SCENE--Living-room of CURTIS JAYSON'S house in Bridgetown, Conn.
A large, comfortable room. On the left, an arm-chair, a big open
fireplace, a writing desk with chair in far left corner. On this
side there is also a door leading into CURTIS' study. In the rear,
center, a double doorway opening on the hall and the entryway.
Bookcases are built into the wall on both sides of this doorway.
In the far right corner, a grand piano. Three large windows
looking out on the lawn, and another arm-chair, front, are on this
right side of the room. Opposite the fireplace is a couch, facing
front. Opposite the windows on the right is a long table with
magazines, reading lamp, etc. Four chairs are grouped about the
table. The walls and ceiling are in a French gray color. A great
rug covers most of the hardwood floor.

It is around four o'clock of a fine afternoon in early fall.

As the curtain rises, MARTHA, CURTIS and BIGELOW are discovered.
MARTHA is a healthy, fine-looking woman of thirty-eight. She does
not appear this age for her strenuous life in the open has kept
her young and fresh. She possesses the frank, clear, direct
quality of outdoors, outspoken and generous. Her wavy hair is a
dark brown, her eyes blue-gray. CURTIS JAYSON is a tall, rangy,
broad-shouldered man of thirty-seven. While spare, his figure
has an appearance of rugged health, of great nervous strength held
in reserve. His square-jawed, large-featured face retains an eager
boyish enthusiasm in spite of its prevailing expression of
thoughtful, preoccupied aloofness. His crisp dark hair is graying
at the temples. EDWARD BIGELOW is a large, handsome man of thirty-
nine. His face shows culture and tolerance, a sense of humor, a