hope so. I'm going back to Newcastle this afternoon, there's
nothing doing here.

DR. JONATHAN. Would you stay, if there were something doing?

MINNIE. I--I don't know. What would I be doing here?

AUGUSTA (disapprovingly, surveying, MINNIE'S costume). I don't think I
should have recognized you, Minnie.

MINNIE. City life agrees with me, Mrs. Pindar. But I needed a little
rest cure, and I came to see what the village looked like.

DR. JONATHAN. A sort of sentimental journey, Minnie.

MINNIE (flashing a look at GEORGE, and another at DR. JONATHAN). Well,
you might call it that. I get you.

AUGUSTA. Minnie, what church do you attend in Newcastle?

MINNIE. Well, I haven't got a seat in any particular church, Mrs.
Pindar.

AUGUSTA. I didn't expect you to go to the expense of getting a seat.
I hope you delivered the letter our minister gave you to the minister of
the First Church in Newcastle.

MINNIE. No, I didn't, Mrs. Pindar, and that's the truth. I never went
near a church.

AUGUSTA (drily). It's a pity you ever went to Newcastle, I think.

MINNIE. It's some town! Every time you ride into it you see a big sign,
"Welcome to Newcastle, population one hundred and six thousand, and
growing every day. Goodbye, and thank you!"

AUGUSTA (knitting). You drive about in automobiles!

MINNIE. Oh, sometimes I get a joy ride.

AUGUSTA. It grieves me to hear you talk in this way. I knew you were
pleasure loving, I thought I saw certain tendencies in you, yet you
seemed to realize the grace of religion when you were in my Bible class.
Your brother Jamesy took to drink--

MINNIE. And I took to religion. You meant to be kind, Mrs. Pindar, and
I thank you. But now I know why Jamesy took to drink--it was for the
same reason I took to religion.

AUGUSTA (scandalized). Minnie!

MINNIE. We were both trying to be free, to escape.

AUGUSTA. To escape? From what?

MINNIE (with a gesture indicating futility). I guess it would be pretty
hard to get it across to you, Mrs. Pindar. But I was working ten hours a
day packing tools in your shops, and all you gave me when the whistle
blew was--Jesus.

(A pause: GEORGE takes a step toward her.)

Jamesy took to drink, and I took to Jesus. I'm not saying anything
against Him. He had His life, but I wanted mine. Maybe He would have
understood.

(Turning impulsively toward DR. JONATHAN.)

I've got a hunch that you understand.

AUGUSTA. Minnie, I can't let you talk about