"She's true blue," he finally commented as he prepared to depart.

CHAPTER XIX

LETTY AND MARY LEE SELL LIBERTY BONDS

Mr. Saunders, Letty's father, came home early the following evening.

He had been down to Mexico and had just returned. Permission had been given by the Mexican Government for the furtherance of their plans.

Tom Marshall, so he reported, was already busily at work and the prospects were very bright. Mr. Saunders spoke enthusiastically about the young man, and his ability. And his respect for Jim Lee had greatly increased from the accounts he had received from Tom Marshall and one or two of the men who were located in the neighborhood.

Both Letty and Mary Lee were, of course, greatly interested, the latter for the best of reasons, although she somehow could not grasp the idea that more wealth was to be hers. She was gratified that Letty's father--a careful, shrewd and conservative business man--should have made an exception in behalf of her friends.

Toward the end of the evening the girls suddenly bethought themselves of a plan they had formulated a few days before the arrival of Letty's father.

It was Letty who opened the campaign.

"We feel it our patriotic duty to sell you a Liberty Bond--or more than one," the girl added as the idea suddenly came to her that one was not very much for her rich father to buy.

"Oh," her father e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed in surprise. "And why, young lady?" And his words sounded so serious and businesslike that neither Letty nor Mary Lee noticed the humor lurking in his eyes. "Why should you feel it to be your duty to sell them to me?"

"It is not only our duty to sell bonds, but it is the duty of everyone in the country." It was Mary Lee who answered and even as she spoke a sudden idea came to her mind. It was still a little hazy and so she said nothing more.

"How many do you think I should buy?" Mr. Saunders queried trying hard to maintain a business-like appearance.

"How many?" Letty repeated. She tried hard to think of a number that would seem consistent. It was apparent to her father that she was fl.u.s.tered.

"I think five would be right," and then it occurred to her that five wasn't enough. "I mean ten--or perhaps eight," the girl finally concluded, rather lamely.

"Well, my dears, it may interest you to know that I have bought not ten, nor eight, but two hundred; and I am to buy some more within the next few days."

"My," said Letty, in awed tones into which there crept a measure of disappointment. "Then we cannot sell you any? Not even one?" she added coaxingly, with a sudden renewal of hope.

"You see, Mr. Saunders," Mary Lee turned to the work in hand with the feeling that her own idea would follow as a matter of course, "we girls in the Red Cross Group have each volunteered to sell at least five Liberty Bonds. Letty and I are to sell to some other people, but we counted on you, too."

"And you don't want your count to be in vain, do you?"

"No, sir," both girls replied.

"All right then, I'll buy ten. Is that satisfactory?"

Letty hugged her father and both girls danced in glee over their first success. Mr. Saunders looked at them with great pride and satisfaction.

Mary Lee suddenly sobered and became business-like.

"Mr. Saunders," she spoke diffidently.

"Any other business into which you desire to inveigle me?" he questioned.

"Yes, sir," the girl replied, while Letty looked at her, a little uncertain as to what was coming.

The girl continued: "The money that Jim left for my use--I was wondering; of course, I don't know if it can be done--if it couldn't buy some Liberty Bonds."

Mr. Saunders laughed. "Of course it could. It wouldn't be so bad an investment either. We'll begin by buying a hundred shares for you."

"Thank you," Mary Lee replied, proud that Jim's money was to be used in this way.

"Can we turn the order in?" asked the practical Letty.

"I suppose you can," her father replied.

"That means, Letty," Mary Lee exclaimed in awe, "that we already have one hundred and ten bonds sold. And we must sell some to the Andersons and to the Camerons. I shall write to Tom Marshall and ask him to buy some, too."

"It may be that I shall have a surprise for you by tomorrow, too," Mr.

Saunders added. He was interested in their success but he also felt that their efforts should not be too easily successful. He decided to call up the Andersons and also the Camerons who were to return from Florida within the next few days and tell them not to be too easy in complying and the reasons for it. The work of getting subscriptions would be so much more worth-while if it did not bring too easy returns.

"I suppose you girls know why these bonds are being issued and why they are called Liberty Bonds."

"It is money for the war, and because Germany is not a democratic nation the fight against it is called a fight for Liberty, isn't it?"

Mary Lee questioned.

"There's more to it than that. If the hour were not so late I would give you some of the reasons for issuing these bonds; but Mary Lee gives the kernel in her explanation. Isn't it time for these young ladies to go to bed, mother?" he asked as Mrs. Saunders came into the room.

"That is the reason for my being here at this minute. It is time, my dears. Ten o'clock has struck long since."

But the girls would not go until they had excitedly explained their success in selling Liberty Bonds.

"I'm disappointed, my dears," Mrs. Saunders said. "Hurt, too. You never thought of asking me."

The girls looked at her for the first time in the light of a customer.

"And what is more," Letty's mother added, taking advantage of the pause on the girls' part due to their surprise, "you can't sell me any tonight for it is too late."

"But we surely will tomorrow," Letty replied. "So let's be off to bed, Mary Lee."

CHAPTER XX

PREPARING FOR RED CROSS WORK

Mary Lee and Letty permitted but a small part of the morning to pa.s.s before they brought up the subject of Mrs. Saunders' purchase.

"But, my dears, I'm not so sure that I care to buy from people who did not consider me a possible customer. I think I'll buy from someone who will give sufficient and proper importance to my purchase."