The Climbers | Page 9

are honest, aren't you?
STERLING. [_Without flinching._] What a question, Blanche!
[JORDAN _enters Left announcing "Mr. Warden."_ WARDEN _enters, and_ JORDAN _goes out._
[EDWARD WARDEN, though in reality scarcely younger than STERLING, _looks at least ten years his junior. He is good-looking, practical, a reasoning being, and self-controlled. He is a thorough American, with the fresh and strong ideals of his race, and with the feeling of romance alive in the bottom of his heart._
STERLING. [_In enormous relief, greets him joyfully._] Ned, what do you think! The greatest news going!
BLANCHE. Dick!
STERLING. Excuse me, Blanche, I forgot; but Ned will know how I can't help being glad.
[WARDEN goes to MRS. STERLING.
BLANCHE. [Shaking NED'S _hand._] And Mr. Warden knows nothing could make me "_glad_" to-day. Thank you for all your kindness--
WARDEN. Don't thank me; it was nothing.
BLANCHE. Yes, please let me thank you all I can; it won't be half what I feel, but I want to know that you know even my silence is full of gratitude for all you've done for my mother, sisters, and me.
STERLING. Yes, we're all immensely indebted to you, Ned, old man.
BLANCHE. I will tell mother. I know she wants to see you.
[_She goes out Right._
STERLING. [_Speaking with suppressed excitement and uncontrollable gladness, unable to keep it back any longer._] Ned, my wife's aunt, Miss Hunter, has put all her business in my hands.
WARDEN. Made you her agent?
STERLING. Yes! What a godsend! Hunter didn't leave a cent.
[_A moment's pause of astonishment._]
WARDEN. What do you mean?
STERLING. It seems he's been losing for a long time. Everything he had he lost in the copper crash.
WARDEN. But this is awful! What will Mrs. Hunter and her two young daughters do?
STERLING. I don't know. I hadn't thought of that.
WARDEN. You'll have to think of it.
STERLING. I?
WARDEN. Of course you'll have to help them.
STERLING. I can't! Look here, I didn't tell you the truth about my affairs last week, when I struck you for that loan.
WARDEN. You don't mean to say you weren't straight with me?
STERLING. Oh, I only didn't want to frighten you till I'd got the money; if you had made me the loan, I'd have owned up afterwards all right enough.
WARDEN. Owned up what?
STERLING. That I told you a pack of lies--that I haven't any security!--that I haven't anything but debts.
WARDEN. [_Strongly._] Good things to borrow on! Look here, Dick, how long have we been friends?
STERLING. Since that day at boarding school when you took a licking for something I did.
WARDEN. What I mean is we were pals at school, chums at college, stanch friends for twenty years.
STERLING. Hell! Are we as old as all that?
WARDEN. Inseparable friends till the last two years.
[STERLING'S _eyes shift._
STERLING. I've been overworked lately, and everything has gone wrong!
WARDEN. [_Comes up to him, and speaks firmly but still friendly._] You yourself have gone wrong!
STERLING. [_On the defensive._] What do you mean?
WARDEN. Why did you take your business out of my hands?
STERLING. The law didn't pay me enough. I thought I'd try a little amateur stockbroking.
[_Smiling insincerely._
WARDEN. You didn't want me to know what you were doing!
STERLING. Rats!
WARDEN. You didn't want me to know what funds--whose funds--you were using--_mis_using.
STERLING. [_Ugly._] What!
WARDEN. Whose money you were gambling with!
STERLING. Have you been spying on me?
WARDEN. Your _wife's_ money!
STERLING. Well, she's my wife, and you don't know what you're talking about!
[_He turns from him and picks up a book from the table upside down and pretends to read it._
WARDEN. You stole from me once when you were a boy!
STERLING. No! I didn't!
[_Throwing the book down._
WARDEN. You lie! Do you hear me? _You lie!_ [_He waits a second._ STERLING _does nothing._] I was never sure till to-day! I fought against ever thinking it, believing my suspicions were an injustice to you, but little things were always disappearing out of my rooms--finally, even money. Lately, that old suspicion has come back with a fuller force, and to-day it became a certainty.
STERLING. How to-day?
WARDEN. Because if it weren't true, you'd have knocked me down just now when I called you first a thief and twice a liar!
[_He stands squarely facing him._ STERLING _stands facing him also, surprised, taken off his guard._
STERLING. Oh, come, you're joking! [WARDEN _makes an angry exclamation._] Why're you telling me all this now?
WARDEN. Because I want you to be careful. I want you to know some one is watching you! Some one who knows what you've come to! Some one who knows you can't resist temptation! Some one who knows money not yours has stuck to your fingers!
STERLING. You mind your own business.
WARDEN. I'll mind yours if it's necessary to protect people who are dear to me!
[STERLING _looks at him with a sudden suspicion._
STERLING. [_Insinuatingly._] I didn't know you were particularly attached to Mrs. Hunter.
WARDEN. I'm not.
STERLING. Or to her two unmarried daughters!
WARDEN. Nor am I!
STERLING. [_With whispered intensity._]