[Hangs kimono over back of armchair.

LAURA.  No!  No one.

ANNIE.  Dat’s too bad.

LAURA.  Why?

ANNIE. [Crossing again.] Mis’ Farley says yuh wouldn’t have no trouble at all gettin’ any man to take care of yuh if yuh wanted to.

LAURA. [With sorrowful shudder.] Please [Doors of wardrobe open very slowly.] don’t, Annie.

ANNIE.  Dere’s a gemman [Playing with corner of tablecloth.] dat calls on one of de ladies from the Hippodrome, in de big front room downstairs.  He’s mighty nice, and he’s been askin’ ’bout you.

LAURA. [Exasperated.] Oh, shut up!

ANNIE. [Sees doors of wardrobe have swung open; she crosses, slams them shut, turns to LAURA.] Mis’ Farley says—­[Doors have swung open again; they hit her in the back.  She turns and bangs them to with all her strength.] Damn dat door! [Crosses to washstand, grabs basin which is half full of water, empties same into waste-jar, puts basin on washstand, and wipes it out with soiled towel.] Mis’ Farley says if she don’t get someone in the house dat has reg’lar money soon, she’ll have to shut up and go to the po’house.

LAURA.  I’m sorry; I’ll try again to-day. [Rises, crosses up to mantel, gets desk-pad, &c., crosses to right of table, sits.

ANNIE. [Crosses to back of bed, wiping basin with towel.] Ain’t yo’ got any job at all?

LAURA.  No.

ANNIE.  When yuh come here yuh had lots of money and yo’ was mighty good to me.  You know Mr. Weston?

LAURA.  Jim Weston?

ANNIE.  Yassum, Mr. Weston what goes ahead o’ shows and lives on the top floor back; he says nobody’s got jobs now.  Dey’re so many actors and actoresses out o’ work.  Mis’ Farley says she don’t know how she’s goin’ to live.  She said you’d been mighty nice up until three weeks ago, but yuh ain’t got much left, have you, Miss Laura?

LAURA. [Rising and going to the bureau.] No.  It’s all gone.

ANNIE.  Mah sakes!  All dem rings and things?  You ain’t done sold them? [Sinks on bed.

LAURA.  They’re pawned.  What did Mrs. Farley say she was going to do?

ANNIE.  Guess maybe Ah’d better not tell.

[Crosses to door hurriedly, carrying soiled towel.

LAURA.  Please do. [Crosses to chair, left side.

ANNIE.  Yuh been so good to me, Miss Laura.  Never was nobody in dis house what give me so much, and Ah ain’t been gettin’ much lately.  And when Mis’ Farley said yuh must either pay yo’ rent or she would ask yuh for your room, Ah jest set right down on de back kitchen stairs and cried.  Besides, Mis’ Farley don’t like me very well since you’ve ben havin’ yo’ breakfasts and dinners brought up here.

LAURA.  Why not? [Takes kimono of chair-back, crosses up to dresser, puts kimono in drawer, takes out purse.