Hip hurrah!
 That's what I call a fellow countryman.

Bishop Hardbrooke.

You see we're all Americans down here.

Second Staff Member.

Now, Governor Braddock, show your stars and stripes.

Governor Braddock.

Yet you don't seem to dwell in unity.
 I recollect, and it's not years ago,
 Receiving a petition, and a large one—
 Some six or seven thousand?

Third Staff Member.

About that.

Governor Braddock.

Demanding a withdrawal of some troops.

Bishop Hardbrooke.

We're not responsible for our lower classes.

Egerton.

(Significantly)

You didn't withdraw them.

(An embarrassing silence)

Ralph Ardsley.

(Slaps the Governor on the shoulder)

Good American!

Fourth Staff Member.

(To Bishop Hardbrooke)

Jesus of Nazareth was a foreigner.

Governor Braddock.

The Bishop would hardly say so though.

Bishop Hardbrooke.

And you,
 You, Governor, do you go before the people
 With all you know? No secrets, not a one?

Governor Braddock.

O I'm not saying.

Egerton.

Editor Ardsley?

Ralph Ardsley.

Here.

Bishop Hardbrooke.

It eases the heart, brother, to confess.

Ralph Ardsley.

It's my stockholders, Bishop.

(Points to Egerton)

Egerton.

General Chadbourne?

General Chadbourne.

I, Colonel, get my orders from above.

(Points to the Governor)

Governor Braddock.

We all do.

(Points to Egerton)

Ralph Ardsley.

Egerton?

Egerton.

Then come along.
 I've got some good Americans up here
 Who don't send in petitions.

Governor Braddock.

A model mill.

First Staff Member.

Non-Union?

Ralph Ardsley.

They're united in the walls.

(Laughter)

Egerton.

(As they start for the stairs)

Never you mind, gentlemen, 'twill not be long
 Until the model that I've built up here
 Will be the model everywhere.

Guests.

(Led by Ralph Ardsley)

Hurray!

(Attracted by the shouting, some ladies look in, forward right)

A Lady.

They do have such good times.

(They withdraw)

General Chadbourne.

(From the steps to the Butler)

I'll be upstairs.

(Seeing the hall empty, the young people who have looked in occasionally from the conservatory, enter and take possession)

Ralph Ardsley.

(From the landing)

Hello, Gladys!

Gladys Egerton.

Hello, Ardsley!

Ralph Ardsley.

(Touching his throat)

Stunning.

Gladys Egerton.

Thank you.

(Ardsley disappears after the others. Mrs. Orr enters, forward right, and is later joined by Mrs. Egerton)

Mrs. Orr.

You surely have not spoken of this to him?

Mrs. Egerton.

The other night I started to.

Mrs. Orr.

How could you!

(Mrs. Egerton glances back uneasily into the room)

Mrs. Orr.

They're all right. Let's go here behind the pines.

Mrs. Egerton

(Beckons to the Butler)

Serve them the lunch now, Charles.

(The Butler goes into the room, forward right. The two women pass left, where they are somewhat shut in by the pines)

Mrs. Orr.

What did he say?

Mrs. Egerton

And then—I don't know—something in his face—
 Perhaps the wonder that I knew would come
 That such a thing—If people only knew—
 Donald is not the hard unfeeling man—
 And knowing this——

(She hesitates)

Mrs. Orr.

And knowing what, my dear?

Mrs. Egerton.

My heart rose up and I—I simply said
 That Harry had heard a sighing from the walls.
 I told him so much, for it's worried me.
 And he at once——

Mrs. Orr.

(With spirit)

I know. 'The pines!'

Mrs. Egerton.

'The pines!'

Mrs. Orr.

I knew it!

Mrs. Egerton.

'The pines!' And walked the floor and laughed;
 And such a heart-free laugh I have not heard
 In twenty years. 'The pines!'

Mrs. Orr.

'The pines!' Of course.

Mrs. Egerton.

Feeling——

Mrs. Orr.

Yes, yes!

Mrs. Egerton.

He had caught the very soul
 Of the forest.

Mrs. Orr.

And the triumph of it all!

Mrs. Egerton.

Ah, no one knows how many, many years
 Donald has dreamed of this, how all his thought
 And all his——

(Stands regarding the young people dancing)

Mrs. Orr.

One has but to look at it.

Mrs. Egerton.

Yet not for it as his, not that at all,
 But for the building of it.

Mrs. Orr.

Of course.

Mrs. Egerton.

And now
 That it has taken form you cannot think
 How like a boy he is, how eagerly
 He flees here from the business of the day
 And how he walks about enjoying it.
 'Tis like the sea. When he is here alone
 The burden of his great business falls away
 And he is young again. I sometimes feel,
 Lying in bed at night and knowing he
 Is walking here alone, the lights turned low,
 And listening for the sighing of the pines,
 That somehow 'tis a woman he has made
 And that she whispers to him in these hours,
 Comes to him beautiful from out the pines
 After his long, long wooing of her——

Mrs. Orr.

I see!
 Beautiful, beautiful! I see! I see!
 It needed that one breath to make it live.

Mrs. Egerton.

To Donald, yes.

Mrs. Orr.

Before it was a house,
 And now a living thing. I see! I see!

(Kisses the little pines)

Mrs. Egerton.

If one could only know it is not God
 Whispering through the walls of our new home
 Some dreadful word, and yet with voice so low.

Mrs. Orr.

My dear, your words are perfect Greek to me.

Mrs. Egerton.

You know they say the men are suffering so.
 And Donald does not seem to see.

Mrs. Orr.

(Vaguely)

The men?

Mrs. Egerton.

Yes; Harry says that some are without bread.
 And we here—and the music and the lights.

Mrs. Orr.

(In utter astonishment)

Why, Mary Egerton! You do not mean—
 You cannot mean that that suggested this,
 That vulgar thing, this beautiful idea!

Mrs. Egerton.

If one could only help them, only help them!

Mrs. Orr.

The hunger of a lot of stupid men
 Who wish to tell your husband what to do,
 And he with a brain like this, and they with claws!

Mrs. Egerton.

It all depends upon such little things,
 Things that we've never earned——

Mrs. Orr.

(Mysteriously)

Harry, you say?

Mrs. Egerton.

That fall right at our feet we don't know how.
 The chance of birth! What right have I to this
 Who've never done one thing to help the world,
 While they who work their lives out——

Mrs. Orr.

'Help the world!'

Mrs. Egerton.

Can't even have the food and clothes they need.
 People have asked me why—that's why it is
 I've done my shopping in the city lately.
 You meet them in the stores and on the streets.
 And they're so thin, so worn with the long strike.
 Just think of children crying for mere bread!
 It's horrible. I thought this afternoon
 As I stood at the window looking out—
 Through the first snow the motor cars came up.
 I don't believe they even noticed it.
 It means so little to them. It's just snow.
 But in the workers' homes—I just can't think
 Of God as looking down with unconcern.
 I couldn't love Him if I thought He could.

Mrs. Orr.

I don't know what we're ever going to do.

Mrs. Egerton.

If only some strong, gifted man would come
 And show us how, show us all how to live.
 We'd all be so much happier than we are.

Mrs. Orr.

I wish to goodness I could shut my ears
 And never hear that 'Help the world' again.
 You can't pick up a book or magazine,
 Even a fashion journal, or go out
 To see your friends, it seems——

(The men are seen coming down the stairs, the Governor and the Bishop on either side of Egerton. They are all laughing and having a good time)

Mrs. Egerton.

I'm very sorry.
 It isn't the place. But I've been so distraught.
 Let us go in and put it all away.
 And you must never mention it. I can't bear
 To think of people talking.

Mrs. Orr.

Hear them laugh!
 I wouldn't live with such a wicked man.

Mrs. Egerton.

That isn't kind in you.

Mrs. Orr.

In twenty years
 We'll all be wearing grave-clothes.

Mrs. Egerton.

Sylvia!

Mrs. Orr.

There'll not be one retreat where we can go,
 We ladies of the ancien régime;
 We'll all be out, with not a single place
 Where we can make the tables ring with cards
 And laugh and just be gay. Even the pines,
 The beautiful pines, are tainted, and the snow.
 The winter long I'll never dare go out.
 I'll be afraid I'll catch this 'Help the world'
 And come home hearing things. You precious goose!
 You just shan't give way to this silly mood.
 And at the moment when you have about you
 The money and the best names in the State;
 Just everything that mortal heart can wish.

(They watch the men coming down the steps)

You ought to be so proud.

Mrs. Egerton.

I am.

(The piano stops)

A Girl.

(Who has been waltzing)

O pshaw!

Mrs. Orr.

Even the Governor—don't you see, when he's with Donald
 And when his wife's with you, how they both show
 How all they are and all they hope to be
 They owe to Donald?

Mrs. Egerton.

I know, I know.

A Young Man.

Come on!

Mrs. Egerton.

And he's so good, so good in many ways.

(The young people make for the conservatory)

Mrs. Orr.

And yet so gay, so sensible with it all.

Mrs. Egerton.

It isn't that I'm ungrateful, Sylvia.
 I'm never done with thanking God for all
 The blessings that I have.

Mrs. Orr.

Children and wealth.

Mrs. Egerton.

And Donald, too.

Mrs. Orr.

O really!

A Young Man.

Bring the score!

Mrs. Egerton.

I can't help wishing, though, that he would see
 And do for others as he does for us.

(They stand listening)

Egerton.

Just let your minds go out about the mountains.

(A pause)

Have you had too much punch, or what's the trouble?

(Laughter)

Mrs. Orr.

Just hear how joyous hearted! Promise me——

Mrs. Egerton.

(In alarm)

He's telling them of the pines!

Mrs. Orr.

What would you do?

Mrs. Egerton.

(Beckons to the Butler, who is passing)

Tell Donald that I wish to speak with——

Mrs. Orr.

Stop!

Egerton.

It's something, gentlemen, that we all have need of.

Mrs. Orr.

Dear, if you ever dare tell Donald this
 And pass this ghastly whisper to his heart,
 I'll be the Secret Lady of the Pines;
 I'll whisper something. What if Donald knew
 Who's kept the strike afoot? The great unknown
 Contributor to the Citizens' Relief?
 Who had twelve hundred dollars in the bank,
 A present from a Christmas long ago?
 Twelve hundred and twelve hundred——!

Mrs. Egerton.

It can't be!

Mrs. Orr.

We bankers' wives——

Mrs. Egerton.

A mere coincidence.

Mrs. Orr.

It's not; he's checked it out. So! If you care
 Nothing for Donald's happiness, I do.

(She leaves Mrs. Egerton standing near the pines. Other ladies have begun to come in)

Ralph Ardsley.

What's underneath the forest?

Mrs. Orr.

(With a strange smile, calling back)

I really will.

Egerton.

You give it up?

Mrs. Egerton.

My noble, noble son!

General Chadbourne.

He's waiting, gentlemen, till he finds the mine.

Egerton.

The man of parts!

Several.

Of course.

Egerton.

That's why I can't
 Take you down now. But when I find the mine
 And get the gold to puddling in the pots,
 If I can find me plastic metal workers
 That I can mould and hammer while they mould
 And hammer out my vision on the walls,
 I'll show you through some subterranean chambers
 Will set your eyes a-dazzle. In the dark,
 Lit by the torches in the miners' caps,
 You'll see the world of metals moving up
 Through human hands as here you see the tree.
 That's why my basement isn't finished yet.

Cries.

Good luck! Good luck!

Egerton.

I hope you'll be alive.

(He leaves the group and comes forward)

Governor Braddock.

Magnificent conception.

Bishop Hardbrooke.

A great man.

Egerton.

(To the Butler)

Call them in, Charles. Have all of them come in.

Governor Braddock.

Metals, then trees, then mills, then books and pictures.

Bishop Hardbrooke.

Raw matter on its spiral up to spirit.

Egerton.

While we're at riddles, gentlemen——

(Ladies come in, centre and forward right)

Egerton.

Come right in.
 If you'll allow me, friends, suppose you stand
 Where you can have my forest in your eye.

(He arranges them to face right)

I don't see, ladies, how you ever endure
 The dulness of these males. We've been at riddles.
 Come in. I've kept my best wine for the last.

(He steps back near the door, centre right)

Suppose you'd made an Adam out of clay,
 Worked years to get it to your satisfaction,
 And now you're looking at it, hands all washed
 And mind confronting, weighing what's been done.
 Suddenly you're aware of something standing by you
 That whispers in your left ear: 'Make a wish
 Within the power of God.' What would it be?

Bishop Hardbrooke.

To see it walk about the garden, brother.

Egerton.

Suppose your Adam was a pine-wood, Bishop,
 That couldn't walk.

Mrs. Orr.

(Ardently)

Then just to hear it breathe.

Egerton.

A woman's intuition!

(Looks to see who it is)

Sylvia Orr!

Bishop Hardbrooke.

Sylva a forest.

Egerton.

An old friend of mine.

(He gives a signal to some one)

A clear day in the pine-wood.

(Suddenly the hall is beautifully illuminated)

Guests.

Ah!

Egerton.

With clouds,
 The dawn just breaking.

(The hall becomes gray and shadowy)

Ancient silence.

Mrs. Egerton.

(Half in terror)

Donald!

Egerton.

Let us be quiet now.

(The silence is broken by the ringing of a telephone bell in the room forward left)

General Chadbourne.

Ah!

Mrs. Orr.

(Across to Mrs. Egerton)

Don't you dare!

(The Butler goes out to answer the telephone)

Governor Braddock.

This age of bells and whistles.

General Chadbourne.

(Comes forward and takes his stand near the door forward left)

Just in time!

Egerton.

They don't concern me. We are far away
 With quiet all about us and the woods.

(The silence is intense)

General Chadbourne.

(Rehearsing his speech)

... And it gives me pleasure to announce to you
 Upon the occasion of the opening
 Of your new mansion, Colonel Egerton,
 This bit of news, sir, from the military;
 And I offer it with our congratulations:
 The strike is over;
 The men have yielded and have gone to work.
 And all's been done without one——

(Enter the Butler hurriedly)

General Chadbourne.

Here I am.

Butler.

(Passing him)