The Benefit of the Doubt; a Comedy in Three Acts

Olive, Quaife is waiting for the note. [_There is a pause; then_ OLIVE _turns suddenly and hands_ QUAIFE _the note. He goes out. There is another pause._] And after this—after t...

[_He disappears. She rises feebly, and, with an effort, pushes away the chair_ FRASER _has placed at the head of the settee; then she sinks into it_. MRS. CLOYS _enters at the w...

[_Passing his fingers over the strings of the banjo._] You don’t remember, Denzil—nor you, Peter, I suppose; _she_ used to thrum on this thing—well, hardly this thing—the guitar...

Not ridiculous, as you say it—great fun for a time; but four or five months of Duncan and Hamish and their pipes! To and fro on the terrace, for a whole hour in the morning, tho...

You have tried my patience long enough, Mr. Allingham. [_She goes to_ THEOPHILA; JOHN _walks away, and stands with his back to those in the room._] Come! you have had ample time...

If they did do such a thing——! [_Agitatedly._] Gurrrh! I can’t get my bonnet to sit straight. May I take it off, and receive them as if I were—at home?

You will see Theo and her husband in a few minutes. They are staying with me just now. “Weak, giddy mother,” am I, Harriet? My child flies to me in her trouble, nevertheless.

Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding the handling of any textual issue...

[_Assenting._] For the season—sufficiently large for the dear bishop, myself, and Theophila. Both in London and at St. Olpherts, Theophila will be my close companion. In our lit...