While Alice was putting on her hat Ruth looked at her in some surprise. "Was it?" she repeated. "Was what?" asked her sister. "Was it a mistake?" "Of course it was, Ruth! Didn't I tell you Estelle said he must have taken her for some one else, as she had never been in Portland in her life? Of course, it was a mistake. What makes you think it wasn't?" "Because, Alice, I am beginning to have doubts regarding Estelle." "Doubts! You don't mean about the ring?" "Of course not! But I am beginning to think she is not altogether what she seems to be." "What do you mean?" "Well, nothing serious, of course. And if she has done what I think she has it isn't any worse than many girls have done, and have gained by it, rather than lost, though it was risky." "You mean?" "I mean that I believe she isn't telling us all she knows. She is hiding something about her past. And I believe it is that she has run away from home because her family would not let her go into moving pictures. You know we sort of suspected that before. Now, in that case, she would have every reason to deny that she had seen that young lieutenant in Portland." "Why should she, providing I grant that you are right?" "Because he might know her friends and would tell them where she was. And she doesn't want that known until she has made a reputation. I don't blame her. If ever I ran away----" "Ruth! _you_ are not thinking of it, are you?" "Silly! Of course not. But if I should I wouldn't want to run back home until I had something to show for my efforts. It may be that way in Estelle's case. She doesn't want to return like the prodigal son." "I believe you're entirely wrong," declared Alice. "What I think is that she perhaps comes of good people. When I say that I don't mean that they were any better than we are, but that they so regarded themselves, and would look askance at motion picture players. Well, Estelle doesn't want to bring any annoyance on her family, and that may be the reason she doesn't tell much about herself. But as for that young officer's having seen her, I believe Estelle when she says he is mistaken. Don't you?" "I don't know what to believe," returned Ruth. "But I'm not going to worry over it." "And you won't tell her you don't believe she is what she seems to be?" "Of course not, you little goose! But I'm going to keep my eyes open. You know we may be able to give her some good advice. You and I, Alice, don't meet with near the temptations that assail other girls in this business, and it's because father is with us all the while. Now Estelle isn't so fortunate; so I propose that we sort of look after her." "Oh, I'm very willing to do that."