MRS. VERNON.  And jes’ what I thought, too.  She’s goin’ to meet him.

KATE.  Well, what of it?  You’re polite enough to his face.

MRS. VERNON.  Of course, if he’ll come here like a man.  But when I was a gurl—­it’d a been an insult fur a man to send a note askin’ her to meet him after dark.

JOE. [Loudly chaffing.] Oh, ma—­now don’t forget—­

MRS. VERNON.  You upholdin’ her?  Jim, that’s the way I have to fight to keep this family straight.  What’s your opinion?

JIM.  Well, ‘tain’t no business o’ mine, Mrs. Vernon, and—­

MRS. VERNON.  Do you like his looks?

JIM. [Pause.] He ain’t jes’ my kind—­but may be he don’t like mine.

MRS. VERNON.  Do you uphold his sending letters to Kate?

JIM.  Why, Mrs. Vernon, I can’t blame other men fur likin’ Kate.

MRS. VERNON.  Meetin’ them after dark?

JIM.  Kate knows how I feel about her—­[Pause.] And if she wanted my opinion I’d give it to her—­but on the other hand—­I’ve got an awful lot o’ confidence in Kate.

MRS. VERNON.  Why don’t you answer his letter, Kate, an’ say you’ll be happy to receive him at your home?  He won’t think none the less of you.

KATE.  I’ve promised to meet him, and I’m going to keep the appointment.

MRS. VERNON.  Is she, Joe?

JOE.  Well, ma, I can’t tie her.

MRS. VERNON.  Take Lizbeth with you.

KATE.  I don’t want Lizbeth with me.

LIZBETH.  I won’t play proprietary for her!

KATE. [Starting up.] I’m going alone. [Crosses right.

MRS. VERNON. [With her back to street door.] Not this door, you ain’t.

KATE.  Then the other. [Exits, followed by MRS. VERNON.

MRS. VERNON. [As she disappears by door.] We’ll see!

Enter BOLLINGER from street.

BOLLINGER. [In great excitement.] Say, boys—­man killed up at
Clark’s—­

JOE. [Catching the thrill.] Man killed?

BOLLINGER.  Yes.

LIZBETH and EM’LY.  Oh!

JOE.  Run over?

BOLLINGER.  Shot.

ALL.  Shot!

BOLLINGER. [Revelling in the gossip.] Travers shot him.  Sam Fowler came in the drug-store, and the minute he saw him he said, “That’s the man robbed my car—­”

JIM. [Quietly.] What’s he look like?

BOLLINGER. [Impatiently.] Why, Travers—­Sam says that’s the man—­and Travers started for the window—­stepped right into the perfumery case, then on the sody-water counter, and this fellow grabbed him.  First we see Travers had his gun right against the fellow’s neck and—­bang—­he turned around with both hands up, this way, and kneels down right at Bill Sarber’s feet.

EM’LY.  And Sam?

BOLLINGER.  Oh, Sam’s all right—­say, kin one of you boys lend me a gun—­we’re huntin’ fur him.