_Jack (staggers to chair with Belle)._ Excuse me, please. _(He proceeds to loosen Belle's coat, tears away her collar. She is half fainting.)_ Get me a glass of wine! Quick! _(Bob obeys.)_ A fan, somebody! _(Jessie seizes a newspaper and hands it to him. Dolly kneels at Belle's other side.)_ She'll be all right in a moment--she's exhausted. Ah! Better? _(He rises and speaks swiftly, intensely.)_ You see what's the matter. The girl is ill; she's nearly dying. I had to get help for her. _(To Bob.)_ You must excuse me, old man. I had to give up the wager. This was too much for me. You see--_(Hesitates.)_ I guess you were right. I ran into the reality of life, and it floored me. You may kid me all you please, I'll take my medicine. But there was this girl--I had to come back, you see. _(To Dad.)_ Excuse me, Dad, for making such a mess of it. But I couldn't punish this girl for my sins. I had to give up my quarter of a million, and save her life. _Dad._ What's the matter with the girl? _Jack._ She's been worked to death. Standing on her feet in a restaurant fourteen hours a day. _Jessie._ Oh! _Jack._ And you see, Jessie--I remembered how you'd gone to Florida and got well. _(To the others.)_ Look at the difference! Look at the contrast between them. That was what knocked me out--I couldn't get away from it. I've got to send this girl to Florida and give her the same chance that Jessie had. _Jessie._ Who is she? _Jack._ She was a waitress. She helped me when I was starving. And now I have to help her. She's as good as gold, Jessie, and you must be kind to her. It wasn't fair that she should die, just because I'd been an idler, a good for nothing! Bob--you'll be satisfied when you know what a lesson I've had. You can't imagine how I feel, coming out of it--it's like escaping from a nightmare! I can't quite believe it's over. _(He stands staring before him)._ And then I think--I've brought her out with me, but how many others I left behind me! Tens of thousands of others, down there in a pit! Belle, look at me! It was a bad dream, and now it's over! Here's my sister--see! She was as sick as you, and now, how well she is! Look at her cheeks--touch her--take her hand. And you shall be like that, you shall start for Florida right away! Can't you believe it, Dolly? _Dolly._ It seems to me we've got some explanation coming to us, Jack. _Jack._ Oh, I forgot. This is my sister. This is Dolly, Belle's sister, and this is Bill--a little news-boy who helped me when I was down and out. _Bill._ Good evenin', ladies and gents. _Dolly._ It was some kind of joke you played on us, Jack? _Jack._ It was a wager I had made. I went out to shift for myself and see how I'd get along. I wasn't playing any joke on you, Dolly. _Dolly._ It was a pretty poor joke on Belle, I think. _Jack._ How do you mean? _Dolly._ You promised you'd marry her! _Dad._ What! _Jessie._ Marry her! _Dolly._ That's what he told her. Didn't you, Jack? _Jack._ Why--I--