again.

[BILLY hudges chair forward and tries to take her hand.]

[LORETTA hudges her chair back.]

BILLY. [Drawing out large silver watch and looking at it.] Now look
here, Loretta, I haven't any time to lose. I've got to leave for that
train in ten minutes. And I want you to set the day.

LORETTA. But we're not engaged, Billy. So there can't be any setting of
the day.

BILLY. [With confidence.] But we're going to be. [Suddenly breaking
out.] Oh, Loretta, if you only knew how I've suffered. That first night
I didn't sleep a wink. I haven't slept much ever since. [Hudges chair
forward.] I walk the floor all night. [Solemnly.] Loretta, I don't eat
enough to keep a canary bird alive. Loretta . . . [Hudges chair
forward.]

LORETTA. [Hudging her chair back maternally.] Billy, what you need is a
tonic. Have you seen Doctor Haskins?

BILLY. [Looking at watch and evincing signs of haste.] Loretta, when a
girl kisses a man, it means she is going to marry him.

LORETTA. I know it, Billy. But . . . [She glances toward letters on
table.] Captain Kitt doesn't want me to marry you. He says . . . [She
takes letter and begins to open it.]

BILLY. Never mind what Captain Kitt says. He wants you to stay and be
company for your sister. He doesn't want you to marry me because he
knows she wants to keep you.

LORETTA. Daisy doesn't want to keep me. She wants nothing but my own
happiness. She says--[She takes second letter from table and begins to
open it.]

BILLY. Never mind what Daisy says--

LORETTA. [Taking third letter from table and beginning to open it.] And
Martha says--

BILLY. [Angrily.] Darn Martha and the whole boiling of them!

LORETTA. [Reprovingly.] Oh, Billy!

BILLY. [Defensively.] Darn isn't swearing, and you know it isn't.

[There is an awkward pause. Billy has lost the thread of the
conversation and has vacant expression.]

BILLY. [Suddenly recollecting.] Never mind Captain Kitt, and Daisy, and
Martha, and what they want. The question is, what do you want?

LORETTA. [Appealingly.] Oh, Billy, I'm so unhappy.

BILLY. [Ignoring the appeal and pressing home the point.] The thing is,
do you want to marry me? [He looks at his watch.] Just answer that.

LORETTA. Aren't you afraid you'll miss that train?

BILLY. Darn the train!

LORETTA. [Reprovingly.] Oh, Billy!

BILLY. [Most irascibly.] Darn isn't swearing. [Plaintively.] That's
the way you