The Sword of St. Louis

A Romantic Drama in Three Short Acts

by

Joseph Patrick Rogers

Cast of Characters

(in order of appearance)

ELLIE  (a young woman in college)

TAYLOR  (Ellie's little sister, a child in grade school)

EDWARD CASEY (a young man whom Ellie is dating)

RICHARD HAGGAR (the father of Ellie and Taylor)

SCOTT PRATT (a wealthy young man)

ANNE  (a police officer)

JOHN BROGAN (a police sergeant)

GARY PRATT ( Scott's father, an old friend of Richard)

ARMAND  (a young gypsy man)

TOMAS KOSTAS  (an older gypsy from Hungary)

SOPHIA KOSTAS  (married to Tomas)

MONIQUE  (a gypsy woman)

Two to four additional gypsies

BARTON  (a criminal who works for Gary)

Act One

Scene I

THE SETTING:  ELLIE is reclined on a couch reading a book.  TAYLOR comes skipping in from the patio.

TAYLOR:   Do you think that boys will be coming here to woo me someday?

ELLIE:   To woo you?  Yes, I suppose that in some future year some dashing young suitor will appear at our doorstep to woo you.  But that will be years from now.

TAYLOR:   I'm not all that many years younger than you, and you already have boys wooing you.

ELLIE:   Edward is the only one that I want to date, and he is a young man, not a boy.  He graduated from college last week.

TAYLOR:   Are you going to marry Edward?

ELLIE:   I'll be lucky if he ever speaks to me after the rude way in which Father treated him last week.

TAYLOR:   Oh, I think that he'll speak to you again.

ELLIE:   Why?

TAYLOR:   Because he's out on the patio waiting for you.

ELLIE (springs up):  Oh, you imp!  Imagine keeping him waiting all this time.

(ELLIE goes out onto the patio.)

ELLIE:   Edward, I'm sorry that you had to wait.

(EDWARD rises from the bench.)

EDWARD:   That's okay.  It's a good night to do some stargazing.  (pointing toward the sky)

ELLIE  (looking upward):   Just so we don't start looking for UFOs.

EDWARD:  That constellation there is called Berenice.

ELLIE:  What a strange name.

EDWARD:  It's named after an ancient Egyptian queen.  She offered her beautiful amber-colored hair to the goddess Aphrodite in exchange for her husband's safe return from battle.

ELLIE:  Aphrodite, the goddess of love.  Well, this story is getting better.

EDWARD:   Uh-huh.  In any case, after Berenice cut off her hair, it mysteriously disappeared. Suspicion fell on the court astrologer who was responsible for keeping the hair safe.  The astrologer managed to save himself by declaring that Aphrodite had loved the sacrifice so much that she formed that constellation by placing Berenice's amber hair amongst the stars.

ELLIE:   Hmmm.  The astrologer was a quick-thinking fellow.  He probably sold the queen's hair.

EDWARD (laughing):   Oh, what a cynical age in which we live.  And I was just about to tell you that your own hair was worthy of being a constellation.

ELLIE:   Well, that I believe, but I prefer to keep it on my head. I'm glad that you came tonight.  I was afraid that you would be angry about my father's behavior.

EDWARD:   You're not responsible for what he does.  Besides, he's just trying to look out for your best interests.  He wants you to marry a high-class guy.

ELLIE:   No, he wants me to marry an upper-class guy, many of whom are very low class.  You are the most high-class guy that I know. 

EDWARD:   Thanks.

(RICHARD comes out of the house onto the patio.)

RICHARD:   What's going on out here?

EDWARD:   Good evening, Mr. Haggar.  I just stopped by to see Ellie.

RICHARD:   She looks the same as the last time that you saw her.  If you've had sufficient time to gaze upon her beauty, I'd like to lock up this house for the night.

ELLIE:   Father, Edward just got here.  If you would give him a chance and talk to him a bit, I'm sure that you would like him.

RICHARD:   I'm sure that Edward is quite a likeable fellow.  Tell me, Edward, what was your major in college?

EDWARD:   History, sir.

RICHARD:   History, I see.  Undoubtedly many top corporations will be competing for your services.  You'll set the corporate world on fire with your history degree.

ELLIE (outraged):   Father!

EDWARD (calmly):   Well, Mr. Haggar, anyone who wants to hire me will have to wait for a while.  This summer I plan to begin working on my Master's degree in history.  After I get my Master's, I'll do some writing and teaching.

RICHARD:   Edward, do you have any well-connected family or friends?

EDWARD:   I don't have any close living family members, Mr. Haggar.  My parents and my brother and sister were killed in a car wreck a few years ago.

RICHARD:   That's very unfortunate.  Connections are important to succeed in life.  When I got started in the business world, my parent's friends gave me many leads.  Then, when my old college fraternity brothers became established businessmen, I used those connections to advance my career.  With a liberal arts degree and no connections, I don't see how you could provide my daughter with the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed.

ELLIE:   That's silly, Father!  Any life with Edward would be a wonderful life.

RICHARD:   This is the real world, not a Jimmy Stewart movie.

EDWARD:   If Ellie and I would decide to get married someday, Mr. Haggar, I believe that things have a way of working out.  Things happen as they are destined to happen.

RICHARD:   I don't know about that.  A person sometimes uses destiny as an excuse for his own failures.  'I failed because I was destined to fail.'  That doesn't cut it with me.

ELLIE:   Father, you're giving Edward such a hard time, yet you encourage me to date Scott.  Scott is completely despicable, and I shall never go out with him.  Just because he is the son of your old fraternity buddy, you stamp him with the seal of approval.

RICHARD:   Scott is a better match for you.  Your infatuation with this young man has blinded you to that fact.

ELLIE:   That's ridiculous.

RICHARD:   Since no one's mind is going to be changed here tonight, I'm going back inside.  Ellie, please bid your visitor goodnight in the next few minutes.  I would like to turn on our electronic security system; some of those gypsies that are camped near the railroad tracks have been wandering up onto the estates.  There have been several burglaries.

ELLIE:   I'll be in shortly, Father.

RICHARD:   Very well.  Goodnight.

EDWARD:   Goodnight, Mr. Haggar.

(RICHARD exits through the patio doors into the house.)

ELLIE:   What can I say?

EDWARD:   It's okay.  As long as you love me, I don't care what your father thinks of me.

ELLIE:   I'm not going to subject you to his harassment any longer.  From now on, we'll meet in town or at your apartment whenever we go out.

(TAYLOR enters the patio.)

TAYLOR:   You two are so romantic!

ELLIE:   You little eavesdropper!  How long have you been listening?

TAYLOR:  Oh, just for a few minutes. You two are just like Romeo and Juliet.

EDWARD:   Well, I hope that we end up better than they did.

ELLIE:   Taylor, it's time for you to be in bed.

TAYLOR:   Goodnight, goodnight.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.  And so I say goodnight til it be morrow.

(TAYLOR exits through the patio doors into the house.)

EDWARD:   Your sister has a flair for the dramatic.

ELLIE:   I never know when she's going to pop up.

EDWARD:   Well, I'd better be saying goodnight, too.

(They kiss.)

ELLIE:   Call me when it be morrow.

EDWARD (smiles):  I will.  Bye.

(ELLIE goes inside, closing the patio doors behind her.  EDWARD starts to leave the stage when SCOTT enters.)

SCOTT:   Hold on there.  What are you doing here?

EDWARD:   I'm leaving, and so should you.  They're going to bed.  Mr. Haggar is about to turn on the security system.

SCOTT:   Mr. Haggar is expecting me.

EDWARD:   I see.  Goodbye.

SCOTT:   What is your hurry, boy?  Don't you want to talk to me?

EDWARD:   What do we have to talk about?

SCOTT:   About Ellie.  I intend for her to be my girl.  It's time for you to get out of the picture.

EDWARD:   Ellie can chose whoever she wishes.

SCOTT:   Her family and my family have been planning our match for years.  You are an obstacle that needs to be removed.

EDWARD:   I'm not going anywhere.

SCOTT:   Don't come back here or you'll be sorry.

EDWARD:   Scott, you are a man in his twenties.  You sound like a grade school bully.

SCOTT:   I was the grade school bully.

EDWARD:   What a surprise.  Unfortunately for you, I am not easily bullied.

SCOTT:   Oh?  Let's see!

(SCOTT throws a punch, which EDWARD blocks.  They fight, and EDWARD wins.  SCOTT staggers away and exits.    EDWARD waits for a few seconds, then exits elsewhere on the stage.  After a short time SCOTT returns stealthily, opens a patio door, enters the home, takes objects off the mantel and coffee table, then goes out through the patio and exits.  He returns empty-handed and lies down on the patio.)

SCOTT:   Help!  Help me!

(RICHARD comes rushing through the patio doors.)

RICHARD:   Good Lord, what happened to you?

SCOTT:   I was coming to see you, Mr. Haggar.  Just as I stepped onto the patio, Edward Casey came out of your house carrying several things.

RICHARD:   Edward!

SCOTT:  When I asked him where he was going with your property, he hit me with a sucker punch.  I fell down, and he kicked me several times.  I think that he broke a couple of my ribs!

RICHARD:   This is an outrage!  I did not have a good opinion of Edward, but I never suspected that he was a thief!

SCOTT:   I'm sorry that I wasn't able to prevent him from escaping with your property.  I could defeat him in a fair fight, but he caught me off-guard with that sucker punch.

RICHARD:   I'll call the police.  Perhaps we should take you to the hospital.

SCOTT:   No.  I'll be all right.  I learned how to tape up cracked ribs back when I played football.

Scene II

THE SETTING: On the patio thirty minutes later. EDWARD enters.  Seeing two police officers in the house with RICHARD and SCOTT, EDWARD pauses and backs away.  ANNE comes out onto the patio.

EDWARD:   Anne, what's going on?

ANNE:   Edward, what are you doing here?  Scott Pratt claims that you stole several valuable items from the house and then beat him up when he tried to stop you.

EDWARD:   That's ridiculous!  I didn't take anything.  In fact, I was never even in the house tonight.

ANNE:   That certainly would make it difficult to take anything.

EDWARD:  Scott Pratt picked a fight with me, and I left after it was over.  He left too, but obviously he came back.  I drove halfway home, then decided that I should tell Ellie about the fight with Scott.  I wanted to warn her to be on guard against him.

ANNE: Sergeant Brogan just issued a warrant for your arrest.

EDWARD:   I should go inside and tell them what really happened.

ANNE:   No, don't go in; you'd be arrested.  Scott's father has too much power in this town.  Sergeant Brogan would be fired if he doesn't arrest you. 

EDWARD:   Small town justice.

ANNE:   There's a lot of weird stuff happening in this town.  I suspect that the Pratt family is involved in most of it.

EDWARD:   I can't be convicted without any evidence.

ANNE:   Someone is probably planting the stolen items in your apartment even as we speak.  Ed, if you go to jail, you might not get out alive.  The Pratt family is a powerful enemy.

EDWARD:   So what am I supposed to do?

ANNE:  My advice to you is to get out of town and keep moving.  Stay away until someone breaks Scott's family's hold on this town.

EDWARD:  I won't run away and leave Ellie.  I must stay here to defend her.

ANNE:   Well, you'll need to lay low and keep out of sight. (She glances toward the house.)  I have to get back inside.  You'd better get going.

EDWARD:   Okay.  Thanks.

(EDWARD exits.  JOHN comes out onto the patio.)

JOHN:   Anne, what is taking you so long out here?

ANNE:   I'm looking for clues, John.

JOHN:   For clues?  We have an open-and-shut case.  Scott made a positive identification of the thief.

ANNE:   I think that Scott framed Edward.

JOHN (looking back):   Be careful.  He might hear you.

ANNE:  I know Ed from when I was moonlighting as a security guard on the college campus.  And a couple of weeks ago when I was at the frozen custard place, I saw the way that Scott was looking at Ed and Ellie.  There was pure hatred in his eyes.

JOHN:   Well, I'll make sure that Ed gets a chance to tell his side of the story.  We're finished here.  Let's get going.

ANNE:   Okay, John.

(ELLIE and RICHARD are in the room.  SCOTT is reclining on the couch.)

ELLIE:   Don't let us keep you, Scott.  You've done more than enough for us this evening.

RICHARD:   Ellie, Scott might need more time to rest.  Remember that he did try to prevent us from being burglarized.

ELLIE:   Father, surely you don't believe that ridiculous story.

RICHARD:   Ellie!

SCOTT  (rising from the couch):   It's all right, Mr. Haggar.  I'd better get going.  (wincing)  I wish that I'd parked closer to your house.

RICHARD:   Give me your keys.  I'll bring your car around to the front entrance.  (takes the key)  I'll meet you out front in two minutes.  Ellie, be civil to our guest.

ELLIE: I'm civil to everyone, Father (RICHARD exits), even to contemptible, egomaniacal perjurers.

SCOTT:   Ellie, most girls like me; I'm rich, good-looking, popular, a good athlete, and well-educated.

ELLIE:   Don't stand too close to a reflecting pool, Scott; you'll be trapped forever like Narcissus.

SCOTT:   I can see that I'm not going to be able to sign you up for my fan club.  However, if we went out on a couple of dates and got to know each other better, I could be persuaded not to press assault charges against Edward.

ELLIE:   I'm not going out with you, nor am I making any deals with you.  You are a selfish person who uses persons.  Edward is an unselfish man, a good man, and a gentleman.  He could be a model for you to emulate.

SCOTT:   You ask me to be that which I am not.

ELLIE:   I want you to be that which you should be and could be by an act of will.

(RICHARD enters the room)

RICHARD:   Ready to go?

SCOTT:  Yes. Goodnight, Ellie.

(SCOTT and RICHARD exit)

ACT TWO

Scene I

THE SETTING:   In the woods near the railroad crossing a small group of gypsies are gathered for an evening of music and fun.  While musicians play, other gypsies engage in ceremonial combat using staffs or swords.  Concealed behind a tree, EDWARD watches their activities.

ARMAND approaches EDWARD from behind him.

ARMAND:  Ha! Look what I've found!  (ARMAND grabs EDWARD, who struggles briefly, then stops when other gypsies surround them.)

(TOMAS steps forward)

TOMAS:   I do believe that you've caught one of our enemy's spies.

ARMAND:   How long have you been spying on us, boy?

EDWARD:   I wasn't spying.  I'm camping out about a quarter-mile from here.  When I heard music, I wandered over here out of curiosity.

TOMAS:   Last night, while we were asleep, someone entered our camp and stole some important documents.  Was he also a camper come to hear music?

EDWARD:   I don't know anything about that theft.

ARMAND:   You didn't find what you were looking for last night and came back tonight to try again.  (ARMAND shakes EDWARD.)  Tell us the name of our enemy!

EDWARD:   If you don't know the name of your enemy, how do you expect me to know it?

ARMAND:   You miserable spy!  (ARMAND raises his hand to strike.)

SOPHIA:   Wait!  Stay your hand.  Let me look at him.

(SOPHIA comes forward.  She cups EDWARD's face in her hand and studies him.)

SOPHIA:   He's not a spy.  Let him go.

ARMAND:   But?

SOPHIA:   Is my speech unclear?  Do I use words unknown to you?

ARMAND:   No.

SOPHIA:   Then heed me. (to EDWARD)  You are free to either stay or go, young man.

EDWARD:   Actually, the food cooking on your campfire smells very good.  I was wondering if I could purchase a meal from you.

ARMAND:   Yes.  For all the money in your wallet!  Hand it over!

SOPHIA:   Still your tongue.  If we charged this man anything, we would charge him a fair price.  However, it is our custom to welcome other travelers to share our food and fire.

TOMAS:   My name is Tomas Kostas.  This beguiling woman is my wife, Sophia.  The young man who wants to take all of your money is my nephew, Armand.

MONIQUE:   Here's some supper for you.  I'm Monique.  I observed your campsite two days ago.  You haven't built a fire yet.  That's somewhat unusual.

EDWARD:  Well, I didn't want to attract attention.  This isn't exactly a recreational camping trip for me.  I'm hiding out from enemies of my own.  My name is Edward Casey.  Thank you for your hospitality.

SOPHIA:   Let the man eat.  He can tell you about his enemy later, and you can tell him about yours.

TOMAS:   We are travelers from Hungary.  This is my second trip to your country.  I was a young man when I first visited your country with my parents.  That was 23 years ago.

SOPHIA:   This is my first trip through America.  You certainly have a beautiful country.

MONIQUE:   Excuse me.  Two police officers are approaching the camp.

EDWARD:   They might be looking for me.  I'd better hide or slip out the back way.

SOPHIA:   Relax.  You are a traveler like us.  They will take no notice of you.

(EDWARD withdraws into the shadows.  JOHN and ANNE enter the camp.)

JOHN:   Good evening.

TOMAS:   Welcome, officers.  How may we be of assistance?

JOHN:   We're on a twofold mission.  First, there have been several home break-ins on the wealthy estates.  Were any of your people involved?

TOMAS:   I cannot help you, officer.  Were many valuable things stolen from these homes?

JOHN:   Nothing was taken.

TOMAS:   That is strange indeed.  But why do you come out here to ask us about these break-ins?

JOHN:   I mean no disrespect, but Gypsies have been known to engage in larceny in the past.

TOMAS:   Although through the years our people have occasionally have a thief or con artist who travels with us, most of our people are honest.

JOHN:   Yes, I'm sure that they are.  (JOHN holds up a photograph.)  We are also looking for this man.  He is a suspect in another theft during which a man was beaten.

TOMAS:   Again I cannot help you.  Do you suspect this young man also broke into the other homes in which nothing was stolen?

JOHN:   Oh, no.  His case is separate.  We believe that he was settling the score in a personal grudge against a man whose daughter he was dating.

ANNE:   He might have left the area, but we're not sure.  Will you let us know if you see him?

TOMAS:  We'll keep our eyes open.

ANNE (hands him a business card):   Here's my number at the police station.  You can call me personally if you see this man.

TOMAS:   I'll keep this close at hand, officers.

JOHN:  Thank you, goodnight.

(ANNE and JOHN exit the camp.)

EDWARD (comes forward):   Thank you for not turning me over to the police.

TOMAS:   A man would have to commit a horrible crime for us to turn him over to the police.

SOPHIA:   In eastern Europe our history with police and government is filled with trouble.  Many of our people were killed by the Nazis.  Later we were persecuted by the communists.

TOMAS:   Our people have often been refugees forced to flee from country to country.  Even on our forced journeys, we experienced many wonderful things that we would not otherwise have encountered.  On every journey we learn something new.

EDWARD:   It's great that you can turn a negative situation into something good.  I want you to know, though, that I haven't committed any crime.  The son of a wealthy man framed me for a theft that I did not commit.

SOPHIA:   Do not become discouraged.  I can tell that, as in the case of our people, some greater good will come out of these difficulties.

TOMAS:   We are here on a mission that the police would not understand.  Many years ago I toured this region with my family.  At that time a scabbard was stolen from us

EDWARD:   A scabbard?   For sheathing a sword?

TOMAS:  Yes.  Fortunately the thieves did not get the sword.  That would have been worse.  Both the sword and its scabbard belonged to my family for hundreds of years.

SOPHIA:   We are determined to retrieve the scabbard.  The police would frown on the methods that we are using.

TOMAS:  The sword and scabbard were given to my ancestors by King Louis IX after whom your American city of St. Louis in named.

EDWARD:  Last year I wrote a paper about Louis IX.  He's considered an ideal medieval monarch.  He promoted peace between rulers, but was also courageous in battle.

TOMAS:   This is indeed a fortuitous meeting.  So you are a scholar?

EDWARD:   Well, I try.   I'm a graduate student in history.

TOMAS:   I wonder whether it was chance or Providence that brought you here today.  Or is there a difference?

EDWARD:  That's a question for a philosopher, not a historian. Why did Louis IX give you ancestor his sword?

TOMAS:   Some of my ancestors joined his second Crusade to the Holy Land.  In one battle Louis' brother, Charles, was cornered in a Turkish cavalry attack.

EDWARD:   Yes!   I read about that!  Louis rode through the Turkish ranks, rescued his brother, and drove back the Turks.

TOMAS:   And my ancestors were amongst the men fighting at his side.  In gratitude Louis gave them his sword and scabbard.

EDWARD:  I can understand why you are so anxious to retrieve the scabbard.  I'm glad that the thieves didn't get the sword too.

TOMAS (rising):   I'll be back in a moment.  (TOMAS goes into a tent and then emerges holding a sword that he hands to EDWARD)   Here it is.

EDWARD:   Magnificent!   Thank you for the honor of allowing me to hold the sword.

SOPHIA:   Do you see the burn marks on the sword?  When Louis rode into the Turkish ranks, they were caught by Greek fire.  Part of his horse's saddle was also burned, but Louis himself was not badly injured.

EDWARD:   This is a fine blade.  I like the balance of this sword.

ARMAND: Perhaps you will soon have the opportunity to examine the scabbard also.

EDWARD:   I'm fairly familiar with this region.  Perhaps I could help.

TOMAS:   That is good.  Things are much changed here since my last visit.  Let us talk, young man.

(Everyone gathers around the campfire for food and conversation.)

Scene II

THE SETTING:  In the Haggar's family room.  GARY is seated on the couch when BARTON enters through the patio doors.

GARY:   I'll never get used to how quietly you move.  Do you have good news for me?

BARTON:   I haven't got hold of the sword yet if that's what you mean.  I do have some news, though:  Edward Casey is staying at the Gypsy camp.

GARY:   You shouldn't have left your post.  I don't care that he's there.

BARTON:   This might be a good opportunity to remove him from the picture.  I could arrange for him to have an accident or to simply disappear.

GARY:   No.   Forget about him.   Concentrate on getting that sword.  I read through all the information that you stole from the camp last night:  it was of little value.  I'm paying you a lot of money, and I expect a better return on my investment.

BARTON:   I've always done a good job for you in the past.

GARY:   Yes.  Well, as they say, that was then and this is now.  Get me the sword or I'll replace you with someone more efficient.

BARTON:   I understand.  I'll return to my post.

(BARTON exits through the patio doors. A few seconds later RICHARD enters from another room carrying two drinks. RICHARD hands one to GARY, then sits down next to him on the couch.)

RICHARD:  I want my daughter to marry your son, but their marriage is not going to occur in the next year.

GARY:   It still could  ...

RICHARD:   No.  We must resign ourselves to that fact.  I'm hopeful, though, that in some future year Ellie will eventually see that Scott is the best match for her.  Sometimes wisdom comes with age.

GARY:   In my case, that is certainly true.  Today I would not make the mistakes that I made in my youth.

RICHARD:   Such as?

GARY:     Lately I've been kicking myself over a mistake that I made 23 years ago.  I assume that you remember the night that we went camping near the railroad crossing and encountered those Gypsies.

RICHARD:   Yes.   We sneaked into their camp ...

GARY:   And I stole that sword.

RICHARD:   The Gypsies spotted us and chased us for half a mile.  I was scared to death what they would do to us if they caught us.  I'm sure that I never ran faster in my entire life.

GARY:   Neither did I.  And fear caused me to make a bad decision.  The scabbard seemed to me to be much more valuable than the sword sheathed within it.

RICHARD:  As I recall, the scabbard did look much more valuable.

GARY:  The scabbard was made of gold and silver and was encrusted with emeralds and sapphires.  The sword was a well-balanced blade of good Arabian steel with a simple leather-wrapped hilt.

RICHARD:  I remember.  You decided to slow down our pursuers by throwing the sword to the ground.  And your plan worked.  Because the Gypsies stopped to pick up the sword, we were able to get to our car and escape.

GARY:   Ever since that night I have bitterly regretted throwing down that sword.

RICHARD:   They would have caught us otherwise.

GARY:   I could have used some other ruse to slow them down.

RICHARD:   What difference did it make?   It was just a prank anyway.  You returned the scabbard the next night.

GARY:  Ah, well, actually I didn't.  I just told that to you and the girls.

RICHARD:   You said that you sneaked back into their camp while they were sleeping and left it near their campfire.

GARY:   That was a little fiction that I devised.  When I realized how valuable the scabbard was, I decided to keep it.  I  knew that you wouldn't care, but I figured the girls might feel guilty and tell someone.  Or they might want me to share the wealth with them.

RICHARD:  You certainly fooled me.  All these years I thought that you returned it.

GARY:   Years later I found out that the sword with the scabbard would have been worth three time as much as the scabbard alone.

RICHARD:  That's surprising.

GARY:   It turned out that they were once owned by King Louis IX.

RICHARD:   How did you find that out?

GARY:   For years the Gypsies have been making inquiries at auction houses throughout Europe and America.  Of course the auctioneers could tell them nothing about the scabbard since it never leaves my possession.

RICHARD:   That explains about the houses in this area that have been broken into, but not burglarized;  the Gypsies have been searching for the scabbard.

GARY:   Yes.  It's now too risky to keep the scabbard at my estate any longer.  Tomorrow I'm going to move it to a more secure location.

RICHARD:   Or you could give it back to the Gypsies.  It is their property.

GARY:   Oh,  I've come to think of it as my own.  In fact,  I'd also like to return the King's sword to its scabbard.

RICHARD:   That's what the Gypsies would like, too.

GARY:   Unfortunately for them, when the sword is again sheathed in its scabbard, neither sword nor scabbard will be in their possession.  With some luck, I'll have the sword back by daybreak.

RICHARD:   This is not right, Gary.

GARY:   When did you develop scruples, Richard?

RICHARD:   I'm a businessman, not a thief.

GARY:   We've done business in such a way that there's little difference.

RICHARD:   I see it as different.

GARY:   Since I'm confessing my sins to you this morning, I'll tell you about another one.   This prank was not committed by me personally.  My son borrowed those items from your house that the Casey boy is accused of stealing.

RICHARD:   What?  This is an outrage!

GARY:   Don't worry.  We're going to return your property to you.  We should wait, though, until Edward Casey is out of the picture.

RICHARD:   I'm not upset about my property!  You framed an innocent man!

GARY:   You wanted him to stop seeing your daughter.  We removed the problem for you.

RICHARD:   He could be sent to prison.

GARY:   I wouldn't have let it go that far.  I thought that you would approve of Scott's initiative and be pleased that nothing was actually stolen from you.

RICHARD:  I do not approve.

GARY:   Then I'll see that your property is returned tomorrow and that charges are dropped against the Casey boy.

RICHARD:   That is what I want.

(GARY stands)

GARY:   Thanks for hearing my confession today, Richard.  I'm sorry to have so displeased you.  I have no more revelations with which to shock you, so I'll be on my way.

RICHARD:   Good-bye, Gary.

GARY exits.   RICHARD watches him go, then exits himself.   As soon as her father leaves the room, TAYLOR emerges from behind a piece of furniture.  She had been hiding there during the entire scene and heard both conversations.)

Act  Three

Scene I

THE SETTING:   In the woods.  TAYLOR  is skipping alongside ELLIE.

TAYLOR:   We're going on an adventure in the woods!

                   We're going on an adventure in the woods!

ELLIE:   It's also a secret mission in the woods.  We need to proceed a bit more quietly if we are going to keep it a secret.

TAYLOR:  Okay.

ELLIE:   Would you really have told Father what I was up to if I hadn't let you come with me?

TAYLOR:   Maybe I would have, and maybe I wouldn't have.

ELLIE:   You imp.

TAYLOR:   Why did you ask Anne to come with us?

ELLIE:   Father wouldn't let the two of us camp by ourselves in the woods overnight.  He'd be worried about our safety.  I was only able to set his mind at ease by inviting an armed policewoman to accompany us.

TAYLOR:   Where did she go?

ELLIE:   She went to scout the area around the gypsy camp.  Before we approach their camp, Anne wanted to see if she could spot the mysterious man.

TAYLOR:   The man that I heard talking to Scott's father?

ELLIE:   That's right. 

TAYLOR:   What if the mysterious man captures Anne?

ELLIE:   Then we'll go get more police officers.

TAYLOR:   She's been gone a long time.  I think that he captured her.

ELLIE:   Taylor, be good.

TAYLOR:  It's what I think.

ELLIE:   He didn't capture Anne.  Here she comes now.

(ANNE enters the clearing)

ANNE:   I didn't see anyone watching the gypsy camp.   If he's out here, he's really good.

TAYLOR:  Maybe he's a ninja.

ANNE:   I hope not.

ELLIE:   What shall we do now?

ANNE:   I suppose that we'll just go on ahead into the camp.  If he sees us, he sees us.

(ANNE,  ELLIE, and TAYLOR enter the camp)

ELLIE:   Hello.  Good evening.

TOMAS:   It is a good evening indeed when three beautiful young ladies come to visit us.

ELIIE:   Thank you.  I'm Ellie; this is my sister, Taylor.  You met our friend, Anne, yesterday when she came here with

ANNE:   Tonight, though, I'm here in an unofficial capacity.

SOPHIA:   You are always welcome amongst us.

TAYLOR:   Are you Gypsies?

TOMAS:   Well, we don't usually refer to ourselves as Gypsies, but most persons know of us as Gypsies.  I'm Tomas, and this is my wife, Sophia.  We are from Transylvania.

TAYLOR:   Transylvania?   Ellie, could I tell you something over here?

ELLIE:   Not right now, honey.

TAYLOR (pulling on her sister's sleeve or arm):   It's important!

ELLIE:   I'm sorry.  Excuse us for a moment.  (ELLIE and TAYLOR move a few feet away from everyone.)  This isn't polite, Taylor.  What is it?

TAYLOR:   These people might be vampires.  Vampires come from Transylvania.  They like the woods, and it's nighttime.  We'd better get out of here.

ELLIE:   Taylor, vampires only exist in stories, not in the real, physical world.

TAYLOR:   How do you know?

ELLIE:   I'm your big sister.  I know everything.  I especially know that I can't prove that something doesn't exist.  Just trust me on this one.

TAYLOR:   Okay, if you say so.

(They return to the group)

SOPHIA:   Is everything all right?

ELLIE:   Yes.  I was just explaining to my sister that Transylvania is just a region in Eastern Europe in Romania and Hungary.

SOPHIA:   Come.  Sit down and relax.

ELLIE:   Thank you.  First though, we have some information for you.  That is why we've come here this evening.

TOMAS:   Please go on.

ELLIE:   Taylor actually discovered this information, so I suppose that it's her story to tell.

SOPHIA:   A child who brings news to Travelers: this is a story in itself.  What do you have to tell us, dear?

TAYLOR:   Our father has a friend named Gary Pratt.  Sometimes Mr. Pratt comes to our house.  I don't like him.  Today when he came I hid in the room.  Then a spooky man came in through our patio.  Mr. Pratt was mad that the man didn't find your sword last night.  He told the man to try to steal it tonight.

TOMAS (excitedly):  Yes, yes, go on!

TAYLOR:   After the spooky man left, Mr. Pratt said that he stole the scabbard to your sword a long time ago.  It's worth a lot of money.  Our father was angry that Mr. Pratt stole your property and said that he should return it.  But I could tell that Mr. Pratt wasn't going to do it.

TOMAS  (agape):   Out of the mouths of babes!

TAYLOR:   I'm not a baby!

TOMAS:   Indeed you are not!   You are a wondrous child!

SOPHIA:   Our people have searched for years for that scabbard.  I was beginning to wonder whether it would ever be found.

TOMAS:   And then tonight the three of you march into our camp and give us the key that we have long sought.

ARMAND (stepping forward):   Do any of you know this Mr. Gary's address?

ANNE:   Yes.   I can even give you directions.  Of course, I have no idea what you will do with the information.

TOMAS:   Thank you.

ANNE:   In fact, from a spot not far from here, you can see the estate.  If you follow me, I'll show you.

SOPHIA:   Armand, go with our new friend.  We'll stay here and entertain our guests.

(ANNE and ARMAND exit)

TOMAS:   Let us have some music.