" l hardly have the nerve to look at it." " l'm sure we have itthis time." "Seems too much to hope for." "After all, the experiments are only based on a hunch." "All scientific experiments are based on a hunch." "Backed up with knowledge and effort and patience." "This means a great deal, Boynton." "If itworks, it means the Guggenheim Fellowship." "I used to dream about going abroad to study." "Heidelberg, Vienna..." "Magic words, Boynton." "And then I married and had to settle down to being a small-time doctor in a little town." "I thought atfirst I might save enough." "Maybe I could have." " Then the baby came." " l know." "I'm not regrettting anything." "Mywife and Molly are..." "Say, I'm a lucky stiff, Boynton." "You knowthat, don'tyou?" "Yes, Doctor." "Molly." " Do you wantto see ifthe cake's done?" "All right." "Now, careful." "Don't burn yourself." "I won't, Mommy." " l think so, Mommy." "All right, let's have a look." "Ooh, that's hot!" " Have a smell." " Mmm!" "We can't go to Heaven's Gate without cake, can we?" " No, darling, we cerrtainly can't." " l wish you'd let me help you, Mrs Middleton." "This is onlyworkthat Mommy and I can do." "This is a vey special day, Amy." "It only happens twice ayear." "What makes this day any differentfrom any other?" "Today's the daythat Molly and I call our May Saturday." " The other day comes in September." "We call that our September Saturday." "Anyway, I think I ought to help you with the work." "Thanksjustthe same, Amy." "I have help." "Young lady, who do you workfor?" "You." "And who does Mommyworkfor?" " Daddy." "And who does Daddyworkfor?" "Forthe butcher and grocer, the tax collector and the telephone company." "Oh, you!" "Cottton in your ears from now on atthe dinnertable, young lady." " (phone ríngs)" " Let's go see who that is." "How's the most beautiful woman in the world?" "Justwaiting breathlesslyforthe world's handsomest man to come home." " It's Daddy." " That's why I called." " l won't be able to get home at all today." " Oh, dear," "You see, I'm right in the middle ofan imporrtant experiment." "I don'tthink I'll even make itfor dinner." "But, darling this is May Saturday." "Uh-oh." "May Saturday." "Couldn'twe possibly put it off until nextweek?" "No, dear, we couldn't put it off." "I knowthat sounds like a vey selfish wife, but... ttwice ayear I reserve the rightto be selfish and insist upon coming bettween you and yourwork." " But I'm doing all this foryou and Molly." " But May Saturday is for Molly, too." "Put her on the phone." "Let me speakto her, will you?" " Daddywants to speakto you, dear." " Hello, Daddy." "Hello, young lady." "Say, would it interestyou if I were to tell you that..." "Daddy, Mother's right here, so I have to whisper." "Are you listening?" "Listen closer." "(whíspers) Now, don'tforgetthe candied ginger." "Now, I don'twantto scold you, Daddy, but Sniffy, Mommy and I have been waiting and waiting foryou to come home." "Ifyou don't hury, you'll be late." "What?" "What did you say, Daddy?" "He says thatwe oughtto starrt ahead without him." "He's leaving the office right away." " l'm taking the day off." "Imporrtant business." " Butthe experiment!" "I said, imporrtant business." "Here comes Daddy!" "Here comes Daddy!" " Hello." " Hello." "Well, how's my sweethearrt?" "Here I am, almost as good as new." " You were almost late, Daddy." " "Almost" neverwon first prize." " Say, where do you want us to sit?" "As ifyou didn't know!" "No, honestly, I've forgottten." "You've forgottten where we sit when we picnic at Heaven's Gate?" "Why, Daddy!" " Have you forgottten too, Mommy?" " Mm-hm." " Do I have to tell you?" "Afraid so." "Right overthere, where we always sit evey May and September." "Here we go!" " Ready, Daddy?" "All ready." "Come on." "Let's get out of'em." "I'll getyour shoes." "And Mom'll take your dress off." "There we are." "Give me yourfoot." "There we are." "Nowthis one." " That's a girl!" "Oh!" " (laughter)" "Here we go." "Come on." "Are you ready?" "Are you holding your breath?" " Yes." "All right." "Whoo!" "Ooh, it's like a drink of iced water!" "Only, on the outside." "Whee!" ", Ooh, bettterthan a bathtub no mattter ifyou run itfull." "Just once more, Daddy." "It's good exercise." "Just once more." " That's enough." "It's too cold." " Should I blow my nose, Daddy?" " Ifyou can getthe crumbs offyou thatway." "There's more cake outside than inside!" " Can I help you, dear?" " No, thanks." "This is girls' work." "Good girl." "Our old gate." "You know, Don, we've been awfully happy." ""Been"?" ". !" "." "I was kind of in hopes thatyou'd still be in love with that county doctor." "You know I am." "And more than ever, too." "What's on your mind?" " l wasjustthinking ofour early struggle." "Wasn't any picnic foryou, was it?" " Itwas grand, though." "Our living room was your office and I had to chase prescriptions, hand you instruments." "Emergency calls at all hours!" "And my holding the patients' feet as well as their hands." " How I loved it!" " Molly changed all that, didn't she?" "I just had to get a regular nurse." "I know Miss Boynton's been wonderful but, nowthat Molly's no longer a baby," " don'tyou thinkthat..." " That I could get along without Boynton?" "I don't knowjustwhat I'd do, Elsa." "Don, I do wish that..." "Thatwhat?" "Forget it. I'm just an old married woman with not enough to do." "All readyforthe picture?" " l don't look vey beautiful after all this work." "You're the best-looking woman here." "Turn the film?" "Yes, it's all set." "Get closerto Daddy, Mommy." "Daddy, get closerto Mommy." " How's that?" " Fine." "Now, look at each other and smile." "Whee!" "Don, that man rides like Rolfe Brent!" "Why not?" "It is Rolfe Brent." "Hejust got backfrom Europe a couple ofdays ago." " Hello there!" "When do we go to Heaven's Gate again?" "Notfor a long, long time, Molly." " Remember me?" " Sure, Brent. I heard you got back." "Mywife recognised you bythe wayyou satyour horse." "How one man sits a horse differently from another, I don't see." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" " Does he have any ponies, Mommy?" " l don't know, dear." "I hope we're going to be good neighbours." "Are you staying on at Brenttwood?" " l've got haifa dozen ofthese youngsters." " It's a lot ofwork, exercising them." " How could anyone call thatwork?" "Say, why don'tyou ttwo come riding with me sometime?" "Mrs Middleton might." "The onlything l ride's that old bus of mine." "It bouncesjust as much and doesn't bite!" " How aboutyou, Mrs Middleton?" " l don'tthink I could." "Ofcourse you could." "You used to be great." "Go ahead." "Ofcourse you could." "You just get on him and go." " Don't let hertake anyjumps till she's all set." " You can trust me." "May I send my carforyou in the morning?" "Aboutten o'clock?" "All right." " She'd get a big kick out of it." "She doesn'twantto get kicked, Daddy!" " That's fine." "So long." " Goodbye." " Goodbye, Molly." " Goodbye, Mr Brent." "Come on." "(whístles) Come on, Sniffy." "Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old." "(clock chímíng)" " It's eight o'clock, Molly." " Eight?" "Already, Daddy?" "Why, it seems no more than half-past seven." "(_píanoplayíng)" "Sniff." "Eight o'clock, sir." "Don't pretend you don't know it." "Sniff!" "Give him a chance." "Maybe he wants to say good nightto his gang." "Do you think I have nothing bettterto do than wait here foryou all night?" "!" "(_ tune ends)" "Good night, Doctor." "Ifany litttle boy or girl gets sick in the night, I prescript milk of magnesia." "Ugh!" " Good night, Daddy." " Good night." "Now, you lie down and go to sleep, pet." "Good night, sweetie." "(_ollemíts a cy)" "You mustn'tfeel bad, honey." "Shejustforgot." "Mothers can'tthink ofeveything." "_ Evening is nigh" "_ Stars ttwinkle on high" "_ Purple shadows begin to creep" "_ Close your eyes and starrt counting sheep" "_ Ifyou're real good" "_And pray as you should" "_ Snow-white angels will watch overyou" "_ Till morning is nigh" "Night, honey." "Hm, finishing your dinner offthe mantelpiece?" "I'm not as ancient and decrepid as you thought." "Is thatwhatyou mean?" "Say, how'd your old riding outfit workthis morning?" "I can just squeeze into it." "Thankyou kindly." "You know, Don I wish you'd rid'e with me or... or something." "Me riding wouldbe something!" " Do you wantthe Jackson case histoy?" " Yes, I'll put it in my case." "The positive results from the cultures mean you'll be able to prove yourtheoy." "If I can, it'll mean awhole newtreatment." " Don'twory aboutthings while you're away." "What do you mean?" "Oh..." "I meant aboutthe patients." "I'm sure I'll be able to take care ofthem." " l know I can always count on you." " Thankyou." "Goodbye, and good luck." "Thanks. I'll need it." " Oh, Don, mustyou go to New York?" " Darling, it's the chance ofa lifetime." "I know, and I don'twantto be a bad sporrt, but mustyou go atthis parrticulartime?" "What's the mattter, Elsa?" "I suppose I'm foolish, but I get so bored and lonely justwaiting for an occasional glimpse ofyou." "You poor darling." "It isn't much fun foryou, is it?" "Don, take me with you." "Thatwouldn't be anyfun foryou, because I go from hospital to hospital." " l'd waitforyou." " Butyou just said..." "That's right, I did, didn't I?" "Skip it, darling." "You're afunny girl." "I suppose I am." "Poor Don, cooped up in that laboratoy with poisonous gases and diphtheria germs." "I thought he wentforjust a couple ofdays." "Don forgets time when he's working." "He phoned at noon and said he'd be back aboutfive o'clock." "That's fine!" "You can bring him to dinnertonight." "Unless you've had enough ofyour neighbour." "Silly!" " Look, there's afence ahead." "Let's take it." " Let's go." "Whee!" "How do you like it, Sniffy?" "(Sn_barkín_catscreechíng)" "(carhorn beeps)" "Daddy!" "Daddy!" "Daddy, wait!" "Daddy, wait!" " Hello, Daddy." "Are you hurrt?" "I..." "I think I might have a litttle fever." "Where's Amy?" " She told me to wait here." "Oh, I see." "Did you miss me much, Daddy?" "Cos I did you." "I had more to do in New York than go around missing litttle girls." "You're teasing!" "Mommy says you spend most ofyourtime missing her, and the rest missing me." " Don'tyou ever miss Sniff, Daddy?" "Well..." " Not even a litttle?" "A penny's worrth." "Did you and your mother get in any mischief while I was gone?" "I haven'tthought ofany good mischief." "Mommy's been too busy riding." "Oh." "Well, here we go." "Oop!" " Say, where's Sniff?" "(whístles)" " Sniffy!" "Here, Sniffy!" "I'm not expecting a surprise, but ifyou had brought me one, whatwould it be, Daddy?" "Well, it might be awhitejacket with a hatto match, with big white butttons." "And then again, it might be a doll." "Ooh!" "Hury, Daddy. I can'twait." "Might it be both?" "Hello, Mommy!" "Hello, Mommy!" " Don!" " Hello, Mommy!" "Well, Elsa!" " Darling, you've been gone ages!" " Have I?" "I've missed you, too." " Oh, Rolfe." " Hm." " How's the riding?" "We've done some grand riding." "We've been taking thejumps like steeplechasers." "How are you, Don?" "You knowthis girl's a champion horsewoman?" " She's a champion, all right." " You're bringing herto dinnertonight." " No excuse this time." " Sory, I have x-ray plates to studytonight." "All right." "Whattime do you want us?" " That's great." "Make it eight o'clock." " Fine." " Don..." " l'll study 'em in the morning." " Bye, Molly!" " Goodbye, Mr Brent." " Bye." " Goodbye." "Am I vey mean to take you overto Rolfe's?" " l'll see howyou behave and tell you later." "I wish we could do things like other people, without always feeling guilty." "Guilty?" "!" "I don'tfeel guilty, I feel swell." "I don't care who gets sicktonight." "Are my clothes pressed?" "I'll see." " Ow!" "Mommy!" "Daddy!" "Wait a minute, darling." "You took a nosedive, huh?" " Here we go." "There you are." " Let me cary 'em." "All right." "We'll pile the packages in your arms." "Ifshe's gonna cary 'em, putthat one up there... (Elsa_ We were haIFwayto BrooMield bythattime!" " It's a long way." "And he, the great horseman," " dismounted and sat on afence to rest!" " l don't blame him." "I ride for pleasure, notto prove I can take it." "Could I tell she'd gallop off and leave me there?" "She's aptto do most anyything." "It's no compliment thatyou'll risk such a lovely girl with someone as susceptible as I am." "Don'tthink I don'twory about it." "He'd think any girl was marvellous who knew "bridle" meant a harness and not awedding." "I beg your pardon?" "You wouldn't go riding with another man ifyou were mywife." "Well, I ain't, I ain't never gonna be, and I can't ride a horse anyyway." "Here, hold this and don't be such a gossip." "You know, Don, I have too much time to play and maybe you haven't enough." "No, I have all I want." "Elsa can represent me in the sporrting world." "If I had such a charming representative, I'd retire to the sidelines, too." "You playboys are the ones who are on the sidelines." " (woman) I must see the doctor." " He's dining, Miss." " Tell him I'm here." " l can't disturb him." "Ifyou don't call him, I'm afraid I'll have to..." " It's the Stevens' case." "An emergency." " Bring a kit?" " Yes." " Good. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me." "Let me come. I can keep the other Stevenses out ofthe room." "No, you finish your dinner." "Boynton can handle this." " Butyou may be late." " Rolfe will be kind enough to see you home." " You mean, luckky enough." " Good night." "Well, I seem to be on your hands." " Do you mind?" "I can stand it." "For a litttle while." "Poor Don." "Is he always being called away like this?" "Doesn't he ever getto finish a meal?" "I think he had desserrt once lastyear." "Sweet enough." "Yourtechnique is perrfect, Rolfe." "Hury and drink up so I can keep in practice." "It's too hot." "The coffee, I mean." "Oh. (chuckles)" "Whatwould yourfirst move be if itweren'tforthe coffee?" "Well, I'd showyou some etchings." "But I haven't any etchings." "Tsk, tsk, tsk." "Bad." "Leaves you helpless, doesn't it?" "It's a great handicap." "How about awalk in the garden?" " Too trite." " But always good!" " Fool!" " You're a darling." "Whoa!" "I may be spoiling eveything, but I can't keep up the pretence. I want so much to..." " Go ahead. I'm not afraid." " Elsa, you must knowthat I... I know. I'm veyfond ofyou, too, Rolfe." "We're both nice, civilised people." "Should I exclaim, "Sir, how dare you"?" "You see, I'm not afraid." " l just know I haven't been mistaken in you." " You're pre_ swell." "Now, aboutthis husband ofyours." "Don'tyou thinkwe could teach him to be silly, like us?" "I suppose you realise not one in a hundred could have handled that." " l thinkwe saved the peritonitis." " "We"?" "!" "Yousaved it." " Thejob needed us both, Boynton." " l wish you wouldn't call me that." "Why not?" " Because I've got a name, you know." "It's Sara." "All right, Sara." "Good night." "Don't let me forget to fill outthat reporrt in the morning." "Remind me, will you, Boynton?" " Yes, Doctor." " Good night." "MoIJy) Is thatyou, Daddy?" " You'll di_ my covers, Daddy." " l beg your pardon, young lady." "Here." "Bythe way, young lady, what are you doing awake atthis hour ofthe night?" "I guess Sniffy must have woken me up." "Ooh!" "What's in the box?" "That's Mommy's surprise." "Oh-oh-oh-oh!" "If I letyou see it, will you go rightto sleep?" " l promise." "All right." "(chuckles)" "MoIJygíggles)" "Ooh!" "That's a nice surprise." "You bet it is." "We're not gonna have our Mommy shown up bythis horsy crowd." " Now, good night, young lady." " Night." " You go rightto sleep." "All right." "Daddy!" "I can sleep quicker ifyou leave the door open." "All right, sleep quicker." "Thanks for bringing me home, Rolfe." "You're riding with me in the morning." " Butyou promised." "Veywell, then. I'll ride." "You're a dear." "It's been wonderrful." "Thanks for a perrfect evening." " Don, you're home!" " Uh-huh." "They're simply swell!" "I mean, I didn't parrticularly care for thatfarewell speech you just made to Brent." "Now, don't saythings you'll be soryfor." " You're tired." " Yes." "(Elsa_ I will not be questioned like this!" " (Don) Why are you so excited, then?" " (Elsa) I'm not excited." "Eitheryou trust me, darling, oryou don't - no mattterwho the man is!" "What's the mattter, sweethearrt?" "Can'tyou sleep?" "I'vejust had a bad dream, Mommy." "Have you, dear?" "Well, so have I." "Let's go to sleep again and see if we can't have a sweet one this time." " Sing to me, Mommy." "All right, dear." "_ Evening is nigh" "_ Stars ttwinkle on high" "Mister, get backthere!" "You may not like this, Mr Sniff, butyour children will be vey proud to have it." "Take care notto spotthat dress." "The Mondaywash is big enough." "How long is ittill my September Saturday, Amy, when we go to Heaven's Gate?" "Why don'tyou askyourfather?" "Oryour mother?" "I did." "Butthey're always talking." "Well, it's three weeks away." "Three weeks?" "!" "That's an awwfully long time." "All right, then, take it!" "What's thatyou're hanging up, Amy?" "What does it look like?" "It's atablecloth." "Why don'twe have dinner any more, Amy?" "What do you mean?" " You have dinner evey night, don'tyou?" " l mean with Daddy and Mommy, like before." "Oh, I don't know." "Anyyway, it's none of my business." " Is it any of my business?" "lfthose people would only go away and leave 'em alone, eveything'd be all right." "Nowwill you get out of myway, Miss?" " Ifwho would go away, Amy?" " That nurse and that Mr Brent, that's who." "Oh!" "For heaven's sake, child!" "MoIJygígglíng)" "How do you expect me to get anyything done with you under myfeet?" " You can step over me!" " (carhorn beepíng)" "(beepíng)" " Hello, Molly." " Hello." "Well!" "What's wrong?" "I don't like to be picked up." "Except by my daddy." "But he's not herejust now." "Won't I do?" " You don't know how a daddy does." " l could learn." "It's vey hard to learn, sir." "Let's have aty." "Let's pretend that I'm the daddy and you're the litttle girl." " l amthe litttle girl." "All right!" "We'rejust pretending." "Now, here I come!" "Nowthen you give m' e an account ofyourself." "Any cuts, pains, bumps?" "That's not like a daddy." " No?" "Why not?" " You were laughing." "You're supposed to laugh inside, but ifyou laugh outside, that spoils it." "(laughíng) Oh, Molly!" "Why don'tyou like me, Molly?" "I like you." "I like you and your mother and your daddy." "I don't care." "We don't like you." "We wish you'd go away and never come back." "Who is "we", Molly?" "Your mother?" "Are you sure?" "(cardrí_es o_" " l told him, Amy." "Who?" "What?" " l told Mr Brentwhatyou said." "Whatlsaid?" "!" "About Mommy and Daddy and me wishing he'd go away and never come back." "What?" "To his face?" "!" "Look here, you're going to get into trouble forthat." "Don'tyou sayltold you to!" " Butyou said..." " l said nothing about it, understand?" " Is itthe worstthing I've ever done, Amy?" " Yes, I think maybe it is." "Will Mommy spank me?" " Yes, I think maybe she will." "Will Daddy?" "He never has." "Well, maybe hewon't." "Notfor anyything you said to Mr Brent." "(phone ríngs)" "Hello?" "Yes." "Hello, Elsa." "Why... why, no." "Something just came up, and I..." "I'm going away." "What?" "I thinkyou knowwhy." "Butwhere on earrth did you getthat idea?" "Has Don been talking to you?" "He has. I know he has." "Rolfe!" "(Don) Boynton." " Boynton!" " Miss Boynton." " Is my husband in?" " Yes, but he's terribly busyjust now." " Is he alone?" " Yes." "Boynton!" "Why aren'tyou here when I need you?" "I don't know, Don." "I knowyou need me." "And I need you, too." "I came to see ifsomething can be done about it." " It's entirely up to you." " Oh, Don, let's stop this." "Let's not quarrel any more." "When I leftthe house I was furious because ofyour interrference." " Interrference?" " There's no need to pretend." "I knowyou asked Rolfe notto see me any more." "I asked Rolfe notto...?" "!" "Say, if he told you that, he's lying." " Don, that's nottrue." " Look, I'm terribly busy." "I don'twantto argue with you. I'm in the last stage ofa vey imporrtant experiment." "Experiment?" "Boynton!" "(_ooropens)" "(_ "Oh!" "Susanna')" "What's the mattter, Mommy?" "Hm?" "Oh... I've been naughtytoday, Mommy." "Worserthan I've ever been before." "Have you, dear?" "Shall I go upstairs and waitforyou to come?" "No, darling, ofcourse not." "Why, what on earrth have you done?" "This morning I told Mr Brent we didn't like him." "Thatwasn't vey kind, was it?" "No." "And I told him we wished he'd go away and never come back." "Butthat's nottrue, Molly." "(síghs) So now I'll go upstairs." "No, darling." "Mother doesn'twantto spankyou." "I'm sure you're sory about Mr Brent, aren'tyou?" "Well..." "I'm vey sory, Mommy." "(e Kasperatedsígh)" "(Don) What are you doing here?" "I thoughtyou mightwant me." "No, go on home." "Won'tyou talkto me, Doctor?" "What is there to talk about?" "I'm amused, Boynton." "Believe it nor not, I'm amused." "What's thejoke?" "This." "Months ago itwould have meant eveything in the world to me." " The fellowship!" "Congratulations..." " Yes, that's swell, isn't it?" "I'm going to talkto you not as your nurse, but as afriend." " It's notworrthy ofyou to actthis way." " Don't interrfere." ""Don't interrfere"?" "!" "You expect me to stand by idlywhile you ruin your life?" "Why do you stand forwhat's going on bettween Elsa and Brent?" "What right have you to tell me..." "What right?" "Because I love you." "I'm sory. I shouldn't have spoken." "Mommy, I thought I heard Daddy's car, but itwent right by." "So you had to come downstairs and tell Mommy all about it, didn'tyou?" "Yes, Mommy." "I thoughtyou mightwantto know." "Thankyou." "Here, you'd bettter put on Mommy's wrap." "You mustn't catch cold." "Then you can put Sniffoutfor a moment, and then the ttwo ofyou, hop up to bed again." "Mm!" "My baby." " There we go." " Molly." " l wantto askyou something." " Yes?" "Would you like to call me Uncle Rolfe?" " No, thankyou." "Well, I don't care forthat "uncle" stuffeither, Molly." "How aboutjust calling me Rolfe, then?" "But... can'twejusttalk, without my calling you anyything, sir?" "Afraid not, Molly." "You see, you're coming to live at my house pre_ soon." "How can you live in anybody's house butyour own?" "But itwill be your own." " He's teasing, Mommy." " No, Molly, he's notteasing." "And you shall have all new playythings." " But I like my old playythings." " You can bring them, too." " Don't." "There must be a bettterwaythan this." "But if Mother asks you?" "Molly, you'll have your own pony." "A brown-and-white pony." "A pony?" "A pony!" "I'm going to have a pony." "And will you come too, Mommy?" " Ofcourse, darling." "And Daddy?" "Not Daddy?" "I was onlyteasing, Mr Brent, sir." "Cos I really don'twant a pony." "I've got a dog." "Molly." "Now, I wantyou to listen vey carefully." "You won't understand perhaps until you're a big girl, but I wantyou to tyto remember, ifyou can." "Mother's going awayfor awhile." "When she comes back she won't be married to Daddy." "Who will you be married to, Mommy?" "Well... soon I'll be married to Mr Brent." "And then we'll go and live in his house." "And who will Daddy be married to?" "I don't know, dear." "Well, maybe if I growed like aweed, I could mary Daddy." "Let's nottalk about it any more." "Now run along." "The Denforrths are expecting us on Friday." "They're giving a pa_ before the horse show." "I don't see how I can possibly leave before Saturday night, Rolfe." "Course not, Mommy!" "You remembered, didn'tyou?" "It's my September Saturday." "It's the daywe all go to Heaven's Gate." "We take our lunch. I take cake." "It's a picnic - justthe three of us, ttwice ayear." "Butyou're nottelling itto him right, Mommy." "It's Heaven's Gate, and it's always the Saturday Daddyfirstfound Mommythere." "Mommy always takes ginger." "Daddy always takes ham and cheese. I take cake." "I'm afraid I don't understand, Molly." "Oh, ifyou only knew!" " If he only knew!" " Oh, but Molly." "You're gettting too big for Heaven's Gate." "Don'tyou see?" " Butyou and Daddy didn't gettoo big." " Oh..." "Now, let Sniffout and run upstairs to bed." "I'll bring him up and tuckyou in." "(sobbíng)" "Oh, Daddy!" "(sobbíng contínues)" "Oh, Daddy!" "Yes, my baby." "(sobbíng contínues)" "Daddy..." "You mustn't cy." "Now." "Now, that's all over." "You tell me what it's all about." "Here." "You take Daddy's handkerchief." "Tell me the whole thing." "Daddy... it's my September Saturday and we're not going..." "No." "..cos l'm a big girl now." "Daddy, why do we have to go and get big?" "It's not because you're so big, darling." "I still thinkyou're pre_ litttle." "Butwejust can't manage Heaven's Gate any more, because... because things are all changed." "Because Mommy's going away?" "Well, because ofthat and a lot ofotherthings." "We're all so sory." "You and Daddy, and even your mother, I guess." "Butwe'vejust gotto think of something else to have fun with." "You know, there's gonna be a circus in town Saturday." "Gee, I'd like to see a circus." "Wouldn'tyou?" "Well, I'd like to see a circus if it didn't come my September Saturday." "I'll be all packed and ready." "I couldn't bearto come back here." "We needn't come back here." "We can drive straight into town." "I'll getthe dog in and go up." "I don'twant Mollyto stay awake." "Molly!" "What's happened?" "Give herto me!" "Whatwas it, Don?" "I don't know." "Something about missing her picnic day." "I don't suppose we could go through with it?" " Could we?" " Maybe you could. I couldn't." "Besides, you can'tfool her." "I'd betttertake herto the circus." "So it's gettting to Molly now." "Something's gotto be done about it." "I'm leaving Saturday, Don." "I won't be back." "Don, I..." "I wantto talkto you." "There's nothing to talk about." "Wait a minute." "The blame isn't all on one side." "Listen to some truths." "I didn'ttake Elsafrom you." "You gave herto me." "What?" "You were atthe office, the laboratoy morning, noon and night." "I see." "I'll do whatever Elsawants me to." "Itwas kind ofyou to let me have the afternoon off." "I've got atooth that's been bothering me." "Too bad you'll miss all the fun atthe circus." "Now, remember, Doctor." "No popcorn, lemonade, or any ofthat stuff." "Don't let her upset her stomach." "Well, goodbye." " Goodbye, Amy." "Be home early!" " Goodbye." "Have a good time atthe dentist, Amy." "Whytime'd your mother go, Molly?" "Mommywentwhen Mr Brent came." "Did she have anyything to say?" "Nope,justwent!" "She squeezed me and said, "Now, you be a big girl."" "What got into me the other night, cying just because today is my September Saturday?" "You don't mind so much now, do you?" "Why, I don't mind hardly at all." "(_ bandplays)" "(laughter)" "(cheeríng)" "Whee!" "(cheeríng)" " The horse missed him, didn't he?" " Yeah!" " Doctor, the hospital called." "It's urgent." " Oh." "Here, take these." "Staywith Molly." "See that she has a good time." " l wantto go with you." " You'll have to staywith Boynton." "Be a good girl." " Bye." "We'll stay and see the rest ofthe show." "Molly, look." " l dropped my hat." "Well, you'd bettter get down and get it." "Hey!" "What are you doing in there?" "Now, go on, get out of here!" "Ha!" "We're going, Sniff." "You can't hardlywait till I fix the lunch, can you, Sniff?" " Elsa." "Itwas a mistake to come back here." " l had to, Rolfe." "(RoHe_ You'll only make things much more difficult ifyou say goodbye to Molly again." "I know I had no logical reason for coming back." "I guess it'sjustwhat Don would call a hunch." "But, darling, I thoughtwe'd agreed on eveything." "Maybe I'm foolish, but I had to be sure." "You've gotto trust myjudgment." "I mean, the situation would be easy and simple if itweren'tfor Molly." " Don't saythat." "We have our own lives to live." "If itweren'tfor Molly, I knowwe could be happytogether." "Well, it's true, isn't it?" "Rolfe, you must give me a litttle time to thinkthis over." "Sure I will." "But don't make it one minute longerthan you can help." "You shouldn'tfeel bad, Sniffy." "It'sjustthat it's diff... difficult." "I think itwould be easierforthem ifyou weren't here either, so you and me will run away." "Now don't make afuss, Sniffy." "You've gotto remember thatwe're growed up now." "And besides, you have me..." "and I have you." "You'll always have me, won'tyou, Sniffy?" "We'll go to Heaven's Gate first, say goodbye to it." "Then we'll go a long ways away." "Maybe as far as..." "China." "I won't have room foryour brush and comb, Sniffy. I'm afraid you'll have to use mine." "(coín rattles)" "This litttle piggywentto market!" "Come on, Sniffy." "Well, why didn'tyou hang onto her?" "Have you phoned the house?" "That's right." "Amy's atthe dentist." "Well, you waitthere atthe circus and I'll look around town." "Yes." "Hello there!" "Where are you bound for with all that baggage?" "Oh,just places." "Just places?" "Theytell me it's pre_fine county round there." " Yes, sir." " Some places I know are a long way away." "Would you like to rest a minute, pass the time ofday?" "I can't do that. I'm too busy." "You see, I've gotto find myselfa new home." "I see." "Say, does your mother know thatyou're leaving home?" "No, sir." "I justthoughtthat up all by myself." "Well, I'll be a grasshopper!" "Say, I'm a pre_ smarrtfellow when it comes to keeping secrets." "Where are you figuring going?" "Well, I did kind ofthink that I'd keep it all to myself." "There's no one else around here." "(chuckles)" "All right, I'll tell you." " (man chuckles)" " Hello there, Molly." " Hello, Mr Thorpe." "Thankyou." "Doctor, she'll be found." "I'm sure she'll be found." "(phone ríngs)" "Hello?" "Yes, this is Middleton." "What's that?" " Thorpe saw Molly." "On the road to Hammondsporrt." "Why didn't Thorpe bring her back?" "Was she with anyone?" "Yeah." "Thorpe said she was talking to some man." "What?" "No, we don't knowwho he is." "Well, sure." "We're sending the boys right out." "Well, wait. I'll be right over." "I guess you can see I've got all the clothes I need." "Well, I'm here to say so." "But... how about money?" " l've got lots of money." " (coín rattles)" "Look!" "Why, I guess I must have about athousand million dollars in there." "My, my, that ís a lot of money!" "I guess with that much money I could even go all the wayto China if I wanted to." "I reckon you could." "Do you think itwould be a good idea if I did go to China?" "Well, now, I can't say aboutthat." "You know, I've tramped a lot in mytime, but I always seem tojust miss China." "Are you atramp?" "!" " l guess you could call me that." "Oh, goody!" "I always wanted to be atramp." "Have you now?" "I always thought it'd be fun to get as di_ as I could." "That's funny. I always thought it'd be fun to get as clean as I could." "Well, I do think it'd be fun notto have to wash behind your ears." "You knowwhat I mean - get all that soap sud in your eyes." "What?" "!" "(chuckles) Let me tell you something, young lady, I'd love to have a litttle girl like you." " Do you really and truly mean that?" " Cross my hearrt." "All right, then, you can have me." "Huh?" "!" "I'm looking for someone who wants a litttle girl." "We can be tramps together." "Not so fast, now." "Not so fast." "How aboutyourfolks?" "Theywon't mind." "I'm gonna say goodbye to Heaven's Gate, pretend that Daddy and Mommy are there." "I see." "Afteryou say goodbye, don'tyou think it'd be a good ideato go home for awhile?" "Oh, no. I can't go home any more at all." "Why not?" "Mr Brent said, if I weren'tthere Mommy could be happywith M'r Brent and Daddywouldn't have to be bothered taking me to circuses when he's so busy." "I see." "Mr Brent said all that, did he?" "(síghs) Yes." "Mr Brent said I was in the way." "You pooryoung one." " l heard about Molly." "Is ittrue?" " Yes." " Is eveything being done?" " They're looking for her now." "I've tried to get in touch with Mrs Middleton, but I don't knowwhere she is." " You don't knowwhere Mrs Middleton is?" " No." " But I thought..." " So did I, but I was wrong." "She loves him and he loves her - l'm sure ofthat." "You see, we both tried to take something that didn't belong to us, and itwon'twork." "And what do you intend to do about it, Mr Brent?" "I don't know." "I..." "I wish I could do something to make things easierforyou before I leave." "You have." " You've shown me howto be a good loser." "Atttagirl." "Just a minute!" "We wantto have atalkwith you." " You came to give me the keys to the city(?" ")" " So it's thatway, is it?" "Wait a minute, Jim." "Let me talkto him." "Have you seen my litttle girl?" " l saw a litttle girl." "What have you done with her?" "What have I...?" "I haven't done anyything with her. I can't say the same aboutthe people she spoke about." "What do you mean?" " Let us handle this." "Wait a minute." "What did Molly..." "What did my litttle girl say?" "Mister, do you mind stepping into my officejust a moment?" " l'd like to speakto you confidentially." " Cerrtainly." "Mister, the other people I just spoke to you about... seem to have come pre_ close to giving that litttle girl a broken hearrt." ", And on account ofwhat she told me I have afewthings to sayto you that I don'tthinkyou want other people to hear." "Well?" " She told me that she thought that ifshe ran away, you and yourwife wouldn't have to bother about her any more." "Molly said that?" "Did she saywhere she was going?" "I'm coming to that. I'm coming to that." "I may be speaking out ofturn, but I've gotto tell you this." "I had a litttle girl once, and I lost her." ", And I've been awanderer ever since tying to forget." " l think I understand." " Mister, if I were you, I wouldn'twantthatto happen to me." "That's what I thought when she starrted for Heaven's Gate." " Molly said she was going to Heaven's Gate?" " That's what she said, Mister." "(barkíng contínues)" "(splash)" "Molly!" "Molly!" " Molly!" " Daddy!" "Daddy!" "Look, Daddy, I can swim." "Look, Daddy, I can swim." "Oh, Molly!" "Ofcourse you can swim." "I didn't know itwas my really daddy." "I thought itwasjust my pretend." " Don'tyou like it?" " It's wonderrful." "It's much bettterthan pretending." "Nowwe only have to pretend Mommy." "Well, ifthis isn't a picnic fit to set before king, I never saw one." "You know, Mollythis is awonderrful lunch." "Uh-huh." "Only, "Uh-huh"?" "See here, young lady." "We've gotto do bettter than this on our September Saturday." "This is going to be awonderrful day." "Daddy, I wasjustthinking that eveything would be so much more wonderrful ifonly Mommywas here." "Wouldn't it, Daddy?" " Yes, Molly, itwould be." "Daddy, aren't I ever going to see Mommy again?" "Why, ofcourse you are, darling." "You'll staywith her parrt ofthe time, and then you'll staywith me." "Butthat's no fun!" "I want us all together." "Always." "Well, I..." "I'm afraid it's too late forthat, Molly." "You see..." "Daddy!" "It's nottoo late." "It's nottoo late!" "Mommy's here!" "Mommy's here!" "Mommy!" "Oh, Molly!" "Oh, Molly!" "Oh, Mommy, you did come!" "You're really and truly here." " Yes, darling, I'm here." "Really and truly." " Oh, goody!" "Mommy's here, Daddy!" "Mommy's here!" "Oh, Don, you had to make sure that Molly had her September Saturday, didn'tyou?" "I wish I could saythatwere true." "I came here... I doesn't mattterwhywe came." "We're here, all of us together again." "Isn'tthat all that mattters?" "Do you really mean that?" "It's the best!" "It's the best ever!" "Now smile, Mommy." "You're not supposed to cy." "You supposed to smile and laugh." "That's fine." "Now I can take the picture."