Mary Lee the Red Cross Girl Part 18

The girls laughed as Dr. Anderson sat down.

"One of the reasons," said Aunt Madge, "I invited you tonight was to extend another invitation. We are leaving for Mount Hope over Decoration Day. All of you girls deserve a rest and I think it can be arranged for you to go with us. You can leave Wednesday and come back Sat.u.r.day."

The girls applauded enthusiastically.

"Good," said Letty.

"Won't it be heavenly?" said Ruth, equally enthusiastic.

"It will be different from our Thanksgiving party, for at least it is spring--and I love spring," said Grace Olcott.

"You're the one that loved winter, too," said Clara.

"Well, I did," replied Grace, not a whit abashed, "I like them all as they come."

"If we have half as good a time," said Irma, "I'll be satisfied."

Letty and Mary Lee said nothing. The memory of that Thanksgiving party when Letty had tried to make trouble for Mary Lee was not a pleasant one for Letty. Mary Lee also thought of it. She looked at Letty into whose eyes tears began to well.

"It's all right," whispered Mary Lee, as she put her hand over Letty's, but in a way that the other people could not see. "We're good friends now. Let's forget all of that."

Letty forced back her tears and gave her friend's hand a loving pat.

"Of course," said Aunt Madge, "you will have to receive the necessary permission both at school and at home. I hope you will be successful."

"Now, girls," Mrs. Anderson continued, "let's make no plans for our party and instead talk of what we can do in the way of making folks buy more Liberty Bonds. You see, we want to sell more among the people who would buy but a few shares."

The conversation turned to how the Red Cross Girls could further help.

Many suggestions were made and discussed.

"I want to tell you," said Mary Lee, "that the Red Cross Committee intends to go out for more money as soon as the sale of the Liberty Bonds closes."

"Do you think we should wait and do our work for the Red Cross?" asked Edith.

"I realize, of course, how well you girls have already done. Miss James has given me the amount of subscriptions that the Red Cross Girls have been able to obtain. It's truly wonderful. Perhaps we might turn our efforts toward the Red Cross collections," said Aunt Madge.

"Suppose," Mary Lee suggested, "that we only accept Aunt Madge's invitation on condition that we get $16,000 worth of Liberty Bonds sold. That means each of us must sell $2,000 worth."

"Good idea, Mary Lee," Dr. Anderson cried enthusiastically.

"We'll do it," said the rest of the girls.

A little later the girls departed. It was a most enjoyable party, they all agreed.

CHAPTER XXII

WORKING FOR "LIBERTY"

A few days later Mary Lee received a letter from Tom Marshall. He had replied at once to her letter. He told her that he had instructed Mr.

Saunders to arrange with her to buy his share of Liberty Bonds. Things were going along well and the mine was a great success. He also told her that he had forwarded his name for registration so that he could be conscripted when the time came.

"What do you hear of Jim Lee?" he inquired.

Lee had written only once to her, as the girl suddenly realized. It was over ten days since she had heard from him.

But the afternoon brought a short note in which he announced that he had been transferred to the Artillery Division. He was going to see more active service, he wrote.

When Mr. Saunders came home both Letty and Mary Lee were waiting for him.

"How many bonds did Mr. Marshall tell you to buy, dad?" asked Letty.

"Why should he tell me to buy any bonds?" her father replied.

"Why, he wrote Mary Lee that he had communicated with you; and we must get four thousand dollars' worth sold," she added.

"Must?" Mr. Saunders repeated.

"Otherwise--so we have pledged--we cannot go on the Decoration Day party with Mrs. Anderson," Mary Lee added.

"You mean that you have set a mark which you must attain in order to allow yourselves to go?"

The girls nodded their heads very vigorously.

"Well, I call that a fine thing," replied Letty's father. "You may put Marshall down for fifteen hundred dollars, and I want to add that if you don't make the mark, come to me. I won't buy any more, but I'll see that you get a chance to sell some. Now, be off with you, while I dress for dinner," and Mr. Saunders chuckled to himself.

"And they worry about this country, when even the little girls are so serious-minded," he remarked to himself.

Mary Lee, together with Letty, called on the Camerons the next day.

"Now," said Mary Lee, "to business, for that is what we came for."

"Has Mr. Cameron bought any Liberty Bonds? Have you? Will Bob buy any?"

"My goodness," replied Mrs. Cameron, "I don't know whether Mr. Cameron did or didn't. I know I did not. I never even thought of it. I don't think Bob did, either."

"Well, you should buy some," Mary Lee advised. "You see, the country needs the money. Uncle Sam is behind these bonds and he pays three and one-half per cent."

"Three and one-half per cent?" repeated Mrs. Cameron. "My bank and my other bonds pay only three per cent."

[Ill.u.s.tration: MARY LEE WRITES TO BOB]

"And better than that," added Letty, "you don't have to pay taxes on Liberty Bonds."

"It sounds so attractive," said Mrs. Cameron. "But I know very little of such things. I'll leave it to Mr. Cameron. If I buy any, part of them will be bought through you."