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diff --git a/21876.txt b/21876.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7328d30 --- /dev/null +++ b/21876.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5867 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls, by +Edith Van Dyne (AKA L. Frank Baum) + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls + +Author: Edith Van Dyne (AKA L. Frank Baum) + +Illustrator: Alice Carsey + +Release Date: June 20, 2007 [EBook #21876] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY LOUISE AND THE LIBERTY GIRLS *** + + + + +Produced by Michael Gray (Lost_Gamer@comcast.net) + + + + +Mary Louise +and the Liberty Girls + +By +Edith Van Dyne + +Author of +"Mary Louise," "Mary Louise in the Country," +"Mary Louise Solves a Mystery," +"The Aunt Jane's Nieces +Series," etc. + + +Frontispiece by +Alice Casey + +The Reilly & Lee Co. +Chicago + + +Copyright, 1918 +by +The Reilly & Britton Co. +--- +_Made in the U.S.A._ + + + +_Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls_ + + + +JUST A WORD + +The object of this little story is not especially to encourage loyalty +and devotion to one's country, for these are sentiments firmly +enshrined in the hearts of all true American girls. It is rather +intended to show what important tasks girls may accomplish when spurred +on by patriotism, and that none is too humble to substantially serve +her country. + +Organizations of Liberty Girls are possible in every city and hamlet in +America, and are effective not only in times of war but in times of +peace, for always their Country needs them--always there is work for +their busy hands. + +One other message the story hopes to carry--the message of charity +towards all and malice towards none. When shadows are darkest, those +who can lighten the gloom are indeed the blessed ones. + +EDITH VAN DYNE + + +CONTENTS + +I THE MASS-MEETING +II MARY LOUISE TAKES COMMAND +III THE LIBERTY GIRLS +IV THE TRAITOR +V UNCONVINCING TESTIMONY +VI TO HELP WIN THE WAR +VII THE LIBERTY SHOP +VIII THE DETECTIVE'S DAUGHTER +IX GATHERING UP THE THREADS +X THE EXPLOSION +XI A FONT OF TYPE +XII JOSIE BUYS A DESK +XIII JOE LANGLEY, SOLDIER +XIV THE PROFESSOR IS ANNOYED +XV SUSPENDERS FOE SALE +XVI MRS. CHARLEWORTH +XVII THE BLACK SATCHEL +XVIII A HINT FROM ANNIE BOYLE +XIX THE PRINTING OFFICE +XX ONE GIRL'S WITS +XXI SUPRISES +XXII A SLIGHT MISTAKE +XXIII THE FLASHLIGHT +XXIV AFTER THE CRISIS +XXV DECORATING +XXVI KEEPING BUSY + +Mary Louise +and the Liberty Girls + +CHAPTER I +THE MASS-MEETING + +One might reasonably think that "all Dorfield" had turned out to attend +the much advertised meeting. The masses completely filled the big +public square. The flaring torches, placed at set intervals, lighted +fitfully the faces of the people--faces sober, earnest, thoughtful--all +turned in the direction of the speakers' platform. + +Mr. Peter Conant, the Chairman, a prominent attorney of Dorfield, was +introducing the orator of the evening, Colonel James Hathaway, whose +slender, erect form and handsome features crowned with snow-white hair, +arrested the attention of all. + +"You have been told," began the old colonel in a clear, ringing voice, +"of our Nation's imperative needs. Money must be provided to conduct +the great war on which we have embarked--money for our new army, money +for ship-building, money for our allies. And the people of America are +permitted to show their loyalty and patriotism by subscribing for +bonds--bonds of the rich and powerful United States--that all may +participate in our noble struggle for the salvation of democracy and +the peace of the world. These bonds, which you are asked to buy, bear +interest; you will be investing in the Corporation of Right, Justice +and Freedom, with the security of the Nation as your shield. As a +stockholder in this noblest of corporations you risk nothing, but you +gain the distinction of personally assisting to defeat Civilization's +defiant and ruthless enemy." + +Loud applause interrupted the speaker. On one of the rows of seats at +the back of the stand sat Mary Louise Burrows, the granddaughter of +Colonel Hathaway, with several of her girl friends, and her heart +leaped with pride to witness the ovation accorded her dear "Gran'pa +Jim." + +With well chosen words the old gentleman continued his discourse, +stating succinctly the necessity of the Liberty Bond issue and +impressing upon his hearers the righteousness of the cause for which +this money was required. + +"The allotment of Dorfield," he added, "is one million dollars, +seemingly a huge sum for our little city to raise and invest, but +really insignificant when apportioned among those who can afford to +subscribe. There is not a man among you who cannot without hardship +purchase at least one fifty-dollar bond. Many of you can invest +thousands. Yet we are approaching our time limit and, so far, less than +two hundred thousand dollars' worth of these magnificent Liberty Bonds +have been purchased in our community! But five days remain to us to +subscribe the remaining eight hundred thousand dollars, and thereby +preserve the honor of our fair city. That eight hundred thousand +dollars will be subscribed! We _must_ subscribe it; else will the +finger of scorn justly be pointed at us forever after." + +Another round of applause. Mr. Conant, and Mr. Jaswell, the banker, and +other prominent members of the Liberty Loan Committee began to look +encouraged and to take heart. + +"Of course they'll subscribe it!" whispered Mary Louise to her friend +Alora Jones. "The thing has looked like a failure, lately, but I knew +if Gran'pa Jim talked to the slackers, they'd see their plain duty. +Gran'pa Jim knows how to stir them to action." + +Gradually the applause subsided. The faces of the multitude that +thronged about the stand seemed to Mary Louise stern and resolved, +determined to prove their loyalty and devotion to their country. + +And now Mr. Jaswell advanced and seated himself at a table, while Mr. +Conant requested those present to come forward and enter their +subscriptions for the bonds. He urged them to subscribe generously, in +proportion to their means, and asked them not to crowd but to pass in +line across the platform as swiftly as possible. + +"Let us raise that entire eight hundred thousand to-night!" shouted the +Colonel, in clarion tones. Then the band struck up a popular war tune, +and the banker dipped a pen in ink and held it ready for the onslaught +of signers. + +But no one came forward. Each man looked curiously at his neighbor but +stood fast in his place. The city, even to its furthermost suburbs, had +already been systematically canvassed by the Committee and their +efforts had resulted in a bare two hundred thousand dollars. Of this +sum, Colonel Hathaway had himself subscribed twenty-five thousand. +Noting the hesitation of his townsmen, the old gentleman again arose +and faced them. The band had stopped playing and there was an ominous +silence. + +"Let me encourage you," said Colonel Hathaway, "by taking another +twenty-five thousand dollars' worth of these wonderful bonds. Put me +down for that amount, Mr. Jaswell. Now, then, who are the patriots +eager to follow my lead!" + +There was applause--somewhat more mild in character--but none came +forward. Alora's father, Jason Jones, who had already signed for fifty +thousand dollars, rose and added another twenty-five thousand to that +sum. This act elicited another ripple of applause; more questioning +looks were exchanged between those assembled, but there were no further +offers to subscribe. + +The hearts of the committeemen fell. Was this meeting, on which they +had so greatly depended, destined to prove a failure, after all? + +Jake Kasker, the owner of "Kasker's Clothing Emporium," finally made +his way to the platform and mounting the steps faced his townspeople. +There was a little murmur of surprise and a sudden tension. The man had +been distrusted in Dorfield, of late. + +"You all know what I think about this war," said Kasker in a loud voice +and with a slight German accent. "I don't approve of it, whatever +anyone says, and I think we were wrong to get into it, anyhow." + +A storm of hisses and cries of "Shame!" saluted him, but he waited +stolidly for the demonstration to subside. Then he continued: + +"But, whatever I think about the war, I want to tell you that this flag +that now waves over my head is as much _my_ flag as it is _yours,_ for +I'm an American citizen. Where that flag goes, Jake Kasker will follow, +no matter what fools carry the standard. If they don't think I'm too +old to go to France, I'll pack up and go to-morrow. That's Jake +Kasker--with a Dutch name but a Yankee heart. Some of you down there got +Yankee names an' hearts that make the Kaiser laugh. I wouldn't trade +with you! Now, hear this: I ain't rich; you know that; but I'll take +two thousand dollars' worth of Liberty Bonds." + +Some one laughed, jeeringly. Another shouted: + +"Make it three thousand, Jake!" + +"I will," said Kasker; "and, if there ain't enough of you war-crazy, +yellow-hearted patriots in Dorfield to take what we got to take, then +I'll make it five thousand. But if I have to do that--an' I can't +afford it, but I'll do it!--it's me, Jake Kasker, that'll cry 'Shame!' +and hiss like a goose whenever you slackers pass my door." + +There was more laughter, a few angry shouts, and a movement toward the +platform. The German signed the paper Mr. Jaswell placed before him and +withdrew. Soon there was a line extending from the banker's table to +the crowd below, and the signatures for bonds were slowly but steadily +secured. + +Colonel Hathaway faced the German clothier, who stood a few paces back, +a cynical grin upon his features. + +"Thank you, Kasker," said the old gentleman, in a cold voice. "You have +really helped us, although you should have omitted those traitorous +words. They poisoned a deed you might have been proud of." + +"We don't agree, Colonel," replied Kasker, with a shrug. "When I talk, +I'm honest; I say what I think." He turned and walked away and Colonel +Hathaway looked after him with an expression of dislike. + +"I wonder why he did it?" whispered Mary Louise, who had overheard the +exchange of words and marked Kasker's dogged opposition. + +"He bought the bonds as a matter of business," replied Laura Hilton. +"It's a safe investment, and Kasker knows it. Besides that, he may have +an idea it would disarm suspicion." + +"Also," added Alora Jones, "he took advantage of the opportunity to +slam the war. That was worth something to a man like Kasker." + + +CHAPTER II +MARY LOUISE TAKES COMMAND + +When Mary Louise entered the library the next morning she found her +grandfather seated at the table, his head resting on his extended arms +in an attitude of great depression. The young girl was startled. + +"What is it, Gran'pa Jim?" she asked, going to his side and laying a +hand lovingly on his shoulder. + +The old gentleman looked up with a face drawn and gray. + +"I'm nervous and restless, my dear," he said; "that's all. Go to +breakfast, Mary Louise; I--I'll join you presently." + +She sat down on the arm of his chair. + +"Haven't you slept well, Gran'pa?" she asked anxiously, and then her +eyes wandered through the open door to the next room and rested on the +undisturbed bed. "Why, you haven't slept at all, dear!" she cried in +distress. "What is wrong? Are you ill?" + +"No, no, Mary Louise; don't worry. I--I shall be all right presently. +But--I was terribly disappointed in last night's meeting, and--" + +"I see. They didn't subscribe what they ought to. But you can't help +that, Gran'pa Jim! You did all that was possible, and you mustn't take +it so much to heart." + +"It is so important, child; more important, I fear, than many of them +guess. This will be a desperate war, and without the money to fight--" + +"Oh, the money'll come, Gran'pa; I'm sure of that. If Dorfield doesn't +do it's duty, the rest of the country will, so you mustn't feel badly +about our failure. In fact, we haven't failed, as yet. How much did +they subscribe last night?" + +"In all, a hundred and thirty thousand. We have now secured barely a +third of our allotment, and only five days more to get the balance!" + +Mary Louise reflected, eyeing him seriously. + +"Gran'pa," said she, "you've worn yourself out with work and worry. +They ought not to have put you on this Liberty Bond Committee; you're +too old, and you're not well or strong enough to endure all the anxiety +and hard work." + +"For the honor of--" + +"Yes, I know, dear. Our country needs you, so you mustn't break down. +Now come and drink a cup of coffee and I'll talk to you. I've a secret +to tell you." + +He smiled, rather wanly and hopelessly, but he permitted the girl to +assist him to rise and to lead him to the breakfast room. There Mary +Louise poured his coffee and attacked her own breakfast, although with +indifferent appetite. + +Gran'pa Jim was the only relative she had in all the world and she +loved him devotedly. Their life in the pretty little town had been +peaceful and happy until recently--until the war. But the old Colonel, +loyal veteran that he was, promptly made it _his_ war and was roused as +Mary Louise had never seen him roused before. In his mind was no +question of the justice of our country's participation in the world +struggle; he was proud to be an American and gloried in America's +sacrifice to the cause of humanity. Too old to fight on the +battlefield, he felt honored at his appointment to the membership of +the Liberty Bond Committee and threw all his energies into the task +assigned him. So it is easy to understand that the coldness and +reluctance to subscribe for bonds on the part of his fellow townsmen +had well nigh broken his heart. + +This the girl, his closest companion, fully appreciated. + +"Gran'pa," she said, regarding him across the table after their old +black mammy, Aunt Sally, had left them together, "I love my country, as +you know; but I love _you_ better." + +"Oh, Mary Louise!" + +"It's true; and it's right that I should. If I had to choose between +letting the Germans capture the United States, or losing you, I'd let +the Germans come! That's honest, and it's the way I feel. Love for +one's country is a fine sentiment, but my love for you is deeper. I +wouldn't whisper this to anyone else, for no one else could understand +it, but you will understand it, Gran'pa Jim, and you know my love for +you doesn't prevent my still being as good an American as the average. +However," continued the young girl, in a lighter tone, "I've no desire +to lose you or allow the Germans to whip us, if I can help it, so I've +got two battles to fight. The truth is, Gran'pa, that you're used up +with the hard work of the last few weeks, and another five days of +begging for subscriptions would wreck you entirely. So you're to stop +short--this very minute--and rest up and take it easy and not worry." + +"But--my dear!" + +"See here, Gran'pa Jim," with assumed sternness, "you've worked hard to +secure Dorfield's quota, and you've failed. Why, the biggest +subscribers for bonds in the whole city are you and Jason Jones! +There's plenty of wealth in Dorfield, and over at the mills and +factories are thousands of workmen who can buy bonds; but you and your +Committee don't know how to interest the people in your proposition. +The people are loyal enough, but they don't understand, and you don't +understand how to make them understand." + +"No," he said, shaking his head dolefully, "they're a dense lot, and we +can't _make_ them understand." + +"Well, _I_ can," said Mary Louise, cheerfully. + +"You, child?" + +"Yes. You mustn't imagine I've tackled the problem this very morning; +I've been considering it for some time, and I've talked and consulted +with Alora and Irene and Laura and the other girls about the best way +to redeem the situation. We knew the situation was desperate long +before last night's meeting. So all our plans are made, and we believe +we can sell all the bonds required. It was our policy to keep silent +until we knew what the big mass-meeting last night would accomplish, +but we suspected it would turn out just the way it did--a fizzle. So +the job's up to us, and if you'll sit quiet, Gran'pa Jim, and let us +girls do the work, we'll put Dorfield in the honor column by Saturday +night." + +"This is nonsense!" exclaimed the Colonel, but there was an accent of +hope in his voice, nevertheless. + +"We girls are thoroughly organized," said Mary Louise, "and we'll sell +the bonds." + +"Girls!" + +"Why, just think of it, Gran'pa. Who would refuse a group of young +girls--earnest and enthusiastic girls? The trouble with you men is that +you accept all sorts of excuses. They tell you they're hard up and +can't spare the money; there's a mortgage to pay, or taxes or notes to +meet, and they can't afford it, anyway. But that kind of talk won't do +when we girls get after them." + +"What arguments can you use that we have disregarded?" + +"First, we'll coax; then we'll appeal to their patriotism; then we'll +threaten them with scorn and opprobrium, which they'll richly deserve +if they hang on till it comes to that. If the threats don't make 'em +buy, we'll cry--and every tear will sell a bond!" + +The Colonel stirred his coffee thoughtfully. + +"You might try it," he suggested. "I've read that in some cities the +Boy Scouts have been successful in placing the bonds. It's an honorable +undertaking, in any event, but--I hope you will meet with no insults." + +"If that rank pro-German, Jake Kasker, will buy bonds, there isn't a +man in Dorfield who can give a logical excuse for not doing likewise," +declared Mary Louise. "I'm going to use Kasker to shame the rest of +them. But, before I undertake this job, I shall make a condition, +Gran'pa. You must stay quietly at home while we girls do the work." + +"Oh, I could not do that, Mary Louise." + +"You're not fit to leave the house. Will you try my plan for one +day--just for to-day." + +"I'll think it over, dear," he said, rising. + +She assisted him to the library and then ran down the street to the +doctor's office. + +"Dr. McGruer," she said, "go over at once and see my grandfather. He's +completely exhausted with the work of selling Liberty Bonds. Be sure +you order him to keep at home and remain quiet--at least for to-day." + + +CHAPTER III +THE LIBERTY GIRLS + +An hour later six girls met at the home of Alora Jones, who lived with +her father in a fine mansion across the street from Colonel Hathaway's +residence. These girls were prepared to work, and work diligently, +under the leadership of Mary Louise, for they had been planning and +discussing this event for several days, patiently awaiting the word to +start their campaign. + +"Some girls," said Mary Louise, "are knitting, and that's a good thing +to do, in a way. Others are making pajamas and pillows for the Red +Cross, and that's also an admirable thing to do. But our duty lies on a +higher plane, for we're going to get money to enable Uncle Sam to take +care of our soldier boys." + +"Do--do you think we can make people buy bonds?" asked little Laura +Hilton, with a trace of doubt in her voice. + +Mary Louise gave her a severe look. + +"We not only can, but we _shall_ make people buy," she replied. "We +shall ask them very prettily, and they cannot refuse us. We've all been +loaded to the brim with arguments, if arguments are necessary, but we +haven't time to gossip with folks. A whole lot of money must be raised, +and there's a short time to do it in." + +"Seems to me," remarked Edna Barlow, earnestly, "we're wasting time +just now. Let's get busy." + +"Well, get on your costumes, girls," suggested Alora Jones. "They are +all here, in this big box, and the banners are standing in the hall. +It's after nine, now, and by ten o'clock we must all be at work." + +They proceeded to dress themselves in the striking costumes they had +secretly prepared; a blue silk waist with white stars scattered over +it, a red-and-white striped skirt, the stripes running from waistband +to hem, a "Godess of Liberty" cap and white canvas shoes. Attired in +this fashion, the "Liberty Girls," as they had dubbed themselves, +presented a most attractive and patriotic appearance, and as they filed +out through the hall each seized a handsome silken banner, gold +fringed, which bore the words: "Buy Bonds of Dorfield's Liberty Girls." + +"Now, then," said Mary Louise, "we have each been allotted a certain +district in the business part of the city, for which we are +individually responsible. Each one knows what she is expected to do. +Let no one escape. If any man claims to have already bought bonds, make +him buy more. And remember, we're all to meet at my house at one +o'clock for luncheon, and to report progress." + +A block away they secured seats in a streetcar and a few minutes +thereafter reached the "Four Corners," the intersection of the two +principal streets of Dorfield. But on the way they had sold old +Jonathan Dodd, who happened to be in the car and was overawed by the +display of red-white-and-blue, two hundred dollars' worth of bonds. As +for old man Dodd, he realized he was trapped and bought his limit with +a sigh of resignation. + +As they separated at the Four Corners, each to follow her appointed +route, many surprised, if not startled, citizens regarded the Liberty +Girls with approving eyes. They were pretty girls, all of them, and +their silken costumes were really becoming. The patriots gazed +admiringly; the more selfish citizens gave a little shiver of dismay +and scurried off to escape meeting these aggressive ones, whose +gorgeous banners frankly proclaimed their errand. + +Mary Louise entered the bank on the corner and made inquiry for Mr. +Jaswell, the president. + +"We're off at last, sir," she said, smiling at his bewildered looks, +"and we girls are determined to make the Dorfield people do their full +duty. May we depend upon your bank to fulfill your promises, and carry +those bond buyers who wish to make time payments?" + +"To be sure, my dear," replied the banker. "I'd no idea you young +ladies were to wear uniforms. But you certainly look fascinating, if +you're a fair sample of the others, and I don't see how anyone can +refuse to back up our girls in their patriotic 'drive.' God bless you, +Mary Louise, and help you to achieve your noble object." + +There were many offices in the building, above the bank, and the girl +visited every one of them. Her appearance, garbed in the national +colors and bearing her banner, was a sign of conquest, for it seemed to +these busy men as if Uncle Sam himself was backing this crusade and all +their latent patriotism was stirred to the depths. So they surrendered +at discretion and signed for the bonds. + +Mary Louise was modest and sweet in demeanor; her pleas were as +pleasant as they were persuasive; there was nothing virulent or +dominant in her attitude. But when she said: "Really, Mr. So-and-so, +you ought to take more bonds than that; you can afford it and our +country needs the money," the argument was generally effective, and +when she had smilingly pinned the bond button on a man's coat and +passed on to interview others, she left him wondering why he had bought +more bonds than he ever had intended to, or even provoked with himself +that he had subscribed at all. These were the people who had generally +resisted all former pleadings of the regular committee and had resolved +to ignore the bond sale altogether. But perhaps their chagrin was +equalled by their satisfaction in having been won over by a pretty +girl, whose manner and appearance were alike irresistible. + +The men of Dorfield are a fair sample of men everywhere. At this period +the full meaning of the responsibilities we had assumed in this +tremendous struggle was by no means fully realized. The war was too far +away, and life at home was still running in its accustomed grooves. +They could not take the European war to themselves, nor realize that it +might sweep away their prosperity, their liberties--even their homes. +Fear had not yet been aroused; pity for our suffering and hard-pressed +allies was still lightly considered; the war had not struck home to the +hearts of the people as it has since. I doubt if even Mary Louise fully +realized the vital importance of the work she had undertaken. + +When the Liberty Girls met at Colonel Hathaway's for a light luncheon, +their eyes were sparkling with enthusiasm and their cheeks rosy from +successful effort. Their individual sales varied, of course, for some +were more tactful and winning than others, but all had substantial +results to report. "We've taken Dorfield by storm!" was their exultant +cry. + +"Altogether," said Mary Louise, figuring up the amounts, "we've sold +thirty-two thousand dollars' worth of bonds this morning. That's +encouraging for three hours' work, but it's not enough to satisfy us. +We must put in a busy afternoon and try to get a total of at least one +hundred thousand by to-night. To-morrow we must do better than that. +Work as late as you can, girls, and at eight o'clock we will meet again +at Alora's house and compare results." + +The girls needed no urging to resume their work, for already they had +gained confidence in their ability and were inspired to renewed effort. + +Mary Louise had optimistic plans for that afternoon's work. She first +visited the big flour mill, where she secured an interview with Mr. +Chisholme, the president and general manager. + +"We can't buy bonds," he said peevishly. "Our business is being ruined +by the high price of wheat and the absurd activities of Hoover. We +stand to operate at a loss or else shut down altogether. The government +ought to pay us compensation, instead of asking us to contribute to the +war." + +"However, if we fail to win the war," Mary Louise quietly replied, +"your enormous investment here will become worthless. Isn't it better +to lose a little now, for the sake of future winnings, than to +sacrifice the past and future and be reduced to poverty? We are asking +you to save yourself from threatened danger--the national calamity that +would follow our defeat in this war." + +He sat back in his chair and looked at the girl in amazement. She was +rather young to have conceived such ideas. + +"Well, there's time enough to consider all that," he said, less +gruffly. "You'll have to excuse me now, Miss Burrows. I'm busy." + +But Mary Louise kept her seat and redoubled her arguments, which were +logical and straight to the point. Mr. Chisholme's attitude might have +embarrassed her had she been pleading a personal favor, but she felt +she was the mouthpiece of the President, of the Nation, of worldwide +democracy, and would not allow herself to feel annoyed. She devoted +three-quarters of an hour to Mr. Chisholme, who gradually thawed in her +genial sunshine. She finally sold him fifty thousand dollars worth of +Liberty Bonds and went on her way elated. The regular Bond Committee +had labored for weeks with this stubborn man, who managed one of the +largest enterprises in Dorfield, yet they had signally failed to +convince him or to induce him to subscribe a dollar. The girl had +succeeded in less than an hour, and sold him exactly the amount he +should have bought. + +The mill subscription was a powerful leverage with which to pry money +from other reluctant ones. Stacks, Sellem & Stacks, the big department +store heretofore resisting all appeals, bought from Mary Louise bonds +to the amount of twenty-five thousand; the Denis Hardware Company took +ten thousand. Then Mary Louise met her first serious rebuff. She went +into Silas Herring's wholesale grocery establishment and told Mr. +Herring she wanted to sell him bonds. + +"This is outrageous!" cried Herring indignantly. "When the men can't +rob us, or force us to back England in her selfish schemes, they set +girls on us to wheedle us out of money we have honestly earned. This +hold-up game won't work, I assure you, and I advise you to get into +more respectable business. My money is mine; it doesn't belong to the +Allies, and they won't get a cent of it." He was getting more angry as +he proceeded in his harangue. "Moreover," he continued, "our weak +administration can't use me to help it out of the hole it has foolishly +stumbled into, or make America the cat's-paw to pull British chestnuts +out of the fire. You ought to be ashamed, Miss Burrows, to lend +yourself to such unpatriotic methods of bulldozing honest citizens!" + +Mary Louise was distressed, but undaunted. The man was monstrously +wrong, and she knew it. Sitting in Mr. Herring's private office at the +time were Professor John Dyer, the superintendent of Dorfield's +schools, and the Hon. Andrew Duncan, a leading politician, a former +representative and now one of the county supervisors. The girl looked +at Professor Dyer, whom she knew slightly, and said pleadingly: + +"Won't you defend our administration and our country, Mr. Dyer?" + +He smiled deprecatingly but did not speak. He was a tall, lean man, +quite round-shouldered and of studious appearance. He wore double +eyeglasses, underneath which his eyes were somewhat watery. The smile +upon his thin features was a stationary one, not as if assumed, but +molded with the features and lacking geniality. + +It was the Hon. Andrew Duncan who answered the Liberty Girl. + +"The difference between Mr. Herring and eighty percent of the American +people," said he in stilted, pompous tones, "is that our friend Herring +unwisely voices his protest, while the others merely think--and +consider it the part of wisdom to say nothing." + +"I don't believe that!" cried Mary Louise indignantly. "The American +people are loyal to their President. There may be a few traitors; we're +gradually discovering them; but--" + +"I am busy," Herring interrupted her, scowling, and he swung his chair +so that his back was toward her. + +"You won't be busy long, if you keep talking that way," predicted the +girl. + +"Tut-tut!" said the Hon. Andrew, warningly. "Your threats, young lady, +are as unwise as Mr. Herring's speech." + +"But they carry more weight," she asserted stoutly. "Do you think any +grocery man in Dorfield would buy goods of Mr. Herring if he knew him +to be disloyal in this, our country's greatest crisis? And they're +going to know it, if I have to visit each one and tell him myself what +Mr. Herring has said." + +A tense, if momentary silence, followed, broken by the Professor, who +now said in his smooth, unctuous way: + +"Mr. Herring's blunt expression of his sentiments was not intended for +other ears than ours, I am sure. In confidence, one may say many things +to friends which he would prefer to withhold from an indiscriminating +public. We are well assured, indeed, that Mr. Herring is a loyal +American, with America's best interests at heart, but he does not +regard our present national activities as leniently as we do. I have +been endeavoring, in my humble way, to change his attitude of mind," +here Herring swung around and looked at the speaker stolidly, "and +though I admit he is a bit obstinate, I venture to assure you, Miss +Burrows, that Silas Herring will stand by the Stars and Stripes as long +as there is a shred of our banner to wave in the breeze of freedom, +justice and democracy." + +A cynical smile gradually settled on the grocer's stern face. The Hon. +Andrew was smiling with undisguised cheerfulness. + +"We are all loyal--thoroughly loyal," said the latter. "I've bought +some Liberty Bonds already, my girl, but you can put me down for a +hundred dollars more. We must support our country in every possible +way, with effort, with money, with our flesh and blood. I have no +children, but my two nephews and a second cousin are now in France!" + +"For my part," added Professor Dyer, "I have hesitated as to how much +of my meagre salary I can afford to spend. But I think I can handle +five hundred dollars' worth." + +"Thank you," said Mary Louise, somewhat puzzled by these offers. "It +isn't like risking the money; it's a solid investment in the best +securities in the world." + +"I know," returned the Professor, nodding gravely, "But I'm not +thinking of that. I'm a poor man, as you probably know, but what I have +is at my country's disposal, since it is evident that my country needs +it." + +"Doesn't that shame you, sir?" asked Mary Louise brightly, as she +turned to Silas Herring. "You're a business man, and they say--although +I confess I doubt it--that you're a loyal American. You can convince me +of the fact by purchasing a liberal share of bonds. Then I can forget +your dreadful words. Then I can carry to everyone the news that you've +made a splendid investment in Liberty Bonds. Even if you honestly think +the administration has been at fault, it won't do any good to grumble. +We are in this war, sir, and we've got to win it, that you and every +other American may enjoy prosperity and freedom. How much shall I say +that you have subscribed, Mr. Herring?" + +He studied her face, his expression never changing. Mary Louise +wondered if he could read her suspicion and dislike of him, despite her +efforts to smother those feelings in the cause of Liberty. Then Herring +looked at Professor Dyer, who stood meekly, with downcast eyes. Next +the grocer gazed at the supervisor, who smiled in a shrewd way and gave +a brief nod. + +Mr. Herring frowned. He drummed nervously with his fingers on his +mahogany desk. Then he reached for his check-book and with grim +deliberation wrote a check and handed it to Mary Louise. + +"You've won, young lady," he admitted. "I'm too good an American to +approve what has been done down at Washington, but I'll help keep our +flag waving, as the Professor suggests. When we've won our war--and of +course we shall win--there will be a day of reckoning for every +official who is judged by our citizens to have been disloyal, however +high his station. Good afternoon!" + +The first impulse of Mary Louise was to crumple up the check and throw +it in the man's face, to show her resentment of his base insinuations. +But as she glanced at the check she saw it was for ten thousand +dollars, and that meant sinews of war--help for our soldiers and our +allies. She couldn't thank the man, but she bowed coldly and left the +private office. Professor Dyer accompanied her and at the outer door he +said to the girl: + +"Silas Herring's heart is in the right place, as you see by his +generous check. Of course, he might have bought more bonds than that, +as he is very wealthy, but he is an obstinate man and it is a triumph +for our sacred cause that he was induced to buy at all. You are doing a +noble work, my child, and I admire you for having undertaken the task. +If I can be of service to you, pray command me." + +"Urge everyone you meet to buy bonds," suggested Mary Louise. She did +not care to discuss Silas Herring. + +"I'll do that, indeed," promised the school superintendent. But as he +watched her depart, there was a queer expression on his lean face that +it was well Mary Louise did not see. + + +CHAPTER IV +THE TRAITOR + +When the Liberty Girls met that evening at the home of Alora Jones, it +was found that Mary Louise had sold more bonds than any of the others, +although Laura Hilton had secured one subscription of fifty thousand +dollars from the Dorfield National Steel Works, the manager of which +industry, Mr. Colton, was a relative of the girl. Altogether, the day's +work had netted them two hundred and fourteen thousand dollars, and as +soon as she could escape Mary Louise rushed home to report their +success to her grandfather. + +"In one day, Gran'pa Jim!" she cried exultantly, and the old colonel's +eyes sparkled as he replied: + +"That makes our great mass-meeting look pretty small; doesn't it, my +dear? I consider it wonderful! With four more such days our quota would +be over-subscribed." + +"That's what we shall try for," she declared, and then told him who the +biggest bond buyers had been--mostly those who had refused to listen to +the regular Committee or had not been influenced by their carefully +prepared arguments. + +"It's just because we are girls, and they are ashamed to refuse us," +she acknowledged. "It seems like taking an unfair advantage of them, I +know, but those who need urging and shaming, to induce them to respond +loyally to the nation's needs, deserve no consideration. We're not +robbing them, either," she added, "but just inducing them to make a +safe investment. Isn't that true, Gran'pa Jim?" + +"What surprises me most," he responded, "is how you ever managed to +load your little head with so much mature wisdom. I'd no idea, Mary +Louise, you were so interested in the war and our national propaganda +for waging it successfully." + +"Why, I read the newspapers, you know, and I've listened to you spout +patriotism, and ever since we joined the Allies against Germany, my +girl chums and I have been secretly organized as a band of Liberty +Girls, determined to do our bit in winning the war. This is the first +chance, though, that we've ever had to show what we can do, and we are +very proud and happy to-night to realize that we're backing Uncle Sam +to some purpose." + +"This war," remarked the old soldier, thoughtfully, "is bringing the +women of all nations into marked prominence, for it is undeniable that +their fervid patriotism outranks that of the men. But you are mere +girls, and I marvel at your sagacity and devotion, heretofore +unsuspected. If you can follow to-day's success until Saturday, and +secure our quota of subscriptions to the bonds, not only Dorfield but +all the nation will be proud of your achievement." + +"We shall do our best," replied the girl, simply, although her cheeks +glowed pink under such praise. "There are enough slackers still to be +interviewed to bring the quota up to the required amount and with +to-day's success to hearten us, I am sure we shall end the week +triumphantly." + +Next morning the Liberty Girls sallied forth early, all six aglow with +enthusiasm. Mary Louise consulted her carefully prepared list and found +that her first calf was to be at McGill's drug store. She found Mr. +McGill looking over his morning's mail, but moments were precious, so +she at once stated her errand. + +The old druggist glanced up at the girl under his spectacles, noted her +patriotic attire and the eager look on her pretty face, and slowly +shook his head. + +"I'm sorry, Miss Burrows, but I can't afford it," he said evasively. + +"Oh, Mr. McGill! I'm sure you are mistaken," she replied. "You can +afford insurance, you know, to protect your stock, and this money for +Uncle Sam is an insurance that your home and business will be protected +from the ravages of a ruthless foe." + +He stared at her thoughtfully a moment. Then he selected a paper from +his mail and handed it to her. + +"Read that," he said briefly. + +Mary Louise read it. It was a circular, printed in small, open-faced, +capital type on plain white paper, and unsigned. It said: + +"The Treasury Department is asking +us to invest billions in what are termed +Liberty Bonds. It has the 'liberty' to +lend these billions to irresponsible or +bankrupt nations of Europe, who are +fighting an unprofitable war. Some of +our dollars will equip an army of Amer- +ican boys to fight on Europe's battle- +fields. This may be good business. Our +excited politicians down at Washington +may think they are acting for our best +good. But what becomes of the money, +finally? Will our millionaire government +contractors become billionaires when the +money--our money--is spent? Do you +think the days of graft are past and +gone? Have politicians become honest +now that they are handling untold sums? +Let us consider these questions when we +are asked to subscribe for Liberty +Bonds." + +"Why, this is treason!" cried Mary Louise, gasping from sheer amazement +and indignation. "It's a--a--treacherous, vile, disloyal insinuation. +Some German spy wrote that, and he ought to be hanged for it!" + +The druggist nodded. He picked up the envelope that had contained the +circular and scrutinized it closely. + +"Really, it looks like foreign handwriting; doesn't it?" he agreed, +handing her the envelope. "It is postmarked 'Dorfield' and was posted +last evening. The whole town is buzzing about the wonderful work of the +Liberty Girls yesterday. Perhaps your success is responsible for this-- +this--opposition." + +Mary Louise's cheeks were burning. Her eyes flashed. + +"May I keep this--_thing?"_ she asked, with a shudder of disgust as she +thrust the circular into its envelope. + +"Certainly, if you wish." + +"And will you let an enemy attack like that influence you, Mr. McGill?" + +He smiled, rather grimly. + +"Yes. I'll invest five hundred in the bonds. I had already decided to +put in a hundred dollars, but for a moment this veiled accusation +bewildered me. You're right; it's treasonable. It will be hard for me +to raise five hundred, just now, but I'll do it. I want that to be my +answer to the German." + +Mary Louise thanked him and hurried away. Next door was Lacey's Shoe +Store, and Mr. Lacey was reading a duplicate of that identical circular +when the Liberty Girl approached him. + +The man bowed low to Mary Louise, a deference she felt rendered to her +red-white-and-blue uniform. + +"Good morning!" he said pleasantly, recognizing the girl as one of his +good customers. "Glad to see you, Mary Louise, for if I give you a good +fat check it may take a nasty taste out of my mouth, acquired by +reading a bit of German propaganda." + +"I know, Mr. Lacey," she replied earnestly. "I've seen that circular +before. Do you mind my having it--and the envelope?" + +"I wouldn't touch the filth, if I were you," he protested. + +"I'm going to run the traitor down," she said. "No man has the right to +live in Dorfield--or in America--who could be guilty of such +disloyalty." + +He gave her the circular and his check for Liberty Bonds, and she +passed on to the next store. During the morning Mary Louise discovered +several more of the traitorous circulars. Some merchants would not +admit having received the warning; others, through their arguments, +convinced the girl they had not only read the screed but had been +influenced by it. Perhaps it did not seriously affect her sales of +bonds, but she felt that it did and her indignation grew steadily. By +noon she was tingling with resentment and when she joined the other +Liberty Girls at luncheon, she found them all excited over the circular +and demanding vengeance on the offender--whoever he might happen to be. + +"Isn't it dreadful!" exclaimed Lucile Neal, "and what could the person +hope to gain by it?" + +"Why, he wanted to kill the Liberty Bond sale," explained Alora Jones. + +"A suspicion that this money is to be misapplied, or that officials +will steal part of it, is likely to prevent a lot of foolish people +from investing in the bonds. All this morning I could see that men were +influenced by this circular, which has been pretty generally +distributed." + +"Yes; one or two repeated the very words of the circular to me," said +Laura Hilton; "but I just asked them if they considered the United +States able to pay its bonds and they were forced to admit it was a +safe investment, however the money might be used." + +"I'd like to know who sent that circular," exclaimed Edna Barlow. + +"I'm going to find out!" asserted Mary Louise. + +"How, my dear?" + +"There must be ways of tracing such a bunch of circulars as were mailed +last evening. I'm going to see the Chief of Police and put him on the +trail." + +"Do you know," said Edna, a thoughtful and rather quiet girl, "I +already have a suspicion who the traitor is." + +"Who?" an eager chorus. + +"I'm not sure I ought to speak his name, for it's only a suspicion and +I may be wrong. It would be an awful thing to accuse one unjustly of +such a dastardly act, wouldn't it? But--think, girls!--who is known to +be against the war, and pro-German? Who did we consider an enemy to the +cause of liberty until--until he happened to buy some bonds the other +night and indulge in some peanut patriotism to disarm a criticism he +knew was becoming dangerous?" + +They looked at one another, half frightened at the suggestion, for all +knew whom she meant. + +"Perhaps," said Alora, slowly, "Jake Kasker really believes in the +bonds. He certainly set the example to others and led them to buy a lot +of bonds. It doesn't seem reasonable, after that, to credit him with +trying to prevent their sale." + +"Those pro-Germans," remarked little Jane Donovan, "are clever and sly. +They work in the dark. Kasker said he hated the war but loved the +flag." + +"I'm afraid of those people who think devotion to our flag can cover +disloyalty to our President," said Mary Louise earnestly. + +"But the flag represents the President, and Kasker said he'd stand by +the flag to the last." + +"All buncombe, my dear," said Edna decidedly. "That flag talk didn't +take the curse off the statement that the war is all wrong." + +"He had to say something patriotic, or he'd have been mobbed," was +Lucile's serious comment. "I hadn't thought of Jake Kasker, before, but +he may be the culprit." + +"Isn't he the only German in town who has denounced our going into the +European war?" demanded Edna. + +"No," said Mary Louise; "Gran'pa has told me of several others; but +none has spoken so frankly as Kasker. Anyhow, there's no harm in +suspecting him, for if he is really innocent he can blame his own +disloyal speeches for the suspicion. But now let us check up the +morning's work and get busy again as soon as possible. We mustn't lose +a single minute." + +"And, as we go around," suggested Alora, "let us keep our eyes and ears +open for traces of the traitor. There may be more than one pro-German +in the conspiracy, for the circular was printed by somebody, and there +are several kinds of handwriting on the addressed envelopes we have +gathered. We've no time to do detective work, just now, but we can +watch out, just the same." + +Mary Louise did not mention the circular to Colonel Hathaway that +evening, for he was still ill and she did not wish to annoy him. + +The next day she found another circular had been put in the mails, +printed from the same queer open-faced type as the first. Not so many +had been sent out of these, but they were even more malicious in their +suggestions. The girls were able to collect several of them for +evidence and were 'more angry and resentful than ever, but they did not +allow such outrageous antagonism to discourage them in their work. + +Of course the Liberty Girls were not the only ones in Dorfield trying +to sell bonds. Mr. Jaswell and other bankers promoted the bond sale +vigorously and the regular Committee did not flag in its endeavors to +secure subscriptions. On account of Colonel Hathaway's illness, +Professor Dyer was selected to fill his place on the Committee and +proved himself exceedingly industrious. The only trouble with the +Professor was his reluctance to argue. He seemed to work early and +late, visiting the wealthier and more prosperous citizens, but he +accepted too easily their refusals to buy. On several occasions the +Liberty Girls succeeded in making important sales where Professor Dyer +had signally failed. He seemed astonished at this and told Mary Louise, +with a deprecating shrug, that he feared his talents did not lie in the +direction of salesmanship. + +Despite the natural proportion of failures--for not all will buy bonds +in any community--on the fourth day following the mass-meeting +Dorfield's quota of one million was fully subscribed, and on Saturday +another hundred and fifty thousand was added, creating jubilation among +the loyal citizens and reflecting great credit on the Liberty Girls, +the Committee, and all who had labored so well for the cause. + +"Really," said Professor Dyer, his voice sounding regretful when he +congratulated the girls, "our success is due principally to your +patriotic organization. The figures show that you secured subscriptions +for over half a million. Dear me, what a remarkable fact!" + +"More than that," added Jason Jones, Alora's father, who was a wealthy +artist and himself a member of the Committee, "our girls encouraged the +faltering ones to do their duty. Many a man who coldly turned our +Committee down smiled at the pretty faces and dainty costumes of our +Liberty Girls and wrote their checks without a murmur." + +"All the credit is due Mary Louise," declared Alora. "It was she who +proposed the idea, and who organized us and trained us and designed our +Liberty costumes. Also, Mary Louise made the most sales." + +"Nonsense!" cried Mary Louise, blushing red. "I couldn't have done +anything at all without the help of you girls. No one of us is entitled +to more credit than the others, but all six of us may well feel proud +of our success. We've done our bit to help Uncle Sam win the war." + + +CHAPTER V +UNCONVINCING TESTIMONY + +On Sunday "Gran'pa Jim," relieved of all worry, felt "quite himself +again," as he expressed it, and the old gentleman strutted somewhat +proudly as he marched to church with his lovely granddaughter beside +him, although her uniform was to-day discarded for a neat tailor-suit. +Mary Louise had always been a favorite in Dorfield, but the past week +had made her a heroine in the eyes of all patriotic citizens. Many were +the looks of admiration and approval cast at the young girl this +morning as she passed along the streets beside the old colonel. + +In the afternoon, as they sat in the cosy study at home, the girl for +the first time showed her grandfather the disloyal circulars, relating +how indignant the Liberty Girls had been at encountering such dastardly +opposition. + +Colonel Hathaway studied the circulars carefully. He compared the +handwritings on the different envelopes, and when Mary Louise said +positively: "That man must be discovered and arrested!" her grandfather +nodded his head and replied: + +"He is a dangerous man. Not especially on account of these mischievous +utterances, which are too foolish to be considered seriously, but +because such a person is sure to attempt other venomous deeds which +might prove more important. German propaganda must be dealt with +sternly and all opposition to the administration thoroughly crushed. It +will never do to allow a man like this to go unrebuked and unpunished." + +"What, then, would you suggest?" asked the girl. + +"The police should be notified. Chief Farnum is a clever officer and +intensely patriotic, from all I have heard. I think he will have no +difficulty in discovering who is responsible for these circulars." + +"I shall go to him to-morrow," decided Mary Louise. "I had the same +idea, Gran'pa Jim; it's a matter for the police to handle." + +But when she had obtained an interview with Chief of Police Farnum the +next morning and had silently laid one of the circulars on his desk +before him, an announcement of her errand, Farnum merely glanced at it, +smiled and then flashed a shrewd look into the girl's face. + +"Well!" said the Chief, in an interrogative tone. + +"Those treasonable circulars have been mailed to a lot of our +citizens," said she. + +"I know." + +"They are pro-German, of course. The traitor who is responsible for +them ought to be arrested immediately." + +"To be sure," replied Farnum, calmly. + +"Well, then do it!" she exclaimed, annoyed by his bland smile. + +"I'd like to, Miss Burrows," he rejoined, the smile changing to a +sudden frown, "and only two things prevent my obeying your request. One +is that the writer is unknown to me." + +"I suppose you could find him, sir. That's what the police are for. +Criminals don't usually come here and give themselves up, I imagine, or +even send you their address. But the city isn't so big that any man, +however clever, could escape your dragnet." + +"Thank you for the compliment," said the Chief, again smiling. "I +believe we could locate the fellow, were such a task not obviated by +the second objection." + +"And that?" + +"If you'll read this circular--there are two others, by the way, mailed +at different times--you will discover that our objectionable friend has +skillfully evaded breaking our present laws. He doesn't assert anything +treasonable at all; he merely questions, or suggests." + +"He is disloyal, however," insisted Mary Louise. + +"In reality, yes; legally, no. We allow a certain amount of free speech +in this country, altogether too much under present conditions. The +writer of this circular makes certain statements that are true and +would be harmless in themselves were they not followed by a series of +questions which insinuate that our trusted officials are manipulating +our funds for selfish purposes. A simple denial of these insinuations +draws the fangs from every question. We know very well the intent was +to rouse suspicion and resentment against the government, but if we had +the author of these circulars in court we could not prove that he had +infringed any of the existing statutes." + +"And you will allow such a traitor as that to escape!" cried Mary +Louise, amazed and shocked. + +For a moment he did not reply, but regarded the girl thoughtfully. Then +he said: + +"The police of a city, Miss Burrows, is a local organization with +limited powers. I don't mind telling you, however, that there are now +in Dorfield certain government agents who are tracing this circular and +will not be so particular as we must be to abide by established law in +making arrests. Their authority is more elastic, in other words. +Moreover, these circulars were mailed, and the postoffice department +has special detectives to attend to those who use the mails for +disloyal purposes." + +"Are any of these agents or detectives working on this case?" asked the +girl, more hopefully. + +"Let us suppose so," he answered. "They do not confide their activities +to the police, although if they call upon us, we must assist them. I +personally saw that copies of these circulars were placed in the hands +of a government agent, but have heard nothing more of the affair." + +"And you fear they will let the matter drop?" she questioned, trying to +catch the drift of his cautiously expressed words. + +He did not answer that question at all. Instead, he quietly arranged +some papers on his desk and after a pause that grew embarrassing, again +turned to Mary Louise. + +"Whoever issued these circulars," he remarked, "is doubtless clever. He +is also bitterly opposed to the administration, and we may logically +suppose he will not stop in his attempts to block the government's +conduct of the war. At every opportunity he will seek to poison the +minds of our people and, sooner or later, he will do something that is +decidedly actionable. Then we will arrest him and put an end to his +career." + +"You think that, sir?" + +"I'm pretty sure of it, from long experience with criminals." + +"I suppose the Kaiser is paying him," said the girl, bitterly. + +"We've no grounds for that belief." + +"He is helping the Kaiser; he is pro-German!" + +"He is helping the Kaiser, but is not necessarily pro-German. We know +he is against the government, but on the other hand he may detest the +Germans. That his propaganda directly aids our enemies there is no +doubt, yet his enmity may have been aroused by personal prejudice or +intense opposition to the administration or to other similar cause. +Such a person is an out-and-out traitor when his sentiments lead to +actions which obstruct his country's interests. The traitors are not +all pro-German. Let us say they are anti-American." + +Mary Louise was sorely disappointed. + +"I think I know who this traitor is, in spite of what you say," she +remarked, "and I think you ought to watch him, Mr. Farnum, and try to +prevent his doing more harm." + +The Chief studied her face. He seemed to have a theory that one may +glean as much from facial expression as from words. + +"One ought to be absolutely certain," said he, "before accusing anyone +of disloyalty. A false accusation is unwarranted. It is a crime, in +fact. You have no idea, Miss Burrows, how many people come to us to +slyly accuse a neighbor, whom they hate, of disloyalty. In not a single +instance have they furnished proof, and we do not encourage mere +telltales. I don't want you to tell me whom you suspect, but when you +can lay before me a positive accusation, backed by facts that can be +proven, I'll take up the case and see that the lawbreaker is vigorously +prosecuted." + +The girl went away greatly annoyed by the Chief's reluctance to act in +the matter, but when she had related the interview to Gran'pa, the old +colonel said: + +"I like Farnum's attitude, which I believe to be as just as it is +conservative. Suspicion, based on personal dislike, should not be +tolerated. Why, Mary Louise, anyone might accuse you, or me, of +disloyalty and cause us untold misery and humiliation in defending +ourselves and proving our innocence--and even then the stigma on our +good name would be difficult to remove entirely. Thousands of people +have lost their lives in the countries of Europe through false +accusations. But America is an enlightened nation, and let us hope no +personal animosities will influence us or no passionate adherence to +our country's cause deprive us of our sense of justice." + +"Our sense of justice," asserted Mary Louise, "should lead us to unmask +traitors, and I know very well that somewhere in Dorfield lurks an +enemy to my country." + +"We will admit that, my dear. But your country is watching out for +those 'enemies within,' who are more to be feared than those without; +and, if I were you, Mary Louise, I'd allow the proper officials to +unmask the traitor, as they are sure to do in time. This war has placed +other opportunities in your path to prove your usefulness to your +country, as you have already demonstrated. Is it not so?" + +Mary Louise sighed. + +"You are always right, Gran'pa Jim," she said, kissing him fondly. +"Drat that traitor, though! How I hate a snake in the grass." + + +CHAPTER VI. +TO HELP WIN THE WAR + +The activities of the Liberty Girls of Dorfield did not cease with +their successful Liberty Bond "drive." Indeed, this success and the +approbation of their fellow townspeople spurred the young girls on to +further patriotic endeavor, in which they felt sure of enthusiastic +encouragement. + +"As long as Uncle Sam needs his soldiers," said Peter Conant, the +lawyer, "he'll need his Liberty Girls, for they can help win the war." + +When Mary Louise first conceived the idea of banding her closest +companions to support the government in all possible ways, she was a +bit doubtful if their efforts would prove of substantial value, +although she realized that all her friends were earnestly determined to +"do their bit," whatever the bit might chance to be. The local Red +Cross chapter had already usurped many fields of feminine usefulness +and with a thorough organization, which included many of the older +women, was accomplishing a 'vast deal of good. Of course the Liberty +Girls could not hope to rival the Red Cross. + +Mary Louise was only seventeen and the ages of the other Liberty Girls +ranged from fourteen to eighteen, so they had been somewhat ignored by +those who were older and more competent, through experience, to +undertake important measures of war relief. The sensational bond sale, +however, had made the youngsters heroines--for the moment, at least-- +and greatly stimulated their confidence in themselves and their +ambition to accomplish more. + +Mary Louise Burrows was an orphan; her only relative, indeed, was +Colonel James Hathaway, her mother's father, whose love for his +granddaughter was thoroughly returned by the young girl. They were good +comrades, these two, and held many interests in common despite the +discrepancy in their ages. The old colonel was "well-to-do," and +although he could scarcely be called wealthy in these days of huge +fortunes, his resources were ample beyond their needs. The Hathaway +home was one of the most attractive in Dorfield, and Mary Louise and +her grandfather were popular and highly respected. Their servants +consisted of an aged pair of negroes named "Aunt Sally" and "Uncle +Eben," who considered themselves family possessions and were devoted to +"de ole mar'se an' young missy." + +Alora Jones, who lived in the handsomest and most imposing house in the +little city, was an heiress and considered the richest girl in +Dorfield, having been left several millions by her mother. Her father, +Jason Jones, although he handled Alora's fortune and surrounded his +motherless daughter with every luxury, was by profession an artist--a +kindly man who encouraged the girl to be generous and charitable to a +degree. They did not advertise their good deeds and only the poor knew +how much they owed to the practical sympathy of Alora Jones and her +father. Alora, however, was rather reserved and inclined to make few +friends, her worst fault being a suspicion of all strangers, due to +some unfortunate experiences she had formerly encountered. The little +band of Liberty Girls included all of Alora's accepted chums, for they +were the chums of Mary Louise, whom Alora adored. Their companionship +had done much to soften the girl's distrustful nature. + +The other Liberty Girls were Laura Hilton, petite and pretty and +bubbling with energy, whose father was a prominent real estate broker; +Lucile Neal, whose father and three brothers owned and operated the +Neal Automobile Factory, and whose intelligent zeal and knowledge of +war conditions had been of great service to Mary Louise; Edna Barlow, a +widowed dressmaker's only child, whose sweet disposition had made her a +favorite with her girl friends, and Jane Donovan, the daughter of the +Mayor of Dorfield and the youngest of the group here described. + +These were the six girls who had entered the bond campaign and assisted +to complete Dorfield's quota of subscriptions, but there was one other +Liberty Girl who had been unable to join them in this active work. This +was Irene Macfarlane, the niece of Peter Conant. She had been a cripple +since childhood and was confined to the limits of a wheeled chair. Far +from being gloomy or depressed, however, Irene had the sunniest nature +imaginable, and was always more bright and cheerful than the average +girl of her age. "From my knees down," she would say confidentially, +"I'm no good; but from my knees up I'm as good as anybody." She was an +excellent musician and sang very sweetly; she was especially deft with +her needle; she managed her chair so admirably that little assistance +was ever required. Mrs. Conant called her "the light of the house," and +to hear her merry laughter and sparkling conversation, you would +speedily be tempted to forget that fate had been unkind to her and +decreed that for life she must be wedded to a wheeled chair. + +If Irene resented this decree, she never allowed anyone to suspect it, +and her glad disposition warded off the words of sympathy that might +have pained her. + +While unable to sally forth in the Liberty Bond drive, Irene was none +the less an important member of the band of Liberty Girls. "She's our +inspiration," said Mary Louise with simple conviction. Teeming with +patriotism and never doubting her ability to do something helpful in +defeating her country's foes, Irene had many valuable suggestions to +make to her companions and one of these she broached a few days after +the bond sale ended so triumphantly. On this occasion the Liberty Girls +had met with Irene at Peter Conant's cosy home, next door to the +residence of Colonel Hathaway, for consultation as to their future +endeavors. + +"Everyone is knitting for the soldiers and sailors," said Irene, "and +while that is a noble work, I believe that we ought to do something +different from the others. Such an important organization ought to +render unusual and individual service on behalf of our beloved country. +Is it not so?" + +"It's all very well, Irene, to back our beloved country," remarked +Laura, "but the whole nation is doing that and I really hanker to help +our soldier boys." + +"So do I," spoke up Lucile. "The government is equal to the country's +needs, I'm sure, but the government has never taken any too good care +of its soldiers and they'll lack a lot of things besides knitted goods +when they get to the front." + +"Exactly," agreed Mary Louise. "Seems to me it's the girls' chief duty +to look after the boys, and a lot of the drafted ones are marching away +from Dorfield each day, looking pretty glum, even if loyally submitting +to the inevitable. I tell you, girls, these young and green soldiers +need encouraging, so they'll become enthusiastic and make the best sort +of fighters, and we ought to bend our efforts to cheering them up." + +Irene laughed merrily. + +"Good!" she cried; "you're like a flock of sheep: all you need is a +hint to trail away in the very direction I wanted to lead you. There +are a lot of things we can do to add to our soldiers' comfort. They +need chocolate--sweets are good for them--and 'comfort-kits' of the +real sort, not those useless, dowdy ones so many well-intentioned women +are wasting time and money to send them; and they'll be grateful for +lots and lots of cigarettes, and--" + +"Oh, Irene! Do you think that would be right?" from Edna Barlow. + +"Of course it would. The government approves cigarettes and the French +girls are supplying our boys across the pond with them even now. Surely +we can do as much for our own brave laddies who are still learning the +art of war. Not all smoke, of course, and some prefer pipes and +tobacco, which we can also send them. Another thing, nearly every +soldier needs a good pocket knife, and a razor, and they need games of +all sorts, such as dominoes and checkers and cribbage-boards; and good +honest trench mirrors, and--" + +"Goodness me, Irene," interrupted Jane Donovan, "how do you think we +could supply all those things? To equip a regiment with the articles +you mention would cost a mint of money, and where's the money coming +from, and how are we to get it?" + +"There you go again, helping me out!" smiled Irene. "In your question, +my dear, lies the crux of my suggestion. We Liberty Girls must raise +the money." + +"How, Irene?" + +"I object to begging." + +"The people are tired of subscribing to all sorts of schemes." + +"We certainly are not female Croesuses!" + +"Perhaps you expect us to turn bandits and sandbag the good citizens on +dark nights." + +Irene's smile did not fade; she simply glowed with glee at these +characteristic protestations. + +"I can't blame you, girls, for you haven't thought the thing out, and I +have," she stated. "My scheme isn't entirely original, for I read the +other day of a similar plan being tried in another city, with good +success. A plan similar, in some ways, but quite different in others. +Yet it gave me the idea." + +"Shoot us the idea, then," said Jane, who was inclined to favor slang. + +"In order to raise money," said Irene, slowly and more seriously than +she had before spoken, "it is necessary for us to go into business. The +other day, when I was riding with Alora, I noticed that the store +between the post-office and the Citizens' Bank is vacant, and a sign in +the window said 'Apply to Peter Conant, Agent.' Peter Conant being my +uncle, I applied to him that evening after dinner, on behalf of the +Liberty Girls. It's one of the best locations in town and right in the +heart of the business district. The store has commanded a big rental, +but in these times it is not in demand and it has been vacant for the +last six months, with no prospect of its being rented. Girls, Peter +Conant will allow us to use this store room without charge until +someone is willing to pay the proper rent for it, and so the first big +problem is solved. Three cheers for Uncle Peter!" + +They stared at her rather suspiciously, not yet understanding her idea. + +"So far, so good, my dear," said Mary Louise. "We can trust dear old +Peter Conant to be generous and patriotic. But what good is a store +without stock, and how are we going to get a stock to sell--and sell it +at a profit that will allow us to do all the things we long to do for +the soldiers?" + +"Explain that, and I'm with you," announced Alora. + +"Explain that, and we're all with you!" declared Lucile Neal. + +"All I need is the opportunity," protested Irene. "You're such +chatterboxes that you won't let me talk! Now--listen. I'm not much of +an executioner, girls, but I can plan and you can execute, and in that +way I get my finger in the pie. Now, I believe I've a practical idea +that will work out beautifully. Dorfield is an ancient city and has +been inhabited for generations. Almost every house contains a lot of +articles that are not in use--are put aside and forgotten--or are not +in any way necessary to the comfort and happiness of the owners, yet +would be highly prized by some other family which does not possess such +articles. For instance, a baby-carriage or crib, stored away in some +attic, could be sold at a bargain to some young woman needing such an +article; or some old brass candlesticks, considered valueless by their +owner, would be eagerly bought by someone who did not possess such +things and had a love for antiques. + +"My proposition is simply this: that you visit all the substantial +homes in Dorfield and ask to be given whatever the folks care to +dispense with, such items to be sold at 'The Liberty Girls' Shop' and +the money applied to our War Fund to help the soldier boys. Lucile's +brother, Joe Neal, will furnish us a truck to cart all the things from +the houses to our store, and I'm sure we can get a whole lot of goods +that will sell readily. The people will be glad to give all that they +don't want to so good a cause, and what one doesn't want, another is +sure to want. Whatever money we take in will be all to the good, and +with it we can supply the boys with many genuine comforts. Now, then, +how does my idea strike you?" + +Approval--even the dawn of enthusiasm--was written on every +countenance. They canvassed all the pros and cons of the proposition at +length, and the more they considered it the more practical it seemed. + +"The only doubtful thing," said Mary Louise, finally, "is whether the +people will donate the goods they don't need or care for, but that can +be easily determined by asking them. We ought to pair off, and each +couple take a residence street and make a careful canvass, taking time +to explain our plan. One day will show us whether we're to be +successful or not, and the whole idea hinges on the success of our +appeal." + +"Not entirely," objected Alora. "We may secure the goods, but be unable +to sell them." + +"Nonsense," said little Laura Hilton; "nothing in the world sells so +readily as second-hand truck. Just think how the people flock to +auctions and the like. And we girls should prove good 'salesladies,' +too, for we can do a lot of coaxing and get better prices than an +auctioneer. All we need do is appeal to the patriotism of the +prospective buyers." + +"Anyhow," asserted Edna, "it seems worth a trial, and we must admit the +idea is attractive and unique--at least a novelty in Dorfield." + +So they planned their method of canvassing and agreed to put in the +next day soliciting articles to sell at the Liberty Girls' Shop. + + +CHAPTER VII +THE LIBERTY SHOP + +Mary Louise said to her grandfather that night, after explaining +Irene's novel scheme to raise money: "We haven't been housekeeping many +years in Dorfield and I'm not sure I can find among our household +possessions anything to give the Liberty Shop. But I've some jewelry +and knickknacks that I never wear and, if you don't mind, Gran'pa Jim, +I'll donate that to our shop." + +The Colonel was really enthusiastic over the plan and not only approved +his granddaughter's proposition to give her surplus jewelry but went +over the house with her and selected quite an imposing lot of odds and +ends which were not in use and could readily be spared. Eager to assist +the girls, the old colonel next morning went to town and ordered a big +sign painted, to be placed over the store entrance, and he also induced +the editors of the two newspapers to give the Liberty Girls' latest +venture publicity in their columns, inviting the cooperation of the +public. + +Peter Conant turned over the keys of the big store to the girls and the +first load of goods to be delivered was that from the Hathaway +residence. + +The Liberty Girls were astonished at the success of their +solicitations. From almost every house they visited they secured +donations of more or less value. It may have seemed "rubbish" to some +of the donors, but the variety of goods that soon accumulated in the +store room presented an interesting collection and the girls arranged +their wares enticingly and polished up the brass and copper ornaments +and utensils until they seemed of considerable value. + +They did not open their doors to the public for ten days, and Joe Neal +began to grumble because one of his trucks was kept constantly running +from house to house, gathering up the articles contributed to the +Liberty Girls' Shop. But the girls induced other trucks to help Joe and +the enthusiasm kept growing. Curiosity was spurred by the big sign over +the closed doors, and every woman who donated was anxious to know what +others had given to the shop. It was evident there would be a crowd at +the formal "opening," for much was expected from the unique enterprise. + +Meantime, the girls were busily occupied. Each day one group solicited +donations while another stayed at the store to arrange the goods. Many +articles of furniture, more or less decrepit, were received, and a man +was hired to varnish and patch and put the chairs, stands, tables, +desks and whatnots into the best condition possible. Alora Jones +thought the stock needed "brightening," so she induced her father to +make purchases of several new articles, which she presented the girls +as her share of the donations. And Peter Conant, finding many small +pieces of jewelry, silverware and bric-a-brac among the accumulation, +rented a big showcase for the girls, in which such wares were properly +displayed. + +During these ten days of unflagging zeal the Liberty Girls were annoyed +to discover that another traitorous circular had been issued. A large +contingent of the selective draft boys had just been ordered away to +the cantonment and the day before they left all their parents received +a circular saying that the draft was unconstitutional and that their +sons were being sacrificed by autocratic methods to further the +political schemes of the administration. "Mr. Wilson," it ended, "is +trying to make for himself a place in history, at the expense of the +flesh and blood of his countrymen." + +This vile and despicable screed was printed from the same queer type as +the former circulars denouncing the Liberty Bond sale and evidently +emanated from the same source. Mary Louise was the first to secure one +of the papers and its envelope, mailed through the local post-office, +and her indignation was only equalled by her desire to punish the +offender. She realized, however, her limitations, and that she had +neither the time nor the talent to unmask the traitor. She could only +hope that the proper authorities would investigate the matter. + +That afternoon, with the circular still in her handbag, she visited the +clothing store of Jacob Kasker and asked the proprietor if he had any +goods he would contribute to the Liberty Girls' Shop. + +Kasker was a stolid, florid-faced man, born in America of naturalized +German parents, and therefore his citizenship could not be assailed. He +had been quite successful as a merchant and was reputed to be the +wealthiest clothing dealer in Dorfield. + +"No," said Kasker, shortly, in answer to the request. Mary Louise was +annoyed by the tone. + +"You mean that you _won't_ help us, I suppose?" she said impatiently. + +He turned from his desk and regarded her with a slight frown. Usually +his expression was stupidly genial. + +"Why should I give something for nothing?" he asked. "It isn't my war; +I didn't make it, and I don't like it. Say, I got a boy--one son. Do +you know they've drafted him--took him from his work without his +consent, or mine, and marched him off to a war that there's no good +excuse for?" + +"Well," returned Mary Louise, "your boy is one of those we're trying to +help." + +"You won't help make him a free American again; you'll just help give +him knickknacks so he won't rebel against his slavery." + +The girl's eyes flashed. + +"Mr. Kasker," she said sternly, "I consider that speech disloyal and +traitorous. Men are being jailed every day for less!" + +He shrugged his shoulders. + +"I believe that is true, and it proves what a free country this +is--does it not? Mr. Wilson's democracy is the kind that won't allow +people to express their opinions, unless they agree with him. If I say +I will stand by the American constitution, they will put me in jail." + +Mary Louise fairly gasped. She devoutly wished she had never approached +this dreadful man. She felt ashamed to breathe the same air with him. +But she hated to retreat without a definite display of her disgust at +his perfidious utterances. Drawing the circular from her bag she spread +it before him on his desk and said: + +"Read that!" + +He just glanced at it, proving he knew well its wording. Mary Louise +was watching him closely. + +"Well, what about it?" he asked brusquely. + +"It expresses your sentiments, I believe." + +He turned upon her suspiciously. + +"You think I wrote it?" he demanded. + +"My thoughts are my own," retorted Mary Louise. + +Kasker's frown deepened. + +"Your thoughts may get you into trouble, my girl," he said slowly. "Let +me tell you this: However much I hate this war, I'm not fighting it +publicly. To you I have spoken in private--just a private conversation. +The trouble with me is, I talk too much; I don't know enough to keep my +mouth shut. I guess I'll never learn that. I ain't a hypocrite, and I +ain't a pacifist. I say the United States must win this war because it +has started the job, and right or wrong, must finish it. I guess we +could beat the whole world, if we had to. But I ain't fool enough to +say that all they do down at Washington is right, 'cause I know it +ain't. But I'm standing by the flag. My boy is standing by the flag, +and he'll fight as well as any in the whole army to keep the flag +flying over this great republic. By and by we'll get better +congressmen; the ones we got now are accidents. But in spite of all +accidents--and they're mostly our own fault--I'm for America first, +last and all the time. That's Jake Kasker. I don't like the Germans and +I don't like the English, for Jake Kasker is a George Washington +American. What are you doing, girl?" he suddenly asked with a change of +tone. + +"I'm putting down that speech in shorthand in my notebook," said Mary +Louise, "and I think I've got every word of it." She slipped the book +in her bag and picked up the circular. "Good afternoon, Mr. Kasker!" + +The German seemed bewildered; he ran his fingers through his bushy hair +as if trying to remember what he had said. + +"Wait!" he cried, as she turned away. "I've changed my mind about those +goods; I'll send some over to your shop to be sold." + +"Don't do it," she replied, "for we won't accept them. Only those whose +patriotism rings true are allowed to help us." + +Then she marched out of the big store, the proprietor at the desk +staring at her fixedly until she had disappeared. + +"That's it, Jake," he said to himself, turning to his papers; "you talk +too much. If a man prints a thing, and nobody knows who printed it, +he's safe." + + +CHAPTER VIII +THE DETECTIVE'S DAUGHTER + +"I'm pretty sure, Gran'pa Jim," said Mary Louise that evening, "that +I've trailed the traitor to his lair, and he's none other than--Jake +Kasker!" + +This was the first time she had mentioned her suspicion of Kasker to +him, and her statement was received by the colonel with moderate +surprise, followed by a doubtful smile. + +"I know Jake," he remarked, "and while he is uneducated and his mind is +unformed concerning most things outside the clothing business, I should +hesitate to accuse him of downright disloyalty." + +"He's a German, and sympathizes with the Kaiser," asserted Mary Louise. + +"Did he say that?" + +"Well, not in so many words." + +"A German-American is not usually pro-German," the colonel declared, +"for Germans who come to America come to escape the militarism and +paternalism of the Junkers, which is proof in itself that they +disapprove of what we term kaiserism. I know that Kasker talks +foolishly against the war and resents the drafting of his son, but I +think he is a good American at heart. He has bought Liberty Bonds more +liberally than some who proclaim their patriotism from the housetops. I +don't fear these outspoken objectors, my dear, as much as those who +work slyly in the dark--such as the writers of those disgraceful +circulars." + +"I practically accused Kasker of sending out those circulars," said +Mary Louise, "and his defense was very lame and unconvincing. Listen, +Grand'pa, to what he said. I took the speech down in shorthand, and +that worried him, I'm sure." + +The colonel listened and shook his head gravely. + +"Yes, Jake Kasker talks too much," he confessed, "and much that he says +is disloyal to our government and calculated to do much harm, +especially if widely circulated. This is no time to criticise the men +who are working hard to win the war; we should render them faithful +support. The task before us is difficult and it will require a united +country to defeat our enemies. I must talk to Jake Kasker." + +"Won't it be better to let the authorities deal with him?" suggested +the girl. "They're certain to get him, in time, if he goes on this way. +I believe I frightened him a bit this afternoon, but he's too dull to +take warning. Anyhow, I shall relate the whole interview to Chief +Farnum to-morrow morning." + +This she did, but the Chief gave her little satisfaction. + +"No one pays any attention to Kasker," he said. + +"He's a German, and a traitor!" she insisted. "A woman's intuition is +seldom at fault, and I'm convinced he's responsible for this latest and +most dreadful circular," and she laid it before him. + +"A girl's intuition is not as mature as a woman's intuition," the Chief +answered in an impatient tone. "You force me to say, my dear young +lady, that you are dabbling in affairs that do not concern you. I've +plenty of those circulars on file and I'm attending to my duty and +keeping an eye open for the rascal who wrote them. But there is no +proof that Kasker is the man. The federal officers are also +investigating the case, and I imagine they will not require your +assistance." + +Mary Louise flushed but stood her ground. + +"Isn't it the duty of every patriotic person to denounce a traitor?" +she inquired. + +"Yes, if there is proof. I think you are wrong about Kasker, but if you +are able to bring me proof, I'll arrest him and turn him over to the +federal agents for prosecution. But, for heaven's sake, don't bother me +with mere suspicions." + +Mary Louise did not accept this rebuke graciously. She went away with +the feeling that Chief Farnum was, for some reason, condoning a crime, +and she was firmly resolved to obtain the required proof if it could be +secured without subjecting herself to the annoyance of such rebuffs as +the one she had just endured. + +"We ought not to permit such a snake in the grass to exist in dear old +Dorfield," she told her girl associates. "Let us all try to discover +absolute proof of Kasker's treachery." + +The other Liberty Girls were as indignant as Mary Louise, but were too +intent on their present duties to pay much attention to Jake Kasker. +For the Liberty Girls' Shop was now open to the public, and men, women +and children crowded in to see what the girls had to offer. Sales were +so brisk during the first week that the stock became depleted and once +more they made a house to house canvass to obtain a new supply of +material. + +This kept all six of the girls busily occupied. Irene each morning rode +down to the shop in the Hathaway automobile--wheel-chair and all--and +acted as cashier, so as to relieve the others of this duty. She could +accomplish this work very nicely and became the Liberty Girls' +treasurer and financial adviser. Each day she deposited in the bank the +money received, and the amounts were so liberal that enthusiasm was +easily maintained. + +"The soldier boys have reason to rejoice," said Irene complacently, +"for we shall soon be able to provide them with numerous comforts and +luxuries--all of which they are surely entitled to." + +So the new enterprise was progressing finely when, one evening, on +reaching home from a busy day at the shop, Mary Louise found a letter +that greatly pleased her. It was from an old and valued girl friend in +Washington and after rambling along pleasantly on a variety of subjects +the writer concluded as follows: + +"But we can talk all this over at our leisure, my dear, for I'm going +to accept one of your many pressing invitations (the _first_ one, of +course) and make you another little visit. I love Dorfield, and I love +you, and the dear Colonel, and Irene and Alora, and I long to see all +of you again. Moreover, Daddy is being sent abroad on a secret mission, +and I should be lonely without him. So expect me at any time. In my +usual erratic fashion I may follow on the heels of this letter, or I +may lag behind it for a few days, but whenever I turn up at the +Hathaway gate, I'll demand a kiss and a welcome for +"JOSIE O'GORMAN." + +Now, this girl was in many ways so entirely unlike Mary Louise that one +might wonder what link of sympathy drew them together, unless it was +"the law of opposites." However, there was one quality in both their +natures that might warrant the warm friendship existing between the two +girls. Mary Louise was sweet and winning, with a charming, well-bred +manner and a ready sympathy for all who were in trouble. She was +attractive in person, particular as to dress, generous and considerate +to a fault. The girl had been carefully reared and had well repaid the +training of the gallant old colonel, her grandfather, who had +surrounded her with competent instructors. Yet Mary Louise had a +passion for mysteries and was never quite so happy as when engaged in +studying a baffling personality or striving to explain a seeming +enigma. Gran'pa Jim, who was usually her confidant when she "scented a +mystery," often accused her of allowing her imagination to influence +her judgment, but on several occasions the girl had triumphantly proven +her intuitions to be correct. You must not think, from this statement, +that Mary Louise was prone to suspect everyone she met; it was only on +rare occasions she instinctively felt there was more beneath the +surface of an occurrence than appeared to the casual observer, and +then, if a wrong might be righted or a misunderstanding removed--but +only in such event--she eagerly essayed to discover the truth. It was +in this manner that she had once been of great service to her friend +Alora Jones, and to others as well. It was this natural quality, +combined with sincere loyalty, which made her long to discover and +bring to justice the author of the pro-German circulars. + +Josie O'Gorman was small and "pudgy"--her own expression--red-haired +and freckled-faced and snub-nosed. Her eyes redeemed much of this +personal handicap, for they were big and blue as turquoises and as +merry and innocent in expression as the eyes of a child. Also, the good +humor which usually pervaded her sunny features led people to ignore +their plainness. In dress, Josie was somewhat eccentric in her +selections and careless in methods of wearing her clothes, but this +might be excused by her engrossing interest in people, rather than in +apparel. + +The girl was the daughter--the only child, indeed--of John O'Gorman, an +old and trusted lieutenant of the government's secret-service. From +Josie's childhood, the clever detective had trained her in all the +subtle art of his craft, and allowing for her youth, which meant a +limited experience of human nature and the intricacies of crime, Josie +O'Gorman was now considered by her father to be more expert than the +average professional detective. While the astute secret-service agent +was more than proud of his daughter's talent, he would not allow her to +undertake the investigation of crime as a profession until she was +older and more mature. Sometimes, however, he permitted and even +encouraged her to "practise" on minor or unimportant cases of a private +nature, in which the United States government was not interested. + +Josie's talent drew Mary Louise to her magnetically. The detective's +daughter was likewise a delightful companion. She was so well versed in +all matters of national import, as well as in the foibles and +peculiarities of the human race, that even conservative, old Colonel +Hathaway admired the girl and enjoyed her society. Josie had visited +Mary Louise more than once and was assured a warm welcome whenever she +came to Dorfield. Most of the Liberty Girls knew Josie O'Gorman, and +when they heard she was coming they straightway insisted she be made a +member of their band. + +"She'll just _have_ to be one of us," said Mary Louise, "for I'm so +busy with our wonderful Shop that I can't entertain Josie properly +unless she takes a hand in our game, which I believe she will be glad +to do." + +And Josie _was_ glad, and proclaimed herself a Liberty Girl the first +hour of her arrival, the moment she learned what the patriotic band had +already accomplished and was determined to accomplish further. + +"It's just play, you know, and play of the right sort--loyal and +helpful to those who deserve the best we can give them, our brave +soldiers and sailors. Count me in, girls, and you'll find me at the +Liberty Shop early and late, where I promise to sell anything from an +old hoopskirt to a decayed piano at the highest market price. We've had +some 'rummage sales' in Washington, you know, but nothing to compare +with this thorough and businesslike undertaking of yours. But I won't +wear your uniform; I can't afford to allow the glorious +red-white-and-blue to look dowdy, as it would on my unseemly form." + + +CHAPTER IX +GATHERING UP THE THREADS + +Josie O'Gorman had been in Dorfield several days before Mary Louise +showed her the traitorous circulars that had been issued by some +unknown obstructionist. At first she had been a little ashamed to +acknowledge to her friend that a citizen of her own town could be so +disloyal, but the matter had weighed heavily on her mind and so she +decided to unload it upon Josie's shrewder intelligence. + +"I feel, dear, that the best service you can render us while here--the +best you can render the nation, too--will be to try to discover this +secret enemy," she said earnestly. "I'm sure he has done a lot of harm, +already, and he may do much more if he is left undisturbed. Some folks +are not too patriotic, even now, when we are facing the most terrible +ordeal in our history, and some are often so weak as to be influenced +by what I am sure is pro-German propaganda." + +Josie studied the various circulars. She studied the handwriting on the +envelopes and the dates of the postmarks. Her attitude was tense, as +that of a pointer dog who suddenly senses a trail. Finally she asked: + +"Do the police know?" + +Mary Louise related her two interviews with Chief Farnum. + +"How about the agents of the department of justice?" + +"I don't know of any," confessed Mary Louise. + +Josie put the circulars in her pocket. + +"Now, then, tell me whom you suspect, and why," she said. + +Until now Mary Louise had not mentioned the clothing merchant to Josie, +but she related Jake Kasker's frank opposition to the war at the +Liberty Bond mass-meeting and her interview with him in his store, in +which he plainly showed his antagonism to the draft and to the +administration generally. She read to Josie the shorthand notes she had +taken and supplemented all by declaring that such a man could be guilty +of any offense. + +"You see," she concluded, "all evidence points to Kasker as the +traitor; but Chief Farnum is stubborn and independent, and we must +obtain positive proof that Kasker issued those circulars. Then we can +put an end to his mischief-making. I don't know how to undertake such a +job, Josie, but you do; I'm busy at the Liberty Shop, and we can spare +you from there better than any one else; so, if you want to 'practise,' +here's an opportunity to do some splendid work." + +Josie was a good listener. She did not interrupt Mary Louise, but let +her say all she had to say concerning this interesting matter. When her +friend paused for lack of words, Josie remarked: + +"Every American's watchword should be: 'Swat the traitor!' War seems to +breed traitors, somehow. During the Civil War they were called +'copperheads,' as the most venomous term that could be applied to the +breed. We haven't yet coined an equally effective word in this war, but +it will come in time. Meanwhile, every person--man or woman--who is not +whole-heartedly with President Wilson and intent on helping win the +war, is doing his country a vital injury. That's the flat truth, and +I'd like to shake your Jake Kasker out of his suit of hand-me-down +clothing. If he isn't a traitor, he's a fool, and sometimes fools are +more dangerous than traitors. There! All this has got me riled, and an +investigator has no business to get riled. They must be calm and +collected." She slapped her forehead, settled herself in her chair and +continued in a more moderate tone: "Now, tell me what other people in +Dorfield have led you to suspect they are not in accord with the +administration, or resent our entry into the Great War." + +Mary Louise gave her a puzzled look. + +"Oughtn't we to finish with Kasker, first?" she asked, hesitatingly, +for she respected Josie's judgment. + +The girl detective laughed. + +"I've an impression we've already finished with him--unless I really +give him that shaking," she replied. "I'll admit that such a person is +mischievous and ought to be shut up, either by jailing him or putting a +plaster over his mouth, but I can't believe Jake Kasker guilty of those +circulars." + +"Why not?" in an aggrieved tone. + +"Well, in spite of his disloyal mutterings, his deeds are loyal. He's +disgruntled over the loss of his son, and doesn't care who knows it, +but he'll stand pat and spank the kid if he doesn't fight like a +tartar. He hates the war--perhaps we all hate it, in a way--but he'll +buy Liberty Bonds and help win a victory. I know that sort; they're not +dangerous; just at war with themselves, with folly and honesty +struggling for the mastery. Let him alone and in a few months you'll +find Kasker making patriotic speeches." + +"Oh, Josie!" + +"Think of someone else." + +Mary Louise shook her head. + +"What, only one string to your bow of distrust? Fie, Mary Louise! When +you were selling Liberty Bonds, did you meet with no objectors?" + +"Well--yes; there's a wholesale grocer here, who is named Silas +Herring, a very rich man, but sour and disagreeable." + +"Did he kick on the bonds?" + +"Yes." + +"Then tell me all about him." + +"When I first entered his office, Mr. Herring made insulting remarks +about the bonds and accused our government of being dominated by the +English. He was very bitter in his remarks, but in his office were two +other men who remonstrated with him and--" + +"What were the two men doing there?" + +"Why, they were talking about something, when I entered; I didn't hear +what, for when they saw me they became silent." + +"Were they clerks, or grocers--customers?" + +"No; one was our supervisor, Andrew Duncan--" + +"And the other man?" asked Josie. + +"Our superintendent of schools, Professor Dyer." + +"Oh; then they were talking politics." + +"I suppose likely. I was obliged to argue with Mr. Herring and became +so incensed that I threatened him with the loss of his trade. But Mr. +Duncan at once subscribed for Liberty Bonds, and so did Professor Dyer, +and that shamed Silas Herring into buying a big bunch of them also." + +"H-m-m," murmured Josie contentedly. "Then neither of the three had +purchased any bonds until then?" + +"I think not. Gran'pa Jim had himself tried to sell Mr. Herring and had +been refused." + +"I see. How much did the supervisor invest in bonds?" + +"One hundred dollars." + +"Too little. And the Professor?" + +"Five hundred." + +"Too much. He couldn't afford it, could he?" + +"He said it was more than his salary warranted, but he wanted to be +patriotic." + +"Oh, well; the rich grocer took them off his hands, perhaps. No +disloyal words from the Professor or the supervisor?" + +"No, indeed; they rebuked Mr. Herring and made him stop talking." + +Josie nodded, thoughtfully. + +"Well, who else did you find disloyal?" + +"No one, so far as I can recollect. Everyone I know seems genuinely +patriotic--except," as an afterthought, "little Annie Boyle, and she +doesn't count." + +"Who is little Annie Boyle?" + +"No one much. Her father keeps the Mansion House, one of the hotels +here, but not one of the best. It's patronized by cheap traveling men +and the better class of clerks, I'm told, and Mr. Boyle is said to do a +good business. Annie knows some of our girls, and they say she hates +the war and denounces Mr. Wilson and everybody concerned in the war. +But Annie's a silly little thing, anyhow, and of course she couldn't +get out those circulars." + +Josie wrote Annie Boyle's name on her tablets--little ivory affairs +which she always carried and made notes on. + +"Do you know anyone else at the Mansion House?" she inquired. + +"Not a soul." + +"How old is Annie?" + +"Fourteen or fifteen." + +"She didn't conceive her unpatriotic ideas; she has heard someone else +talk, and like a parrot repeats what she has heard." + +"Perhaps so; but--" + +"All right. I'm not going to the Liberty Girls' Shop to-morrow, Mary +Louise. At your invitation I'll make myself scarce, and nose around. To +be quite frank, I consider this matter serious; more serious than you +perhaps suspect. And, since you've put this case in my hands, I'm sure +you and the dear colonel won't mind if I'm a bit eccentric in my +movements while I'm doing detective work. I know the town pretty well, +from my former visits, so I won't get lost. I may not accomplish +anything, but you'd like me to try, wouldn't you?" + +"Yes, indeed. That's why I've told you all this. I feel something ought +to be done, and I can't do it myself." + +Josie slipped the tablets into her pocket. + +"Mary Louise, the United States is honeycombed with German spies," she +gravely announced. "They're keeping Daddy and all the Department of +Justice pretty busy, so I've an inkling as to their activities. German +spies are encouraged by German propagandists, who are not always German +but may be Americans, or even British by birth, but are none the less +deadly on that account. The paid spy has no nationality; he is true to +no one but the devil, and he and his abettors fatten on treachery. His +abettors are those who repeat sneering and slurring remarks about our +conduct of the war. You may set it down that whoever is not +pro-American is pro-German; whoever does not favor the Allies--all of +them, mind you--favors the Kaiser; whoever is not loyal in this hour +of our country's greatest need is a traitor." + +"You're right, Josie!" + +"Now," continued Josie, reflectively, "you and I must both understand +that we're undertaking a case that is none of our business. It's the +business of Mr. Bielaski, of the department of justice, first of all; +then it's the business of Mr. Flynn, of the secret service; then it's +the business of the local police. Together, they have a thousand eyes, +but enemy propagandists are more numerous and scattered throughout the +nation. Your chief of police doesn't want to interfere with the federal +agents here, and the federal agents are instructed not to pay attention +to what is called 'spy hysteria,' and so they're letting things slide. +But you believe, and I believe, that there's more treachery underlying +these circulars than appears on the surface, and if we can secure +evidence that is important, and present it to the proper officials, we +shall be doing our country a service. So I'll start out on my own +responsibility." + +"Doesn't your secret service badge give you authority?" asked Mary +Louise. + +"No," replied Josie; "that badge is merely honorary. Daddy got it for +me so that if ever I got into trouble it would help me out, but it +doesn't make me a member of the secret service or give me a bit of +authority. But that doesn't matter; when I get evidence, I know what +authority to give it to, and that's all that is necessary." + +"Anyhow," said Mary Louise, with a relieved sigh, "I'm glad you are +going to investigate the author of those awful circulars. It has +worried me a good deal to think that Dorfield is harboring a German +spy, and I have confidence that if anyone can discover the traitor, you +can." + +"That's good of you," returned Josie, with a grimace, "but I lack a +similar confidence in myself. Don't you remember how many times I've +foozled?" + +"But sometimes, Josie, you've won, and I hope you'll win now." + +"Thank you," said Josie; "I hope so, myself." + + +CHAPTER X +THE EXPLOSION + +Day was just beginning to break when a terrible detonation shook all +Dorfield. Houses rocked, windows rattled, a sudden wind swept over the +town and then a glare that was not a presage of the coming sun lit the +sky. + +A brief silence succeeded the shock, but immediately thereafter +whistles shrieked, fire-bells clanged, a murmur of agitated voices +crying aloud was heard on every side, and the people began pouring from +the houses into the streets demanding the cause of the alarm. + +Colonel Hathaway, still weak and nervous, stood trembling in his +bathrobe when Mary Louise came to him. + +"It's the airplane factory, Gran'pa Jim," she said. "I can see it from +my windows. Something must have exploded and the buildings are on +fire." + +The airplane works of Dorfield had been one of the city's most unique +institutions, but until we entered the World War it was not deemed of +prime importance. The government's vast airplane appropriations, +however, had resulted in the Dorfield works securing contracts for the +manufacture of war machines that straightway raised the enterprise to +an important position. The original plant had been duplicated a dozen +times, until now, on the big field south of the city, the cluster of +buildings required for the construction of aircraft was one of the most +imposing manufacturing plants in that part of the State. Skilled +government aviators had been sent to Dorfield to inspect every machine +turned out. Although backed by local capital, it was, in effect, a +government institution because it was now devoted exclusively to +government contracts; therefore the explosion and fire filled every +loyal heart with a sinister suspicion that an enemy had caused the +calamity. + +Splendid work on the part of the fire department subdued the flames +after but two of the huge shed-like buildings had been destroyed. By +noon the fire was controlled; a cordon of special police surrounded the +entire plant and in one of the yards a hundred and fifty workmen were +corralled under arrest until the federal officers had made an +investigation and decided where to place the blame. + +Reassuring reports had somewhat quieted Colonel Hathaway and Mary +Louise, but although they returned to their rooms, they could not +sleep. Aunt Sally, realizing the situation, had an early breakfast +prepared, but when she called Josie O'Gorman the girl was not in her +room or in the house. She appeared just as the others were finishing +their meal and sat down with a sigh of content. + +"My, but the coffee smells good!" she exclaimed. "I'm worn out with the +excitement." + +"Did you go to the fire, Josie?" asked Mary Louise. + +"Yes, and got there in time to help drag some of the poor fellows out. +Three men in the building where the explosion occurred were killed +outright, and two others seriously injured. Fortunately the night shift +had just quit work or the casualties would have been much greater." + +"It's dreadful, as it is," said Mary Louise with a shudder. + +"What was the cause of the explosion!" inquired the colonel. + +"Dynamite," replied Josie calmly. + +"Then it was not an accident?" + +"They don't use dynamite in making airplanes. Twenty-two machines, all +complete and packed ready for shipment, were blown to smithereens. A +good many others, in course of construction, were ruined. It's a pretty +bad mess, I can tell you, but the machines can be replaced, and the +lives can't." + +"I wonder who did it," said Mary Louise, staring at her friend with +frightened eyes. + +"The Kaiser," declared Josie. "He must be in fine fettle this morning, +since his propaganda of murder and arson has been so successful." + +"I--I don't quite understand you," faltered Mary Louise. + +"Josie means that this is the work of a direct emissary of the Kaiser," +explained the colonel. "We know that among us are objectors and +pacifists and those who from political motives are opposing the +activities of our President, but these are not dynamiters, nor do they +display their disloyalty except through foolish and futile protests. +One who resorts to murder and arson in an attempt to block the +government's plans, and so retard our victory, is doubtless a hired +assassin and in close touch with the German master-spies who are known +to be lurking in this country." + +"That's the idea, sir," approved Josie, nodding her tousled red head, +"and better expressed than any answer of mine could have been." + +"Well, then, can't this demon be arrested and punished?" asked Mary +Louise. + +"That remains to be seen," said Josie. "An investigation is already +under way. All the outgoing night shift and some of the incoming day +shift have been held under suspicion, until they can be examined and +carefully questioned. I heard your Chief of Police--whom I know and +knows me--assert that without doubt the bomb had been placed by one of +the workmen. I wonder what makes him think that. Also the police are +hunting for everyone seen loitering about the airplane plant during the +past twenty-four hours. They'll spend days--perhaps weeks--in +investigating, and then the affair will quiet down and be forgotten." + +"You fear they will not be able to apprehend the criminal?" from the +colonel. + +"Not the way the police are going at it. They're virtually informing +the criminal that they're hunting for him but don't know where to find +him, and that if he isn't careful they'll get him. So he's going to be +careful. It is possible, of course, that the fellow has left traces-- +clues that will lead to his discovery and arrest. Still, I'm not +banking much on that. Such explosions have been occurring for months, +in various parts of the country, and the offenders have frequently +escaped. The government suspects that German spies are responsible, but +an indefinite suspicion is often as far as it gets. Evidence is +lacking." + +"How about your boasted department of justice, and the secret service?" +asked Mary Louise. + +"They're as good as the German spy system, and sometimes a bit better. +Don't think for a minute that our enemies are not clever," said Josie +earnestly. "Sometimes our agents make a grab; sometimes the German spy +remains undiscovered. It's diamond cut diamond--fifty-fifty. But when +we get every alien enemy sequestered in zones removed from all +factories doing government work, we're going to have less trouble. A +lot of these Germans and Austrians are liberty-loving Americans, loyal +and true, but we must round up the innocent many, in order to squelch +the guilty few." + +The following week was one of tense excitement for Dorfield. Federal +officers poured into the city to assist in the investigation; the +victims were buried with honor and ceremony, wrapped in American flags +to show that these "soldiers of industry" had been slain by their +country's foe; the courtrooms were filled with eager mobs hoping that +evidence would be secured against some one of the many suspects. +Gradually, however, the interest decreased, as Josie had predicted it +would. A half dozen suspects were held for further examination and the +others released. New buildings were being erected at the airplane +plant, and although somewhat crippled, the business of manufacturing +these necessary engines of war was soon going on much as usual. + + +CHAPTER XI +A FONT OF TYPE + +Mary Louise went into Josie O'Gorman's room and found the young girl +bent over a table on which were spread the disloyal circulars. + +"You've been studying those things for nearly two weeks, Josie," she +said. "Have you made any discoveries?" + +"I know a lot more about the circulars than I did," answered Josie. +"For instance, there are nineteen printing offices in Dorfield, and +only two of them have this kind of type." + +"Oh, that's something, indeed!" cried Mary Louise. "One of the two +offices must have printed the circulars." + +"No; the curious fact is that neither printed them," returned Josie, +regarding the circulars with a frown. + +"How do you know?" + +"It's an old style of type, not much in use at present," explained the +youthful detective. "In one printing office the case that contains this +type face hasn't been used for months and months. I found all the +compartments covered with dust a quarter of an inch thick. There wasn't +a trace of the type having been disturbed. I proved this by picking out +a piece of type, which scattered the dust and brought to light the +shining bodies of the other type in that compartment. So the circulars +could never have been printed from that case of type." + +"But the other printing office?" + +"Well, there they had a font of the same style of type, which is +occasionally used in job printing; but it's a small font and has only +twenty-four small a's. I rummaged the whole shop, and found none of the +type standing, out of the case. Another thing, they had only three +capital G's, and one of those was jammed and damaged. In the last +circular issued, no less than seven capital G's appear. In the first +one sent out I find fifty-eight small a's. All this convinces me the +circulars were issued from no regular printing office." + +"Then how did it get printed?" asked Mary Louise. + +"That's what puzzles me," confessed Josie. "Three of the four big +manufacturing concerns here have outfits and do their own printing--or +part of it, anyhow--and I don't mind saying I expected to find my clue +in one of those places, rather than in a regular printing office. But +I've made an exhaustive search, aided by the managers, and there's no +type resembling that used in the circulars in any of the private print +shops. In fact, I'm up a stump!" + +"But why do you attach so much importance to this matter?" queried Mary +Louise. + +"It's the most direct route to the traitor. Find who printed the +circulars and you've got your hand on the man who wrote and mailed +them. But the printing baffles me, and so I've started another line of +investigation." + +"What line is that, Josie?" + +"The circular envelopes were addressed by hand, with pen and ink. The +ink is a sort in common use. The envelopes are an ordinary commercial +kind. The circulars are printed on half a sheet of letter-size +typewriting paper, sold in several stationery store in large +quantities. No clue there. But the handwriting is interesting. It's +disguised, of course, and the addressing was done by two different +people--that's plain." + +"You are wonderful, Josie!" + +"I'm stupid as a clam, Mary Louise. See here!" she went to a closet and +brought out a large card-board box, which she placed upon the table. It +was filled to the brim with envelopes, addressed to many business firms +in Dorfield, but all bearing the local postmark. "Now, I've been days +collecting these envelopes," continued the girl, "and I've studied them +night after night. I'm something of a handwriting expert, you know, for +that is one of the things that Daddy has carefully taught me. These +envelopes came from all sorts of people--folks making inquiries, paying +bills, ordering goods, and the like. I've had an idea from the first +that some prominent person--no ordinary man--is responsible for the +circulars. They're well worded, grammatical, and the malicious +insinuations are cleverly contrived to disconcert the loyal but weak +brethren. However, these envelopes haven't helped me a bit. Neither of +the two persons who addressed the envelopes of the circulars addressed +any of these business envelopes. Of that I'm positive." + +"Dear me," said Mary Louise, surprised, "I'd no idea you'd taken so +much trouble, Josie." + +"Well, I've undertaken a rather puzzling case, my dear, and it will +mean more trouble than you can guess, before I've solved it. This +pro-German scoundrel is clever; he suspected that he'd be investigated +and has taken every precaution to prevent discovery. Nevertheless, the +cleverest criminal always leaves some trace behind him, if one can +manage to find it, so I'm not going to despair at this stage of the +game." + +"Do you know," said Mary Louise thoughtfully, "I've had an idea that +there's some connection between the explosion at the airplane works and +the sender of these circulars." + +Josie gave her a queer look. + +"What connection do you suspect?" she asked quickly. + +"Why, the man who wrote those circulars would not stop at any crime to +harass the government and interfere with the promotion of the war." + +"Is that as far as you've gone?" + +"Have you gone any farther, Josie?" + +"A step, Mary Louise. It looks to me as if there is an organized band +of traitors in Dorfield. No one person is responsible for it all. +Didn't I say two different people addressed the circulars in disguised +handwriting? Now, a bomb has to be constructed, and placed, and timed, +and I don't credit any one person with handling such a job and at the +same time being aware that the utmost damage to the War Department's +plans would be accomplished by blowing up the airplane works. That +argues intelligent knowledge of national and local affairs. There may +be but two conspirators, and there may be more, but the more there are, +the easier it will be for me to discover them." + +"Naturally," agreed Mary Louise. "But, really, Josie, I don't see how +you're going to locate a clue that will guide you. Have you attended +the trial of those suspected of the bomb outrage?" + +"I've seen all the testimony. There isn't a culprit in the whole bunch. +The real criminal is not even suspected, as yet," declared Josie. "The +federal officers know this, and are just taking things easy and making +the trials string out, to show they're wide awake. Also I've met two +secret service men here--Norman Addison and old Jim Crissey. I know +nearly all of the boys. But they haven't learned anything important, +either." + +"Are these men experienced detectives?" + +"They've done some pretty good work, but nothing remarkable. In these +times the government is forced to employ every man with any experience +at all, and Crissey and Addison are just ordinary boys, honest and +hard-working, but not especially talented. Daddy would have discovered +something in twenty-four hours; but Daddy has been sent abroad, for +some reason, and there are many cases of espionage and sabotage fully +as important as this, in this spy-infested land. That's why poor Josie +O'Gorman is trying to help the government, without assignment or +authority. If I succeed, however, I'll feel that I have done my bit." + +"Don't you get discouraged, dear, at times?" + +"Never! Why, Mary Louise, discouragement would prove me a dub. I'm +puzzled, though, just now, and feeling around blindly in the dark to +grab a thread that may lead me to success. If I have luck, presently +I'll find it." + +She put away the envelopes, as she spoke, and resuming her seat drew +out her tablets and examined the notes she had made thereon. Josie used +strange characters in her memoranda, a sort of shorthand she had +herself originated and which could be deciphered only by her father or +by herself. + +"Here's a list of suspects," she said. "Not that they're necessarily +connected with our case, but are known to indulge in disloyal +sentiments. Hal Grober, the butcher, insists on selling meat on +meatless days and won't defer to the wishes of Mr. Hoover, whom he +condemns as a born American but a naturalized Englishmen. He's another +Jake Kasker, too noisy to be guilty of clever plotting." + +"They're both un-American!" exclaimed Mary Louise. "There ought to be a +law to silence such people, Josie." + +"Don't worry, my dear; they'll soon be silenced," predicted her friend. +"Either better judgment will come to their aid or the federal courts +will get after them. We shouldn't allow anyone to throw stones at the +government activities, just at this crisis. They may _think_ what they +please, but must keep their mouths shut." + +"I'm sorry they can even think disloyalty," said Mary Louise. + +"Well, even that will be remedied in time," was the cheerful response. +"No war more just and righteous was ever waged than this upon which our +country has embarked, and gradually that fact will take possession of +those minds, which, through prejudice, obstinacy or ignorance, have not +yet grasped it. I'm mighty proud of my country, Mary Louise, and I +believe this war is going to give us Americans a distinction that will +set us up in our own opinion and in the eyes of the world. But always +there is a willful objection, on the part of some, toward any good and +noble action, and we must deal charitably with these deluded ones and +strive to win them to an appreciation of the truth." + +"Isn't that carrying consideration too far?" asked Mary Louise. + +"No. Our ministers are after the unregenerates, not after the godly. +The noblest act of humanity is to uplift a fellow creature. Even in our +prisons we try to reform criminals, to make honest men of them rather +than condemn them to a future of crime. It would be dreadful to say: +'You're _all_ yellow; go to thunder!'" + +"Yes; I believe you're right," approved the other girl. "That is, your +theory is correct, but the wicked sometimes refuse to reform." + +"Usually the fault of the reformers, my dear. But suppose we redeem a +few of them, isn't it worth while? Now, let me see. Here's a washwoman +who says the Kaiser is a gentleman, and a street-car driver who says +it's a rich man's war. No use bothering with such people in our present +state of blind groping. And here's the list that you, yourself, gave to +me: One Silas Herring, a wholesale grocer. I'm going to see him. He's a +big, successful man, and being opposed to the administration is +dangerous. Herring is worth investigating, and with him is associated +Professor John Dyer, superintendent of schools." + +"Oh, Professor Dyer is all right," said Mary Louise hastily. "It was he +who helped bring Mr. Herring to time, and afterward he took Gran'pa +Jim's place on the Bond Committee and solicited subscriptions." + +"Did he get any?" + +"Any what?" + +"Subscriptions." + +"--I believe so. Really, I don't know." + +"Well, _I_ know," said Josie, "for I've inspected the records. Your +professor--who, by the way, is only a professor by courtesy and a +politician by profession--worked four days on the bond sale and didn't +turn in a single subscription. He had a lot of wealthy men on his list +and approached them in such a manner that they all positively declined +to buy bonds. Dyer's activities kept these men from investing in bonds +when, had they been properly approached, they would doubtless have +responded freely." + +"Good gracious! Are you sure, Josie?" + +"I'm positive. I've got a cross opposite the name of Professor John +Dyer, and I'm going to know more about him--presently. His bosom chum +is the Honorable Andrew Duncan, a man with an honest Scotch name but +only a thirty-second or so of Scotch blood in his veins. His mother was +a German and his grandmother Irish and his greatgrandmother a Spanish +gipsy." + +"How did you learn all that, Josie?" + +"By making inquiries. Duncan was born in Dorfield and his father was +born in the county. He's a typical American--a product of the great +national melting-pot--but no patriot because he has no sympathy for any +of the European nations at war, or even with the war aims of his native +land. He's a selfish, scheming, unprincipled politician; an +office-holder ever since he could vote; a man who would sacrifice all +America to further his own personal ends." + +"Then, you think Mr. Duncan may--might be--is--" + +"No," said Josie, "I don't. The man might instigate a crime and +encourage it, in a subtle and elusive way, but he's too shrewd to +perpetrate a crime himself. I wouldn't be surprised if Duncan could +name the man--or the band of traitors--we're looking for, if he chose +to, but you may rest assured he has not involved his own personality in +any scheme to balk the government." + +"I can't understand that sort of person," said Mary. Louise, +plaintively. + +"It's because you haven't studied the professional politician. He has +been given too much leeway heretofore, but his days, I firmly believe, +are now numbered," Josie answered. "Now, here's my excuse for +investigating Silas Herring and his two cronies, Dyer and Duncan. All +three of them happen to be political bosses in this section. It is +pretty generally known that they are not in sympathy with President +Wilson and the administration. They are shrewd enough to know that the +popularity of the war and the President's eloquent messages have +carried the country by storm. So they cannot come right out into the +open with their feelings. At the same time, they can feel themselves +losing control of the situation. In fact, the Herring gang is fearful +that at the coming elections they will be swept aside and replaced with +out-and-out loyal supporters of the President. So they're going to try +to arouse sentiment against the administration and against the war, in +order to head off the threatened landslide. Dyer hoped to block the +sale of Liberty Bonds, blinding folks to his intent by subscribing for +them himself; but you girls foiled that scheme by your enthusiastic +'drive.' What the other conspirators have done, I don't know, but I +imagine their energies will not be squelched by one small defeat. I +don't expect to land any of the three in jail, but I think they all +ought to be behind the bars, and if I shadow them successfully, one or +the other may lead me to their tools or confederates--the ones directly +guilty of issuing the disloyal circulars and perhaps of placing the +bomb that damaged the airplane works and murdered some of its +employes." + +Mary Louise was pale with horror when Josie finished her earnest and +convincing statement. She regarded her friend's talent with profound +admiration. Nevertheless, the whole matter was becoming so deep, so +involved that she could only think of it with a shudder. + +"I'm almost sorry," said the girl, regretfully, "that I ever mixed up +in this dreadful thing." + +"I'm not sorry," returned Josie. "Chasing traitors isn't the +pleasantest thing in the world, even for a regular detective, but it's +a duty I owe my country and I'm sufficiently interested to probe the +affair to the extent of my ability. If I fail, nothing is lost, and if +I win I'll have done something worth while. Here's another name on the +list of suspects you gave me--Annie Boyle, the hotel-keeper's +daughter." + +"Don't bother about Annie, for goodness' sake," exclaimed Mary Louise. +"She hasn't the brains or an opportunity to do any harm, so you'd +better class her with Kasker and the butcher." + +But Josie shook her head. + +"There's a cross opposite her name," said she. "I don't intend to +shuffle Annie Boyle into the discard until I know more about her." + + +CHAPTER XII +JOSIE BUYS A DESK + +The "Liberty Girls' Shop" was proving a veritable mint. Expenses were +practically nothing, so all the money received could be considered +clear profit. It was amusing to observe the people who frequented the +shop, critically examining the jumble of wares displayed, wondering who +had donated this or that and meantime searching for something that +could be secured at a "bargain." Most of the shrewd women had an idea +that these young girls would be quite ignorant of values and might mark +the articles at prices far below their worth, but the "values" of such +goods could only be conjectural, and therefore the judgment of the +older women was no more reliable than that of the girls. They might +think they were getting bargains, and perhaps were, but that was +problematic. + +The one outstanding fact was that people were buying a lot of things +they had no use for, merely because they felt they were getting them +cheaply and that their money would be devoted to a good cause. + +Mrs. Brown, who had given the Shop a lot of discarded articles, +purchased several discarded articles donated by Mrs. Smith, her +neighbor, while Mrs. Smith eagerly bought the cast-off wares of Mrs. +Brown. Either would have sneered at the bare idea of taking "truck" +which the other had abandoned, had the medium of exchange not been the +popular Liberty Girls' Shop. For it was a popular shop; the "best +families" patronized it; society women met there to chat and exchange +gossip; it was considered a mark of distinction and highly patriotic to +say: "Oh, yes; I've given the dear girls many really valuable things to +sell. They're doing such noble work, you know." + +Even the eminent Mrs. Charleworth, premier aristocrat of Dorfield, +condescended to visit the Shop, not once but many times. She would sit +in one of the chairs in the rear of the long room and hold open court, +while her sycophants grouped around her, hanging on her words. For Mrs. +Charleworth's status was that of social leader; she was a middle-aged +widow, very handsome, wore wonderful creations in dress, was of +charming personality, was exceedingly wealthy and much traveled. When +she visited New York the metropolitan journals took care to relate the +interesting fact. Mrs. Charleworth was quite at home in London, Paris, +Berlin and Vienna; she was visiting friends in Dresden when the +European war began, and by advice of Herr Zimmerman, of the German +Foreign Office, who was in some way a relative, had come straight home +to avoid embarrassment. This much was generally known. + +It had been a matter of public information in the little town for a +generation that Dick Charleworth had met the lady in Paris, when she +was at the height of her social glory, and had won the hand of the +beautiful girl and brought her to Dorfield as his wife. But the wealthy +young manufacturer did not long survive his marriage. On his death, his +widow inherited his fortune and continued to reside in the handsome +residence he had built, although, until the war disrupted European +society, she passed much time abroad. + +The slight taint of German blood in Mrs. Charleworth's veins was not +regarded seriously in Dorfield. Her mother had been a Russian court +beauty; she spoke several languages fluently; she was discreet in +speech and negative in sympathy concerning the merits of the war. This +lasted, however, only while the United States preserved neutrality. As +soon as we cast our fortunes with the Allies, Mrs. Charleworth +organized the "Daughters of Helpfulness," an organization designed to +aid our national aims, but a society cult as well. Under its auspices +two private theatrical entertainments had been given at the Opera House +and the proceeds turned over to the Red Cross. A grand charity ball had +been announced for a future date. + +It may easily be understood that when Mrs. Charleworth became a +patroness of the Liberty Girls' Shop, and was known to have made sundry +purchases there, the high standing of that unique enterprise was +assured. Some folks perhaps frequented the place to obtain a glimpse of +the great Mrs. Charleworth herself, but of course these were without +the pale of her aristocratic circle. + +Their social triumph, however, was but one reason for the girls' +success; the youngsters were enticing in themselves, and they proved to +be clever in making sales. The first stock soon melted away and was +replaced by new contributions, which the girls took turns in +soliciting. The best residences in Dorfield were first canvassed, then +those of people in moderate circumstances. The merchants were not +overlooked and Mary Louise took the regular stores personally in +charge. + +"Anything you have that you can't sell, we will take," was her slogan, +and most of the merchants found such articles and good-naturedly +contributed them to the Shop. + +"Sooner or later we shall come to the end of our resources," predicted +Alora Jones. "We've ransacked about every house in town for +contributions." + +"Let's make a second canvas then," suggested Lucile. "And especially, +let us make a second appeal to those who did not give us anything on +our first round. Our scheme wasn't thoroughly understood at first, you +know, but now folks regard it an honor to contribute to our stock." + +"Yes," said Jane Donovan, "I had to laugh when Mrs. Charleworth asked +Mrs. Dyer yesterday what she had given us, and Mrs. Dyer stammered and +flushed and said that when we called on her the Dyers were only renting +the house and furniture, which belonged to the Dudley-Markhams, who are +in South America; but, Mrs. Dyer added, they have now bought the +place--old furniture and all--and perhaps she would yet find some items +she can spare." + +"Very good," said Edna Barlow; "the Dyers are in my district and I'll +call upon them at once." + +"Have the Dyers really bought the Dudley-Markham place?" asked Mary +Louise. + +"So it seems," replied Jane. + +"But--'it must have cost a lot of money." + +"Isn't the Professor rich?" inquired Josie O'Gorman, who was present +and had listened quietly to the conversation. + +"I-don't-know," answered Mary Louise, and the other girls forbore to +answer more definitely. + +That evening, however, Josie approached the subject when she and Mary +Louise were sitting quietly at home and the conversation more +confidential. + +"The Dyers," explained her friend, "were not very prosperous until the +Professor got the appointment as superintendent of schools. He was a +teacher in a boys' school for years, on a small salary, and everyone +was surprised when he secured the appointment." + +"How did it happen?" asked Josie. + +Mary Louise looked across at her grandfather. + +"How did it happen, Gran'pa Jim?" she repeated. + +The old colonel lowered his book. + +"We haven't been residents of Dorfield many years," said he, "so I am +not well acquainted with the town's former history. But I remember to +have heard that the Herring political ring, which elected our Board of +Education, proposed John Dyer for the position of school +superintendent--and the Board promptly gave him the appointment." + +"Was he properly qualified?" Josie asked. + +"I think so. A superintendent is a sort of business manager. He doesn't +teach, you know. But I understand the Professor received his education +abroad--at Heidelburg--and is well versed in modern educational +methods. Our schools seem to be conducted very well." + +Josie was thoughtful for a time, and after the colonel had resumed his +book, she asked Mary Louise: + +"Who was Mrs. Dyer, before her marriage?" + +"That is ancient history, as far as I am concerned, but I heard the +girls talking about her, just the other day. Her family, it seems, was +respectable but unimportant; yet Mrs. Dyer is very well liked. She's +not brilliant, but kindly. When we first came here, the Dyers lived in +a little cottage on Juniper street, and it is only lately that they +moved to the big house they've just bought. Mrs. Dyer is now trying +hard for social recognition, but seems to meet with little +encouragement. Mrs. Charleworth speaks to her, you know, but doesn't +invite Mrs. Dyer to her affairs." + +Next day Edna Barlow, after a morning's quest of contributions, +returned to the Shop in triumph. + +"There's almost a truck-load of stuff outside, to be unloaded," she +announced, "and a good half of it is from Mrs. Dyer--a lot of the old +Dudley-Markham rubbish, you know. It has class to it, girls, and when +it has been freshened up, we're sure to get good prices for the lot." + +"I'm surprised that Mrs. Dyer was so liberal," said Mary Louise. + +"Well, at first she said the Professor had gone to Chicago on business, +and so she couldn't do anything for us," replied Edna; "but I insisted +that we needed goods right now, so she finally said we could go up in +the attic, and rummage around, and take whatever we could find. My, +what a lot of useless stuff there was! That attic has more smashed and +battered and broken-legged furniture in it than would furnish six +houses--provided it was in shape. The accumulation of ages. But a lot +of it is antique, girls, and worth fixing up. I've made the best haul +of our career, I verily believe." + +Then Laura Hilton, who had accompanied Edna, added: + +"When Mrs. Dyer saw our men carrying all that stuff down, she looked as +if she regretted her act and would like to stop us. But she didn't--was +ashamed to, probably--so we lugged it off. Never having been used to +antique furniture, the poor woman couldn't realize the value of it." + +"This seems to me almost like robbery," remarked Lucile, doubtfully. +"Do you think it right for us to take advantage of the woman's +ignorance?" + +"Remember the Cause for which we fight!" admonished Irene, from her +chair. "If the things people are not using, and do not want, can +provide comforts for our soldier boys, we ought to secure them--if we +have to take them by force." + +The attic of the old house had really turned out a number of +interesting articles. There were tables, stands, settees, chairs, and a +quaint old desk, set on a square pedestal with a base of carved lions' +feet. This last interested Josie as soon as it was carried into the +shop. The top part was somewhat dilapidated, the cover of the desk +being broken off and some of the "pigeonhole" compartments smashed. But +there was an odd lot of tiny drawers, located in every conceivable +place, all pretty well preserved, and the square pedestal and the base +were in excellent condition. + +Josie open drawer after drawer and looked the old cabinet-desk over +thoroughly, quite unobserved because the others in the shop were +admiring a Chippendale chair or waiting upon their customers. Presently +Josie approached Mary Louise and asked: + +"What will you take for the pedestal-desk--just as it stands?" + +"Why, I'll let Irene put a price on it," was the reply. "She knows +values better than the rest of us." + +"If it's fixed up, it will be worth twenty dollars," said Irene, after +wheeling her chair to the desk for a critical examination of it. + +"Well, what will it cost to fix it up?" demanded Josie. + +"Perhaps five dollars." + +"Then I'll give you fifteen for it, just as it stands," proposed Josie. + +"You? What could you do with the clumsy thing?" + +"Ship it home to Washington," was the prompt reply. "It would tickle +Daddy immensely to own such an unusual article, so I want to make him a +present of it on his birthday." + +"Hand over the fifteen dollars, please," decided Irene. + +Josie paid the money. She caught the drayman who had unloaded the +furniture and hired him to take the desk at once to the Hathaway +residence. She even rode with the man, on the truck, and saw the +battered piece of furniture placed in her own room. Leaving it there, +she locked her door and went back to the Shop. + +The girls were much amused when they learned they had made so important +a sale to one of themselves. + +"If we had asked Mrs. Dyer to give us fifteen dollars, cold cash," +remarked Laura, "she would have snubbed us properly; but the first +article from her attic which we sold has netted us that sum and I +really believe we will get from fifty to seventy-five dollars more out +of the rest of the stuff." + +Mrs. Charleworth dropped in during the afternoon and immediately became +interested in the Dudley-Markham furniture. The family to whom it had +formerly belonged she knew had been one of the very oldest and most +important in Dorfield. The Dudley-Markhams had large interests in +Argentine and would make their future home there, but here were the +possessions of their grandmothers and great-grandmothers, rescued from +their ancient dust, and Mrs. Charleworth was a person who loved +antiques and knew their sentimental and intrinsic values. + +"The Dyers were foolish to part with these things," she asserted. "Of +course, Mary Dyer isn't supposed to know antiques, but the professor +has lived abroad and is well educated." + +"The professor wasn't at home," explained Edna. "Perhaps that was lucky +for us. He is in Chicago, and we pleaded so hard that Mrs. Dyer let us +go into the attic and help ourselves." + +"Well, that proves she has a generous heart," said the grand lady, with +a peculiar, sphinx-like smile. "I will buy these two chairs, at your +price, when you are ready to sell them." + +"We will hold them for you," replied Edna. "They're to be revarnished +and properly 'restored,' you know, and we've a man in our employ who +knows just how to do it." + +When Mary Louise told Colonel Hathaway, jokingly, at dinner that +evening, of Josie's extravagant purchase, her girl friend accepted the +chaffing composedly and even with a twinkle in her baby-blue eyes. She +made no comment and led Mary Louise to discourse on other subjects. + +That night Josie sat up late, locked in her own room, with only the +pedestal-desk for company. First she dropped to her knees, pushed up a +panel in the square base, and disclosed the fact that in this +inappropriate place were several cleverly constructed secret +compartments, two of which were well filled with papers. The papers +were not those of the Dudley-Markhams; they were not yellowed with age; +they were quite fresh. + +"There!" whispered the girl, triumphantly; "the traitor is in my toils. +Is it just luck, I wonder, or has fate taken a hand in the game? How +the Kaiser would frown, if he knew what I am doing to-night; and how +Daddy would laugh! But--let's see!--perhaps this is just a wedge, and +I'll need a sledge-hammer to crack open the whole conspiracy." + +The reason Josie stayed up so late was because she carefully examined +every paper and copied most of those she had found. But toward morning +she finished her self-imposed task, replaced the papers, slid the +secret panel into place and then dragged the rather heavy piece of +furniture into the far end of the deep closet that opened off her +bedroom. Before the desk she hung several dresses, quite masking it +from observation. Then she went to bed and was asleep in two minutes. + + +CHAPTER XIII +JOE LANGLEY, SOLDIER + +Strange as it may seem, Mary Louise and her Liberty Girls were regarded +with envy by many of the earnest women of Dorfield, who were themselves +working along different lines to promote the interests of the +government in the Great War. Every good woman was anxious to do her +duty in this national emergency, but every good woman loves to have her +efforts appreciated, and since the advent of the bevy of pretty young +girls in the ranks of female patriotism, they easily became the +favorites in public comment and appreciation. Young men and old +cheerfully backed the Liberty Girls in every activity they undertook. +The Dorfield Red Cross was a branch of the wonderful national +organization; the "Hoover Conservation Club" was also national in its +scope; the "Navy League Knitting Knot" sent its work to Washington +headquarters; all were respectfully admired and financially assisted on +occasion. But the "Liberty Girls of Dorfield" were distinctly local and +a credit to the city. Their pretty uniforms were gloriously emblematic, +their fresh young faces glowed with enthusiasm, their specialty of +"helping our soldier boys" appealed directly to the hearts of the +people. Many a man, cold and unemotional heretofore in his attitude +toward the war, was won to a recognition of its menace, its +necessities, and his personal duty to his country, by the arguments and +example of the Liberty Girls. If there was a spark of manhood in him, +he would not allow a young girl to out-do him in patriotism. + +Mary Louise gradually added to her ranks, as girl after girl begged to +be enrolled in the organization. After consulting the others, it was +decided to admit all desirable girls between the ages of 14 and 18, and +six companies were formed during the following weeks, each company +consisting of twenty girls. The captains were the original six--Alora, +Laura, Edna, Lucile, Jane and Mary Louise. Irene Macfarlane was made +adjutant and quartermaster, because she was unable to participate +actively in the regimental drills. + +Mary Louise wanted Josie to be their general, but Josie declined. She +even resigned, temporarily, from membership, saying she had other +duties to attend to that would require all her time. Then the girls +wanted Mary Louise to be general of the Dorfield Liberty Girls, but she +would not consent. + +"We will just have the six companies and no general at all," she said. +"Nor do we need a colonel, or any officers other than our captains. +Each and every girl in our ranks is just as important and worthy of +honor as every other girl, so the fewer officers the better." + +About this time Joe Langley came back from France with one arm gone. He +was Sergeant Joe Langley, now, and wore a decoration for bravery that +excited boundless admiration and pride throughout all Dorfield. Joe had +driven a milk wagon before he left home and went to Canada to join the +first contingent sent abroad, but no one remembered his former humble +occupation. A hero has no past beyond his heroism. The young man's +empty sleeve and his decoration admitted him to intercourse with the +"best society" of Dorfield, which promptly placed him on a pedestal. + +"You know," said Joe, rather shamefacedly deprecating the desire to +lionize him, "there wasn't much credit in what I did. I'm even sorry I +did it, for my foolishness sent me to the hospital an' put me out o' +the war. But there was Tom McChesney, lyin' out there in No Man's Land, +with a bullet in his chest an' moanin' for water. Tom was a good chum +o' mine, an' I was mad when I saw him fall--jest as the Boches was +drivin' us back to our trenches. I know'd the poor cuss was in misery, +an' I know'd what I'd expect a chum o' mine to do if I was in Tom's +place. So out I goes, with my Cap'n yellin' at me to stop, an' I got to +Tom an' give him a good, honest swig. The bullets pinged around us, +although I saw a German officer--a decent young fellow--try to keep his +men from shootin'. But he couldn't hold 'em in, so I hoisted Tom on my +back an' started for our trenches. Got there, too, you know, jest as a +machine-gun over to the right started spoutin'. It didn't matter my +droppin' Tom in the trench an' tumblin' after him. The boys buried him +decent while the sawbones was cuttin' what was left of my arm away, an' +puttin' me to sleep with dope. It was a fool trick, after all, 'though +God knows I'll never forget the look in Tom's eyes as he swallered that +swig o' cool water. That's all, folks. I'm out o' the game, an' I +s'pose the Gen'ral jus' pinned this thing on my coat so I wouldn't take +my discharge too much to heart." + +That was Joe Langley. Do you wonder they forgot he was once a milk-man, +or that every resident of Dorfield swelled with pride at the very sight +of him? Just one of "our soldier boys," just one of the boys the +Liberty Girls were trying to assist. + +"They're all alike," said Mary Louise. "I believe every American +soldier would be a Joe Langley if he had the chance." + +Joe took a mighty interest in the Liberty Girls. He volunteered to +drill and make soldiers of them, and so well did he perform this task-- +perhaps because they admired him and were proud of their drill-master-- +that when the last big lot of selected draft men marched away, the +entire six companies of Liberty Girls marched with them to the train-- +bands playing and banners flying--and it was conceded to be one of the +greatest days Dorfield had ever known, because everyone cheered until +hoarse. + + +CHAPTER XIV +THE PROFESSOR IS ANNOYED + +Josie O'Gorman, after resigning from the Liberty Girls, became--so she +calmly stated--a "loafer." She wandered around the streets of Dorfield +in a seemingly aimless manner, shopped at the stores without buying, +visited the houses of all sorts of people, on all sorts of gossipy +errands, interviewed lawyers, bankers and others in an inconsequential +way that amused some and annoyed others, and conducted herself so +singularly that even Mary Louise was puzzled by her actions. + +But Josie said to Mary Louise: "My, what a lot I'm learning! There's +nothing more interesting--or more startling--or, sometimes, more +repulsive--than human nature." + +"Have you learned anything about the German spy plot?" questioned Mary +Louise eagerly. + +"Not yet. My quest resembles a cart-wheel. I go all around the outer +rim first, and mark the spokes when I come to them. Then I follow each +spoke toward the center. They'll all converge to the hub, you know, and +when I've reached the hub, with all my spokes of knowledge radiating +from it, I'm in perfect control of the whole situation." + +"Oh. How far are you from the hub, Josie?" + +"I'm still marking the spokes, Mary Louise." + +"Are there many of them?" + +"More than I suspected." + +"Well, I realize, dear, that you'll tell me nothing until you are ready +to confide in me; but please remember, Josie, how impatient I am and +how I long to bring the traitors to justice." + +"I won't forget, Mary Louise. We're partners in this case and perhaps I +shall ask your help, before long. Some of my spokes may be blinds and +until I know something positive there's no use in worrying you with +confidences which are merely surmises." + +Soon after this conversation Mary Louise found herself, as head of the +Liberty Girls, in an embarrassing position. Professor Dyer returned +from Chicago on an evening train and early next morning was at the Shop +even before its doors were opened, impatiently awaiting the arrival of +Mary Louise. + +"There has been a mistake," he said to her, hastily, as she smilingly +greeted him; "in my absence Mrs. Dyer has thoughtlessly given you some +old furniture, which I value highly. It was wife's blunder, of course, +but I want back two of the articles and I'm willing to pay your Shop as +much for them as you could get elsewhere." + +"Oh, I'm awfully sorry, Professor," said the girl, really distressed, +as she unlocked the Shop door. "Come in, please. Mrs. Dyer told our +girls to go into the attic and help themselves to anything they wanted. +We've done splendidly with the old furniture, and fenders, and +brassware, but I hope the two articles you prize are still unsold. If +so, you shall not pay us for them, but we will deliver them to your +house immediately." + +He did not reply, for already he was searching through the accumulation +of odds and ends with which the store-room was stocked. + +"Perhaps I can help you," suggested Mary Louise. + +He turned to her, seeming to hesitate. + +"One was a chair; a chair with spindle legs and a high back, richly +carved. It is made of black oak, I believe." + +"Oh, I remember that well," said the girl. "Mrs. Charleworth bought it +from us." + +"Mrs. Charleworth? Well, perhaps she will return it to me. I know the +lady slightly and will explain that I did not wish to part with it." +Still his eyes were roving around the room, and his interest in the +chair seemed somewhat perfunctory. "The other piece of furniture was a +sort of escritoire, set on a square pedestal that had a carved base of +lions' feet." His voice had grown eager now, although he strove to +render it calm, and there was a ring of anxiety in his words. + +Mary Louise felt relieved as she said assuringly: + +"That, at least, I can promise you will be returned. My friend, Josie +O'Gorman, bought it and had it sent to our house, where she is +visiting. As soon as some of the girls come here to relieve me, I'll +take you home with me and have Uncle Eben carry the desk to your house +in our motor car. It isn't so very big, and Uncle Eben can manage it +easily." + +The tense look on the man's face relaxed. It evident that Professor +Dyer was greatly relieved. + +"Thank you," he said; "I'd like to get it back as soon as possible." + +But when, half an hour later, they arrived at the Hathaway residence, +and met Josie just preparing to go out, the latter said with a +bewildered look in her blue eyes: "The old desk? Why, I sent that home +to Washington days ago!" + +"You did?" Mary Louise was quite surprised. "Why, you said nothing to +me about that, Josie." + +"I didn't mention it because I'd no idea you were interested. Daddy +loves old things, and I sent it home so he would have it on his return. +By freight. You are away at the Shop all day, you know, so I asked +Uncle Eben to get me a big box, which he brought to my room. The desk +fitted it nicely. I nailed on the cover myself, and Uncle Eben took it +to the freight office for me. See; here's the receipt, in my +pocket-book." + +She unfolded a paper and held it out to Professor Dyer, who read it +with a queer look on his face. It was, indeed, a freight receipt for +"one piece of furniture, boxed," to be shipped to John O'Gorman, +Washington, D. C, The sender was described as "Miss J. O'Gorman, +Dorfield." There was no questioning Josie's veracity, but she called +the black servant to substantiate her story. + +"Yes, Miss Josie," said Uncle Eben, "I done took de box to de freight +office an' got de receipt, lak yo' tol' me. Tuesday, it were; las' +Tuesday." + +Professor Dyer was thoughtful. + +"You say your father is away from home at present?" he asked. + +"Yes; he's abroad." + +"Do you suppose the freight office in Washington would deliver the box +to me, on your order?" + +"I'm afraid not," said Josie, "It's consigned to John O'Gorman, and +only John O'Gorman can sign for its receipt." + +Again the Professor reflected. He seemed considerably disturbed. + +"What is the business of John O'Gorman, your father?" he presently +inquired. + +"He's a member of the government's secret service," Josie replied, +watching his face. + +The professor's eyes widened; he stood a moment as if turned to stone. +Then he gave a little, forced laugh and said: + +"I'm obliged to make a trip to Washington, on business, and I thought +perhaps I'd pick up the--ah--the box, there, and ship to Dorfield. +The old desk isn't valuable, except--except that it's--ah--antique +and--unusual. I'd like to get it back and I'll return to you the money you +paid for it, and the freight charges. If you'll write a note to the +railway company, saying the box was wrongly addressed and asking that +it be delivered to my order, I think I can get it." + +Josie agreed to this at once. She wrote the note and also gave +Professor Dyer the freight receipt. But she refused to take his money. + +"There might be some hitch," she explained. "If you get the box, and it +reaches Dorfield safely, then I'll accept the return of my money; but +railroads are unreliable affairs and have queer rules, so let's wait +and see what happens." + +The Professor assured her, however, that there was no doubt of his +getting the box, but he Would wait to pay her, if she preferred to let +the matter rest. When he had gone away--seeming far more cheerful than +when he came--Mary Louise said to Josie: + +"This is a very unfortunate and embarrassing affair, all around. I'm so +sorry we took that furniture from Mrs. Dyer before her husband came +home and gave his consent. It is very embarrassing." + +"I'm glad, for my part," was the reply. Josie's blue eyes were shining +innocently and her smile was very sweet. Mary Louise regarded her +suspiciously. + +"What is it, Josie!" she demanded. "What has that old desk to do +with--with--" + +"The German spy plot? Just wait and see, Mary Louise." + +"You won't tell me?" + +"Not now, dear." + +"But why did you ship the thing to Washington, if it is likely to prove +a valuable clue?" + +"Why ask questions that I can't answer? See here, Mary Louise: it isn't +wise, or even safe, for me to tell you anything just yet. What I know +frightens me--even _me!_ Can't you wait and--trust me?" + +"Oh, of course," responded Mary Louise in a disappointed voice. "But I +fail to understand what Professor Dyer's old desk can possibly have to +do with our quest." + +Josie laughed. + +"It used to belong to the Dudley-Markhams." + +"The Dudley-Markhams! Great heavens, But--see here--they left Dorfield +long before this war started, and so--" + +"I'm going out," was Josie's inconsequent remark. "Do you think those +are rain clouds, Mary Louise? I hate to drag around an umbrella if it's +not needed." + + +CHAPTER XV +SUSPENDERS FOR SALE + +The two girls parted at the Liberty Shop. Mary Louise went in "to +attend to business," while Josie O'Gorman strolled up the street and +paused thoughtfully before the windows of Kasker's Clothing Emporium. +At first she didn't notice that it was Kasker's; she looked in the +windows at the array of men's wear just so she could think quietly, +without attracting attention, for she was undecided as to her next +move. But presently, realizing this was Kasker's place, she gave a +little laugh and said to herself: "This is the fellow poor little Mary +Louise suspected of being the arch traitor. I wonder if he knows +anything at all, or if I could pump it out of him if he does? Guess +I'll interview old Jake, if only to satisfy myself that he's the +harmless fool I take him to be." + +With this in mind she walked into the store. A clerk met her; other +clerks were attending to a few scattered customers. + +"Is Mr. Kasker in?" she asked the young man. + +"In his office, miss; to the right, half way down." + +He left her to greet another who entered and Josie walked down the +aisle, as directed. The office was raised a step above the main floor +and was railed in, with a small swinging gate to allow entrance. This +was not the main business office but the proprietor's special den and +his desk was placed so he could overlook the entire establishment, with +one glance. Just at present Kasker was engaged in writing, or figuring, +for his bushy head was bent low. + +Josie opened the gate, walked in and took a chair that stood beside the +desk. + +"Good morning, Mr. Kasker," she said sweetly. + +He looked up, swept her with a glance and replied: + +"What's the matter? Can't one of the clerks attend to you? I'm busy." + +"I'll wait," was Josie's quiet reply. "I'd rather deal with you than a +clerk." + +He hesitated, laid down his pen and turned his chair toward her. She +knew the man, by sight, but if he had ever seen the girl he did not +recall the fact. His tone was now direct and businesslike. + +"Very well, miss; tell me what I can do for you." + +It had only taken her an instant to formulate her speech. + +"I'm interested in the poor children of Dorfield," she began, "having +been sent here as the agent of an organization devoted to clothing our +needy little ones. I find, since I have been soliciting subscriptions +in Dorfield and investigating the requirements of the poor, that there +are a lot of boys, especially, in this city who are in rags, and I want +to purchase for them as many outfits as my money will allow. But on +account of the war, and its demands on people formerly charitably +inclined, I realize my subscription money is altogether too little to +do what I wish. That's too bad, but it's true. Everywhere they talk +war--war---war and its hardships. The war demands money for taxes, +bonds, mess funds, the Red Cross and all sorts of things, and in +consequence our poor are being sadly neglected." + +He nodded, somewhat absently, but said nothing. Josie felt her clever +bait had not been taken, as she had expected, so she resolved to be +more audacious in her remarks. + +"It seems a shame," she said with assumed indignation, "that the poor +of the country must starve and be in want, while the money is all +devoted to raising an army for the Germans to shoot and mangle." + +He saw the point and answered with a broad smile: + +"Is that the alternative, young lady? Must one or the other happen? +Well--yes; the soldiers must be killed, God help 'em! But _himmel!_ We +don't let our kiddies freeze for lack of clothes, do we? See here; +they're taking everything away from us merchants--our profits, our +goods, everything!--but the little we got left the kiddies can have. +The war is a robber; it destroys; it puts its hand in an honest man's +pocket without asking his consent; all wars do that. The men who make +wars have no souls--no mercy. But they make wars. Wars are desperate +things and require desperate methods. There is always the price to pay, +and the people always pay it. The autocrats of war do not say 'Please!' +to us; they say 'Hold up your hands!' and so--what is there to do but +hold up our hands?" + +Josie was delighted; she was exultant; Jake Kasker was falling into her +trap very swiftly. + +"But the little ones," he continued, suddenly checking himself in his +tirade, "must not be made to suffer like the grown-up folks. They, at +least, are innocent of it all. Young lady, I'd do more for the kids +than I'd do for the war--and I'll do it willingly, of my own accord. +Tell me, then, how much money you got and I'll give you the boys' suits +at cost price. I'll do more; for every five suits you buy from me at +cost, I'll throw an extra one in, free--Jake Kasker's own +contribution." + +This offer startled and somewhat dismayed Josie. She had not expected +the interview to take such a turn, and Kasker's generosity seriously +involved her, while, at the same time, it proved to her without a doubt +that the man was a man. He was loud mouthed and foolish; that was all. + +While she gathered her wits to escape from an unpleasant situation, a +quick step sounded on the aisle and a man brusquely entered the office +and exclaimed: + +"Hello, Jake; I'm here again. How's the suspender stock?" + +Kasker gave him a surly look. + +"You come pretty often, Abe Kauffman," he muttered. "Suspenders? Bah! I +only buy 'em once a year, and you come around ev'ry month or so. I +don't think it pays you to keep pesterin' merchants." + +Abe Kauffman laughed--a big laugh--and sat down in a chair. + +"One time you buy, Jake, and other times I come to Dorfield somebody +else buys. How do I know you don't get a run on suspenders some time? +And if I don't visit all my customers, whether they buy or not, they +think I neglect 'em. Who's this, Jake? Your daughter?" + +He turned his bland smile on Josie. He was a short, thickset man with a +German cast of countenance. He spoke with a stronger German accent than +did Kasker. Though his face persistently smiled, his eyes were half +closed and shrewd. When he looked at her, Josie gave a little shudder +and slightly drew back. + +"Ah, that's a wrong guess," said Mr. Kauffman quickly. "I must beg your +pardon, my girl. But I meant a compliment to you both. Accept my card, +please," and he drew it from his pocket and handed it to her with a +bow. + +Josie glanced at it: + +"KAUFFMAN SUSPENDER COMPANY, +Chicago. +Abe Kauffman, President." + +"My business does not interest ladies," he went on in a light tone +meant to be jovial. "But with the men--ah!--with the men it's a hold-up +game. Ha, ha, hee! One of our trade jokes. It's an elastic business; +Kauffman's suspenders keep their wearers in suspense. Ha, ha; pretty +good, eh?" + +"Do you ever sell any?" asked Josie curiously. + +"Do I? Do I, Jake? Ha, ha! But not so many now; the war has ruined the +suspender business, like everything else. Kasker can tell you that, +miss." + +"Kasker won't, though," asserted Jake in a surly tone. The girl, +however, was now on another scent. + +"Don't you like the war, then?" Josie asked the salesman. + +"Like it?" the eyes half opened with a flash. "Who likes war, then? +Does humanity, which bears the burden? For me--myself--I'll say war is +a good thing, but I won't tell you why or how I profit by it; I'll only +say war is a curse to humanity and if I had the power I'd stop it +tomorrow--to-day--this very hour! And, at that, I'd lose by it." + +His voice shook with a passion almost uncontrollable. He half rose from +his chair, with clinched fists. But, suddenly remembering himself, or +reading the expression on the girl's face, he sank back again, passed +his hand over his face and forced another bland, unmirthful smile. + +"I'd hate to be the man who commits his country to war," he said in +mild, regretful tones. + +But here, Kasker, who had been frowning darkly on the suspender man, +broke in. + +"See here, Abe; I don't allow that kind of talk in my store," he +growled. + +"You? You're like me; you hate the war, Jake." + +"I did once, Abe, but I don't now. I ain't got time to hate it. It's +here, and I can't help it. We're in the war and we're going ahead to +win it, 'cause there ain't no hope in backing down. Stop it? Why, man, +we _can't_ stop it. It's like a man who is pushed off a high bank into +a river; he's got to swim to a landing on the other side, or +else--sink. We Americans ain't goin' to sink, Abe Kauffman; we'll swim +over, and land safe. It's got to be; so it will be." + +"All right. I said, didn't I, that it won't hurt my pocket? But it +hurts my heart." (Josie was amazed that he claimed a heart.) "But it's +funny to hear _you_ talk for the war, Jake, when you always hated it." + +"Well, I've quit kickin' till we're out of the woods. I'm an American, +Abe, and the American flag is flying in France. If our boys can't hold +it in the face of the enemy, Jake Kasker will go do it himself!" + +Kauffman stood up, casting a glance of scorn on his customer. + +"You talk like a fool, Jake; you talk like you was talking for the +papers--not honest, but as if someone had scared you." + +"Yes; it's the fellows like you that scare me," retorted the clothing +merchant. "Ev'ry time you curse the war you're keeping us from winning +the war as quick as we ought to; you're tripping the soldiers, the +government, the President--the whole machine. I'll admit I don't _like_ +the war, but I'm _for_ it, just the same. Can you figure that out, Abe +Kauffman? Once I had more sense than you have, but now I got a better +way of thinking. It ain't for me to say whether the war's right or not; +my country's honor is at stake, so I'll back my country to the last +ditch." + +Kauffman turned away. + +"I guess you don't need any suspenders," he said, and walked out of the +store. + +Kasker gave a sigh of relief and sat down again. + +"Now, young lady," he began, "we'll talk about--" + +"Excuse me," said Josie hastily. "I'm going, now; but I'll be back. I +want to see you again, Mr. Kasker." + +She ran down the aisle to the door, looked up and down the street and +saw the thick-set form of the suspender salesman just disappearing +around the corner to the south. Instantly she stepped out. Josie was an +expert in the art of shadowing. + + +CHAPTER XVI +MRS. CHARLEWORTH + +When Mary Louise reached home that evening she was surprised to find a +note from Josie which said: + +"I've decided to change my boarding place for a week or so, although I +shall miss Aunt Sally's cooking and a lot of other comforts. But this +is business. If you meet me in the street, don't recognize me unless +I'm quite alone. We've quarrelled, if anyone asks you. Pretty soon +we'll make up again and be friends. Of course, you'll realize I'm +working on our case, which grows interesting. So keep mum and behave." + +"I wish I knew where she's gone," was Mary Louise's anxious comment, as +she showed the note to Gran'pa Jim. + +"Don't worry, my dear," advised the colonel. "Josie possesses the rare +faculty of being able to take care of herself under all circumstances. +Had she not been so peculiarly trained by her detective father I would +feel it a duty to search for her, but she is not like other girls and +wouldn't thank us for interfering, I'm sure." + +"I can't see the necessity of her being so mysterious about it," +declared the girl. "Josie ought to know I'm worthy of her confidence. +And she said, just the other day, that we're partners." + +"You must be the silent partner, then," said her grandfather, smiling +at her vexed expression. "Josie is also worthy of confidence. She may +blunder, but if so, she'll blunder cleverly. I advise you to be patient +with her." + +"Well, I'll try, Gran'pa. When we see her again she will probably know +something important," said Mary Louise resignedly. + +As for little, red-headed Josie O'Gorman, she walked into the office of +the Mansion House that afternoon, lugging a battered suit-case borrowed +from Aunt Sally, and asked the clerk at the desk for weekly rates for +room and board. The clerk spoke to Mr. Boyle, the proprietor, who +examined the girl critically. + +"Where are you from?" he asked. + +"New York," answered Josie. "I'm a newspaper woman, but the war cost me +my job, because the papers are all obliged to cut down their forces. So +I came here to get work." + +"The war affects Dorfield, too, and we've only two papers," said the +man. "But your business isn't my business, in any event. I suppose you +can pay in advance?" + +"For a week, anyhow," she returned; "perhaps two weeks: If the papers +can't use me, I'll try for some other work." + +"Know anybody here?" + +"I know Colonel Hathaway, but I'm not on good terms with his +granddaughter, Mary Louise. We had a fight over the war. Give me a +quiet room, not too high up. This place looks like a fire-trap." + +As she spoke, she signed her name on the register and opened her purse. + +Boyle looked over his keyboard. + +"Give me 47, if you can," said Josie carelessly. She had swiftly run +her eye over the hotel register. "Forty-seven is always my lucky +number." + +"It's taken," said the clerk. + +"Well, 43 is the next best," asserted Josie. "I made forty-three +dollars the last week I was in New York. Is 43 taken, also?" + +"No," said Boyle, "but I can do better by you. Forty-three is a small +room and has only one window." + +"Just the thing!" declared Josie. "I hate big rooms." + +He assigned her to room 43 and after she had paid a week in advance a +bellboy showed her to the tiny apartment and carried her suitcase. + +"Number 45'll be vacant in a day or two," remarked the boy, as he +unlocked her door. "Kauffman has it now, but he won't stay long. He's a +suspender drummer and comes about every month--sometimes oftener--and +always has 45. When he goes, I'll let you know, so you can speak for +it. Forty-five is one of our best rooms." + +"Thank you," said Josie, and tipped him a quarter. + +As she opened her suitcase and settled herself in the room, she +reflected on the meeting in Kasker's store which had led her to make +this queer move. + +"A fool for luck, they say," she muttered. "I wonder what intuition +induced me to interview Jake Kasker. The clothing merchant isn't a bad +fellow," she continued to herself, looking over the notes she had made +on her tablets. "He didn't make a single disloyal speech. Hates the +war, and I can't blame him for that, but wants to fight it to a finish. +Now, the other man--Kauffman--hates the war, too, but he did not make +any remark that was especially objectionable; but that man's face +betrayed more than his words, and some of his words puzzled me. +Kauffman said, at two different times, that the war would make him +money. There's only one way a man like him can make money out of the +war, and that is--by serving the Kaiser. I suppose he thought we +wouldn't catch that idea, or he'd been more careful what he said. All +criminals are reckless in little ways; that's how they betray +themselves and give us a chance to catch them. However, I haven't +caught this fellow yet, and he's tricky enough to give me a long chase +unless I act boldly and get my evidence before he suspects I'm on his +trail. That must be my programme--to act quickly and lose no time." + +Kauffman saw her when she entered the hotel dining room for dinner that +evening, and he walked straight over to her table and sat down opposite +her. + +"Met again!" he said with his broad smile. "You selling something?" + +"Brains," returned Josie composedly. + +"Good! Did Jake Kasker buy any of you?" + +"I've all my stock on hand, sir. I'm a newspaper woman--special writer +or advertising expert. Quit New York last week and came on here." + +"Wasn't New York good enough for you?" he asked, after ordering his +dinner of the waitress. + +"I'm too independent to suit the metropolitan journals. I couldn't +endorse their gumshoe policies. For instance, they wanted me to +eulogize President Wilson and his cabinet, rave over the beauties of +the war and denounce any congressman or private individual who dares +think for himself," explained Josie, eating her soup the while. +"So--I'm looking for another job." + +Kauffman maintained silence, studying the bill-of-fare. When he was +served he busied himself eating, but between the slits of his +half-closed eyes he regarded the girl furtively from, time to time. His +talkative mood had curiously evaporated. He was thoughtful. Only when +Josie was preparing to leave the table did he resume the conversation. + +"What did you think of Jake Kasker's kind of patriotism?" he asked. + +"Oh; the clothing man? I didn't pay much attention. Never met Kasker +before, you know. Isn't he like most of the rabble, thinking what he's +told to think and saying what he's told to say?" + +She waited for a reply, but none was forthcoming. Even this clever lead +did not get a rise out of Abe Kauffman. Indeed, he seemed to suspect a +trap, for when she rose and walked out of the dining room she noticed +that his smile had grown ironical. + +On reaching her room through the dimly lighted passage, Josie refrained +from turning on her own lights, but she threw open her one little +window and leaned out. The window faced a narrow, unlighted alley at +the rear of the hotel. One window of Room 45, next to her, opened on an +iron fire-escape that reached to within a few feet of the ground. Josie +smiled, withdrew her head and sat in the dark of her room for hours, +with a patience possible only through long training. + +At ten o'clock Kauffman entered his room. She could distinctly hear him +moving about. A little later he went away, walking boldly down the +corridor to the elevator. + +Josie rose and slipped on her hat and coat. + +Leaving the hotel, Kauffman made his way down the street to Broadway, +Dorfield's main thoroughfare. He wore a soft hat and carried a cane. +The few people he passed paid no attention to him. Steadily proceeding, +he left the business district and after a while turned abruptly to the +right. + +This was one of the principal residence sections of the city. Kauffman +turned the various corners with a confidence that denoted his perfect +acquaintance with the route. But presently his pace slowed and he came +to a halt opposite an imposing mansion set far back in ample grounds, +beautifully cared for and filled with rare shrubbery. + +Only for a moment, however, did the man hesitate--just long enough to +cast a glance up and down the deserted street, which was fairly well +lighted. No one being in sight, he stepped from the sidewalk to the +lawn, and keeping the grass under his feet, noiselessly made his way +through the shrubbery to the south side of the residence. Here a +conservatory formed a wing which jutted into the grounds. + +The German softly approached, mounted the three steps leading to a +glass door, and rapped upon the sash in a peculiar manner. Almost +immediately the door was opened by a woman, who beckoned him in. The +conservatory was unlighted save by a mellow drift that filtered through +the plants from a doorway beyond, leading to the main house. + +From behind the concealment of a thick bush Josie O'Gorman had noted +the woman's form but was unable to see her face. The girl happened to +know the house, however. It was the residence of Dorfield's social +leader, Mrs. Charleworth. + +Josie squatted behind that bush for nearly half an hour. Then the glass +door opened and Kauffman stepped out. + +"By the way," he said in a low voice, "it's just as well we didn't take +Kasker in with us. He's a loud-mouthed fool. I've tested him and find +he blats out everything he knows." + +"We do not need him, since I've decided to finance the affair," +returned the woman, and Josie recognized her voice. It was the great +Mrs. Charleworth herself. Mrs. Charleworth, in secret conference with +Abe Kauffman, the suspender salesman! + +Then Josie experienced another surprise. A second man stepped through +the shadowy doorway, joining Kauffman on the steps. + +"It seems to me," said this last person, "that there is danger in +numbers. Of course, that's your affair, Kauffman, and none of my +business, but if I'm to help you pull it off, I'd rather there wouldn't +be too many of us. It's a ticklish thing, at the best, and--" + +"Shut up!" growled Kauffman, suspiciously peering around him into the +darkness. "The less we talk in the open, the better." + +"That is true. Good night," said the woman, and went in, closing the +door behind her. + +"I think I will light a cigar," said Kauffman. + +"Wait until you are in the street," cautioned the other. + +They walked on the grass, avoiding the paths and keeping in the darkest +places. Finally they emerged upon the sidewalk, and finding the coast +clear, traveled on side by side. + +At times they conversed in low tones, so low that the little red-headed +girl, dodging through the parkings in their wake, could not overhear +the words they spoke. But as they approached the more frequented part +of the town, they separated, Kauffman turning into Broadway and the +other continuing along a side street. + +Josie O'Gorman followed the latter person. He was tall and thin and +stooped a trifle. She had been unable, so far, to see his face. He +seemed, from the turnings he made, to be skirting the business section +rather than pass directly through it. So the girl took a chance, darted +down one street and around the corner of another, and then slipped into +a dim doorway near which hung an electric street-light. + +She listened eagerly and soon was rewarded by a sound of footsteps. The +man she was shadowing leisurely approached, passed under the light and +continued on his way, failing to note the motionless form of the girl +in the doorway. + +Josie gave a little laugh. + +"You're a puzzling proposition, Professor," she whispered to herself, +"and you came near fooling me very properly. For I imagined you were on +your way to Washington, and here you've mixed up with another important +job!" + + +CHAPTER XVII +THE BLACK SATCHEL + +When Josie reached the hotel it was nearly midnight. Half the lights in +the office had been extinguished and behind the desk, reading a novel, +the night clerk sprawled in an easy chair. + +She hadn't seen the night clerk before. He was a sallow-faced boy, +scarcely twenty years old, attired in a very striking suit of clothes +and wearing a gorgeous jewelled scarf-pin in his cravat. As he read, he +smoked a cigarette. + +"Hello," said this brilliant individual, as Josie leaned over the +counter and regarded him with a faint smile. "You're No. 43, I guess, +and it's lucky old Boyle ain't here to read you a lecture--or to turn +you out. He won't stand for unmarried lady guests bein' out till this +hour, an' you may as well know it first as last." + +"He's quite right," was Josie's calm reply. "I'll not do it again. My +key, please!" + +He rose reluctantly and gave her the key. + +"Do you sit up all night?" she asked sweetly. + +"I'm s'posed to," he answered in a tone less gruff, "but towards +mornin' I snooze a little. Only way to pass the time, with noth'n' to +do an' nobody to talk to. It's a beastly job, at the best, an' I'm +goin' to quit it." + +"Why don't you start a hotel of your own?" she suggested. + +"You think you're kiddin' me, don't you? But I might even do that, if I +wanted to," he asserted, glaring at her as if he challenged +contradiction. "It ain't money that stops me, but hotel keepin' is a +dog's life. I've made a bid for a cigar-store down the street, an' if +they take me up, somebody can have this job." + +"I see you're ambitious," said Josie. "Well, I hope you get the +cigar-store. Good night, Mr.--" + +"My name's Tom Linnet. I won't tell the ol' boy you was out so late. So +long." + +The elevator had stopped running, so Josie climbed the stairs and went +thoughtfully to her room. Kauffman had preceded her. She heard him drop +his shoes heavily upon the floor as he undressed. + +She turned on the light and made some notes on her tablets, using the +same queer characters that she always employed. The last note read: +"Tom Linnet, night clerk at the Mansion House. New clothes; new +jewelry. Has money. Recently acquired, for no one with money would be a +night clerk. Wants to quit his job and buy a cigar store. Query: Who +staked Tom? And why?" + +As she crawled into bed Josie reflected: "Mary Louise would be +astonished if she knew what I have learned to-night. But then, I'm +astonished myself. I feel like the boy who went fishing for sunfish and +caught a whale." + +Next morning she was up early, alert to continue her investigations. +When she heard Mr. Kauffman go down to breakfast she took a bunch of +pass-keys from her bag, went boldly through the hall to the door of 45, +unlocked it with ease and walked in. A hurried glance showed her a +large suitcase lying open upon a table. She examined its contents. One +side was filled with samples of suspenders, the other with +miscellaneous articles of male apparel. + +Josie was not satisfied. She peered under the bed, softly opened all +the drawers in the dresser and finally entered the closet. Here, on the +rear shelf, a newspaper was placed in such manner as to hide from +observation anything behind it. To an ordinary person, glancing toward +it, the newspaper meant nothing; to Josie's practised eye it was +plainly a shield. Being short of stature, the girl had to drag in a +chair in order to reach the high shelf. She removed the newspaper, took +down a black hand-satchel--it was dreadfully heavy and she almost +dropped it--and then replaced the paper as it had been before. + +Josie was jubilant. She removed the chair, again closed the closet +door, and leaving the room practically as she had found it stole back +to her own apartment, the heavy satchel concealed in the folds of her +frock. But no one saw her, the hall being vacant, and she breathed a +sigh of relief as she locked her own door against possible intruders. + +Then she placed the black satchel on a stand and bent over it. The lock +was an unusual one. She tried all the slender keys upon her bunch +without effect--they were either too large or did not fit the keyhole. +Next she took a thin hairpin, bent and twisted it this way and that and +tried to pry the lock open. Failure. However, she was beginning to +understand the mechanism of the lock by this time. From that +all-containing handbag which was her inseparable companion she drew out +a file, and taking one of the master-keys, began to file it to fit the +lock of the black satchel. + +This operation consumed more time than she was aware, so interesting +was the intricate work. She was presently startled by a sound in the +corridor. Mr. Kauffman was coming back to his room, whistling an aria +from "Die Walkure." Josie paused, motionless; her heart almost stopped +beating. + +The man unlocked his door and entered, still whistling. Sometimes the +whistle was soft and low, again it was louder and more cheerful. Josie +listened in suspense. As long as the whistling continued she realized +that the theft of the black satchel remained undiscovered. + +Kauffman remained in his room but a few moments. When he departed, +carefully locking his door after him, he was still whistling. Josie ran +to her own door and when he had passed it opened it just a crack, to +enable her to gaze after him. Underneath his arm he carried a bundle of +the sample suspenders. + +"Good!" she whispered softly, retreating to bend over the satchel +again. "Mr. Abe Kauffman will sell suspenders this morning as a blind +to his more important industries, so I needn't hurry." + +Sooner than she expected the lock clicked and sprang open. Her eyes at +first fell upon some crumpled, soiled shirts, but these she hurriedly +removed. The remainder of the satchel contained something enclosed in a +green flannel bag. It was heavy, as she found when she tried to lift it +out, and a sudden suspicion led her to handle the thing very gingerly. +She put it on the table beside the satchel and cautiously untied the +drawstring at the mouth of the bag. A moment later she had uncovered a +round ball of polished blue steel, to which was attached a tube covered +with woven white cotton. + +Josie fell back on a chair, fairly gasping, and stared with big eyes at +the ball. In her desire to investigate the possessions of the suspender +salesman she had scarcely expected to find anything like this. The most +she had hoped to discover were incriminating papers. + +"It's a bomb!" she stammered, regarding the thing fearfully; "a real, +honest-for-true bomb. And it is meant to carry death and destruction to +loyal supporters of our government. There's no doubt of that. But--" +The thoughts that followed so amazing an assertion were too bewildering +to be readily classified. They involved a long string of conjectures, +implicating in their wide ramifications several persons of important +standing in the community. The mere suggestion of what she had +uncovered sufficed to fill Josie's heart and brain with terror. + +"Here! I mustn't try to think it out just yet," she told herself, +trying with a little shiver of repulsion for the thing to collect her +wits. "One idea at a time, Josie, my girl, or you'll go nutty and spoil +everything! Now, here's a bomb--a live, death-dealing bomb--and that's +the first and only thing to be considered at present." + +Controlling her aversion and fear, the girl turned the bomb over and +over, giving it a thorough examination. She had never seen such a thing +before, but they had often been explained to her and she had an inkling +as to the general method of their construction. This one before her was +of beautiful workmanship, its surface as carefully turned and polished +as if it had been intended for public exhibition. Grooves had been cut +in the outer surface and within these grooves lay the coils of the time +fuse, which was marked with black ink into regular sections. The first +section from the end of the fuse was marked "6;" the next section "5" +and so on down to the section nearest the bomb, which was divided by +the marks "1"--"1/2"--"1/4." + +"I see," said Josie, nodding her head with intelligent perception. +"Each section, when lighted, will burn for one hour, running along its +groove but harmless until the end of the fuse is reached. If the entire +fuse is lighted, it will require just six hours to explode the bomb, +while if it is cut off to the last mark and then lighted, the bomb will +explode in fifteen minutes. The operator can set it to suit himself, as +circumstances require." + +The manner in which the fuse was attached to the bomb was simple. The +hole made in the bomb was exactly the size of the fuse inserted into +it. There were two little knobs, one on each side the hole. After +pushing the fuse into the hole a fine wire was wound around it and +attached to the tiny knobs, thus holding it firmly in place. + +Josie took a pair of small pincers, unwound the wire and cautiously +withdrew the fuse from the hole. Examining the end of the fuse she saw +it was filled with a powdery substance which, when ignited, would +explode the bomb. She had recourse to her hairpin again and carefully +picked the powder out of the fuse for the distance of the entire first +section. This proved difficult and painstaking work, but when completed +not a grain of the powder remained in the woven cotton casing for the +distance of six inches from the end. + +Having accomplished that much, Josie sat looking at the thing in a +speculative way. She could not have told you, at the moment, why her +first act had been to render the bomb impotent in so queer a manner +when she could have simply destroyed the entire fuse. But, of course, +no one would try to use the fiendish contrivance unless it was supplied +with a fuse. + +After a period of thought the girl decided what to do next. She removed +the bomb, fuse, green bag--even the satchel--to the big lower drawer of +her bureau, and turned the lock. + +"No one is likely to come in but the chambermaid, and she will be too +busy to disturb anything," Josie decided; and then she locked her room +door and went down stairs to breakfast. + + +CHAPTER XVIII +A HINT FEOM ANNIE BOYLE + +Josie was late. In the breakfast room she found but one guest besides +herself, an old lady with a putty face. But there was also a young girl +seated at a near-by table who was grumbling and complaining to the maid +who waited upon her. + +"It ain't my fault, Miss Annie," protested the maid. "The cook says you +ordered your breakfast half an hour ago, an' then went away. We tried +to keep it hot for you, and if it's cold it's your own fault." + +"I was talking with Mr. Kauffman," pouted the girl, who seemed a mere +child. "I've a good notion to order another breakfast." + +"If you do, cook will tell your father." + +This threat seemed effective. The girl, with a sour face, began eating, +and the maid came over to take Josie's order. The tables were near +enough for conversation, so when the maid had gone to the kitchen Josie +said sweetly: + +"That Mr. Kauffman's a nice man, isn't he? I don't wonder you forgot +your breakfast. Isn't this Miss Annie Boyle?" + +"Yes," was the answer. "Do you know Abe Kauffman?" + +"I've met him," said Josie. + +"He an' Pa used to be good friends," said Annie Boyle, who did not seem +at all shy in conversing with strangers, "but Pa's soured on him +lately. I don't know why. P'raps because Abe is a German, an' +everybody's tryin' to fling mud at the Germans. But Abe says the +German-Americans are the back-bone of this country, and as good +citizens as any." + +"He don't seem to like the war, though," remarked Josie carelessly. + +"Well, do you know why? Abe's had two brothers and five cousins in the +German army, and all of 'em's been killed. That's why he's sore on the +war. Says his brothers deserved what they got for not comin' to America +an' bein' American citizens, like Abe is. But I know he's dreadful +sorry 'bout their bein' killed just the same. German folks seem to +think a good, deal of their families, an' so jest to mention the war +makes Abe rave an' swear." + +"That's foolish," said Josie. "He'll get himself into trouble." + +"Abe's no fool; he knows how far he can go, an' when to stop talkin'. +He'll cuss the war, but you never hear him cuss'n' the United States. +He told me, just a while ago, that the war'll make him rich, 'cause +he's smart enough to use it for his own good. But he said I mustn't +talk about that," she added, with a sudden realization that Josie was +regarding her curiously. "Abe an' me's chums, an' what he says is +between us. P'raps he was only jokin', 'bout gettin' rich. Abe's a +great joker, anyhow." + +That this was a rather lame retraction was apparent even to Annie +Boyle. She gave Josie a suspicious look, but Josie's face was +absolutely expressionless. The maid was placing her order before her +and she calmly began her breakfast. A moment later, the old lady rose +and tottered out of the room. + +"Gee! I wish I had her money," remarked Annie Boyle, looking after her. +"She's got a wad of stocks an' just has to cut coupons off 'em. Lives +here easy an' don't worry. If I had her dough I'd--" She stopped +suddenly. + +"Money's a good thing to have," said Josie. "There's Tom Linnet, now; +he's going to buy a cigar store." + +"How'd you know?" asked Annie quickly. + +"Why, he told me." + +"Oh; are you an' Tom friends?" + +"We're not enemies. Tom's in luck to have so much money." + +"Wall," said Annie, "he's a fool to flash it all of a sudden. Pa took +him for night clerk when he didn't have a cent--and it wasn't so long +ago, either. He gets his board an' five dollars a week. Folks are goin' +to wonder where he got all his fine clothes, an' them di'monds, an' how +he can afford to buy Barker's cigar store. I asked Abe about it an' Abe +says he guesses Tom got the money from an aunt that jus' died." + +"Perhaps he did." + +"Well, where'd he get the aunt? Tom's got two brothers that are +peddlers an' a father who's a track-walker, an' he's got a mother what +takes in washin'. If there's an aunt, she's some relation to the rest +of the family, so why didn't she leave them some money, as well as +Tom?" + +"I don't know, but I'm glad Tom is so well fixed," answered Josie, +rather absently, for her eye had fallen on the menu card beside her +plate, and the menu card had somehow conveyed a new thought to her +mind. She picked it up and examined it critically. Part of it was +printed in a queer, open-faced type--all capitals--while the balance of +the list of dishes had been written in with pen and ink. These printed +bills would do for a good many breakfasts, for they mentioned only the +staples, while the supplementary dishes were day by day added in +writing. + +"I wonder who prints your bills-of-fare?" she said to Annie Boyle. + +"Why do you wonder that?" demanded Annie. + +"I like the type, and I want to get some cards printed from it." + +"We print our own bills," said the child. "There's a press an' type an' +the fixings in a room in the basement, an' Tom Linnet used to print a +new card every day for all the three meals. He did it at night, you +know, between two an' six o'clock, when nobody's ever around the hotel. +They was swell bills-of-fare, but Tom claimed he couldn't do so much +printin', although that's part o' the night clerk's duty, an' Pa +thought it used up too much good cardboard at war-time prices. So now +we jus' get out a new bill once a week, an' write the extry dishes on +it." + +"That does very well," said Josie. "Does Tom still do the printing?" + +"Yes. Pa hired him as night clerk 'cause he'd worked in a printin' +office an' could do printin'. But since Tom got rich he don't like to +work, an the bills ain't printed as good as they used to be." + +"This looks pretty good to me," said Josie, eyeing it approvingly. + +"I guess, if Tom wasn't goin' to leave, Pa would fire him," asserted +Annie, rising from the table. "Good mornin', miss; I'll see you again, +if you're stoppin' here." + +After she had gone, Josie finished her breakfast thoughtfully. Three +distinct facts she had gleaned from Annie Boyle's careless remarks. +First, Tom Linnet had acquired sudden riches. Second, the type used on +the hotel menu cards was identically the same that the disloyal +circulars had been printed from. Third, between the hours of two and +five in the mornings, the night clerk's duties permitted him to be +absent from the hotel office. + +Josie decided that Annie Boyle had not been admitted to the inner +confidences of the conspirators, and that Tom Linnet was their tool and +had been richly paid for whatever services he had performed. She was +now gathering "clues" so fast that it made her head swim. "That chance +meeting with Kauffman, at Kasker's," she told herself, "led me directly +into the nest of traitors. I'm in luck. Not that I'm especially clever, +but because they're so astonishingly reckless. That's usually the way +with criminals; they close every loop-hole but the easiest one to peep +through--and then imagine they're safe from discovery!" + + +CHAPTER XIX +THE PRINTING OFFICE + +After breakfast Josie sallied out upon the street and found a hardware +store. There, after some exploration, she purchased an asbestos +table-mat. With this she returned to her room and locked herself in. + +The chambermaid had "been and gone," but Josie's drawer was still +locked and its precious contents intact. The girl scraped the surface +of the table-mat with her pen-knife until she had secured enough loose +fibre to serve her purpose and then she proceeded to restuff the fuse +with the asbestos fibre the entire length of the section from which she +had removed the powder. Then she pushed the end of the fuse into the +hole in the bomb, wired it as before, and replaced the long fuse in its +grooves. + +"Now," said Josie, surveying her work with satisfaction, "if they light +that fuse, and expect it to explode the bomb in an hour or more, +they'll be badly fooled. Also, I shall have prevented another +catastrophe like the explosion at the airplane factory." + +She replaced the bomb in its bag, placed the bag in the black satchel, +tucked in the soiled shirts to cover it and with her improvised key +managed to relock the satchel. Watching for a time when the corridor +was vacant, she went to 45, entered the room and replaced the satchel +on its shelf, taking care to arrange the newspaper before it as a mask. + +She had taken the chair from the closet and was about to leave the room +when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway, accompanied by a +whistle which she promptly recognized. + +"Caught!" she exclaimed, and gave a hurried glance around her. To hide +within the room was impossible, but the window was open and the iron +fire-escape within easy reach. In an instant she had mounted it and +seizing the rounds of the iron ladder climbed upward until she had +nearly reached the next window directly above, on the third floor. Then +she paused, clinging, to get her breath. + +Kauffman was annoyed to find the door of his room unlocked. He paused a +moment in the middle of the room and looked around him. "Confound that +chambermaid!" Josie heard him mutter, and then he opened the closet +door and looked in. Apparently reassured, he approached the open +window, stuck out his head and looked _down_ the fire-escape. Josie's +heart gave a bound; but Kauffman didn't look upward. He drew in his +head, resumed his whistling and busied himself repacking the sample +suspenders in his suitcase. + +Josie hoped he would soon go out again, but he seemed to have no +intention of doing so. So she climbed her ladder until she could look +into the window above, which was also open. The old lady she had seen +at breakfast was lying upon the bed, her eyes closed. Josie wondered if +she was asleep. The door leading from the room to the hallway also +stood open. The weather was warm, and the old lady evidently wanted +plenty of air. + +While Josie hesitated what to do a boy came up the alley, noticed her +on the fire-escape and paused to look at her in astonishment. The girl +couldn't blame him for being interested, for her attitude was certainly +extraordinary. Others were likely to discover her, too, and might +suspect her of burglary and raise a hue and cry. So she deliberately +entered the room, tiptoed across to the hall and escaped without +arousing the old lady. But it was a desperate chance and she breathed +easier when she had found the stairs and descended to her own floor. +Safe in her own room she gave a little laugh at her recent predicament +and then sat down to note her latest discoveries on her tablets. + +Josie O'Gorman was very particular in this regard. Details seemingly of +trifling moment but which may prove important are likely to escape +one's memory. Her habit was to note every point of progress in a case +and often review every point from the beginning, fitting them into +their proper places and giving each its due importance. A digest of +such information enabled her to proceed to the next logical step in her +investigation. + +"These items all dovetail very nicely," she decided, with a satisfied +nod at the quaint characters on the tablets--which all the world might +read and be no wiser. "I must, however, satisfy myself that Tom Linnet +actually printed those circulars. The evidence at hand indicates that +he did, but I want positive proof. Also, I'd like to know which one of +the gang employed him--and paid him so liberally. However, that +suggestion opens up a new line of conjecture; I don't believe Tom +Linnet got all his wealth merely for printing a few circulars, helping +to address them, and keeping his mouth shut. But--what else has he been +paid for?" + +She brooded on this for a while and then determined to take one thing +at a time and follow it to a conclusion. So she once more quitted her +room and descended by the elevator--openly, this time--to the office. +It was now noon and the hotel office was filled with guests, and the +clerks and bellboys were all busily occupied. Josie wandered carelessly +around until she found the stairway leading to the basement. Watching +her opportunity she slipped down the stairs. + +The basement was not as barren as she expected to find it. There was an +open central space, on one side of which were rooms for the barber +shop, baths, and a pool room, all more or less occupied by guests and +attendants. On the opposite side, at the rear, were baggage and +storerooms. Just beside her she noted a boot-black's stand, where a +colored boy listlessly waited for customers. + +"Shine, miss?" he inquired. + +"No," said Josie in a businesslike tone; "I'm looking for the printing +office." + +"Secon' door, miss," indicating it with a gesture; "but dey ain't +nobody dere. De room's mos'ly kep' locked." + +"I know," said Josie, and advancing to the door drew out her keys. + +Her very boldness disarmed suspicion; the boy was not sufficiently +interested to watch her, for a man came out of the barber-shop and +seated himself in the boot-black's chair. + +This sort of lock didn't phase Josie at all. At the second trial she +opened the door, walked in and closed the door behind her. + +It was a small room, dimly lighted and very disorderly. Scraps of paper +were strewn around the floor. Dust had settled on the ink-rollers of +the foot-press. A single case of type stood on a rack and the form of a +bill-of-fare--partly "pied"--was on a marble slab which formed the top +of a small table. On an upturned soap-box was a pile of unprinted menu +cards. Josie noted a few cans of ink, a bottle of benzine, and a few +printing tools lying carelessly about, but the room contained nothing +more. + +Having "sized up" Tom Linnet's printing room with one swift glance, the +girl stooped down and began searching among the scraps that littered +the floor. They were mostly torn bits of cardboard or crumpled papers +on which trial impressions had been made. + +Josie expected momentarily to be interrupted, so she conducted her +search as rapidly as was consistent with thoroughness. She paid no +attention to the card scraps but all papers she smoothed out, one by +one. Finally, with a little cry of triumph, she thrust one of these +into her handbag. She made this discovery just back of the press, and +glancing up, she noted a hook that had formerly been hidden from her +view, on which were impaled a number of papers--the chef's "copy" from +which various bills had been printed. Running through these papers she +suddenly paused, pulled one away from the hook and tucked it into her +bag. + +She was fairly satisfied, now, but still continued her search amongst +the litter. It was not easy to decipher writing or printing in that dim +light, but her eyes were good and the longer she remained in the room +the more distinctly she saw. There was an electric globe suspended over +the press, but she dared not turn on the light for fear of attracting +attention. Several scraps on which writing appeared she secured without +trying to read them, but presently she decided she had made as thorough +an examination of the place as was necessary. + +She left the room, locked the door again and boldly mounted the stairs +to the office, meeting and passing several men who scarcely noticed +her. Then she took the elevator to her room and washed her grimy hands +and prepared for luncheon. + +At the table she slipped another of the printed bills into her bag, to +use for comparison, and afterward ate her lunch as calmly as if she +were not inwardly elated at the success of her morning's work. Josie +felt, indeed, that she had secured the proof necessary to confound the +traitors and bring them to the bar of justice. But there might be other +interesting developments; her trap was still set. "There's no hurry," +she told herself. "Let's see this thing through--to the end." + +Indeed, on reflection, she realized that several threads of evidence +had not yet been followed to their source. Some points of mystification +still remained to be cleared up. Her facts were mingled with theories, +and she had been taught that theories are mighty uncertain things. + +On leaving the dining room, Josie got on her hat and jacket, went out +to the street and caught an Oak Avenue car. + +"Oh, Josie!" cried a well-known voice, and there sat Mary Louise, on +her way home from the Shop. + +Josie gave her a haughty look, walked straight to the far end of the +car and sat down in a vacant seat. The car was half filled with +passengers. + +Mary Louise pushed forward and sat beside her friend. Josie stared +straight ahead, stolidly. + +"No one here knows you," whispered Mary Louise, "won't you speak to me, +Josie?" + +No reply. + +"Where are you stopping? What are you doing? How are you getting along +on the case?" pleaded Mary Louise, so softly that no one else could +overhear. + +Josie maintained silence. Her features were expressionless. + +"I know you told me, in case we met, not to recognize you," continued +Mary Louise, "but I'm so anxious for news, dear! Can't you come home, +to-night, and have a good talk with me? You owe me that much +consideration. Josie." + +The car stopped at a street intersection. Josie stood up. + +"Not to-night," she replied, and alighted from the car just as it +started to move again. + +"Bother Mary Louise!" she muttered, "she has made me walk three whole +blocks." + +Mary Louise was human and she was provoked. There was really no need +for Josie O'Gorman to be so absurdly mysterious. Had she not known her +so well, Mary Louise would have felt that Josie had deliberately +insulted her. As it was, she blamed her friend for inexcusable +affectation. "I'm not sure," she reflected, "that a girl can be a +detective--a regular detective--without spoiling her disposition or +losing to some an extent her maidenly modesty. Of course, Josie has +been brought up in an atmosphere of mystery and can't be blamed for her +peculiarities, but---I'm glad _I'm_ not a detective's daughter." + +Josie, however, wasn't worrying over any resentment her friend might +feel at the necessary snub. She was on a keen scent and already had +forgotten her meeting with Mary Louise. Three blocks farther on she +turned into the walk leading to an old but picturesque residence, at +one time a "show place" of Dorfield and the pride of the +Dudley-Markhams, but now overshadowed by modern and more imposing +mansions. + +Josie rang the door-bell and presently the door was opened by a young +and rather untidy maid. + +"I'd like to see Professor Dyer," said Josie. + +"He's gone to Washington," was the reply. + +"Indeed! Are you quite sure?" + +"Yes," said the maid; and then Mrs. Dyer's head appeared in the opening +and she gave Josie a curious if comprehensive examination. Then: + +"If you're from one of the schools, I'm sorry to tell you that +Professor Dyer went to Washington by the early train this morning. I +don't know how soon he will be back. Professor Harrington of the High +School is in charge. But perhaps it is something I can do?" + +"No, thank you; I can wait," said Josie, and went away. + +"So," she said to herself, as she made her way back to town in a street +car, "if Dyer has really gone to Washington, he hopes to get possession +of the old desk and its hidden papers. Pretty important to him, those +papers are, and I wouldn't blame him for chasing them up. But--has he +really gone? Mrs. Dyer thinks so; but all evidence points to the fact +that she's not in her husband's confidence. Now, if Dyer is on his way +to Washington, what did last night's secret meeting mean? His absence +will complicate matters, I fear. Anyhow, I must revise my conclusions a +bit." + + +CHAPTER XX +ONE GIRL'S WITS + +As she entered the hotel Josie encountered Joe Langley, the one-armed +soldier back from the war. She had taken a great interest in this young +fellow and admired his simple, manly nature, having had several +interesting conversations with him at the Liberty Girls' Shop and at +the drills. Josie felt she needed an ally at this juncture, and here +was one who could be trusted. + +"Joe," she said earnestly, drawing him aside, "are you going to be busy +this evening?" + +"Yes, Miss O'Gorman, I'm busy every evening now," he replied. "I've +taken a job, you know, and my loafing days and social stunts are over. +There wasn't any bread-an'-butter in telling the society dames about my +war experiences, so I had to go to work. I'm night watchman at the +steel works, and go on duty at seven o'clock." + +Josie was disappointed. Looking at him musingly, she asked: + +"Are they making munitions now, at the steel works?" + +"Of course; it's practically under government control, they say, but is +still operated by the old company. They make shells for the big guns, +you know, and they've ten car-loads on hand, just now, ready to be +shipped to-morrow." + +Josie drew a long breath. This was real news and her active mind jumped +to a quick conclusion. + +"Are the shells loaded, Joe?" she inquired. + +"All ready for war," replied the soldier. "You see, a night watchman in +such a place has an important position. I guard those shells by night, +and another man does nothing but guard them by day." + +"Where are they stored?" was Josie's next question. + +"In the room just back of Mr. Colton's office--the big main building." + +"So Mr. Colton is still the head of the company?" + +"He's Vice-President and General Manager, and he knows the steel and +ammunition business from A to Z," asserted Joe Langley. "Mr. Colton +represents the government as well as the steel works. The President is +Mr. Jaswell, the banker, but he doesn't do anything but attend the +Board meetings." + +"Joe," said Josie impressively, "you know who I am, don't you?" + +"Why, you're one of the Liberty Girls, I guess." + +"I'm from Washington," she said. "My father, John O'Gorman, is one of +the government's secret service officers; I'm working on a case here in +the interests of our government, and I may want you to help me foil a +German spy plot." + +"Count on me!" said Sergeant Joe, emphatically. And then he added: "I'd +like to make sure, though, that you're really what you claim to be." + +Josie opened her hand bag and from a side pocket drew a silver badge +engraved "U. S. Secret Service. No. L2O1." That was her father's number +and a complimentary badge, but Joe was satisfied. He had to glance +inside the handbag to see it, for the girl dared not exhibit it more +openly. + +"If you want to know more about me, ask Colonel Hathaway," continued +Josie. + +"No," said Joe; "I believe you're on the square. But I'd never have +suspected it of you. Tell me what I'm to do." + +"Nothing, at present. But should a crisis arrive, stand by me and obey +my instructions." + +"I'll do that," promised the man. + +When the girl had regained her room in the hotel, she sat down with a +businesslike air and wrote upon a sheet of paper, in her peculiar +cypher, the story of her discoveries and the conclusions they justified +up to the present hour. This was to fix all facts firmly in her mind +and to enable her to judge their merits. The story was concise enough, +and perhaps Josie was quite unaware how much she had drawn upon her +imagination. It read this way: + +"Disloyal circulars have been issued from time to time in Dorfield, +designed to interfere with sales' of Liberty Bonds, to cause resentment +at conscription and to arouse antipathy for our stalwart allies, the +English. These circulars were written by John Dyer, superintendent of +schools, who poses as a patriot. The circulars were printed in the +basement of the Mansion House by Tom Linnet, a night clerk, who was +well paid for his work. Papers found secreted in an old desk from the +attic of Dyer's house prove that Dyer is in the pay of German agents in +this country and has received fabulous sums for his 'services,' said +services not being specified in the documents. In addition to these +payments, there were found in the desk notes of the Imperial German +Government, for large amounts, such notes to be paid 'after the war.' + +"Dyer is clearly the head of the German spy plot in Dorfield, but the +person who acts as medium between Dyer and the Master Spy is an alleged +suspender salesman calling himself Abe Kauffman. This Kauffman makes +frequent trips to Dorfield, giving orders to Dyer, and on one occasion +Kauffman, who stops at the Mansion House while in town, hired Tom +Linnet to place a bomb in the Airplane Factory, causing an explosion +which destroyed many government airplanes and killed several employees. +The sum paid Linnet for this dastardly act has made him rich and he has +bought or is about to buy a cigar store. Kauffman now has another bomb +in his possession, doubtless brought here to be placed, when +opportunity arrives, to do the most possible damage. Indications are +that he may attempt to blow up the steel works, where a large amount of +shells are now completed and ready for shipment to-morrow--meaning that +the job must be done to-night, if at all. Perhaps Linnet will place the +bomb; perhaps Kauffman will do it himself. Dyer has lost his +incriminating papers and notes and is on his way to Washington in an +endeavor to recover them. + +"Associated with Dyer in his horrible activities is Mrs. Augusta +Charleworth, occupying a high social position, but of German birth and +therefore a German sympathizer. She is clever, and her brains +supplement those of Dyer, who seems more shrewd than initiative, being +content to execute the orders of others. Dyer was educated at +Heidelburg, in Germany, which accounts, perhaps, for his being +pro-German, although I suspect he is pro-anything that will pay him +money. Dyer and the Hon. Andrew Duncan, while political pals, are not +connected in this spy plot, but I suspect that Peter Boyle, the +proprietor of the Mansion House may be one of the gang. I've no +evidence yet that implicates Boyle, but he harbors Kauffman as a guest +and ought to know that his night clerk is printing traitorous +propaganda. So far, the evidence incriminates Kauffman, Mrs. +Charleworth, Dyer and Tom Linnet. I believe Mrs. Dyer to be innocent of +any knowledge of her husband's crimes; otherwise, she would never have +parted with that important desk--the desk that will prove his ruin and +ought to cost him his life. + +"My plan is this," concluded the notation, "to catch Kauffman or Linnet +in the act of placing the bomb to-night, make the arrest, round up the +other guilty ones and jail them, and then turn the case over to the +federal officers for prosecution. A telegram to Washington will secure +Professor Dyer's arrest on his arrival there." + +Josie read this through twice and nodded her red head with intense +satisfaction. + +"All clear as crystal," she asserted gleefully. "I have proof of every +statement, and the finale can't go very wrong with such knowledge in my +possession. To-night, unless all signs fail, will prove a warm night-- +warm enough to scorch these dreadful, murderous tools of the Kaiser!" + +And now Josie skipped over to the police station and had a somewhat +lengthy conference with Chief Farnum, who knew her father and treated +the girl detective with professional consideration. After this she +hunted up the two government agents--old Jim Crissey and young Norman +Addison--who knew her well as "John O'Gorman's clever kid, the pride of +her doting Daddy." They listened to her with interest and genuine +respect for her talent and not only promised their assistance whenever +it might be needed but congratulated her warmly on her good work. + +This concluded Josie's afternoon labors, and it was with a sense of +triumphant elation that she returned to her hotel to rest and prepare +for the expected crisis. + + +CHAPTER XXI +SURPRISES + +Josie went to dinner as soon as the dining room opened. When she came +out she met Abe Kauffman going in. He stopped and spoke to her. + +"Sell any brains yet?" in a jocular way. + +"Not to-day," she replied, with her innocent, baby-like stare. + +"Well, I didn't sell any suspenders, either. There are no spenders for +_sus_penders. Ha, ha, ha!" + +"That doesn't seem to worry you much," asserted Josie, pointedly. + +He gave a shrug. + +"Well, to-morrow morning I leave by the 5:30 train east, so if I don't +see you any more, I hope the brains will find a market." + +"Thank you." + +She went on, glad to escape the man. "He told me about leaving on the +5:30, and is probably giving everyone else the same information, so he +can't be connected with the explosion," she reflected. "Clever Mr. +Kauffman! But not clever enough to realize he is near the end of his +infamous career." + +Josie's plans, perfected during that afternoon, primarily involved the +shadowing of Abe Kauffman every moment, from now on. Abe Kauffman and +his black satchel. For it grew dark early at this time of year, and +already the brief twilight was fading. So the girl hastened to her room +and exchanged her gray walking suit for a darker one that was +inconspicuous and allowed free movement. Then she slipped her little +pearl-mounted revolver--her father's gift--into her handbag and decided +she was ready for any emergency. + +Having extinguished the light in her room, she glanced from the window +into the alley below, where the shadows were now gathering deeply. + +"I think Kauffman will go down the fire-escape and drop into the +alley," she mused; "but he must first come to his room for the black +satchel, in any event, and from that instant I must never lose sight of +him." + +Suddenly she discovered a form pacing slowly up and down the otherwise +deserted alley. Fearful that other detectives were on the watch, and +might disrupt her plans, she strained her eyes to discover this +person's identity. There was but one light to relieve the gloom, and +that was far down the alley, a spot the prowler for some time avoided. +Finally, however, he came to a point where the light touched his face +and Josie instantly recognized Tom Linnet. + +"He is waiting for someone," she decided, "and Kauffman is still at +dinner--killing time because it's yet too early to undertake his +nefarious task. Tom Linnet may be the tool he has selected, and I ought +to get in touch with the boy, somehow, before he meets the arch +conspirator. Kauffman is the one I prefer to land." + +With this in mind, she hurried down, passed out at the front office +doorway and turned into a narrow drive at the south of the hotel, which +led to the rear alley. A great business block, now dark and deserted, +loomed on the other side of the driveway, which was used by the baggage +and supply wagons in the daytime. + +When the girl reached the corner of the alley she found herself in very +deep shadow; so she ventured to protrude her head far enough to look +after Tom Linnet. To her surprise the party he had been waiting for had +already joined him, for she discovered two dusky forms pacing the +alley. + +It could not be Kauffman. While she hesitated whether to steal closer +or maintain her position, the two advanced almost to her corner and +paused there--in the blackest spot they could find. + +"I tell you I won't do it!" said Tom, in a hard, dogged tone that was +tense with excitement. "I'm through, and that's all there is to it." + +"That's a mistaken notion," was the quiet reply. "You're too deep in +the plot to draw back, and the pay is well worth while." + +"I don't want any more money," growled Tom. + +"You'll get two thousand for this night's work. Cash. And there is no +risk; you know that." + +"Risk? God, man! Can't you guess how I dream of those poor devils I +sent to their death in the airplane job? I hate the money I got! +I--I--" + +"See here," said the other voice impatiently, "that was a mistake, and +you know it. We didn't intend murder, but the explosion was delayed. No +one will get hurt to-night." + +"Not through me," declared Tom. + +"If you fail us, you'll come to grief." + +"If I come to grief, so will you. Peach on me, and I'll blow the whole +deal." There was a moment's silence. + +"Would three thousand satisfy you?" demanded the tempter. + +"No," asserted Tom stoutly; "I'm goin' to quit. What's done can't be +undone, but I'm through with you. It--it's too blamed terrible, that's +what it is! Leave me alone an' let me turn honest. Why don't you do the +job yourself?" + +"I think I will," said the other calmly. "If you intend to turn down a +good thing, I'll do my own work and save the money. But remember, +Linnet, silence is your only salvation. Don't talk at all; if you do, +you're liable to say the wrong thing--and you can't afford to do that." + +"I'm no fool," responded the night clerk, a shade of relief in his +tone. "But don't come to me again, Professor. I'm done with you." + +Professor! Josie felt a distinct shock. She had to flatten herself +against the wall, too, and remain rigid, for the man abruptly turned +the corner and marched down the driveway. Half way to the brilliantly +lighted street he dodged behind the building opposite the hotel, +threading his way through narrow back yards. Josie followed, swift and +silent. Finally they reached a place where the man was forced to pass +beneath the rays of a lamp and Josie was near enough to see his face. +It was, in reality, Professor John Dyer. + +That assurance was all the girl wanted, just now. She let him go his +way and turned to regain the hotel. It was not quite eight o'clock, yet +she felt it important to keep an eye on Kauffman and the bomb. The +bomb, especially, for until Dyer took possession of the infernal +contrivance he could do no mischief. + +In the hotel lobby she entered a public telephone booth and called up +Jim Crissey; then she went straight to her room. She could hear a low +whistling in 45, which informed her that Kauffman had not yet gone out +and that he was in a cheerful mood. + +"I'm beginning to understand their method of work," Josie reflected. +"Kauffman prepares the bombs, or brings them here under the guise of a +suspender salesman; Dyer arranges for their being placed, having +secured information as to where an explosion will do the most damage to +the government, and Tom Linnet is used as the tool to do the actual +work. Mrs. Charleworth probably assists Dyer in getting special +information, and advises the gang, but doesn't take an active part in +the perpetration of the crimes. Her brains and position would naturally +place her at the head of the conspirators in Dorfield, although I'm +pretty sure Kauffman, as the agent of the Master Spy, can dictate what +they must do." + +Kauffman slammed his door and locked it. He was going out. Josie opened +her own door a crack to look after him. He was walking deliberately +down the corridor, openly carrying in his left hand the black satchel. + +To Josie this seemed the essence of effrontery. He had no intention of +using the fire-escape, after all. He trusted in bravado, as so many +careless criminals do. As she stealthily followed him, she observed the +man stop in the office and exchange commonplaces with one or two guests +whom he knew. + +In reality, this was his safest plan. The black bag did not look +suspicious. Presently the bomb would be turned over to Dyer and +Kauffman's responsibility would then end. His very boldness was +calculated to prevent suspicion. + +Leaving the hotel, Kauffman walked leisurely up the lighted street. +Only when he turned a corner did Josie momentarily lose sight of him. +There were many pedestrians at this hour and they masked the girl's +form and for a while enabled her to keep near to the man she was +shadowing. The only thing that puzzled Josie was the fact that Kauffman +was proceeding in a direction exactly opposite that taken by Dyer a +short time before. Dyer went south and Kauffman was going north. + +When the business section of Dorfield was passed, the streets became +more deserted. They were not well lighted either, which favored Josie +the more. + +Kauffman kept steadily on, and as the houses along the way thinned, +Josie decided he was headed directly for the steel works. That upset +her calculations a bit, for she knew he had not seen Dyer since the +latter's interview with Tom Linnet, nor had he seen Linnet; therefore +he could not know that any arrangements he had previously made with +them had fallen through. The German's present actions, however, +indicated that he had decided to place the bomb himself, without the +assistance of his fellow conspirators. Had he been warned of Linnet's +defection? Had he means of communicating with Dyer unknown to Josie? +Dyer was a mystery; even his wife believed he was now on his way to +Washington. + +Surprises, in Josie's line of work were not uncommon, and this was no +time to consider whys and wherefores. The one thing she was sure of was +that the bomb was in the black satchel and the black satchel in +Kauffman's hand. No matter where the other conspirators might be or how +they were implicated in tonight's plot, as long as she kept her eye on +the bomb, she would be able to control the situation. + + +CHAPTER XXII +A SLIGHT MISTAKE + +From the edge of the town to the steel works the road led through a +common, overgrown with brush and weeds. There was no moon and although +the distance was not great it was a lonely, dark and "creepy" place. As +soon as the girl saw Kauffman take the road to the works she decided to +get there before he could do so. Knowing well she could not be seen, +she branched off through the brush, and finding her way by instinct +rather than sight, ran swiftly in a half circle over the fields and +struck the road again considerably in advance of the more deliberate +Kauffman. + +She now set off at her swiftest run and on reaching the manager's +office, in the front of the main building, perceived that it was +lighted. + +Josie rapped upon the door and it was opened by one-armed Joe Langley, +the night watchman. + +"Quick!" she said, "let me in and hide me somewhere, where I can't be +seen." + +Joe pulled her in, closed the outer door and locked it, and then faced +her. + +"What's up?" he demanded. + +"There's a man coming here with a bomb in a black satchel," she panted. +"He intends to blow up this building, in which all the shells axe +stored. I want to catch him in the act, Joe, and you must hide me +somewhere." + +Joe glanced around with a puzzled look. + +"Where?" he asked helplessly. + +So Josie looked around her, too. This end of the long building was +partitioned off for offices, as it fronted the town. The central +section was a big space containing a table, benches, etc., while on +either side were little glass rooms with partitions between them +reaching about seven feet in height, the ceiling being some twelve feet +from the floor. The first room to the left of the entrance was marked +"Manager" on its glass door; the next office "Purchasing Agent," and +the third "Chief Engineer." On the right hand side, the corresponding +offices were marked "Secretary," "Examiner," and "Superintendent." All +the office doors were locked except that of the Purchasing Agent, which +stood ajar. Josie sprang into that office and cast a hurried glance +around. The glass division between that and the manager's office was +"frosted" with white paint, but so carelessly done that she found +places where she could see through into the office of the manager. Also +she could see into the main, or reception room, even with her door +closed. + +While she examined this place a knock came on the outer door--a loud, +imperative knock. + +"This will do," whispered Josie to Joe. "Go an let him in, but don't +let him suspect I'm here." + +Joe was not quick-witted, but on the battlefields of France he had +learned prompt obedience to orders. Josie, as a government agent, was +now his commander, so he merely nodded to her as he walked over to +unlock the outer door. + +Kauffman stepped in, satchel in hand. + +"You're the watchman, I suppose," he said cheerfully. "Is Mr. Colton +here?" + +"No," answered Joe. + +"I was to meet him here at this time," said Kauffman. + +"He said he'd be back this evening," returned Joe, just recalling that +fact, "but he isn't here yet." + +"All right," said the man, "I'll wait." + +He carefully placed the satchel on the table and sat down on a bench. +Joe regarded him suspiciously, remembering the girl's warning, but said +nothing more. Josie was watching Kauffman from her retreat, but as her +little office was dark and the German sat under a bright light it was +impossible for him to know that his every movement was under +observation. + +The minutes dragged. A big clock on the wall ticked with an ominous +sound. Kauffman drew out his watch and compared it with the clock. He +appeared to grow restless. + +Josie's quick ears caught the distant sound of a motor car coming down +the road. Perhaps Kauffman heard it also. He rose from his seat and +going to the table unlocked the black satchel, pressed the top open and +looked inside it. Still bending over the satchel he placed a cigarette +in his mouth, lighted a match and applied the flame to his cigarette. +His back was toward Josie but she comprehended instantly the action. + +"He has lighted the fuse!" she murmured, triumphantly. + +The motor car came to a sudden halt outside the door, which Joe had +left unlocked; but while the German turned expectantly toward the door +the maimed soldier, hearing Josie's whisper, approached her little room +and slightly opened her door. + +"He has lighted the fuse of the bomb," she said to him excitedly. "The +bomb is in the satchel!" + +Joe turned quickly to the table. He dived into the bag with his one +good hand, drew out the heavy ball of steel and rushed with it to the +door just as the manager, Mr. Colton, opened it and stepped in. + +So swift were Joe's actions that Kauffman had no time to interfere. +Both he and the manager stared in amazement as Joe Langley rushed +outside and with all his might hurled the bomb far out upon the common. + +"Confound you!" cried Kauffman. "What did you do that for?" + +"What is it?" inquired the astonished manager. + +"A bomb!" cried Josie, stepping from her retreat and confronting them. +"A bomb with the fuse lighted, and timed to blow up this building after +you had gone away, Mr. Colton. That man before you is a German spy, and +I arrest him in the name of the law. Put up your hands, Abe Kauffman!" + +The little revolver was in her hand, steadily covering him. Kauffman +gave an amused laugh, but he slowly raised his arms, as commanded. + +"I don't quite understand," said the puzzled manager, looking from one +to the other. + +"Well, I brought the new projectile, Colton, as I had agreed," answered +the German, coolly, "but your quaint watchman has thrown it away. As +for the girl," he added, with a broad grin, "she has fooled me. She +said she had brains, and I find she was mistaken." + +The manager turned to Josie. + +"May I ask who you are, Miss, and how you came to be in my office?" + +"I am Josie O'Gorman, an agent of the government secret service," she +replied, not quite truthfully. "I've been shadowing this man for some +time. I tell you, sir, he brought a bomb here, to destroy this +building, and under pretense of lighting, a cigarette he has just +lighted the time fuse. The bomb was in that satchel, but--" she added +impressively, "as a matter of fact the thing was harmless, as I had +already removed the powder from the fuse." + +Kauffman gave a low whistle. + +"How did you manage that?" he asked curiously. + +"Never mind how," she retorted; "I did it." + +Kauffman turned to the manager. + +"Will you please order your man to get the projectile?" he asked. "It +is lucky for us all that the thing isn't loaded, or there really would +have been an explosion." He now turned to Josie, with his hands still +in the air, and explained: "It is meant to explode through impact, and +ordering it tossed out there was the most dangerous thing you could +have done." + +At the manager's command Joe took an electric searchlight and went out +to find the steel ball. + +"If you please, miss," said Kauffman, "may I put down my arms? They are +tired, and I assure you I will not try to escape." + +Josie lowered the revolver. Her face was red. She was beginning to +wonder if she had bungled the case. A second thought, however--a +thought of the papers she had found in the old desk--reassured her. She +might have been wrong in some respects, but surely she was right in the +main. + +"This man," said Mr. Colton, pointing to Kauffman, "is known to me as a +munition expert. He bears the endorsement of the Secretary of War and +is the inventor of the most effective shells we now manufacture. What +you have mistaken for a bomb is his latest design of projectile for an +eight-inch gun. He had arranged to bring it here and explain to me its +mechanism to-night, and also to submit a proposition giving our company +the control of its manufacture. If you are a government agent, you +surely understand that these arrangements must be conducted with great +secrecy. If we purchase the right to make this projectile, we must +first induce the government to use it, by demonstrating its +effectiveness, and then secure our contracts. So your interference, at +this time, is---ahem!--annoying." + +Josie's face was a little more red than before. A second motor car drew +up at the door and to her astonishment Mrs. Charleworth entered and +greeted both the manager and Kauffman in her usual charming manner. +Then she looked inquiringly at the girl. + +"Pardon me, madam," said Mr. Colton. "There has been a singular +misunderstanding, it seems, and our friend here has been accused of +being a German spy by this young lady, who is a government detective-- +or--or claims to be such. The precious projectile, in which you are so +deeply interested, has just been tossed out upon the common, but Joe +Langley is searching for it." + +Mrs. Charleworth's face wore an amused smile. + +"We are so beset with spies, on every hand, that such an error is quite +likely to occur," said she. "I recognize this young lady as a friend of +the Hathaway family, and I have met her at the Liberty Girls' Shop, so +she is doubtless sincere--if misled. Let us hope we can convince her-- +Miss O'Gorman, isn't it?--that we are wholly innocent of attempting to +promote the Kaiser's interests." + +Joe came in with the steel ball, which he deposited upon the table. +Then, at a nod from the manager, the soldier took his searchlight and +departed through the door leading to the big room in the rear. It was +time to make his regular rounds of the works, and perhaps Mr. Colton +preferred no listeners to the conversation that might follow. + + +CHAPTER XXIII +THE FLASHLIGHT + +"Perhaps," said Josie, her voice trembling a little, "I have assumed +too much, and accused this man," pointing to Kauffman, "unjustly. I was +trying to serve my country. But I am somewhat confused, even yet, in +regard to this affair. Will you please tell me, Mrs. Charleworth, what +connection you have with Mr. Kauffman, or with his--projectile?" + +"Very gladly," said the lady, graciously. "I am a stockholder in this +steel company--a rather important stockholder, I believe--and while I +am not a member of the board of directors, Mr. Colton represents my +interests. Two years ago we bought the Kauffman shell, and paid +liberally for it, but Mr. Kauffman unfortunately invested his money in +a transatlantic merchant ship which was sunk, with its entire cargo, by +a German submarine. Again penniless, he began the manufacture of +suspenders, in a small way, with money I loaned him, but was not very +successful. Then he conceived the idea of a new projectile, very +effective and quite different from others. He asked our company to +finance him while he was experimenting and perfecting the new +projectile. The company couldn't undertake to do that, but I personally +financed Mr. Kauffman, having confidence in his ability. He has been +six months getting the invention made, tested and ready to submit to +government experts, and up to the present it has cost a lot of money. +However, it is now considered perfect and Mr. Kauffman has brought it +here to-night to exhibit and explain it to Mr. Colton. If Mr. Colton +approves it from a manufacturing standpoint, our company will secure an +option for the sole right to manufacture it." + +"Mr. Kauffman has been in Dorfield several days," said Josie. "Why did +he not show you the projectile before?" + +"I have been out of town," explained the manager. "I returned this +afternoon, especially for this interview, and made the appointment for +this evening. I am a busy man--these are war times, you know--and I +must make my evenings count as well as my days." + +Josie scented ignominous defeat, but she had one more shot to fire. + +"Mrs. Charleworth," she stated, with a severe look, "John Dyer, the +school superintendent, was at your house last night, in secret +conference with Mr. Kauffman and yourself." + +"Oh, so you are aware of that interview?" + +"Clever!" said Kauffman, "I'd no idea I was being shadowed." Then the +two exchanged glances and smiled. "It seems impossible," continued the +man, "to keep any little matter of business dark, these days, although +the war office insists on secrecy in regard to all munitions affairs +and publicity would surely ruin our chances of getting the new +projectile accepted for government use." + +"I am awaiting an explanation of that meeting," declared Josie sternly. +"Perhaps you do not realize how important it may be." + +"Well," answered Mrs. Charleworth, a thoughtful expression crossing her +pleasant face, "I see no objection to acquainting you with the object +of that mysterious meeting, although it involves confiding to you a bit +of necessary diplomacy. Mr. Colton will tell you that the Dorfield +Steel Works will under no circumstances purchase the right to +manufacture the Kauffman projectile--or any other article of munition-- +until it is approved and adopted by the War Department. That approval +is not easily obtained, because the officials are crowded with business +and a certain amount of red tape must be encountered. Experience has +proved that the inventor is not the proper person to secure government +endorsement; he labors under a natural disadvantage. Neither is Mr. +Colton, as the prospective manufacturer, free from suspicion of selfish +interest. Therefore it seemed best to have the matter taken up with the +proper authorities and experts by someone not financially interested in +the projectile. + +"Now, Professor Dyer has a brother-in-law who is an important member of +the munitions board, under General Crozier, and we have induced the +professor, after much urging, to take our projectile to Washington, +have it tested, and secure contracts for its manufacture. If he +succeeds, we are to pay liberally for his services. That was how he +came to be at our house last evening, when arrangements were finally +made." + +"Was such secrecy necessary?" asked Josie suspiciously. + +It was Kauffman who answered this question, speaking with apparent good +humor but with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice: "My dear young lady, +your own disposition to secrecy--a quality quite necessary in a +detective--should show you the absurdity of your question. Can we be +too careful in these days of espionage? No emissary of the Kaiser must +know the construction of this wonderful projectile; none should even +know that it exists. Even should our government refuse to adopt it; we +must not let the Central Powers know of it. My own negotiations with +Mr. Colton and Mrs. Charleworth have been camouflaged by my disguise as +a suspender merchant. It was equally important that Mr. Dyer's +connection with us be wholly unsuspected. When the projectile is +adopted, and these works are manufacturing it in quantities to help win +the war, still no information concerning it must be made public. You +must realize that." + +"That is all true," agreed Mr. Colton. "These frank statements, miss, +have only been made to you because of your claim to being a government +agent. If you fail to substantiate that claim, we shall place you under +arrest and turn you over to the authorities, for our own protection." + +"To be sure," said Josie; "that will be your duty. I am the daughter of +John O'Gorman, one of the high officers of the United States Secret +Service, who is now in Europe in the interests of the government. I +came to Dorfield to visit my friend, Mary Louise Burrows, as Mrs. +Charleworth is aware, and while here my suspicions were aroused of the +existence of a German spy plot. Therefore I set to work to bring the +criminals to justice." + +"And, like the regulation detective, you have followed a false trail," +commented Kauffman, with his provoking smile. + +"Not altogether," retorted Josie. "I have already secured proof that +will convict two persons, at least. And I am amazed that you have +intrusted your secrets to that arch-traitor, Professor Dyer. Will you +tell me, Mrs. Charleworth, what you know about that man?" + +Mrs. Charleworth seemed astounded. + +"Professor John Dyer is one of Dorfield's old residents, I believe," +she answered slowly, as if carefully considering her words. "He is also +the superintendent of schools, and in that capacity seems highly +respected. I have never heard anything against the man, until now. His +important public position should vouch for his integrity." + +"Isn't his position a political appointment?" inquired Josie. + +The lady looked at Mr. Colton. "Yes," said the manager. "It is true +that John Dyer was active in politics long before he was made +superintendent of schools. However, he was an educator, as well as a +politician, so it seems his appointment was merited." + +"How well do you know him personally, madam?" asked the girl. + +"Not very well," she admitted. "We do not meet socially, so our +acquaintance until very recently was casual. But I have looked upon him +as a man of importance in the community. On learning that he had a +relative on the munitions board, I asked him to come, to my house, +where I made him the proposition to take our projectile to Washington +and secure its adoption. I offered liberal terms for such service, but +at first the professor seemed not interested. I arranged a second +meeting, last evening, at which Mr. Kauffman was present to explain +technical details, and we soon persuaded Mr. Dyer to undertake the +commission. We felt that we could trust him implicity." + +"When did he intend to go to Washington?" was Josie's next question. + +"On the 5:30, to-morrow morning. After exhibiting the projectile to Mr. +Colton and securing the firm's option to manufacture it on a royalty +basis, we are to take it to my house, where Mr. Dyer will receive it +and obtain our final instructions." + +"One question more, if you please," said Josie. "What connection with +your enterprise has Tom Linnet?" + +"Linnet? I do not know such a person," declared Mrs. Charleworth. + +"Who is he?" asked the manager. + +"I know him," said Kauffman. "He's the night clerk at the Mansion House +where I stop. Sometimes I see him when I come in late. He's not of +special account; he's weak, ignorant, and--" + +A sharp report interrupted him and alarmed them all. + +Josie swung around quickly, for the sound--she knew it was a revolver +shot--came from the rear. As Colton and Kauffman sprang to their feet +and Mrs. Charleworth shrank back in a fright, the girl ran to the back +door, opened it and started to make her way through the huge, dark +building beyond the partition. The manager followed in her wake and as +he passed through the door he turned a switch which flooded the big +store-room with light. + +In the center of the building were long, broad tables, used for +packing. A few shells still remained grouped here and there upon the +boards. On either side the walls were lined with tiers of boxes bound +with steel bands and ready for shipment. No person was visible in this +room, but at the farther end an outer door stood ajar and just outside +it a motionless form was outlined. + +Josie and Mr. Colton, approaching this outer door nearly at the same +time, controlled their haste and came to an abrupt halt. The upright +figure was that of Sergeant Joe Langley and the light from the room +just reached a human form huddled upon the ground a few feet distant. +Joe had dropped his flashlight and in his one hand held a revolver. +Josie drew a long, shuddering breath. The manager took a step forward, +hesitated, and returned to his former position, his face deathly white. + +"What is it? What's the matter?" called Kauffman, coming upon the scene +panting for he was too short and fat to run easily. + +Joe turned and looked at them as if waking from a trance. His stolid +face took on a shamed expression. + +"Couldn't help it, sir," he said to the manager. "I caught him in the +act. It was the flashlight that saved us. When it struck him he looked +up and the bullet hit him fair." + +"Who is it, and what was he doing?" asked Mr. Colton hoarsely. + +"It's under him, sir, and he was a-lighting of it." + +As he spoke, Sergeant Joe approached the form and with a shove of his +foot pushed it over. It rolled slightly, unbent, and now lay at full +length, facing them. Josie picked up the flashlight and turned it upon +the face. + +"Oh!" she cried aloud, and shivered anew, but was not surprised. + +"I guess," said Joe slowly, "they'll have to get another school +superintendent." + +"But what's it all about? What did he do?" demanded Kauffman excitedly. + +Joe took the light from Josie's hand and turned it upon a curious +object that until now had been hidden by the dead man's body. + +"It's a infernal machine, sir, an' I ain't sure, even yet, that it +won't go off an' blow us all up. He was leanin' down an' bendin' over +it, twisting that dial you see, when on a sudden I spotted him. I +didn't stop to think. My Cap'n used to say 'Act first an' think +afterwards,' an' that's what I did. I didn't know till now it was the +school boss, but it wouldn't have made any difference. I done my duty +as I saw it, an' I hope I did it right, Mr. Colton." + +Kauffman was already stooping over the machine, examining it with a +skilled mechanical eye. + +"It's ticking!" he said, and began turning the dial backward to zero. +The ticking stopped. Then the inventor stood, up and with his +handkerchief wiped the perspiration from his face. + +"Gott!" he exclaimed, "this is no joke. We've all been too near death +to feel comfortable." + +"This is horrible!" said Mr. Colton, "I can't yet believe that Dyer +could be guilty of so fiendish an act." + +"I can," asserted Josie grimly, "and it isn't the first time he has +planned murder, either. Dyer was responsible for the explosion at the +airplane factory." + +Footsteps were heard. Out of the darkness between the group of +buildings appeared two men, Crissey and Addison. + +"Are we too late, Miss O'Gorman?" asked Crissey. + +"Yes," she replied. "How did you lose track of Dyer?" + +"He's a slippery fellow," said Addison, "and threw us off the scent. +But finally we traced him here and--" + +"And there he is," concluded Josie in a reproachful tone. + +Crissey caught sight of the machine. + +"Great Caesar!" he exclaimed, "who saved you?" + +"I did," answered Joe, putting the revolver in his hip pocket, "but I +wish you'd had the job, stranger." + +CHAPTER XXIV +AFTER THE CRISIS + +Mrs. Charleworth drove Josie, who was sobbing nervously and quite +bereft of her usual self-command, to Colonel Hathaway's residence. The +woman was unnerved, too, and had little to say on the journey. + +The old colonel had retired, but Mary Louise was still up, reading a +book, and she was shocked when Josie came running in and threw herself +into her friend's arms, crying and laughing by turns, hysterically. + +"What's the matter, dear?" asked Mary Louise in an anxious voice. + +"I've b-b-bungled that whole miserable G-Ger-man spy plot!" wailed +Josie. + +"Wasn't there any plot, then?" + +"Of course; but I g-grabbed the wrong end of it. Oh, I'm so glad Daddy +wasn't here to see my humiliation! I'm a dub, Mary Louise--a miserable, +ignorant, foozle-brained dub!" + +"Never mind, dear," said Mary Louise consolingly. "No one can know +everything, Josie, even at our age. Now sit down and wipe that wet off +your face and tell me all about it." + +Josie complied. She snivelled a little as she began her story, but soon +became more calm. Indeed, in her relation she tried to place the facts +in such order that she might herself find excuse for her erroneous +theories, as well as prove to Mary Louise that her suspicions of Abe +Kauffman and Mrs. Charleworth were well founded. + +"No girl is supposed to know the difference between a bomb and a +cannon-ball--or projectile--or whatever it is," was her friend's +comment, when Josie had reached the scene in the manager's office, "and +any man who is a German and acts queerly is surely open to suspicion. +Go on, Josie; what happened next?" + +Even Mary Louise was startled and horrified at the terrible retribution +that had overtaken Professor Dyer, although Josie's story had aroused +her indignation toward him and prepared her for the man's final +infamous attempt to wreck the steel plant. + +"And what about Tom Linnet?" she asked. + +"Chief Farnum is to arrest him to-night," said Josie. "He will confess +everything, of course, and then the whole plot will be made public." + +"Poor Mrs. Dyer!" sighed Mary Louise. + +But fate decreed a different ending to the night's tragedy. When the +police tried to arrest Tom Linnet the young man was not to be found. He +had not bought the cigar store, but with what funds remained to him, he +had absconded to parts unknown. + +Chief Farnum wired his description to all parts of the country. +Meantime, on the morning after the affair at the steel works, an +earnest conference was held between Mr. Colton, Colonel Hathaway, Josie +O'Gorman, Mrs. Charleworth, the Chief of Police and the two secret +service agents. At this conference it was deemed inadvisable to +acquaint the public with the truth about John Dyer's villainy. The +government would be fully informed, of course, but it seemed best not +to tell the people of Dorfield that a supposedly respectable citizen +had been in the pay of the Kaiser's agents. It would be likely to make +them suspicious of one another and have a bad influence generally. The +criminal had paid the penalty of his crimes. The murders he had +committed and attempted to commit were avenged. + +So it was announced that the school superintendent had been killed by +an accidental explosion at the munition works, and the newspapers +stated that Mrs. Dyer did not desire a public funeral. Indeed, she was +too overwhelmed by the tragedy to express any desire regarding the +funeral but left it all to Colonel Hathaway and Mr. Colton, who +volunteered to attend to the arrangements. The burial was very +unostentatious and the widow received much sympathy and did not suffer +in the esteem of the community. Mrs. Dyer, in fact, was never told of +her husband's dishonor and so mourned him sincerely. + +Immediately following the conference referred to, Josie brought the +Chief of Police and the secret service men to her room and in their +presence dragged the old pedestal-desk from her closet. Mary Louise, +who had been admitted, exclaimed in surprise: + +"Why, Josie! I thought you sent the desk to Washington." + +"No," answered Josie, "I merely shipped an empty box. I knew very well +that Dyer would try to get back the desk, hoping I had not discovered +its secret, so I deceived him and gained time by proving that I had +sent a box home by freight." + +"That explains his decision to take the projectile to Washington," +commented Detective Crissey, "he believed he could kill two birds with +one stone--get back his papers and earn a big fee from Mrs. +Charleworth." + +"Also," added Josie, "he would be able to give the German Master Spy +full information concerning the projectile, and so reap another reward. +But all his diabolical schemes were frustrated by Joe Langley's +bullet." + +"Well, here's the desk," said Chief Farnum, "but where are those +important papers, Miss O'Gorman?" + +"And what do they prove?" added Crissey. + +Josie slid back the panel in the square pedestal, disclosing the two +compartments filled with papers. These she allowed the police and the +detectives to read, arid they not only proved that John Dyer was in the +pay of an organized band of German spies having agents in Washington, +New York and Chicago, but Crissey was confident the notes, contracts +and agreements would furnish clues leading to the discovery and +apprehension of the entire band. So the papers were placed in his +charge to take to Washington, and their importance was a further +argument for secrecy concerning John Dyer's death. + +"So far as I am concerned," Josie said afterward to Colonel Hathaway +and Mary Louise, "the spy case is ended. When they arrest Tom Linnet +they will be able to prove, from the scraps of paper I found in the +printing room of the hotel, that Linnet printed the circulars from copy +furnished by Dyer, and that Dyer and Linnet together directed the +envelopes, probably in the still hours of the morning at the hotel +desk, where they were not likely to be disturbed. The circulars may not +be considered legally treasonable, but the fact that Linnet personally +placed the bomb that destroyed the airplane works will surely send him +to the scaffold." + +"I suppose you will be called as a witness," suggested Mary Louise, +"because you are the only one who overheard his verbal confession of +the crime." + +"It wont take much to make Linnet confess," predicted Josie. "He is +yellow all through, or he wouldn't have undertaken such dastardly work +for the sake of money. His refusal to undertake the second job was mere +cowardice, not repentance. I understand that sort of criminal pretty +well, and I assure you he will confess as soon as he is captured." + +But, somewhat to the astonishment of the officers, Tom Linnet managed +to evade capture. They found his trail once or twice, and lost it +again. After a time they discovered he had escaped into Mexico; +afterward they heard of a young man of his description in Argentine; +finally he disappeared altogether. + +The arms of the law are long and strong, far-reaching and mercilessly +persistent. They may embrace Tom Linnet yet, but until now he has +miraculously avoided them. + + +CHAPTER XXV +DECORATING + +Colonel Hathaway and Mary Louise were walking down the street one day +when they noticed that the front of Jake Kasker's Clothing Emporium was +fairly covered with American flags. Even the signs were hidden by a +fluttering display of the Stars and Stripes. + +"I wonder what this means?" said the colonel. + +"Let's go in and inquire," proposed Mary Louise. "I don't suppose the +man has forgiven me yet for suspecting his loyalty, but you've always +defended him, Gran'pa Jim, so he will probably tell you why he is +celebrating." + +They entered the store and Kasker came forward to meet them. + +"What's the meaning of all the flags, Jake?" asked the colonel. + +"Didn't you hear?" said Kasker. "My boy's been shot--my little Jakie!" +Tears came to his eyes. + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Mary Louise, with ready sympathy; "I hope he--he +isn't dead?" + +"No," said Kasker, wiping his eyes, "not that, thank God. A shell +splinter took out a piece of his leg--my little Jakie's leg!--and he's +in a hospital at Soissons. His letter says in a few weeks he can go +back to his company. I got a letter from his captain, too. The captain +says Jakie is a good soldier and fights like wild-cats. That's what he +says of Jakie!" + +"Still," said Colonel Hathaway, with a puzzled look, "I do not quite +understand why you should decorate so profusely on account of so sad an +event." + +"Sad!" exclaimed the clothing man, "not a bit. That's glory, the way +_I_ look at it, Colonel. If my Jakie's blood is spilled for his +country, and he can go back and spill it again, it makes great honor +for the name of Kasker. Say, once they called me pro-German, 'cause I +said I hated the war. Don't my Jakie's blood put my name on America's +honor roll? I'm pretty proud of Jakie," he wiped his eyes again; "I'll +give him an interest in the business, if he comes back. And if he +don't--if those cursed Germans put an end to him--then folks will say, +'See Jake Kasker over there? Well, he gave his son for his country--his +only son.' Seems to me, Colonel, that evens the score. America gives us +Germans protection and prosperity, and we give our blood to defend +America's honor. I'm sorry I couldn't find a place for any more flags." + +The colonel and Mary Louise were both a little awed, but as Kasker +accompanied them to the door, they strove to express their sympathy and +approval. As they parted, however, the man leaned over and whispered: +"Just the same, I hate the war. But, if it _has_ to be, let's stand +together to fight and win it!" +* * * * * * * * +"Gran'pa Jim," said Mary Louise, when they were on the street again, +"I'm ashamed. I once told you I loved you better than my country, but +Jake Kasker loves his country better than his son." + + +CHAPTER XXVI +KEEPING BUSY + +The Liberty Girls were forced to abandon their Shop when a substantial +offer was made by a business firm to rent the store they had occupied. +However, they were then, near the end of their resources, with depleted +stock, for they had begged about all the odds and ends people would +consent to part with. What goods remained to them were of inferior +worth and slow to dispose of, so they concluded their enterprise with a +"grand auction," Peter Conant acting as auctioneer, and cleaned up the +entire stock "in a blaze of glory," as Mary Louise enthusiastically +described the event. + +The venture had been remarkably successful and many a soldier had cause +to bless the Liberty Girls' Shop for substantial comforts provided from +its funds. + +"But what can we do now," inquired Mary Louise anxiously as the six +captains met with Irene one afternoon following the closing of the +shop. "We must keep busy, of course. Can't someone think of something?" + +One and all had been thinking on that subject, it seemed. Various +proposals were advanced, none of which, however, seemed entirely +practical until Irene said: + +"We mustn't lose our reputation for originality, you know, nor must we +interfere with those who are doing war relief work as well, if not much +better, than we could. I've pondered the case some, during the past few +days, and in reading of the progress of events I find that quite the +most important thing on the government programme, at present, is the +conservation of foods. 'Food will win the war' is the latest slogan, +and anyone who can help Mr. Hoover will be doing the utmost for our +final victory." + +"That's all very well, Irene," said Alora, "but I'm sure we are all as +careful as possible to conserve food." + +"Don't ask us to eat any less," pleaded Edna, "for my appetite rebels +as it is." + +"I don't see how we Liberty Girls can possibly help Mr. Hoover more +than everyone else is doing," remarked Laura. + +"Well, I've an idea we can," replied Irene. "But this is just another +case where I can only plan, and you girls must execute. Now, listen to +my proposition. The most necessary thing to conserve, it seems, is +wheat." + +"So it seems, dear." + +"People are eating large quantities of wheat flour simply because they +don't know what else to eat," Irene continued. "Now, corn, properly +prepared, is far more delicious and equally as nourishing as wheat. The +trouble is that people don't know how to use corn-meal and corn-flour +to the best advantage." + +"That is true; and they're not likely to learn in time to apply the +knowledge usefully," commented Mary Louise. + +"Not unless you girls get busy and teach them," admitted Irene, while a +smile went round the circle. "Don't laugh, girls. You are all very fair +cooks, and if properly trained in the methods of preparing corn for +food, you could easily teach others, and soon all Dorfield would be +eating corn and conserving wheat. That would be worth while, wouldn't +it?" + +"But who's to train us, and how could we manage to train others?" asked +Mary Louise. + +"The proposition sounds interesting, Irene, and if carried through +would doubtless be valuable, but is it practical?" + +"Let us see," was the reply. "Some time ago I read of the wonderful +success of Mrs. Manton in preparing corn for food. She's one of the +most famous professional cooks in America and her name is already a +household word. We use her cook-book every day. Now, Mrs. Manton has +been teaching classes in Cleveland, and I wrote her and asked what she +would charge to come here and teach the Liberty Girls the practical +methods of preparing her numerous corn recipes. Here's her answer, +girls. She wants her expenses and one hundred dollars for two weeks' +work, and she will come next week if we telegraph her at once." + +They considered and discussed this proposition very seriously. + +"At the Masonic Temple," said Mary Louise, "there is a large and fully +equipped kitchen, adjoining the lodge room, and it is not in use except +on special occasions. Gran'pa Jim is a high Mason, and so is Alora's +father. Perhaps they could secure permission for us to use the lodge +kitchen for our class in cookery." + +The colonel and Jason Jones, being consulted, promised the use of the +kitchen and highly approved the plan of the Liberty Girls. Mrs. Manton +was telegraphed to come to Dorfield and the cookery class was soon +formed. Alora confessed she had no talent whatever for cooking, but all +the other five were ready to undertake the work and a selection was +made from among the other Liberty Girls--of the rank and file--which +brought the total number of culinary endeavorers up to fifteen--as +large a class as Mrs. Manton was able to handle efficiently. + +While these fifteen were being trained, by means of practical daily +demonstration, in the many appetizing preparations for the table from +corn-meal and corn-flour, Alora and one or two others daily visited the +homes of Dorfield and left samples of bread, buns, cookies, cakes, +desserts and other things that had come fresh from the ovens and range +of the cooking-school. At the same time an offer was made to teach the +family cook--whether mistress or servant--in this patriotic branch of +culinary art, and such offers were usually accepted with eagerness, +especially after tasting the delicious corn dainties. + +When Mrs. Manton left Dorfield, after two weeks of successful work, she +left fifteen Liberty Girls fully competent to teach others how to +prepare every one of her famous corn recipes. And these fifteen, +divided into "shifts" and with several large kitchens at their +disposal, immediately found themselves besieged by applicants for +instruction. Before winter set in, all Dorfield, as predicted by Irene, +was eating corn, and liking it better than wheat, and in proof of their +success, the Liberty Girls received a highly complimentary letter from +Mr. Hoover, thanking them for their help in the time of the nation's +greatest need. A fee, sufficient to cover the cost of the material +used, had been exacted from all those willing and able to pay for +instruction, so no expense was involved in this work aside from the +charges of Mrs. Manton, which were cared for by voluntary subscription +on the part of a few who were interested in the girls' patriotic +project. + +Another thing the Liberty Girls did was to start "Community Concerts" +one evening each week, which were held in various churches and attended +by throngs of men, women and children who joined lustily in the singing +of patriotic and popular songs. This community singing became immensely +popular and did much to promote patriotic fervor as well as to +entertain those in attendance. + +And so Mary Louise's Liberty Girls, at the time this story ends, are +still active workers in the cause of liberty, justice and democracy, +and will continue to support their country's welfare as long as they +can be of use. + +"We're a real part of the war," Mary Louise has often told her +co-workers, "and I'm sure that in the final day of glorious victory +our girls will be found to have played no unimportant part." + +THE END + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls, by +Edith Van Dyne (AKA L. 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