JINNY. No! How should I?

MRS. CULLINGHAM. I don't know--I thought--

[_She hesitates, embarra.s.sed._

[_After a pause._

JINNY. What did you think?

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Nothing, except that you must know we were coming home.

JINNY. Why--that _I_ must?

MRS. CULLINGHAM. You mustn't put me into a corner like that!

JINNY. How do you mean "corner"? How did you happen to come home like this?

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Ruth suddenly got a cable--she didn't tell me from whom--but she said she must go home at once.

JINNY. But her mother's never been better!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. [_Carelessly._] The cable wasn't from her mother.

JINNY. Oh, then, you know who it was from? [_No answer._] Oh, I see now why you thought I ought to know about it; the cable was from _Jack_, _wasn't it_?

MRS. CULLINGHAM. [_Relieved._] Yes.

JINNY. Oh, it was!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. I looked at it when she was out of the room; of course, it was sort of by accident-- [_Very much embarra.s.sed._] --that is, I just happened to see--O dear, there! You know what I mean; it was dreadful of me, but I couldn't help it.

JINNY. [_In a strained voice._] Jack and Ruth are very good friends and he looks after some of her affairs. You know having no man in the family complicates things.

PETER. Oh! I say!

[_Standing up, suddenly._

MRS. CULLINGHAM. What _is it_, dear?

PETER. I believe I haven't got my before-dinner tabs.

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Oh, look carefully!

PETER. [_He looks in his right-hand pocket, takes out a bottle._] Soda mints! [_From his left-hand pocket a box._] Alkali powders! [_From third pocket a bottle._] Charcoal tablets! [_From fourth pocket another bottle._] Dr. Man's Positive Cure! [_From fifth pocket a box._]

Bicarbonate soda!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. There's your other side pocket!

PETER. That's my saccharine [_Showing bottle._] and my lithia tabs.

[_Showing another bottle._] We'll have to go, mother; I've left them home!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. We must go, anyway, my dear.

[_Rising._

[_JINNY also rises._

PETER. [_Suddenly claps his hand behind him and speaks joyfully._] No, we needn't go after all; I forgot my hip pocket. Here they are!

[_Bringing them out._

MRS. CULLINGHAM. We must go all the same! [_To JINNY._] Sometimes I think he takes too much medicine stuff!

JINNY. I should think so! Peter, you ought to diet.

PETER. I can't! I've tried, and I lose my appet.i.te right away!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Good-by, dear. How long will you be in town?

JINNY. I don't know--several weeks, I imagine. Jack came home on some business, you know, and I don't think it's settled yet. Good-by.

[_To PETER._

PETER. Good-by. You know you mustn't drink water with your meals; that's the great thing. So I drink only champagne.

[_He goes out Right._

MRS. CULLINGHAM. [_Waits and speaks to JINNY with real feeling._] I'm awfully ashamed of myself, and I hope I haven't made any trouble or fuss with my meddling. Don't let me!

JINNY. No, of course not.

[_With a strained smile._

MRS. CULLINGHAM. I wish I could believe you.

JINNY. Well, _do_.

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Good-by.

[_She goes out Right._

JINNY. Good-by. Where's that telegram that came for him a little while ago? [_Going to the desk at Right, and finding the telegram._] Of course it's from her, saying that she's arrived. That's the trouble with telegrams; the address doesn't give the handwriting away. She must have sent it from the dock! Couldn't even wait till she was home! [_She walks to the window and stands there a moment, then comes back, looking at her watch._] Nearly seven already, and no sign of him, and we must dress and dine--huh! I think I might as well tear up my theatre tickets! [_She paces up and down the room, stopping now and then with each new thought that comes to her._] I wonder if he went down there to meet her--he must have known the boat; if he cabled her to come back, she must have cabled an answer and what boat she'd take! But no other telegram has come for Jack here to my knowledge--oh! of course, what am I thinking of, she sent _that one_ to _his office_ to-day; she was afraid he might have left before this one could get there, so she risked it here. Good Heavens! why am I maudling on like this to myself out loud? It's really nothing--Jack will _explain_ once more that he _can't_ explain, but that Ruth has "troubles," and I'll believe him again! But I won't! He promised me she should stay over there! [_Looks at her watch again._]

He's there, with her! _Nothing ever_ kept him half as late down town as this! What a little fool I am!

[_GEOFFREY enters suddenly Right._

JINNY. [_Cries out, joyfully._] Geoffrey! [_And rushing to him, embraces him._] You brute, you, not to come straight back to New York when you heard I was home! You dear old darling, you!

GEOFFREY. I couldn't, old girl; there were reasons--I don't have to tell you I wanted to.