Exit DAVE.
EM'LY. Jim!
JIM. I want you and Lizbeth to go in the house. Go on!
EM'LY. [Going.] What's the matter?
JIM. You go with them, Sam—and take care of 'em.
SAM. [Joining the girls on the porch.] Why, Jim, if there's goin' to be any trouble—
JIM. [Watching the coming mob.] I reckon they ain't—and anyway I want this side of the fence by myself. [Exeunt LIZBETH and EM'LY to house.] Take 'em way back to the kitchen.
SAM. [At the door.] All right?
JIM. Dead sure.
Exit SAM. JIM removes his paper collar—adjusts the two guns under his coat-tails—takes a chew of tobacco, and fatefully waits. Enter back of fence, BOLLINGER, SARBER, CAL, ESROM, DAVE, and SUPERS; DAVE drifts away from them to left. ESROM playing Jew's-harp. All enter when JIM gets through his preparations and leans against porch.