ss. 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?

NORTHERNER. Don't be afraid. It's not load----

MARY. I'd call 'em in, if I wasn't----

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. Pu