[_Softly to GLASENAPP and MOTES._] I'm rather curious to see what will develop. There's something more than meets the eye in all this. I think a great deal of Mrs. Wolff. The woman works enough for four men. My wife assures me that if Wolff doesn't come she has to hire two women in her place.--Her opinions aren't half bad either. MOTES She wants her daughters to go on the operatic stage.... WEHRHAHN Oh, of course, she may have a screw loose in that respect. But that's no fault of character. What have you hanging there, Mr. Motes? MOTES They're some wire snares. I'm taking them to the forester Seidel. WEHRHAHN Do let me see one of those things. [_He takes one and looks at it closely._] And in these things the poor beasts are slowly throttled to death. _MRS. WOLFF enters, followed by MITTELDORF. She is drying her hands, which are still moist from the wash tub._ MRS. WOLFF [_Unembarrassed, cheerfully, with a swift glance at the snares._] Here I am. What's up now? What'm I bein' wanted for? WEHRHAHN Mrs. Wolff, is this gentleman known to you? MRS. WOLFF Which one of 'em? [_Pointing with her finger at KRUEGER._] This here, this is Mr. Krueger. I guess I know him all right. Good mornin', Mr. Krueger. WEHRHAHN Your daughter is in Mr. Krueger's service? MRS. WOLFF Who? My daughter? That's so--Leontine. [_To KRUEGER._] But then, she run away from you, didn't she? KRUEGER [_Enraged._] She did indeed. WEHRHAHN [_Interrupting._] Now wait a moment. MRS. WOLFF What kind o' trouble did you have together? WEHRHAHN Mrs. Wolff, you listen to me. Your daughter must return to Mr. Krueger at once. MRS. WOLFF Oh, no, we'd rather keep her at home now. WEHRHAHN That can't be done quite so easily as you think. Mr. Krueger has the right, if he wishes to exert it, of calling in the help, of the police. In that case we would have to take your daughter back by force. MRS. WOLFF But my husband just happened to take it into his head. He's just made up his mind not to let the girl go no more. An' when my husband takes a notion like that into his head.... The trouble is: all you men has such awful tempers! WEHRHAHN Suppose you let that go, for the moment, Mrs. Wolff. How long has your daughter been, at home? MRS. WOLFF She came back last night. WEHRHAHN Last night? Very well. She had been told to carry wood into the shed and she refused. MRS. WOLFF Eh, is that so? Refused? That girl o' mine don't refuse to do work. An' I wouldn't advise her to do that kind o' thing neither. WEHRHAHN You hear what Mrs. Wolff says. MRS. WOLFF That girl has always been a willin' girl. If she'd ever refused to lend a hand.... KRUEGER She simply refused to carry in the wood! MRS. WOLFF Yes, drag in wood! At half past ten at night! People who asks such a thing of a child like that-- WEHRHAHN The essential thing, however, Mrs. Wolff, is this: the wood was left out over night and has been stolen. And so.... KRUEGER