In "Adelaide's Lament", she reads a medical book telling her that her long-running cold may be due to Nathan's refusal to marry her.

General Matilda B. Cartwright, the leader of Save-a-Soul, visits the mission and explains that she will be forced to close the branch unless they succeed in bringing some sinners to the upcoming revival meeting. Sarah, desperate to save the mission, accepts Sky's previous offer and promises the General "one dozen genuine sinners".

Sarah insists, with a great show of propriety, on drinking a milkshake. Sky translates her order to the waiter as a "dulce de leche", an alcoholic drink. After several drinks, Sarah jealously interrupts when a dancer flirts with Sky, precipitating a huge barroom brawl.

A siren sounds and gamblers run out of the mission, where Nathan has been holding his craps game. Sarah assumes that Sky took her to Havana so Nathan could run the game in the mission, and she walks out on him.

The rest of the craps game takes place in the sewer. Sky takes on Big Jule, a gangster-type who has taken over the game, proposing a bet with one throw of the dice that he'll either pay each gambler $1,000 or they all must accompany him to the revival meeting at Sarah's mission.

Before betting everything on a roll of the dice, Sky sings "Luck Be a Lady".

In "Marry the Man Today", Sarah and Adelaide commiserate, then resolve to marry their men and reform them later.

Nathan closes his craps game and opens a newsstand.

The show premiered on Broadway in 1950, where it ran for 1,200 performances and won the Tony Award for Best Musical.