The younger girl went back into the apartment for a moment, while her sister stepped across the corridor and tapped lightly at an opposite door. "Has Russ gone?" she asked the pleasant-faced woman who answered. "Yes, Ruth. A little while ago. He was going to call for you girls, but I knew you were dressing, for Alice came in to borrow some pins, so I told him not to wait." "That's right. We'll see him at the studio." "You're coming in to supper to-night, you know." "Oh, yes, Mrs. Dalwood. Daddy wouldn't miss that for anything!" laughed Ruth, as she turned to wait for her sister. "Of course he _says_ our cooking is the best he ever had since poor mamma left us," Ruth went on, "but I just _know_ he relishes yours a great deal more." "Oh, you're just saying that, Ruth!" objected the neighbor. "Indeed I'm not. You should hear him talk, for days afterward, about your clam chowder." She laughed genially. "Well, he does seem to relish that," admitted Mrs. Dalwood. "What's that?" asked Alice, as she came out. "We're speaking of clam chowder, and how fond daddy is of Mrs. Dalwood's recipe," said Ruth. "Oh, yes, indeed! I should think he'd be ashamed to look a clam in the face--that is, if a clam _has_ a face," laughed Alice. "It's awfully good of you, Mrs. Dalwood, to make it for him so often." "Well, I'm always glad when a man enjoys his meals," declared Mrs. Dalwood, who, being a widow, knew what the lack of proper home life meant. "I'm afraid we're imposing on you," suggested Alice, as she started down the stairs. "You have us over to tea so often, and we seldom invite you." "Now don't be thinking that, my dear!" exclaimed the neighbor. "I know what it is when you have to pose so much for moving pictures. "My boy Russ tells me what long hours you put in, and how hard you work. And it's trouble enough to get up a meal these days, and have anything left to pay the rent. So I'm only too glad when you can come in and enjoy the victuals with us. I cook too much anyhow, and of late Russ seems to have lost his appetite." "I fancy I know why," laughed Alice, with a roguish glance at her sister. "Alice!" protested Ruth, in shocked tones. "Don't you dare----" "I was only going to say that he has not seemed well since coming back from Florida--what was the harm in that?" Alice wanted to know. "Oh!" murmured Ruth. "Do come on," she added, as if she feared her fun-loving sister might say something embarrassing. "Russ will be better soon, Mrs. Dalwood," Alice called as she and her sister went down the stairway of the apartment house. "What makes you think so?" asked his mother. "Not but what I'm glad to hear you say that, for really he hasn't eaten at all well lately." "We're going on the road again, I hear," went on Alice. "The whole moving picture company is to be taken off somewhere, and a lot of films made. Russ always likes that, and I'm sure his appetite will come back as soon as we start traveling. It always does."