ully precarious
show and she's a woman and--anyhow, will you?

DANIEL. I'll see.

(_Enter_ EVANGELINE.)

EVANGELINE. Ah, there you are, Uncle Daniel--I've been looking for
you--I want to have a little talk with you. (_Above Chesterfield._)

DANIEL. My God!

EVANGELINE. What did you say?

DANIEL (_feverishly_). I said, My God!

EVANGELINE. Wasn't that a little unnecessary--but still, I expect you
get used to swearing over trifles out in the backwoods.

DANIEL. I wasn't anywhere near the backwoods.

EVANGELINE. Well, wherever you were then. Do go away, Oliver, I want to
talk to Uncle Daniel privately.

OLIVER. Righto--you'll remember what I said, won't you, Uncle? Cheerio.

(_Exit_ OLIVER, R.)

UNCLE. Cheerio. What? Oh, yes, yes. (_after_ OLIVER _has gone._)

EVANGELINE (_goes to him_). Now, look here--about that will of yours--I
don't feel that it's quite fair to the others to----

(_Enter_ MRS. CROMBIE _from garden._)

MRS. CROMBIE. Oh, there you are, Mr. Davis--I've been wanting to have a
little talk to you about South America. I had a brother out there, you
know. (_Behind chair_ R.C.)

DANIEL (_rising, jovially_). Splendid--let's talk about him for hours.

EVANGELINE (_a little annoyed_). I'll come back later, uncle. (_Moves to
stairs._)

MRS. CROMBIE. I hope I'm not interrupting a heart-to-heart talk between
uncle and niece.

DANIEL. Not at all, not at all--it's a pleasure, I assure you.

EVANGELINE (_on stairs_). It doesn't matter a bit. Uncle Daniel is going
to stay with us a long time, I hope.

(_Exit upstairs._)

MRS. CROMBIE (_settling herself in arm-chair_). Splendid--have you such
a thing as a cigarette?

DANIEL. A cigarette, yes, certainly.

MRS. CROMBIE. And a match.

DANIEL. And a match.

(_He hands her a case, she takes one, goes to mantel for matches--then
he strikes a match and lights it._)

MRS. CROMBIE (_girlishly_). Now we can be quite comfortable, can't we?

DANIEL. Quite. (_Sits on Chesterfield._)

MRS. CROMBIE. As I was saying just now, I had a brother out in South
America.

DANIEL. What part?

MRS. CROMBIE. I'm not quite sure--we don't hear from him much--he was
sent out there for--for----

DANIEL. I quite understand.

MRS. CROMBIE. For his health.

DANIEL. I know, they all are. It's a wonderful climate.

MRS. CROMBIE. He hasn't written for ages and ages--we were wondering if
he was making money or not--it seems so far away, a