out of it? Not a button! Not a
button! A bible. Still _I'm_ not complaining. Hang that chimney, Frederik,
it's smoking. [COLONEL LAWTON _stirs the fire--a log falls out and the
flame goes down. The room has gradually grown darker as the night
approaches._

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. [_Turning on_ COLONEL LAWTON.] Oh, you've feathered your
nest, Colonel! You're a rich man.

COLONEL LAWTON. [_Enraged, raising his voice._] What? I never came here
that _you_ weren't begging.

FREDERIK. [_Virtuously--laying down the paper._] Well, I'm disgusted! When
I think how much more I should have if he hadn't continually doled out
money to every one of you!

COLONEL LAWTON. What?

FREDERIK. He was putty in your hands.

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. Yes, you can afford to defend his memory--you've got the
money.

FREDERIK. I don't defend his memory. He was a gullible old fossil, and the
whole town knew it.

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. _You_ did at any rate. I've heard you flatter him by the
hour.

FREDERIK. Of course. He liked flattery and I gave him what he wanted. Why
not? I gave him plenty. The rest of you were at the same thing; and I had
the pleasure of watching him give you the money that belonged to me--to
_me_--my money.... What business had he to be generous with my money?
[_The_ COLONEL _strikes a match to light his cigar, and, as it flares up,
the face of_ FREDERIK _is seen--distorted with anger._] I'll tell you
this: had he lived much longer, there would have been nothing left for me.
It's a fortunate thing for me that--[_He pauses, knowing that he has said
too much. The room is now very dark. The rain has subsided. Everything is
quiet outside. There is not a sound, save the ticking of the clock._

REV. MR. BATHOLOMMEY. [_Solemnly--breaking the pause._] Young man, it
might have been better had Mr. Grimm given his _all_ to charity--for he
has left his money to an ingrate.

FREDERIK. [_Laughing derisively._] Ha! Ha!

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. Sh! Someone's coming.

_All is quiet. The clock ticks in the dark. The door opens._

FREDERIK. [_With a change of voice._] Come in. [_Nobody enters._] Where's
a light? We've been sitting in the dark like owls. Come in. [_A pause. He
strikes a match and holds it above his head. The light shows the open
door. A wind, blowing through the doorway, causes the match to flicker,
and_ FREDERIK _protects it with his hand._

COLONEL LAWTON. I'll see who's ... [_Looks out._] No one.

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. Someone _must_