nt to be seen
talkin' to an old thing like me, an' I wouldn't blame ye, neither."

"Stuff!" retorted Lena promptly. "You come to my place next time you're
down town and I'll show you. We wouldn't be shoddy enough to turn down a
friend, would we, Eva?"

"I guess no," Eva agreed, but without enthusiasm.

"A friend!" As Nancy repeated the word a curious quiver swept over her
old lined face. "You don't have to call me a friend," she said. "Old
women like me don't expect to be called _friend_--didn't ye know that?"

"I said friend, and I meant what I said," repeated Lena stoutly, and the
old woman swallowed once or twice before she spoke again.

"You've told me about your work, now tell me the rest of it--the fun
part," she begged.

"O that!" said Lena. "The fun is moving pictures and roller skating and
dances and the Avenue parade--with the boys along sometimes."

"I bet ye there's boys along where you be!" Nancy flashed an admiring
glance at the girl. "I always did admire bright hair like yours, an' a
pinch o' freckles is more takin' than a dimple--if you ask me."

Had Nancy been the shrewdest of mortals she could have said nothing
that would have pleased Lena more. She had been called "Carrots" and
"Redhead" all her life, and from the bottom of her soul she loathed her
fiery locks and her freckles, though never yet had she acknowledged this
to any living creature--and here was one who _liked_ freckles and red
hair! Lena could have hugged the little old woman beaming at her with
such honest admiration. A wave of hot colour swept up to her forehead.
But Nancy's thoughts had taken another turn.

"Movin' pictures. That's the new kind of show, ain't it? I've heard
about 'em, but I've never seen any."

"You can go for a nickel," said Eva.

"A nickel?" echoed Nancy, flashing a swift glance at her. "But nickels
don't grow on gooseberry bushes, an' if they did, there ain't any
gooseberry bushes around here," she retorted.

"Say----" Lena was leaning forward, her eyes full of interest, "we'll
take you to see the movies any time you'll go, won't we, Eva?"

"Er--yes, I guess so," Eva conceded reluctantly; but Nancy paid no
attention now to Eva. Her eyes, widened with incredulous joy, were fixed
on Lena's vivid face.

"Do you mean it? You ain't foolin'?" she faltered.

"Fooling? Well, I guess you don't know me. When I invite a friend
anywhere I mean it. When can you go?"

"When? Now--_this minute_!" Nancy cried, sta