Page:Hell-Bent fer Heaven (Hughes 1924).pdf/177

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[Hesitates, then goes to the cellar door and calls softly]

Andy! [Getting no reply, he lifts his voice slightly] Andy, you ain’t drownded, are you?

[Roars with suppressed rage]

No, you ring-tailed runt! An’ I ain’t a-goin’ to drown tell I’ve told ’em the truth about that’ shootin’! You’d better git your second verse ready! You’re a-goin’ to need it!

[Closes the door in a panic of fear, hesitates a moment, then opens it and calls down insinuatingly]

All I wanted, Andy, wus to tell you that if you’ll gimme your solemn word not to tell, I might mebby could help you now!

[Defiantly]

Not by a dam’ sight! I’m a-goin’ to hell a-straddle o’ your neck!

[ ''closes the door and backs away, paralyzed with fear. He thinks a moment, then rushes to the gun rack, takes down the shotgun, and goes over to the light of the fire to see if itis loaded. It is, and he''