He may not find a ten-dollar
book next month.
[TIPPY _goes to put money in pocket and discovers he has no pants
on._]
TIPPY. Hell. I have no pants.... Sorry, Kate. [_He grabs pants off
chair and goes into bedroom._]
MARTIN. Why don't you quit it, Kate? You aren't helping Ted. You're
ruining him.
KATE. I'm only lending him the money. He'll pay it back.
MARTIN. Like hell he will! The man's been a deadbeat for years.
KATE. [_Desperately._] Martin!
MARTIN. He borrowed off his prosperous friends till he exhausted
that source.
KATE. He sold them books.
MARTIN. Sold nothing!--Disguised gifts. He made the mistake of
naming prices. Fooled me for a while. Then I happened to meet a
real second-hand books man.
KATE. [_Angrily._] What business was it of yours, checking up on
him?
MARTIN. None whatever, so long as it hurt only him and you.
KATE. You boys need his rent. As long as you get it, why can't you
treat him like a gentleman? His pride is all he's got left.
[TED _re-enters. Wears different tie, good fall topcoat, not new.
His hat and book in his hand._]
TED. The man I think should have this book happens to be out of
town. But I know someone else who might take it. I'll go and see
him.
[TIPPY _enters, bathrobe gone, pants on._]
MARTIN. Just a minute, Ted. I've just been told I'm butting in on
something that's none of my business.
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