[To
MARY.] You were here at the house all day?
[MARY is very fearful and embarrassed, but after a moment manages
to nod her head slowly.]
You didn't take a trip down to the store?
[MARY shakes her head slowly.]
Haven't you got a tongue?
MARY [with difficulty]. Y-e-s.
SERGEANT. Then use it. The Northern soldier who came here a while
ago was pretty badly wounded, wasn't he?
MARY. I -- I -- no one's been here.
SERGEANT. Come, come, woman, don't lie.
[MARY shows a slight sign of anger.]
He had a bad cut in his forehead, and you felt sorry for him, and
gave him a bite to eat.
MARY [haltingly]. No one's been near the house to-day.
SERGEANT [trying a different tone]. We're not going to hurt him,
woman. He's a friend of ours. We want to find him, and put him
in a hospital, don't we, Dick? [Turning to his companion.]
DICK. He's sick and needs to go to bed for a while.
MARY. He ain't here.
SERGEANT. What do you want to lie for?
MARY [quickly]. I ain't lyin'. I ain't seed no soldier.
THADDEUS. No one could 'a' come without her seein' 'em.
SERGEANT. I suppose you know what'll happen to you if you are
hidin' the man?
[MARY stands rooted to the spot where she stopped when she came
downstairs.
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