your while.

SECOND S. I don't want to do the girl harm, if she's married.

DAWKER. No, no; nobody wants to hurt her. We just want a cinch on
this fellow till he squeals.

[They separate a little as MRS. HILLCRIST enters from Right.]

DAWKER. Good morning, ma'am. My friend's partner. Hornblower
coming?

MRS. H. At eleven. I had to send up a second note, Dawker.

DAWKER. Squire not in?

MRS. H. I haven't told him.

DAWKER. [Nodding] Our friends might go in here [Pointing Right]
and we can use 'em as the want 'em.

MRS. H. [To the STRANGERS] Will you make yourselves comfortable?

[She holds the door open, and they pass her into the room,
Right.]

DAWKER. [Showing document] I've had this drawn and engrossed.
Pretty sharp work. Conveys the Centry, and Longmeadow; to the
Squire at four thousand five hundred: Now, ma'am, suppose Hornblower
puts his hand to that, hell have been done in the eye, and six
thousand all told out o' pocket.--You'll have a very nasty neighbour
here.

MRS. H. But we shall still have the power to disclose that secret
at any time.

DAWKER. Yeh! But things might happen here you could never bring
home to him. You can't trust a man like that. He isn't goin' to
forgive me, I know.

MRS. H. [Regarding him keenly] But if he signs, we couldn't
honourably----

DAWKER. No, ma'am, you couldn't; and I'm sure I don't want to do
that girl a hurt. I just mention it because, of course, you can't
guarantee that it doesn't get out.

MRS. H. Not absolutely, I suppose.

[A look passes between them, which neither of them has quite
sanctioned.]

[There's his car. It always seems to make more noise than any
other.]

DAWKER. He'll kick and flounder--but you leave him to ask what you
want, ma'am; don't mention this [He puts the deed back into his
pocket]. The Centry's no mortal good to him if he's not going to
put up works; I should say he'd be glad to save what he can.

[MRS. HILLCRIST inclines her head. FELLOWS enters Left.]

FELLOWS. [Apologetically] Mr. Hornblower, ma'am; by appointment,
he says.

MRS. H. Quite right, Fellows.

[HORNBLOWER comes in, and FELLOWS goes out.]

HORNBLOWER. [Without salutation] I've come to ask ye point bleak
what ye mean by writing me these letters. [He takes out two
letters.] And we'll discus it in the presence of nobody, if ye,
please.

MRS. H. Mr. Dawker knows all that I kn