e boy without taking a pair of handcuffs in my pocket. It's the
quiet ones that go the wildest when they do break out."

_Mrs. W._

Oh, Hiram, it's not going to be so bad as that. Don't let him set you
against your own flesh and blood. Just let me manage awhile. He needs to
get stirred up about something--get his mind off this. I wish I hadn't
stopped those letters he was getting from Reba Sloan when she went off
to school two years ago.

_Warner_

But you said you'd rather see him dead than married to Sloan's girl.

_Mrs. W._

I meant it, too! But seeing your child dead is not so bad as seeing him
crazy--and if Reba can save him----

_Warner_

How in thunder----

_Mrs. W._

She's a taking girl, Hiram--since she got back. If Philo gets his mind
fixed on _her_, she'll soon have him forgettin' this. Why,--you remember
for three months before we were married you couldn't think o' nothing
but me.

_Warner_

Good Lord! Is that so, Mary Ann?

_Mrs. W._

I had to hurry up the weddin' to save your business. You were letting
Jabe McKenny take all your trade right under your nose.

_Warner_

Sakes 'a' mighty! If I could come out of a spell like that, there's some
hope for our poor chap.

_Mrs. W._

That's what I'm telling you!

_Warner_

But Reba's father--you going to have old fiddler Sloan in the family?

_Mrs. W._

He's come into some money now, and any gentleman can take an interest
in music.

_Warner_

And the mother was that foreign woman.

_Mrs. W._

But she's dead. It's just as well Philo won't have a mother-in-law.

_Warner_

Reba'll have one, all right. If Philo stays queer it'll be hard on the
girl, won't it?

_Mrs. W._

He'll not stay queer. If he gets that girl in his head there won't be
room for anything else--for a while anyway. He'll be worse'n you ever
was. You let me manage it, Hiram.

(PHILO _is heard coming up the stairs. They listen in silence until
he enters. He is talking, not quite audibly, to himself, and
doesn't see them. Goes to table and stands by machine._)

_Philo_

Here--at last--I have caught the word ... the word of the stars.

_Mrs. W._

Philo!

_Philo_ (_looking up_)

Mother!... Father!... (_In alarm._) You haven't touched anything here?

_Mrs. W._

No, my son. I've just put the place to rights a bit. Dr. Seymour is
coming, you know.

_Philo_

Yes. (_Walks the floor, meditating._)

_Warner_

You must come out of this dr