NORTHERNER [leaping to the wall left and bracing himself against it].
Go call them in. Save your poor skin and your husband's if you can. Call
them in. You can't save yourself. [Laughs hysterically.] You can't save
your miserable skin. Cause if they get me, and don't shoot you, I will.
MARY [leans against left side of centre table for support; in agony].
Oh!
NORTHERNER. You see, you've got to help me whether you want to or not.
MARY [feeling absolutely caught]. I ain't done nothin'. I don't see why
ye an' them others come here a threatenin' t' shoot me. I don't want
nothin'. I don't want t' do nothin'. I jest want ye all t' git out a
here an' leave me an' Thad t' go t' sleep. Oh, I don't know what t' do.
Ye got me in a corner where I can't move. [Passes her hand back along
the table. Touches the dipper accidentally, and it falls to the floor.
Screams at the sound.]
NORTHERNER [leaping toward her]. Now you've done it. They'll be here
in a minute. You can't give me up. They'll shoot you if you do. They'll
shoot. [Hurries up the stairs, and disappears from sight.]
[MARY stands beside the table, trembling terribly. The SERGEANT, DICK,
and THADDEUS come running in.]
SERGEANT. What did you yell for? [No answer.] [Seizing her by the arm.]
Answer!
MARY. I knocked the dipper off the table. It scared me.
SERGEANT [dropping wearily into chair at left of centre table]. Well,
don't drop our breakfast. Put it on the table. We're ready.
MARY [stands gazing at him]. It ain't finished.
OFFICER [worn out by his day's work and MARY'S stupidity, from now on
absolutely brutish]. You've had time to cook a dozen meals. You're as
slow as a snail. What did you do all the time we were in the barn?
MARY. I didn't do nothin'.
SERGEANT. You lazy female. Now get a move on, and give us something fit
to eat. Don't try to get rid of any left-overs on us. If you do, you'll
suffer for it.
[MARY stands looking at him.] Don't you know anything, you brainless
farm-drudge? Hurry, I said.
[MARY turns to the stove. THADDEUS sits in chair at left of smaller
table.]
DICK. What a night. My stomach's as hollow as these people's heads.
[Takes towel which hangs above the bench and wipes the barrel of his gun
with it.]
MARY [sees DICK]. That's one of my best towels.
DICK. Can't help it.
SERGEANT. 'Tend to the breakfast. That's enough for you to do at one
time.
[DICK puts his gun on the smaller table, and sits at right of centre
table.]
SERGEANT [quietly to DICK]. I don't see how he gave us the slip.
DICK. He knew we were after him, and drove his horse in here, and went
on afoot. Clever scheme, I must admit.
THADDEUS [endeavoring to get them into conversation]. Have ye rid far
to-night, misters?
DICK [shortly]. Far enough.
THADDEUS. Twenty miles or so?
DICK. Perhaps.
THADDEUS. How long ye been chasin' the critter?
SERGEANT. Shut up, man! Don't you see we don't want to talk to you. Take
hold and hurry, woman. My patience's at an end.
[MARY puts a loaf of bread, some fried eggs, and a coffee pot on the
table.]
MARY. There! I hope ye're satisfied.
[The SERGEANT and DICK pull their chairs to the table, and begin to
eat.]
SERGEANT. Is this all we get? Come, it won't do you any good to be
stingy. [Obviously, from now on, everything the SERGEANT says drives
MARY nearer madness.]
MARY. It's all I got.
SERGEANT. It isn't a mouthful for a chickadee! Give us some butter.
MARY. There ain't none.
SERGEANT. No butter on a farm? God, the way you lie!