COAST. Good morning, Georgiana.

[GEORGIANA, half smiling, bows very impersonally, and continues playing till she finishes the music. COAST leans against the piano, facing her, and watches her and waits.

GEORGIANA. [When she has finished.] How long is it since you and I have been friends?

COAST. It’s five weeks and a couple of days—­but it wasn’t my fault.

GEORGIANA.  Wasn’t it?  Well?  What is it?  Why do you want to see me?

COAST. Same reason as ever!

GEORGIANA.  No,—­you wouldn’t ask me that now!

COAST. Yes, I would!

GEORGIANA.  No, Sam!  Love isn’t a game with all women, if you lose with one hand, to try another.  Do you mean you think because Dick is dead, it would be any more possible for me to care for you?  I don’t respect you, Sam, and I don’t like you,—­and that’s putting it very politely,—­for many reasons; but one’s enough—­Steve!

[COAST looks away.

COAST. [After a second’s pause.] I’ve let you go on because I know I deserve all I get; and I’ve caught on to the fact that you won’t ever care about me the way I want.  Well, it’s funny, it don’t seem to make much difference in my feelings for you all the same! [Half laughs.] I ain’t exactly ashamed of what I’ve done, but I’m sort of sorry—­for you.

GEORGIANA. [Rising.] I don’t want your sympathy, Sam.

[She comes away from the piano and he follows her.

COAST. Well, you’ve got to get it, anyway!  That you can’t help, and if you can help loving me, you can’t help my loving you!  Anyway, I don’t want you to have to get out o’ this house.

GEORGIANA.  That is all settled now; we can’t afford to live here, of course.

COAST. Yes, you can.

GEORGIANA.  No, no—­Steve’s salary—­

COAST. Steve’s leaving that job; he don’t need that money any longer.

[He looks at her, she looks in his face—­a short pause; then—­

GEORGIANA.  You don’t mean you’ve given Steve—­

COAST. Don’t worry, I’m giving away nothing.  Steve’s got a new job.

GEORGIANA.  What?

COAST. I’m going home—­leastways so far’s Denver—­and Steve’s going to look after my interests here.

GEORGIANA.  But—­

COAST. [Interrupting her.] Oh, don’t worry—­he can’t act without my advice—­and that’s just the kind of a man I want!  I don’t want none of these here fellers who’s got judgment o’ their own!  Steve’s knows he’s a fool in business, and he’ll obey me implicitly.

GEORGIANA. [Sitting by the table Left.] And Steve is willing to accept from you—­

COAST. [Interrupting.] Oh, I guess he considers I owe him that much anyway.

GEORGIANA.  You couldn’t repay what you owe Steve.

COAST. That’s how you look at it!  Then there’s Coleman’s money.