Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls Page 4

newspapers, you know, and I've listened to you spoutpatriotism, and ever since we joined the Allies against Germany, mygirl chums and I have been secretly organized as a band of LibertyGirls, determined to do our bit in winning the war. This is the firstchance, though, that we've ever had to show what we can do, and we arevery proud and happy to-night to realize that we're backing Uncle Samto some purpose."

  "This war," remarked the old soldier, thoughtfully, "is bringing thewomen of all nations into marked prominence, for it is undeniable thattheir fervid patriotism outranks that of the men. But you are meregirls, and I marvel at your sagacity and devotion, heretoforeunsuspected. If you can follow to-day's success until Saturday, andsecure our quota of subscriptions to the bonds, not only Dorfield butall the nation will be proud of your achievement."

  "We shall do our best," replied the girl, simply, although her cheeksglowed pink under such praise. "There are enough slackers still to beinterviewed to bring the quota up to the required amount and withto-day's success to hearten us, I am sure we shall end the weektriumphantly."

  Next morning the Liberty Girls sallied forth early, all six aglow withenthusiasm. Mary Louise consulted her carefully prepared list and foundthat 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, soshe at once stated her errand.

  The old druggist glanced up at the girl under his spectacles, noted herpatriotic attire and the eager look on her pretty face, and slowlyshook 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 canafford insurance, you know, to protect your stock, and this money forUncle Sam is an insurance that your home and business will be protectedfrom the ravages of a ruthless foe."

  He stared at her thoughtfully a moment. Then he selected a paper fromhis 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 askingus to invest billions in what are termedLiberty Bonds. It has the 'liberty' tolend these billions to irresponsible orbankrupt nations of Europe, who arefighting an unprofitable war. Some ofour dollars will equip an army of Amer-ican boys to fight on Europe's battle-fields. This may be good business. Ourexcited politicians down at Washingtonmay think they are acting for our bestgood. But what becomes of the money,finally? Will our millionaire governmentcontractors become billionaires when themoney--our money--is spent? Do youthink the days of graft are past andgone? Have politicians become honestnow that they are handling untold sums?Let us consider these questions when weare asked to subscribe for LibertyBonds."

  "Why, this is treason!" cried Mary Louise, gasping from sheer amazementand 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 thecircular 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 postedlast evening. The whole town is buzzing about the wonderful work of theLiberty 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 shethrust 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 toput in a hundred dollars, but for a moment this veiled accusationbewildered me. You're right; it's treasonable. It will be hard for meto raise five hundred, just now, but I'll do it. I want that to be myanswer to the German."

  Mary Louise thanked him and hurried away. Next door was Lacey's ShoeStore, and Mr. Lacey was reading a duplicate of that identical circularwhen the Liberty Girl approached him.

  The man bowed low to Mary Louise, a deference she felt rendered to herred-white-and-blue uniform.

  "Good morning!" he said pleasantly, recognizing the girl as one of hisgood customers. "Glad to see you, Mary Louise, for if I give you a goodfat check it may take a nasty taste out of my mouth, acquired byreading a bit of German propaganda."

  "I know, Mr. Lacey," she replied earnestly. "I've seen that circularbefore. 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 tolive in Dorfield--or in America--who could be guilty of suchdisloyalty."

  He gave her the circular and his check for Liberty Bonds, and shepassed on to the next store. During the morning Mary Louise discoveredseveral more of the traitorous circulars. Some merchants would notadmit having received the warning; others, through their arguments,convinced the girl they had not only read the screed but had beeninfluenced by it. Perhaps it did not seriously affect her sales ofbonds, but she felt that it did and her indignation grew steadily. Bynoon she was tingling with resentment and when she joined the otherLiberty Girls at luncheon, she found them all excited over the circularand demanding vengeance on the offender--whoever he might happen to be.

  "Isn't it dreadful!" exclaimed Lucile Neal, "and what could the personhope 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 officialswill steal part of it, is likely to prevent a lot of foolish peoplefrom investing in the bonds. All this morning I could see that men wereinfluenced by this circular, which has been pretty generallydistributed."

  "Yes; one or two repeated the very words of the circular to me," saidLaura Hilton; "but I just asked them if they considered the UnitedStates able to pay its bonds and they were forced to admit it was asafe 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 mailedlast evening. I'm going to see the Chief of Police and put him on thetrail."

  "Do you know," said Edna, a thoughtful and rather quiet girl, "Ialready 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 andI may be wrong. It would be an awful thing to accuse one unjustly ofsuch a dastardly act, wouldn't it? But--think, girls!--who is known tobe against the war, and pro-German? Who did we consider an enemy to thecause of liberty until--until he happened to buy some bonds the othernight and indulge in some peanut patriotism to disarm a criticism heknew was becoming dangerous?"

  They looked at one another, half frightened at the suggestion, for allknew whom she meant.

  "Perhaps," said Alora, slowly, "Jake Kasker really believes in thebonds. He certainly set the example to others and led them to buy a lotof bonds. It doesn't seem reasonable, after that, to credit him withtrying 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 theflag."

  "I'm afraid of those people who think devotion to our flag can coverdisloyalty to our President," said Mary Louise earnestly.

  "But the flag represents the President, and Kasker said he'd stand bythe flag to the last."

  "All buncombe, my dear," said Edna decidedly. "That flag talk didn'ttake the curse off the statement that the war is all wrong."

  "He had to say something patriotic, or he'd have been mobbed," wasLucile's serious comment. "I hadn't thought of Jake Kasker, before, buthe may be the culprit.
"

  "Isn't he the only German in town who has denounced our going into theEuropean war?" demanded Edna.

  "No," said Mary Louise; "Gran'pa has told me of several others; butnone has spoken so frankly as Kasker. Anyhow, there's no harm insuspecting him, for if he is really innocent he can blame his owndisloyal speeches for the suspicion. But now let us check up themorning's work and get busy again as soon as possible. We mustn't losea single minute."

  "And, as we go around,"