run away from home?"

"Them plagued movin' picters," Mr. Snubbins said gruffly, blowing his
nose. "I don't see how I kin tell my woman about Celia."

"It was that there 'Rural Beauty' done it," Mr. Morton broke in
peevishly. "Wish't I'd never let them film people camp up there on my
paster lot and take them picters on my farm. Sallie was jest carried away
with it. She acted in that five-reel film, 'A Rural Beauty.' And I must
say she looked as purty as a peach in it."

"That's what they've run away for, I bet," broke in Si Snubbins. "Celia
was nigh about crazy to see that picter run off. She was in it, too. Of
course, a big drama like that wouldn't come to the Corner, and I
shouldn't wonder if that's what took 'em both to the city, first of all.
Still," he added, "I reckon they wanter be actorines, too."

Bess suppressed a giggle at that, for Si Snubbins was funny, whether
intentionally so or not. Nan continued to try to soothe the almost
hysterical Mrs. Morton. Mr. Morton said:

"Let's have that letter, Maw, that Sallie writ and sent back by Sam
Higgins from Littleton."

Mrs. Morton reached out a hand blindly with the paper in it. Nan took it
to give to Mr. Morton.

"You read it, Si," said Mr. Morton. "I ain't got my specs handy."

"Neither have I--and I ain't no hand to read writin' nohow," said his
neighbor, honestly. "Here, young lady," to Nan. "Your eyes is better than
ourn; you read it out to us."

Nan did as she was asked, standing beside Mrs. Morton's chair the while
with a hand upon her shoulder:

"'Dear Maw and Paw:--

"'Celia and me have gone to the city and we are going to get jobs with
the movies. We know we can--and make good, too. You tell Celia's Paw and
Maw about her going with me. I'll take care of her. We've got plenty
money--what with what we earned posing in those pictures in the fall, the
Rural Beauty, and all. We will write you from where we are going, and you
won't mind when you know how successful we are and how we are getting
regular wages as movie actresses.

"'Good-bye, dear Paw and Maw, and a hundred kisses for Maw from

"'Your daughter,

"'Sallie Morton.

"'P.S.--I won't be known by my own name in the movies. I've picked a real
nice sounding one, and so has Celia.'"

"There! You see?" said Mrs. Morton, who had taken the apron down so she
could hear Nan the better. "We can't never trace 'em, because they'll be
going by some silly names. Dear, dear me, Peke! Somethin' must