I knew what this was going to call for. I had to pay Spot Conlon a visit, to regain my standing with the gang.

As I walked to the Brooklyn Newsboys Lodging House, my hands trembled, my legs shook, and all I wanted was to turn and run in the opposite direction, far, far away.

Eventually, I had finally reached the door. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes for a second, I raised my hand and knocked, murmuring, "Actress. You're an actress. Nothing and nobody can see through your act. Actress. Actress."

I heard a hand on the door handle and gripped my basket even more tightly, still whispering, subconsciously, "Actress, actress…" until I finally realized that I was saying it and stopped myself.

Just in time, too; for a boy opened the door, and who knows what he might have thought had he heard me mumbling and muttering, "actress, actress". Probably would've thought I was stark raving mad.

Clearing my throat, I placed my smile on my face (when was the last time I'd given a real, joyous one? Three, four years ago?) and said, "May I please speak to your leader, Mr. Conlon?"

"Spot! 'Nother doll wantin' you!"

I almost gagged at the thought of girls "wanting him". As he came into view, I made my smile grow larger, more… shiny. "Mr. Conlon!" I cried, trying to act as though I really were quite thrilled to see him. "I know how-"

"Duke, whattya thinkin'?" Spot barked at the boy who had opened the door. My heart was in my mouth. He'd found me out. He was going to kick me out!

My eyes, I'm sure, were twice their normal size; but somehow, the smile continued to be plastered on my face. I'd forgotten to take it off.

"Miss Eleanor," he said, turning to me with those blue-grey, stormy eyes that saw everything,"I apologize."

I blinked. "What?"

"I apologize for the rudeness of me boys. Come in, please."

I blinked. "What?"

"Walk in the door?" Spot suggested, growing a little impatient. He held out his hand.

I blinked. "Oh." I took it and began to step over the threshold. However, I hadn't thought about how uneven it might be; I tripped and almost fell, but Spot caught me just before I hit the ground.

"Oh!" I said again. He must think those are the only two words I know: "what" and "oh". "Oh! Spot!"

"Sorry about that," he said softly.

My stomach fluttered, and my mind started to scream, "No! No! No! You bloody cannot fall in love with him! Ella, he's SpotConlon! No! This isn't happening!"…

…But I was ignoring the voice in my head. "Thank you. I mean, it's all right."

I realized I was still in his arms and I tore myself away quickly, and looked anywhere but at his face. "I- er- nice… place you have here," I rambled wildly. "It's- I- uh-"

"What's that?"

"What? Oh!" There I go again! Isthatreallythelimitofhervocabulary, he must be thinking right now. "Uh, yes. This is-" I took the cover off the basket.

"Golly!" said Marbles, who, without me even noticing, had come over and was now peering with vivid interest into the basket. He whistled. "Gee and golly day!"

It was nothing but food; but I was positive that they would appreciate it greatly. "I… just threw some stuff together, and…" I gestured with my hands a little, and saw that they were shaking. "Actress, actress!" I thought to myself urgently.

"So. Um. I… guess I'll… be going." I couldn't even remember why I had come here, really, in the first place. "Oh!" Then I remembered.

I put on my warmest, biggest smile; like I was bundling up for winter. "Mr. Conlon, would you like me to fix your boys dinner?"

"You called me Spot a minute ago," he said softly.

"Did I?" I breathed. "Sorry!"

I grabbed the basket and headed for the kitchen.