LAURA.  Privilege car?

JIM.  Had charge of all the pickpockets,—­dips we called ‘em—­sure-thing gamblers, and the like.  Made him rich.  I kept sort o’ on the level and I’m broke.  Guess it don’t pay to be honest—­

LAURA. [Turns to him and in a significant voice:] You don’t really think that?

JIM.  No, maybe not.  Ever since I married the missis and the first kid come, we figured the only good money was the kind folks worked for and earned; but when you can’t get hold of that, it’s tough.

LAURA.  I know.

JIM.  Burgess don’t seem to be losing sleep over the tricks he’s turned.  He’s happy and prosperous, but I guess he ain’t any better now than he was then.

LAURA.  Maybe not.  I’ve been trying to get an engagement from him.  There are half a dozen parts in his new attractions that I could do, but he has never absolutely said “no,” but yet somehow he’s never said “yes.”

JIM.  He spoke about you.

LAURA.  In what way? [Rising, stands behind JIM’S chair.

JIM.  I gave him my address and he seen it was yours, too.  Asked if I lived in the same place.

LAURA.  Was that all?

JIM.  Wanted to know how you was getting on.  I let him know you needed work, but I didn’t tip my hand you was flat broke.  He said something about you being a damned fool.

LAURA. [Suddenly and interested.] How? [She crosses.

JIM.  Well, Johnny Ensworth—­you know he used to do the fights on the Evening Journal; now he’s press-agent for Burgess; nice fellow and way on the inside—­he told me where you were in wrong.

LAURA.  What have I done? [Sits in armchair.

JIM.  Burgess don’t put up the money for any of them musical comedies—­he just trails.  Of course he’s got a lot of influence, and he’s always Johnny-on-the-Spot to turn any dirty trick that they want.  There are four or five rich men in town who are there with the bank-roll, providing he engages women who ain’t so very particular about the location of their residence, and who don’t hear a curfew ring at 11:30 every night.

LAURA.  And he thinks I am too particular?

JIM.  That’s what was slipped me.  Seems that one of the richest men that is in on Mr. Burgess’s address-book is a fellow named Brockton from downtown some place.  He’s got more money than the Shoe and Leather National Bank.  He likes to play show business.

LAURA. [Rises quickly.] Oh! [Crosses to wardrobe, gets hat; crosses to dresser, gets scissors with intention of curling feathers.

JIM.  I thought you knew him.  I thought it was just as well to tell you where he and Burgess stand.  They’re pals.