MRS. LINCOLN

God bless you, child----

[NICOLAY _enters by the other door._]

--Hurry!

BETTY

If it's dresses--I'll beat them to the White House!

[BETTY _exits._]

NICOLAY

The President is coming, Madam----

MRS. LINCOLN

I'm going. But I may want to see him before that Committee--in case I
send in--see that he comes, will you?

NICOLAY

I'll try to manage it. The friends of the Chief may call on you for
some inside work, Madam.

MRS. LINCOLN

[_Eagerly._]

I'll do my part, never fear!

[MRS. LINCOLN _exits and_ NICOLAY _hastily arranges his desk and
stands at attention as_ LINCOLN _enters._]

[LINCOLN _crosses the room with long nervous stride, reaches his
desk, looks at the pile of letters and shakes his head wearily._]

LINCOLN

Sorry for you, John, with all these letters on your hands----

[_Laughs._]

_You_ have to work----!

NICOLAY

I'm trying to get them out of your way, sir----

LINCOLN

Thank you--you know the ones I want to see----

NICOLAY

Yes, sir----

LINCOLN

[_Softly._]

And don't forget that no man or woman can be turned from that door, who
comes here to ask for the saving of a human life----

[_Pauses._]

There's a firing squad shooting a boy down in Virginia this
morning----!

[_Shakes his head._]

I hope I didn't do wrong to let them. Somehow I could not find an
excuse to save him----

[_Sighs._]

The Generals are all after me about my pardons----

NICOLAY

The Secretary of War is out there now, champing his bit, to head you
off on some of them, I think----

LINCOLN

Don't let old Mars in yet. He's no business here at this hour. Let him
paw a hole in the ground.

[_Pauses._]

Any news from the front, this morning?

NICOLAY

[_Handing him a telegram._]

From General Grant's lines--only this, sir----

LINCOLN

[_Reads._]

"Confederate Cavalry raiders capture a Brigadier General and fifty army
mules."--Too bad--rush a regiment after the mules--they're worth