hey've left the house it's all over as
far as we here are concerned.

[_She raises both shades._

TOMPSON. Phew! what an odor of flowers!

[_She opens one of the windows a little._

[MARIE, _a young, pretty, French woman, enters from the Right._

MARIE. Will I help you?

TOMPSON. Just with this table, thank you, Marie. [_They begin to
rearrange the room, putting it in its normal condition. They replace the
table and put back the ornaments upon it._] Poor Mr. Hunter, and him so
fond of mince pie. I shall never forget how that man ate mince pie.

[_She sighs lugubriously and continues her labor with the room._

LEONARD. I hope as how it's not going to make any difference with us.

JORDAN. [_Pompously._] Of course not; wasn't Mr. Hunter a millionnaire?

TOMPSON. Some millionnaires I've known turned out poor as Job's turkey
in their coffins!

MARIE. What you say? You tink we shall 'ave some of madame's or ze young
ladies' dresses?

TOMPSON. [_Hopefully._] Perhaps.

MARIE. I 'ave already made my choice. I like ze pale pink of Mees
Jessie.

LEONARD. Sh! I heard a carridge.

TOMPSON. Then they're coming back.

[MARIE _quickly goes out Right._

JORDAN. [_To_ LEONARD, _hurriedly, as he quickly goes out Left._] Take
them last two chairs!

[LEONARD, _with the chairs, follows_ JORDAN _out Left._ TOMPSON _hastily
puts back a last arm-chair to its usual position in the room and goes
out Right._ MRS. HUNTER _enters Left, followed by her three daughters_,
BLANCHE, JESSICA, _and_ CLARA, _and_ MASTER STERLING, _who is a small,
attractive child, five years of age. All are in the deepest conventional
mourning,_ MRS. HUNTER _in widow's weeds and_ CLARA _with a heavy, black
chiffon veil; the_ BOY _is also dressed in conventional mourning. As
soon as they enter, all four women lift their veils._ MRS. HUNTER _is a
well-preserved woman, with a pretty, rather foolish, and somewhat
querulous face. Her figure is the latest mode._ BLANCHE STERLING, _her
oldest daughter, is her antithesis,--a handsome, dignified woman, young,
sincere, and showing, in her attitude to the others and in her own point
of view, the warmth of a true, evenly-balanced nature._ JESSICA _is a
typical second child,--nice, good, self-effacing, sympathetic,
unspoiled._ CLARA _is her opposite,--spoiled, petulant, pretty, pert,
and selfish._

MRS. HUNTER. [_With a long sigh._] Oh, I am so glad to be back home and
the whole thing over without a hitch!

[_