Part 41 (1/2)

I haven't them.

{Starkweather}

What's to be done, Hubbard?

{Hubbard}

She has them. She has as much as acknowledged that they are not elsewhere in the room. She has not been out of the room. There is nothing to do but search her.

{Starkweather}

Nothing else remains to be done. Dobleman, and you, Hubbard, take her behind the screen. Strip her. Recover the papers.

(_Dobleman is in a proper funk, but Hubbard betrays no unwillingness._)

{Chalmers}

No; that I shall not permit. Hubbard shall have nothing to do with this.

{Margaret}

It is too late, Tom. You have stood by and allowed me to be stripped of everything else. A few clothes do not matter now. If I am to be stripped and searched by men, Mr. Hubbard will serve as well as any other man. Perhaps Mr. Rutland would like to lend his a.s.sistance.

{Connie}

Oh, Madge! Give them up.

(_Margaret shakes her head._)

(_To Starkweather._) Then let me search her, father.

{Starkweather}

You are too willing. I don't want volunteers. I doubt that I can trust you any more than your sister.

{Connie}

Let mother, then.

{Starkweather}

(_Sneering._) Margaret could smuggle a steamer-trunk of doc.u.ments past her.

{Connie}

But not the men, father! Not the men!

{Starkweather}

Why not? She has shown herself dead to all shame.