“I asked that question to see what you thought about it. I, myself, do not fancy they are bad—all of them. It is simply a case of folly. There is a certain glamour about an actor that robes him with false attractions for light-headed young girls. It makes the most commonplace fellows seem like heroes. No. I do not think all girls who flirt with actors are bad, but I do think they are foolish. It is quite likely they would turn in scorn and repugnance from the very fellows who seem so much like heroes to them could they know the truth about those same heroes. When a theatrical company comes into a place, the girls will turn in many cases from the respectable, honest young men whom they know, and smile and flirt with the members of the company, who are utter strangers to them. In this manner they often acquire undesirable reputations without going to the extreme of doing anything seriously bad. But when a girl injures her reputation in such a manner it is pretty hard for her to win back the ground she has lost. She is regarded with suspicion, she has become a theme of gossip and perhaps she is startled to find that the young men she knows, who have always been polite and respectful, have suddenly grown familiar and forward in their manners toward her. She does not understand this, but she is entirely to blame for it. It is but natural for a young man to think there is something wrong about a girl who will flirt with a strange actor. It is but natural for him to lose in a certain measure his respect for such a girl and become free and easy in his treatment of her. He sees no reason why he cannot be that way if she will laugh and talk with an actor—a man of whom she knows absolutely nothing.” Hodge nodded. “It’s plain enough you have thought about this matter, Frank,” he said. “I have,” declared Merry. “Since going on the road I have thought of it a great deal, for you must know that I have seen how easy it is for a traveling showman to make the acquaintance of pretty girls wherever he goes. I don’t know that I have ever expressed myself on the subject before.” “Yeou ain’t much of a hand to talk abaout gals,” said Ephraim. “No, I do not like to say anything about them unless I can say something pleasant. I think girls are the fairest creatures in all the world, but they have their faults, the same as other fair things.” Hodge smiled sarcastically. “They’re all faults!” he declared. “I have grown disgusted with them.” “Oh, you’re a pessimist!” said Frank. “You are too extreme. But I really wish there was some way to warn the young girls of the country against the folly of flirting with traveling actors.” “There is no way.” “I am afraid not. They will continue to flirt, as they have in the past, and no end of sorrow and shame will come from it.” “Some gals do it,” said Ephraim, “because they think they kin hev some fun that way without goin’ too fur.” “When the first false step is taken no human being can tell where it may lead.”