Page:Icebound.pdf/124

112

No.

Then you be quiet and let an expert talk. I was lonesome and I wanted a woman; she was pretty and I wanted to kiss her—that ain’t what I call love.

You. You don’t even know the meaning of the word.

That don’t worry me none—I guess the feller that wrote the dictionary was a whole lot older ’n I am before he got down to the L’s.

You ’ve got good in you, Ben, deep down, if you ’d only try. (Ben turns) I know, it ’s always been that way! You ’ve never tried for long; you ’ve never had a real ambition.

When I was a kid I wanted to spit farther than anybody.

Good-by.

[She starts up to door.

And so you ’re going to break your word?

(hurt—turns)

I don’t know what ’t was you promised mother, but you ’ve broke your word. No man ever needed a woman more ’n I need you, and you ’re leaving me.

That is n’t fair.