A July morning, 1918.

MINNIE FARRELL, in the white costume worn by nurses and laboratory
workers, is at the bench, pouring liquid into a test tube and
holding its up to the light, when DR. JONATHAN enters from the
right.

DR. JONATHAN. Has anyone been in, Minnie?

MINNIE (turning, with the test tube in her hand). Now, what a question
to ask, Dr. Jonathan! Was there ever a morning or afternoon that
somebody didn't stray in here with their troubles? (Fiercely.) They
don't think a scientist has a real job,--they don't understand, if you
put this across--(she holds up the test tube)--you'll save the lives of
thousands of soldiers, and a few ordinary folks, too, I guess. But you
won't let me tell anyone.

DR. JONATHAN. It will be time enough to tell them when we do put it
across.

MINNIE. But we're going to,--that is, you're going to.

DR. JONATHAN. You're too modest, Minnie.

MINNIE. Me modest! But what makes me sore is that they don't give you
a chance to put this thing across. Dr. Senn's a back number, and if
they're sick they come here and expect you to cure 'em for nothing.

DR. JONATHAN. But they can't complain if I don't cure them.

MINNIE. And half the time they ain't sick at all,--they only imagine it.

DR. JONATHAN. Well, that's interesting too,--part of a doctor's
business. It's pretty hard to tell in these days where the body ends
and the soul begins.

MINNIE. It looks like you're cutting out the minister, too. You'd ought
to be getting his salary.

DR. JONATHAN. Then I'd have to do his job.

MINNIE. I get you--you'd be paid to give 'em all the same brand of dope.
You wouldn't be free.

DR. JONATHAN. To experiment.

MINNIE. You couldn't be a scientist. Say, every time I meet the
minister I want to cry, he says to himself, "She ran away from Jesus and
went to the bad. What right has she got to be happy?" And Mrs. Pindar's
just the same. If you leave the straight and narrow path you can't never
get back--they keep pushing you off.

DR. JONATHAN (who has started to work at the bench). I've always had my
doubts about your sins, Minnie.

MINNIE. Oh, I was a sinner, all right, they'll never get that out of
their craniums. But being a sinner isn't a patch on being a scientist!
It's nearly a year now since you took me in. The time's flown! When I
was in the Pindar Shops, and in the Wire Works at Newcastle I could
always beat the other girls to the Main Street when the whistle blew,