company she was out with were taking pictures near there.
There's a big old mansion called the Coscommon House that hasn't been
occupied for years. It's often filmed by movie people; but never in the
winter before, that I know of."

"But, Nan!" exclaimed Walter. "What did we come over here for, anyway?
How about those runaway girls?"

"I'm sorry," Nan said, shaking her head; "but we haven't found them. They
don't live here, and Jennie doesn't know where they do live."

"Goodness! What elusive creatures they are," grumbled Walter.

"Aren't they!" Bess exclaimed. "Jennie Albert just happened to meet them
when they were looking for work, and told them where she lived. So they
came around to see her the other day. That Mr. Gray we saw at the studio
had just sent for Jennie, and so she told them to go around and see him.
Yes! Just think! 'Lola Montague' and 'Marie Fortesque'! Say! Aren't those
names the limit?"

But Nan considered the matter too serious to joke about. "I am afraid
that Sallie and Celia must be about to _their_ limit," she said. "Poor
Mrs. Morton! She said Sallie was stubborn, and she must be, to endure so
many disappointments and not give up and go home."

"The sillies!" said Walter. "How about it, kid? Would _you_ run away from
a good home, even if it were in the country?"

"Not if the eats came reg'lar and they didn't beat me too much," declared
Inez, repeating her former declaration.

"Well, then, we'll take you where the 'eats' at least come regular,"
laughed Walter. "Eh, Grace?"

"Of course. Do hurry and get that taxi."

"What do you suppose your mother will say, Grace?" demanded Bess, in
sudden doubt, when Walter had departed to telephone for the taxi-cab.

"I know mother will pity the poor little soul," Grace declared. "I'm sure
she belongs to enough charitable boards and committees so that she ought
to be delighted that we bring a real 'case,' as she calls them, to her,"
and Grace laughed at her own conceit.

Nan, however, wondered if, after all, Mrs. Mason would care to take any
practical responsibility upon herself regarding the street waif. It was
one thing to be theoretically charitable and an entirely different matter
to take a case of deserving charity into one's own home.

But that thought did not disturb Nan. She had already planned a future
for little Inez. She was determined to take her back to Tillbury and
leave Inez with her mother.

"I'm sure," Nan said to herself, "that