The Easiest Way Part 24

ELFIE. If I think he's the fellow when I see him, watch me and I'll tip you the wink.

[_Kisses_ LAURA; _up stage puts on coat._

_She goes up stage to centre;_ LAURA _remains in her position. The doors are heard to open, and in a moment_ JOHN _enters. He is dressed very neatly in a business suit, and his face is tanned and weather-beaten. After he enters, he stands still for a moment. The emotion that both he and_ LAURA _go through is such that each is trying to control it,_ LAURA _from the agony of her position, and_ JOHN _from the mere hurt of his affection. He sees_ ELFIE _and forces a smile._

JOHN. [_Quietly._] h.e.l.lo, Laura! I'm on time.

LAURA _smiles, quickly crosses the stage, and holds out her hand._

LAURA. Oh, John, I'm so glad--so glad to see you. [_They hold this position for a moment, looking into each other's eyes._ ELFIE _moves so as to take_ JOHN _in from head to toe and is obviously very much pleased with his appearance. She coughs slightly._ LAURA _takes a step back with a smile._] Oh, pardon me, John--one of my dearest friends, Miss Sinclair; she's heard a lot about you.

ELFIE, _with a slight gush, in her most captivating manner, goes over and holds out her gloved hand laden with bracelets, and with her sweetest smile crosses to centre._

ELFIE. How do you do?

MADISON. I'm glad to meet you, I'm sure.

ELFIE. [_Still holding_ JOHN'S _hand._] Yes, I'm sure you are--particularly just at this time. [_To_ LAURA.] You know that old stuff about two's company and three [LAURA _smiles._] is a crowd.

Here's where I vamoose. [_Crosses to door._

LAURA. [_As_ ELFIE _goes toward door._] Don't hurry, dear.

ELFIE. [_With a grin._] No, I suppose not; just fall down stairs and get out of the way, that's all. [_Crosses to_ JOHN.] Anyway, Mr.

Madison, I'm awfully glad to have met you, and I want to congratulate you. They tell me you're rich.

JOHN. Oh, no; not rich.

ELFIE. Well, I don't believe you--anyway I'm going. Ta-ta, dearie.

Good-bye, Mr. Madison.

JOHN. Good-bye.

[JOHN _crosses up to back of sofa; removes coat, puts it on sofa._

ELFIE. [_Goes to the door, opens it and turns._ JOHN'S _back is partly toward her and she gives a long wink at_ LAURA, _snapping fingers to attract_ LAURA'S _attention._] I must say, Laura, that when it comes to picking live ones, you certainly can go some.

[_After this remark both turn toward her and both smile._

[_Exit._

_After_ ELFIE _exits,_ JOHN _turns to_ LAURA _with a pleasant smile, and jerks his head towards the door where_ ELFIE _has gone out._

JOHN. I bet she's a character.

LAURA. She's a dear.

JOHN. I can see that all right. [_Crossing to centre._

LAURA. She's been a very great friend to me.

JOHN. That's good, but don't I get a "how-dy-do," or a handshake, or a little kiss? You know I've come a long way.

LAURA _goes to him and places herself in his arms; he kisses her affectionately. During all this scene between them the tenderness of the man is very apparent. As she releases herself from his embrace he takes her face in his hands and holds it up towards his._

JOHN. I'm not much on the love-making business, Laura, but I never thought I'd be as happy as I am now. [JOHN _and_ LAURA _cross to centre._ LAURA _kneels in armchair with back to audience,_ JOHN _stands left of her._] I've been counting mile-posts ever since I left Chicago, and it seemed like as if I had to go 'round the world before I got here.

LAURA. You never told me about your good fortune. If you hadn't telegraphed I wouldn't even have known you were coming.

JOHN. I didn't want you to. I'd made up my mind to sort of drop in here and give you a great big surprise,--a happy one, I knew,--but the papers made such a fuss in Chicago that I thought you might have read about it--did you?

LAURA. No.

JOHN. Gee! fixed up kind o' scrumptious, ain't you? [_Crosses in front of sofa, around behind it, surveying rooms._] Maybe you've been almost as prosperous as I have.

LAURA. You can get a lot of gilt and cus.h.i.+ons in New York at half price, and besides, I've got a pretty good part now.

JOHN. Of course I know that, but I didn't think it would make you quite so comfortable. Great, ain't it?

LAURA. Yes.

JOHN. [_Standing beside her chair, with a smile._] Well, are you ready?

LAURA. For what, dear? [_Looking up at him._

JOHN. You know what I said in the telegram?

LAURA. Yes. [_Leans her head affectionately on his shoulder._

JOHN. Well, I meant it.

LAURA. I know.

JOHN. I've got to get back [JOHN _looks around; crosses behind table to chair right of table, and sits facing her across it._], Laura, just as soon as ever I can. There's a lot of work to be done out in Nevada and I stole away to come to New York. I want to take you back. Can you go?

LAURA. Yes--when?

JOHN. This afternoon. We'll take the eighteen-hour train to Chicago, late this afternoon, and connect at Chicago with the Overland, and I'll soon have you in a home. [_Pause._] And here's another secret.

LAURA. What, dear?

JOHN. I've got that home all bought and furnished, and while you couldn't call it a Fifth Avenue residence, still it has got something on any other one in town.

LAURA. But, John, you've been so mysterious. In all your letters you haven't told me a single, solitary thing about your good luck.

JOHN. I've planned to take you out and show you all that.

LAURA. You should have told me,--I've been so anxious.

JOHN. I waited until it was a dead-sure thing. You know it's been pretty tough sledding out there in the mining country, and it did look as if I never would make a strike; but your spirit was with me and luck was with me, and I knew if I could only hold out that something would come my way. I had two pals, both of them miners,--they had the knowledge and I had the luck,--and one day, clearing away a little snow to build a fire, I poked my toe into the dirt, and there was somethin' there, dearie, that looked suspicious. I called Jim,--that's one of the men,--and in less time than it takes to tell you there were three maniacs scratching away at old mother earth for all there was in it. We staked our claims in two weeks, and I came to Reno to raise enough money for me to come East. Now things are all fixed and it's just a matter of time. [_Taking_ LAURA'S _hand._