyes fall on a pin on the
floor. She bends over, picks it up, and fastens it in her belt. The
SERGEANT and THADDEUS return.]
SERGEANT. If I find him now, after all the trouble you've given me,
you know what'll happen. There's likely to be two dead men and a woman,
instead of only the Yankee.
DICK [bounding into the room]. Sergeant!
SERGEANT. What is it? [DICK hurries to the SERGEANT and says something
in a low voice to him. Satisfaction shows on the latter's face.]
SERGEANT. Now my good people, how did that horse get here?
THADDEUS. What horse?
DICK. There's a horse in the barn with a saddle on his back. I swear
he's been ridden lately.
THADDEUS [amazed]. There is?
SERGEANT. You know it. [To MARY.] Come, woman, who drove that horse
here?
MARY [silent for a moment--her eyes on the floor]. I don't know. I
didn't hear nothin'.
THADDEUS [moving in the direction of the door back]. Let me go an' see.
SERGEANT [pushing THADDEUS back]. No, you don't. You two have done
enough to justify the harshest measures. Show us the man's hiding-place.
THADDEUS. If there's anybody here, he's come in the night without our
knowin' it. I tell ye I didn't see anybody, an' she didn't, an'----
SERGEANT [has been watching MARY]. Where is he? [The SERGEANT'S tone
makes THADDEUS jump. There is a pause, during which MARY seems trying
to compose herself. Then slowly, she lifts her eyes and looks at the
SERGEANT.]
MARY. There ain't nobody in the house 'cept us two.
SERGEANT [to DICK]. Did you search all the outbuildings?
DICK. Yes. There's not a trace of him except the horse.
SERGEANT [wiping the perspiration from his face; speaks with apparent
deliberation at first, but increases to great strength and emphasis]. He
didn't have much of a start of us, and I think he was wounded. A farmer
down the road said he heard hoof-beats. The man the other side of you
heard nothing, and the horse is in your barn. [Slowly draws revolver,
and points it at THADDEUS.] There are ways of making people confess.
THADDEUS [covering his face with his hands]. For God's sake, don't. I
know that horse looks bad--but as I live I ain't heard a sound, or seen
anybody. I'd give the man up in a minute if he was here.
SERGEANT [lowering his gun]. Yes, I guess you would. You wouldn't want
me to hand you and your wife over to our army to be shot down like dogs.
[MARY shivers.] [Swings round sharply, and points the gun at MARY.] Your
wife knows where he's hid.
MARY [breaking out in irritating, rasping voice]. I'm sure I wish I did.
An' I'd tell ye quick, an' git ye out of here. 'Tain't no fun fer me to
have ye prowlin' all over my house. Ye ain't got no right t' torment me
like this. Lord knows how I'll git my day's work done, if I can't have
my sleep.
SERGEANT [has been gazing at her in astonishment; lowers his gun]. Good
God, what a clod! Nothing but her own petty existence. [In different
voice to MARY.] I'll have to ask you to get us something to eat. We're
famished. [With relief, but showing some anger, MARY turns to the stove.
She lights the fire, and puts more coffee in the pot.]
SERGEANT. Come, Dick, we better give our poor horses some water. They're
all tired out. [In lower voice.] The man isn't here. If he were, he
couldn't get away while we're in the yard. [To THADDEUS.] Get us a pail
to give the horses some water. [Sees the pails on the bench. Picks one
of them up and moves toward the door.]
MARY. That ain't the horses' pail.
SERGEANT [to THADDEUS]. Come along, you can help.
MARY [louder]. That's the drinkin' water pail.
SERGEANT. That's all right.
[The SERGEANT, DICK, and THADDEUS go out back. MARY needs more wood for
the fire, so she follows them in a moment. When she has disappeared,
the NORTHERNER drags himself from the cubby-hole. He looks as though he
would fall with exhaustion. MARY returns with an armful of wood.]
MARY [sees the NORTHERNER. Shows no sympathy for the man in this speech,
nor during the entire scene]. Ye git back! Them soldiers'll see ye.
NORTHERNER. Some water. Quick. [Falls into chair at left of table.] It
was so hot in there.
MARY [gives him water in the dipper]. Don't ye faint here. If them
soldiers git ye, they'll kill me an' Thad. Hustle an' git back in the
cubby-hole. [MARY turns quickly to the stove. The NORTHERNER drinks the
water; puts dipper on table, then, summoning all his strength, rises and
crosses to MARY. He touches her on the shoulder. MARY is so startled,
that she jumps and utters a faint cry.]
NORTHERNER. Be still, or they'll hear you. How are you going to get me
out of this?
MARY [angrily]. Ye git out. Why did ye come here, a-bringin' me all this
extra work, an' maybe death?
NORTHERNER. I couldn't go any farther. My horse and I were both near
dropping. Won't you help me?
MARY. No, I won't. I don't know who ye are or nothin' 'bout ye, 'cept
that them men want t' ketch ye. [In a changed tone of curiosity.] Did ye
steal somethin' from 'em?
NORTHERNER. Don't you understand? Those men belong to the Confederacy,
and I'm a Northerner. They've been chasing me all day. [Pulling a bit
of crumpled paper from his breast.] They want this paper. If they get it
before to-morrow morning it will mean the greatest disaster that's ever
come to the Union army.
MARY [with frank curiosity]. Was it ye rode by yesterday?
NORTHERNER. Don't you see what you can do? Get me out of here and away
from those men, and you'll have done more than any soldier could do for
the country--for your country.
MARY. I ain't got no country. Me an' Thad's only got this farm. Thad's
ailin', an' I do most the work, an'----
NORTHERNER. The lives of thirty thousand men hang by a thread. I must
save them. And you must help me.
MARY. I don't know nothin' 'bout ye, an' I don't know what ye're talkin'
'bout.
NORTHERNER. Only help me get away.
MARY [angrily]. No one ever helped me or Thad. I lift no finger in this
business. Why ye come here in the first place is beyond me--sneakin'
round our house, spoilin' our well-earned sleep. If them soldiers ketch
ye, they'll kill me an' Thad. Maybe ye didn't know that.
NORTHERNER. What's your life and your husband's compared to thirty
thousand! I haven't any money or I'd give it to you.
MARY. I don't want yer money.
NORTHERNER. What do you want?
MARY. I want ye t' git away. I don't care what happens t' ye. Only git
out of here.
NORTHERNER. I can't with the Southerners in the yard. They'd shoot me
like a dog. Besides, I've got to have my horse.
MARY [with naive curiosity]. What kind o' lookin' horse is it?
NORTHERNER [dropping into chair at left of centre table in disgust and
despair]. O God! If I'd only turned in at the other farm. I might have
found people with red blood. [Pulls out his gun, and hopelessly opens
the empty chamber.]
MARY [alarmed]. What ye goin' t' do with that gun?