?

Bessie (_Distressed_). Yes... I... sometimes. . . (_Rapidly!_) He's our
landlord.

Harry (_Scornfully_). Owns both them rabbit hutches, does he? Just a
thing he'd be proud of... (_Earnest_.) And now you had better tell me
all about that chap who's coming to-morrow. Know anything of him? I
reckon there's more than one in that little game. Come! Out with it!
(_Chaffing_.) I don't take no... from women.

Bessie (_Bewildered_). Oh! It's so difficult... What had I better do?...

Harry (_Good-humoured_). Make a clean breast of it.

Bessie (_Wildly to herself_). Impossible! (_Starts_.) You don't
understand. I must think--see--try to--I, I must have time. Plenty of
time.

Harry. What for? Come. Two words. And don't be afraid for yourself. I
ain't going to make it a police job. But it's the other fellow that'll
get upset when he least expects it. There'll be some fun when he shows
his mug here to-morrow. (_Snaps fingers_.) I don't care that for the old
man's dollars, but right is right. You shall see me put a head on that
coon, whoever he is.

Bessie (_Wrings hands slightly_). What had I better do? (_Suddenly to
Harry_.) It's you--you yourself that we--that he's waiting for. It's
_you_ who are to come to-morrow.

Harry (_Slowly_). Oh! it's me! (_Perplexed_.) There's something there
I can't understand. I haven't written ahead or anything. It was my chum
who showed me the advertisement with the old boy's address, this very
morning--in London.

Bessie (_Anxious_). How can I make it plain to you without... (_Bites
her lip, embarrassed_.) Sometimes he talks so strangely.

Harry (_Expectant_). Does he? What about?

Bessie. Only you. And he will stand no contradicting.

Harry. Stubborn. Eh? The old man hasn't changed much from what I can
remember. (_They stand looking at each other helplessly_.)

Bessie. He's made up his mind you would come back . . . to-morrow.

Harry. I can't hang about here till morning. Got no money to get a bed.
Not a cent. But why won't to-day do?

Bessie. Because you've been too long away.

Harry (_With force_). Look here, they fairly drove me out. Poor mother
nagged at me for being idle, and the old man said he would cut my soul
out of my body rather than let me go to sea.

Bessie (_Murmurs_). He can bear no contradicting.

Harry (_Continuing_). Well, it looked as tho' he would do it too. So
I went. (_Moody_.) It seems to me sometimes I was born to them by a
mistake... in that other ra