Jones is cleaning the room, she talks to Wheeler, the housemaid, and to Marlow, the butler, about her husband: he is out of work, and is violent when he is drunk. Marlow notices that the cigarette box is missing. Act I, Scene III John Barthwick and his wife, having breakfast, talk about politics: she is alarmed on reading in the newspaper that a Labour candidate has won a by-election, but he says that all parties should be represented. An unknown lady calls. She is the young lady whom Jack met last evening; she is anxious to have her purse back, to pay the rent. Jack finds that there is no purse in the reticule, and denies having it. Barthwick reluctantly gives the lady some money, and talks severely to Jack after she leaves. Marlow informs Barthwick that the cigarette box is missing; there is a suspicion that Mrs. Jones stole it. Barthwick interviews Mrs. Jones, and learns of her troubled domestic situation. She knows nothing about the missing cigarette box. Act II, Scene I In the Jones's lodgings, Jones complains to his wife that he is badly treated when he tries to find work. She says that they have to pay the rent today; when the landlady comes for the rent, Jones unexpectedly throws his wife a sovereign to pay it. Mrs. Jones is appalled to find he has a purse and the missing cigarette box. Jones says "I'm no thief. I'm no worse than wot that young Barthwick is; he brought 'ome that purse I picked up – a lady's purse – 'ad it off 'er in a row, kept sayin' 'ed scored 'er off. Well, I scored 'im off.... And d'you think anything'll happen to him?" Snow, a detective, enters and finds the cigarette box he is looking for. He assumes Mrs. Jones stole it, and arrests her. Jones, saying he took the box himself, attacks Snow, and a policeman comes in to overpower Jones. Act II, Scene II In the Barthwicks' dining room that evening, Mr. and Mrs. Barthwick and Jack are having dessert. Snow comes in. His report, that Jones says he took the box when he was let in by a drunken Jack, and that Jones had the purse, causes dismay and embarrassment. Snow says Jones should be prosecuted: Barthwick says, as he looks gloomily at Jack, "This prosecution goes very much against the grain