dently the details of this plot are to be hatched here. My fortune's made. (Hides behind boxes.)

JERRY. So'll mine be if I get dollars this way. [Enter Nancy.] Tin.

NANCY. What?

JERRY. The next train, ma'am, tin.

[Exit, Jerry.

NANCY. I will help them-I will help Peggy and Dick. (Sits on bench.) I'll wait till they come. (Search peeps around boxes.)

SEARCH (aside). Another one! There's a perfect hive of 'em. Here comes the chief conspirator.

MAJOR (entering). I believe Dick's putting a joke on me about that bag. Where is it?

NANCY. Major!

MAJOR. Eh? oh, it's you, Miss Ballard.

NANCY. I am plotting a little, Major- my friend Peggy Cameron-oh, Major, her aunt will prevent her being happy, vows she will do anything to prevent it.

MAJOR. Do you think she'd resort to

NANCY. Anything, anything.

MAJOR (aside). Then it is Margaret Alder who is the dynamiter! Great Scott!

NANCY. Oh, Major, Peggy is to elope this evening, and her aunt vows she shall not.

MAJOR.

And resorts to awful means? NANCY. Any means. [Search steals out, center. MAJOR. Then I'll help Peggy. She shall elope despite her aunt. Are you going to help her, too?

NANCY. Yes. I know the man she loves, and I know how worthy he is to be loved. Her aunt objects to him because of his family.

MAJOR. She objects, does she?-she objects? Then I'll help you. Wait here, my dear, till I get rid of a man who is going on to my house, but don't touch that satchel,-don't touch Miss Alder's satchel. [Exit, right.

NANCY. My pride must come to my rescue. Dick shall think I cared nothing for him when I can so cheerfully assist Peggy in her elopement with him.

MAN. (entering, left.) So you are here to prevent it, too, Miss Nancy?

NANCY. To prevent what?

MAN. Peggy's eloping with Arbury.

NANCY. On the contrary, I am here to assist them. I have deceived you all along, I was deceiving you when I told you Peggy cared for you. She loved Dick Arbury all along, ha! ha! (Exit, right, laughing, her hands over her eyes.)

MAN. Her ha! ha! is blood-curdling. What did she mean by telling me all the time that Peggy cared for me? (Enter right, Miss A.) The idea of treating me thus (pacing up and down, jamming his hat over his eyes).

MISS A. (interrupting him.) Peggy is not at home—she is nowhere.

MAN. She will be here. Miss Ballard has just told me so. Oh, what a treasure Miss Ballard is, she is to help them off-to help them off.

MISS A.

Nancy Ballard! and you permit her?

MAN. Miss Ballard is nothing to me.

MISS A. Then you must have quarreled. Why I told Dick Arbury this very evening she was everything to youPeggy thinks so, too.

MAN. No woman is anything to me. But I will stay here and see this elopement and congratulate them on the platform. [Exit, center.

MISS A. My brain reels; nobody cares for anybody, and everybody is upside down. Oh! There is her satchel (getting satchel from box). She must have put all her jewelry in here to take it with her. She shall not have it.

MAJOR (entering, left). Now, Miss, I am ready to help you in this elopement.

Miss A. (turning round to him.) You are, are you?

MAJOR. Beg pardon! I mistook you for your niece's friend. MISS A. I am my niece's aunt. (Search at door, center.) And you would help her away in spite of my wishes? (Shaking satchel at him.) Look out, Major Arbury, look out!

MAJOR. Look out yourself! Look out! That satchel is loaded. Gracious powers! my nephew told me of the dynamite a woman put in it. [Exit Search, slamming door.

MISS A. A woman! It was Peggy! She will elope or destroy us all! Oh!

MAJOR. Don't drop the bag, it will go off. Hold on to it, hold on to it!

Miss A. (holding it out from her, her skirts gathered in the other hand) Oh, what shall I do with it?

MAJOR (Solemnly). Margaret, it is a judgment upon you.

This comes of treating me as you did years ago. Had you treated me well then you would not now be holding in your hand a hundred infernal machines. I will leave you to contemplation and destruction. (Exit, left, politely raising his hat to her.)

MISS A. Infernal machines! Peggy means to blow us up if we stop her, and the Major consents to her elopement with Dick! Impossible! and what shall I do with this thing? (Enter Peggy, right.) Here, take this, you Lucretia Borgia, take this (forcing satchel into Peggy's hand)!

PEGGY. What is it?

MISS A. Don't pretend innocence.

Major Arbury and

the rest of us know it is filled with dynamite, Dick told his uncle so. If you drop it, it will go off. Dear Peggy, elope, and all will be forgiven, only don't drop that (stealing away). PEGGY. Elope! Don't go, or I will drop it. Tell me whom I am to elope with.

MISS A. We know all, my love. Go with Dick, and be happy. Don't drop that satchel!

NANCY (entering). Peggy, I've been looking for you. I'll help you, dear, so will the Major. Don't mind your aunt. Go with Dick, and be happy.

PEGGY. With Dick! you can say this to me?

MISS A. Yes, yes, Peggy, love. Don't drop it. Besides Nancy has Mr. Manderson.

PEGGY (to Nancy). You have Mr. Manderson-is that why you wish me to go with Dick?

NANCY. Go, Peggy, and be happy.

Peggy nearly lets satchel fall, Miss A. screams. Enter Mr.

Manderson.

PEGGY. You think I care for Dick or Dick for me, Nancy? Miss A. Look out, Mr. Manderson, it's a hundred infernal machines. Don't drop it, dearest Peggy-hold it tighter than a brother, darling.

MAN. Does it mean there is death in that satchel?

MISS A. Yes, yes.

MAN. Then do what you please with it, Peggy.

PEGGY. Shall I drop it?

MAN. If it will destroy me, yes.

PEGGY. You wish to be destroyed because of your perfidy

to me.

MAN. I care for no one but you.

PEGGY. Except Nancy.

NANCY. Mr. Manderson, why will you stand between her and happiness!

MISS A. Let her be happy, and get off with that bag before it goes off. Oh, Major, Major, upon the brink of destruction I can safely say I am sorry I ever treated you so badly. PEGGY. Aunty, you care for the Major; tell me, or I'll drop it.

MISS A. I do, I do. I have hated Dick because I cared for his uncle and we quarreled in our youth. Elope with Dick, go with my blessing.

NANCY. Believe that we all wish you happiness, Peggy, and go.

PEGGY. That so? Then you no longer care for Dick. (Nancy turns away. Enter, Dick.)

DICK. My satchel! I forgot my satchel! where is it? MAN. Sir, the lady awaits you, may you be happy! MISS A. Yes, Richard, I consent, go and be happy-only take the satchel with you.

DICK. What does this mean?

NANCY. I congratulate you, Mr. Arbury. I hope you will be very, very happy. (Search appears at door, center.)

PEGGY. Dick Arbury, this satchel is loaded.

DICK. Loaded?

PEGGY. You told your uncle it held dynamite, and he told my aunt. If I drop it you know what'll happen. And I'll drop it unless you tell me the truth-do you love Nancy? MISS A. (appealingly.) Say No. She's jealous, and she'll drop it if you say Yes.

[Exit Search

PEGGY. If he says No I'll drop it. MAN. (dramatically.) Say No, Arbury, and have it over for me at least.

NANCY (indignantly). Say No, and tell the truth, Mr. Arbury.

DICK (to Nancy). Would you have me say No, or Yes? NANCY. I'd have you tell the truth by saying No. PEGGY. And, Nancy, you must tell the truth, too. Have you received Mr. Manderson so frequently on your own account, or on account of another girl?

MISS A. Say "another girl," Nancy, or she'll drop the bag, (Search at door.)

DICK. Stop this nonsense, Peggy-you know what is in the bag as well as I do.

NANCY. Good-night (going).

PEGGY. Here goes! (Swings bag. Miss A. shrieks and falls

on her knees. Exit Search.)

DICK. Nancy, will you not speak ?

PEGGY. You speak, Dick; is Nancy anything to you?
NANCY (at door). Good-night.

DICK. She is everything.

PEGGY. Stop, Nancy!

MAN. (brightening up.) Peggy, my angel!

PEGGY. Nancy, did you receive Mr. Manderson on your own account, or on account of another girl?

MAN. Another girl, another girl, she only cared for Arbury till he sent that letter to you. (Search at door.)

MAJOR (entering). Stop her! stop her! I've been watching outside. Her aunt gave her that bag-they're both in the plot. Stop her swinging that bag, I say.

PEGGY. Oh, Major, when you gave your consent to assist me to elope with your nephew!

MAJOR. I never did. Look out, with that bag! I never did.

NANCY. You promised to assist me in assisting Peggy. MAJOR. My nephew elope with Miss Alder's niece! never! Somebody take that bag from her. [Exit Search MISS A. Police! Police! (Continues calling, faintly.) PEGGY. Dick, go to Nancy; Nancy, go to Dick. MISS A. Go to him, Nancy. Police! (Calls as before.) MAJOR. Go to her, Dick! Police!

DICK. The satchel does it (leading Nancy to door, center). JERRY (entering). Stay where you are, the whole bilin' of you. I arrist you all. Misther Detective, where are you? I've got every mother's son of 'em-and every father's daugh

ter too.

MAN. There is nothing the matter, my good man

JERRY. I know what's the matther. I'm onto it.

MAJOR. That bag is filled with dynamite.

JERRY. Dynamite! och!

don't be so reckless wid it.

Moses! och, Miss (on his knees),

What would Biddy say? Mis

ther Detective! Misther Detective!

PEGGY. Major, go to my aunt.

MISS A. Come, Major, or she'll drop the bag. Police! JERRY. Police!

MAJOR. Oh, Miss Alder (going to her and supporting her)! MAN. Peggy, where do I come in?