(Enter Clarke hot and perspiring. They look at him coldly.)
CLARKE I God, de bear got me! (silence for a moment) How y'all feelin' ladies?
SISTER TAYLOR Brother Mayor, I ain't one of these folks dat bite my tongue and bust my gall—Whuts inside got to come out! I can't see to my rest why you cloakin' in wid dese Baptist buzzards ginst yo' own Church.
MAYOR CLARKE
I ain't cloakin' in wid none. I'm de Mayor of dis whole town.
I stands for de right and against de wrong. I don't keer who it kill
or cure.
SISTER THOMAS
You think it's right to be runnin' dat boy off for nothin?
MAYOR CLARKE I God! You call knockin' a man in de head wid a mule bone nothin'? 'Nother thing—I done missed nine of my best-layin' hens. I ain't sayin' Jim got 'em—but different people has told me he buries a powerful lot of feathers in his back yard. I God, I'm a ruint man! (He starts towards the right exit, but Lum Rogers enters right.) I God, Lum, I been lookin' for you all day. It's almost three o'clock. (hands him a key from his ring) Take dis key and go fetch Jim Weston on to de church.
LUM
Have you got yo' gavel from de lodge-room?
CLARKE I God, that's right, Lum. I'll go get it from de lodge room whilst you go git de bone an' de prisoner. Hurry up! You walk like dead lice droppin' off you! (He exits right while Lum crosses stage towards left)
SISTER TAYLOR
Lum, Elder Simms been huntin' you—he's gone on down bout de barn.
(She gestures.)
LUM
I reckon I'll overtake him. (Exit left)