efenseless creature! Yes,
you'd hate the idea of Curtis' having a son--you and your girls! Well,
I'll make you bitterly regret the day you--[She plumps herself down in
her chair again, staring stubbornly and angrily before her.]

EMILY--[Spitefully.] I fear it will be necessary to tell Aunt--

JAYSON--Sshh! You have made enough trouble with your telling already!
[Miserably.] It should never have come to this pass. Curt will never
forgive us, never!

ESTHER--[Resentfully to EMILY.] See what not holding your tongue has
done--and my children will have to suffer for it, too!

SHEFFIELD--[Severely.] If Emily had permitted me to conduct this
business uninterruptedly, this would never have occurred.

EMILY--That's right! All pick on me! Cowards! [She breaks down and
sobs.]

DICK--[From the doorway. Coming back into the room.] Sstt! Here he
comes!

CURTIS--[Reenters. There is a look of strange exultation on his face.
He looks from one to the other of them. He stammers.] Well--my answer
to you--your rotten world--I kissed him--he is mine! He looked at
me--it was as if Martha looked at me--through his eyes.

ESTHER--[Voicing the general relief. Joyfully.] Oh, Curt! You won't go
now? You'll stay?

CURTIS--[Staring at her, then from one to another of the rest with a
withering scorn.] Ha! Now you think you have conquered, do you? No, I'm
not going to stay! Do you think your vile slander could influence me to
give up my work? And neither shall you influence the life of my son. I
leave him here. I must. But not to your tender mercies. No, no! Thank
God, there still remains one Jayson with unmuddled integrity to whom I
can appeal. [He goes to MRS. DAVIDSON.] I will leave him in your care,
Aunt--while I am gone.

MRS. DAVIDSON--[Delighted.] It will be a great happiness. He will
be--the one God never granted me. [Her lips trembling.] God has
answered my prayer at last.

CURTIS--I thank you, Aunt. [Kisses her reverentially.]

MRS. DAVIDSON--[Pleased but morally bound to grumble at him] But I
cannot approve of your running away like this. It isn't natural. [Then
with selfish haste, fearing her words may change his mind and she will
lose the baby.] But you always were a queer person--and a man must do
faithfully the work ordained for him.

CURTIS--[Gladly.] Yes, I must go! What would I be for him--or
anyone--if I stayed? Thank God, you understand. But I will come back.
[The light of an ideal beginning to shine in his eyes.]