nd don't you forget what I've
been telling you--you get the sand out of that gear-box first thing
tomorrow morning, or I'll see that you draw your last pay Saturday
night.

[IVANOFF bows meekly and exit to right, closing door after him.]

MARIANO. Miss Granger-Seempson!

[Exit.]

PIKE. All right, Mariano!

[ETHEL enters haughtily.]

I'm much obliged to you for taking my note the right way. I've got some
pretty good reasons for not leaving this room.

[She is icy in manner, but her hands fidget with the note he has sent
her, crumpling it up.]

ETHEL [sitting]. Your note seemed so extraordinarily urgent--

PIKE. It had to be. Some folks who want to see me are coming here, and I
want you to see them--here. They'd stopped you from coming if they
could.

ETHEL [holding herself very straight in her chair]. There was no effort
to prevent me.

PIKE. No; I didn't give 'em time.

ETHEL. May I ask to whom you refer?

PIKE. The whole kit and boodle of 'em!

ETHEL [not relaxing her coldness]. You are inelegant, Mr. Pike.

PIKE. I haven't time to be elegant, even if I knew how.

ETHEL. Do you mean that my chaperone would disapprove?

PIKE. I shouldn't be surprised. I reckon the whole fine flower of Europe
would disapprove. "Disapprove?"--they'd _sand-bag_ you to keep you away!

ETHEL [rising quickly]. Oh, then I can't stay.

PIKE [going between her and the upper doors, speaks with ring of
domination]. Yes you can, and you will, and you've got to!

ETHEL [angrily]. "Got to!" I shall not!

PIKE. I'm your guardian, and you'll do as I say. You'll obey me this
once if you never do again.

[She looks at him defiantly; he faces her with determination, and
continues without pause.]

You'll stay here while I talk to these people, and you'll stay in spite
of anything they say or do to make you go.

[Slight pause; she yields and walks back to her chair. PIKE continues.]

God knows I hate to talk rough to you. I wouldn't hurt your feelings for
the world, but it's come to a point where I've got to use the authority
I have over you.

ETHEL [with a renewal of her defiance]. Authority? Do you think--

PIKE. You'll stay here for the next twenty minutes if I have to make
Crecy and Agincourt look like a Peace Conference!

[She looks at him aghast, sinks into chair by table; he continues after
a very slight pause.]

You and your brother have soaked up a society-column notion of life
over here; you're like old Pete