“You young ladies must let me provide for you,” said a gentleman, rushing in. “I have just heard of your bravery and am glad I have found you. Come, let me take you home to my wife for the night, young ladies. It is the least I can do to show my appreciation of such heroism.” The girls all turned and looked at the speaker. He was an elderly man, with such a kindly face that they were satisfied and glad to accept his kind offer. CHAPTER VIII. DOLLIE MEETS AN ADMIRER. “Hello, Central! Give me 4079 Cortlandt! Hello! Is this the _Star_ office? Well, I want Mr. Horton, the city editor.” Miss Allyn was sitting at the telephone in the drug store, while her two friends waited with their kind benefactor. In spite of her wrapper and slippers Miss Allyn had insisted upon telephoning. The reportorial habit was too strong to be resisted, and furthermore, it was not often she could get an “exclusive” on such a magnificent news item. “Hello!” she called again. “Is this the New York _Star_ editorial rooms? Oh, howd’y do, Mr. Horton? This is Alma Allyn.” Here followed the news item with true newspaper brevity, Miss Allyn giving such a graphic account of the fire and her rescue that her audience burst out laughing. “Call me ‘Jane Doe,’ or any old thing, Mr. Horton,” she wound up, briefly, “only see that I get an ‘exclusive’ on this. I’m sorry for the fellow at headquarters, but this is mine by rights, I was right ‘in it,’ you know, so it’s bound to be authentic.” There was a moment’s silence and then Miss Allyn laughed. “You’d believe it if you could see me. I’m in my wrapper and slippers, and, oh, yes, just stick this in, we have all three just been invited to spend the night at the home of Samuel Haley, of the Central Mission.” “Oh, no!” gasped the astonished gentleman, who was standing with her friends. “Can’t be helped now,” said Miss Allyn, calmly, as she “rang off” her telephone. “How did you know me?” asked the gentleman, as they started out. “Why, it popped into my head at that minute,” said Miss Allyn, laughing. “I’ve seen you often, it’s funny I didn’t recognize you directly.” Only a short walk from the drug store and the gentleman stopped before a neat apartment-house. He opened the door with his latch key and rang his bell vigorously. At the top of the first flight of stairs a sweet-faced woman met them. She did not seem in the least surprised at her three strange visitors. “Some young ladies who have just been burned out of house and home, Lizzie,” said her husband, smilingly. “I guess we can put them up somehow for the night, can’t we?” “Bless their hearts, of course we can,” was the motherly answer, and the girls were ushered into her apartments without any further ceremony. “Now this is what I call downright charity,” said Marion, as soon as the three girls were alone. “Did you ever in your life see such kindness, Miss Allyn?”