Her Own Way Part 7

GEORGIANA. [_Laughing._] I shouldn't like to say!

COAST. Exactly! Well, see? That's what I'd be if I believed in tips and "inside information." If a man gives your brother a good tip, let him drop it like hot lead. People with a real good tip ain't giving it away.

There's never enough to divide up and go around,--not in this world,--and inside information that gets told to a lamb like your brother is too d.a.m.ned outside information for me!

[_He rises and moves away, half in irritation, half in humor._

GEORGIANA. Oh! Oh!

COAST. Pardon.

GEORGIANA. Are you as rich as people say?

COAST. Richer!

GEORGIANA. How did you get it?

COAST. I started my dough with a mine.

GEORGIANA. Why can't you put Steve into a mine?

COAST. [_Laughing._] What's the use? he'll lose everything just as quick in Wall Street.

GEORGIANA. But I mean a good mine.

COAST. [_Coming back to her._] Listen! I worked right in our mine with my father when I was only eight years old! That's why I ain't better educated--I worked for ten years there down in the dirt and muck!

GEORGIANA. [_Interrupting._] And silver!

COAST. [_Leaning on the back of the chair._] Yes, and silver.

[_Laughs._] Father's out there working yet--don't have to now, but he likes it; he ain't comfortable on top of the earth--says there's too much room. If father'd been a man like Mackay, I guess he'd been just as rich as him to-day.

GEORGIANA. And still you won't help Steve?

COAST. T'ain't business. [_He puts back his chair and leans toward_ GEORGIANA, _hand on table._] If helping him, mind you, would get you, I might take it on. [_Humorously._] I'd pay even the price of Steve to buy you.

GEORGIANA. [_Taking the false nose and putting it on._] Well, I'm not for sale. [_Rises._] But I would like to dispose of Steven.

COAST. Go on, please take that blame thing off.

[_Follows_ GEORGIANA _across the room to the Left._

GEORGIANA. No, I like it! You must understand this about my brother.

[_Taking off the nose._] He is the dearest, best fellow in the world!

kind-hearted and wouldn't do a thing that wasn't straightforward in business.

COAST. But you've got to be tricky if you want to succeed in our business. I don't mind telling you right out between us, I'm tricky!

GEORGIANA. I'm sorry to hear it.

COAST. Louise was a pretty good liar when she was a kid. She ought to help her husband along a little.

GEORGIANA. That's just it! if Steve had the right sort of wife,--but all Louise wants is social position and more money.

[_She sits on the hobby horse, amusedly._]

COAST. If Louise was like you!

[GEORGIANA _puts the nose on quickly and rocks._

GEORGIANA. Heaven forbid! The only trouble with Steve is he's weak. He'd have been all right if he'd been a girl--or married to a president of Sorosis, or a daughter of the Present Revolution!

COAST. Miss Georgiana, take off that nose and let me ask you something.

GEORGIANA. Not at all, my dear Sammy. I know what it is you want to ask me! I'm much obliged and I won't.

COAST. You won't marry me!

GEORGIANA. No!

COAST. Why not?

GEORGIANA. Because I don't love you.

COAST. Who do you love?

GEORGIANA. That's not your business!

COAST. Do you love any one?

GEORGIANA. [_After a moment's hesitation, lies._] No!

COAST. [_With insinuation._] Why don't you get d.i.c.k Coleman to help Steven?

GEORGIANA. [_Taking off the nose._] Why do you ask me that now in that way?

COAST. Information!

GEORGIANA. d.i.c.k's a lawyer. What could he do for Steven?

COAST. That's not the information I wanted.

GEORGIANA. But it's all the information you'll get!

[_Gets off the hobby horse and comes down a little._

COAST. [_Follows her._] Georgiana, marry me, and I'll look after Steven all the rest of his life.

GEORGIANA. Sammy, you don't want me to marry you if I don't love you.