A Free Soul Page #2

Here you are.

- Oh, thank you.

I had a hunch

I'd like to wear your color today.

Do you mind?

I'm thrilled to death.

Standing room only, boss.

Okay, boss.

- You sure about it?

- You can go to sleep on it.

The judge says all right, Mr. Ashe.

All right, present my thanks

and compliments...

...and tell him to fire when ready.

Yes, sir.

Ace, I suppose you know

your case is in your hat.

Yes, sir.

- Not quite straight. May I?

- Oh, thanks.

- I wish you luck.

- I guess I'll need it.

Ace, I may decide to pull a rabbit

out of that hat, so don't look surprised.

I seldom do, sir.

Boys, turn your backs, will you, please?

Department Number 6

of the Superior Court...

...in the city of San Francisco,

the state of California...

...is now in session.

If my client is guilty of murder,

I want him punished.

But if he's not...

...I want to keep from your kind hearts...

...the awful responsibility of not

doing the right and just thing about it.

Now, this, my friends, Your Honor...

...was found by the side

of the murdered man.

My client was seen leaving the building

bareheaded.

That's been proven, I admit it.

Here are the initials: A.W.

That might be Adam Wright

or Allan Warren...

...or Adolph Weems...

...or it might be Ace Wilfong.

But that is the case for the prosecution,

ladies and gentlemen.

Now, will you come here, please?

If anybody was planning a speech

about my 16th birthday...

Eighty of them.

Count them if you don't believe me.

All right. I'll start

here, and you start there.

One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12...

I've lost count. Wait a minute.

Someone phoned to say

that Mr. Ashe is on his way.

Who phoned, Mr. Sampson?

- It was Mr. Eddie, miss.

- Oh, Eddie.

If this should be my last birthday cake,

he'd be sorry he was late, wouldn't he?

What do you mean?

- Now, sit down, sit down.

You know I wasn't in earnest.

Don't you know me better than that?

I just wanted to find out how I stood

with this family.

Well, you ought to know by now.

Jan, darling, I'll confess there was such

a look of impatience on everybody's face...

...at the mention of Stephen's name,

I just had to make a fuss.

- You know he loves you, don't you?

- Of course.

Although two in one lifetime...

His father was just the same.

Brilliant, stormy and always late for dinner.

Granny, when you're 101, dear...

...we're gonna put one candle on this cake

and start all over again.

That's a good idea.

- We have a distinguished man here...

...so let's be grateful.

Dwight Winthrop...

...stand up and be embarrassed.

- That means you.

One of the world's first dozen polo men.

Here, here.

Ladies and gentlemen...

...the secret of my success

is never say die.

Believe it or not.

Seventy-three times the girl said no.

Yes, she said no.

But the 74th time...

Congratulations.

Here, here, here, this is my proud day.

Let's go in the next room

and have coffee, dear.

- That'll be nice, dear.

- Let's blow out the candles first.

Come on, let's all together.

There you are.

Our engagement should never be announced

to anybody today.

Jan.

Let's sneak out of the back door.

The things I have to say to you...

You're sweet.

You know, this is the oldest game

in the world?

I promise you I'll make it new, fresh

and colorful every day of your life.

What, backgammon?

Oh, heavens.

Is that what we're playing?

And you're blotto.

I am nothing of the kind.

Smell my breath.

Not a sign, is there?

I can't tell.

- Sorry, Sampson.

- Quite all right, Miss Jan.

May I add my felicitations?

- Thank you very much.

- Thank you, miss.

Hello, what's that? A car.

I bet that's Dad.

Hello.

Hey.

You better go and meet him.

He doesn't care much for this crowd.

He may say anything.

You're right.

Jan, I'm practically

one of the family now.

Don't worry about me.

Dinner over?

Yes, sir.

Oh, that's too bad.

- Now, I'm sorry. I've made it.

- Dad, where have you been?

Bad thing.

He's disgraced this family for 20 years.

Now, now, now.

There's nothing you can do.

Hello, everybody.

Hello.

Well, you'd think the Ashes

had all blown away.

I want to introduce

my distinguished young friend...

...Mr. Ace Wilfong.

How do you do?

We wanted to congratulate you, Stephen.

- Good work.

- Well, congratulate him. He's alive.

Aha!

Now I'm sorry.

Don't you be cross, now. I

know I'm late, but I'm sorry.

Time got whizzing by, and well, now...

Happy birthday.

It's good to see you again.

I didn't got much of a chance after court.

Won't you come

and meet some of these people?

This is my grandmother.

Mrs. Ashe, Mr. Ace Wilfong.

- My Aunt Helen.

- How do you do?

Mr. Roland.

Oh, yes. We've met before. Howdy.

Oh, yes. So we have, haven't we?

How do you do?

And this is Mr. Winthrop.

Mr. Dwight Winthrop.

Glad everything turned out so well.

Well, can I drop you somewhere?

No, thanks.

- Miss Ashe, I'll run along.

- No, you won't do anything of the kind.

Why, this is absurd.

What's the matter

with all you snobs anyway?

Why, here's a man

who'd be on his way to death...

...if it wasn't for my father.

I think that's a pretty big thing.

We should be grateful

that somebody can do it...

...instead of insulting both of them.

After all, Mr. Wilfong didn't drop in.

Father brought him.

Jan, I don't think

Mr. Wilfong finds this very amusing.

Why not let him float along

if he wants to?

You've had no dinner, have you?

- Not a bite.

- Should we find someplace?

Jan.

Oh, that'll be fine.

Mother, I've met plenty of people in this

room who couldn't even get into my place.

Plenty.

Stephen, don't let your daughter

leave here with this gambler person.

My daughter does as she pleases.

She's free of your picayune blindfold.

Young man, I'm sorry. It's not your fault.

Yours neither, ma'am. A lot of people don't

believe that gag about being born equal.

- Jan, you're not really going.

- And why not?

Jan, I'll tell you why not.

Sorry, my sweet, but you won't. I couldn't

think of standing for anything like this.

When your father's himself, he

realizes notoriety doesn't open my doors.

You're here quite by accident.

Why don't you go?

I've never found out, ma'am,

how to take it on the run.

That makes two of us.

Come on, let's go.

- Good night, Sampson.

Good night, miss.

- Good night, sir.

Good night.

Well, you look like a comic strip.

What's the matter with you? The man

was presented at court, wasn't he? Huh?

You know, I just happened to remember

I've had no dinner.

- Darned thoughtless. I forgot all about it.

- How about you?

That's right. The air was so thick

at the family table I ate almost nothing.

They have great hamburger with onions.

Mmm. Make it two.

Two with onions.

- Why did you cry for speed like that?

- Oh, I haven't the least idea.

Yeah, I guess you figured I couldn't

talk much at a hundred miles an hour, eh?

What do you mean?

Why, if I told you how often I wished I

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