LOUISE. She'll be down in a minute. Sam, do you know what's the matter with Steve? COAST. Probably he's been losing. LOUISE. Whose money? COAST. Everybody's. LOUISE. But can't you help him? COAST. No; it's not my business. [_Sits on the sofa, putting the pillows out of his way._ LOUISE. But he's my husband, and you're my cousin. COAST. What's the difference? Twenty years ago, when your father was rich as Croesus and my guv'ner and I up a stump for--tobacco, anyway, if not for bread, did he lift a finger to help us? not on your life! That lets me out! Every man for himself--and listen, if I wanted to starve I could lose a real good fortune through Steve Carley, without any outside help. LOUISE. I told mother you'd be like that. COAST. We're all pretty much alike; she'd recognize the Coast family. LOUISE. If you were married to Georgiana, you couldn't ignore her brother. She isn't like us. COAST. Well, if I could get Georgiana, [_Going to_ LOUISE.] I'd be willing to do a good deal. She's the only woman I can see in this world my size. LOUISE. So I guessed, but if Dick Coleman proposes before he goes to the Philippines, I wouldn't give much for your chances. COAST. Listen, Lou; did you ever know me to lose anything I'd set my mind on getting. LOUISE. No. COAST. Well I mean to marry Georgiana, Dick Coleman or no Dick Coleman. No, I'll put it different from that. I mean to make her love me, because, by God, I love that woman so I'd do anything, commit a crime almost, to get her. [STEVEN _enters Left and_ COAST _goes up to the mantel._ LOUISE. Steve, aren't you up town early? STEVEN. A little. [_Sits Left._ MOLES _enters._ MOLES. Beg pardon, sir. LOUISE. What is it, Moles? MOLES. [_To_ LOUISE.] Mr. Carley, m'm. [_To_ STEVEN.] Could I speak with you a few moments, sir? STEVEN. I'm very busy to-day, Moles. MOLES. But have you noticed sir, this morning, United Copper is lower. STEVEN. It can't be helped--go about your business. MOLES. But for heaven's sake, Mr. Carley--you said yesterday if it dropped another point and we couldn't give up any more money, Lizzie and me'd both lose everything we had. STEVEN. I'm sorrier than I can say, but there are lots of others worse off than you. [GEORGIANA _reënters Right._ COAST. [_Cynically to_ STEVEN.] You don't mean to say you've been speculating with Moles's money. LOUISE. Moles! STEVEN. It was for _himself_, not me, I put him in. MOLES. And Lizzie, sir. And we'd counted it up, how if we made all you said, we could leave service soon, sir, and we could afford a small house in the country with say _four_ rooms and _one_ baby--Lizzie doing her own work. LOUISE. Do you mean to say, Steve, that your own servants have lost their earnings through you? MOLES. Yes, m'm. STEVEN. [_Doggedly._] Put it that way if you like. I meant to do them a good turn. LOUISE. But we can't let that happen; we must pay them back!