“But there is a right way to have a good time, and a wrong way. I fancy you often think you are having a good time when you are deceiving yourself. One kind of a good time leads to satisfaction and pleasant memories; another kind of a good time leads to misery and remorse. My dear girl, be careful what kind of a good time you choose to have.” “Oh, say, you ought to be a preacher! You an actor! You have made a mistake!” “An actor may be a preacher. He may preach morality in his acting. I believe an actor has the greatest opportunities for doing good by his methods of preaching.” “Excuse me while I draw my breath! You’ve knocked me silly!” “I fancy you have met the worst class of actors, Miss Blaney. You thought them all alike.” “I never saw one before that wasn’t ready enough to make a mash and have a racket.” Frank saw he was not making much impression on the girl. He had discovered that she was rather bright, for all that she was so reckless in her manner, and he was truly sorry for her. “I am glad to say all actors are not mashers,” he said, slowly. “I hope none of my company are. My dear girl, you are making the mistake of your life by seeking the acquaintance of strange men in such a manner—by having anything at all to do with strange men. Don’t do it any more. You are good-looking, and I fancy you have a good education. Be careful what you do. By your actions you can win the scorn or the respect of people, just as you choose.” “Oh, don’t talk to me that way!” she cried, with curling lips. “It’s too late!” “Why too late?” “Oh, people think I’m fly, and I can’t change their minds now. I’ve got the name, whether I deserve it or not.” “Who is to blame? You must have given them reasons for thinking so.” “Perhaps I have!” she exclaimed, defiantly, all the laughter gone from her face in a moment. “But I did it because they began to talk about me.” “What did you do to make them talk about you?” “Oh, I didn’t die! I was ready to have some harmless sport, and they began to say I was gay. That made me mad. I said I would give them something to talk about—and I did!” “And there was where you made your greatest mistake, my dear girl.” “Now, don’t talk to me that way. I’ve heard enough of it from other people! I didn’t want to get acquainted with you to be preached at—not by a long shot.” “Miss Blaney, have you no thought for others? Is there no person whose heart you are breaking by your recklessness? Your mother——” “Don’t—don’t talk to me about her!” “Why not?” “Because—oh, just because!” “I think I understand. Your mother worries over you. She has tried to talk with you and tell you you were doing wrong. Am I not right?” “She talked too much. That’s what drove me away from home.” “Drove you away from home? Then you have left home?” “Yes.” “When?” “A week ago.” “Do your folks know where you are?” “Yes.” “And they let you go?” “The old man says I needn’t ever come home again.” “But your mother?”