CRAIG’S WIFE
153
Ethel
- Gene, there isn’t anything happened to Mother?
Fredericks
- Not a thing in the world, dear, that I know of.
Ethel
- You’re sure?
Fredericks
- ’Pon my word, Ethel. I haven’t been to your house.
Ethel
- Well, why did you come away down here, then, at this hour of the morning?
Fredericks (taking a step to her)
- I wanted to see you. (She begins to cry, and he takes her in his arms) I thought maybe you were ill or something. Don’t cry, darling; I give you my word there isn’t a thing wrong at home. I simply telephoned you as soon as I got your note, and they told me you’d left for here: so then I called you on the long distance. But I couldn’t get any satisfaction on the long distance, and I didn’t know what to think. So I just jumped on the night train and got in here at eight-twenty.
Ethel (straightening up and touching her hair)
- I’m going back right away, Gene; there’s a train at nine-seventeen from the station down town,
Fredericks
- I’ll go back with you.
Ethel
- I don’t know why I ever came away in the first place.
Fredericks (guiding her to the chair at the right of the piano)
- Sit down here for a minute, dear; you look terribly pale.
- [He puts his hat on the piano.
