Her Own Way Part 19

COAST. [_To_ STEVEN.] Are they holding on for you?

STEVEN. They said they'd give me till to-morrow to put up more security.

[_Sits Right._

COAST. What do you need?

[_No answer._

LOUISE. How much more security, Steve?

[_Goes to_ STEVE.

STEVEN. Say a hundred and fifty thousand.

[COAST _whistles_.

LOUISE. He'd better hold on, Sam, hadn't he; what do you think of the stock?

COAST. Don't ask _me_.

LOUISE. We've got _to risk it_, anyway. Use some of my bonds, Steve.

STEVEN. Louise!

LOUISE. Yes, I mean it, we must.

STEVEN. You don't understand me--we can't use your security.

LOUISE. Why not?

STEVEN. [_Rising and half turning away._] Not--again.

LOUISE. How do you mean "again"?

STEVEN. Your money is all there, all, already buried in it!

LOUISE. _All_ my money? _All_ of it!

STEVEN. Yes, I wanted to win back your mother's, I wanted--

[_Interrupted._

LOUISE. [_Beside herself._] You wanted! You wanted!! You wanted!!! To ruin us, that is what I should say you wanted to do!--Do you mean to say, behind my back, you've gambled away every cent I have, as well as all my mother's money!?!

GEORGIANA. No! it's not possible--Steve!

[_Comes between_ STEVEN _and_ LOUISE.

STEVEN. When did you come in, Georgy?

LOUISE. Georgy! [_No answer; she continues hysterically._] He can't deny it; it's true! And it's rank dishonesty, that's what it is! You've robbed me, you've robbed my mother, you've robbed your own children!

The papers will call you a--

STEVEN. [_Interrupting._] That's not true! I had control of your money--to do with as I choose, and I did what I thought was for the best.

LOUISE. You've never done anything for me that wasn't for the worst!

[_Walking up and down excitedly._

GEORGIANA. Louise!

LOUISE. It's true! If I can save a cent out of this ruin, I'll take it and the children away from you! I'll never live with you again! I'll show you up to all your smart friends who've snubbed me! I'll send you to state prison if I can!

[_Sits in the arm-chair down Left._

COAST. Shut up, Lou! You'd better get a little legal advice before you start on that track.

GEORGIANA. Louise!

[_Goes to_ LOUISE.

LOUISE. Well, what have _you_ got to say? My mother brought _you_ up, was a second mother to your brother who ruined us, but you've got _your_ money, I suppose. You've been clever enough to keep _your_ money in your own hands,--you and he will always have enough!

[_Crying hysterically._

GEORGIANA. _Will_ you listen to me and let me say what I'm trying to?

LOUISE. [_Bursting into floods of tears, overwhelmed with sympathy for herself._] He's broken my heart! That's what he's done; broken my heart!

GEORGIANA. [_Going to_ LOUISE.] Oh, no, he hasn't, Louise, he's only broken your bank, and you don't know the difference. I want to say to you now,--that all Steve needed was real love, and the guiding hand of a true, sensible woman--

STEVEN. [_Interrupting her, goes to_ GEORGIANA. GEORGIANA _turns to_ STEVE.] No, Georgy! You mustn't blame Louise! I love her and always will, just as she is. She doesn't mean all she says now--she's angry, and she has a right to be--I'm one of those men who never succeed--who never have any luck, and it's bad luck for her to have to share mine.

GEORGIANA. Well, what's done's done? But, as Louise says, my money's left.

STEVEN. Yes, but--

GEORGIANA. Mine must do for all of us.

COAST. [_Strongly._] Excuse me, but I'll see that Louise and her mother don't suffer; _you_ keep your money.

GEORGIANA. No, that's not the point, Sam. I asked you once to give my brother advice and you refused. You might have prevented this, and now we can get along without your money. Steve won't have to go out of his own family to make up as far as he can for what he's lost out of yours.

[SAM _turns away to the mantel._

STEVEN. Georgy! O Georgy! You're an angel! [_Hugging her and kissing her in a transport of relief._] I'll get out of it, you'll see! I'll cover myself to-morrow. I can do that with your Croton Bonds and your Mutual Life and a couple of mortgages, and we'll win in the end, and Louise get hers back and mother too--! [_His arm about his wife._] It's _sure_ in the end, _it's got_ to be, Louise.

[_There is no response from_ LOUISE.