County Attorney [with the gallantry of a young politician]. And yet, for all their worries, what would we do without the ladies? [The women do not unbend. He goes to the sink, takes a dipperful of water from the pail and pouring it into a basin, washes his hands. Starts to wipe them on the roller-towel, turns it for a cleaner place.] Dirty towels! [Kicks his foot against the pans under the sink.] Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?
Mrs. Hale [stiffly]. There's a great deal of work to be done on a farm.
County Attorney. To be sure. And yet.... [With a little bow to her.] ... I know there are some Dickson county farmhouses which do not have such roller towels.
[He gives it a pull to expose its full length again.]
Mrs. Hale. Those towels get dirty awful quick. Men's hands aren't always as clean as they might be.
County Attorney. Ah, loyal to your sex, I see. But you and Mrs. Wright were neighbors. I suppose you were friends, too.
Mrs. Hale [shaking her head]. I've not seen much of her of late years. I've not been in this house—it's more than a year.
County Attorney. And why was that? You didn't like her?
Mrs. Hale. I liked her all well enough. Farmers' wives have their hands full, Mr. Henderson. And then—
County Attorney. Yes—?