frantic passion the gulf that lay between your station and his own. I am harmless except to myself.
Florence Trenchard
Speak on, sir; I hear you.
Abel Murcott
I need not tell you by what steps I came to this, you don’t know, maybe you never knew, what a maddening thing a passion is when it turns against itself. After being expelled from my tutorship in this house, I lost my employment, self-respect, hope. I sought to drown recollection and draw courage from drink. It only embittered remembrances, and destroyed the little courage I had left. That I have bread to eat, I owe to Mr. Coyle; he employed me as his clerk. You know he has been with your father this morning. I have come to tell you my errand; are you as brave as you used to be when I knew—
Florence Trenchard
I fear nothing.
Abel Murcott
I come to tell you of your father’s ruin, his utter ruin.
Florence Trenchard
My father’s ruin? What? What?
Abel Murcott
His estates are mortgaged, his creditors clamorous. The Bailiffs will be in Trenchard Manor today, disguised as your own servants. This much Mr. Coyle has conceded to your father’s respect for appearances.
Florence Trenchard
Then beggary stares him in the face. Poor father, what a sad blow for him. Is that all, sir?
Abel Murcott
No; the worst remains.
Florence Trenchard
Go on, sir.
Abel Murcott
Mr. Coyle knows your father’s weakness and as a means of escape from ruin to the verge of which he has brought him, he has this day proposed for your hand.
Florence Trenchard
Mine!
Abel Murcott
On consideration of settling on you the Ravensdale Estate.
Florence Trenchard
And my father, how did he listen to such insolence?
Abel Murcott
You know as well as I do how he would hear such a proposal, at first a torrent of rage, then the strong ebb of selfishness set in, and he consented to listen to the terms, to view them as something to be considered, to consider them.
Florence Trenchard
Good Heavens, can this be true? No, I will not believe it of my father, and from such lips.
Abel Murcott
You have full right to think this and to say it, but mark your father and Mr. Coyle today. You will then see if I speak truth or not.
Florence Trenchard
Forgive my distrust, Mr. Murcott.
Abel Murcott
I am past taking offence or feeling scorn, I have carried more than can be heaped upon me, but I did not come only to give you warning of your danger.
Florence Trenchard
Can you avert it?
Asa Trenchard
Coming down between them. Wal, stranger that’s just the question I was going to ask.
Florence Trenchard
You here, sir, and listening.
Asa Trenchard
Wal, it wasn’t purpose, I went in there to take a snooze, I heard you talking and I thought it wouldn’t be polite of me not to listen to what you had to say. I’m a rough sort of a customer, and don’t know much about the ways of great folks. But I’ve got a cool head, a stout arm, and a willing heart, and I think I can help you, just as one cousin ought to help another.
Florence Trenchard
Well, I do think you are honest.
Abel Murcott
Shall I go on?
Florence Trenchard
Yes, we will trust him, go on.
Abel Murcott
I found the Ravensdale mortgage while rumaging in an old deed box of Mr. Coyle’s father’s, there was a folded paper inside the deed. I took both to Mr. Coyle unopened, like a besotted fool that I was. My belief is strong that the paper was the release of the mortgage that the money had been paid off, and the release executed without the seals having been cut from the original mortgage. I have known such things happen.
Asa Trenchard
Have ye, now? Well, if a Yankee lawyer had done such a thing he would have Judge Lynch after him in no time.
Abel Murcott
You can but find that release, we may unmask this diabolical fiend and save you.
Florence Trenchard
But, surely, a villain of Mr. Coyle’s stability would have destroyed the paper, the very keystone of his fraud.
Abel Murcott
I fear so.
Asa Trenchard
Do you, now, wal, you’re wrong, you’re both wrong. I guess you ain’t either on you done much ciphering human nature. The keystone of their fraud is just the point your mighty cute rascals always leave unsecured. Come along with me, stranger, and we’ll just work up this sum a little, two heads are better than one. Yours is a little muddled, but mine’s pretty clear, and if I don’t circumvent that old sarpint, Mr. Coyle—
Florence Trenchard
Well?
Asa Trenchard
Say I am a skunk, that’s all, and that’s the meanest kind of an animal.
Exit L. 1 E.
Florence Trenchard
I owe you much, Mr. Murcott, more than I can ever repay.
Abel Murcott
No, no, no, if you did but know the hope of seeing you has roused all the manhood that drink and misery has left me. God bless you, Miss Florence.
Florence Trenchard
No, you don’t call me Florence as you did when I was the truant pupil and you the indulgent tutor.
Offers her hand.
Abel Murcott
No, no; for heaven’s sake do not call back that time or I shall go mad! mad! mad.
Rushes off, L. 1 E., followed by Florence Trenchard.
Scene 2
Park in 4. Rural cottage, L. 1 E., adjoining which, and projecting on stage an inside view of a dairy with sloping roof, painting backing to look like milk pans. The whole scene should have a picturesque appearance. Garden fence run across back, ornamental gate or archway, R. 3 E. Pigeon house on pole near dairy, L. C. Spinning wheel inside cottage door, one or two rustic benches, R. and L.
Enter
John Wickens, R. 3 E, with two milk pails on a yoke, puts them down near dairy, then looks off, R. 3 E.
John Wickens
There they go, that’s a bull’s eye, I warrant. Dang me though, if I wouldn’t rather see Miss Mary than this cock robin sports yonder, here
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