Ruthless Page #3

[ Singing:
]

"As the backs go tearing by,

on their way to do or die."

"Many sighs and many tears,

mingle with the Harvard cheers."

"As the backs go tearing by."

"Making gain on steady gain."

"Echo swells the sweet refrain."

"Dartmouths going to win today,

Dartmouths sure to win today!"

"As the backs go tearing by."

Which one next?

Genevieve.

Your choice. You're the birthday girl.

Well, how about your

kind of song, Mr Burnside?

Well, if you can play it, I can sing it.

Well clear your throat,

because I know them all.

The Colorado school of mine.

Well, I guess I asked for that one.

Well, let's see.

How about yours, Vendig?

Well, the fact is ..

Horace is in business.

Isn't there a class song for financiers?

Harry, you've got the best voice of the

lot. Why don't you sing Fair Harvard?

Sure.

[ Singing:
]

"Fair Harvard, thy sons to

thy Jubilee throng."

"And with blessings

surrender thee o'er."

"By these festival rites,

from the age that is past."

"To the age that is waiting before."

"O relic and type of our

ancestors' worth."

"That hast long kept their memory warm."

Hi, Horace.

Hello, Vic.

I thought I'd join you

for a breath of air.

Come out this way. It's quieter.

It's good to have you home, Vic.

It's good to be home.

How was Dartmouth?

Well, it .. might sound

kind-of disloyal.

But I wish I'd stayed here

and gone to Harvard.

With your father a Dartford man?

I'd have seen Martha more often.

Did you notice tonight?

Notice what?

She wasn't wearing my fraternity pin.

Maybe because I've been away

so long, we've drifted apart.

Of course, some say it was just a boy

and girl affair when I left for college.

Maybe she feels that way. I don't know.

I've done everything I can.

I write every week.

Doesn't she answer you?

Yeah, if you can call them answers.

But she doesn't tell me where I stand.

I tell you, Horace.

I can't study because of her.

I'm way behind in my subjects.

Why don't you have a talk with her?

No, I can't.

Horace.

You know her so well.

Living in the house all these

years, and growing up with her.

You mean, I could do it?

I wish you would.

Tell her that I .. tell her that ..

Well, you'll know what to say.

Sure.

You ought to come into insurance, Vic.

Not a moment then to

even think about girls.

It's not like you to treat Vic that way.

I did answer his letters.

He says you tell him nothing.

I tell him about you.

That's what I mean.

Good friends or not, it's just the thing

I'd resent if things were turned around.

Turned around? How?

Well, you know what I mean.

If I were in love with you.

Don't scold me, Horace.

I don't mean to.

Why make Vic miserable?

You're going to marry him eventually.

Am I?

Well, aren't you?

No.

And it's time I told him.

Hey, I really think you mean it.

I do, Horace.

I mean it enough to go

in right now and tell him.

Well, what is it?

What's come between you?

You.

You've always been there.

Here, I mean.

But it never occurred to me ..

Always, Horace.

Always.

Martha, listen. I never said a word

to make you feel like this about me.

I never did a thing.

But you wanted to.

Tell me you wanted to.

Yes.

For a long time.

Horace, darling.

And I was thinking of

transferring to Harvard.

Well Horace, it's a case

of the best man wins.

I guess you are it.

Say you're happy for us, Vic.

Promise me you'll see us often.

Cross my heart.

Could I talk to you alone for a minute?

Of course.

Well .. good luck to you, Horace.

Thanks, Vic. I can't say I'm unhappy.

And I don't want Martha

ever to be, either.

I'll try my very best.

You'd better, Horace.

Because Martha will never mean any

less to me than she does right now.

So help you, Horace Vendig if

you ever do anything to hurt her.

Horace.

Yes, sir?

I want a few words with you.

Certainly, sir.

In here.

Sit down, Horace.

Thank you, sir.

I've just sent Martha upstairs.

She just told her mother and me that ..

Well ..

She says you are engaged.

I'm glad she told you, Mr Burnside.

On her 18th birthday.

You're not too well settled yourself.

Mr Burnside, I've loved your daughter

ever since that day on the river.

Uhuh.

I'll ask the firm to transfer me.

There's an opening in Pittsburgh.

In time, she'll forget all about me.

What kind of talk is this?

Well, as I understand you, sir.

You misunderstand me, Horace.

Mr Burnside.

It's time to cut out the "Mr Burnside."

Isn't there a shorter word

a man has for his father?

"Father-in-law"?

Thank you, sir.

Daring, huh?

Yes, sir.

Well, there's a lot to consider.

Now you've been at Sherman

Indemnity for .. let's see.

Well .. two years next month.

And .. you look on this

as your future career?

Well, I've been doing very

well there, as you know, sir.

Dad.

But if a man is to provide the sort

of home that Martha ought to have ..

He's got to have a college education.

These days, it certainly

means a good deal.

That's an idea. Quite an idea.

I have a little put by.

You have?

Is it .. is it anything much?

Just over three hundred.

Well done, my boy.

Of course, it won't go a long way with

college costs being what they are.

But in some of these smaller

places, the fees are moderate.

And .. from a business point of

view they are more go-ahead ..

Oh, but .. college means

only one thing to me.

Dad.

Huh?

Harvard.

Harvard, eh?

Hmm.

It's a good school.

Oh, it's more than that, sir.

It's .. it's a good investment.

Can you get yourself entered this fall?

You mean it?

Well, if I could find an

opening to work on the campus.

Oh, no, no.

I look on this as an investment, Horace.

I'm not a wealthy man. I may have

to have a little talk with my banker.

But this is for you and Martha.

And I want you to go through

college on the same basis ..

As Vic and Walt and the rest

of them that were here tonight.

And to come out ahead of them.

I'm two years behind.

You'll catch up.

You've got the brains.

You've given me the

kind of home I never had.

I can't ever repay you.

Not another word about it.

Make your arrangements.

Keep your room on here, until you

get yourself settled at Cambridge.

Martha ..

Huh!

There you are.

Well .. Horace and I have

come to a little understanding.

Daddy, I'm so happy.

Hmm.

Horace.

Don't build your house with keyholes.

A man can't ever plan

a surprise around here.

You have no surprises for me.

Hmm.

Better.

I wasn't asleep.

I could see your light was on.

It's three in the morning.

I know.

Come down.

Come out here.

What's the matter?

You've been walking

up and down for hours.

I couldn't sleep.

I .. I feel ..

You ought to rest.

Because tomorrow.

Harvard.

Yes.

It's not wrong for us to be

here, at this time, is it?

Do you think so?

Not if you feel bad.

Not if you need me.

What is it?

Is it because you're going away from me?

Maybe I'm going away

from everything, that's ..

That's any good.

It's only across the river.

It's not far away.

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