_Matt._ [_Dubious._] H'm!

_Dolly._ Take a very high tone.

_Matt._ I'm not sure that taking a high tone is quite in my line.

_Dolly._ Then please try it. Dad, you do realize how very serious this is, don't you?

_Matt._ Yes, of course. Very well, I'll tackle Lucas. We'll see what a high tone will do with him. Heigho! Sad! Sad!! Sad!!!--Sad! Sad!!

Sad!!!

_Dolly._ Hush!

LUCAS _and_ HARRY _enter._ LUCAS _looks round for_ RENIE. DOLLY _and_ MATT _talk in whispers as if settling a plan._ HARRY _goes up to the collecting-box, takes out his knife and begins to sc.r.a.pe off the label._

_Dolly._ [_In a very severe tone to_ LUCAS, _who is peeping into conservatory._] Are you looking for anything?

_Lucas._ I was wondering whether there was any tea going.

_Dolly._ [_Same severe tone._] The tea is not in the conservatory.

_Lucas._ No, but I thought it might be getting on to the time----

_Dolly._ [_Same tone._] The tea will be served in due course.

_Lucas._ [_Surprised at her tone._] Is anything the matter?

[DOLLY _looks at him severely, says nothing, turns to_ MATT. LUCAS _looks puzzled, goes away, and again looks furtively into conservatory for_ RENIE.

_Harry._ [_Sc.r.a.ping away at the collecting-box._] Don't forget, Doll--our cosy half hour after tea----

[_Nodding at the writing-desk._

_Dolly._ I won't forget.

_Matt._ [_Has come up behind_ HARRY, _touches the arm he is sc.r.a.ping with._] Hospital for Incurables! I shouldn't sc.r.a.pe that off at present.

CURTAIN.

(_Four or five hours pa.s.s between Acts I and II._)

ACT II.

SCENE: _The same, on the same evening, after dinner. The sofa is now brought down below the fireplace, and fronts the audience a little diagonally, its right end being farthest up stage. The small table with the hospital box, and the easy chair are above the sofa, a little to the right of it._

_Enter_ RENIE, _much distressed and agitated._ DOLLY _follows quickly, closes the door cautiously and mysteriously._

_Renie._ But I don't understand. Captain Wentworth and I have been so little together----

_Dolly._ Well, my dear, there it is! My father is the last man to pry into other people's affairs, but you see it has been forced upon his notice. And from the tone he took----

_Renie._ What tone?

_Dolly._ He was very severe.

_Renie._ [_Alarmed._] But what did he say he had seen?

_Dolly._ He wouldn't go into particulars. He seemed very much upset----

_Renie._ Upset?!

_Dolly._ Perhaps I ought to say shocked.

_Renie._ Shocked?!

_Dolly._ And when my father is shocked it must be something very glaring----

_Renie._ [_More and more alarmed._] But there hasn't been anything glaring----

_Dolly._ Well, dear, of course, you know.

_Renie._ But I cannot imagine---- [_Suddenly._] It must have been that day at the stile!

_Dolly._ Perhaps. What happened? No, I don't wish to hear----

_Renie._ Captain Wentworth a.s.sisted me over the stile----

_Dolly._ Well?----

_Renie._ That's all. He may have taken a little longer about it than was quite necessary, and I may have leaned a little heavier than the circ.u.mstances required. But it was all done in perfectly good taste.

_Dolly._ [_Shakes her head._] It can't have been the stile.

_Renie._ Then what----? [_Cudgels her brains._] The dairy!

_Dolly._ Very likely. Was that very--no, don't tell me----

_Renie._ There's nothing to tell. The woman at the farm, Mrs.----

_Dolly._ Biggs----

_Renie._ Biggs, asked me to go over her model dairy.

_Dolly._ Did she ask Lucas?