"Yes?" "What do you want?" "Mrs Connors, may I please see Mr Connors for just a minute?" "He's upstairs dressing." "He's got to meet a train." "Please Mrs Connors." "It is terribly important." "Well, I'll see if he's nearly ready." "That Julia Norman's at the door to see you." "Julia?" "Jack Norman's daughter?" "What does she want?" "I don't know." "She didn't say." "Julia .. what is it?" "What's the matter?" "It's father." "He's down at McCurdy's." "Oh." "Wait a minute." "I'll get my hat and coat." "So it's that old soak again?" "He's a regular disgrace to this town." "He's probably the most brilliant lawyer Jericho ever had." "When he's sober .. maybe." "I thought it was important for you to meet that fine friend of yours?" "Tucker Wedge." "And that woman he married." "Well, I'll do both." "The 06:20 is never on time." "We'll have to hurry." "Ah .. you'd better wait here." "See this." "What do you want?" "Jack Norman." "─ Who said he was here?" "That's unimportant." "Where is he?" "─ You got a search warrant?" "No." "You ain't going to search my place even if you are County Attorney." "Unless you got a search warrant." "Either you tell Jeff Norman I want to see him, or .." "Warrant or no warrant .." "I'm going in." "Don't take nothing off him, Gotch." "If he gets smart, bust him one." "Well come on Gotch, make up your mind." "I've got to meet a train." "Alright, go on in and get him .. you don't take no hair off of my scalp." "I was just testing you, Mr Connors." "Mr Norman." "Come on, Mr Norman." "Come on." "Dave Connors, isn't it?" "─ That's right." "Well .. it's very good of you." "Very good indeed." "I don't desire to leave just now." "Shut up." "He got you plumb backed-down, ain't he?" "I'm warning you, shut up!" "─ You're plumb scared to death." "I suppose I'd better be .." "I can .." "I don't desire .. to keep her waiting." "She's a good girl, David." "─ That's right." "A good girl." "Look out Gotch, he's got a crowbar!" "It feels like I've busted something inside." "Gotch, you'd better have somebody call for an ambulance right away." "And don't let anybody touch him until Dr Patterson gets here." "Let's go, Mr Norman." "[ train whistle ]" "Well, here it comes." "Snorting like an old bull." "Hello there." "Ah, Connors." "Again we meet." "Are you folks taking this train?" "In all the excitement, I suspect that Julia neglected to tell you .." "That she and I are leaving Jericho." "─ Oh, not for good, I hope?" "Yes .. as it happens, a distant cousin of mine in Delaware .." "Of whose existence I must confess I had little knowledge." "Has died and left an estate to us." "You might say that I was, in a manner .." "Celebrating that unfortunate event when Julia asked me to .." "To seek me out this afternoon." "I'm sorry to see you go." "I'll miss you." "Thank you .. and we shall miss you, too." "Both of us." "You're a fine man, Connors." "And a fine lawyer." "Thank you, sir." "You'll go far." "Even .. in Kansas." "Come, Julia." "Goodbye, Mr Connors." "And thank you again .. for everything." "─ Goodbye, Julia." "Thank you, dear." "He's here somewhere." "Oh Jim, those five pieces over there." "Sure thing Mr Wedge." "─ Hi Dave!" "Son of a gun, how are you?" "I told Algeria we'd find that face of yours here right on this platform." "So you're Dave Connors." "Well, honestly Tucker has talked of no-one else." "As far as I know, Jericho consists of one person:" "David Connors." "Well, come on Dave, say something." "What do you think of her?" "Well, I think she's going to be quite a revelation to Jericho." "You sure took us all by surprise." "Hey, I was almost as surprised myself." "Poor darling." "He didn't have a thought in his mind of marrying until I deliberately enticed him." "Well, of course we knew each other before, sort-of casual. ─ Uhuh." "Then one evening, we found ourselves in each other's arms." "There you have it." "That's the way it usually happens, isn't it?" "It was so nice of you to meet us." "─ I wouldn't have missed it for the world." "By the way, how's The Clarion been doing without me?" "Still covering Kansas like the dust." "─ Don't tell him, Dave." "All he thinks about is hat newspaper of his." "Well, why not?" "After all, it's our meat and potatoes Mrs Wedge." "The Apex House, Jim." "─ Yes sir, Mr Wedge." "Thanks a lot for meeting us." "See you tomorrow at the office." "Good to see you." "Goodnight." "─ Goodnight." "Well, hello you two." "It's about time you got here." "You know women." "Tucker thinks that all a woman has to do is slip into a dress and she's ready." "Algeria, I'd like you to meet my wife, Belle." "How do you do Mrs Connors." "It was so sweet of you to ask us." "─ Well, Dave wanted .." "I mean .." "I've been wanting to meet you." "─ Hello Belle. ─ Hello Tucker." "Can I take your hat and things?" "Tucker, just put your head over here and come on in." "You know everybody." "Sure." "Hello Judge." "Good to see you again." "My, what a beautiful hat." "─ Oh, do you like it?" "I'm so glad." "Oh, that's alright." "I'll just put it here." "Tucker and I were married in such a hurry I didn't have time to do any shopping." "I'll leave these with my hat, if I may." "─ Oh, I'll take them," "Oh, I'm sorry." "─ I'm sorry." "Shall we go in?" "─ Yes, let's." "Excuse me." "─ Oh, certainly." "Well, will you introduce Algeria to our guests?" "Dave, I'd rather you did it." "I get so mixed up with names." "─ Well, of course, dear." "Algeria, I'd like you to meet Belle's mother, Mrs Dunham." "How do you do Mrs Dunham?" "Oh don't get up, please." "─ That's alright." "I'm not sick." "It's so nice meeting you." "─ Much obliged." "Now come on over here and meet Mrs Hutto." "How do you do, Mrs Hutto." "─ How do you do, Mrs Wedge." "And this is Judge Hutto." "I'm delighted to meet you at last Judge." "Tucker has done nothing but quote you." "Accurately, I hope." "Well, after all he's a newspaperman." "You can't expect too much." "Quite right." "I believe you already know this fellow." "─ Oh yes, slightly." "Hello darling." "In spite of what you just said about me." "Hello." "And this is Mrs Ransome." "─ Mrs Ransome." "Her daughter, Margie." "─ Hello, Margie." "And this is Tom Ransome." "He runs the best dry-goods store west of Topeka." "Good evening ma'am." "May I offer my best wishes and hope that you and Tucker will be very happy." "Thank you." "That's very nice of you." "I'm sure we will be." "Won't you sit down?" "─ Oh, thank you." "Well, I'll sit here if I may." "Oh that's a beautiful piano." "Do you play Mrs Connors?" "No." "It came with the house." "Neither do I. It's one of the regrets of my life." "Tucker, the darling, has promised to send to Chicago to get me a player-piano." "It's probably the only instrument I'll ever be able to play." "Hey Belle, is supper ready?" "─ I don't know." "Ask Nellie." "Nellie?" "Who's Nellie?" "─ The maid." "Oh." "Excuse me." "Oh, Nellie." "Are you ready for us to come in yet?" "As soon as I get another plate of soup." "This one is cracked and it is for her." "You might as well come in everybody." "She'll be ready by the time we are." "I hope you won't mind just a country supper in a country lawyers." "We're pretty informal around here." "No regular service." "Of course not." "I'm flattered to be included." "We don't have to worry with Belle and her mother cooking the way they do." "Over here please, Algeria." "[ singing ] "Shine on harvest moon."" ""Up in the sky."" ""I ain't had no loving since .."" ""January, February, June or July."" ""It's no time to stay outdoors and spoon."" ""Shine on, shine on harvest moon."" ""For me and my gal."" "I suppose you find Jericho pretty dull?" "On the contrary." "I find Jericho very diverting." "Well, a lot of people think it's ugly and backward." "But you don't." "You love it, don't you?" "Uhuh." "─ Why?" "Oh I don't know." "Maybe .." "Maybe because of nights like this." "Kansas nights." "Look, there is Venus." "The bright one." "[ plates breaking ]" "Now look what you've done, you stupid fool!" "I'm sorry, ma'am." "It just .. slipped." "Well don't just stand there." "Mop it up before everything is ruined." "Look at my dress." "That's alright, Nellie." "We all make mistakes sometimes." "You know, I never did like this pitcher." "You were right, Tucker." "Dave is everything you said he was." "But those dreadful women .." "─ They are pretty awful aren't they." "Whatever possessed him to marry such a creature?" "Why does any man ever marry any woman?" "Tucker!" "Well, except you of course." "─ You .." "I suppose she used to be pretty." "─ Very." "And living in her mother's boarding-house, naturally they were thrown together." "The old lady saw to that." "And I suppose the main trouble is .." "She just hasn't been able to grow up with Dave." "I suppose." "And that's why she drinks." "─ Drinks?" "Don't tell me you didn't know?" "Of course, there's been a lot of talk." "─ I knew it the minute I saw her." "You can always tell." "That sort of guilty, resentful look." "Why doesn't he leave her?" "Search me .. you know, Dave is a strange fellow." "Perhaps he feels a sort of responsibility for her." "Why, you don't go on living with somebody just cause you feel sorry for them." "But that's serious business in this neck of the woods." "Remember, this is Kansas and Dave's in politics." "It seems such an awful shame, and waste." "Well, that's his cross .. not ours." "Good evening." "─ Algeria, how nice to see you." "Tucker, how are you?" "─ Fine, Judge." "Yourself?" "Want to go in and join the people?" "─ I'd love to." "How are things down at the office?" "─ Fine, Maurice." "Do you know Doctor Patterson?" "─ Herbert?" "One of my favourite people." "Why sure, how nice." "─ How are you?" "Hello, Mrs Wedge." "─ Good evening." "They told me to give you that." "─ Thank you. ─ You're welcome." "Gee, some party, ain't it?" "Isn't everybody here yet?" "Your friend Dave Connors just turned us down." "At the last minute, too." "─ Oh, that's too bad." "What excuse did he give?" "─ None." "Except that he had to go to a meeting." ""If it doesn't last too long, I'll drop by."" ""Meeting", nothing." "It was that wife of his." "Well I guess she does kind of put a crimp in his social life." "Still, on the other hand, it may be true." "He could be going to a meeting." "What kind of meeting?" "─ Well, some farmer's meeting probably." "Well after all, he's in politics." "And the way things look now." "It wouldn't surprise me if, in a couple of years from now, he runs for Congress." "Congress?" "─ Uhuh." "Dave Connors?" "─ And he'll win too, by a mile." "Dave's a born vote-getter." "He's already got the farmers eating out of his hand." "His only trouble will be in getting the party behind him." "Ah, there they are." "Hello Jerry." "Hello Joe." "I'm sorry we're late." "─ That's alright." "Honey .." "You remember Joe Wilson, don't you?" "─ I should say I do." "Shall we go in?" "─ Yes." "What a lovely home you have." "How does it work?" "─ It's very simple, actually." "All you have to do is just flip these two little keys." "Why, I've never seen one you didn't have to pump." "It is the very newest thing." "If I knew they were going to make pianos like this, I'd never have taken lessons." "You're a great success, darling." "Jericho hasn't seen anything like this since William Jennings Bryan ate supper here." "I still think it was rude of Dave to wait until the last minute to refuse." "And I'm going to tell him so to his face." "Well, now is your chance." "Hello Dave." "Hello." "Well, the meeting was over sooner than I expected." "Am I still welcome?" "That depends on how well you dance." "Oh yes, we enjoyed it, too." "Algeria." "─ Oh, thank you." "Tucker tells me that you're thinking of running for Congress." "Oh, that's a long way off." "A couple of years at least." "A lot of things can happen in the meanwhile." "You must drop by some time." "Tell me about it." "Thanks, I will." "─ When?" "I don't know exactly, I'll have to .." "─ Tomorrow?" "Well, I'm afraid I have to go to Topeka tomorrow." "Well then, we'll make it when you get back." "I had no idea you were interested in politics." "A beautiful woman." "─ Oh, but I am .. definitely." "Hello." "There you are." "What are you up to?" "Oh, nothing." "Just having some punch." "─ And talking politics." "Politics?" "Algeria invited me to drop in some time, and tell her about my plans for Congress." "Algeria, interested in politics?" "You'd think so if you'd heard her trying to pin me down as to when I'd drop by." "In fact, she sounds like a campaign manager." "Well, leave it to women." "They have to find something new to be interested in." "Oh come on, honey." "This is the last dance." "Sorry Mr County Attorney, but this one is reserved strictly for husbands." "Oh Martha, never mind about that tonight." "You may tidy up in the morning." "Thank you Mrs Wedge." "Goodnight." "─ Goodnight." "Goodnight Mr Wedge." "─ Goodnight Martha." "I'll get the lights." "Tired?" "─ A little." "Now wonder." "All those people." "─ Oh, it isn't that." "I thought some of them were very nice." "Tucker." "─ Hmm?" "I've been thinking about Dave Connors and Congress." "Doesn't that disturb you?" "Why no." "I figure Dave is just about as good a man as .." "Oh, I know but .. well, just imagine that awful wife of his in Washington." "Of course, I can understand how she'd like that." "I guess any woman would like to see her husband in Congress." "But Belle Connors?" "Why, everybody in town knows she's drunk from morning until night." "Well, how do you that some other wives in Washington don't take a nip now and then?" "It's no laughing matter, Tucker." "It's tragic." "Darling, I know how you feel about Dave, and how loyal you are to him." "But there are some things you just have to put above friendship." "Yes, but if The Clarion doesn't support Dave, how will I ever explain it?" "Well, there doesn't have to be anything personal in it." "After all, a newspaper has its responsibilities." "Oh I .." "I'm awfully sorry, dear." "I didn't mean to upset you." "I know that you think of Dave as the most wonderful man in the world." "But it just so happens that I think you are." "And I wouldn't want to see you do anything that wasn't right." "Ever." "Well, compliments from you." "What brought that on?" "Well .." "I'm afraid you will probably laugh at me, but .." "Sometimes, I just can't help feeling jealous of Dave." "Maybe it's because I'm not big enough to want to share you with anybody." "Maybe that'll show you how much cause you have to be jealous of anyone or anything." "Thank you, darling." "Good evening, Mrs Sherwood." "─ Hi, Dave." "Howdy, Mr Connors." "Hello Mr Connors." "─ You look tired." "You reckon anyone around here is going to announce for Congress?" "I couldn't say, Andy." "People are kind of shut-mouth on that subject." "Say, Mr Connors, you been reading The Clarion lately?" "Well, everybody in Jericho reads The Clarion, Gotch." "A very fine paper." "What's all this talk about a "vice" campaign?" "You better ask Tucker Wedge." "He seems to be the authority on the subject." "Ah, Tucker's loony." "Everybody knows there ain't no vice in Jericho .. to speak of." "I reckon it's me they really mean." "But I ain't no big bootlegger, Mr Connors." "I ain't running no blind tiger." "I give you my word." "I wouldn't worry about it if I were you." "It will all come out in the wash." "Looks like I owe the barber here a quarter." "Howdy, Judge." "─ What's going on, Dave?" "How are you, Sam?" "How are you, Henry?" "─ Good evening, Mr Connors." "How do I stand, Joe?" "─ You're up next." "As soon as I get through slicking Sam." "He's to look pretty tomorrow." "Never mind how pretty I look." "Just be sure and stop the bleeding." "Alright, Jim." "Hey, you must not have been in here, lately." "How's the game going?" "─ Oh, he's learning." "You still haven't announced, huh?" "─ No." "Too early, Judge." "I want to wait and see what some other people are going to do first." "Then you're crazy." "Thing to do is jump in quick." "Beat everyone else to the gun." "All I can say is, you'd better get The Clarion off your neck." "How, Judge?" "Going on a liquor raid?" "It's pretty sure-fire politics in Kansas." "Joe, you got any suggestions on where I ought to start?" "Not in my house." "─ Mine, neither." "Besides, Judge, everyone knows as you do that there's no bootleg ring in Jericho." "Maybe Gotch McCurdy has a few bottles hidden away." "If I catch him with them, I'll ring his tail." "But this business of snooping into people's homes .." "Just to get on the front page." "Not for me." "Thanks, Tom." "Trouble is, when a newspaper keeps yelling its head every day about the same thing." "A lot of people are liable to begin believing it." "By the way, I've got a new lawyer coming in my office, who'd like to meet you." "Okay." "Send him over." "─ It's not a "him"." "It's a "her"." "What?" "You mean you've gone and hired yourself a She-Lawyer?" "The sight of a pretty woman around the office is not such a bad idea young man." "Especially when you haven't got any more time left to enjoy them than I have." "Ready, Belle?" "Belle." "It is after four." "We'd better get started." "Belle." "Belle." "You alright?" "Oh, Belle .. you promised." "Is this husband of mine taking good care of you?" "If he isn't, let me know." "Good afternoon Miss Lawrence, Miss Shelley." "David Connors." "Hello." "How are you, David?" "─ Nice to see you." "Glad to see you." "Hello, Jim." "Dave." "Why, hello Dave." "My, we've been missing you." "Hello, Algeria." "You know, everybody is so rushed these days." "But as soon as things settle down a bit, we must see more of each other." "After all, old friends are best friends." "Tucker." "David's here." "Hello Tucker." "─ How are you, Dave?" "Oh, Dave .." "Dave, do come along." "I want you to meet Porter." "Senator Grimes." "This is Mr David Connors." "Our County Attorney." "Why yes, of course." "I've heard about you, Connors." "I'm delighted to meet you." "Thank you, Senator." "You know, I once had ambitions to be a County Attorney myself." "Yes sir, I always take off my hat to the County Attorney." "Nearly always chief repository for the legal knowledge of his community." "He has to be." "It's forced upon him, whether he likes it or not." "Well, you know Tucker and Dave are such old friends." "I'm sure we can depend on him to support the ticket." "Can't we, Dave?" "─ Depends on who runs on the ticket." "Haven't you heard?" "Porter has persuaded Tucker to run for Congress." "Congratulations." "Thank you, Dave." "Now, if you'll all excuse me, please." "Oh, hello." "─ Hello." "Oh, come on over, Dave." "Here is someone else who wants to meet you." "But I already know Mr Connors." "Julia .." "Julia Norman." "I .." "I can't believe it." "I'll have you know I came to see you three or four days ago." "But I gather you can't be bothered with "She-Lawyers"." "You are the "she ..?" "I'm sorry." "─ What am I supposed to say?" "Nothing." "I think women lawyers are frightful too." "Your father, he is well I hope?" "Father died just after we left here." "─ Oh, I'm sorry." "I didn't know." "How could you." "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but a real miracle has happened to you." "In what way?" "─ Oh, in many ways." "I haven't changed really." "It's just that, like Topsy, I just grow." "Are you really going to practice here?" "─ Only in Judge Hutto's office." "I .." "I doubt if the time has come for a woman to appear in a courtroom." "Well, why not?" "Customs of the race." "What led you to do it?" "A guilt complex, I expect." "You see, I was supposed to be a boy." "And when I wasn't, well Dad had to do the best he could with what he had." "He began teaching me when I was ten." "And then, after he died I went to law school in the East." "I got through my bar examinations only last month." "I wrote to Judge Hutto, and he gave me a job." "And here I am." "You're certainly the prettiest lawyer in the country." "Thank you." "Well .." "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll have to run." "Trying to kill two birds with one stone." "I've another party out in the country." "Voters?" "─ Hmm." "Potential." "May I go with you?" "Well, it's quite a long ride." "It will give me a chance to catch up on things since I left Jericho." "Well, then I suppose we should say goodbye to our hostess." "Now .. shaking hands." "Oh, I'm afraid that's rather impractical." "It looks as if Algeria is going to be awfully busy for a while." "Okay, Senator." "Nice big smile." "Alright, Harry." "How's the family?" "Good evening, Mr Connors." "─ Good evening, Harry." "Good evening, Mr Connors." "─ How are you, Tom?" "A good night for dancing, Mr Connors." "─ Yes, it is." "Hello, Mr Connors." "From what I've noticed, this district ought to go pretty solidly for Mr Connors." "That may be." "But if I want their votes, I'd better let some young bucks have their turn with you." "Who cares about a few votes?" "Hello." "Dave." "Look .." "Mr Pickwick." "Just arriving at the Blue Lion." "A model." "Oh, if it weren't so crazy I'd go in and buy him right now." "What would you do with him?" "─ How should I know?" "Every woman wants something, sometime, that has no use at all." "Just frivolous and funny and useless." "Are you going home?" "─ Uhuh. ─ I'll drive you." "Oh, isn't it out of your way?" "─ Miles." "Well then, I accept." "Have you made up your mind about Congress yet?" "I don't know." "What do you think?" "Well, if you are interested in a career, I .." "Well, that's just it." "I'm not sure it's worth giving up my whole life for." "And that's what it would mean if I were elected." "Besides, there is something I haven't proved to myself yet." "Whether I can be successful in general practice." "Oh, how ridiculous." "Why, everyone knows you use your office to build up a slinky, criminal practice." "You've been reading Tucker Wedge's editorials again, huh?" "Judge Hutto says they must be pretty scared .." "The way they're going after you horse, hoof and artillery." "You're not hesitating because you and Tucker used to be friends, are you?" "Oh no." "That would make me all the more interested to beat him." "Then I'd do it." "Maybe I will." "Well, hello there." "─ Hello, Algeria." "Oh, you haven't by any chance seen Tucker around have you?" "I promised to pick him up and I'm hours late." "He's going to be furious, poor darling." "I suppose you know, there is your real opponent. ─ Hmm." "I wonder why she dislikes me so much." "─ I doubt if she does dislike you." "As a matter of fact, I have an idea that is the trouble." "She likes you more than she should." "Now wait a minute." "─ And since she can't have you." "She's got to make what she does have, better than you." "That's why she can be so deadly." "She's going to elect Tucker, or else." "─ Ha." "Say, that must have been some law-school you went to, young lady." "It was." "I suppose I should bow to custom .." "By saying that my decision to run for Congress." "Was brought about by an overwhelming demand on the part of the public." "But everyone would know that that is the old malarkey." ""Malarkey"?" "That's a new one." "─ Make it apple sauce." "I am running for Congress simply because I would like .." "Very much to be a Congressman." "And because .." "Ah, hold it there." "I'll finish it later." "Good morning, Mr Connors." "─ Good morning." "What can I do for you?" "Well, you had a little figurine of Mr Pickwick in the window yesterday." "Yes, we did have, but I sold it not an hour ago." "But I have some other very nice pieces." "Let me see." "How about Hiawatha?" "No, thank you." "No, that will be all." "Too bad about Judge Hutto, isn't it?" "What about Judge Hutto?" "─ Oh, didn't you know?" "He's just died." "My wife happened to be passing there and telephoned me." "Well no, I didn't know." "─ A wonderful old gentleman." "But then, as I'll always say, we all have to go sometime." "I telephoned your office, but you were out." "How did it happen?" "He just leaned back in his chair." "And was gone." "You know how I felt about him." "If there is anything I can do for you .." "Don't worry about me." "I've lived a long time, and I've learned one thing." "Accept whatever life has to offer." "You are so good to me, David." "She's asked me to take charge of things." "And incidentally, she'd like you to be one of the pallbearers." "Well, I'd be honoured." "Dave." "I just dropped by to see if there was anything I could do." "Mrs Hutto hasn't been seeing anyone since the funeral." "Oh, I see." "Well .. goodnight." "Dave." "Julia, darling." "Take me away from here, please." "Anywhere." "I don't care." "For a little while." "Alright, come." "We'll go for a drive." "What are we going to do, Dave?" "I mean, how are we going to deal with it?" "Why should it be dealt with in any way, except the way we want?" "Because it is utterly wrong." "You know that .. so do I." "Things like this have happened to other people before, and it turned out alright." "I've never known anything like this to turn our right, yet." "But I love you, Julia." "I know now .. that I've never loved anyone else." "I would only make you miserable." "In all my life, I've only wanted one thing." "To make you happy." "I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember." "Even when I was a child." "You used to come and see my father." "I used to watch you then." "So kind .." "So sure .. so amusing." "You never knew it, but I used to walk blocks out of my way." "Just hoping I'd catch a glimpse of you." "─ Oh, Julia." "Why shouldn't I tell you now?" "You've always been the centre of my life." "I guess that .. more than anything else .." "Is why I came back to Jericho." "Take me home, Dave .. please." "Don't say anything more tonight." "Just put it here." "That will be all, Dora." "You may go and draw the shades in the living room." "Algeria." "Guess what?" "─ What?" "Dave Connors is not going to run." "─ Not going to ..?" "─ Uhuh." "How do you know that?" "─ He just issued a statement." "But what did he say?" "What excuse did he give?" "None, except that after .." "Careful consideration he can't devote the necessary time and energy to the office." "Oh, darn it." "What's the matter?" "Why, I thought you'd be delighted." "Well, I am of course, but .." "I would rather have beaten him at the polls." "Beaten him publicly." "You know sweetheart, sometimes you're too deep for me." "Here we are with Washington right on the horizon and .." "You act as if beating poor old Dave were a personal issue." "Say, if you ask me, I think it was mighty sporting of Dave." "Oh Tucker, don't be foolish." "Sportsmanship had nothing to do with it." "He quit for a reason." "If I only knew what it was." "That's not so very important, is it?" "The point is .." "Of course it's important." "Anything like this must have something behind it." "You don't suppose he ..?" "─ What?" "Oh .. nothing." "By the way, I saw that wife of his today." "Sitting on her front porch." "Drunk as usual I suppose in the middle of the afternoon." "That's it." "Maybe he suddenly realized .." "Tucker, don't scavenge!" "I can't keep a thing in the house when you're around." "Oh, sorry." "Has it ever occurred to you that an attractive man like Dave might .." "Well, might have found consolation somewhere else?" "Who .." "Dave?" "Oh, you're out of your mind." "─ It has been done, you know." "If you'd only told us." "Why Dave, why?" "Give us one sensible reason." "You read my statement." "─ We read a lot of words." "You could have won." "You know that." "You still can win if .. ─ No." "Alright, it's your decision." "Oh Tom .." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to be rude." "It's just that everybody's been at me all day." "But I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate all you've done for me." "That's alright." "We understand." "─ Thanks, Tom. ─ Goodnight, Dave." "Goodnight, councilor." "─ Goodnight, boys." "Hello?" "Get me 4 7 .." "Ah no .. never mind." "Cancel that." "[ phone rings ]" "Hello?" "Julia." "I've been reading the papers." "Why did you do it?" "Well I just .." "I couldn't afford to make the race at this time." "Could you pick me up and drive me home?" "I've got to see you." "Yes, my car is outside, I'm just leaving." "I'll meet you there." "Hello Margie." "─ Hello, Julia." "Hello, Mr Connors." "─ How are you, Margie?" "Julia, I took the books back to the library for you today." "Oh, thank you, dear." "Very touching." "─ That's alright." "Julia." "No .. that's over, Dave." "Over." "I'm leaving Jericho." "─ Leaving?" "The firm of Grohs  Strauss in Kansas City has offered me job." "The reason I called you is because Mrs Hutto wants you to handle her affairs." "I've all the papers here." "─ Why Julia, why?" "You gave up the election because of me." "Why, that's not the reason at all." "It was just .." "You do a lot things well, David." "Lying is not one of them," "Alright, I quit because I knew that if I ran for office .." "I couldn't see you anymore." "But you realize, Dave .." "That all it could ever mean is a sordid back-street love affair." "And I don't want that." "I'll ask Belle to free me." "─ She'd never do that and you know it." "But I love you, Julia." "I know." "It's my fault." "I had no business letting it start." "We'd better hurry." "There isn't much time." "I'm leaving tonight on the 11:40." "Why, Margie." "─ Hello, Miss Norman." "Mr Connors." "─ Hello, Margie." "I hope you don't mind." "─ Well what is it, Margie?" "Well, it's just that .." "─ Is something wrong?" "Oh no." "No, I mean .." "Well .." "I just felt that I had to tell you that somebody has been going by." "Half a dozen times, watching you." "I mean the house." "Well, what do you mean, "watching"?" "Here." "Who is it?" "Mrs Wedge." "Algeria." "I didn't know what to do." "I mean .." "That's alright, Margie." "And thank you." "Well, I guess I'd better go now." "I hope I didn't .." "─ Oh not at all, Margie." "It was very kind of you." "Thank you .. and goodnight." "Goodnight." "If there are any other questions about the papers .." "Perhaps Mrs Hutto can help you." "Julia." "─ Please, let's hurry." "All aboard!" "Oh, I guess this means she'll be back here soon." "Who?" "─ Algeria Wedge." "What's she done now?" "It's not her this time." "It's him." "According to the paper, looks as if he's going to run for Senator." "Maybe we will have something to say about that." "We could have been there in Washington right now." "Well, we could." "─ Then, why aren't you?" "Because Dave lost his gumption and quit." "And he won't quit next time." "Well, it looks to me that she's there and you're not." "Now, if you ask me .." "─ Nobody's asking you!" "How dare you talk to your own mother like that." "I'll not spend another minute in this house." "To be insulted." "Well, who's stopping you?" "I'm not." "Belle, would you like to go for a walk?" "─ Where to?" "Just a walk." "─ No thanks." "I'll be back in a little while." "Hello, Mr Connors." "─ Good evening, Anita." "Hello, Mr Connors." "─ How are you, Terry?" "Yes?" ""Julia, this is Dave."" "David?" ""May I come up?"" "The second entrance to the right on the third floor." "[ door knocks ]" "Dave." "─ Julia." "I was so surprised to hear your voice." "I could hardly believe it." "When did you arrive?" "─ Just an hour ago." "Oh, may I?" "Won't you come in?" "─ Thank you." "Oh." "Please sit down." "─ Thank you." "These apartments are all built in the same pattern." "Living-room, bedroom, bath and kitchen." "You have all that here?" "─ It's really very livable." "I hate apartments." "It's very pretty." "The way you've furnished it." "I haven't spent much time on it." "I've been very busy at the office." "And you?" "What have you been doing?" "Oh I .." "I'm not sure yet." "There has been a lot of talk." "I may run for the Senate." "─ Oh, Dave." "Tom Ransome, and a lot of people have been after me." "I've been making quite a few speeches." "But then .." "I always did." "It sounds exciting." "─ Tucker Wedge is going to run." "Of course I could always run as an independent." "It might be fun to upset Algeria's little apple-cart." "Or try to." "Yes .. yes, it might." "Well, I guess I'd better be getting along." "I .." "I'm going back tonight on the 10:20." "It's been nice seeing you again, Julia." "I'm glad you are doing so well." "Thank you, Dave .. and lots of luck." "Oh I .." "I almost forgot." "I thought you might like to have this." "Mr Pickwick." "Oh, Dave .." "You remembered." "Look, Julia." "Julia, darling." "Oh hello, Lucy." "─ You're not going someplace, are you?" "No, it's just .." "Mrs Landon, this is Mr Connors." "He's from Jericho." "He's a lawyer." "An old friend of my father's." "Oh really?" "How do you do, Mr Connors." "─ How do you do." "My husband is a lawyer too." "He's in Julia's firm you know." "Oh, that's nice." "Well I .. suppose I'd better go." "Yes." "I expect so." "With your leaving, Mr Connors, I'll just wait and drive home with Julia." "I didn't tell my husband I was coming so naturally he's not here to meet me." "Oh, you haven't other plans have you, Julia?" "No .. no, I have no other plans." "Well goodbye, Julia." "Goodbye, Dave." "Goodnight, Mrs Landon." "Goodnight Mr Connors." "So nice seeing you." "All aboard!" "What an attractive man." "Is he married?" "─ Yes." "Yes, he's married." "Too bad." "But then, the attractive ones always are." "Such a dreary trip." "The dust was simply awful." "Then, to make things worse, we developed a flat wheel." "It was worse than having a toothache." "And now, ladies and gentlemen." "It gives me great pleasure to turn this meeting over to a man." "Who has been closer to Dave Connors than any other man in Jericho." "The man who has been chosen to serve as his campaign manager in this fight." "I give you Tom Ransome." "But what is it called?" "A hobble skirt?" "─ No." "It's a "sheath gown"." "Oh honestly, everybody in New York and Washington is wearing it." "Do you really like it?" "─ I love it." "I only wish I had the nerve, and the figure to go with it." "Of course you realize it will cause talk." "After all this is Jericho." "Oh, yes." "I came back here to help my husband campaign for the Senate." "And I'm afraid I'm going to find myself the centre of attention." "It's not through anything Tucker has done, but simply because I show an ankle." "It's probably a good thing." "That will give people something else to gossip about besides the Ransomes." "The Ransomes?" "What about the Ransomes?" "─ Haven't you heard?" "No." "What?" "Well, it seems they're not married and they never have been." "Tom and Myra Ransome?" "─ That's the story." "I don't believe it." "Who said so?" "The people who used to know them back in Virginia let the cat out of the bag." "They said everybody back there knew all about it." "Well, when did you hear it?" "─ Only last night." "Does Margie know?" "─ Of course." "By now, everybody knows." "It only proves that if you open enough closets you'll find a skeleton somewhere." "Well, shall we start?" "Oh, it's been ages since I sat down to a whist table with you girls." "Well I'll be darned." "You keep away from me." "You're that Ransome girl, ain't you?" "Open up!" "Don't please, Mr McCurdy." "It ain't no use making a fuss." "I can pretty nice to a girl if she's nice to me." "Or I can get mean, too." "If I get mad." "Oh no." "Please, Mr McCurdy." "No." "No." "Please, Mr McCurdy." "You don't know what you are doing." "The brake-man found him just at midnight." "He was dying when they brought him in." "He wanted to say something, and we took this down." "Then he went into a coma." "Will he recover his senses?" "─ Extremely doubtful." "The corner of the shovel got him in the temple." "He'll be gone in a couple of hours." "Then this in effect, is a deathbed statement?" "I'll have to turn it over to the Police, Dave." "That means the newspapers." "I thought you might want to break it Tom Ransome's wife first." "Hmm." "─ But you'll have to hurry." "Thanks Doctor." "Give me half an hour." "You and I know it couldn't have been the way McCurdy said." "But we've got to find Margie to get the truth." "[ door knocks ]" "Yes?" "What is it?" "Excuse me, I thought this might be important." "Oh." "Excuse me." "Is there any answer?" "Ah, no." "No answer." "[ door knocks ] [ door knocks ]" "Hello, Dave." "─ Julia, I got your wire." "Margie." "Now Margie, everything is going to be alright." "She came directly to me." "Nobody knows." "─ Good." "You've seen the papers." "You know what's happened?" "─ Yes." "I didn't mean to kill him." "He was coming at me." "─ I know." "I know." "That's why you've got nothing to fear." "First, you have to come back to Jericho." "─ Oh no, no." "I'll never." "I hate that horrid place." "But you'll have to, Margie." "It's the only way." "I couldn't." "I'll die first." "I'll just die." "Now listen, Margie." "You trust me, don't you?" "And Julia?" "You know we wouldn't ask you to do anything that wasn't right. ─ Yes." "He's right, darling." "You must go, now." "Of your own free will." "Before anyone knows where you are." "Will you come with me, Julia?" "Yes, Margie." "If you want me to." "I will go." "There's a train leaving in an hour that will get us there by morning." "I'll wire your father to meet us." "Dear, you put on that dress I laid out for you." "Margie." "She will be alright, won't she?" "I mean .. no jury would convict her after she's had a chance to tell her story?" "Well, ordinarily I'd say no." "But we can't take a chance, Julia." "You'll have to help me with this." "She trusts you." "You mean, a trial?" "─ Yes." "Oh, but I can't." "I mean .." "I'd rather not." "There's another reason, Julia." "This may be the last time we can ever be together." "It's always the last time, David." "We've said that before." "I can't help loving you, Julia." "You know that." "Please, David." "[ telephone ]" "[ telephone ]" "Yeah?" "Who?" "What the devil do you mean by waking me at this hour?" "Huh?" "Where?" "Oh, I see." "Well, use your own judgement." "You're in charge." "Yeah." "Yeah, I understand that." "Yeah." "Yeah, later." "Goodbye." "Who in the world was that?" "─ The city editor." "He wanted to know whether to get out and extra or not." "Well, of all things." "Waking us up in the middle of the night." "What on earth for?" "─ Margie Ransome's back." "Good heavens, is that so important?" "Where did they find her?" "─ They didn't." "She came back of her own accord with Dave Connors and Julia Norman." "Dave Connors and Julia Norman?" "─ Uhuh." "Julia is back here?" "Yeah." "Going to assist Dave at the trial according to his statement." "But I thought .." "─ Huh?" "Nothing .. go to sleep." "What are they doing now?" "Nothing exciting." "Just picking themselves a jury." "Well, it looks as though he's going to get her off." "Huh?" "I said it looks as though he's going to get her off." "Who?" "─ Marjorie Ransome." "Oh, sure." "It looks that way." "Well, everybody knows that girl couldn't commit murder." "Really, Tucker." "You're the most naive person I've ever known." "Naive?" "Well, just look at all the free advertising Dave's getting." "And in your own paper, too." "Dave just happens to be lucky they've got a good case." "That's all." "Fine." "Look what he's doing with it." "He has the whole county eating out of his hand." "If you're not careful, he's likely to ride right in on the bandwagon." "Well, what do you expect me to do?" "You can't go and convict a girl just to win an election." "No, of course not that, but .." "It seems to me there ought to be something you could do to offset him." "I wouldn't worry about it." "You know, winning a murder case is not winning an election." "Say, I'd better get going." "Goodbye, dear." "Goodbye, Tucker." "Hear Ye, Hear Ye." "The district court for the county of Jericho is now in session." "Everybody rise." "Be seated." "Alright, Mr Peddigrew." "You may proceed." "Your Honour, the State wishes to continue the cross-examination of Miss Ransome." "Marjorie Ransome." "Take the stand." "Miss Ransome .. you told us before recess .." "That you went to the brake yard on the night in question." "That Mr McCurdy followed you, and he attempted to seize you." "And in self-defence you swung the shovel." "Yes, sir." "Now, will you tell us what you were doing in the freight yard at that time of night?" "Running away." "─ Oh yes." "Running away." "Running away from what?" "Well, I .." "Go on, tell us!" "Running away from what?" "─ I was .." "Just running away." "─ I see." "And Mr McCurdy urged you not to do that, didn't he?" "No, no." "He .." "You were running away." "You intended to let no-one stop you." "That's it, isn't it?" "No, I .." "─ That's the truth, isn't it?" "Admit it." "Come on, tell me." "Answer me truthfully!" "─ Your Honour." "I suggest the Counsel for the State give the witness time to answer the question." "Answer the question, Miss Ransome." "I withdraw the question for the moment, Your Honour." "And now Miss Ransome, would you tell the jury why .." "If, as you say, you were simply defending your honour .." "You didn't stay and report this occurrence?" "Well, I .." "I didn't realize I'd hit him so hard." "─ Oh, come Miss Ransome." "All I want you to tell us is whether at that very moment .." "You didn't know that McCurdy was dying." "And you were afraid to report it because you knew you were guilty of murder." "Answer me!" "Do you realize what can happen to you if you don't tell us the truth?" "Your Honour, I must protest the Prosecution's manner of questioning .." "My client as abusive and threatening." "Oh, I beg your pardon, Miss Ransome." "I didn't realize your feelings were so tender." "However, I must insist that you answer my questions." "Did you run away because you knew you had killed him, or didn't you?" "That's all, Your Honour." "Alright." "You are excused, Miss Ransome." "Your Honour, the Defence will now call Miss Julia Norman to the stand." "Raise your right hand." "Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give in this case .." "Is the truth, nothing but the truth, so help you, God?" "─ I do." "Take the stand." "Your name?" "Julia Norma." "─ Where do you live?" "Kansas City." "─ Occupation?" "Attorney at Law." "─ You formerly lived in Jericho?" "Yes." "How long have you known the defendant?" "Almost all of her life." "Did you ever see Marjorie Ransome in Kansas City?" "I did." "─ When?" "About six weeks ago." "What did you discuss?" "Her plans to return to Jericho." "Tell the court under what circumstances she returned." "When she learned that McCurdy had died." "That murder charges had been filed against her." "She decided of her own accord, to come back here to answer those charges." "And prove her innocence." "Thank you, Miss Norman." "Your witness." "Mr Connors." "How long have you been a resident of Kansas City?" "About two years." "Have you in that time, had any correspondence with the defendant?" "We exchanged Christmas cards." "─ Is that all?" "─ Yes." "Yet she came directly to you after she had killed, uh .. after McCurdy's death?" "Yes." "─ Why?" "She knew I was her friend." "At the time that you say you talked to the defendant .." "Was she, or was she not, a fugitive?" "A fugitive." "─ A fugitive from what?" "From slander and cruelty and prejudice." "Mr Peddigrew." "Occasioned by what, may I ask?" "Circumstance over which she had not the slightest control." "Her birth." "Do I understand you say, Miss Norman .." "That the people of Jericho slandered the defendant and were cruel to her?" "I had no idea that Jericho was so vicious and depraved." "I do not blame the entire community for the actions of a few." "Hmm, that's very generous of you." "Very generous." "Miss Norman, what is your relationship to the Counsel for the Defence, Mr Connors?" "Associate Counsel." "─ Is that all?" "Never mind answering that, Miss Norman." "You are excused." "If it please Your Honour, I should like to ask for a recess." "For what purpose, Mr Connors?" "Your Honour, a very important matter of a personal nature." "Has just come to my attention, which requires immediate settlement." "Has the matter any bearing on this case?" "Yes, Your Honour." "I consider it highly prejudicial to the defendant." "Very well, Mr Connors." "This court is adjourned until ten o'clock tomorrow morning." "Thank you, Your Honour." "Get out of here." "Get off this place." "─ I want to see Belle." "Well .." "I didn't expect to see you here." "─ Didn't you?" "Right out in the open, eh?" "─ Yes, right out in the open." "Where's Belle?" "She doesn't want to see you." "You know that." "Belle .." "Belle .." "I want to talk to you, alone." "I've got nothing to say to you." "Then I'll say what I've got to say right here." "I came here to tell you that you've got to drop this suit. ─ Ha." "Why?" "So you can save that cheap .." "─ Belle!" "You can have the property, Belle." "Everything." "I'm not going to fight you." "But you are not going to drag this through the mud." "Do you understand?" "Get out of here!" "I'll do as I please." "Listen, Belle." "I'm going to tell you something." "We have lived together a long time." "I've always let you have your own way." "But this time is different." "For once, I'm going to fight back." "There is more at stake here than a woman's reputation." "Or any spiteful little revenge on me." "You're too ignorant to know." "But you've been talked into doing something that affects a lot of people." "If you insist on making this scandal." "I promise you it will be something you'll never forget." "It may interest you and your friend, Mrs Wedge .." "To know that there isn't one word of truth in your accusations." "And on the particular date you mention in your petition." "On the night when Mrs Wedge drove past Julia's house half a dozen times." "Julia and I were going Judge Hutto's papers." "And I can prove it by a witness." "Come on, Belle." "Go upstairs and sleep it off." "And when you're feeling better." "We'll sit down and have a nice, long talk." "I hate you!" "I've always hated you." "I'm not good enough for you." "No." "You married me when you had nothing." "When you started up, you became ashamed of me." "Well, that's not true and you know it, and so does your mother." "Look .." "Belle." "Oh, Belle .. put that gun away." "Don't be a fool." "Give me the gun, Belle." "Dave." "His hat and coat." "─ Well, thank you." "You may come in now, Miss Norman." "But for just a moment." "It's too early to say, yet." "He's a very sick man, Miss Norman." "A double shock." "A bullet and surgery." "He's lost a lot of blood." "We just gave a transfusion." "Julia." "Miss Norman." "How is he?" "It just doesn't seem possible." "I mean, Dave .." "How could it have happened?" "May I see the doctor in charge of Dave Connors, please?" "The only thing to do is to ask for a postponement." "You are entitled to one, Margie." "And under the circumstances, I feel it is the only thing to do." "And besides .." "It would really be better for me to withdraw from the case altogether." "My very presence might be prejudicial to you." "Well, how long a postponement?" "That depends on Dave's .." "Mr Connors' condition." "Or at least until some other lawyer can familiarize himself with the facts." "Does that mean that .." "Margie will have to go through all this again?" "I'm afraid so." "─ Oh no!" "No, I can't go through it again." "I can't go back on that stand." "I couldn't bear it." "I can't do it .." "I won't do it." "─ Margie." "Couldn't you go on alone?" "If you can, I think we'd all rather get it over with." "Be seated." "Miss Norman." "Yes, Your Honour?" "Have you any information this morning regarding Mr Connors' condition?" "Yes, Your Honour." "I have a message here from Dr Patterson at the hospital." "It says." ""Patient's condition unchanged."" ""Respiration and pulse, weak."" ""Have ordered second transfusion."" "Miss Norman." "This court will be inclined to entertain a motion for a postponement." "If you so desire." "─ Thank you, Your Honour." "But the defendant does not wish a delay." "You are prepared to proceed alone?" "Yes, Your Honour." "Very well." "You may call your next witness." "─ Thank you, Your Honour." "But first, may I point out to the court." "That this case, through circumstances beyond our control." "Has ceased to be an ordinary murder trial." "And has become a political contest." "In which the guilt or innocence of Miss Ransome is of secondary importance." "Your Honour." "I protest this imputation of ulterior motives." "And I ask .." "Word has gone out, Your Honour." "Beat Dave Connors." "Beat him here and you won't have to beat him at the polls." "I am aware of no such word." "Just a moment, Mr Peddigrew." "This is a grave charge, Miss Norman." "Are you prepared to produce any evidence .." "That this court has been subjected to undue political pressure?" "I am, Your Honour." "Your Honour, I insist that the jury be dismissed, while these fantastic charges .." "The court will decide if the charges are fantastic, Mr Peddigrew." "Go ahead, Miss Norman." "I intend to prove by my next witness." "That a definite conspiracy did exist." "For the sole purpose of discrediting David Connors' candidacy for the U.S. Senate." "I shall prove further, that the injection of this irrelevant issue." "Tends to deprive the defendant of her rights to a fair and impartial trial." "And it is inconceivable that it should not react upon and influence the jury." "If it please the court." "No-one can regret more than I do the unfortunate accident." "That has removed Mr Connors from this trial." "However, I must point out to my learned colleague." "That a purely domestic quarrel to which Mr Connors has become involved." "Brought about, as I shall prove, if not actually planned .." "By forces inimical to Mr Connors' political aspirations." "But with no bearing whatever on the matter before us." "On the contrary." "Having great bearing, Your Honour." "If the Counsel for the Defence has proof .." "That the defendant is being deprived of a fair trial." "This court wishes to be informed." "Call your witness, Miss Norman." "─ But, Your Honour .." "Take your seat, Mr Peddigrew." "First, Your Honour." "May I direct your attention to a peculiar set of circumstances." "About which, even Mr Peddigrew cannot claim lack of knowledge." "I ask you to look at the Press table, Your Honour." "Why were all these out-of-town newspapermen brought here yesterday?" "Why was their arrival perfectly timed to coincide .." "With the publication and circulation in this courtroom .." "Of a scandalous newspaper story regarding Mr Connors and myself?" "Is anyone naive enough to believe that they just happened to be here?" "Or is it possible that the word went out to certain editors .." "That this case might be well worth watching?" "Your Honour." "I object to this wholly unfounded attack on the Press of this State." "And I ask the Defence Counsel's entire statement be stricken from the records." "As immaterial, irrelevant, and based upon nothing more sound than vague inferences." "I must warn you, Miss Norman." "That vague and unsubstantiated inductions will not be acceptable to this court." "If you have evidence that your client is being denied a fair and impartial trial .." "You may proceed." "Otherwise, I shall have to accept the Prosecution's objections." "And order all such immateriality, stricken from the record." "Mrs Tucker Wedge ─ Mrs Tucker Wedge." "Your name?" "Mrs Tucker Wedge." "─ Raise your right hand." "Do you swear the evidence you give will be the truth and nothing but the truth?" "I do." "─ Take the stand." "Mrs Wedge." "You are acquainted with Belle Connors?" "The wife of David Connors." "Don't answer that." "I object, Your Honour." "What has Mrs Wedge's acquaintance with Mrs Connors .." "To do with the murder of Gotch McCurdy?" "I withdraw that." "When did you last see Mrs Connors?" "─ Objection." "Oh, really Mr Peddigrew." "I have no objection to answering." "I have only the slightest acquaintance with Mrs Connors." "As a matter of fact, she has never even been in my home." "And you've never been in hers?" "Yes, I have been to her house." "I remember my husband took me there once." "Oh, several years ago." "Just after we were married." "Did you see her yesterday?" "─ Don't answer that." "Your Honour, I must ask that Counsel for the Defence .." "Be directed to discontinue this entire line of questioning." "Mrs Wedge is not on trial here." "Counsel may continue." "But confine her questions to the issues." "─ Yes, Your Honour." "When did you last see Mrs Connors?" "Did you see her yesterday?" "Yes, I did." "─ At your home?" "No." "─ Where did you see her?" "Well .. really, I fail to .." "─ Was it at her home?" "Yes it was." "─ Who was there?" "Well, I really don't remember." "Well, her mother." "─ No-one else?" "Not that I recall." "─ Wasn't David Connors there?" "He came in later." "Then you were present when he was shot?" "Your Honour." "I, again object to this line of questioning." "And I repeat." "Mrs Wedge is not on trial here." "I withdraw the question, Your Honour." "Tell us why you were at Mrs Connors' house, Mrs Wedge." "Why, I .." "─ You were just calling on her?" "Is that it?" "─ Yes." "Yet you have just testified that you and Mrs Connors were not intimate friends." "You hadn't been in her house for years." "─ I didn't say that." "I said .." "Well, besides." "I have a perfect right to call on anyone I please." "But you were there, Mrs Wedge?" "─ Yes." "I was there." "Now, tell us." "Is it true that you made Mrs Connors file divorce proceedings against her husband?" "Don't answer that." "And that you persuaded her to file that suit, just before the end of this trial." "Regardless of what the effect might be on Marjorie Ransome." "I Insist that the witness be not permitted to answer that, Your Honour." "And that the jury be instructed to disregard this entire testimony." "Which has no bearing on the case whatsoever" "If Miss Norman wishes to defend her own reputation." "Let her go and do so elsewhere." "You needn't answer that question, Mrs Wedge." "Nor Miss Norman, will you continue this line of interrogation." "If the Defence wishes to make this subject the basis of a motion for a new trial." "We will proceed without the presence of the jury." "In the meanwhile .. members of the jury are instructed to disregard." "The testimony of the witness." "The Defence does not wish to offer such a motion, Your Honour." "Witness is excused." "Your Honour." "As concluding witness for the defence." "I should like to return to the stand myself." "For the purpose of answering the last question that was put to me yesterday." "By the prosecuting attorney." "And at which time, I was not permitted to answer." "Very well, Miss Norman." "Mr Reporter, read the concluding questions of the last session." "Question." "Miss Norman." ""What is your relationship to the chief Counsel for the Defence, Mr Connors?"" "Answer. "Associate Counsel."" "Question. "Is that all?"." ""Never mind answering that, Miss Norman." "You are excused."" "My answer to that question, gentlemen." "Is that it is true that I am, and have been, in love with David Connors." "I think I began to love him as a child." "It was this love of him that caused me to return to Jericho to practice law." "Knowing that I might be near him." "Later, Mr Connors came to love me." "But , that there has been anything reprehensible in our relationship." "That we have ever, at any time done anything to spoil it." "That we are guilty in any degree of the conduct described in the newspapers." "I deny just as forcibly .." "As I confess my love for him." "From the day we acknowledged our love." "We both regarded it as hopeless." "That is why I went away from Jericho." "And that is why, with one exception." "I never saw Mr Connors." "From the day he left here." "Until he came to my apartment in Kansas City." "To bring Margie Ransome back here for trial." "Are there any further questions, Mr Peddigrew?" "No questions." "Your Honour." "Whether I would have answered Mr Peddigrew's question yesterday." "As I have today, I don't know." "My first reaction to his question was that of any woman." "I was angry." "I was bewildered." "I was ashamed." "My first impulse was to run away." "Just as Marjorie Ransome ran away." "When she faced the slander and gossip of this town." "However .. events have transpired since." "Which have served to change my mind." "I've come to realize that the only way to rid this case .." "Of the false and irrelevant issue regarding Mr Connors and myself." "Is to face it openly .. and frankly." "Now that I have done this." "I ask you to instruct members of the jury." "To forget us." "And to consider only that evidence that relates to the guilt .." "Or innocence of Marjorie Ransome." "I ask that in your charge." "You remind the jury." "That Marjorie Ransome was a voluntary and competent witness on her own behalf." "But the State's witnesses have repeatedly testified under cross-examination." "As to the unsavoury character of Rufus McCurdy." "That they be instructed to take into full account." "The facts which caused Marjorie to run away from Jericho in the first place." "If they would confine themselves, to those facts." "They will realize .. and so conclude." "That it is inconceivable that such a child could have intentionally killed anyone." "That it is inconceivable that she could strike even the lowest of animals." "Much less, a human being." "Except." "In self-defence." "That is the plea .." "That I know Mr Connors would make." "If he were able to be here today." "The Defence rests." "Alright, Mr Peddigrew .. we'll proceed." "One, one, one." "Who is speaking, please?" "Oh, Miss Ellen." "This is Mr Tucker Wedge." "Can you tell me how Mr Connors is now?" "I see." "Well, if there is any change Miss Ellen, I wonder if you'd let me know." "Thank you." "Well, don't look at me like that." "I'm not a criminal." "Tucker, surely you don't think I planned to have Dave shot?" "Why didn't you tell me you were there?" "Well, it never really occurred to me." "─ Oh yes, it did occur to you." "You were afraid to tell me, weren't you?" "─ If that's that attitude you're .." "You have deliberately ruined the only real friendship I ever had." "Well, I shouldn't worry too much about it if I were you." "At least Dave's problem has been simplified .. his and Julia's." "Now that he has the sword to hold over Belle's head." "Provided of course, he lives." "Well, whatever happened .." "Surely you realize that what I did, I did for you?" "For me?" "For yourself, you mean." "It was you who wanted to go to Washington to make a big splash." "You never did like this town, not from the first." "You hated it." "It was too little and narrow and small-town for you." "That's why you used me to get away, wasn't it?" "Yes, that's true." "I did hate it." "And I always will hate it." "I'm sorry to hear you say that, Algeria, as I'm afraid it won't do you any good." "Whether you hate it or not." "From now on you're going to live here and make the best of it." "Where are you going?" "I'm a newspaperman." "Remember?" "I'm going down to my office to make an announcement for the evening paper." "I've just decided not to run for the Senate after all." "Julia .." "I .." "Julia." "You may come in now." "How is he?" "─ He asked for you." "David." "Julia." "T-G"