DAVE.  All right. [Exit after LIZBETH.

JOE. [Entering door.] Jes’ look at him, ma—­he’s got his eyebrows in it.

MRS. VERNON. [At door; leans on JOE’S shoulder.] The darlin’—­jes’ to think, Joe, if one of our children was sufferin’—­

JOE. [With unction.] You bet.

MRS. VERNON. [Earnestly calls.] Don’t let him splash it on you,
Jim—­’t’ll spot your clothes.

JOE. [Pauses admiringly.] Jim don’t care a durn.

MRS. VERNON.  There, I’ll fix his bed. [Getting coats from peg, back wall.] What’s a man know, anyhow? [Exit to shop.

JOE. [Gets tobacco from shelf.] She’ll fix him all right—­ha, ha!

JIM. [Entering, looking back.] Say, Joe, women are great, ain’t they? [Stands admiringly in doorway.

JOE. [Slowly coming down, filling pipe.] Jim! [Pause.  JIM doesn’t answer, only looks at JOE.] You an’ me—­[Turns quickly and looks at JIM.] You an’ me are goin’ into the convention together? [JIM nods once, and chews slowly.] Agin each other. [JIM nods and chews.  Pause.] Smoke? [Offers pipe.

JIM. [Takes cud from mouth; hesitates—­returns it.] Chew.

JOE.  Set down. [They sit.  JIM left of table—­JOE to the right in rocker.] There’s somethin’ I want to say to you jes’ between ourselves.

Enter MRS. VERNON.

MRS. VERNON. [Comes back of table between the men.] I reckon he’s comfortable.

JOE.  Jim an’ me’s talkin’ a minute, ma.

MRS. VERNON. [Reassuredly.] Well, I got my work. [Exit.

JOE.  Jim—­[JIM looks at him.] I been a figurin’ an’ I’ve calculated they’s a difference of about $600 ‘tween you an’ me.

JIM. [Placidly.] How?

JOE. [Rising, and closing door.  Returns.] When my Kate got through the public school, you said she ought to go to college. [JIM nods.] I didn’t think so—­I admit now I was a durn fool. [JIM nods.] You said she had to go—­an’ she went—­to Linenwood. [JIM chews.] When she come back she taught me everything I know—­I don’t think I could go afore this convention if it wasn’t for what Kate’s learned me—­Jim, I’m ashamed to say so, but I let you pay her schoolin’—­I’ve figured out it’s a round six hundred dollars—­an’ I’m goin’ to pay you every—­

JIM. [Impressively points at him with his whole hand.] See here—­ [After a fateful pause, rises.] Don’t you ever say that to me agen. [Turns away.

JOE. [Half-rising, anxiously.] Why, Jim?

JIM. [Turning.  Threatens.] Never.

JOE.  Tain’t nothin’ to make trouble ’tween us, Jim.

JIM. [Pauses—­growls slowly.] Whatever I done—­was done—­have you ever said a word to her about it?