JOHN.  I’m sorry. [Sits in armchair.

LAURA.  He cautioned me to be very careful and to be sure I knew my way.

JOHN.  That was right.

LAURA gets a cushion in each hand off seat; crosses down to left of armchair, throws one cushion on ground, then the other on top of it, and kneels beside his chair.  Piano in house playing a Chopin Nocturne.

LAURA.  John.

JOHN.  Yes.

LAURA.  We’ve been very happy all summer.

JOHN.  Very.

LAURA. [Rises, sits on left arm of chair, her arm over back.] And this thing has gradually been growing on us?

JOHN.  That’s true.

LAURA.  I didn’t think that, when I came out here to Denver to play in a little stock company, it was going to bring me all this happiness, but it has, hasn’t it?

JOHN.  Yes.

LAURA. [Changing her position, sits on his lap, arms around his neck.] And now the season’s over and there is nothing to keep me in Colorado, and I’ve got to go back to New York to work.

JOHN.  I know; I’ve been awake all night thinking about it.

LAURA.  Well?

JOHN.  Well?

LAURA.  What are we going to do?

JOHN.  Why, you’ve got to go, I suppose.

LAURA.  Is it good-bye?

JOHN.  For a while, I suppose—­it’s good-bye.

LAURA.  What do you mean by a while?

[LAURA turns JOHN’S face to her, looks at him searchingly.

JOHN.  Until [Piano plays crescendo, then softens down.] I get money enough together, and am making enough to support you, then come and take you out of the show business and make you Mrs. Madison.

LAURA tightens her arm around his neck, her cheek goes close to his own, and all the wealth of affection the woman is capable of at times is shown.  She seems more like a dainty little kitten purring close to its master.  Her whole thought and idea seem to be centred on the man whom she professes to love.

LAURA.  John, that is what I want above everything else.

JOHN.  But, Laura, we must come to some distinct understanding before we start to make our plans.  We’re not children.

LAURA.  No, we’re not.

JOHN.  Now in the first place [LAURA rises, crosses to centre.] we’ll discuss you, and in the second place we’ll discuss me.  We’ll keep nothing from each other [LAURA picks up cushions, places them on seat.], and we’ll start out on this campaign [LAURA turns back to centre, facing audience.] of decency and honour, fully understanding its responsibilities, without a chance of a come-back on either side.

LAURA. [Becoming very serious.] You mean that we should tell each other all about each other, so, no matter what’s ever said about us by other people, we’ll know it first?

JOHN. [Rising.] That’s precisely what I’m trying to get at.