[He rises and walks about]

Mrs. Hope.  Don’t believe a word of what?

     [The colonel is Silent.]

     [Pursuing his thoughts with her own.]

If I thought there was anything between Molly and Mr. Lever, d ’you suppose I’d have him in the house?

     [The colonel stops, and gives a sort of grunt.]

He’s a very nice fellow; and I want you to pump him well, Tom, and see what there is in this mine.

Colonel. [Uneasily.] Pump!

Mrs. Hope. [Looking at him curiously.] Yes, you ’ve been up to something!  Now what is it?

Colonel.  Pump my own guest!  I never heard of such a thing!

Mrs. Hope.  There you are on your high horse!  I do wish you had a little common-sense, Tom!

Colonel.  I’d as soon you asked me to sneak about eavesdropping!  Pump!

Mrs. Hope.  Well, what were you looking at these papers for?  It does drive me so wild the way you throw away all the chances you have of making a little money.  I’ve got you this opportunity, and you do nothing but rave up and down, and talk nonsense!

Colonel. [In a high voice] Much you know about it!  I ’ve taken a thousand shares in this mine

     [He stops dead.  There is a silence. ]

Mrs. Hope.  You ’ve—­what?  Without consulting me?  Well, then, you ’ll just go and take them out again!

Colonel.  You want me to——?

Mrs. Hope.  The idea!  As if you could trust your judgment in a thing like that!  You ’ll just go at once and say there was a mistake; then we ’ll talk it over calmly.

Colonel. [Drawing himself up.] Go back on what I ’ve said?  Not if I lose every penny!  First you worry me to take the shares, and then you worry me not—­I won’t have it, Nell, I won’t have it!

Mrs. Hope.  Well, if I’d thought you’d have forgotten what you said this morning and turned about like this, d’you suppose I’d have spoken to you at all?  Now, do you?

Colonel.  Rubbish!  If you can’t see that this is a special opportunity!

     [He walks away followed by Mrs. Hope, who endeavors to make him
     see her point of view.  Ernest and Letty are now returning from
     the house armed with a third chair.]

Letty.  What’s the matter with everybody?  Is it the heat?

Ernest. [Preoccupied and sitting in the swing.] That sportsman, Lever, you know, ought to be warned off.

Letty. [Signing to Ernest.] Where’s Miss Joy, Rose?

Rose.  Don’t know, Miss.

     [Putting down the tray, she goes.]

     [Rose, has followed with the tea tray.]