r Ryder! It was _you_ who persuaded the
Godesbys!--

[WARDEN _shakes his head and makes a movement to deny it._ BLANCHE
_continues speaking, the words rushing to her lips, as her pent-up heart
opens and lets all her emotions suddenly free._] Don't try to deny it;
you can't make me believe you! It's to _you_ I owe whatever promise the
future has for me! It is _you_ who have given me all the happiness I've
had for years. It is _you_ who have watched over, taken care of,
me--_you_, the best friend any woman in this world ever had. It is _you_
now who have saved my boy's honor. It is _you_ who lift the weight off
my shoulders, the weight off my heart! You!--you!--you!

[_She sinks sobbing on the bench. It begins to snow very quietly and
slowly._

WARDEN. [_All his love bursting out into his face and into his voice,
cries._] Blanche! Blanche!

[_Leaning over her as if to protect her from her trouble and take her to
his breast._

BLANCHE. [_Rising and looking straight into his eyes with a suddenly
revealed great love in her own._] Ned!--

[_They hold this position some moments, gazing into each other's eyes;
then finally_ WARDEN _makes a movement towards her, crying out more
triumphantly, having read and realized her love for him._

WARDEN. Blanche!

BLANCHE. [_Moving a half step back from him._] No--

WARDEN. No?

BLANCHE. Look--look, it's beginning to snow!

WARDEN. [_Very softly._] What do you mean?

BLANCHE. [_Desperately._] I mean to speak of anything except what is in
your thoughts at this moment! Help me not to forget that no matter what
he has done, Dick is still my husband.

WARDEN. You don't know all he has done!

BLANCHE. How not "all"? What else? Where is he?

[_With a sudden new alarm._

WARDEN. He has left you.

BLANCHE. [_Echoes._] Left me?--

WARDEN. Mason is searching for him. He left a note at your house which
Jess read; it was only one word "Good-by."

BLANCHE. [_Echoes again._] Good-by! [_Sleigh-bells are heard in the
distance, coming quickly nearer._] What does it mean? You're hiding
something from me! Tell me what else you know?

WARDEN. He left the house, but took something with him--something from a
drawer in his room.

BLANCHE. [_After a second's pause she whispers._] His pistol?

WARDEN. Yes.

BLANCHE. [_Aghast, still whispers._] Has he done it?

WARDEN. I don't know; I'm waiting word from Mason.

[_The sleigh-bells stop._

BLANCHE. [_Excited._] But we can't wait h