LAURA.  What, dear?

JOHN.  I’ve got that home all bought and furnished, and while you couldn’t call it a Fifth Avenue residence, still it has got something on any other one in town.

LAURA.  But, John, you’ve been so mysterious.  In all your letters you haven’t told me a single, solitary thing about your good luck.

JOHN.  I’ve planned to take you out and show you all that.

LAURA.  You should have told me,—­I’ve been so anxious.

JOHN.  I waited until it was a dead-sure thing.  You know it’s been pretty tough sledding out there in the mining country, and it did look as if I never would make a strike; but your spirit was with me and luck was with me, and I knew if I could only hold out that something would come my way.  I had two pals, both of them miners,—­they had the knowledge and I had the luck,—­and one day, clearing away a little snow to build a fire, I poked my toe into the dirt, and there was somethin’ there, dearie, that looked suspicious.  I called Jim,—­that’s one of the men,—­and in less time than it takes to tell you there were three maniacs scratching away at old mother earth for all there was in it.  We staked our claims in two weeks, and I came to Reno to raise enough money for me to come East.  Now things are all fixed and it’s just a matter of time. [Taking LAURA’S hand.

LAURA.  So you’re very, very rich, dear?

JOHN.  Oh, not rich [Releasing her hand, he leans back in his chair.], just heeled.  I’m not going down to the Wall Street bargain counter and buy the Union Pacific, or anything like that; but we won’t have to take the trip on tourists’ tickets, and there’s enough money to make us comfortable all the rest of our lives.

LAURA.  How hard you must have worked and suffered.

JOHN.  Nobody else ever accused me of that, but I sure will have to plead guilty to you. [Rises; stands at upper side of table.] Why, dear, since the day you came into my life, hell-raising took a sneak out the back door and God poked His toe in the front, and ever since then I think He’s been coming a little closer to me. [Crossing over.] I used to be a fellow without much faith, and kidded everybody who had it, and I used to say to those who prayed and believed, “You may be right, but show me a message.”  You came along and you brought that little document in your sweet face and your dear love.  Laura, you turned the trick for me, and I think I’m almost a regular man now.

LAURA turns away in pain; the realization of all she is to JOHN weighs heavily upon her.  She almost loses her nerve, and is on the verge of not going through with her determination to get her happiness at any price.

LAURA.  John, please, don’t.  I’m not worth it.

[Rises, crosses to right.