MRS. EVERITT

Oh, Walter!

WALTER

It seems queer that neither of you said anything about it, if I was really born in this very town....  I might never have thought much about it, but to-night everything seems to be stirred up.  Tell me, mother—­

MRS. EVERITT

We lived here only a little while.  We didn’t like it, so your father sold his farm and we went away to New York.

WALTER

Yes, but why wasn’t something said about it when we came here this afternoon?  It seems funny, not to.

MRS. EVERITT

Dear, there was a little family trouble, long ago, which is best forgotten.

WALTER

Oh.

ALICE (entering)

It wasn’t Harold, after all, but I just had to stay and listen to him.  He tried over and over to tell me something.  I couldn’t make out what it was until he showed me with his hands—­you know that funny little way he has—­and what do you suppose it was?

MRS. EVERITT

The dear child.  What was it?

ALICE

Why, he remembered the big drum he saw once in a parade, and he was trying to explain that he was inside a drum.  The rain, you know.

EVERITT (entering)

We had to jack up the car.  The barn is flooding with water.

MRS. EVERITT

Is that where you were?

EVERITT

Yes....  How strange you look in that light, Alice!  I never saw you look like that before. (He kisses her)

ALICE

Oh!

MRS. EVERITT

What is it, Alice?

ALICE

Why ...  I thought his cigar was going to burn me.

MRS. EVERITT

Oh.

EVERITT

Alice, you jumped because you didn’t like my breath.  I’m sorry, I did take a drink, and I shouldn’t have kissed you, only....

WALTER

Only what?

EVERITT

She looked just as Mary did when I first knew her.  It startled me.

ALICE

Do I?

MRS. EVERITT