e's no use going into that, I guess. There's worse
kinds of badness than what you call bad.

AUGUSTA. I--I can't discuss it. But I want to be just. I'm convinced
that I did you a wrong--and I'm sorry. Won't you believe me?

MINNIE. But you'll never forgive me--even if I hadn't done what you
thought--on account of what happened with George.

AUGUSTA. I--I'll try.

MINNIE. No, don't try--forgiveness doesn't come that way, Mrs. Pindar.
(With sudden acuteness.) It was on account of George, not Dr. Jonathan,
that you wanted to get me out of Foxon Falls.

AUGUSTA. I repeat--I shouldn't have asked you to go. Isn't that enough?

MINNIE. I told you not to worry about me and George. I ran away from him
once--I guess I won't have to do it again.

AUGUSTA. You--you ran away from him?

MINNIE. From the church, too, and from the Bible class and from you,
and from the shops. But I'm free now, there isn't any danger of my going
wrong,--I know what I can do, I've learned my job--Dr. Jonathan's taught
me. You needn't have me on your conscience, either. I'll go across
and see if I can help Dr. Jonathan take care of that poor wreck, Prag.
Life's been too tough for him--

AUGUSTA (starting forward to detain her). Wait a moment, Minnie,--tell
me how you happened to come back, to be here so--providentially.

MINNIE. There wasn't anything providential about it. I took the six
o'clock train to Newcastle this morning. Not that I had any notion of
staying there. I ran into Prag at the station. I nursed his wife, you
know--and he started in to tell me how he was coming up to Foxon Falls
to shoot Mr. Pindar because he'd closed down the works rather than
recognize the union. I knew that Prag was just about crazy enough to do
it, because I've heard Dr. Jonathan talk about the mental disease he's
got. That was about ten, and the train for Foxon Falls was leaving in a
few minutes. I ran into the booth to phone Dr. Jonathan, but the storm
had begun down there, and I couldn't get a connection. So I caught the
train, and when it pulled in here I saw Pray jump out of the smoking car
and start to run. I couldn't run as fast as he could, and I'd only got
to the other side of the Common when I saw him walk into the house.

AUGUSTA (after a pause). Minnie, you'll stay here now? Your father needs
you--I--I should never forgive myself if you left.

MINNIE. Tell me, Mrs. Pindar,--have you heard anything more from George?

AUGUSTA (hesitating). Yes--