MONTAGUE. Miss Hegan, Mr. Bullen has brought me evidence which proves that the decision of the Court, which is to be made known tomorrow, has been... improperly affected. LAURA. [Quickly.] By whom? MONTAGUE. By Robert Grimes. LAURA. [Starts wildly.] And the evidence involves my father? MONTAGUE. Your father will be the chief one to profit from the change. LAURA. [Sinks back against the table; stares away from them, whispering.] To Grimes... two hundred thousand on Court deal! I see! I see! [Faces them, weakly.] And what... what do you mean to do? MONTAGUE. I intend to wait until the decision has been announced, which will be tomorrow, and then to call a public meeting and present the evidence. LAURA. [Starts to implore him; then controls herself.] Yes, yes... that is just. But then... see! It hasn't been done yet! MONTAGUE. How do you mean? LAURA. The decision hasn't come out. It could be stopped! JACK. Why stop it? LAURA. That would prevent the wrong! I would... oh, I see! You want to expose Grimes! You'd rather it happened! JACK. The crime has already been committed. LAURA. And you, Mr. Montague... you prefer it so? MONTAGUE. I had never thought of any other possibility. LAURA. Listen! I don't understand the matter very clearly. The Grand Avenue Railroad case... MONTAGUE. It is an effort to annul a franchise which was obtained by proven bribery. LAURA. Then, if the public could win, it would be worth while, would it not? MONTAGUE. It would establish a precedent of vast importance. But how could that be done? LAURA. We have a hold upon these men... we could compel them to give way! MONTAGUE. They would never do it, Miss Hegan... they have too much at stake. LAURA. But... the evidence you have! Mr. Bullen said you could send Grimes to jail. MONTAGUE. That was just wild talk. Grimes has the district attorney and the courts. He could never be punished for anything. LAURA. But the exposure! JACK. He's been exposed a hundred times. What does that matter to him? LAURA. But then... my father is involved. JACK. Quite true, Miss Hegan... LAURA. And I can make him see how wrong it is. JACK. You can make him see it! But you can't make him do anything! LAURA. Ah, but you don't know my father... truly, you don't. He does these evil things, but at heart he's a kind and loyal man! And he loves me... I am his only daughter... and I can help him to see what is right. We have always understood each other; he will listen to me as he would not to any one else in the world. JACK. But what can you say to him? We can't put our evidence in your hands... LAURA. I don't need your evidence. I must tell you that I, too, have found out something about this case. I know that my father paid Mr. Grimes to influence the decision of that Court. And I know how much he paid him. MONTAGUE. Miss Hegan! JACK. Good God! LAURA. You see, I am not afraid to trust you.... [A pause.] What is the nature of your evidence against Grimes?