_Will._ I"ve got a play written, and you come and tell me to write another. And when I take it to the manager, he"ll tell me to write a third. And his wife will read it, and I"ll have to write a fourth!
And then there"s the stage-manager--perhaps he has a wife too! Who else, for the love of Mike?
_Peggy (laughing)._ Why there"s the star, and the leading lady--in this case you"ve got two actresses fighting for precedence, tearing each other"s eyes out over the question of dressing-rooms. Then there"s the press agent and the property-man, and the dramatic editors of a dozen newspapers, who"ll tell you next morning exactly why your play fell flat. _(Puts her arms about him.)_ Will, dear, don"t be so impatient. Try to understand what I mean! Such a frightfully depressing ending--everybody in the play has lost everything!
_Will._ But that isn"t so!
_Peggy._ Jack has lost his wager, and his quarter of a million dollars--and his home!
_Will._ But see what he"s gained.
_Peggy._ What?
_Will._ In the first place wisdom, and in the second a wife.
_Peggy._ Few people in the audience know anything about wisdom, and everyone of them knows that he could buy a wife for less than a quarter of a million dollars.
_Will._ That"s all very well--for a funny line. But there"s many a man would give that much money to find a n.o.ble-hearted and faithful and loving woman, who would stand by him through all the trials of his life! I gave up more than a quarter of a million myself, and do you suppose it ever occurs to me to regret the bargain? Do you suppose I"d be willing to wipe you and Bill out of existence if I could get my money back?
_Peggy (lays her hand, on his)._ Will, dear, that"s very sweet of you, but it"s not the same in your play. In the first place, Bill isn"t Jack"s child; and then Belle is dying. You see, you"ve told such a dreadful story--
_Will (irritably)._ Don"t tell me that all over again!
_Peggy._ Forgive me! You"ve got a headache, and you"re worn out--we oughtn"t to try to argue now. You simply can"t get this play right while you"re so over-wrought. Take a little time off, and rest and get a fresh view of it.
_Will._ But we"ll starve to death in the meantime!
_Peggy._ No, dear, we needn"t. Let me go and get a job to tide us over the trouble. So you can do your work without killing yourself--please, dear, please!
_Will (in thought)._ Listen, Peggy. If we"re going to make a break, I"ve thought of something better.
_Peggy._ What is it?
_Will._ I"ll go and see Dad.
_Peggy._ Oh, Will, you couldn"t do that!
_Will._ I"ve been thinking about it for the last three days. You see, putting him in the play has brought him back to my thoughts.
I"ve shown him harsh and narrow--but still I realize that I love him. Perhaps he can"t help it if he has a bad temper; and if he"s stubborn--well, I"ve been as stubborn as he. I"ve waited all these years for him to come; and may be it was my place to make the first move. Now he"s old--he can"t last much longer; and if he died, I"d be sorry all my life that I hadn"t been more generous to him. It isn"t his money--after all, he"s my father. If I have to humble myself somewhere, perhaps I ought to give him the first chance. _(A pause.)_ What do you think?
_Peggy._ I don"t know, Will. It couldn"t do any harm, I suppose. _(A pause)._
_Bill (pounds suddenly on door Left)._ Let me in!
_Peggy (leaps up)._ What"s the matter?
_Bill (rushes in)._ Oh! Oh!
_Will and Peggy._ What is it?
_Bill._ A man tried to kidnap me!
_Will and Peggy._ _What?_
_Bill._ Tried to--to take me away!
_Peggy._ Bill!
_Bill._ An old man--in an automobile!
_Will._ You don"t mean it, Bill?
_Bill._ He got out and asked my name. Then he asked me if I"d like to go for a ride. I remembered what you"d told me about kidnappers.
So I ran upstairs.
_Peggy (staring at Will)._ Do you suppose it could be--
_Will._ I"ll go and see. _(The bell rings Left; He stops)._
_Bill._ It"s the old man! He"s after me! _(Shrinks behind, Peggy)._
_Will._ We"ll see. _(Opens door. Dad stands in entrance)._
_Bill (whispers)._ The old man!
_Dad (enters without a word; looks about)._ Well, young fellow! So this is where you live!
_Will (in a low voice)._ Yes, Dad.
_Dad._ And this is the woman?
_Will._ Yes, Dad.
_Dad._ And the boy?
_Will._ Yes, Dad.
_Dad._ Humph! _(A pause.)_ Did it never occur to you I might like to see my grandson?
_Will._ I--I didn"t know, Dad. _(A pause)._
_Dad (in a breaking voice)._ Well, now you"ve forced me to humble myself, what have you got to say to me?
_Will (starting)._ Oh, Dad! Forgive me!
_(Seizes his hands)._ Dad, I"m ashamed of myself! I was coming to you to-day. Honestly I was!
_Dad (returning to his gruff manner)._ Well, young fellow, I"m glad to hear you"ve learned a little sense, at least! How"ve you been making out? Not very well, I judge.
_Will._ Not at all well, Dad.