BURKE--Ye don't! Ye can't! 'Tis mad you are. I'm telling you!

ANNA--[Fixedly.] No I'm not.

BURKE--[Desperately.] But what's come over you so sudden? You was saying you loved me--

ANNA--I'll say that as often as you want me to. It's true.

BURKE--[Bewilderedly.] Then why--what, in the divil's name--Oh, G.o.d help me, I can't make head or tail to it at all!

ANNA--Because it's the best way out I can figure, Mat. [Her voice catching.] I been thinking it over and thinking it over day and night all week. Don't think it ain't hard on me, too, Mat.

BURKE--For the love of G.o.d, tell me then, what is it that's preventing you wedding me when the two of us has love? [Suddenly getting an idea and pointing at CHRIS--exasperatedly.] Is it giving heed to the like of that old fool ye are, and him hating me and filling your ears full of b.l.o.o.d.y lies against me?

CHRIS--[Getting to his feet--raging triumphantly before ANNA has a chance to get in a word.] Yes, Anna believe me, not you! She know her old fa'der don't lie like you.

ANNA--[Turning on her father angrily.] You sit down, d'you hear? Where do you come in b.u.t.ting in and making things worse? You're like a devil, you are! [Harshly.] Good Lord, and I was beginning to like you, beginning to forget all I've got held up against you!

CHRIS--[Crushed--feebly.] You ain't got nutting for hold against me, Anna.

ANNA--Ain't I yust! Well, lemme tell you--[She glances at BURKE and stops abruptly.] Say, Mat, I'm s'prised at you. You didn't think anything he'd said--

BURKE--[Glumly.] Sure, what else would it be?

ANNA--Think I've ever paid any attention to all his crazy bull? Gee, you must take me for a five-year-old kid.

BURKE--[Puzzled and beginning to be irritated at her too.] I don't know how to take you, with your saying this one minute and that the next.

ANNA--Well, he has nothing to do with it.

BURKE--Then what is it has? Tell me, and don't keep me waiting and sweating blood.

ANNA--[Resolutely] I can't tell you--and I won't. I got a good reason--and that's all you need to know. I can't marry you, that's all there is to it. [Distractedly.] So, for Gawd's sake, let's talk of something else.

BURKE--I'll not! [Then fearfully.] Is it married to someone else you are--in the West maybe?

ANNA--[Vehemently.] I should say not.

BURKE--[Regaining his courage.] To the divil with all other reasons then. They don't matter with me at all. [He gets to his feet confidently, a.s.suming a masterful tone.] I'm thinking you're the like of them women can't make up their mind till they're drove to it. Well, then, I'll make up your mind for you b.l.o.o.d.y quick. [He takes her by the arms, grinning to soften his serious bullying.] We've had enough of talk! Let you be going into your room now and be dressing in your best and we'll be going ash.o.r.e.

CHRIS--[Aroused--angrily.] No, py G.o.d, she don't do that! [Takes hold of her arm.]

ANNA--[Who has listened to BURKE in astonishment. She draws away from him, instinctively repelled by his tone, but not exactly sure if he is serious or not--a trace of resentment in her voice.] Say, where do you get that stuff?

BURKE--[Imperiously.] Never mind, now! Let you go get dressed, I'm saying, [Then turning to CHRIS.] We'll be seeing who'll win in the end--me or you.

CHRIS--[To ANNA--also in an authoritative tone.] You stay right here, Anna, you hear! [ANNA stands looking from one to the other of them as if she thought they had both gone crazy. Then the expression of her face freezes into the hardened sneer of her experience.]

BURKE--[Violently.] She'll not! She'll do what I say! You've had your hold on her long enough. It's my turn now.

ANNA--[With a hard laugh.] Your turn? Say, what am I, anyway?

BURKE--'Tis not what you are, 'tis what you're going to be this day--and that's wedded to me before night comes. Hurry up now with your dressing.

CHRIS--[Commandingly.] You don't do one tang he say, Anna! [ANNA laughs mockingly.]

BURKE--She will, so!

CHRIS--Ay tal you she don't! Ay'm her fa'der.

BURKE--She will in spite of you. She's taking my orders from this out, not yours.

ANNA--[Laughing again.] Orders is good!

BURKE--[Turning to her impatiently.] Hurry up now, and shake a leg.

We've no time to be wasting. [Irritated as she doesn't move.] Do you hear what I'm telling you?

CHRIS--You stay dere, Anna!

ANNA--[At the end of her patience--blazing out at them pa.s.sionately.]

You can go to h.e.l.l, both of you! [There is something in her tone that makes them forget their quarrel and turn to her in a stunned amazement.

ANNA laughs wildly.] You're just like all the rest of them--you two!

Gawd, you'd think I was a piece of furniture! I'll show you! Sit down now! [As they hesitate--furiously.] Sit down and let me talk for a minute. You're all wrong, see? Listen to me! I'm going to tell you something--and then I'm going to beat it. [To BURKE--with a harsh laugh.] I'm going to tell you a funny story, so pay attention.

[Pointing to CHRIS.] I've been meaning to turn it loose on him every time he'd get my goat with his bull about keeping me safe inland. I wasn't going to tell you, but you've forced me into it. What's the dif?

It's all wrong anyway, and you might as well get cured that way as any other. [With hard mocking.] Only don't forget what you said a minute ago about it not mattering to you what other reason I got so long as I wasn't married to no one else.

BURKE--[Manfully.] That's my word, and I'll stick to it!

ANNA--[Laughing bitterly.] What a chance! You make me laugh, honest!

Want to bet you will? Wait 'n see! [She stands at the table rear, looking from one to the other of the two men with her hard, mocking smile. Then she begins, fighting to control her emotion and speak calmly.] First thing is, I want to tell you two guys something. You was going on's if one of you had got to own me. But n.o.body owns me, see?--'cepting myself. I'll do what I please and no man, I don't give a hoot who he is, can tell me what to do! I ain't asking either of you for a living. I can make it myself--one way or other. I'm my own boss.

So put that in your pipe and smoke it! You and your orders!

BURKE--[Protestingly.] I wasn't meaning it that way at all and well you know it. You've no call to be raising this rumpus with me. [Pointing to CHRIS.] 'Tis him you've a right--

ANNA--I'm coming to him. But you--you did mean it that way, too. You sounded--yust like all the rest. [Hysterically.] But, d.a.m.n it, shut up!

Let me talk for a change!

BURKE--'Tis quare, rough talk, that--for a dacent girl the like of you!

ANNA--[With a hard laugh.] Decent? Who told you I was? [CHRIS is sitting with bowed shoulders, his head in his hands. She leans over in exasperation and shakes him violently by the shoulder.] Don't go to sleep, Old Man! Listen here, I'm talking to you now!

CHRIS--[Straightening up and looking about as if he were seeking a way to escape--with frightened foreboding in his voice.] Ay don't vant for hear it. You vas going out of head, Ay tank, Anna.

ANNA--[Violently.] Well, living with you is enough to drive anyone off their nut. Your bunk about the farm being so fine! Didn't I write you year after year how rotten it was and what a dirty slave them cousins made of me? What'd you care? Nothing! Not even enough to come out and see me! That crazy bull about wanting to keep me away from the sea don't go down with me! You yust didn't want to be bothered with me!

You're like all the rest of 'em!

CHRIS--[Feebly.] Anna! It ain't so--

ANNA--[Not heeding his interruption--revengefully.] But one thing I never wrote you. It was one of them cousins that you think is such nice people--the youngest son--Paul--that started me wrong. [Loudly.] It wasn't none of my fault. I hated him worse 'n h.e.l.l and he knew it. But he was big and strong--[Pointing to Burke]--like you!