HEGAN. Good evening, sir. [Turns to LAURA.] My dear, I finished up downtown sooner than I expected, and I have another conference at the house. I stopped off to see if you cared to come now, or if I should send back the car for you. LAURA. I think you'd best send it back. JULIA. Why, yes... she only just got here. HEGAN. Very well. JULIA. Won't you stop a minute? HEGAN. No. I really can't. Mr. Grimes is waiting for me downstairs. LAURA. [Involuntarily.] Mr. Grimes! HEGAN. Yes. LAURA. Robert Grimes? HEGAN. [Surprised.] Yes. Why? LAURA. Nothing; only we happened to be just talking about him. HEGAN. I see. JACK. [Aggressively.] We happen to have one of his victims in the next room. HEGAN. [Perplexed.] One of his victims? JULIA. [Protesting.] Jack! JACK. A daughter of the slums. One of the helpless girls who have to pay the tribute that he... [A piercing and terrifying scream is heard off right.] JULIA. Annie! [Runs off.] HEGAN. What's that? [The screams continue.] JULIA. [Off.] Help! Help! [Jack, who is nearest, leaps toward the door; but, before he can reach it, it is flung violently open.] ANNIE. [Enters, delirious, her bare arms and throat covered with bruises, her hair loose, and her aspect wild; an Irish peasant girl, aged twenty.] No! No! Let me go! [Rushes into the opposite corner, and cowers in terror.] JULIA. [Following her.] Annie! Annie! ANNIE. [Flings her off, and stretches out her arms.] What do you want with me? Help! Help! I won't do it! I won't stay! Let me alone! [Wild and frantic sobbing.] JULIA. Annie, dear! Annie! Look at me! Don't you know me? I'm Julia! Your own Julia! No one shall hurt you... no one! ANNIE. [Stares at her wildly.] He's after me still! He'll follow me here! He won't let me get away from him! Oh, save me! JULIA. [Embracing her.] Listen to me, dear. Don't think of things like that. You are in my home... nothing can hurt you. Don't let these evil dreams take hold of you. ANNIE. [Stares, as if coming out of a trance.] Why didn't you help me before? JULIA. Come, dear... come. ANNIE. It's too late... too late! Oh... I can't forget about it! JULIA. Yes, dear. I know... ANNIE. [Seeing the others.] Who?... JULIA. They are all friends; they will help you. Come, dear... lie down again. ANNIE. Oh, what shall I do? [Is led off, sobbing.] JULIA. It will be all right, dear. [Exit; a pause.] HEGAN. What does this mean? JACK. [Promptly and ruthlessly.] It means that you have been seeing the white-slave traffic in action. HEGAN. I don't understand.