_Jack._ What do you mean?

_Bill (grins)._ Huh.

_Belle._ You"ve got to ring it up on the cash register.

_Jack._ Oh! _(Laughs and goes to cash desk.)_ How do you work the infernal thing?

_Bill._ Press the five----

_Jack._ There! _(Rings.)_

_Bill._ Gawd-a"mighty, that"s five dollars!

_Jack._ Five DOLLARS?

_Bill._ Sure!

_Jack._ But--what shall I do now?

_Bill._ Give me four ninety-five change and then we"ll be square.

_Jack (making a stab at him)._ Get out, you rascal!

_Bill (flees, laughing)._ Gee, I"ll come back to this joint!

_(Exit.)_

_Belle._ It"s most time we were closing. My sister"s late.

_Jack._ What does your sister do?

_Belle._ She does sewing.

_Jack._ Does she earn much?

_Belle._ Just enough to keep us alive.

_Dolly (enters from street. She is older than Belle, attractive looking, but sharp and aggressive in manner, thin and careworn, poorly dressed, and with snow on her clothing.)_ Why, what"s this?

_Jack._ Belle"s sick.

_Dolly (springs to her)._ Belle! What"s the matter?

_Belle (looks up feebly)._ Just tired, Dolly.

_Dolly._ But him? In your ap.r.o.n.

_Jack._ I told her I"d do the work and give her the money. She needs a rest.

_Dolly._ But what"s that for?

_Jack._ Well, I came in here and ate a meal, and she stood for the bill. Now I want to help her.

_Dolly (vehemently)._ You"re trying to steal her job!

_Belle._ Oh, Dolly!

_Jack._ I want to give her the money!

_Dolly._ Who"s to make you?

_Jack._ Fix it up with the old man. If he"ll feed me, that"s all I"ll ask. He can pay the money to you.

_Dolly._ What do you take my sister for?

_Jack._ Why----

_Dolly._ You"ve struck the wrong girls. We"re not that kind.

_Jack._ What kind?

_Dolly._ Let me tell you, young fellow, you can"t work your games on me. You let my sister alone.

_Jack._ Good Lord! What do you take me for?

_Dolly._ I take you for a man. And you don"t get any hold on my sister!

_Belle._ Dolly! You----

_Dolly._ You keep out of this, I"ll talk to him.

_Jack (impetuously)._ Look here! I want to help your sister. I won"t stand by and see her die.

_Dolly._ What"s it to you if she does?

_Jack._ Didn"t she save me from jail?

_Dolly._ That wasn"t much.

_Jack._ It was her best. Now I want to do mine. Listen to me! Let Belle have a chance. It"s been a long time since she"s had one, I fancy.

_Dolly._ That"s true enough. But she"ll be on her job tomorrow.

_Jack._ She"s ill.

_Dolly._ She"s been ill a long time.

_Jack._ She can"t go on forever! And what then? Can you take her job?

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