He moves the chairs away._

MAGGIE. [_To Housemaid._] Honest, you saw something between them?

HOUSEMAID. Who?

MAGGIE. Him and her? Mr. Geoffrey and Miss Chester--

HOUSEMAID. _Cheese it!_ they're coming this way!

[_She and the MAID and the BUTLER vanish through the door Right._

[_GEOFFREY and RUTH enter through the double doors quickly at back.
GEOFFREY is a young, good-looking man, but with a weak face. He is of
course very smartly dressed. RUTH is a very serenely beautiful girl,
rather noble in type, but unconscious and unpretending in manner.
They close the doors quickly behind them._

GEOFFREY. We'll not be interrupted here, and I must have a few words
with you before you go.

[_He follows her to the sofa where she sits, and leans over it, with
his arm about her shoulder._

RUTH. Oh, Geof,--Geof, why weren't we married like this?

GEOFFREY. It couldn't be helped, darling!

RUTH. It isn't the big wedding I miss, oh, no, it's only it seemed
sweeter in a church. Why did we have to steal off to Brooklyn, to that
poor, strange little preacher in his stuffy back parlour, and behave as
if we were doing something of which we were ashamed?

GEOFFREY. You love me, I love you,--isn't that the chief thing, dearest?

RUTH. But how much longer must we keep it secret?

GEOFFREY. Till I can straighten my affairs out. I can't explain it all
to you; there are terrible debts,--one more than all the others,--a debt
I made when I was in college.

RUTH. If I could only help you! I have a _little_ money.

GEOFFREY. No, I love you too much; besides, this debt isn't _money_,
and I hope to get rid of it somehow before long.

RUTH. Forgive me for worrying you. It is only that every one is so happy
at this wedding except me,--dear Jinny brimming over with joy, as I
would be,--and it's made me feel--a little--

GEOFFREY. [_Comes around the sofa and sits beside her._] I know, dear,
and it's made me feel what a brute I am! Oh, if you knew how I hate
myself for all I've done, and for the pain and trouble I cause you now!

[_MAGGIE, her sharp features set tense, appears in the doorway on the
left behind the curtains and listens._

RUTH. Never mind, we won't think of that any more.

GEOFFREY. I can never throw it off, not for a minute! I'm a worthless
fellow and how can you love me--

RUTH. [_Interrupting him._] I _do_! You are worth everything to me, and
you will be worth much to the world yet!

G