(_Advancing, surprised._) What the deuce? Everybody gone? {Knox} (_Startled to his feet._) Where the devil did you come from? {Hubbard} (_Indicating bedroom._) In there. I was in there all the time. {Knox} (_Endeavoring to pass it off._) Oh, I had forgotten about you. Well, my callers are gone. {Hubbard} (_Walking over close to him and laughing at him with affected amusement._) Honest men are such dubs when they do go wrong. {Knox} The door was closed all the time. You would not have dared to spy upon me. {Hubbard} There was something familiar about the lady's voice. {Knox} You heard!--what did you hear? {Hubbard} Oh, nothing, nothing--a murmur of voices--and the woman's--I could swear I have heard her voice before. (_Knox shows his relief._) Well, so long. (_Starts to move toward exit to right._) You won't reconsider your decision? {Knox} (_Shaking his head._) {Hubbard} (_Pausing, open door in hand, and laughing cynically._) And yet it was but a moment ago that it seemed I heard you say there was no one whom you would not permit the world to know you saw. (_Starting._) What do you mean? {Hubbard} Good-bye. (_Hubbard makes exit and closes door._) (_Knox wanders aimlessly to his desk, glances at the letter he was reading of which had been interrupted by Hubbard's entry of first act, suddenly recollects the package of documents, and walks to low bookcase and looks on top._) {Knox} (_Stunned._) The thief! (_He looks about him wildly, then rushes like a madman in pursuit of Hubbard, making exit to right and leaving the door Hying open._) (_Empty stage for a moment._) Curtain ACT III Scene. _The library, used as a sort of semi-office by Starkweather at such times when he is in Washington. Door to right; also, door to right rear. At left rear is an alcove, without hangings, which is dark. To left are windows. To left, near windows, a fiat-top desk, with desk-chair and desk-telephone. Also, on desk, conspicuously, is a heavy dispatch box. At the center rear is a large screen. Extending across center back of room are heavy, old-fashioned bookcases, with swinging glass doors. The bookcases narrow about four feet from the floor, thus forming a ledge. Between left end of bookcases and alcove at left rear, high up on wall, hangs a large painting or steel engraving of Abraham Lincoln. In design and furnishings, it is a simple chaste room, coldly rigid and slightly old-fashioned. It is 9:30 in the morning of the day succeeding previous act. Curtain discloses Starkweather seated at desk, and Dobleman, to right of desk, standing._ {Starkweather} All right, though it is an unimportant publication. I'll subscribe. {Dobleman} (_Making note on pad._) Very well, sir. Two thousand. (_He consults his notes._) Then there is _Vanderwater's Magazine_. Your subscription is due. {Starkweather} How much? {Dobleman} You have been paying fifteen thousand. {Starkweather} It is too much. What is the regular subscription?