"Some day," she said very softly, "I am going to make my friends very proud that they are my friends." It never occurred to this simple, lovely little girl, that she had already given them cause for their pride in the mutual friendship.

"When Bob and the girls come we can visit the Sanitarium. If we can only get Dr. Anderson to go with us he can explain things to us and in that way we can learn so much more. Then, too, we can have real campfires and meetings and Bobbie can visit us as a Boy Scout."

So her mind planned it all, as she hastened along. There was no need for hurrying, but it was never in the nature of this girl to move slowly. But often she stopped along the road for there were many things that drew her interest.

"You poor things," she said to some dry and withered looking ferns along the way. "I shall practice being a real Red Cross Girl with you." She hurried into the woods somewhat farther down the road and from a brooklet brought some water with which to give the ferns new life.

This act set her to dreaming of her future when she would be a Red Cross Nurse and of Dr. Anderson who was to give her the opportunity to gain the necessary experience. It was great work to relieve and cure the sick.

Then across her line of vision came a blurred form which she could not make out. She hurried forward. As she neared it she saw the body of a man lying p.r.o.ne upon the ground.

For one moment there was a scared, helpless feeling within the girl.

There was a great sinking in her heart. She seemed very small, very helpless. Then from somewhere within her a small voice whispered:

"Mary Lee, you are a Red Cross Girl."

CHAPTER V

MARY LEE WRITES A LETTER

Mary Lee could never remember how she managed to place the unconscious form of the man against the tree so that the branches would afford some shade and protection from the sun's merciless heat.

From the gate at which she was standing and from where she was searching the road for Mary Lee's return, Mrs. Quinn saw the girl running. She noticed her excitement and so hurried forward to meet her.

"What is it, dear? What has happened?" she questioned anxiously.

Mary Lee told her. From the account, Mrs. Quinn judged that the man had had an attack of sunstroke. She calmed the excited girl and immediately went about obtaining the necessary ice to use on the stricken man.

The girl found good use for a first aid book which had been presented to her at one of the Campfire meetings. From it she learned that mustard on the nape of the neck or the forehead would help to bring a person back to consciousness. She immediately went into the kitchen and procured some.

Mr. Quinn was not about and so the two, Mrs. Quinn with the ice and Mary Lee with the mustard, hurried to the unconscious man, first sending Tom after Mr. Quinn to bring the carriage to them.

They found him still unconscious. Mary Lee applied the ice and then put a plentiful supply of the mustard upon the nape of the man's neck.

Then both watched anxiously for signs of a return to consciousness. It seemed hours before there was a flicker of returning life; as a matter of fact, it was less than ten minutes. When Mr. Quinn arrived with the carriage the man had regained consciousness, but he was obviously quite weak.

"I think we had better take him to the Sanitarium," said Mary Lee, "they will know what to do there."

Mrs. Quinn agreed. She returned home, her husband driving toward the Sanitarium, Mary Lee on the rear seat holding the man's head and applying the ice. The drive was over two miles and during almost all of that time, the sick man was either too weak to speak or lacked the inclination to do so.

As they turned into the driveway which led to the hospital, he spoke in a low, weak voice: "I'm sorry to give you all this trouble, young lady. It is a misfortune for me as well as for all of you." Then he paused for a second either through weakness or as if debating something in his mind.

"I wonder if I can impose on your goodness a little more?" he asked as the carriage stopped at the entrance and Mr. Quinn went inside to speak to the proper authorities. "Could you come and see me in the morning? I must have something attended to tomorrow and I suppose," he continued wanly and with the ghost of a smile, "I shall have to stay here at least that long."

"I shall be glad to come," answered Mary Lee. "Please do not worry. I am sure that it will be but a day or two before you are up and about again."

An interne and two orderlies now came out of the hospital door with a stretcher. They carried the sick man into the emergency ward but would not allow either Mr. Quinn or Mary Lee to follow. They were told that they would probably be allowed to visit in the morning.

But the man's case was evidently quite serious. Mary Lee called the next day and was informed that the patient had a high temperature and that it was impossible to permit any visitors. She was not allowed to see him until the fourth day. It worried her because of her promise and the man's evident anxiety to have the "something" attended to at once. On the fourth day, she was informed that the man was still weak but had insisted on seeing her. The nurse who spoke to her warned her not to stay too long.

Even as she opened the door she felt the surcharged eagerness of the man. He wasted no time in any greetings.

"The doctor tells me I cannot hope to leave here for at least another week. He claims it is under-nourishment more than the heat." He rested a moment.

"My name is Tom Marshall," he continued slowly. "I was on my way home from Mexico where I have been for many years. About two months ago, I remember the day so well, the home of my mother and father and of my early youth seemed to be calling to me in a way I could not resist. I had been away from it for over fifteen years and not once before that time had I been homesick or felt the desire to go home. But the new feeling was such that a little boy feels--I wanted my mother more than anything else in the world.

"My partner and I have a mine down there. We think it is a silver mine, but so far it has been hard to pinch anything out of it and we have found it a difficult matter even to exist. My partner is an Indian but he would shame many white men. I have never known a squarer, whiter man. He found the mine. We both feel it is certain to make good some day.

"Enough of that, except to say that I went to him and told him how I felt. He insisted that I make the trip home. Together, we sc.r.a.ped up enough money to bring me back about half the distance. I wrote home, the first letter I had written, I am ashamed to say, in four years. I told mother that I was coming home and to write me to St. Louis care of the General Delivery."

The man paused again. He was watching the girl. He seemed to regain strength.

"I suppose you wonder why I tell you all this. You will soon see. At St. Louis a letter was waiting for me. It was from my cousin, not from my mother. I learned that father had died three years ago and that my mother was very sick. She had been overjoyed at the news that I was coming. But my cousin advised me to hasten my return, as he considered my mother's condition extremely serious.

"I got as far as this by freight train, my money having given out at St. Louis. The headway was slow and yet I could not stop to earn the money to travel any other way. I have had very little food, how little I had I never stopped to consider. My one desire has been to get home."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE SICK MAN DICTATES A LETTER]

"You see," the man continued in an eager way, "it seems that all the desire to see mother that I should have had all these years is crowded into the present. I had figured on cutting through to the river and stowing myself in one of the boats which would bring me nearer home; but the heat and the lack of food were too much for me, and here I am."

The man paused once more. Mary Lee wondered if she were not staying too long; if the man were not going past his strength. Yet he seemed anxious to complete what he had to say.

"I have prayed that my mother live till I reach home. I want her to know that I am delayed. Will you please write my cousin? Tell him that I am very near and that I shall soon be well enough, but that he must not tell mother about my illness, just that I am surely coming. He must also let me know at once how she is.

"You see, young lady, I cannot write myself just now, as the doctors think I am still too weak. I wanted this letter written four days ago.

I am sure you will write understandingly. Will you do it for me?"

"I shall be very glad to," answered Mary Lee. "I am going to ask your cousin to telegraph regarding your mother's condition."

The man nodded as if too spent to talk further. He handed Mary Lee a crumpled slip of paper on which was written the address for the letter.

CHAPTER VI

A PICNIC

Ten days later found Tom Marshall home. The telegram had come from his cousin stating that the condition of his mother was unchanged. Mary Lee had told the Quinns of the case and Mr. Quinn had paid a visit to the sick man. He had talked to him for a little while and convinced as to the truth of the man's story, had offered to lend him the money which would take him home.

Marshall had returned the money with a letter of thanks immediately upon his arrival home.

Now the end of July had come. Letty and Ruth and Bob all came from the city on the same train. There was a delightful meeting at the town depot, and much happy, excited chattering on the part of the girls. On the way home, Mary Lee said: