id plaintively. "But if it was a
dollar a pound some o' you girls would never have no pity on neither the
bread nor the butter."

The stew really smelled good. Even Bess tried it with less doubt. Inez
ate as though she had fasted for a week and never expected to eat again.

"Will you have coffee, dearies?" asked Mother Beasley.

"Three cents apiece extry," said Inez, hoarsely.

"Yes, please," Nan said. "And if there is pie, we will have pie."

"Oh, you pie!" croaked Inez, aghast at such recklessness. "I reckon you
_do_ 'blong up to Washington Park."

Nan had to laugh again at this, and even Bess grew less embarrassed. When
Mrs. Beasley came back with the coffee and pie, Nan drew her into
conversation.

"Inez, here, says she introduced two other girls from the country to your
home a few days ago," said Nan. "Two girls who were looking for jobs with
the movies."

"Were they?" asked Mrs. Beasley, placidly. "My girls are always looking
for jobs. When they get 'em, if they are good jobs, they go to live where
the accommodations are better. I do the best I can for 'em; but I only
accommodate poor girls."

"And I think you really must do a great deal of good, in your way, Mrs.
Beasley," Nan declared. "Did these two we speak of chance to stay with
you until now?"

"I was thinkin'," said Mrs. Beasley. "I know, now, the ones you mean.
Yes, Inez _did_ bring 'em. But they only stayed one night. They wus used
to real milk, and real butter, and strictly fresh eggs, and feather beds.
They was real nice about it; but I showed 'em how I couldn't give 'em
live-geese feather beds an' only charge 'em a dollar apiece a week for
their lodgin's.

"They had money--or 'peared to have. And they heard the movin' picture
studios were all on the other side of town. So they went away."

"Oh, dear!" sighed Bess.

"Well, they were all right at that time. I'll write and tell Mrs.
Morton," Nan said.

"Did they tell you their names, Mrs. Beasley?" she asked.

"Bless you! if they did, I don't remember. I have twenty-five girls all
the time and lots of 'em only stay a few nights. I couldn't begin to keep
track of 'em, or remember their names."

This was all the information the chums could get from Mrs. Beasley
regarding the girls whom Nan and Bess believed to be the runaways. A
little later they went out with Inez, the latter evidently filled to
repletion.

"Hi! but that _was_ a feed! You girls must be millionaires' daughters,
like t