TIPPY.  There is nothing more we can do until you’re ready to notify the Missing Persons Bureau.

LAURA.  Do you think we ought to?

TIPPY.  No.—­I hate to seem callous to your distress, dear, but involving the police department at this moment would be a little premature.

LAURA.  But I’m so worried.  He might do anything, Tippy.

TIPPY.  The chances are he’ll do nothing but take a walk.

LAURA.  If I only knew ...

TIPPY.  And what could you tell the police?  Man quarrelled with wife, left house, has been gone four hours....

LAURA.  It seems dreadful, dreadful—­just to sit here and not know anything.

MARTIN.  I think I have a hunch.

LAURA.  Oh, Martin!  Why didn’t you say so before?

MARTIN.  I only just got the hunch.

LAURA.  What?  Where?

MARTIN.  Now wait a minute.  It’s only a hunch, and my hunches aren’t so hot.  I don’t believe in them, you see.

LAURA.  But you’ll go, won’t you?  You’ll go?

MARTIN.  Oh, sure. [Gets hat.] You stay here with Tippy.

LAURA. [Grabbing her things.] No.  I want to go with you.

MARTIN.  Please don’t, Laura.  I don’t know where Ken is.  It’s just a mere possibility; an old dump I used to take him to.  You stay here. [He goes.  Just as he closes door TED walks into room.]

TED. Hello, Tippy.  You back? [LAURA gives one look at TED, grasps wrap and runs out.] She hates me.

TIPPY.  Well, there’s nothing to do about it, except keep out of her way.

TED. I shouldn’t have come back.

TIPPY.  Why not?  You live here.

TED. Then why does she stay?

TIPPY.  Because she doesn’t want to be alone with her thoughts.

TED. You think she feels guilty, too?

TIPPY.  Well, what do you think?  She tricked Ken into continuing the thing he’d come to hate most in the world; financial dependence on his father.  She took a big chance, and lost.

TED. It was my fault.  I told.  I never would have told if he hadn’t ...

TIPPY.  Never mind.  We know what Ken did to you.  It was in his nature to do just that.—­His nature was part of the thing Laura took a chance on too,—­and lost.

TED. [After slight pause.] I suppose it’s always hard to understand the other fellow’s troubles.  They seem so small compared with your own.

TIPPY.  Circumstances do not excuse crimes, but they do explain them. [Pause.] We’ve all taken plenty.  But I’ll say this, old man.  If I’m the first member of the Class of ’29 to check in at the big Court House I’ll look up the judge and I’ll say to him, “See here, God, when Ted Brooks arrives, don’t judge him till you’ve looked up his full record.  The cards were stacked against that guy from the start!  The rest of us merely needed jobs, but he needed ...” [Pauses, not knowing how to finish.]