ft rear and seat themselves, while Connie and Mrs.
Dowsett seat themselves at tea-table to left front. Connie rings
the bell for Servant._)

{Mrs. Dowsett}

(_Glancing significantly at Starkweather, and speaking in a low
voice._) That's your father, isn't it? I have so wanted to meet
him.

{Connie} (_Softly._) You know he's peculiar. He is liable to ignore
everybody here this afternoon, and get up and go away abruptly,
without saying good-bye.

{Mrs. Dowsett}

(_Sympathetically. _) Yes, I know, a man of such large affairs. He
must have so much on his mind. He is a wonderful man--my husband
says the greatest in contemporary history--more powerful than a
dozen presidents, the King of England, and the Kaiser, all rolled
into one.

(_Servant enters with tea urn and accessories, and Connie proceeds
to serve tea, all accompanied by appropriate patter--"Two lumps?"
"One, please." "Lemon;" etc._)

(_Rutland and Dowsett come forward to table for their tea, where
they remain._)

(_Connie, glancing apprehensively across at her father and
debating a moment, prepares a cup for him and a small plate
with crackers, and hands them to Dowsett, who likewise betrays
apprehensiveness._)

{Connie}

Take it to father, please, senator.

(_Note:--Throughout the rest of this act, Starkweather is like
a being apart, a king sitting on his throne. He divides the tea
function with Margaret. Men come up to him and speak with him.
He sends for men. They come and go at his bidding. The whole
attitude, perhaps unconsciously on his part, is that wherever he
may be he is master. This attitude is accepted by all the others;
forsooth, he is indeed a great man and master. The only one who
is not really afraid of him is Margaret; yet she gives in to him
in so far as she lets him do as he pleases at her afternoon tea._)
(_Dowsett carries the cup of tea and small plate across stage to
Starkweather. Starkweather does not notice him at first._)

{Connie}

(_Who has been watching._) Tea, father, won't you have a cup of
tea?

(_Through the following scene between Starkweather and Dowsett,
the latter holds cup of tea and crackers, helplessly, at a
disadvantage. At the same time Rutland is served with tea and
remains at the table, talking with the two women._)

{Starkweather}

(_Looking first at Connie, then peering into cup of tea. He grunts
refusal, and for the first time looks up into the other man's
face. He immediately closes note-boo