  Scene: A room in the sheriff’s house which is used for conferences. At the rear is a door into the hall, at the left a door leads to an adjoining room. There is also a door at the right, going to the corridor which connects this house with the jail. Lawyer and Prisoner are found in heated conversation. The prisoner, an attractive young man, is seated, and has just turned away from the Lawyer, irritated. Lawyer Do you know that murder is no laughing matter? Prisoner Well, was I laughing? Lawyer [Shoots it at him.] Where were you on the night of October 25? [Prisoner sits like one who never means to speak again.] Your silence shields a woman’s honor. Do you know what’s going to be said of you? You’re going to be called old-fashioned! [A worried look flits over the prisoner’s face.] A man will not tell where he is because it involves a woman’s honor! How quaint! [In a different voice.] Say, do you think she’s worth it? [Prisoner rises angrily. Yes, get red in the face, I should think you would. Blush. Blush for shame. Shame of having loved a woman who’d let a man face death to shield her own honor! Prisoner You don’t know what you’re talking about. Lawyer It’s just like a woman, the cowards. That’s what I most despise in women. Afraid they won’t be looked upon as the pure noble sensitive souls they spend their lives trying to make us believe they are. Sickening! Prisoner There are things you don’t understand. Lawyer Oh, yes, I do. I suppose she’s got a husband. I suppose he’d divorce her. Then she wouldn’t be asked out to tea quite so often. Good Lord—die for something real! Prisoner You and I have different ideals, Mr. Foster. There are things we don’t discuss. Lawyer There are things we have to discuss. If you insist upon this romantic course, then at least we will have to get something out of that. Prisoner What do you mean? Lawyer Simply that public feeling has got to swing toward Prisoner [Outraged.] Have you given out a story to the newspapers? Lawyer [Drawing paper from his pocket.] Very delicately done. “A life for a life.” Isn’t that moving? “While Gordon Wallace languishes in his cell, some woman is safe in a shielded home. Charged with the murder of John Erwalt, young Wallace fails to cut his chain of circumstantial evidence with an alibi. Where was Gordon Wallace on the night of October 25? He maintains a dogged silence. Behind that silence rests a woman’s honor”—and so on, at some length. Prisoner You had no right to give out a story without my consent! Lawyer Oh, yes, I have. If I can’t get your consent for saving your life, then, my young friend, I shall save it without your consent. Pardon my rudeness. Prisoner How will this save it? Lawyer How little romantic young men know the romantic sex. Wives—including, I hope, jurors’ wives—will cry, “Don’t let that chivalrous young man die!” Prisoner Mr. Foster, I tell you again, I dislike your attitude toward women! Laugh at me if you will, but I have respect and reverence for women. I believe it is perfectly true that men must guard them. Call me a romantic young fool if it pleases you, but I have had a mother—a sister—sweetheart. Yes, I am ready to die to shield a woman’s honor! [As he says this the door slowly opens and a woman steps in. Shielded One No! You shall not! [Quite taken aback, the men stand looking at her. She has breeding, poise—obviously she has stepped out of a world where women are shielded. She maintains a front of her usual composure, but there is an intensity—an excitement—which indicates she is feeling some big new thing. Lawyer looks from her to the Prisoner, who is staring at the Woman. Lawyer [To Woman.] Oh—you’ve come? Shielded One [Firmly, but with emotion.] I have come. Prisoner I don’t understand. Lawyer You were not willing to let him die? Shielded One No. Lawyer Good. This young man—[He pauses, embarrassed, for it does not seem a thing to say to this lady] was with you on the night of October 25? Shielded One Yes. Prisoner Why, no I wasn’t. Lawyer There is no use, Gordon, in trying to keep the lady from doing what she has apparently determined to do. Shielded One No. You cannot keep me from doing what I have determined to do. Lawyer For my part, I respect you for it. Then you are prepared to testify that on the night of October 25 Gordon Wallace was with you from twelve o’clock midnight till eight next morning? Shielded One [A little falteringly, yet fervent.] Yes. Lawyer Was with you—continuously? Shielded One Yes. Lawyer Your name is—? [He takes out his note-book. Prisoner [In distress.] Don’t give him your name! He’ll use it! I tell you this is all a mistake. I don’t know this lady. I never saw her before. [To the Woman.] You mustn’t do this! Shielded One [Proudly, and with relief.] I have done it! Lawyer And as I said, madam, I greatly respect you for doing it. You are, if I may say so, unlike most of your sex. Now—your name? Shielded One [This is not easy for her.] Mrs. Oscar Duncan. Lawyer And Mrs. Duncan you live at—? [A noise in the hall.] I fear some one is coming in. Will you just step in here? [He shows her into the room at the left. They hear the corridor door open and turn. A woman is coming in—rather plump, middle-aged—a pleasant, motherly looking woman. She looks from the Lawyer to the Prisoner, moves to get a better look at the young man, who becomes nervous under this scrutiny; then she seems to have it straight in her mind, nods pleasantly. Motherly One [Cheerily.] Good morning. Lawyer Good morning. Motherly One [To Prisoner.] Good morning. Prisoner [Not cheerily.] Good morning. Motherly One There was no one out there, so I just walked right in. [Lawyer nods.] I thought you might be glad to see me. Lawyer Oh—we are. [To Gordon.] Aren’t we? Motherly One I suppose I am in the right place. Lawyer Well, it is the right place for some things. Motherly One Is it the place to tell the truth about Gordon Wallace? Lawyer It seems to be. Motherly One [Very cheerfully.] Well, then, on the night of October 25 that young man—[Steps for a better look at the Prisoner] this young man—was with me. Lawyer From twelve o’clock midnight until eight next morning? Motherly One [Placidly.] From twelve o’clock midnight till eight next morning. [She takes a muffler from her bag and sits down and begins to knit. Lawyer Was with you—continuously? Motherly One Oh, certainly—continuously. [She knits serenely on. Lawyer Well—Gordon. Motherly One [Pleasantly.] It seems that mufflers get longer and longer. [Looking up at Lawyer.] Doesn’t it? Lawyer Why—perhaps they do. But—you are willing to leave your name and address? Motherly One Certainly, I’m willing to leave my name and address. What else would I be here for? Oh—but could I use the telephone first. [Rises.] It will be better to let them know that I’ll probably be late getting home for lunch. Lawyer [Is about to open door of the room in which the Shielded One is waiting.] No—there’s some one in there. Here [Going to the door at the other side of the room], I’ll show you how to get through to the jail phone. Motherly One The jail! But we’ll soon have you out of jail. [She goes, giving the young man an encouraging smile. The Lawyer steps out with her. The young man hears the rear door opening—this door into the hall has a slight squeak—starts nervously, looks around to see a young woman come in. In a keen, cool amused way she is staring at him. He turns away, petulantly hitching his chair. She moves where she can see him better, takes from her bag a newspaper picture, looks from it to him. He turns, sees what she is doing; she smiles at him. He looks like one at bay. Enter Lawyer. Sees what is going on, smiles. Lawyer On the night of October 25—? Scornful One [To Lawyer.] I understand that down here a man is about to die for a woman’s honor. Lawyer He had some such thing in mind. Scornful One [To Lawyer.] Now you can’t get away with that. Sorry to upset your plans, but the death seems uncalled for. On the night of October 25—Gordon Wallace was with me. Lawyer From twelve o’clock midnight till eight next morning? Scornful One From twelve o’clock midnight until eight next morning. Lawyer [Rather feebly.] Con-tinuously? Scornful One [In an offhand voice.] Continuously. Lawyer Well—well, Gordon, I begin to understand why you hesitated to tell the truth about that momentous night. Rise and thank the lady, Gordon; it would seem the least you could do would be to rise and— [As he is saying this to Gordon, in rushes a fussily dressed hysterical woman and throws her arms around the Lawyer’s neck. Silly One Darling! I cannot let you die for me! Lawyer [Trying to free himself.] Pardon me, madam, but— Silly One Gordon! You call me madam after that night together. Oh my beloved, when I think of those hours I lay in your arms— Lawyer Pardon me, but you never lay in— Silly One I know. Ah—I understand. You pretend not to know me. You would die to shield me—but you shall not! You cannot escape me! Lawyer [Still unsuccessful in freeing himself.] Apparently not. But permit me to tell you, you are making a mistake. Silly One No! I am not making a mistake! You shall not die for me. Lawyer I really don’t intend to—if I can help it. Silly One Love is so beautiful. So ennobling! [Overcome with emotion, loosens her hold.] When I think of that night—October 25— [Sinks into a chair. Lawyer [After settling his collar.] Well, Gordon, have you a choice? [Pause.] You see you didn’t understand women as well as you thought. Prisoner [Fiercely.] Neither did you! [The Sheriff’s Boy comes in. Boy While I was over at the bank, women came. Lawyer Yes, I know. Boy [Looking at the two women in the room.] But more women. [Prisoner starts in terror.] Six women are out there. Prisoner Don’t let them in! Lawyer Tell the ladies we shall not need them. Thank them for coming. [Boy goes out. To Prisoner.] Well, come now. What shall we do with this embarrassment of—generosity? You see dying for a woman’s honor isn’t as easy as you might think. It even looks as though there were a sort of conspiracy against it. Prisoner I’m not going to be made a fool of. Lawyer Are you sure you can help it? [The Boy comes back, looking worried. Boy Some of those women won’t go away. I don’t know what to do with them. Lawyer No, it’s not a matter the young can cope with. [He goes out with the Boy. The amused young Woman sits looking the Prisoner over, to his embarrassment and final irritation. Scornful One So you were thinking of dying for a woman’s honor. [He says nothing.] Now do you think that’s a very Prisoner [Startled into speech.] Ruin her life? Scornful One Why certainly. A life that somebody has died for is practically a ruined life. For how are you going to think of it as anything but—a life that somebody has died for? [She pulls her chair to a more confidential angle.] Did it ever strike you as funny that woman’s honor is only about one thing, and that man’s honor is about everything but that thing? [After waiting for the answer which does not come.] Now woman’s honor means woman’s virtue. But this lady for whom you propose to die has no virtue. Prisoner [Springing up.] Please be careful what you say. Scornful One I’m being very careful. I’m thinking it out just as carefully as I can. The night of October 25, or at some time previous to that, she lost her virtue, and you propose to die to keep us from knowing about this loss. Now, it has happened, hasn’t it? On the night of October 25, from twelve o’clock midnight till eight next morning continuously she lost her virtue. You aren’t dying to keep her virtuous. I fancy few lives have been laid upon that altar. But Silly One [Controlling her tears.] It is noble beyond words. Scornful One There’s where you’re going to get your approbation. [The Motherly One now returns from her telephoning. She looks at the Silly Woman, then at the Scornful One—these two stand looking one another up and down. Scornful One [In her amused manner.] Can it be that we are two souls with but a single thought? Motherly One [In her mothering voice.] Perhaps we are two hearts that beat as one. [They stand there a moment not knowing what to do; then, still uncertainly, they sit down, stealing glances at one another. Finally the Scornful One smiles. Scornful One We might draw lots. Silly One Love conquereth all things. Scornful One Even the female brain. Motherly One I wonder why you others came. Scornful One Why did you come? Motherly One Oh, I have children of my own. I thought, he’s just a nice boy, and probably she’s just some nice girl afraid of her mother. And I thought—well, now what an awful pity to let him die, or even spend a lot of time in prison. I said to myself, it would be just like a lot of men to fuss around about a woman’s honor and really let it hurt somebody. So I decided—well, I’ll go. What harm can it do me? [Resumes her knitting.] You see, I’m in the habit of trying to save lives. I do nursing—practical nursing—and I didn’t happen to be on a case just now, so I thought—well, I’ll just take this case. Some of the folks I nurse for may be shocked—but good sensible nurses aren’t so easy to get. Of course my children may be upset about it—but they’re awful nice children, and when they’re a little older probably they’ll be pleased to think their mother didn’t want a nice boy to die. [Drops her knitting.] I wonder if she will come. [Looks at the other two with new interest. Scornful One I wonder. Silly One “She” is here. Scornful One Oh, it’s not you. You thought it was the lawyer you were with. Anyway, people who do things don’t make so much fuss about them. Motherly One [Whose interest has not been diverted.] I think she will have to come. [The door of the room into which the Shielded One was shown opens quietly and without the others being aware of it the Shielded One is standing in the doorway, bringing with her that sense of the ordered protected life out of which she has stepped. Scornful One I’m sure I don’t see how she could ever think of staying away. I hate a coward. Motherly One Some women think a great deal about their honor. I think usually it’s women who aren’t very well—or who haven’t much else to take up their time. [Impulsively the Shielded One steps forward as if to speak. Hearing her, they turn, and in their interest rise and stand looking at her. Motherly One Oh—you’ve come? [The Prisoner, who to get away from the women gives the impression of being crowded into a corner, also turns and rises. Prisoner [To Shielded One, rather crossly.] Please go away! Scornful One O-h. Prisoner Can’t you see there is no need for your staying? Shielded One [Quietly.] There is need of it. [She sits down, the other women still surveying her. Motherly One It’s true we aren’t all needed. Who will be best—? [To Scornful One.] Tell me, why are you here? Scornful One Well, you see for myself I haven’t any honor to worry about, and haven’t had for some time. So I thought, if the sacrifice of a woman’s honor is going to save, a man’s life, let me, who have none, nobly sacrifice mine. Motherly One What do you mean, you haven’t had any honor for some time? Scornful One Oh, I haven’t had my honor around with me since I was seventeen. Motherly One [Kindly.] Do you miss it? Scornful One Well—yes; sometimes when I’m tired I might like to slump back into it. You see honor camouflages so many things—stupidity, selfishness—greed, lust, avarice, gluttony. So without it you’re almost forced to be a decent sort—and that’s sometimes wearing. [In another voice.] But I’ll tell you why I’m really here! When men begin to sob around about woman’s honor they get my goat. That lawyer—he thought he was going to get away with it. Why, woman’s honor would have died out long ago if it hadn’t been for men’s talk about it. Motherly One I suppose it really has to be kept up, as long as it gives men such noble feelings. Scornful One That man—the one when I was seventeen—he’s that sort. He would be of course. Why, this instant his eyes would become “pools of feeling” if any one were to talk about saving a woman’s honor. [Under her breath.] Gee! Motherly One [With a diffident glance at the Shielded One.] Scornful One She’ll be better off without it. Motherly One I don’t know. You see, she’s had it quite a while. She’s used to it. I was thinking— [The door opens and a brisk young woman dressed in cheap, up-to-the-minute clothes darts in. All turn and look at her, continue to stare. Something in this scrutiny becomes disconcerting. Mercenary One While he was busy with the other women—I just slipped by. Is this—? [Sees the young man, now huddled in terror. Scornful One Sit down and wait your turn. Mercenary One Are all of you ahead of me? Scornful One Your number seems to be five. [Number five sits down; a pause in which they continue to look at her in this unusual way—she finally rather indignantly settles her coat, her hat, assuring herself nothing is the matter with her. Motherly One You look young for this. Mercenary One Well, if you’ll excuse my saying so, the same objection can’t be made to some of you. Scornful One What are you here for? Mercenary One Oh, I guess I’m here for about the same reason all of you are here. Motherly One But we are here for different reasons. Mercenary One Say, what are you tryin’ to put over on me? Suppose I think you’re here for your health? Or out of kindness? Or to show your great beauty? Hard-ly. Anybody not feeble-minded could dope out why you’re sitting here like owls. Scornful One Well—why? Mercenary One Oh, not for money, of course. [She has horrified them all. Motherly One I’m sorry you said that. Silly One How sordid! How desecrating! Mercenary One Say—I don’t like the atmosphere of this place. Scornful One We don’t like it as well as we did. Mercenary One A business proposition is a business proposition. What a man needs and can pay for— Silly One [Rising and wringing her hands.] I really must ask you—Love is so beautiful! Mercenary One Well, suppose it is? What’s that got to do with it? Motherly One You seem hard for one so young. Mercenary One I may be hard, but I’m not a nut. Scornful One Woman’s honor doesn’t play much part in your young life, does it? Or woman’s self-respect, either. Mercenary One [Rising.] Say, you think you can sit there and insult me? I don’t know what you are, but I’ll have you know I’m an honest working girl! I heard they were going to take on another stenographer down here, but I don’t like the atmosphere of this place. [She leaves. Silly One [Settling herself with relief.] It was a misunderstanding. Ah, life is paved with misunderstanding. Motherly One It will be said we did this for money. Scornful One Oh, a great deal will be said. If you care about what’s said you’d better follow the honest working girl out that door. Motherly One What’s said makes an awful difference in some people’s lives. [Her eyes turn toward the Shielded One. Scornful One They don’t know how much difference until they’ve heard it said. [She too looks at the Shielded One. Motherly One You get made into one thing and then it’s not easy Scornful One Age shouldn’t discourage one. It’s never too late to mend. [The door swings, the women look expectantly around; the unfortunate young man, whose face has been buried in his hands, looks round in terror. They wait a moment but no one comes in. Motherly One If “she” is here, and really minds losing her honor—well, she could just go home. [Silly One rises, simpers, sits down again.] We can’t all lose our honor. It might do the young man more harm than good. It’s different with you—[To Scornful One] you had an early start. And then you’ve got character. You don’t need honor to lean on. Shielded One [Breaking her silence with simple intensity.] What is woman’s honor? Scornful One A thing men talk about. Motherly One A safe corner. Silly One A star to guide them! Shielded One [Very earnestly.] Guide them where? Scornful One Yes, where? Many a woman who’s guided hasn’t guided anywhere. Shielded One [Passionately.] Aren’t we something more than things to be noble about? Scornful One Of course what we’ve really been is kind. We have not deprived them of the pleasures of being noble. If we do it now, it will leave them in a bleak world. Shielded One [Troubled but determined.] Can’t we put something in its place, so they won’t be too desolate and yet we won’t be so— Scornful One Bored. Motherly One If we could only get them noble about something else. I should really hate to take it from them entirely. It’s like giving up smoking or drinking. You have to do it gradually, and there should be something to put in its place. Scornful One If we could only think up a new vice for them. Motherly One They have all those. Shielded One Oh, I hope you women can work out some way to free us from men’s noble feelings about it! I speak for all the women of my—[Hesitates] under-world, all those others smothered under men’s lofty sentiments toward them! I wish I could paint for you the horrors of the shielded life. [Says “shielded” as if it were “shameful.”] I know you would feel something must be done to save us. After all [Growing a little wild] are we not your sisters? Our honor has been saved so many times. We are tired. And so when I read in the paper this morning that woman’s honor was being saved again— Scornful One [Excitedly going to her.] Read in the paper? Then you’re not—the one? Shielded One Not that one, but— [Slowly the door opens and a woman comes in—comes with a strange quiet. She droops, she has a queer passivity—she is unaccountably forceful. Gives a sense of one who has been cheated and is going to be cheated no more. She is scarcely aware of the other women. Her eyes, dead, or rather dogged with life, go to the unfortunate young man. He has turned to look at her; he is not able to look away. Scornful One [Nervously.] Are you a stenographer? Cheated One [Not interested in this.] No. [In her dogged way she advances upon the Prisoner. He is afraid. She sits down close to him, as if to cut off escape. Motherly One [Low.] I wonder if she is here. Scornful One I wonder. Shielded One [With an effort bringing herself and the others back to her.] But don’t turn against me because I’m not this particular woman. What a detail that is. I am—those victims of men’s dreadful—[Turns away her face] need for nobility. I’d rather die than go back to it! Help me to lead another life! Scornful One [Fervently.] We must lift her up. Motherly One We will find a place for her in the great good world outside the shielded life. Shielded One Then you others go, and I will stay. [Motherly One and Scornful One rise and move to the door. Silly One I will give my life for yours, my sister! Scornful One No you won’t. I’ll have nothing to do with saving you. You deserve nothing better than woman’s honor. Come with us. [But at the door these three stand looking back at the Cheated One. Scornful One [Moving down to her.] Aren’t you coming with us? Cheated One [Without raising her eyes.] No. Scornful One Why not? Cheated One I shall stay. Motherly One Perhaps she is here. And if “she” is here—then we have not the right to leave her. [Indicating the Shielded One. Scornful One [To Cheated One.] Tell us: are you the woman Gordon Wallace was with on the night of October 25? Cheated One Yes. Motherly One Of course we’ve all said that. Scornful One But she says it in a different way. Motherly One [To Shielded One.] I am afraid that you will have to leave with us. It seems she has the right. [These four move to the door. Shielded One [Thinking of it just in time.] But do you think she has the right just because she is the one? [To consider this, they go back and sit down. Silly One Leave me! Scornful One [Wickedly inspired.] Suppose we do! You know, I like the idea. Why—the more I think about it—the better I like it. [To the other women.] Yes, come! [To the young man.] This is the lady you were going to die for! Shielded One [Distressed.] But, no! What can it do for her? And how, through her, can we reach my poor sisters smothered under woman’s honor? I insist upon it! I am the one! Cheated One [Suddenly turning upon her.] You are not the one! Motherly One Now I think, to avoid feeling between you two, I had better stay. I’m a nurse, and a mother, and I keep coming back to the idea these things are needed. Scornful One No, you have too many other things to do. I am the one to remain. I am—peculiarly fitted for it. Shielded One You are not fitted for it at all. There is no one less fitted for it than you. Scornful One How do you make that out? Shielded One You don’t need it. Woman’s honor never hurt you. Scornful One [Reluctantly accepting this. To Prisoner.] Are you acquainted with this woman? [Indicates Cheated One. Prisoner No. Scornful One Then why are you so afraid of her? Prisoner I’m not— [But he is forced to meet the smoldering eye of the Cheated One; he cannot look away. Shielded One [Almost in tears.] But you were going to help me lead a better life. And now you stand here quibbling over a petty question of fact, when the whole great question of escape from woman’s honor is at stake! Oh, is it true that women will not help one another? That they are hard and self-seeking? [She breaks down; Motherly One goes to comfort her. Silly One My heart is full— Scornful One Your heart is full of a simpering parrot! [The Lawyer returns. Lawyer Ladies—ladies—quarreling? I’m sorry to find you in this mood. I had hoped while you were here together you might—arrive at some understanding. Scornful One [To Silly One.] I wish you’d go home. We might arrive at something if we didn’t have you on our backs. Lawyer Now why must women always dislike each other? Motherly One [In her motherly way.] If I were you I’d try not to talk much. Lawyer Why not? Scornful One She has a kind heart. Now I—I’d let you talk. Lawyer Sometimes it seems quite as well not to try to follow women. Scornful One Sometimes even better. Lawyer Well now, Ladies, let us drop personal dissentions for the moment. This unfortunate young man, Mr. Wallace, is much moved by your generosity. He had made up his mind to die for woman’s honor. Now it seems he is not to do so—a change of plan to which he has not yet adjusted himself. His perturbation makes him unequal to selecting the lady who was with him on the night of October 25. [Door swings, Prisoner looks around nervously.] So—I would like to get your feeling. Since it seems unnecessary for all of you to have been with the young man on the night of October 25— [Again door swings. Prisoner [In a rasped voice.] Could that door be closed? It makes me—nervous. [Motherly Woman closes the door. Lawyer Now, doubtless you will agree with me that we should always eliminate waste. If a woman’s honor is to be sacrificed, may I without indelicacy inquire who would sacrifice least? Shielded One [Firmly.] I would. Lawyer [Weakly.] You would? Cheated One [In a voice dull as destiny.] The rest of you can talk as long as you like. I shall stay. [She rises and takes firm hold of the unfortunate young man’s chair. Lawyer Well, there seems something final about that. Motherly One Tell us, are you the one? Cheated One I am the one to stay. Scornful One Now, don’t cheat. Tell us, are you— Cheated One [Passion flaming through sullenness.] Cheat? Cheat? You say to me, don’t cheat? I don’t cheat. I’ve been cheated. Cheated out of my chance to have a man I wanted by a man who would have what he wanted. Then he saved my woman’s honor. Married me and cheated me out of my life. I’m just something to be cheated. That’s the way I think of myself. Until this morning. Until I read about Gordon Wallace. Then I saw a way to get away from myself. It’s the first thing I ever wanted to do that I’ve done. You’ll not cheat me out of this. Don’t you try! Shielded One But she is thinking of it in just a personal way. Cheated One That’s why I stay. Shielded One But think of my poor sisters! All those unfortunate women— Cheated One The only unfortunate woman I’ll think about is myself. Shielded One [Wildly.] You hear her? The only unfortunate woman she’ll think about— Motherly One [Approaching Cheated One.] Now we really must ask you— Silly One Love is so beautiful! Scornful One You can’t cheat just because you’ve been cheated. Cheated One [Inflamed—incoherent.] You say cheat to me again? You say cheat to— Lawyer [Stepping in to pacify.] Ladies—ladies. Surely there must be a way out of the difficulty. Perhaps we can work out some way to— Scornful One To save both of them through Gordon Wallace! [All women except Cheated One draw together excitedly. The Prisoner, who has rapidly been approaching the breaking point makes a move as if he must try to escape. The Cheated One is watching the other women. Scornful One Here! Yes! On the night of October 25— [Their heads together in low-voiced conference with Lawyer. Suddenly the Prisoner slips around the Cheated One—trying now not to be cheated of what is being said—and makes for the door. It opens in his face, and the doorway is blocked by a large and determined woman. Prisoner staggers back to Lawyer’s arms. Prisoner Oh, hell. I’ll plead guilty. (Curtain) BERNICE First Performed by the Provincetown Players, ORIGINAL CAST
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