of your father as a "fine
flower," but we thought a heap of him, and when he married your ma he
was so glad to get her--well, I never heard yet that he asked for any
_settlement_!

HORACE. You are quite impossible.

PIKE. The fact is, when she took him he was a poor man; but if he'd a
had seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, I'll bet he'd 'a' given
it for her.

[Starts to hammer vigorously, humming "Dolly Gray."]

HORACE. There is no profit in continuing the discussion.

[Turns on his heel, but immediately turns again toward PIKE, who is
apparently preoccupied.]

And I warn you we shall act without paying the slightest attention to
you. [Triumphantly.] What have you to say to that, sir?

[PIKE'S answer is conveyed by the motor-horn, which says: "Honk! Honk!"
HORACE throws up his hands despairingly. PIKE'S voice becomes audible in
the last words of the song: "Good-bye, Dolly Gray."]

[Enter LADY CREECH and ALMERIC through the gates.]

HORACE [meeting them]. The fellow is hopeless.

LADY CREECH [not hearing, and speaking from habit, automatically].
Dreadful person!

[PIKE continues his work, paying no attention.]

ALMERIC [to HORACE]. Better let him alone till the Governor's had time
to think a bit. Governor's clever. He'll fetch the beggar about somehow.

LADY CREECH [with a Parthian glance at the unconscious PIKE]. I sha'h't
stop in the creature's presence--I shall go up to my room for my forty
winks.

[Exit into the hotel.]

ALMERIC [as she goes out]. Day-day, aunt! [To HORACE.] I'm off to look
at that pup again. You trust the Governor.

HORACE [as ALMERIC goes]. I do, I do. It is insufferable, but I'll wait.

[Exit into the garden.]

[PIKE stands for a moment, contemplating the car in some despondency,
still humming or whistling.]

[LADY CREECH, after a few moments, appears at a window in the upper
story of the hotel. Unseen by PIKE, she pulls up the awning for a better
view, and drops lace curtains inside of window so as to screen herself
from observation. Sits watching.]

[Immediately upon HORACE'S exit MARIANO, flustered, enters hurriedly
from the hotel, goes to the gates, and fumbles with the lock. At the
same time VASILI enters from the garden, smoking.]

VASILI. You make progress, my friend?

PIKE. Your machine's like a good many people--got sand in its gear-box.

VASILI [to MARIANO]. Are you locking us in?

MARIANO [excitedly coming down and showing a big key which he has ta