23

                           RUBY
         Don't speak to him!

                          CYRIL
                 (to DOROTHY and VIVIAN,      
                  reassuringly)
         Don't be afraid of me, girls.  I      
         would never harm you.  You both mean 
         the world to me.

RUBY shelters DOROTHY and VIVIAN in her arms.  The girls latch onto her waist tremulously.  She glares at CYRIL.  He is outwardly calm, his eyes sad.

                           RUBY
                  (hostilely)
         Stay away!  Don't you come another 
         step closer!  Do you hear me?
 
                          CYRIL
                 (holding up his hands)
         I hear you.  I'm not looking for 
         trouble.  I just want to talk to 
         Vivian and Dorothy Jean…  They
         haven't seen me—
 
                          RUBY
         No!  You need to go!  Get out of 
         here!  Now!  I'm warning you!

CYRIL looks at her in stunned disbelief.