MISS WORKER (_comes between two_). For shame! (_Prayerful attitude_) Oh Lord, forgive them. It would be better for both of you to go your own way without molesting one another.
MRS. BAXTER. Yes, I intend going my way. But I _insist_ upon an apology from this woman.
MARY. Why should I apologize to you? Ah, my cause, my noble cause! (_Stands on chair_) Three cheers for Woman Suffrage and may she rule from one corner of the earth to the other! Hurrah! _Hurrah!_ HURRAH!
MRS. BAXTER (_opposite_). Three cheers for the Antis! Hurrah! _Hurrah!_ HURRAH! [EXIT C.D. MISS WORKER
ENTER _ALICE C.D., horrified; MISS PRUNE hides_.
ALICE. Why, Mary and Mrs. Baxter, what does this mean? (_MRS. BAXTER and MARY both run to ALICE_)
MRS. BAXTER. Oh, my dear Alice, on which side are you? For it or against it?
MARY (_scornfully_). Of course she is on my side. She has too much brains to be on yours.
MRS. BAXTER. How dare you? Do you mean to insinuate----
ALICE. Oh, come now. Stop this quarreling. To tell the truth, I am neutral.
TOGETHER (_MRS. BAXTER and MARY glaring at one another_) There.
ALICE. But, tell me, what brought you here?
MRS. BAXTER. I just dropped in to ask you to attend a dinner party this evening.
MARY. She will _not go_. She is coming with me. (_Puts arm around ALICE_) There's a dear. Won't you come to the lecture given by Dr. Weeks this evening on "What Woman Will Do With the Vote"?
ALICE. I'll tell you what I will do. I shall go to neither place. Come now, you two shake hands and be good friends.
ALICE. For the land's sake, why keep up this pretense any longer? You know right well, Mary, that you are dying to know where Mrs. Baxter bought her new hat. (_MRS. BAXTER and MARY look at one another; both laugh_)
MARY. You are right, Alice. Although we rave and clamor for our rights, we are still _only_ women down deep in our hearts.
MRS. BAXTER. And, although I try to make people think I would not be bothered about Woman's Rights, I am still enough of a woman not to want a man to get anything over on me. Well, come along, Mary; I have a new gown to show you.
MRS. BAXTER. } } Good-bye, Alice dear, wish you luck. MARY. }
[EXIT _MRS. BAXTER and MARY C.D., chatting gaily_
ALICE. Well, those two are beyond me. A few minutes ago they were fighting like two bitter enemies, and now they go off like two of the best friends. Well, strange things do happen. (_Turns to table_) Oh dear, what has happened to my stenographer and--_oh!_--_oh!_--where have my papers and letters disappeared to? (_Spies MISS PRUNE in corner_) So, there you are. Will you kindly tell me the meaning of this? What have you done with my papers?