(He goes out, lower right. Augusta sits for a while, motionless, and then makes an attempt to go on with her knitting. A man’s face is seen pressed against the glass of the middle window. Augusta does not perceive him. He disappears, the glass door, upper right, opens slowly and Prag enters! His clothes are wet, he is unshaven, he is gaunt and ill, and his eyed gleans. He leaves the door open behind him. Once inside the room, he halts and stares at Augusta, who gathers up her knitting and rises. She does not lack courage.)
Augusta. What do you want?
Prag. I come to see Mr. Pindar.
Augusta. The proper place to see Mr. Pindar is in his office. What do you mean by forcing your way into this house?
Prag (advancing). I have no right here—it is too fine for me, yes?
(Through the window the figure of
a woman is seen running across the
lawn, and a moment later Minnie
Farrell comes in through the open
doorway, upper right. She is
breathless and somewhat wet.)
Augusta. Minnie!
Prag (turning and confronting Minnie).
So! You come back to Foxon
Falls, too!
Minnie. You guessed it.
Prag. You follow me?
Minnie. But you’re some sprinter!
(She seizes him by the arm.) Come on,
Prag,—you haven’t got any business
here, and you know it.
Prag (stubbornly). I come to see Mr. Pindar. I vill see him!
Augusta. He isn’t home.
Prag. Then I vait for him.
Minnie (glancing toward the study door, where she suspects Asher is). No you don’t, either! You come along with me.
(She pulls him, and he resists.
They begin to struggle. Augusta
cries out and runs to MINNIE’s
assistance.)
Keep away, Mrs. Pindar. If Mr. Pindar’s home, find him and tell him not to come in here. This man’s crazy.
Prag (struggling with Minnie). Crazy, is it? What is it to you—what I do with Mr. Pindar. He is also your enemy—the enemy of all work-peoples.
(Augusta, after a second’s indecision, turns and runs toward the door, left, that leads into ASHER’s study. Minnie tries to push Prag toward the doorway, upper right, but she is no match for the nervous strength he is able to summon up in his fanatical frenzy. Just as Augusta reaches the study door, it is flung open and Asher appears.)
Asher. What’s the matter?
(Then he sees Minnie and Prag struggling and strides toward them. Augusta tries to prevent him reaching them. Prag wrenches himself free from Minnie and draws a pistol front his pocket. Minnie flings herself between him and Asher, who momentarily halts, too astonished to act.)
Prag (to Minnie). Get avay! He kill my wife, he drive me out of my home—he will not have the unions. I shoot him! Get oudt!