Scene.—Mrs. Thornton's sitting-room, same as Act IV. Miss Amelia seated on sofa, the Deacon beside her; Pete looks in upon them from behind curtain C., grinning.

Deacon. In a short time, my love, Helen will be the happy bride of Mr. Wheeler. Oh, that I could persuade you to become my blushing bride at the same time. (places arm around her, and looks at her fondly)

Miss A. (half-playfully) I declare, Deacon, the more one sees of you the more impressive your silliness becomes. The bare idea of a man of your age desiring to marry, is simply ridiculous.

Deacon. Perhaps it is, my darling, but let me enjoy the happiness of living over my youth again. I feel fifty years younger this morning than I did last night before I obtained your consent to bless my declining years with your sweet smile. But when we come to consider our age, and the subject of marriage in connection with it, it certainly does appear as though both of us were silly geese.

Miss A. (amazed and offended) Sir!

Deacon. (confused) I beg your pardon. I did not mean to refer to your age. I—I—meant my own. That was what I was thinking about. (tenderly) As I look at you, you appear as fresh and bright as a lass of sixteen.

Miss A. (reassured, gushingly) Oh, Deacon, I can't believe you mean that.

Deacon. I do though.

Pete. (at D. C.) Look out, de parson am coming! (Miss A. and Deacon start, then separate. Pete enters and goes R. At same instant

Enter Parson Brownlow, L. 2 E.

Deacon. (rises, faces Pete, enraged) How dare you enter my—our presence unannounced! What do I care if the parson has come! (Miss A., catching sight of Parson B., who stands L. amazed, with uplifted hands, tugs at the Deacon's sleeve to attract his attention) If a dozen of them come, are they any better than any body else? If ever you enter my presence again so abruptly, old as I am, I'll cane you within an inch of your life.

Miss A. Deacon, Deacon, do be still. You are disgracing yourself and mortifying me. Just look! There stands Parson Brownlow listening to every word you say.

Deacon. Hang the Parson! I'll—(sees the parson) I beg your pardon, sir, I was not aware of your presence. You must excuse my unseemly passion. I have been greatly irritated by that black rascal standing there. (pointing to Pete)

Parson B. What, Pete in trouble again! (to Pete) What have you been doing now?

Pete. (in injured tone) I weren't doin' nuffin'. De Deacon dar was a-spoonin', (the Deacon frowns and starts for Pete, but is detained by Miss A. catching him by the arm. Pete starts to run up R.) an' cause I warned him of your approach to keep yo' from catchin' ob him, he got mad.

Miss A. There, Pete, that's enough. (to Parson B.) It was a little misunderstanding, that is all. (Deacon manifests a desire to reach Pete. To Deacon) Deacon, do be still. I think I hear the bride and groom coming.

Enter Mrs. Thornton and guests, if any, R. 2 E. They take places. Mrs. T. down L., guests up L. and R.; Miss Amelia, Deacon and Parson cross R.; Parson stands R. of Miss A.; Pete goes up R. near curtain. Orchestra plays a wedding march. After a few bars enter Helen D. C., arrayed in bridal robes, leaning on the left arm of Wheeler. Take positions directly in front of L. 2 E. door. Pete makes a low salaam as they enter, but shakes fist at Wheeler as he crosses to position. Parson takes book from pocket, steps in front of contracting parties, and proceeds with ceremony as music ceases. Pete peeps out D. C.

Parson. (reading from book) We are gathered together here in the presence of this company to join together this man and woman in the holy bonds of matrimony. If any man can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace—(during the delivery of this, Pete manifests uneasiness and occasionally glances around at D. C. When Graef enters he displays joy by rubbing hands gleefully)

Enter Graef D. C.; goes down C. Speaks as he comes forward.

Graef. One moment, Parson. I forbid this marriage.

Wheeler. On what grounds?

Graef. Aunt—Helen—you are being imposed upon!

Wheeler. (angrily) What is the meaning of this interference, sir?

Graef. (to Helen) That man has a wife living.

Wheeler. 'Tis false! As false as he who makes the accusation. (to Helen, angrily) You will not allow yourself to be influenced by the base charge of a common thief, will you?

Graef. Helen, I ask no one to believe my simple word. I have proof amply sufficient to convince you of the truthfulness of my assertion. (to Wheeler) Do you deny my charge?

Wheeler. I do, and challenge you to produce your proof.

Enter Mrs. Darrah, D. C.

Graef. (to Wheeler) It is here. Do you know this lady?

Wheeler. (surprised) Minnie!

Graef. You know her then?

Wheeler. You here?

Mrs. T. (to Graef) Who is that woman?

Graef. Uncle's daughter, (the Deacon's back is turned toward Mrs. D.) and your would-be son-in-law's wife.

Mrs. T. (to Wheeler) Is this true?

Wheeler. I cannot deny it. (bows head. Mrs. T. catches Helen by arm and supports her to sofa as Mrs. D. speaks. Parson B. closes book and crosses to R. of Miss Amelia)

Mrs. D. Alas, it is too true! But I remain such only until the courts sever our relation. (goes to sofa and helps comfort Helen, after casting a longing glance at the Deacon who still stands with back toward her)

Wheeler. (hisses through clenched teeth, to Graef) So I have you to thank for this humiliation, have I?

Graef. Yes, and it is a pleasure I have been anticipating for the past two days.

Wheeler. Then you prepared this plan for my exposure?

Graef. I did.

Wheeler. Have you the effrontery to tell me to my teeth that you deliberately prepared my downfall?

Graef. (coolly) I have.

Wheeler. Then, you miserable cur, I'll be revenged. (rushes at Graef who retreats a little. Pete draws huge butcher knife and runs to Graef's side)

Pete. Pull on him, Massa George, pull on him, I'se wid yo'! (holding knife aloft dramatically. At sight of knife Miss Amelia has slight attack of hysterics, throws both arms around the Deacon's neck and chokes him. The Deacon struggles to release himself. Parson B. stoops behind Miss A. and tries to make her dress shield him. Wheeler stops suddenly)

Enter Officer, L. 2 E.; approaches Wheeler softly.

Graef. He's not worth the effort, Pete. Officer, arrest that man.

Officer. (seizing Wheeler from behind) George Darrah, I arrest you for the crime of theft. (Wheeler struggles. Graef helps Officer handcuff him. The Deacon unloosens Miss A.'s arms, when her head falls upon his right shoulder. The Deacon supports her drooping form by placing his right arm around her waist. Mrs. T. rises)

Wheeler. What is the meaning of this indignity?

Graef. You will soon know. (to Mrs. T.) Aunt, there stands the George Graef who stole your diamonds!

Pete. Say, Massa George, what do yo' think his picture will look like now, arter it's took, eh? (Graef smiles. Pete crosses to Parson B. and makes feint to stab him with knife. Parson sinks almost to knees, manifesting great fear. Aside) He kin teach others how to die bravely, but he skeers when deff comes nigh him.

Mrs. T. (to Graef) I don't understand you.

Graef. George Darrah, there, known to you as Mr. Wheeler, is the thief you thought was myself. (to Wheeler) Do you require proof to that effect?

Wheeler. Yes, if you possess it.

Graef. (taking watch charm from pocket) Do you recognize that charm?

Wheeler. No, I never saw it before.

Pete. Dat's a whopper!

Graef. (taking paper from pocket) Perhaps you will deny also ever having seen this note with your name attached to it. (folds note so that signature only is seen, and shows it to Wheeler) Is that your signature?

Wheeler. No, it's a forgery.

Pete. By crickitees! I'se not a circumstance to dat feller in lyin'.

Graef. Aunt, this charm and note were found by Pete just outside of your dressing-room door the morning after the robbery. He, thinking they might lead to a clue, brought them to me. From the contents of this note I learned who committed the theft and where the diamonds were secreted.

Wheeler. Will you let me see that note?

Graef. With pleasure. (walks to Wheeler, unfolds note and holds it up for him to read, talking as he does so) Pete visited the place where the diamonds were hidden, and brought them to me. I will give them to you in a moment. Are you through? (to Wheeler. Takes small package from pocket and hands it to Mrs. T.) There they are.

Wheeler. Mrs. Thornton, that note is supposed to be written by me. In it I am made to state the hour I was to commit the robbery, and the place where I would hide the diamonds, so that my confederate could find them. Now, do you think if I planned the affair and had an accomplice, I would be likely to write him a tell-tale note, and allow it to fall into an interested party's hands to be used against me?

Pete. Did yo' eber hear de like?

Mrs. T. Well, hardly, but how do you account for the note explaining where the diamonds were hidden?

Wheeler. That's plain enough to me. There stands the man (looking at Graef) who took the diamonds; there stands the man who returned them, and there is the man who wrote that note and trumped up this charge to shield himself at my expense.

Graef. You infamous scoundrel! (advances upon Wheeler)

Pete. (excitedly) Pin him, Massa George. I'd nebber stand dat, suah!

Mrs. T. (looks reproachfully at Graef) Can it be possible!

Graef. Aunt, for heaven's sake, believe not that black-hearted villain. In one moment I'll convince you of his guilt beyond question. This morning, Davis the pawnbroker, came to my room of his own free will, and told me that that man (pointing to Wheeler) was the one who left one of your jewels at his shop, and that he was to pay Davis three hundred dollars to keep that fact a secret. Is that sufficient for you?

Pete. (aside) Ob his own free will, did he? I guess I skeered ole Davis nigh about to deff. I tole him we knew who gave him dat diamond an' I was on my way to git an officer to 'rest him as a 'complice.

Wheeler. The lying scoundrel! I'll get even with him for that, and with you (to Graef) and you, (to Mrs. T.) and with all of you.

Mrs. T. Off with you. I no longer doubt your guilt. Officer, remove him instantly from our presence. (exeunt Officer and Wheeler, L. 2 E. Mrs. T. goes to Graef) George, can you ever forgive me for my unjust suspicions? I will do anything in my power to make retribution to you for your sufferings.

Graef. Then extend to Minnie, there, your niece, a welcome worthy of her. (Mrs. T. goes to sofa, grasps Mrs. D.'s hand, takes seat beside her and engages her in conversation. Helen rises and approaches Graef) Innocence requires no retribution from those who suspect her.

Helen. Cousin, no one can ever be more grateful to you than I am for the life of misery you have saved me from. What could have been that fiend's motive in trying to bring disgrace upon us all, baffles my comprehension.

Graef. His desire to be revenged upon Minnie and all her relatives, for the fancied insult he received in uncle's disinheriting her for marrying contrary to his wishes, has been the motive that actuated him. (Parson, Miss Amelia and Deacon cross to Graef)

Parson. (shaking Graef's hand) Bless you, my son, bless you.

Miss A. George, you are a son worthy of your mother. I always said you would yet make a man of yourself——

Graef. (interrupting) There, there! you are all showering your thanks upon me and forgetting Pete, to whom most of the glory belongs.

Pete. Yo' just bet it does. I'se done my share ob keepin' up de 'spectability ob de family.

Helen. Yes, Pete, you have, and we are all very grateful to you for it.

Pete. (bowing) T'ank yo'.

Deacon. (advancing and extending hand) George, my boy, you will at least let me extend to you my hearty congratulations. You have acted nobly.

Graef. (refusing hand) Excuse me uncle, but——

Deacon. Why! why! what's the matter? Refuse to shake hands with me? Why—ah—I can't understand it.

Graef. Pardon me, uncle for my plainness of speech. But I'll never shake hands with a father who has disowned his motherless child, until he forgives her and acknowledges her as his own flesh and blood.

Pete. (aside) Dat's de noblest t'ing he ever said or done.

Minnie. (rising) George!

Graef. I can't help it, Minnie. I mean it. (the Deacon turns back)

Pete. Dat's right, Massa George, make him toe de scratch.

Enter Nellie, D. C.

Nellie. Where's mamma? Oh, there you are! (runs to her)

Graef. (approaches Deacon; lays hand upon his left shoulder) Uncle, your daughter and child await your forgiveness.

Deacon. (doggedly) I have no daughter!

Pete. Miss 'Melia, please come here a minnit. (Miss A. goes to Pete, who is down R.) Yo' tackle de Deacon, he'll refuse yo' nuffin'.

Miss A. Go long with you! (returns to former position)

Parson. Brother, the good book says, "Forgive, and we shall be forgiven." (Mrs. D. and Nellie approach Deacon and kneel at his L. side)

Mrs. D. Father, I ask your forgiveness, not for myself, but for this innocent child's sake.

Pete. Now, go for him, Miss 'Melia, an' yo'll fotch him, suah.

Deacon. Rise, my child, for inhuman would be the man who could refuse the pleadings of a kneeling child. You are forgiven. (tenderly kisses the brow of Mrs. D. She and Nellie rise)

Miss A. Oh, Deacon, Deacon!

Pete. (aside) She's jealous!

Miss A. How noble you are.

Pete. (elevating eyebrows and opening mouth) Oh, dat's what she means!

Graef. (grasping the Deacon's hand) Now, uncle, I'll shake hands with you and thank you, too, for the nobility of character you have shown. Though there will be no marriage bells ringing in this house to-day, yet I'm sure there will not be a happier gathering of loved ones to be found in this wide, wide world.

Pete. But t'ink ob de good things we'll miss!

Deacon. (gleefully) Who says there will be no marriage-bells sounding in this house to-day? Parson, step right down. (motioning down C. Enter Billy, D. C., with huge piece of cake in hand, eating. His disfigurements are slightly less than in Act 4. Stands up C.) Where are you, Amelia, my love?

Miss A. Oh, Deacon, don't be so silly! (holding back. All smile)

Deacon. Come along, my love. Don't keep the Parson waiting, come along. (take positions down C. Pete runs to Nellie and places her beside Miss A., while he goes to Deacon's side. Mrs. T. and Helen up L.; Graef and Mrs. D. up R.; Billy up C., eating)

Pete. Let de band play fo' we's all ready fo' de dance. (Parson opens book and steps in front of Miss A. and the Deacon as the curtain falls)

CURTAIN.