WOMAN (proudly). Yes, he is good American now,--he fight to make them
free in the old country, too.

DR. JONATHAN. Well, we'll have a look at the baby. He may be in the
White House some day--President Sasenoshky! I'll be back, Asher.

(The noon whistle blows.)

ASHER. That's the signal! I'll get along, too.

DR. JONATHAN. Where are you going?

ASHER. I guess it doesn't make much difference where I go.

(He walks out, followed by DR. JONATHAN and the WOMAN. The room is
empty for a moment, and then MINNIE FARRELL enters through the
opposite door, left, from DR. JONATHAN'S office. She gazes around
the room, and then goes resolutely to the bench and takes up several
test tubes in turn, holding theme to the light. Suddenly her eye
falls on GEORGE'S letter, which ASHER has left open on the bench
with the envelope beside it. MINNIE Slowly reaches out and picks it
up, and then holds it to her lips... She still has the letter
in her hand, gazing at it, when AUGUSTA PINDAR enters, right.)

AUGUSTA. Oh, I thought Mr. Pindar was here!

MINNIE. Perhaps he's been here--I don't know. I just came in. (She
hesitates a second, then goes to the bench and lays the letter down.)

AUGUSTA. He must have been here,--he told me he was coming to talk with
Dr. Pindar.

(She approaches the bench and glances at the letter.)

Isn't that a letter from my son?

MINNIE (a little defiantly, yet almost in tears). I guess it is.

AUGUSTA. It was written to you?

MINNIE. No.

AUGUSTA. Then what were you doing with it?

MINNIE. I just--picked it up. You think I was reading it? Well, I
wouldn't.

AUGUSTA. Then how did you know it was written by my son?

(MINNIE is silent.)

You must be familiar with his handwriting. I think I'd better take it.
(She folds it up and puts it in the envelope.) Does George write to you?

MINNIE. I've had letters from him.

AUGUSTA. Since he went to France?

MINNIE. Yes.

AUGUSTA (after a pause). I've never approved of Dr. Findar employing
you here. I warned him against you--I told him that you would betray his
kindness as you betrayed mine, but he wouldn't listen to me. I told him
that a girl who was capable of drawing my son into an intrigue while
she was a member of the church and of my Bible class, a girl who had the
career you had in Newcastle, couldn't become a decent and trustworthy
woman. The very fact that you had the audacity to come back to Foxon
Falls a