MR. MELVIN. Forgive me. I did not mean to annoy you. You are so tired too. Run and lie down now, and forget all about women’s rights and wrongs for a while. I am going to ask you to let me call again sometime and you shall try to convert me. Here is my card. Your father will know who I am.
MILDRED. (Taking card.) Thank you. I do feel rather done up. Thank you again for seeing me home.
(MELVIN leaves by one door. MILDRED goes over to the banner which he has left on a chair, rolls it up and puts it in a corner. Then she leaves the room by the other door.)
Scene 2
Enter MRS. TILSBURY, MRS. BROWN, MR. BECKER, and MR. VAN TOUSEL.
MRS. TILSBURY. Well, the parade is over, thank goodness. Now we four will have a nice little game of Auction. Half a cent a point, no more. What do you say, Imogene?
MRS. BROWN. I don’t know whether I dare. I have been losing so all the week. I don’t half believe in playing for money, Josephine. Our Rector gave us such a touching sermon about it last week I almost cried in church.
MR. VAN TOUSEL. Oh, come along, Mrs. Brown, be a sport. Probably you will win to-day. I always find myself even at the end of the year when I play often enough.
MR. BECKER. Yes, one’s gains and losses generally balance in the long run. We can’t play auction without having a little something at stake. It makes one careless in one’s game.
MRS. BROWN. Well, I will play one rubber at half a cent a point, and if I win I will play another, but where shall I put Cochon?