about her business! You will never be
left alone again! Never so long as I live! (Going, R.)

SEL. (taking key, crossing L., and with great hesitation
opening door). This is torture! Step this way, please Miss!

FRED appears at open door, L.

SEL. Fred!

MRS. S. Fred! Oh! I have locked the hussy in with _him_!
Where is the young woman?

FRED. Oh! _She's_ all right! Had a cry at first, but I soon
consoled her! Don't look astonished--it's all correct--we have
been alone together before!

MRS. S. (to SELWYN). You hear! A nice character you have
picked up!

Enter BLITHERS, C., still with hat.

MRS. S. Mr. Tompkins!--I cannot stay here to be degraded
in the presence of a poet! (Exit MRS. SELWYN, R. 2 E.)

BLITH. (to FRED). Welcome, son-in-law! Welcome! Come to
my arms!

FRED. Oh! Father-in-law!

SEL. (aside). They have made it up!

BLITH. My girl has confessed that she loves you--and you
alone--she never cared for that Captain Katskill.

FRED. I knew she didn't!

SEL. (aside). Oh! So Fred knew Lottie all this while!

BLITH. When will you be married?

FRED. Oh, we've arranged all that!

SEL. Fred's going to marry her!--oh!

BLITH. We had better make haste back to her--for she was
rather impatient.

FRED. No occasion--she's here!

SEL. (aside). He saved my life!--In common justice I ought
to tell him. (Taking him aside.) Pause before you link yourself
with this man's daughter. _She_ is the girl I had supper with
last night.

FRED (leaping upon SELWYN and pinning him on chair).
Calumniator!

BLITH. Hullo! This _is_ a sudden out-break!

SEL. (half choked). Let--go--my--throat!

FRED. Confess you have slandered her!

BLITH. Slandered whom? (Dodging round them.)

SEL. Yes! Yes! Anything you like! (FRED releases SELWYN,
who then produces letters.) But look at those proofs.

FRED. Lottie's letters (kisses them) to me.

SEL. To _you_? Who is Lottie, then?

BLITH. My daughter! Of course!

SEL. Your daughter? Then who the devil is in _that_ room?
(Going to door meets LOTTIE BLITHERS.) _This_ is not the
young woman _I_ met--this is not _my_ Lottie! (LOTTIE crosses
to FRED.)

FRED. No! She's _mine_. It's all serene, don't worry
yourself! (Putting arm round her waist.)

SEL. But I _do_ worry myself--and it is _not_ all serene--for
I _have just confessed to my wife_!

FRED. Well?

SEL. Well! And I shouldn't have done so