LAURA [_To the FATHER, taking his hand._] This is so hard for you, Mr. Allen. I cannot tell you--[_Turning to ABBIE_] Abbie. FATHER [_Going to CRAIG, who is still at the door._] Well, Craig. [_The FATHER holds out his hand, CRAIG takes it._] Well, I don’t know what we’re going to do without her. LAURA [_Coming to the rescue with the practical._] And where are you going to put us, Abbie? ABBIE I have the rooms ready upstairs. CRAIG [_As if he cannot do this._] Upstairs? ABBIE [_In a low voice._] She is down here, sir. [_She indicates the closed door. Then takes LAURA’S bag and they start upstairs. CRAIG does not move._ LAURA [_On the stairway._] Aren’t you coming up, Craig, to get clean and rest a little? CRAIG In a minute or two. [_He sits down--on the edge of a chair near the door. The FATHER and husband sit there silent._] Bernice--hadn’t been sick long, had she? FATHER No, it was very sudden. You know she had had trouble occasionally in the past year; Dr. Willis had said she might have to go to the hospital. At first this seemed like that--so Abbie and I weren’t really alarmed. Of course we sent for Willis, but he was in Boston. Young Stuart had the grip. So there was no doctor here--till afterwards. CRAIG And--how long was Bernice sick? [_He speaks with difficulty._ FATHER She spoke of feeling badly on Tuesday. She was lying down most of that day. Wednesday--she didn’t get up at all Wednesday. And she died late Wednesday night. [_Emotion breaking through._] Abbie and I were here all alone! CRAIG Did she say--Did she leave--Well, we can talk of that later. FATHER [_Changing to something not so hard to speak of._] You landed last week? CRAIG Yes, I was held in New York by things to do. [_A glance at the FATHER._] Of course, if I had had any idea-- FATHER Of course. CRAIG But Bernice wrote me she was fine. FATHER She seemed so. She was well and--seemed very happy here this fall. You know how she loves to tramp the woods in the fall. She was counting on your coming home. She had done over your room upstairs. And hers too. They both look so nice and fresh. And she was just starting to do some things to Margaret’s room. Margaret was coming next month for a rest. She’s been working very hard. CRAIG Are you expecting Margaret now? FATHER Yes. Wednesday evening Bernice seemed to want Margaret to come. She thought maybe Margaret could get away now, and that it would do her good too. She had been worrying about her--thinking she was working too hard. Margaret’s been in Chicago, you know, working on some labor things--I never know just what it is she is doing. Bernice seemed to want to see her. I wonder if Bernice herself felt it was more than we knew. Anyway, she wanted us to send for Margaret. CRAIG But you didn’t send for me until--until it was over. FATHER