the carriage. (_He walks to the door on left
and goes out._)

CARMODY (_following him with his eyes_). Go to hell, for all I'm
preventin'. You've got no guts of a man in you. (_He addresses_ Murray
_with the good nature inspired by the flight of_ Nicholls.) Is it true
you're one of the consumptives, young fellow?

MURRAY (_delighted by this speech--with a grin_). Yes, I'm one of them.

CARMODY. My name's Carmody. What's yours, then?

MURRAY. Murray.

CARMODY (_slapping his thigh_). Irish as Paddy's pig! (Murray _nods._
Carmody _brightens and grows confidential._) I'm glad to be knowin'
you're one of us. You can keep an eye on Eileen. That's my daughter
that came with us. She's got consumption like yourself.

MURRAY. I'll be glad to do all I can.

CARMODY. Thanks to you--though it's a grand life she'll be havin' here
from the fine look of the place. (_With whining self-pity._) It's me
it's hard on, God help me, with four small children and me widowed, and
havin' to hire a woman to come in and look after them and the house now
that Eileen's sick; and payin' for her curin' in this place, and me
with only a bit of money in the bank for my old age. That's hard, now,
on a man, and who'll say it isn't?

MURRAY (_made uncomfortable by this confidence_). Hard luck always
comes in bunches. (_To head off_ Carmody _who is about to give vent to
more woe--quickly, with a glance towards the door from the hall._) If
I'm not mistaken, here comes your daughter now.

CARMODY (_as_ Eileen _comes into the room_). I'll make you acquainted.
Eileen! (_She comes over to them, embarrassed to find her father in his
condition so chummy with a stranger._ Murray _rises to his feet._) This
is Mr. Murray, Eileen. I want you to meet. He's Irish and he'll put you
on to the ropes of the place. He's got the consumption, too, God pity
him.

EILEEN (_distressed_). Oh, Father, how can you---- (_With a look at_
Murray _which pleads for her father._) I'm glad to meet you, Mr.
Murray.

MURRAY (_with a straight glance at her which is so frankly admiring
that she flushes and drops her eyes_). I'm glad to meet you. (_The
front door is opened and_ Nicholls _re-appears, shivering with the
cold. He stares over at the others with ill-concealed irritation._)

CARMODY (_noticing him--with malicious satisfaction_). Oho, here you
are again. (Nicholls _scowls and turns away._ Carmody _addresses his
daughter with a sly wink at_ Murray.) I thought Fred was sl