PS American Dramatists Series Mnber tfje Cagle Borotfjp potter Class /"rV <-^» r) j COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. American Drainatists Series UNDER THE EAGLE Three Plays with a Prologue and Epilogue DOROTHY POTTER BOSTON : THE GORHAM PRESS TORONTO: THE COPP CLARK CO., LIMITED Copyright, 1916, by Dorothy Potter All Rights Reserved -^ (t) N^ The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A. / WAR 10 19(6 ©ol.O 4G25D CONTENTS The Prologue 7 "Watchful Waiting" 19 Yellow Yielding 35 "Bombast and Platitudes" 53 Epilogue 69 THE PROLOGUE Characters : The Statesman. The Citizen. Place : The Statesman s office. Time: Present. UNDER THE EAGLE THE PROLOGUE Scene: The STATESMAN'S office, handsome and practical. At Rise: The STATESMAN sits at his desk gazing abstractedly at a calling card, which he holds in his hand. ( The CITIZEN enters — a well-dressed, business- like citizen. The STATESMAN turns in his swivel chair, notes the CITIZEN and rises politely.) CITIZEN You are the Statesman. STATESMAN (Smiling.) Yes — if you like. {Referring to card.) And you are — CITIZEN Never mind the name. I'm a citizen, that's all. If you must qualify me further call me the Thinking Citizen. I've done a good deal of it lately. STATESMAN Will you sit down? CITIZEN Thanks. (He sits.) I'm here to bore you for as long a time as you allow it. STATESMAN (Pointedly.) Just at present, I am at leisure. CITIZEN (Earnestly.) Perhaps you can put me right — that's all I'm after — to be put right. I'm not partisan 7 8 UNDER THE EAGLE or fanatic or prejudiced or excited, I'm not even in an argumentative mood ; I'm worried and I want to be convinced that I'm wrong. If you can do that, I'll go away very much — relieved. STATESMAN That's part of my business, convincing people. {Hastily.) That is, convincing them that what I do is right. CITIZEN Yes, yes. STATESMAN Of course, if your trouble comes from some situ- ation for which I am not responsible — CITIZEN You are responsible — at least, partly responsible, jointly responsible. STATESMAN Oh, well, as long as I'm in it, you may come to me for an explanation. CITIZEN {Apologetically.) I couldn't clearly fix the blame on any one person or set of persons. A lot of you seemed culpable, and I had to put it up to someone so I chose you. STATESMAN Now we understand each other. CITIZEN I said — culpable. I don't mean it, I don't want to mean any such thing, but I see things and think them over and I can't help feeling that something is wrong. I don't want anything to be wrong. I want you to tell me there isn't — to prove that there isn't. I want you to convince me that I am a fool. THE PROLOGUE 9 STATESMAN {With involuntary pride.) I have done just that. CITIZEN I feel foolish already. STATESMAN Now what is your trouble ? CITIZEN It's about ourselves, our big family here that we call the United States, and its relations with the oth- er families on this earth. STATESMAN That is a big question. CITIZEN Yes, STATESMAN That is a complex question. CITIZEN {Wearily.) I know. STATESMAN Just what phase of our international relations do you wish to discuss? CITIZEN I don't want to talk at all. STATESMAN What phase do you wish me to discuss? CITIZEN Don't put it that way or we'll never get along. I don't think about "phases" and "international rela- tions" ; I think of us as one big family and of all the rest as other big families. STATESMAN {Humoring him.) Very well, we'll deal in fam- ilies. 10 UNDER THE EAGLE CITIZEN {Apologetically.) You see, I want to be con- vinced on my own ground. I'm thinking in families, and unless you convince in families, we shan't come out even. STATESMAN Well, what about our big family? CITIZEN (Seriously.) Many of our children have left home and gone out to seek their fortune. Some of them have gone to our next-door neighbor on the south. STATESMAN {Striking his level again.) Mexico. You want to take up the Mexican situation. CITIZEN {Distressed.) No, no; I don't! I don't know anything about it. {Sadly.) If you go on that way you'll prove your point — I can't argue about sit- uations and phases and policies — but you won't con- vince me. I'll still think what I think now, because I know those things about — about our children. STATESMAN You must be thinking of the pillaging and murder and so-forth that the Mexicans have done to our people. CITIZEN Yes; I am. {In surprise.) You — you think of that, too? STATESMAN Certainly. CITIZEN {In dread.) You believe it. You know! You admit ! THE PROLOGUE ii STATESMAN I couldn't deny it very well ; it is an incontestable fact. CITIZEN (Dismally.) Then I am not wrong? {His face brightening.) But there is a good reason for such things. STATESMAN There is a reason — the Mexicans pillage us be- cause they want our property; they kill us because they hate us. CITIZEN Why — why do we allow it? Tell me that. STATESMAN Now you are getting into the complications. CITIZEN Why? Why should there be complications? It is simple enough. A stranger goes about robbing and murdering my children. What should I do — a big strong man? STATESMAN Stop the crimes ; punish the criminal. CITIZEN Yes; that is what I think. Why don't we do it? STATESMAN {Explaining carefully.) With national action, you have a question of policy. It is not our policy to interfere. CITIZEN Even to stop the crimes against our children? What is a nation but the family magnified? What is its policy but the attitude of a mother toward her children ? 12 UNDER THE EAGLE STATESMAN That's what it Is. CITIZEN Why are we not fair to our children ? STATESMAN We are as fair as possible under the circumstances. CITIZEN Tell me. I want to be convinced. STATESMAN You tell me. Would it be wise and just to jeop- ardize the interests and lives of all for the interests and lives of a few ? CITIZEN I should think it would be most unjust. STATESMAN There you have it. CITIZEN Then that is why we do not interfere ? STATESMAN That is why. CITIZEN {Happily.) You have given me a good reason there. I can see! I can see! {His face suddenly clouding.) But why should our interference jeopar- dize so many? STATESMAN Interference would mean war. CITIZEN Of course, and we mustn't have war. ( Thought- fully.) If we don't, though, these crimes go on and on. Still, as you say, it is better to jeopardize few than many. {Suddenly.) Why doesn't our THE PROLOGUE 13 next-door neighbor give the other nations the same trouble ? STATESMAN He is afraid of the other nations. CITIZEN Isn't he afraid of us? STATESMAN No. CITIZEN We are just as big as the others. STATESMAN But not so strong. CITIZEN And our neighbor knows that, and because he knows it he dares to murder our children? STATESMAN Yes. CITIZEN But if we were strong like the other nations, and our neighbor knew it, he would not dare to trifle with us, our children would not suffer and we should not even have to consider going to war. STATESMAN That is true. CITIZEN (In fear.) Then there is something wrong — there must be! (Catching himself.) I forget! (Apolo- getically.) I'm thinking now that it is our lack of strength that is responsible for all this trouble, that we are really to blame. Tell me that I am wrong. STATESMAN I can't do that. CITIZEN (Pleadingly.) I want to be convinced. 14 UNDER THE EAGLE STATESMAN But you are right this time. It is our lack of strength that is responsible for all this trouble. CITIZEN {Reluctantly.) Then there is something wrong after all; someone is culpable. You can't put me right. STATESMAN I can't argue away an incontestable fact. CITIZEN If we had a larger army — STATESMAN If we had a large, efficient army — Go on. CITIZEN Our army is quite inadequate? STATESMAN Quite. It is not large enough to win either fear or respect. They have dared much with us. CITIZEN {In a strangely quiet voice, as one speaks of a nightmare that has become reality.) Is it true that we have given up things that no one would have dared to ask for if we had been strong? STATESMAN Yes; that is true. CITIZEN {With lowered eyes.) Is it true that we must yield before we are asked to yield, to save our honor? STATESMAN Yes. CITIZEN Is it true that others have not attacked us, sim- ply because they have not been ready ? THE PROLOGUE 15 STATESMAN Undoubtedly true ; we present no bulwark against them. CITIZEN (Very softly.) And If some day one of these na- tions should find itself ready, desirous of our land and treasure, would it be comparatively easy — ? Is that also incontestable? STATESMAN Incontestable. CITIZEN (Hopelessly.) Then I am not a fool! STATESMAN No — unless I, too, am one. I have agreed with you from the first, my friend. CURTAIN "WATCHFUL WAITING" Characters : The General. First Orderly. Second Orderly. An American Woman. Place : Headquarters of the General in a town of North- ern Mexico. Time: Present. "WATCHFUL WAITING" Scene: Rough room with doors R. and L. Win- dow at back. Table C. Chairs. It is early morning. At Rise: FIRST Orderly, a dirty Mexican sol- dier, dozes in a chair, his rifle beside him. {Enter, left, SECOND ORDERLY, a dirty Mexican soldier.) SECOND ORDERLY Jeh! Jeh! {FIRST ORDERLY wakes with a start and a look behind him. Seeing SECOND ORDERLY, he growls^) SECOND ORDERLY El general — la senora. FIRST ORDERLY SI, si! {He picks up his rifle and goes out slowly, right.) SECOND ORDERLY {Holding open door, left.) Entre usted, senora. {An AMERICAN WOMAN enters. She is fair, young pretty and dressed in a white linen riding habit. SECOND ORDERLY goes out, left, clos- ing door. The WOMAN stands waiting, swinging a riding crop impatiently. She is evidently angry.) FIRST ORDERLY {Re-entering and holding open door for someone outside.) La Norte-Americana. ( The GENERAL enters. He is a typical Mexi- can — dark, with a heavy black mustache. He wears a uniform and a large sombrero. FIRST ORDER- 19 20 UNDER THE EAGLE LY closes door and takes post against it, where he soon dozes.) GENERAL (His hat in his hand, bowing and smiling.) Ah, sefiorfta 6 senora — ? WOMAN {Curtly.) Speak English. I am in a hurry and I want to be sure that we understand each other. GENERAL {Bowing.) With pleasure, senora. WOMAN Don't you know who I am ? GENERAL {Apologetically.) I regret — WOMAN I am Mrs. Welford — {Emphatically.) Mrs. James Welford. GENERAL {Politely.) Ah? The name, senora, is not fami- liar. WOMAN Mr. Welford is secretary of the United Mines Company. He is in sole charge of the property here since operations have been stopped. GENERAL {Graciously.) And the senora is the wife of Mr. Welford ? — charming ! WOMAN {Looking at him steadily.) My husband was ar- rested last night by your men. GENERAL {In horrified surprise.) Sefiora! but not by my orders — ! How can I — ! WATCHFUL WAITING 21 WOMAN Of course not. But that is not the point. With the country in its present condition, mistakes and irregularities are often unavoidable. No one under- stands that better than I, but this — this arrest is too much. GENERAL I agree with the seiiora. WOMAN I have come here this morning to gain your assur- ance that such a piece of impudence will not occur again. Really, an apology, either by the officer in charge of the squad or by you, is due Mr. Welford. GENERAL Mr. Welford does not ask it himself? WOMAN {Angrily.) Mr. Welford is still in the custody of those pirates, I suppose. GENERAL {Horrified.) Ah! WOMAN {Her voice rising.) And you'd better not keep him there any longer. GENERAL { Grieved but helpless. ) How could I — ? WOMAN Just send for him and you'll have a good chance to hear his opinion of the affair. Atrocious! {She turns away with an angry toss of her head. The GENERAL wrings his hands. Turning back to him.) Well? I'm sure any delay in making amends will not make that opinion any pleasanter to listen to. 22 UNDER THE EAGLE GENERAL {Meekly.) Very true, of course. WOMAN Then don't delay. GENERAL But I would first make explanation of the — the of- fense. Unpardonable! but — my own difficulties — WOMAN {Bored.) Yes; I'll listen to you while Mr. Wel- ford is on his way over. Get your man off first. {He gives her a sidelong glance, then turns to the ORDERLY.) GENERA L Jeh! {FIRST ORDERLY wakens with a start and a look behind.) Tengan prisa! {The two stand watching while the FIRST ORDERLY opens the door, right, and repeats '^Tengan prisa." He then closes the door and settles back to sleep.) WOMAN Now I'll hear what you have to say. GENERAL {Humbly, inclining his head.) Gracias, sefiora. {She nods briefly.) Sefiora, the soldiers are not good. There is no discipline. What can I do ? WOMAN I'm sure no one knows if you don't. You are the officer in command. GENERAL But they will not obey me ; they do as they please. WOMAN Yes; because you all do as you please, officers as well as soldiers. Discipline must begin at the top and extend down to the bottom. With you it has not WATCHFUL WAITING 23 even begun, and see what the lack of ft has done to your country. Ruin of life, ruin of property. Mur- der, pillage, burning, looting. It is hideous! No man is safe at his work by day or in his bed at night. And not content with destroying you fellow-coun- trymen, you have turned upon us Americans. We have entered your barbarous land and brought money and energy and progress. We have brought you all you have to be proud of, and for that you owe us vengeance. For our money you rob us ; for our ener- gy you throw us into your filthy prisons ; for the pro- gress we have made, you destroy our property and ruin our enterprises. What do you expect us to think of you? Bandits you are and bandits we call you. Why, as I came here this morning, your sol- diers were digging a grave at the very doorstep. I suppose it will shelter some hapless victim of your lack of discipline. GENERAL The sefiora is cruel ; she does not understand. WOMAN. Humph ! GENERAL The Americans are my friends. I know them for my great friends and I wish them no harm. It is not much time that I am in this town, but I have seen the sefior and the sefiora riding down to" the mine, the sefiora on her little brown horse, all dressed in white, riding in the sunlight, and I have — WOMAN. Then you did know me? GENERAL. Not the name, sefiora. 24 UNDER THE EAGLE WOMAN, I see. {Impatiently.) Well, your man is slow. The commanding officer might do well to reprimand him. {She strolls toward the window.) GENERAL. {Apologetically.) The prison is crowded. It is difficult perhaps to find the pris — the Sefior Welford. WOMAN. {Glancing out.) So! the grave is finished. GENE'R.AL. And the officer commanding the squad ? Will the sefiora describe him? WOMAN. {Turning from the ivindow.) The man who ar- rested Mr. Welford ? GENERAL. Si, sefiora. WOMAN. {Thoughtfully, putting her crop on the chair.) He was short — about your height. GENERAL. Ah! WOMAN. And about your build. His face — I did not notice especially except — yes, he had a black mustache, something like yours. GENERAL. Ah? WOMAN. I really cannot describe him accurately. You Mexicans are all dark. It is hard for me to tell one from another. He had black eyes of course. {Laughing a little.) You see, I am hopeless. This WATCHFUL WAITING 25 description could fit you as well as that pirate. He was very rough and coarse in his manner, that I re- member well. GENERAL. And the arrest? What happened, seiiora? WOMAN. It was about midnight. They broke in the door and seized Mr. Welford before he could reach his re- volver. There were six of them ; this officer seemed to be in command. They claimed that Mr. Welford had not paid taxes to the new town government, which is perfectly absurd, of course. Mr. Welford told them so and ordered them to leave the house. They refused to go. They seized him just as he was and dragged him, literally dragged him away. GENERAL (Curiously.) The sefiora was afraid? WOMAN There was nothing to be afraid of. I was angry. GENERAL, The sefiora is brave. WOMAN {Impatiently.) That is not the point. There is no necessity for bravery or cause for fear except, per- haps, on the part of the commanding officer who al- lowed such an outrage to be committed. GENERAL. {Helplessly.) Ah! sefiora! WOMAN {Growing angrier as she proceeds.) Really, you know, it makes me furious ; the whole affair is so im- pudent, so absurd, so unnecessary. You treat us as 26 UNDER THE EAGLE though we were a lot of your dirty peons to be dragged about and clapt into prison. And here we are Americans, citizens of the United States, living here under our own flag, under the American Eagle, mind you ! and still you dare. Oh, you don't do us any real harm, of course. That would be to put your head into the lion's mouth, and you have no stomach for that. Oh, no! You simply rely on our natural disregard for little things and our unwillingness to bother our government, and so rob and annoy and insult us to your heart's content. Impudence! It's time we put a stop to this absurd forbearance on our part. Do you know, I've half a mind to leave you this minute and carry this affair to the President of the United States! {She goes toward the door.) GENERAL Senora! Stay, I beg! Only hear me! WOMAN {Her hand on the door.) No! I've had enough. GENERAL All I ask is justice. WOMAN Justice! Humph! {But she pauses.) GENERAL First I ask your pardon, I beg you to forgive this — this crime. {She is tapping the floor with her boot, her back to him.) For the past, I can do no more ; for the future, I make great effort, believe me. You speak of the condition of the country. Only lis- ten. Our people here are not like Americans; they are barbarous and ignorant and poor. They are downtrodden and so ignorant. Then comes to them the vision of liberty. {She turns to him.) It is the WATCHFUL WAITING 27 same like the great American vision. {She takes a step toward him.) They rise up! They are ignor- ant. They are mad with the dream of liberty and the taste of power. They will not be controlled; they are just free after so long and they seek only vengeance. WOMAN (She is back by the chair j interested.) Yes; but they will accomplish nothing that way. The move- ment must be organized and directed to a certain point. They must have a leader. GENERAL (Sadly.) They have a leader, but he is not obeyed. WOMAN You must teach them. GENERAL If it were possible. But see, sefiora, what a trag- edy! (Striking his breast.) If this leader loves his country, if he has lived always, hoping to bring his people out of the dark of slavery into great freedom. If, at last, the great uprising comes — Ah, but the people do not understand! They will not be led. They will not obey. The leader is called a bandit. The great revolution must fail. Sefiora, it is hard ! WOMAN Of course it is, but not impossible. You haven't gone about it right, that's all. Why don't you edu- cate the people ? Explain the situation to them. Tell them that they can do nothing without organization, but that if they will unite and obey their leader ab- solutely, they shall win freedom. Stir them up! In- spire them ! Keep the idea of freedom in their minds 28 UNDER THE EAGLE so that to gain It they will yield to the discipline. Then discipline them and you'll win out. GENERAL {Confidentially,) Senora, I have already begun to try the discipline. WOMAN Good! How did it work out? {She sits dowuj in- terested. ) GENERAL Alas ! the man refused to obey. He must die this morning. WOMAN {Seriously.) Oh! {Earnestly.) Well, you see it is the first time you have tried. You can't expect them to understand at once. It is a pity, but a few examples are necessary at first. GENERAL It is for this man that the soldiers have dug the grave. WOMAN Oh, I see. GENERAL He was very independent, this man ; he did always as he pleased. I am the officer in command here. Have I not a right to demand obedience? WOMAN Certainly, from everyone under your authority. GENERAL But I am supreme. WOMAN Then you should accomplish great things. GENERAL I ordered certain war taxes to be paid. It was a necessity. He refused to pay. WATCHFUL WAITING 29 WOMAN Perhaps he thought that, being a soldier, he was exempt. Did you have it explained to him? GENERAL I explained to him myself that no one was exempt. He refused to pay. WOMAN Perhaps he had no money. GENERAL He has much, very much. He came to me here in this room. He swore he would never pay. I was not hard. I offered that he give me something else in- stead of money, something he had that I wanted. He was wild, that man. He insulted me — me, the com- manding officer! He would have killed me. I or- dered him to be seized and shot. WOMAN It is a pity for the man, but you will find it easy to collect the tax now. GENERAL And I have all the money instead of just a part. WOMAN {Nodding.) Confiscated, of course. GENERAL And something else that I wanted more than all his money. WOMAN The example for discipline. GENERAL Oh, so very much more, sefiora. WOMAN I hope it may improve the rioting dispositions of the rest. (Looking at the watch on her wrist.) They 30 UNDER THE EAGLE are slow about Mr. Welford. I am sorry — for them. (She smiles*) , GENERAL There are few men at the prison. All are busy now with this unfortunate — (As the crack of rifles is heard. ) Ah ! WOMAN What? The execution? GENERAL They are through now. Now they will bring Mr. Welford up. WOMAN I hate to think of it — life going out like that, but — GENERAL {Sharply, to FIRST ORDERLY.) Parato! ( The GENERAL stands by the table waiting, his head bent, one finger tapping the table. The FIRST ORDERLY rouses himself and goes yawn- ing across to door, left. FIRST ORDERLY {Opening the door and calling.) Jeh! Parato! {Enter the SECOND ORDERLY. He stands just inside the open door. The FIRST ORDERLY walks slowly back to door, right, and opens it. The WOMAN has picked up her crop and stands swing- nig it against the chair and talking as the orderlies move about.) WOMAN {Smiling brightly.) Well, I came here to be very angry and vindictive, and after all I shall not even let Mr. Welford give you his whole opinion. You see, he has been under arrest since midnight and WATCHFUL WAITING 31 will not be in a very forgiving mood. We can't blame him either, for it was rather — unusual, you know. When you don't see the other side ! ( The orderlies have reached their respective doors. They look at the GENERAL, tvhose head is still bentj as he listens and taps the table; at the IVO- MAN, siuinging her crop and smiling; then at each other and close the doors simultaneously.) WOMAN {With a little laugh.) How uncharitable we are sometimes before we understand ! {She becomes con- scious of the closing of the doors and glances about.) {The GENERAL has raised his eyes — just his eyes, beasfs eyes above bestial lips. { The finger taps cease ; the riding crop stops siuinging. ) CURTAIN. YELLOW YIELDING Characters : A Mother, Her Son. Place : A cabin in the mountains. Time: Then J now and to come. YELLOW YIELDING Scene: The interior of a small log cabin. A door is on the right. At back are two windows with a stove between them. Sojne curtained shelves are built against the ivall, left. A table and three chairs occupy the center of the room. A wooden bench with a basin and pail of water stands against the wall, right. Above the bench hangs a roller towel. The luindows ai*e fitted with short curtains ^ that can be drawn across them and serve as shades. It is even- ing. At Rise: The curtains are parted, revealing a landscape of trees stripped by Autumn. The MOTHER is getting supper. She is a woman in middle life with the energy of youth in her bright eyes; the tenderness of age in her pleasant face. She is dressed in a coarse woolen dress and a wide ging- ham apron. {The MOTHER pauses in her operations from time to time to glance out the window. After her last survey she smiles and returns to the stove, hum- ming.) {Her SON enters, a powerfully built young man with a clear, frank face. He wears heavy boots and rough clothing. He enters slowly, closes the door and stands with his hand on the nob and his face avert- ed.) MOTHER {Stirring the victuals, cheerily.) You are late to- night, son. 35 36 UNDER THE EAGLE SON Mother, I saw the General just now. MOTHER He is well? The General is always well. Wash your hands; supper will soon be ready. {SON goes to the bench.) SON {Pouring water into the basin from the pail.) I met him on the Great Road. MOTHER And then had a long walk back across the fields. It is quite dark already; winter is coming. SON {Looking up at the wall in front of him.) Where is the gun? MOTHER The gun! Then you have only just noticed. I took it down months ago. SON {Fearfully.) You — you haven't thrown it away? MOTHER Not yet. I thought I should ask you first — you might have some sentiment, since it was your father's — then I forgot all about it. SON WTiere is it, mother? MOTHER Let me see! — somewhere — behind the stove. I think I dropped it there. SON {Hunting behind the stove.) I can't find it. It isn't here. MOTHER Under the wood-box perhaps. YELLOW YIELDING 37 SON Yes, I have it. {He takes a rusty, old-fashioned gun from behind the stove.) MOTHER What are you going to do with it ? SON I — just clean it a little. MOTHER Dirty old thing! I'd throw it away. Sentiment for useless trash is rather silly. SON {Looking at the gun, to himself.) I know so little about it. {He fingers it, trying to take it apart. ) MOTHER In these days we don't have use for such things. SON Mother, why do they call him the General? MOTHER That comes from the old days, your father's day and mine and his father's, when this country was wild and rough. The gun wasn't hanging on the wall then ; it was standing in the corner or lying across your father's knees. Then the best shot was the best man. Your father was a good shot, but his father was better. It was for that we named him, and his son has naturally come to the name after him. SON The General is a good shot. {As he comprehends the mechanism of the gun.) There! MOTHER So they say. He keeps in practice. 38 UNDER THE EAGLE SON I don't know how to shoot at all. MOTHER How should you know, when you've never been taught ? SON Why wasn't I taught? My father was a good shot; he must have known. MOTHER He did know that it would never be necessary for you to learn any such thing. These are different times we're living in now. People don't shoot and fight and plunder each other any more. We have a new ideal, my son — to live at peace with the world, each man in his own place. SON You believe that, mother? MOTHER And you believe it, too. SON What does the General believe? MOTHER The same, I suppose. SON Then why does he practice shooting? MOTHER For amusement. Bless you, my son, we don't care what the General believes ; we have only ourselves to answer for. SON But, mother — (His face hardens.) MOTHER Supper is ready, and you must be hungry. YELLOW YIELDING ^^ SON (Turning away.) Not very, just now. MOTHER Why, what Is the matter? SON Mother, why did you give the Great Road to the General ? MOTHER I ? He told you ! SON Yes. MOTHER It was not my fault, dear. Your father prom- ised it to his father, and I was in honor bound to fulfill that promise. SON I don't see why. Father built the road with his own money and labor. He meant that the General should use it, but not without pay. Why should my father have labored and paid for the General's comfort and profit? MOTHER Because your father — whatever he meant — gave the General to understand that the road would be his without pay. It was so the General under- stood the promise. We cannot cloud your father's memory by breaking that promise. Honor is higher than all else. SON But what about the money? I must pay and pay and pay that the General may profit. I made no promise, yet my patrimony must be spent to satisfy the General's keen sense of honor, I wonder if he calls it honorable to take from me without paying? 40 UNDER THE EAGLE MOTHER Sh ! You are excited ! It is not the General's fault, but your father's. He should have had a clear un- derstanding. As for the money, that is nothing. You are a better farmer than the General; you have learned to plow instead of to shoot. You are richer than he. The trifle it will take to keep the road in repair need not really matter to you. SON What about the principle? MOTHER It is a good principle — when we can afford it — to be big and generous, to overlook trifles for our hon- or's sake. SON Very well. {In a hard voice.) The General wants the South Pasture. MOTHER What do you mean? SON Just that ! — the General wants the South Pasture. MOTHER He wants the South Pasture ? Tell him we do not wish to sell. SON He does not wish to buy. MOTHER Well—? SON You have given him the Great Road, and now he wants the South Pasture. MOTHER He would not expect us to give him our land. He is playing you a joke. YELLOW YIELDING 41 SON Mother, it is not a joke. MOTHER Then the man is crazy. People don't do such things in this day. If we were living in the Stone Age perhaps — barbarians! But now! — for him to suggest such a thing! What can he be thinking of? SON That we have land and he has none; that he is strong and we are weak; that he will barter his strength for our land. MOTHER Fortunately, Civilization will not allow it. SON Civilization! What is it? You speak as though it were a power created for your protection. It is not a power and it does not belong exclusively to you. It is a result that he has helped to make as well as you — he with his practice of shooting. He is stronger than we ; the law is his, and will accord him as much as he has power to take. MOTHER The South Pasture! SON Yes. I suppose we can live even then ; we shall still have this house and garden. MOTHER If we thought of accepting his insane proposals, but we do not. SON You gave him the Great Road. MOTHER That is a different matter. This time he has not the shadow of a claim ; he is trying to see how far he 42 UNDER THE EAGLE can go. We'll stop him right here. SON (Slowly.) Yes; I thought that was the right — MOTHER (Decidedly.) It is the only thing to do. (Son begins to clean the gun.) What can the man ex- pect? Your father's property! His son's inheritance! And 'twas hard winning, too ! Wild beasts and wild men to be subdued ! Elements to be braved ! Bought with sweat and blood, with labor and agony in the making. Your father and I conquered it together for our son, who alone has the right to the product of our travail. SON Yes, mother; you are right. MOTHER Then comes this upstart to demand our winnings, simply because he is a strong brute with desires. He will find that we, who have braved monsters before are not afraid. SON No, no! (Nervously.) Only — this gun! It is so rusty ! I don't think it will shoot at all. MOTHER (Horrified.) Shoot! My son, I do not mean to go as far as that. SON It is the General's doing; not mine. To-night he comes for his answer. If we yield, he is satisfied; if we refuse to yield, he will fight. Where is the am- munition ? MOTHER But you cannot fight with the General. He would kill you at once. YELLOW YIELDING 43 SON Yes; he will kill me. {A knock at the door.) That is he ! Quick ! The ammunition ! MOTHER I don't know where it is. You will not fight. Go! Speak to him. Give me the gun. (He yields the gun reluctantly.) Tell him how we stand. Appeal to his reason and his sense of justice. Tell him we wish to be friends. SON {Going.) Then, mother, while I am gone, will you find the ammunition ? MOTHER Yes, yes ! You will not need it. Be friendly with him. Compromise if necessary. {The SON goes out, closing the door.) It will be all right. There! I must find the ammunition. {She hunts.) Where can it be? There will be no need of it anyway. {Looking on the shelves.) Here! {Gathering up two cartridges.) One — two cartridges. That is enough for our purpose. {SON re-enters. He is very pale.) Well? SON Have you found it? MOTHER What—? SON It is no use; he will not compromise. We must give him the South Pasture or fight. Give me the ammunition. MOTHER {Slowly.) No — I can't do that. {With decision.) Y'ou must not fight; he would only kill you. I've, 44 UNDER THE EAGLE been thinking. It is better to give him the South Pasture. SON Mother! is that right? I am not afraid! MOTHER It is right. SON (Bitterly.) He will have the South Pasture. My inheritance ! MOTHER Don't keep him vv^aiting. It will not do to exas- perate him. SON (Violently.) He is a thief! MOTHER (Putting her hand over his mouth.) Hush! Hush! (She holds him for an instant. When he is calm she lets him go.) Now go. SON (In a low voice.) I am strong! — stronger than he and younger. If I knew how to shoot! (He turns away with a hoarse sound like a sob in his throat and goes out.) MOTHER (Nervously J bustling about the room.) Of course that is right. It is the only thing to do. He would kill my son, and then the property would be worth- less to me. (SON re-enters with bowed head and sits at table.) After all, we have more than we need. We must not be greedy. The General had not so much as we. We can still live quite cozily here with the house and garden left. The South Pasture was a great care, too. Now we can have a YELLOW YIELDING 45 little rest instead of always working. Besides, I could not let you die. Any sacrifice to save my son. What is the matter ? SON Nothing. MOTHER What did the General say ? SON He laughed. MOTHER Let him laugh. I have saved my son ; I know that I am right. What do I care for his laughing? SON He said something, too. MOTHER Well, what did he say? SON He called you a coward ! MOTHER Pooh ! His opinion is nothing to me. He is an old liar anyway. SON (Deliberately.) It is the truth — you are a cow- ard! MOTHER (Horrified.) What! You are not my son! SON But I am! I am the son you have reared and taught; for whom you have striven and bled and piled up a vast inheritance. I am the son you have deceived and tricked and made into a helpless crea- ture. You gave me all you had ; you taught me all you knew — all but the first law, the law of life, the 46 UNDER THE EAGLE law of self-defense, the law by which I might learn to hold my heritage in the face of the strong ones of the earth. You could have made me a man among men ; you have left me a child among giants. If my neighbor is good-natured he laughs at me ; if he is ill- natured, he beats me. Good or bad, I am at his mercy. Where is the honor in that? What is strong or noble or inspiring in such pitiful helplessness? MOTHER How could I know what was right ? We did what seemed best. The country was no longer wild ; the world seemed civilized. There was only one man — SON That one man makes all the difference. Wild! Civilized! Don't you know that a country is wild as long as it holds a single wild man ? While there is one man prepared to kill, all must be so prepared in self-defense. The world is as civilized as the one most barbarous of all men. MOTHER We did not think of that. It seemed that the age of peace and good-will had come. SON Yes! You built up a dream to please your taste and used it to blind yourselves into deceit and your child into a death-trap. MOTHER If I have been wrong, I am sorry. I acted for the best, and it has turned out the worst. There is noth- ing I can do now. But listen to this: Right or wrong, in the past, in the present I am right. What does anything matter when life is at stake? It was you or the South Pasture, and I chose you. YELLOW YIELDING 47 SON Because you are a coward! You are afraid to have me fight, because you know I should be killed. You are afraid to see my blood run, because it would dye you red with guilt for keeping me as ignorant as the miserable living bait at the mouth of the trap. {Picking up the cartridges.) Only two! MOTHER What are you doing? SON {Loading the gun.) Preparing, as well as I can, for the General's next visit. MOTHER He will not come again ; there is nothing more to be had. SON The house and garden. MOTHER But this is all we have. If this is taken, we have nowhere to go. He is reasonable enough to know that we must live somewhere. SON Yes; he is very reasonable. He reasons that as long as he is stronger than we, he can take from us everything — to the very last. MOTHER It Is better to die than to be a homeless beggar. SON That is what we shall do — I first and you after- wards. He will return. At the eleventh hour, you will hand me this rusty gun and bid me go out to fight for our home^ — I, ignorant, helpless child, against the General. There will be nothing else to do. 48 UNDER THE EAGLE MOTHER (In exaltation.) No! That can never come to *"a'^