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 sounded in the street, and two tall figures strode through the entrance and into the group of women and children. There was a bright flash from bandanas, and one of the men swung a child to his shoulder. Loud greetings followed, and another burst of laughter, heavy, deep-chested and glad.

From an upper window a woman's voice called, "Come on, Sister; le's we go down. De stevedore is comin' back."

Porgy turned toward Bess, and moistened his lips with his tongue. Then he spoke in a low husky voice:

"Us ain't talk much sence de picnic, Bess, you an' me. But I gots tuh talk now. I gots tuh know how you an' me stan'."

Bess regarded him dumbly. For a moment the look which Serena had seen when she had tried to take the baby brushed her face, then it passed, leaving it hopeless.

Porgy leaned forward. "Yuh is wantin' tuh go wid Crown w'en he come?"

Then she answered: "W'en I tek dat dope, I know den dat I ain't yo' kin'. An' w'en Crown put he han' on me dat day, I run tuh he like water. Some day dope comin' agin. An' some day Crown goin' put he han' on my t'roat. It goin' be like dyin' den. But I gots tuh talk de trut' tuh yuh. W'en dem time come, I goin' tuh go."