[_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.
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