WARDEN. Not till you've given me your promise, both of you, that you will keep silent about the embezzlement of your bonds for the sake of Mrs. Sterling and her son. MISS GODESBY. [_Half laughs._] Huh! WARDEN. For the sake of her mother, who is your friend. [_Sleigh-bells start up loud and die off quickly;_ JESSICA _has gone._ MISS GODESBY. Oh, come, you know what sort of friends we are,--for the amusement we can get out of each other. This is the case,--I trusted this man with my affairs. He was very attractive--I don't deny that; business with Dick Sterling became more or less of a pleasure--but that doesn't cut any ice with me; he's stolen my money. To put it plainly, he's a common thief, and he ought to be punished; why should he go scot free and a lot of others not? You know perfectly well his note wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on; and, anyway, if he hasn't gone and sneaked out of the world, I won't lift my little finger to keep him from the punishment he deserves! GODESBY. Good for you, Julia! WARDEN. Don't you put your oar in, Godesby; just let this matter rest between your sister and me! She's always been known as the best man in your family. GODESBY. You don't choose a very conciliatory way of bringing us around! WARDEN. I'm not choosing any way at all; I'm striking right out from the shoulder. There isn't time for beating round the bush! I'm pleading for the good name and honorable position of a perfectly innocent, a fine, woman, and for the reputation and unimpeded career of her son! And I make that appeal as man to man and woman! MISS GODESBY. I have nothing to do with any one in this matter but Sterling himself, who has robbed me, and I'll gladly see him suffer for it! WARDEN. Now look here, Miss Godesby, you belong to a pretty tough crowd in society, but I know at heart you're not a bad sort! What good will it do you? Granted even that you don't care for Mrs. Sterling, still don't tell me you're the kind of woman to take a cruel pleasure in seeing another woman suffer! I wouldn't believe it! You're not one of those catty creatures! You're a clever woman, and I don't doubt you can be a pretty hard one, too, at times; but you're _just_--that's the point now--you're _JUST_-- MISS GODESBY. [_Interrupting._] Exactly! I'm just, an eye for an eye! Sterling is a thief, let him get the deserts of one! [_She sits on the bench determinedly._ WARDEN. But you can't look at only one side! You can't shut your eyes to his wife's suffering, too, and she doesn't deserve it! Neither does her boy deserve to share his disgrace. [_He sits beside her._] Why, you have it in your power to handicap that boy through his whole life by publishing his father a criminal; or you can give that boy a fair show to prove himself more his _mother's son_ than his father's, and to live an honest--who knows--perhaps a noble life! MISS GODESBY. I refuse to accept such a responsibility. Ryder--