If they burned down the shops this afternoon,
I wouldn't stop them! (He waves TIMOTHY Off.) My boy is leaving for
France, and I'm going to New York with him.

TIMOTHY (with a sudden flaring up of sympathy). It's meself has a boy
going, too, Mr. Pindar. And maybe it's almost the last I'll be seeing of
him, this noon hour. Just a word with ye, before it's too late, sir.

ASHER (suppressing him). No, let them strike!

(He turns to hide his emotion and then rushes out of the door, lower
right. GEORGE and BERT come forward and stand with TIMOTHY, silent
after ASHER's dramatic exit; when TIMOTHY perceives DR. JONATHAN.)

TIMOTHY. Did you see my Minnie, doctor? She went to your house.

DR. JONATHAN. I met her on the street just now, and left her with Mrs.
Prag.

GEORGE. Prag's wife! You've been to see her?

DR. JONATHAN. Yes. Her condition is serious. She needs a nurse, and
Minnie volunteered.

TIMOTHY. My Minnie, is it? Then she won't be going back to Newcastle.

DR. JONATHAN (looking at GEORGE). She won't be going back to Newcastle.

TIMOTHY. That's Minnie! (he turns to GEORGE). Well, goodbye, Mr.
George,--I'll say God bless you again. (He looks at BERT.) You'll be
fighting over there, the pair of you, for freedom. Have an eye on him,
Sir, if you can,--give him some good advice.

GEORGE (his hand on BERT'S shoulder). Bert can take care of himself, I
guess. I'll be needing the advice!

(He shakes hands with TIMOTHY.)

CURTAIN.

ACT II

SCENE:
A fairly large room in DR. JONATHAN's house in Foxon Falls, which
has been converted into a laboratory. The house antedates the
PINDAR mansion, having been built in the first decade of the
nineteenth century, and though not large, has a certain distinction
and charm. The room has a panelled wainscoting and a carved wooden
mantel, middle left, painted white, like the doors. Into the
fireplace is set a Franklin stove. The windows at the rear have
small panes; the lower sashes are raised; the tops of the hollyhocks
and foxgloves in the garden bed may be seen above the window sills,
and the apple trees beyond. Under the windows is a long table, on
which are chemical apparatus. A white enamelled sink is in the rear
right corner. The walls are whitewashed, the wooden floor bare. A
door, left, in the rear, leads into DR. JONATHAN'S office; another,
middle right, into a little front hall.

TIME: