_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?