MISS HOWARD (with pleased surprise, holding out her hand). Hello, Mr. Murray.
MURRAY (shaking her hand—with a forced pleasantness). How are you, Miss Howard?
MISS HOWARD. Fine as ever. It certainly looks natural to see you around here again—not that I hope you're here to stay, though. (With a smile.) I suppose you're on your way to Eileen now. Well, I won't keep you. I've stacks of work to do. (She opens the hall door. He starts for the porch.) Oh, I was forgetting—Congratulations! I've read those stories—all of us have. They're great. We're all so proud of you. You're one of our graduates, you know.
MURRAY (indifferently). Oh,—that stuff.
MISS HOWARD (gaily). Don't be so modest. Well, see you later, I hope.
MURRAY. Yes. Doctor Stanton invited me to stay for supper and I may——
MISS HOWARD. Fine! Be sure to!
(She goes out. Murray walks to porch door and steps out. He finds Eileen's eyes waiting for him. As their eyes meet she gasps involuntarily and he stops short in his tracks. For a moment they remain looking at each other in silence.)
EILEEN (dropping her eyes—faintly). Stephen.
MURRAY (much moved, strides to her bedside and takes her hands awkwardly). Eileen. (Then after a second's pause, in which he searches her face and is shocked by the change illness has made—anxiously.) How are you feeling, Eileen? (He grows confused by her gaze and his eyes shift from hers, which search his face with wild yearning.)