wn! How do you
do, sir? I wish ye well, miss. (Goes around and laboriously shakes hands
with everybody.) Now lesh all take a drink! lesh you take a drink, and
you take a drink, and you take a drink!

Starbottle. Permit me, ladies and gentlemen, to--er--explain: our friend
is--er--evidently laboring under--er--er--accident of hospitality! In a
moment he will be himself.

Old Morton. Hush up! Dry up--yourself--old turkey-cock! Eh!

Sandy (despairingly). He will not understand us! (To STARBOTTLE.) He
will not know me! What is to be done?

Old Morton. Give me some whishkey. Lesh all take a drink! (Enter SERVANT
with decanter and glasses.)

Old Morton (starting forward). Lesh all take a drink!

Sandy. Stop!

Old Morton (recovering himself slightly). Who says stop? Who dares
countermand my orderish?

Concho (coming forward). Who? I will tell you: eh! eh! Diego--dismissed
from the rancho of Don Jose for drunkenness! Sandy--the vagabond of Red
Gulch!

Sandy (passionately seizing OLD MORTON'S arm). Yes, Diego--Sandy--the
outcast--but, God help me! no longer the drunkard. I forbid you to touch
that glass!--I, your son, Alexander Morton! Yes, look at me, father: I,
with drunkenness in my blood, planted by you, fostered by you--I whom
you sought to save--I--I stand here to save you! Go! (To SERVANT.) Go!
While he is thus, I--I, am master here!

Old Morton (cowed and frightened). That voice! (Passing his hand over
his forehead.) Am I dreaming Aleck, where are you? Alexander, speak, I
command you: is this the truth?

Oakhurst (slowly). It is!

Starbottle. One moment--a single moment: permit me to--er--er--explain.
The gentleman who has just--er--dismissed the refreshment is, to the
best of my legal knowledge, your son. The gentleman who for the
past year has so admirably filled the functions of that office
is--er--prepared to admit this. The proofs are--er--conclusive. It is
with the--er--intention of offering them, and--er--returning your lawful
heir, that we--er--are here to-night.

Old Morton (rising to his feet). And renounce you both! Out of my
house, out of my sight, out of my heart, forever! Go! liars, swindlers,
confederates! Drunk--

Oakhurst (retiring slowly with SANDY). We are going, sir!

Old Morton. Go! open the doors there WIDE, wide enough for such a
breadth of infamy! Do you hear me? I am master here!

Stands erect, as OAKHURST and SANDY, hand in hand, slowly retreat
backward to centre,--then sud