e cut her own throat.

HEGAN. Oh, my dear! [Starts toward her.] I am so sorry...

LAURA. [Quickly.] No, father! Listen! You must talk to me... you must
talk to me this time!

HEGAN. My child...

LAURA. You cannot put me off. You cannot, I tell you!

HEGAN. Laura, dear, you are upset...

LAURA. No! That is not so! I have perfect control of myself. There is
no use crying... the girl is dead. That can't be helped. But I mean to
understand about it. I mean to know who is responsible for her death.

HEGAN. My dear, these evils are hard to know of...

LAURA. That house to which that girl was taken... there is a law against
such places, is there not?

HEGAN. Yes, my dear.

LAURA. And why is not the law enforced?

HEGAN. It has not been found possible to enforce such laws.

LAURA. But why not?

HEGAN. Why, my dear, this evil...

LAURA. These people pay money to the police, do they not?

HEGAN. Why, yes; I imagine...

LAURA. Don't tell me what you imagine... tell me what you know! They pay
money to the police, don't they?

HEGAN. Yes.

LAURA. Then why should the police not be punished? Do those who control
the police get some of the money?

HEGAN. Some of them, my dear.

LAURA. That is, the leaders of Tammany.

HEGAN. Possibly... yes.

LAURA. And Mr. Grimes... he gets some of it?

HEGAN. Why, my dear...

LAURA. Tell me!

HEGAN. But really, Laura, I never asked him what he gets.

LAURA. [With intensity.] Father, you must understand me! I will not be
trifled with... I am in desperate earnest! I am determined to get to the
bottom of this thing! I am no longer a child, and you must not try to
deceive me! Mr. Grimes must get some of that money!

HEGAN. I think it possible, my dear.

LAURA. And do you get any?

HEGAN. Good God, Laura!

LAURA. Then what is the nature of your relationship with Grimes?

HEGAN. Really, my child, this is not fair of you. I have business
connections which you cannot possibly understand...

LAURA. I can understand everything that you are willing for me to
understand! I want to know why you must have business connections with a
man like Boss Grimes.

HEGAN. My dear, I think you might take your father's word in such a
case. It has nothing to do with vice, I can assure you. Grimes is a
business ally of mine. He is a rich man, a great power in New York...

LAURA. Do you help to keep him a power in New York?

HEGAN. Why, I don't know...

LAURA. Do you contribute to