rosvenor? Mr. Grosvenor?

GROSVENOR

[_Eagerly._

Here.

PAGE

[_Handing him a telegram._

Any answer?

GROSVENOR

Wait.

CAPTAIN

[_Still watching the soldiers._

They _are_ happy.

[_Pause._

I wonder which of 'em'll come back, and which won't.

GROSVENOR

[_Who has torn open the yellow envelope, sinks back in his chair. To_
PAGE.

No answer.

[_He mops his brow in utter dejection. The officers by the window do not
see him as he studies the telegram and studies it again as though he
could not believe his eyes._

CAPTAIN

[_Turning._

Any news, Mr. Grosvenor?

GROSVENOR

[_Thickly._

A plot, a damned Stock Exchange plot.

[_He hands the_ CAPTAIN _the message._

CAPTAIN

[_After a glance at the message._

Hello! Say, General, look at this.

GENERAL

[_Turning._

What's up?

CAPTAIN

The State Department has just had news from our Ambassador to Iberia.
Delightful interview with the King. Evident willingness to meet us half
way.

GENERAL

[_Coolly._

Is this straight? It sounds fishy.

CAPTAIN

They're trying to gain time. I don't believe it.

GROSVENOR

It's a damned plot.

GENERAL

Looks to me like a blind to stop our preparations. I'm going over to
the War Department. Coming, Captain?

CAPTAIN

It's that crafty Prime Minister over there playing us tricks, eh?

GROSVENOR

[_Hotly._

It's a plot!

GENERAL

Something's queer! Good night, Grosvenor!

GROSVENOR

[_Effusively._

Good night, General, good night. God be with us all in these dark days,
I say!

GENERAL

[_Solemnly._

Amen to that!

CAPTAIN

[_Saluting carelessly._

Good night.

GROSVENOR

Good night, good night.

[_The_ OFFICERS _go out._ GROSVENOR _strides excitedly
up and down._

It's a plot, it's a damned plot--

[_He goes toward the rear and picks up a telephone instrument on a desk
by the window._

Can you get me the House? Mr. Maynard. Yes. Making a speech? Never mind.

[_He hangs up the receiver and presses a button on the wall. Then he
quickly writes a message on the back of the telegram and encloses it in
an envelope. The_ PAGE _enters._

PAGE

Ring, sir?

GROSVENOR

Yes. Take this to the House at once. To Mr. Maynard. See that he gets it
himself. Here's a dollar.

PAGE

[_Touching his cap._

Thank you, sir.

[_Exit._

GROSVENOR

[_Taking up the telephone again._

Give me the Senat