The doctor was prompt in making inquiries. One of his friends, Dr.

Payson, could use Mary Lee's services after school hours and Sat.u.r.day mornings. But he would also need her at ten o'clock for one hour on two mornings of each week.

Dr. Anderson immediately called her up with the good news.

"Of course, it does not pay much, but Payson will probably find you useful and give you every opportunity to learn. It will be good experience and of great help to you later, when you enter training school. The money it pays is as much as three dollars every week," the doctor added laughingly and apologetically.

But if that sum did not seem big to him, it did to Mary Lee and she told him so. It had been more than she had expected. The only hitch was the question of being free at ten on two school mornings.

She consulted Letty in reference to this and received the welcome a.s.surance from her that study hours were often arranged so that free time could be obtained.

She called on Dr. Payson with Dr. Anderson. He proved to be a kindly, middle aged man and from all appearances seemed satisfied as to her possible usefulness to him. Mary Lee did not know that Dr. Anderson had given a full account of her sense of responsibility and likable qualities and that it was his enthusiastic recommendation that had persuaded his friend to try Mary Lee instead of employing an older a.s.sistant for full time.

"Well, Mary," he started to say, but Dr. Anderson interrupted him.

"Not Mary, Payson, not Mary. This young lady's name is Mary Lee. Be sure to remember the Lee. We sometimes think that her mother did not name her Lee after a loyal Indian, as she would have us believe, but because she wanted her little girl's name to sound as if it were Mer-ri-ly. That name fits her."

As Mary Lee blushed, Dr. Payson remarked laughingly, "I am sure I shall find her very pleasant and agreeable. I shall also be sure to remember that it is Mary Lee I am to call her, in the future."

CHAPTER X

AUNT MADGE IS MARRIED

Aunt Madge had always been a firm believer in simplicity and she made that the predominating tone of the ceremony. She had a fair share of worldly riches and yet she had not, as our readers who have grown to know her must readily realize, ever made use of her wealth for garish display. There was a fine dignity and charm about the ceremony of the marriage that came through the gifted touch of true womanhood.

It was at an old church, beautiful, stately and with that atmosphere that brings of itself devoutness, religious fervor and conviction. A wonderful organ played, as down the aisle came Ruth and Edith, followed by Letty and Mary Lee. The four girls were as fair as the flowers they carried and made a charming picture that brought forth a murmur of admiration. About them, too, as if to fit in with the entire impressiveness, was a sense of quiet and repose that to those who knew them measured the significance and importance of the event for them.

Mrs. Cameron as matron of honor followed, and Dr. Payson escorted the bride. The bridegroom? He had been waiting with Dr. Payson, his best man, at the altar throughout the entire ordeal. But we shall speak of him a little later, for our eyes are upon the bride as she goes, slowly and yet in perfect time of music, down the broad aisle to the altar.

All brides are beautiful. And yet, Margaret Cameron made a picture that was to stay in the minds of those present for many a day. One stores away memories and impressions of that kind.

We are so built that everything must be symbolized. For as one thinks of green woods, there is sure to come the picture of one certain spot, one certain nook to symbolize it; so, for many of those present, there would, in the same way, come a picture of Margaret Cameron as she appeared that day, whenever thereafter weddings and brides were spoken about. The fineness of her! She carried a shower bouquet of white roses and lilies of the valley. Her head-dress was very becoming--a bridal veil prettily arranged--and her gown was a simple creation of white satin draped gracefully, trimmed with some rare old lace which belonged to her mother, and which had adorned her bridal gown.

We wish we could defy the conventional and the expected and say for the groom that he was fully at ease, self-contained, in full command of the situation. Poor man, we wish we could say it and remain truthful. We could not do both. Never was any man more in need of help. Dr. Payson had a busy time of it. His whispered instructions fell on deaf ears, the owner of which was too scared to even hear. At the proper time, too, he was almost dragged to the proper place.

He did, however, manage to answer, "I will" distinctly. And as if that had been the goal, once he did that, some of his composure came back to him.

Dr. Payson always insisted thereafter that his friend had primed himself for the "I will" and was unequal to anything else.

"Why, I actually felt sorry for him," he said. "His knees were trembling and knocking against each other. I couldn't make out the thing he was mumbling but I feel certain he was only rehearsing to himself 'I will, I will, I will.'"

There was the usual rush of friends after the Reverend Dr. Arthur had tied the knot, and the shower of congratulations. It was the plan of the married couple to leave at once. To the new benedict, it seemed, however, that the number of their friends was unlimited and the time they took to offer their good wishes hours and hours. But all things have an end and so the Andersons were off at last. Mrs. Anderson had found the opportunity for an affectionate leave-taking from her girls and also from Bob Cameron. She had promised to write to them, too.

Some of the tenseness of the last few days seemed to go with the couple. Mrs. Cameron sighed with relief--relief over the fact that there had been no hitch and that the event had gone through so smoothly. Belief, too, that the worry and bustle were over.

For the girls there came a moment of reaction. Just what would take the place of the excitement and planning of the last few weeks? School seemed tame in comparison. Even the fact that Mary Lee had procured a position for some of her spare time had not created the furore that it would have under ordinary circ.u.mstances.

"It certainly seems strange to think of Aunt Madge as Mrs. Anderson, doesn't it?" asked Ruth as the party started for the door.

"And I suppose that's what we'll have to call her, too, instead of Aunt Madge," added Letty ruefully.

"And precious little we shall see of her from now on, I suppose," was Edith's contribution.

"I declare when I grow up I just won't marry and desert my friends, I just won't." The sense of injury was growing stronger and it was so voiced by Letty.

The rest of the girls laughed at her.

"You'll be the very first one, Letty dear," Mary Lee answered her, as she gave the impetuous Letty an affectionate hug. "Come, girls, let's plan for school," she added.

Dr. Payson was just entering his car as they came to the street.

"Don't forget, Mary Lee," he called to her. "Be sure to report on time."

"I certainly will," answered Mary Lee.

CHAPTER XI

BUSY DAYS

Ten days later school was already in full swing. Mary Lee had been placed in a grade lower than her friends because she had lost so much time while at the orphanage and at the Quinns. She had been able to arrange for the necessary spare time and so was able to become Dr.

Payson's "a.s.sistant," as he jokingly called her.

Each of the girls had received a card from the Andersons who were now in the Adirondacks and who were to remain there for several weeks.

Mary Lee had also received a letter from Tom Marshall, forwarded to her by Mrs. Quinn. He was on his way to Mexico and he told her that his mother had died, but so peacefully that it had left him no bitterness. His sorrow held only the regret that he had not been more with his mother during the last few years. He thanked Mary Lee again for her help and voiced the hope that he would see her again some day.

Pleasant days followed each other. The girl enjoyed her work at Dr.

Payson's office as much as she did school. What time she did not devote to her studies and to the office was spent agreeably with the other girls.

It had been decided to hold the Campfire meetings on Friday nights and the girls were doing fairly well in the absence of their leader, Aunt Madge. Following Mary Lee's example, they were desirous of being Red Cross girls.

Ruth, who was secretary, was instructed to write to the Red Cross Committee volunteering the services of the seven girls.

"What can we do?" Alice Brown, one of the girls, pessimistically asked.

"Why, we can make bandages, after a few lessons," replied Mary Lee.

"And some of us can sew and knit," added Letty.

"Oh," said Alice, as if a light had struck her. "Why of course."

Before they could get a reply to their letter, the President and Congress had declared war against Germany. This made them doubly eager for their answer and with the idea of preparing ahead of time, at Mary Lee's suggestion, they immediately invited Miss Walker, a friend of Mrs. Anderson, who was a trained nurse, to teach them how to make such bandages as might be needed. Miss Walker readily consented to give one evening a week to teaching them.