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the awful scrap I’d had with Pa—and I was darned cut up about that.

—Andy! Please! Don’t!

—Let me finish now that I’ve started. It’ll help clear things up. I don’t want you to think once a fool always a fool, and be upset all the time I’m here on my fool account. I want you to believe I put all that silly nonsense back of me a long time ago—and now—it seems—well—as if you’d always been my sister, that’s what, Ruth.

—[At the end of her endurance—laughing hysterically.] For God’s sake, Andy—won’t you please stop talking! [She again hides her face in her hands, her bowed shoulders trembling.]

—[Ruefully.] Seem’s if I put my foot in it whenever I open my mouth today. Rob shut me up with almost them same words when I tried speaking to him about it.

—[Fiercely.] You told him—what you’ve told me?

—[Astounded.] Why sure! Why not?

—[Shuddering.] Oh, my God!

—[Alarmed.] Why? Shouldn’t I have?

—[Hysterically.] Oh, I don’t care what you do! I don’t care! Leave me alone! [ gets up and walks down the hill to the left, embarrassed, hurt, and greatly puzzled by her behavior.]

—[After a pause—pointing down the hill.] Hello! Here they come back—and the Captain’s with them. How’d he come to get back so soon,