LAURA.  No, not to-day.  I thought your business was important; you said so last night. [Crosses to sofa, and stands.

WILL.  No hurry.  Do you—­er—­want to get rid of me?

LAURA.  Why should I?

WILL.  Expecting someone?

LAURA.  No—­not exactly. [Crosses up to window.

WILL.  If you don’t mind, I’ll stay here. [Lets curtain fly up.

LAURA.  Just as you please. [A pause.  Crosses to piano; plays.] Will?

WILL.  Yes.

LAURA.  How long does it take to come from Buffalo?

WILL.  Depends on the train you take.

LAURA.  About how long?

WILL.  Between eight and ten hours, I think.  Some one coming?

LAURA.  Do you know anything about the trains?

WILL.  Not much.  Why don’t you find out for yourself?  Have Annie get the time-table?

LAURA.  I will.  Annie!  Annie!

[Rises from piano.  ANNIE appears at doorway.

ANNIE.  Yassum!

LAURA.  Go ask one of the hall-boys to bring me a New York Central time-table.

ANNIE.  Yassum!

Crosses the stage and exits through door.  LAURA sits on left arm of sofa.

WILL.  Then you do expect someone, eh?

LAURA.  Only one of the girls who used to be in the same company with me.  But I’m not sure that she’s coming here.

WILL.  Then the wire was from her?

LAURA.  Yes.

WILL.  Did she say what train she was coming on?

LAURA.  No.

WILL.  Well, there are a lot of trains.  About what time did you expect her in?

LAURA.  She didn’t say.

WILL.  Do I know her?

LAURA.  I think not.  I met her while I worked in ’Frisco.

WILL.  Oh! [Resumes his paper.

ANNIE reenters with a time-table and hands it to LAURA.

LAURA.  Thanks; take those breakfast things away, Annie.

[Sits on sofa.

ANNIE complies; takes them across stage, opens the door leading to the corridor, exits.  LAURA in the meantime is studying the time-table.

LAURA.  I can’t make this out.

WILL.  Give it here; maybe I can help you.

LAURA crosses to right of table, sits opposite WILL, and hands him the time-table.  He takes it and handles it as if he were familiar with it.

WILL.  Where is she coming from?

LAURA.  The West; the telegram was from Buffalo.  I suppose she was on her way when she sent it.

WILL.  There’s a train comes in here at 9:30—­that’s the Twentieth Century,—­that doesn’t carry passengers from Buffalo; then there’s one at 11:41; one at 1:49; another at 3:45; another at 5:40; and another at 5:48—­that’s the Lake Shore Limited, a fast train; and all pass through Buffalo.  Did you think of meeting her?