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ever be able to make that train. [_She crosses to window, then to desk, takes out time-table, crosses to armchair and spreads time-table on back, studies it, crosses impatiently to trunk, and sits nervously kicking her feet. After a few seconds' pause the bell rings. She jumps up excitedly._] That must be he,--Annie--go quick. [ANNIE _crosses and opens the door in the usual manner._ JIM'S VOICE. [_Outside._] Is Miss Murdock in? ANNIE. Yassuh, she's in. LAURA _is up stage and turns to receive visitor._ JIM _enters. He is nicely dressed in black and has an appearance of prosperity about him, but in other respects he retains the old drollness of enunciation and manner. He crosses to_ LAURA _in a cordial way and holds out his hand._ ANNIE _crosses, after closing the door, and exits through the portieres into the sleeping-apartment._ JIM. How-dy-do, Miss Laura? LAURA. Jim Western, I'm mighty glad to see you. JIM. Looks like as if you were going to move? LAURA. Yes, I am going to move, and a long ways, too. How well you're looking,--as fit as a fiddle. JIM. Yes; I am feelin' fine. Where yer goin'? Troupin'? LAURA. No, indeed. JIM. [_Surveying the baggage._] Thought not. What's comin' off now? [_Takes off coat, puts coat and hat on trunk._ LAURA. [_Very simply._] I'm going to be married this afternoon. JIM. Married? LAURA. And then I'm going West. JIM. [_Leaving the trunk, walking toward her and holding out his hands._] Now I'm just glad to hear that. Ye know when I heard how--how things was breakin' for ye--well, I ain't knockin' or anythin' like that, but me and the missis have talked ye over a lot. I never did think this feller was goin' to do the right thing by yer. Brockton never looked to me like a fellow would marry anybody, but now that he's goin' through just to make you a nice, respectable wife, I guess everything must have happened for the best. [LAURA _averts her eyes. Both sit on trunk,_ JIM _left of_ LAURA.] Y' see I wanted to thank you for what you did a couple of weeks ago. Burgess wrote me a letter and told me I could go ahead of one of his big shows if I wanted to come back, and offering me considerable money. He mentioned your name, Miss Laura, and I talked it over with the missis, and--well, I can tell ye now when I couldn't if ye weren't to be hooked up--we decided that I wouldn't take that job, comin' as it did from you [_Slowly._] and the way I knew it was framed up. L
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