ration: Mrs Herne as Margaret Fleming. Act II. See page 554.]

Margaret comes in and Dr. Larkin, horrified, tries in vain to get her
to return. Maria, the dead girl's sister, comes out of the bedroom,
with a letter in her hand, and with barbaric ferocity turns upon
Margaret. A scene of great dramatic power follows, and under the
stress of her suffering, Margaret goes blind. It all ends in the
flight of Fleming, and the destruction of their home. Several years
later a chain of events brings wife and husband together in the office
of the Boston Inspector of Police. Joe Fletcher, a street pedler, and
husband of Maria, the sister of Lena Schmidt, was the means of
bringing them together again. Fleming runs across Joe on the Common,
and Joe takes him to see Maria. Margaret has found Maria and her
child, which Maria had taken. Philip's altercation with Maria brings
them into the police office. After explanations, the inspector turns
to the husband and wife, and voicing conventional morality, advises
them to patch it up. "When you want me, ring that bell," he says, and
leaves them alone. There is a hush of suspense, and then Fleming,
seeing the work he had wrought in the blind face before him, speaks.

_Philip._ Margaret!

_Margaret._ Well!

_Philip._ This is terrible

_Marg._ You heard the inspector. He calls it a "common case."

_Philip._ Yes. I was wondering whether he meant that or only said
it.

_Marg._ I guess he meant it, Philip. We'll be crowded out of his
thoughts before he goes to bed to-night.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Marg._ Ah, well, it's done now, and--

_Philip._ Yes, it's done. For four years I've been like an
escaped prisoner that wanted to give himself up and dreaded the
punishment. I'm captured at last, and without hope or fear,--I
_was_ going to say without shame,--I ask you, my judge, to
pronounce my sentence.

_Marg._ That's a terrible thing to ask me to do, Philip.... (_She
hesitates._)

_Philip._ Of course you'll get a divorce?

_Marg._ Don't let us have any more ceremonies, Philip.... I gave
myself to you when you asked me to. We were married in my
mother's little home. Do you remember what a bright, beautiful
morning it was?

_Philip._ Yes.

_Marg._ That was seven years ago. To-day we're _here!_...

. . . . .