Charles. Sorry, Dolby, you didn’t have better luck. (Aside) Now to test my wife (steps C.). Allow me to present you to my wife. Mrs. Cleverly, my friend Dixon Dolby. Dixie, this is the lady you have longed to meet.

Dolby (comes down L.; looks across). Rosa Bean! Good gracious!

Charles. No, no. My poor friend, you are growing crazy with your absurd phantom, Rosa Bean.

Dolby. Good gracious, it’s her! And I—I—unhappy wretch!—am in love with Charley’s wife! What will become of me? I shall be found out (wipes face with handkerchief).

Mrs. C. I hope you are enjoying your day’s sport, Mr. Dolby.

Dolby. O, immensely! You see we took the dog along for a photograph—no, for company. Don Carlos said we’d better; and he got interested in my arrangements; and just as I stooped over to put on a bait, somebody said, “St’boy!” and I suppose he mistook me for the boy,—at any rate, took a bite. Then it suddenly occurred to me that there was “no place like home.”

(Enter Carlos, C.)

Carlos. Say, Mister, what did you want to scoot for jist as it was gettin’ interesting?

Dolby. Interesting, Don Carlos? It was getting exciting! (Aside) Heavens! how shall I get out of this scrape?—Charley’s wife!—He’ll murder me! (Aloud) Charley, I really believe I’ll take the next train.

Charles. Nonsense. You’ve not tried the gunning yet. Finish your day’s sport.

Dolby (aside). I wish I could, at once.

Charles. Careless will take you to the game!

Dolby (takes gun). All right. Don Carlos, we’ll try the game; (aside) and I’m off to the train. No more of this sport for me, thank you.

Carlos. Say, what do you want to shoot?

Dolby. How’s the deer?

Carlos. Deer? Ho, ho, ho! They’re purty well; but we’re out on ’em jist now.

Dolby. Well, a buffalo or two.

Carlos. Ho, ho, ho!

Dolby. Hang it! don’t stand there grinning; let’s shoot something quick. [Exit C. and off L.

Carlos (aside). Darned if I don’t take him down into Buffalo Bill’s paster. He’ll shoot the fence quicker than scat. [Exit C.

Mrs. C. Now that the dog is out of the way, I suppose you can have no objection to—

Charles. By the way, Jenny, I’d nearly forgotten it; but Mrs. Jenks, our neighbor, was here just now, and her baby’s taken sick—awful; wants you. It’s got a sudden attack of squills, I think she said.

Mrs. C. Indeed! I’ll run over at once; that is, if you can spare me.

Charles. O, certainly—that is, no—yes. They’re not catching, are they?

Mrs. C. I think not. Good-bye (goes up C.). (Aside) There’s something wrong with Charley. I’ll not go far. [Exit C.

Charles. Now to get that confounded Bobstay out of the way (goes towards door R.).

(Enter Nelly, R. 1 E.)

Nelly. Charley, what do you want in my room?

Charles. O, nothing—that is—I was looking for you.

Nelly. And having found me—

Charles. I want you to advise me. Read that. (Gives note.)

Nelly (aside). Nobody can do it better than I (reads). Well, Charley?

Charles. Well, Charley. No, ill Charley; a decidedly badly-used Charley. Do you know that photograph?

Nelly. It’s our Jenny.

Charles. Our