CARLEY. No.

GEORGIANA. Louise, I told Bella Shindle I'd help her get up an article
this morning on the drawing-room and dining room for her sister,--you
know--who has a friend who writes for the weekly papers. You don't mind,
do you?

LOUISE. No.

GEORGIANA. Of course, if you _do_ mind--

LOUISE. But I don't, not the least in the world.

GEORGIANA. [_Smiling._] Bella says it will be a great thing for her
sister's reputation--what she calls such a "select" house as ours--and
buy her a new hat besides. So I thought we'd better.

[_She goes out Right._

MRS. CARLEY. Did you ever know any one so changed? She hasn't been
horrid to me once since he died. It makes me feel perfectly dreadful to
have her treat me so nice.

[_Almost crying, crosses to Left._

LOUISE. Mother, you know Mrs. Coleman sent for me just now.

MRS. CARLEY. Yes?

LOUISE. Well, why, do you suppose?

MRS. CARLEY. I don't know, but I hope you'll tell me that, too,
sometime--what about Steve?

LOUISE. That must wait, mother--Dick Coleman--

MRS. CARLEY. What? Don't tell me he made another will, and didn't leave
Georgiana his money.

LOUISE. No, it's good news for Georgiana. I'm almost as afraid to tell
you as to tell her. [_Whispers._] Dick Coleman may be alive, after all.

MRS. CARLEY. Louise!

LOUISE. It is possible he was one of the three men who arrived at San
Francisco nearly a week ago.

MRS. CARLEY. Who were taken prisoners by the Ladrones and escaped?

LOUISE. Yes! The three men who got away from Cebu in a boat and were
picked up by a German steamer. It seems more than probable. They got one
name wrong in the despatches, making it "_Richard Cotten_"--who was also
missing--instead of "_Richard Coleman_."

MRS. CARLEY. But how did you find out all this?

LOUISE. From Mrs. Coleman. And it's all in the morning paper, and we
never took the trouble to look!

MRS. CARLEY. I read the society notes--it wasn't in there.

LOUISE. Well, the Colemans saw it and telegraphed at once to Washington
for confirmation.

MRS. CARLEY. Did they get it?

LOUISE. Not yet. But we're all in the greatest hopes!

MRS. CARLEY. But if Dick Coleman was with those other men in San
Francisco, why didn't he telegraph home?

LOUISE. That's the one thing that makes still a dreadful doubt. [_Rises
and rings the bell._] The Colemans are nearly mad waiting for their
reply from Washington.

MRS. CARLEY. Shall you tell Georgiana?

[_She rises._

LOUI