Barney. Lave hold er there, ye whilp! Lave go, or by me mother—
Zina. The river! The river! (Barney and Zina struggle, while Brightly is unfastening his fetters. During the struggle, Barney’s gun goes off, as Brightly disappears through the window. When the gun goes off, and Zina sees Brightly clear, she falls on her face sobbing, and Barney dashes out L. U. E., in pursuit. Curtain.)
ACT III.
Scene 1. Landscape or wood back. (Enter Barney, L. U. E., peering cautiously.)
Barney. It’s to the river he would! The blackguard! ’Pon my word, I’ll bat that thafe! Now didn’t that little girrul be doing that well! The illegant little baste! And it’s so decavin where the little darlin’ found the kay! It was killed she was intirely, whin she found out it was me she was chokin’. ’Pon my word, it is a thafe of a clown that wouldn’t be proud to be choked by a pretty little girrul like that. She jist cried as if she was killed. I told her she should choke me to death, and I would find no fault. (A sudden start as if a noise. Looking about.) Ah’r, so ye would do that. (Looking out L. U. E.) ’Pon my word, that cow! (Turning to look cautiously out R.) Let me see, (cogitating), it was meself that would surround the blackguard, when Hezekiah would bat the thafe when he would come round by them cook-houses. (Enter Brightly, L. U. E., stealthily. Dis. Barney; halts; draws a knife from his bootleg. Creeps stealthily towards Barney, as Hez. enters behind him; throws off hat, coat, gun, seizes a stone, and follows Brightly, with the evident intention of knocking his head off. Meantime Barney is saying)—
Barney. Let me say that agin, and I won’t be forgetin’ it. It is I, meself, that will surround thim cook-houses, while the blackguard will bat Hezekiah, and its to the river says he—(Arriving close up to Barney, Brightly prepares to stab him. As he is about to do so, Hez. flings the stone at his head with all his might. It grazes the top of Brightly’s head, knocks his hat off, strikes Barney in the back, and knocks him on his knees. Brightly dashes out R. U. E. Hez. kicks at him, misses, then pursues. Barney springs up and with shut eyes, strikes wildly towards his supposed assailant with both hands. He stops, looks about and sees nothing. Supposing his assailant to be concealed very near, he drops on one knee, spanks his hand on the floor.)
Barney. Come out wid yer! Come out, come out! I’ll bat your dam head off you! Come out! (Gets no response; gets gun and hat hastily, and hurrying out L. U. E., saying,) I will hunt two years for that thafe! (Enter Halcom, R. saying)
Halcom. A most marvelous escape! The poor child is excused in supposing she was saving her friend. (Enter Zina, L, trembling with fear. Drops on her knees sobbing.) Your offence is forgotten.
Zina. Oh, sir, I did not mean to do wrong. Please say you do not hate me for that.
Halcom. I do not. Your heroic impulsiveness for one you believed to be your friend, excites only my admiration, though so disastrous to you, as well as myself.