ANTHONY:  Then do some other room—­and leave me alone in this room.

HATTIE:  (a little afraid of what she is asking) Is she sick, Anthony—­or what? (vindicating herself, as he gives her a look) The doctor, he stayed here late.  But she’d locked herself in.  I heard Mr Archer—­

ANTHONY:  You heard too much! (he starts for the door, to make her leave, but DICK rushes in.  Looks around wildly, goes to the trap-door, finds it locked)

ANTHONY:  What are you doing here?

DICK:  Trying not to be shot—­if you must know.  This is the only place I can think of—­till he comes to his senses and I can get away.  Open that, will you?  Rather—­ignominious—­but better be absurd than be dead.

HATTIE:  Has he got the revolver?

DICK:  Gone for it.  Thought I wouldn’t sit there till he got back, (to ANTHONY) Look here—­don’t you get the idea?  Get me some place where he can’t come.

ANTHONY:  It is not what this place is for.

DICK:  Any place is for saving a man’s life.

HATTIE:  Sure, Anthony.  Mrs Archer wouldn’t want Mr Demming shot.

DICK:  That’s right, Anthony.  Miss Claire will be angry at you if you get me shot. (he makes for the door of the inner room)

ANTHONY:  You can’t go in there.  It’s locked. (HARRY rushes in from outside.)

HARRY:  I thought so! (he has the revolver.  HATTIE screams)

ANTHONY:  Now, Mr Archer, if you’ll just stop and think, you’ll know Miss Claire wouldn’t want Mr Demming shot.

HARRY:  You think that can stop me?  You think you can stop me? (raising the revolver) A dog that—­

ANTHONY:  (keeping squarely between HARRY and DICK) Well, you can’t shoot him in here.  It is not good for the plants. (HARRY is arrested by this reason) And especially not today.  Why, Mr Archer, Breath of Life may flower today.  It’s years Miss Claire’s been working for this day.

HARRY:  I never thought to see this day!

ANTHONY:  No, did you?  Oh, it will be a wonderful day.  And how she has worked for it.  She has an eye that sees what isn’t right in what looks right.  Many’s the time I’ve thought—­Here the form is set—­and then she’d say, ‘We’ll try this one’, and it had—­what I hadn’t known was there.  She’s like that.

HARRY:  I’ve always been pleased, Anthony, at the way you’ve worked with Miss Claire.  This is hardly the time to stand there eulogizing her.  And she’s (can hardly say it) things you don’t know she is.

ANTHONY:  (proudly) Oh, I know that!  You think I could work with her and not know she’s more than I know she is?

HARRY:  Well, if you love her you’ve got to let me shoot the dirty dog that drags her down!

ANTHONY:  Not in here.  Not today.  More than like you’d break the glass.  And Breath of Life’s in there.