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[Calmly—sure of him]

But what else can I do, Ned?

[Then warningly]

I hear them coming, dear. It’s Sam, you know.

[In a frenzy]

What else can you do? Liar! But I can do something else! I can smash your calculating game for you! I can tell Sam—and I will—right now—by God, I will!

[Quietly]

No. You won’t, Ned. You can’t do that to Sam.

[Savagely]

Like hell I can’t!

[The front door is opened. ''voice is immediately heard, even before he bounds into the room. He rushes up to hilariously, shakes his hand and pounds his back, oblivious to  wild expression'']

You old son of a gun! Why didn’t you let a guy know you were coming? We’d have met you at the dock, and brought the baby. Let me have a look at you! You look thinner. We’ll fatten you up, won’t we, Nina? Let us do the prescribing this time! Why didn’t you let us know where you were, you old bum? We wanted to write you about the baby. And I wanted to boast about how I was getting on! You’re the