Mary Louiseand the Liberty Girls

ByEdith Van Dyne

Author of"Mary Louise, " "Mary Louise in the Country, ""Mary Louise Solves a Mystery, ""The Aunt Jane's NiecesSeries, " etc. 

Frontispiece byAlice Casey

The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago

Copyright, 1918byThe 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 loyaltyand devotion to one's country, for these are sentiments firmlyenshrined in the hearts of all true American girls. It is ratherintended to show what important tasks girls may accomplish when spurredon by patriotism, and that none is too humble to substantially serveher country. 

Organizations of Liberty Girls are possible in every city and hamlet inAmerica, and are effective not only in times of war but in times ofpeace, for always their Country needs them--always there is work fortheir busy hands. 

One other message the story hopes to carry--the message of charitytowards all and malice towards none. When shadows are darkest, thosewho can lighten the gloom are indeed the blessed ones. 

EDITH VAN DYNE

CONTENTS

I THE MASS-MEETINGII MARY LOUISE TAKES COMMANDIII THE LIBERTY GIRLSIV THE TRAITORV UNCONVINCING TESTIMONYVI TO HELP WIN THE WARVII THE LIBERTY SHOPVIII THE DETECTIVE'S DAUGHTERIX GATHERING UP THE THREADSX THE EXPLOSIONXI A FONT OF TYPEXII JOSIE BUYS A DESKXIII JOE LANGLEY, SOLDIERXIV THE PROFESSOR IS ANNOYEDXV SUSPENDERS FOE SALEXVI MRS. CHARLEWORTHXVII THE BLACK SATCHELXVIII A HINT FROM ANNIE BOYLEXIX THE PRINTING OFFICEXX ONE GIRL'S WITSXXI SUPRISESXXII A SLIGHT MISTAKEXXIII THE FLASHLIGHTXXIV AFTER THE CRISISXXV DECORATINGXXVI KEEPING BUSY

Mary Louiseand the Liberty Girls

CHAPTER ITHE MASS-MEETING

One might reasonably think that "all Dorfield" had turned out to attendthe much advertised meeting. The masses completely filled the bigpublic square. The flaring torches, placed at set intervals, lightedfitfully the faces of the people--faces sober, earnest, thoughtful--allturned in the direction of the speakers' platform. 

Mr. Peter Conant, the Chairman, a prominent attorney of Dorfield, wasintroducing the orator of the evening, Colonel James Hathaway, whoseslender, 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 conductthe great war on which we have embarked--money for our new army, moneyfor ship-building, money for our allies. And the people of America arepermitted to show their loyalty and patriotism by subscribing forbonds--bonds of the rich and powerful United States--that all mayparticipate in our noble struggle for the salvation of democracy andthe peace of the world. These bonds, which you are asked to buy, bearinterest; you will be investing in the Corporation of Right, Justiceand Freedom, with the security of the Nation as your shield. As astockholder in this noblest of corporations you risk nothing, but yougain the distinction of personally assisting to defeat Civilization'sdefiant and ruthless enemy. "

Loud applause interrupted the speaker. On one of the rows of seats atthe back of the stand sat Mary Louise Burrows, the granddaughter ofColonel Hathaway, with several of her girl friends, and her heartleaped with pride to witness the ovation accorded her dear "Gran'paJim. "

With well chosen words the old gentleman continued his discourse, stating succinctly the necessity of the Liberty Bond issue andimpressing upon his hearers the righteousness of the cause for whichthis 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, butreally insignificant when apportioned among those who can afford tosubscribe. There is not a man among you who cannot without hardshippurchase at least one fifty-dollar bond. Many of you can investthousands. Yet we are approaching our time limit and, so far, less thantwo hundred thousand dollars' worth of these magnificent Liberty Bondshave been purchased in our community! But five days remain to us tosubscribe the remaining eight hundred thousand dollars, and therebypreserve the honor of our fair city. That eight hundred thousanddollars will be subscribed! We _must_ subscribe it; else will thefinger of scorn justly be pointed at us forever after. "

Another round of applause. Mr. Conant, and Mr. Jaswell, the banker, andother prominent members of the Liberty Loan Committee began to lookencouraged and to take heart. 

"Of course they'll subscribe it!" whispered Mary Louise to her friendAlora Jones. "The thing has looked like a failure, lately, but I knewif 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 thatthronged 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 theirsubscriptions for the bonds. He urged them to subscribe generously, inproportion to their means, and asked them not to crowd but to pass inline across the platform as swiftly as possible. 

"Let us raise that entire eight hundred thousand to-night!" shouted theColonel, 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 onslaughtof signers. 

But no one came forward. Each man looked curiously at his neighbor butstood fast in his place. The city, even to its furthermost suburbs, hadalready been systematically canvassed by the Committee and theirefforts had resulted in a bare two hundred thousand dollars. Of thissum, Colonel Hathaway had himself subscribed twenty-five thousand. Noting the hesitation of his townsmen, the old gentleman again aroseand faced them. The band had stopped playing and there was an ominoussilence. 

"Let me encourage you, " said Colonel Hathaway, "by taking anothertwenty-five thousand dollars' worth of these wonderful bonds. Put medown for that amount, Mr. Jaswell. Now, then, who are the patriotseager to follow my lead!"

There was applause--somewhat more mild in character--but none cameforward. Alora's father, Jason Jones, who had already signed for fiftythousand dollars, rose and added another twenty-five thousand to thatsum. This act elicited another ripple of applause; more questioninglooks were exchanged between those assembled, but there were no furtheroffers to subscribe. 

The hearts of the committeemen fell. Was this meeting, on which theyhad so greatly depended, destined to prove a failure, after all?

Jake Kasker, the owner of "Kasker's Clothing Emporium, " finally madehis way to the platform and mounting the steps faced his townspeople. There was a little murmur of surprise and a sudden tension. The man hadbeen distrusted in Dorfield, of late. 

"You all know what I think about this war, " said Kasker in a loud voiceand with a slight German accent. "I don't approve of it, whateveranyone says, and I think we were wrong to get into it, anyhow. "

A storm of hisses and cries of "Shame!" saluted him, but he waitedstolidly for the demonstration to subside. Then he continued:

"But, whatever I think about the war, I want to tell you that this flagthat now waves over my head is as much _my_ flag as it is _yours, _ forI'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 tooold to go to France, I'll pack up and go to-morrow. That's JakeKasker--with a Dutch name but a Yankee heart. Some of you down there gotYankee names an' hearts that make the Kaiser laugh. I wouldn't tradewith you! Now, hear this: I ain't rich; you know that; but I'll taketwo 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, thenI'll make it five thousand. But if I have to do that--an' I can'tafford 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 theplatform. The German signed the paper Mr. Jaswell placed before him andwithdrew. Soon there was a line extending from the banker's table tothe crowd below, and the signatures for bonds were slowly but steadilysecured. 

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 havereally helped us, although you should have omitted those traitorouswords. 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 ColonelHathaway looked after him with an expression of dislike. 

"I wonder why he did it?" whispered Mary Louise, who had overheard theexchange 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 havean idea it would disarm suspicion. "

"Also, " added Alora Jones, "he took advantage of the opportunity toslam the war. That was worth something to a man like Kasker. "

CHAPTER IIMARY LOUISE TAKES COMMAND

When Mary Louise entered the library the next morning she found hergrandfather seated at the table, his head resting on his extended armsin an attitude of great depression. The young girl was startled. 

"What is it, Gran'pa Jim?" she asked, going to his side and laying ahand 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 tobreakfast, 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 hereyes wandered through the open door to the next room and rested on theundisturbed bed. "Why, you haven't slept at all, dear!" she cried indistress. "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 helpthat, Gran'pa Jim! You did all that was possible, and you mustn't takeit so much to heart. "

"It is so important, child; more important, I fear, than many of themguess. 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'tdo it's duty, the rest of the country will, so you mustn't feel badlyabout our failure. In fact, we haven't failed, as yet. How much didthey subscribe last night?"

"In all, a hundred and thirty thousand. We have now secured barely athird 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'retoo old, and you're not well or strong enough to endure all the anxietyand 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 secretto tell you. "

He smiled, rather wanly and hopelessly, but he permitted the girl toassist him to rise and to lead him to the breakfast room. There MaryLouise poured his coffee and attacked her own breakfast, although withindifferent appetite. 

Gran'pa Jim was the only relative she had in all the world and sheloved him devotedly. Their life in the pretty little town had beenpeaceful and happy until recently--until the war. But the old Colonel, loyal veteran that he was, promptly made it _his_ war and was roused asMary Louise had never seen him roused before. In his mind was noquestion of the justice of our country's participation in the worldstruggle; he was proud to be an American and gloried in America'ssacrifice to the cause of humanity. Too old to fight on thebattlefield, he felt honored at his appointment to the membership ofthe Liberty Bond Committee and threw all his energies into the taskassigned him. So it is easy to understand that the coldness andreluctance to subscribe for bonds on the part of his fellow townsmenhad well nigh broken his heart. 

This the girl, his closest companion, fully appreciated. 

"Gran'pa, " she said, regarding him across the table after their oldblack mammy, Aunt Sally, had left them together, "I love my country, asyou know; but I love _you_ better. "

"Oh, Mary Louise!"

"It's true; and it's right that I should. If I had to choose betweenletting the Germans capture the United States, or losing you, I'd letthe Germans come! That's honest, and it's the way I feel. Love forone's country is a fine sentiment, but my love for you is deeper. Iwouldn't whisper this to anyone else, for no one else could understandit, but you will understand it, Gran'pa Jim, and you know my love foryou 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 desireto lose you or allow the Germans to whip us, if I can help it, so I'vegot two battles to fight. The truth is, Gran'pa, that you're used upwith the hard work of the last few weeks, and another five days ofbegging for subscriptions would wreck you entirely. So you're to stopshort--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 tosecure Dorfield's quota, and you've failed. Why, the biggestsubscribers for bonds in the whole city are you and Jason Jones!There's plenty of wealth in Dorfield, and over at the mills andfactories are thousands of workmen who can buy bonds; but you and yourCommittee don't know how to interest the people in your proposition. The people are loyal enough, but they don't understand, and you don'tunderstand how to make them understand. "

"No, " he said, shaking his head dolefully, "they're a dense lot, and wecan'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 consultedwith Alora and Irene and Laura and the other girls about the best wayto redeem the situation. We knew the situation was desperate longbefore last night's meeting. So all our plans are made, and we believewe can sell all the bonds required. It was our policy to keep silentuntil 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. Sothe job's up to us, and if you'll sit quiet, Gran'pa Jim, and let usgirls do the work, we'll put Dorfield in the honor column by Saturdaynight. "

"This is nonsense!" exclaimed the Colonel, but there was an accent ofhope in his voice, nevertheless. 

"We girls are thoroughly organized, " said Mary Louise, "and we'll sellthe bonds. "

"Girls!"

"Why, just think of it, Gran'pa. Who would refuse a group of younggirls--earnest and enthusiastic girls? The trouble with you men is thatyou accept all sorts of excuses. They tell you they're hard up andcan't spare the money; there's a mortgage to pay, or taxes or notes tomeet, and they can't afford it, anyway. But that kind of talk won't dowhen 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'llthreaten them with scorn and opprobrium, which they'll richly deserveif they hang on till it comes to that. If the threats don't make 'embuy, 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 theBoy Scouts have been successful in placing the bonds. It's an honorableundertaking, 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 aman 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 ofthem. 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 oneday--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 thedoctor's office. 

"Dr. McGruer, " she said, "go over at once and see my grandfather. He'scompletely exhausted with the work of selling Liberty Bonds. Be sureyou order him to keep at home and remain quiet--at least for to-day. "

CHAPTER IIITHE LIBERTY GIRLS

An hour later six girls met at the home of Alora Jones, who lived withher father in a fine mansion across the street from Colonel Hathaway'sresidence. These girls were prepared to work, and work diligently, under the leadership of Mary Louise, for they had been planning anddiscussing this event for several days, patiently awaiting the word tostart their campaign. 

"Some girls, " said Mary Louise, "are knitting, and that's a good thingto do, in a way. Others are making pajamas and pillows for the RedCross, and that's also an admirable thing to do. But our duty lies on ahigher plane, for we're going to get money to enable Uncle Sam to takecare of our soldier boys. "

"Do--do you think we can make people buy bonds?" asked little LauraHilton, 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. "Weshall ask them very prettily, and they cannot refuse us. We've all beenloaded to the brim with arguments, if arguments are necessary, but wehaven'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 timejust now. Let's get busy. "

"Well, get on your costumes, girls, " suggested Alora Jones. "They areall 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 hadsecretly prepared; a blue silk waist with white stars scattered overit, a red-and-white striped skirt, the stripes running from waistbandto hem, a "Godess of Liberty" cap and white canvas shoes. Attired inthis fashion, the "Liberty Girls, " as they had dubbed themselves, presented a most attractive and patriotic appearance, and as they filedout through the hall each seized a handsome silken banner, goldfringed, which bore the words: "Buy Bonds of Dorfield's Liberty Girls. "

"Now, then, " said Mary Louise, "we have each been allotted a certaindistrict in the business part of the city, for which we areindividually responsible. Each one knows what she is expected to do. Let no one escape. If any man claims to have already bought bonds, makehim buy more. And remember, we're all to meet at my house at oneo'clock for luncheon, and to report progress. "

A block away they secured seats in a streetcar and a few minutesthereafter reached the "Four Corners, " the intersection of the twoprincipal streets of Dorfield. But on the way they had sold oldJonathan Dodd, who happened to be in the car and was overawed by thedisplay of red-white-and-blue, two hundred dollars' worth of bonds. Asfor old man Dodd, he realized he was trapped and bought his limit witha sigh of resignation. 

As they separated at the Four Corners, each to follow her appointedroute, many surprised, if not startled, citizens regarded the LibertyGirls with approving eyes. They were pretty girls, all of them, andtheir silken costumes were really becoming. The patriots gazedadmiringly; the more selfish citizens gave a little shiver of dismayand scurried off to escape meeting these aggressive ones, whosegorgeous 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 fullduty. May we depend upon your bank to fulfill your promises, and carrythose bond buyers who wish to make time payments?"

"To be sure, my dear, " replied the banker. "I'd no idea you youngladies were to wear uniforms. But you certainly look fascinating, ifyou're a fair sample of the others, and I don't see how anyone canrefuse 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 girlvisited every one of them. Her appearance, garbed in the nationalcolors and bearing her banner, was a sign of conquest, for it seemed tothese busy men as if Uncle Sam himself was backing this crusade and alltheir latent patriotism was stirred to the depths. So they surrenderedat discretion and signed for the bonds. 

Mary Louise was modest and sweet in demeanor; her pleas were aspleasant as they were persuasive; there was nothing virulent ordominant 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 ourcountry needs the money, " the argument was generally effective, andwhen she had smilingly pinned the bond button on a man's coat andpassed on to interview others, she left him wondering why he had boughtmore bonds than he ever had intended to, or even provoked with himselfthat he had subscribed at all. These were the people who had generallyresisted all former pleadings of the regular committee and had resolvedto ignore the bond sale altogether. But perhaps their chagrin wasequalled by their satisfaction in having been won over by a prettygirl, whose manner and appearance were alike irresistible. 

The men of Dorfield are a fair sample of men everywhere. At this periodthe full meaning of the responsibilities we had assumed in thistremendous struggle was by no means fully realized. The war was too faraway, and life at home was still running in its accustomed grooves. They could not take the European war to themselves, nor realize that itmight sweep away their prosperity, their liberties--even their homes. Fear had not yet been aroused; pity for our suffering and hard-pressedallies was still lightly considered; the war had not struck home to thehearts of the people as it has since. I doubt if even Mary Louise fullyrealized 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 fromsuccessful effort. Their individual sales varied, of course, for somewere more tactful and winning than others, but all had substantialresults to report. "We've taken Dorfield by storm!" was their exultantcry. 

"Altogether, " said Mary Louise, figuring up the amounts, "we've soldthirty-two thousand dollars' worth of bonds this morning. That'sencouraging 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 onehundred 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 againat Alora's house and compare results. "

The girls needed no urging to resume their work, for already they hadgained confidence in their ability and were inspired to renewed effort. 

Mary Louise had optimistic plans for that afternoon's work. She firstvisited 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 ruinedby the high price of wheat and the absurd activities of Hoover. Westand to operate at a loss or else shut down altogether. The governmentought to pay us compensation, instead of asking us to contribute to thewar. "

"However, if we fail to win the war, " Mary Louise quietly replied, "your enormous investment here will become worthless. Isn't it betterto lose a little now, for the sake of future winnings, than tosacrifice the past and future and be reduced to poverty? We are askingyou to save yourself from threatened danger--the national calamity thatwould follow our defeat in this war. "

He sat back in his chair and looked at the girl in amazement. She wasrather young to have conceived such ideas. 

"Well, there's time enough to consider all that, " he said, lessgruffly. "You'll have to excuse me now, Miss Burrows. I'm busy. "

But Mary Louise kept her seat and redoubled her arguments, which werelogical and straight to the point. Mr. Chisholme's attitude might haveembarrassed her had she been pleading a personal favor, but she feltshe was the mouthpiece of the President, of the Nation, of worldwidedemocracy, and would not allow herself to feel annoyed. She devotedthree-quarters of an hour to Mr. Chisholme, who gradually thawed in hergenial sunshine. She finally sold him fifty thousand dollars worth ofLiberty Bonds and went on her way elated. The regular Bond Committeehad labored for weeks with this stubborn man, who managed one of thelargest enterprises in Dorfield, yet they had signally failed toconvince him or to induce him to subscribe a dollar. The girl hadsucceeded in less than an hour, and sold him exactly the amount heshould have bought. 

The mill subscription was a powerful leverage with which to pry moneyfrom other reluctant ones. Stacks, Sellem & Stacks, the big departmentstore heretofore resisting all appeals, bought from Mary Louise bondsto the amount of twenty-five thousand; the Denis Hardware Company tookten thousand. Then Mary Louise met her first serious rebuff. She wentinto 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'trob us, or force us to back England in her selfish schemes, they setgirls on us to wheedle us out of money we have honestly earned. Thishold-up game won't work, I assure you, and I advise you to get intomore respectable business. My money is mine; it doesn't belong to theAllies, and they won't get a cent of it. " He was getting more angry ashe proceeded in his harangue. "Moreover, " he continued, "our weakadministration can't use me to help it out of the hole it has foolishlystumbled into, or make America the cat's-paw to pull British chestnutsout of the fire. You ought to be ashamed, Miss Burrows, to lendyourself to such unpatriotic methods of bulldozing honest citizens!"

Mary Louise was distressed, but undaunted. The man was monstrouslywrong, and she knew it. Sitting in Mr. Herring's private office at thetime were Professor John Dyer, the superintendent of Dorfield'sschools, and the Hon. Andrew Duncan, a leading politician, a formerrepresentative and now one of the county supervisors. The girl lookedat 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 doubleeyeglasses, underneath which his eyes were somewhat watery. The smileupon his thin features was a stationary one, not as if assumed, butmolded 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 Americanpeople, " said he in stilted, pompous tones, "is that our friend Herringunwisely voices his protest, while the others merely think--andconsider it the part of wisdom to say nothing. "

"I don't believe that!" cried Mary Louise indignantly. "The Americanpeople are loyal to their President. There may be a few traitors; we'regradually discovering them; but--"

"I am busy, " Herring interrupted her, scowling, and he swung his chairso that his back was toward her. 

"You won't be busy long, if you keep talking that way, " predicted thegirl. 

"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 anygrocery man in Dorfield would buy goods of Mr. Herring if he knew himto be disloyal in this, our country's greatest crisis? And they'regoing to know it, if I have to visit each one and tell him myself whatMr. Herring has said. "

A tense, if momentary silence, followed, broken by the Professor, whonow said in his smooth, unctuous way:

"Mr. Herring's blunt expression of his sentiments was not intended forother ears than ours, I am sure. In confidence, one may say many thingsto friends which he would prefer to withhold from an indiscriminatingpublic. We are well assured, indeed, that Mr. Herring is a loyalAmerican, with America's best interests at heart, but he does notregard our present national activities as leniently as we do. I havebeen endeavoring, in my humble way, to change his attitude of mind, "here Herring swung around and looked at the speaker stolidly, "andthough I admit he is a bit obstinate, I venture to assure you, MissBurrows, that Silas Herring will stand by the Stars and Stripes as longas 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 boughtsome Liberty Bonds already, my girl, but you can put me down for ahundred dollars more. We must support our country in every possibleway, with effort, with money, with our flesh and blood. I have nochildren, but my two nephews and a second cousin are now in France!"

"For my part, " added Professor Dyer, "I have hesitated as to how muchof my meagre salary I can afford to spend. But I think I can handlefive hundred dollars' worth. "

"Thank you, " said Mary Louise, somewhat puzzled by these offers. "Itisn't like risking the money; it's a solid investment in the bestsecurities in the world. "

"I know, " returned the Professor, nodding gravely, "But I'm notthinking of that. I'm a poor man, as you probably know, but what I haveis at my country's disposal, since it is evident that my country needsit. "

"Doesn't that shame you, sir?" asked Mary Louise brightly, as sheturned to Silas Herring. "You're a business man, and they say--althoughI confess I doubt it--that you're a loyal American. You can convince meof the fact by purchasing a liberal share of bonds. Then I can forgetyour dreadful words. Then I can carry to everyone the news that you'vemade a splendid investment in Liberty Bonds. Even if you honestly thinkthe 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 everyother American may enjoy prosperity and freedom. How much shall I saythat you have subscribed, Mr. Herring?"

He studied her face, his expression never changing. Mary Louisewondered if he could read her suspicion and dislike of him, despite herefforts to smother those feelings in the cause of Liberty. Then Herringlooked at Professor Dyer, who stood meekly, with downcast eyes. Nextthe grocer gazed at the supervisor, who smiled in a shrewd way and gavea brief nod. 

Mr. Herring frowned. He drummed nervously with his fingers on hismahogany desk. Then he reached for his check-book and with grimdeliberation wrote a check and handed it to Mary Louise. 

"You've won, young lady, " he admitted. "I'm too good an American toapprove what has been done down at Washington, but I'll help keep ourflag waving, as the Professor suggests. When we've won our war--and ofcourse we shall win--there will be a day of reckoning for everyofficial who is judged by our citizens to have been disloyal, howeverhigh his station. Good afternoon!"

The first impulse of Mary Louise was to crumple up the check and throwit 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 thousanddollars, and that meant sinews of war--help for our soldiers and ourallies. She couldn't thank the man, but she bowed coldly and left theprivate office. Professor Dyer accompanied her and at the outer door hesaid to the girl:

"Silas Herring's heart is in the right place, as you see by hisgenerous 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 triumphfor our sacred cause that he was induced to buy at all. You are doing anoble 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 didnot care to discuss Silas Herring. 

"I'll do that, indeed, " promised the school superintendent. But as hewatched her depart, there was a queer expression on his lean face thatit was well Mary Louise did not see. 

CHAPTER IVTHE TRAITOR

When the Liberty Girls met that evening at the home of Alora Jones, itwas found that Mary Louise had sold more bonds than any of the others, although Laura Hilton had secured one subscription of fifty thousanddollars from the Dorfield National Steel Works, the manager of whichindustry, Mr. Colton, was a relative of the girl. Altogether, the day'swork had netted them two hundred and fourteen thousand dollars, and assoon as she could escape Mary Louise rushed home to report theirsuccess to her grandfather. 

"In one day, Gran'pa Jim!" she cried exultantly, and the old colonel'seyes sparkled as he replied:

"That makes our great mass-meeting look pretty small; doesn't it, mydear? I consider it wonderful! With four more such days our quota wouldbe over-subscribed. "

"That's what we shall try for, " she declared, and then told him who thebiggest bond buyers had been--mostly those who had refused to listen tothe regular Committee or had not been influenced by their carefullyprepared 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, Iknow, but those who need urging and shaming, to induce them to respondloyally to the nation's needs, deserve no consideration. We're notrobbing them, either, " she added, "but just inducing them to make asafe investment. Isn't that true, Gran'pa Jim?"

"What surprises me most, " he responded, "is how you ever managed toload your little head with so much mature wisdom. I'd no idea, MaryLouise, you were so interested in the war and our national propagandafor waging it successfully. "

"Why, I read the 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, " suggested Alora, "let us keep our eyes and earsopen for traces of the traitor. There may be more than one pro-Germanin the conspiracy, for the circular was printed by somebody, and thereare several kinds of handwriting on the addressed envelopes we havegathered. We've no time to do detective work, just now, but we canwatch out, just the same. "

Mary Louise did not mention the circular to Colonel Hathaway thatevening, 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 manyhad been sent out of these, but they were even more malicious in theirsuggestions. The girls were able to collect several of them forevidence and were 'more angry and resentful than ever, but they did notallow such outrageous antagonism to discourage them in their work. 

Of course the Liberty Girls were not the only ones in Dorfield tryingto sell bonds. Mr. Jaswell and other bankers promoted the bond salevigorously and the regular Committee did not flag in its endeavors tosecure subscriptions. On account of Colonel Hathaway's illness, Professor Dyer was selected to fill his place on the Committee andproved himself exceedingly industrious. The only trouble with theProfessor was his reluctance to argue. He seemed to work early andlate, visiting the wealthier and more prosperous citizens, but heaccepted too easily their refusals to buy. On several occasions theLiberty Girls succeeded in making important sales where Professor Dyerhad signally failed. He seemed astonished at this and told Mary Louise, with a deprecating shrug, that he feared his talents did not lie in thedirection of salesmanship. 

Despite the natural proportion of failures--for not all will buy bondsin any community--on the fourth day following the mass-meetingDorfield's quota of one million was fully subscribed, and on Saturdayanother hundred and fifty thousand was added, creating jubilation amongthe 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 hecongratulated the girls, "our success is due principally to yourpatriotic organization. The figures show that you secured subscriptionsfor over half a million. Dear me, what a remarkable fact!"

"More than that, " added Jason Jones, Alora's father, who was a wealthyartist and himself a member of the Committee, "our girls encouraged thefaltering ones to do their duty. Many a man who coldly turned ourCommittee down smiled at the pretty faces and dainty costumes of ourLiberty Girls and wrote their checks without a murmur. "

"All the credit is due Mary Louise, " declared Alora. "It was she whoproposed the idea, and who organized us and trained us and designed ourLiberty costumes. Also, Mary Louise made the most sales. "

"Nonsense!" cried Mary Louise, blushing red. "I couldn't have doneanything at all without the help of you girls. No one of us is entitledto more credit than the others, but all six of us may well feel proudof our success. We've done our bit to help Uncle Sam win the war. "

CHAPTER VUNCONVINCING TESTIMONY

On Sunday "Gran'pa Jim, " relieved of all worry, felt "quite himselfagain, " as he expressed it, and the old gentleman strutted somewhatproudly as he marched to church with his lovely granddaughter besidehim, although her uniform was to-day discarded for a neat tailor-suit. Mary Louise had always been a favorite in Dorfield, but the past weekhad made her a heroine in the eyes of all patriotic citizens. Many werethe looks of admiration and approval cast at the young girl thismorning as she passed along the streets beside the old colonel. 

In the afternoon, as they sat in the cosy study at home, the girl forthe first time showed her grandfather the disloyal circulars, relatinghow indignant the Liberty Girls had been at encountering such dastardlyopposition. 

Colonel Hathaway studied the circulars carefully. He compared thehandwritings on the different envelopes, and when Mary Louise saidpositively: "That man must be discovered and arrested!" her grandfathernodded his head and replied:

"He is a dangerous man. Not especially on account of these mischievousutterances, which are too foolish to be considered seriously, butbecause such a person is sure to attempt other venomous deeds whichmight prove more important. German propaganda must be dealt withsternly and all opposition to the administration thoroughly crushed. Itwill 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 andintensely patriotic, from all I have heard. I think he will have nodifficulty in discovering who is responsible for these circulars. "

"I shall go to him to-morrow, " decided Mary Louise. "I had the sameidea, Gran'pa Jim; it's a matter for the police to handle. "

But when she had obtained an interview with Chief of Police Farnum thenext morning and had silently laid one of the circulars on his deskbefore 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 ourcitizens, " said she. 

"I know. "

"They are pro-German, of course. The traitor who is responsible forthem 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 asudden frown, "and only two things prevent my obeying your request. Oneis 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, oreven 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. "Ibelieve we could locate the fellow, were such a task not obviated bythe second objection. "

"And that?"

"If you'll read this circular--there are two others, by the way, mailedat different times--you will discover that our objectionable friend hasskillfully evaded breaking our present laws. He doesn't assert anythingtreasonable 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 speechin this country, altogether too much under present conditions. Thewriter of this circular makes certain statements that are true andwould be harmless in themselves were they not followed by a series ofquestions which insinuate that our trusted officials are manipulatingour funds for selfish purposes. A simple denial of these insinuationsdraws the fangs from every question. We know very well the intent wasto rouse suspicion and resentment against the government, but if we hadthe author of these circulars in court we could not prove that he hadinfringed any of the existing statutes. "

"And you will allow such a traitor as that to escape!" cried MaryLouise, amazed and shocked. 

For a moment he did not reply, but regarded the girl thoughtfully. Thenhe said:

"The police of a city, Miss Burrows, is a local organization withlimited powers. I don't mind telling you, however, that there are nowin Dorfield certain government agents who are tracing this circular andwill not be so particular as we must be to abide by established law inmaking arrests. Their authority is more elastic, in other words. Moreover, these circulars were mailed, and the postoffice departmenthas special detectives to attend to those who use the mails fordisloyal purposes. "

"Are any of these agents or detectives working on this case?" asked thegirl, more hopefully. 

"Let us suppose so, " he answered. "They do not confide their activitiesto the police, although if they call upon us, we must assist them. Ipersonally saw that copies of these circulars were placed in the handsof a government agent, but have heard nothing more of the affair. "

"And you fear they will let the matter drop?" she questioned, trying tocatch the drift of his cautiously expressed words. 

He did not answer that question at all. Instead, he quietly arrangedsome papers on his desk and after a pause that grew embarrassing, againturned to Mary Louise. 

"Whoever issued these circulars, " he remarked, "is doubtless clever. Heis also bitterly opposed to the administration, and we may logicallysuppose he will not stop in his attempts to block the government'sconduct of the war. At every opportunity he will seek to poison theminds of our people and, sooner or later, he will do something that isdecidedly actionable. Then we will arrest him and put an end to hiscareer. "

"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 knowhe is against the government, but on the other hand he may detest theGermans. That his propaganda directly aids our enemies there is nodoubt, yet his enmity may have been aroused by personal prejudice orintense opposition to the administration or to other similar cause. Such a person is an out-and-out traitor when his sentiments lead toactions which obstruct his country's interests. The traitors are notall 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, " sheremarked, "and I think you ought to watch him, Mr. Farnum, and try toprevent his doing more harm. "

The Chief studied her face. He seemed to have a theory that one mayglean as much from facial expression as from words. 

"One ought to be absolutely certain, " said he, "before accusing anyoneof disloyalty. A false accusation is unwarranted. It is a crime, infact. You have no idea, Miss Burrows, how many people come to us toslyly accuse a neighbor, whom they hate, of disloyalty. In not a singleinstance have they furnished proof, and we do not encourage meretelltales. I don't want you to tell me whom you suspect, but when youcan lay before me a positive accusation, backed by facts that can beproven, I'll take up the case and see that the lawbreaker is vigorouslyprosecuted. "

The girl went away greatly annoyed by the Chief's reluctance to act inthe matter, but when she had related the interview to Gran'pa, the oldcolonel said:

"I like Farnum's attitude, which I believe to be as just as it isconservative. Suspicion, based on personal dislike, should not betolerated. Why, Mary Louise, anyone might accuse you, or me, ofdisloyalty and cause us untold misery and humiliation in defendingourselves and proving our innocence--and even then the stigma on ourgood name would be difficult to remove entirely. Thousands of peoplehave lost their lives in the countries of Europe through falseaccusations. But America is an enlightened nation, and let us hope nopersonal animosities will influence us or no passionate adherence toour country's cause deprive us of our sense of justice. "

"Our sense of justice, " asserted Mary Louise, "should lead us to unmasktraitors, and I know very well that somewhere in Dorfield lurks anenemy to my country. "

"We will admit that, my dear. But your country is watching out forthose 'enemies within, ' who are more to be feared than those without;and, if I were you, Mary Louise, I'd allow the proper officials tounmask the traitor, as they are sure to do in time. This war has placedother opportunities in your path to prove your usefulness to yourcountry, 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 withtheir successful Liberty Bond "drive. " Indeed, this success and theapprobation of their fellow townspeople spurred the young girls on tofurther patriotic endeavor, in which they felt sure of enthusiasticencouragement. 

"As long as Uncle Sam needs his soldiers, " said Peter Conant, thelawyer, "he'll need his Liberty Girls, for they can help win the war. "

When Mary Louise first conceived the idea of banding her closestcompanions to support the government in all possible ways, she was abit 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 RedCross chapter had already usurped many fields of feminine usefulnessand with a thorough organization, which included many of the olderwomen, was accomplishing a 'vast deal of good. Of course the LibertyGirls could not hope to rival the Red Cross. 

Mary Louise was only seventeen and the ages of the other Liberty Girlsranged from fourteen to eighteen, so they had been somewhat ignored bythose who were older and more competent, through experience, toundertake 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 theirambition to accomplish more. 

Mary Louise Burrows was an orphan; her only relative, indeed, wasColonel James Hathaway, her mother's father, whose love for hisgranddaughter was thoroughly returned by the young girl. They were goodcomrades, these two, and held many interests in common despite thediscrepancy in their ages. The old colonel was "well-to-do, " andalthough he could scarcely be called wealthy in these days of hugefortunes, his resources were ample beyond their needs. The Hathawayhome was one of the most attractive in Dorfield, and Mary Louise andher grandfather were popular and highly respected. Their servantsconsisted of an aged pair of negroes named "Aunt Sally" and "UncleEben, " 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 thelittle city, was an heiress and considered the richest girl inDorfield, having been left several millions by her mother. Her father, Jason Jones, although he handled Alora's fortune and surrounded hismotherless daughter with every luxury, was by profession an artist--akindly man who encouraged the girl to be generous and charitable to adegree. They did not advertise their good deeds and only the poor knewhow much they owed to the practical sympathy of Alora Jones and herfather. Alora, however, was rather reserved and inclined to make fewfriends, her worst fault being a suspicion of all strangers, due tosome unfortunate experiences she had formerly encountered. The littleband of Liberty Girls included all of Alora's accepted chums, for theywere the chums of Mary Louise, whom Alora adored. Their companionshiphad done much to soften the girl's distrustful nature. 

The other Liberty Girls were Laura Hilton, petite and pretty andbubbling with energy, whose father was a prominent real estate broker;Lucile Neal, whose father and three brothers owned and operated theNeal Automobile Factory, and whose intelligent zeal and knowledge ofwar conditions had been of great service to Mary Louise; Edna Barlow, awidowed dressmaker's only child, whose sweet disposition had made her afavorite with her girl friends, and Jane Donovan, the daughter of theMayor of Dorfield and the youngest of the group here described. 

These were the six girls who had entered the bond campaign and assistedto complete Dorfield's quota of subscriptions, but there was one otherLiberty Girl who had been unable to join them in this active work. Thiswas Irene Macfarlane, the niece of Peter Conant. She had been a cripplesince childhood and was confined to the limits of a wheeled chair. Farfrom being gloomy or depressed, however, Irene had the sunniest natureimaginable, and was always more bright and cheerful than the averagegirl 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 anexcellent musician and sang very sweetly; she was especially deft withher needle; she managed her chair so admirably that little assistancewas ever required. Mrs. Conant called her "the light of the house, " andto hear her merry laughter and sparkling conversation, you wouldspeedily be tempted to forget that fate had been unkind to her anddecreed 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 mighthave pained her. 

While unable to sally forth in the Liberty Bond drive, Irene was nonethe less an important member of the band of Liberty Girls. "She's ourinspiration, " said Mary Louise with simple conviction. Teeming withpatriotism and never doubting her ability to do something helpful indefeating her country's foes, Irene had many valuable suggestions tomake to her companions and one of these she broached a few days afterthe bond sale ended so triumphantly. On this occasion the Liberty Girlshad met with Irene at Peter Conant's cosy home, next door to theresidence of Colonel Hathaway, for consultation as to their futureendeavors. 

"Everyone is knitting for the soldiers and sailors, " said Irene, "andwhile that is a noble work, I believe that we ought to do somethingdifferent from the others. Such an important organization ought torender 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, " remarkedLaura, "but the whole nation is doing that and I really hanker to helpour soldier boys. "

"So do I, " spoke up Lucile. "The government is equal to the country'sneeds, I'm sure, but the government has never taken any too good careof its soldiers and they'll lack a lot of things besides knitted goodswhen they get to the front. "

"Exactly, " agreed Mary Louise. "Seems to me it's the girls' chief dutyto look after the boys, and a lot of the drafted ones are marching awayfrom Dorfield each day, looking pretty glum, even if loyally submittingto the inevitable. I tell you, girls, these young and green soldiersneed encouraging, so they'll become enthusiastic and make the best sortof 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 ahint to trail away in the very direction I wanted to lead you. Thereare a lot of things we can do to add to our soldiers' comfort. Theyneed chocolate--sweets are good for them--and 'comfort-kits' of thereal sort, not those useless, dowdy ones so many well-intentioned womenare wasting time and money to send them; and they'll be grateful forlots 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 Frenchgirls are supplying our boys across the pond with them even now. Surelywe can do as much for our own brave laddies who are still learning theart of war. Not all smoke, of course, and some prefer pipes andtobacco, which we can also send them. Another thing, nearly everysoldier needs a good pocket knife, and a razor, and they need games ofall sorts, such as dominoes and checkers and cribbage-boards; and goodhonest trench mirrors, and--"

"Goodness me, Irene, " interrupted Jane Donovan, "how do you think wecould supply all those things? To equip a regiment with the articlesyou mention would cost a mint of money, and where's the money comingfrom, 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 raisethe 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 ondark nights. "

Irene's smile did not fade; she simply glowed with glee at thesecharacteristic protestations. 

"I can't blame you, girls, for you haven't thought the thing out, and Ihave, " she stated. "My scheme isn't entirely original, for I read theother day of a similar plan being tried in another city, with goodsuccess. 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 thanshe had before spoken, "it is necessary for us to go into business. Theother day, when I was riding with Alora, I noticed that the storebetween the post-office and the Citizens' Bank is vacant, and a sign inthe window said 'Apply to Peter Conant, Agent. ' Peter Conant being myuncle, I applied to him that evening after dinner, on behalf of theLiberty Girls. It's one of the best locations in town and right in theheart 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 thelast six months, with no prospect of its being rented. Girls, PeterConant will allow us to use this store room without charge untilsomeone is willing to pay the proper rent for it, and so the first bigproblem 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 oldPeter Conant to be generous and patriotic. But what good is a storewithout stock, and how are we going to get a stock to sell--and sell itat a profit that will allow us to do all the things we long to do forthe 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 suchchatterboxes that you won't let me talk! Now--listen. I'm not much ofan executioner, girls, but I can plan and you can execute, and in thatway I get my finger in the pie. Now, I believe I've a practical ideathat will work out beautifully. Dorfield is an ancient city and hasbeen inhabited for generations. Almost every house contains a lot ofarticles that are not in use--are put aside and forgotten--or are notin any way necessary to the comfort and happiness of the owners, yetwould be highly prized by some other family which does not possess sucharticles. For instance, a baby-carriage or crib, stored away in someattic, could be sold at a bargain to some young woman needing such anarticle; or some old brass candlesticks, considered valueless by theirowner, would be eagerly bought by someone who did not possess suchthings and had a love for antiques. 

"My proposition is simply this: that you visit all the substantialhomes in Dorfield and ask to be given whatever the folks care todispense with, such items to be sold at 'The Liberty Girls' Shop' andthe money applied to our War Fund to help the soldier boys. Lucile'sbrother, Joe Neal, will furnish us a truck to cart all the things fromthe houses to our store, and I'm sure we can get a whole lot of goodsthat will sell readily. The people will be glad to give all that theydon't want to so good a cause, and what one doesn't want, another issure to want. Whatever money we take in will be all to the good, andwith 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 everycountenance. They canvassed all the pros and cons of the proposition atlength, and the more they considered it the more practical it seemed. 

"The only doubtful thing, " said Mary Louise, finally, "is whether thepeople will donate the goods they don't need or care for, but that canbe easily determined by asking them. We ought to pair off, and eachcouple take a residence street and make a careful canvass, taking timeto explain our plan. One day will show us whether we're to besuccessful or not, and the whole idea hinges on the success of ourappeal. "

"Not entirely, " objected Alora. "We may secure the goods, but be unableto sell them. "

"Nonsense, " said little Laura Hilton; "nothing in the world sells soreadily as second-hand truck. Just think how the people flock toauctions and the like. And we girls should prove good 'salesladies, 'too, for we can do a lot of coaxing and get better prices than anauctioneer. All we need do is appeal to the patriotism of theprospective buyers. "

"Anyhow, " asserted Edna, "it seems worth a trial, and we must admit theidea is attractive and unique--at least a novelty in Dorfield. "

So they planned their method of canvassing and agreed to put in thenext day soliciting articles to sell at the Liberty Girls' Shop. 

CHAPTER VIITHE LIBERTY SHOP

Mary Louise said to her grandfather that night, after explainingIrene's novel scheme to raise money: "We haven't been housekeeping manyyears in Dorfield and I'm not sure I can find among our householdpossessions anything to give the Liberty Shop. But I've some jewelryand 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 approvedhis granddaughter's proposition to give her surplus jewelry but wentover the house with her and selected quite an imposing lot of odds andends which were not in use and could readily be spared. Eager to assistthe girls, the old colonel next morning went to town and ordered a bigsign painted, to be placed over the store entrance, and he also inducedthe editors of the two newspapers to give the Liberty Girls' latestventure publicity in their columns, inviting the cooperation of thepublic. 

Peter Conant turned over the keys of the big store to the girls and thefirst load of goods to be delivered was that from the Hathawayresidence. 

The Liberty Girls were astonished at the success of theirsolicitations. From almost every house they visited they secureddonations of more or less value. It may have seemed "rubbish" to someof the donors, but the variety of goods that soon accumulated in thestore room presented an interesting collection and the girls arrangedtheir wares enticingly and polished up the brass and copper ornamentsand utensils until they seemed of considerable value. 

They did not open their doors to the public for ten days, and Joe Nealbegan to grumble because one of his trucks was kept constantly runningfrom house to house, gathering up the articles contributed to theLiberty Girls' Shop. But the girls induced other trucks to help Joe andthe enthusiasm kept growing. Curiosity was spurred by the big sign overthe closed doors, and every woman who donated was anxious to know whatothers had given to the shop. It was evident there would be a crowd atthe formal "opening, " for much was expected from the unique enterprise. 

Meantime, the girls were busily occupied. Each day one group soliciteddonations while another stayed at the store to arrange the goods. Manyarticles of furniture, more or less decrepit, were received, and a manwas hired to varnish and patch and put the chairs, stands, tables, desks and whatnots into the best condition possible. Alora Jonesthought the stock needed "brightening, " so she induced her father tomake purchases of several new articles, which she presented the girlsas her share of the donations. And Peter Conant, finding many smallpieces of jewelry, silverware and bric-a-brac among the accumulation, rented a big showcase for the girls, in which such wares were properlydisplayed. 

During these ten days of unflagging zeal the Liberty Girls were annoyedto discover that another traitorous circular had been issued. A largecontingent of the selective draft boys had just been ordered away tothe cantonment and the day before they left all their parents receiveda circular saying that the draft was unconstitutional and that theirsons were being sacrificed by autocratic methods to further thepolitical schemes of the administration. "Mr. Wilson, " it ended, "istrying to make for himself a place in history, at the expense of theflesh and blood of his countrymen. "

This vile and despicable screed was printed from the same queer type asthe former circulars denouncing the Liberty Bond sale and evidentlyemanated from the same source. Mary Louise was the first to secure oneof the papers and its envelope, mailed through the local post-office, and her indignation was only equalled by her desire to punish theoffender. She realized, however, her limitations, and that she hadneither the time nor the talent to unmask the traitor. She could onlyhope that the proper authorities would investigate the matter. 

That afternoon, with the circular still in her handbag, she visited theclothing store of Jacob Kasker and asked the proprietor if he had anygoods he would contribute to the Liberty Girls' Shop. 

Kasker was a stolid, florid-faced man, born in America of naturalizedGerman parents, and therefore his citizenship could not be assailed. Hehad been quite successful as a merchant and was reputed to be thewealthiest clothing dealer in Dorfield. 

"No, " said Kasker, shortly, in answer to the request. Mary Louise wasannoyed 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. Usuallyhis 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. Doyou know they've drafted him--took him from his work without hisconsent, or mine, and marched him off to a war that there's no goodexcuse for?"

"Well, " returned Mary Louise, "your boy is one of those we're trying tohelp. "

"You won't help make him a free American again; you'll just help givehim knickknacks so he won't rebel against his slavery. "

The girl's eyes flashed. 

"Mr. Kasker, " she said sternly, "I consider that speech disloyal andtraitorous. Men are being jailed every day for less!"

He shrugged his shoulders. 

"I believe that is true, and it proves what a free country thisis--does it not? Mr. Wilson's democracy is the kind that won't allowpeople to express their opinions, unless they agree with him. If I sayI will stand by the American constitution, they will put me in jail. "

Mary Louise fairly gasped. She devoutly wished she had never approachedthis dreadful man. She felt ashamed to breathe the same air with him. But she hated to retreat without a definite display of her disgust athis perfidious utterances. Drawing the circular from her bag she spreadit before him on his desk and said:

"Read that!"

He just glanced at it, proving he knew well its wording. Mary Louisewas 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. "Letme tell you this: However much I hate this war, I'm not fighting itpublicly. 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 mymouth shut. I guess I'll never learn that. I ain't a hypocrite, and Iain't a pacifist. I say the United States must win this war because ithas started the job, and right or wrong, must finish it. I guess wecould beat the whole world, if we had to. But I ain't fool enough tosay that all they do down at Washington is right, 'cause I know itain'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 flagflying over this great republic. By and by we'll get bettercongressmen; the ones we got now are accidents. But in spite of allaccidents--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 andI don't like the English, for Jake Kasker is a George WashingtonAmerican. What are you doing, girl?" he suddenly asked with a change oftone. 

"I'm putting down that speech in shorthand in my notebook, " said MaryLouise, "and I think I've got every word of it. " She slipped the bookin her bag and picked up the circular. "Good afternoon, Mr. Kasker!"

The German seemed bewildered; he ran his fingers through his bushy hairas if trying to remember what he had said. 

"Wait!" he cried, as she turned away. "I've changed my mind about thosegoods; 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 whosepatriotism rings true are allowed to help us. "

Then she marched out of the big store, the proprietor at the deskstaring at her fixedly until she had disappeared. 

"That's it, Jake, " he said to himself, turning to his papers; "you talktoo much. If a man prints a thing, and nobody knows who printed it, he's safe. "

CHAPTER VIIITHE DETECTIVE'S DAUGHTER

"I'm pretty sure, Gran'pa Jim, " said Mary Louise that evening, "thatI've trailed the traitor to his lair, and he's none other than--JakeKasker!"

This was the first time she had mentioned her suspicion of Kasker tohim, and her statement was received by the colonel with moderatesurprise, followed by a doubtful smile. 

"I know Jake, " he remarked, "and while he is uneducated and his mind isunformed concerning most things outside the clothing business, I shouldhesitate 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 andpaternalism of the Junkers, which is proof in itself that theydisapprove of what we term kaiserism. I know that Kasker talksfoolishly against the war and resents the drafting of his son, but Ithink he is a good American at heart. He has bought Liberty Bonds moreliberally than some who proclaim their patriotism from the housetops. Idon't fear these outspoken objectors, my dear, as much as those whowork slyly in the dark--such as the writers of those disgracefulcirculars. "

"I practically accused Kasker of sending out those circulars, " saidMary Louise, "and his defense was very lame and unconvincing. Listen, Grand'pa, to what he said. I took the speech down in shorthand, andthat 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 saysis disloyal to our government and calculated to do much harm, especially if widely circulated. This is no time to criticise the menwho are working hard to win the war; we should render them faithfulsupport. The task before us is difficult and it will require a unitedcountry to defeat our enemies. I must talk to Jake Kasker. "

"Won't it be better to let the authorities deal with him?" suggestedthe 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 totake warning. Anyhow, I shall relate the whole interview to ChiefFarnum 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 isseldom at fault, and I'm convinced he's responsible for this latest andmost dreadful circular, " and she laid it before him. 

"A girl's intuition is not as mature as a woman's intuition, " the Chiefanswered in an impatient tone. "You force me to say, my dear younglady, that you are dabbling in affairs that do not concern you. I'veplenty of those circulars on file and I'm attending to my duty andkeeping an eye open for the rascal who wrote them. But there is noproof that Kasker is the man. The federal officers are alsoinvestigating the case, and I imagine they will not require yourassistance. "

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 youare able to bring me proof, I'll arrest him and turn him over to thefederal agents for prosecution. But, for heaven's sake, don't bother mewith mere suspicions. "

Mary Louise did not accept this rebuke graciously. She went away withthe feeling that Chief Farnum was, for some reason, condoning a crime, and she was firmly resolved to obtain the required proof if it could besecured without subjecting herself to the annoyance of such rebuffs asthe one she had just endured. 

"We ought not to permit such a snake in the grass to exist in dear oldDorfield, " she told her girl associates. "Let us all try to discoverabsolute proof of Kasker's treachery. "

The other Liberty Girls were as indignant as Mary Louise, but were toointent on their present duties to pay much attention to Jake Kasker. For the Liberty Girls' Shop was now open to the public, and men, womenand children crowded in to see what the girls had to offer. Sales wereso brisk during the first week that the stock became depleted and oncemore they made a house to house canvass to obtain a new supply ofmaterial. 

This kept all six of the girls busily occupied. Irene each morning rodedown to the shop in the Hathaway automobile--wheel-chair and all--andacted as cashier, so as to relieve the others of this duty. She couldaccomplish this work very nicely and became the Liberty Girls'treasurer and financial adviser. Each day she deposited in the bank themoney received, and the amounts were so liberal that enthusiasm waseasily maintained. 

"The soldier boys have reason to rejoice, " said Irene complacently, "for we shall soon be able to provide them with numerous comforts andluxuries--all of which they are surely entitled to. "

So the new enterprise was progressing finely when, one evening, onreaching home from a busy day at the shop, Mary Louise found a letterthat greatly pleased her. It was from an old and valued girl friend inWashington and after rambling along pleasantly on a variety of subjectsthe writer concluded as follows:

"But we can talk all this over at our leisure, my dear, for I'm goingto accept one of your many pressing invitations (the _first_ one, ofcourse) and make you another little visit. I love Dorfield, and I loveyou, and the dear Colonel, and Irene and Alora, and I long to see allof 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 myusual erratic fashion I may follow on the heels of this letter, or Imay lag behind it for a few days, but whenever I turn up at theHathaway 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 onemight wonder what link of sympathy drew them together, unless it was"the law of opposites. " However, there was one quality in both theirnatures that might warrant the warm friendship existing between the twogirls. Mary Louise was sweet and winning, with a charming, well-bredmanner and a ready sympathy for all who were in trouble. She wasattractive in person, particular as to dress, generous and considerateto a fault. The girl had been carefully reared and had well repaid thetraining of the gallant old colonel, her grandfather, who hadsurrounded her with competent instructors. Yet Mary Louise had apassion for mysteries and was never quite so happy as when engaged instudying a baffling personality or striving to explain a seemingenigma. Gran'pa Jim, who was usually her confidant when she "scented amystery, " often accused her of allowing her imagination to influenceher judgment, but on several occasions the girl had triumphantly provenher intuitions to be correct. You must not think, from this statement, that Mary Louise was prone to suspect everyone she met; it was only onrare occasions she instinctively felt there was more beneath thesurface of an occurrence than appeared to the casual observer, andthen, if a wrong might be righted or a misunderstanding removed--butonly in such event--she eagerly essayed to discover the truth. It wasin this manner that she had once been of great service to her friendAlora Jones, and to others as well. It was this natural quality, combined with sincere loyalty, which made her long to discover andbring to justice the author of the pro-German circulars. 

Josie O'Gorman was small and "pudgy"--her own expression--red-hairedand freckled-faced and snub-nosed. Her eyes redeemed much of thispersonal handicap, for they were big and blue as turquoises and asmerry and innocent in expression as the eyes of a child. Also, the goodhumor which usually pervaded her sunny features led people to ignoretheir plainness. In dress, Josie was somewhat eccentric in herselections and careless in methods of wearing her clothes, but thismight be excused by her engrossing interest in people, rather than inapparel. 

The girl was the daughter--the only child, indeed--of John O'Gorman, anold and trusted lieutenant of the government's secret-service. FromJosie's childhood, the clever detective had trained her in all thesubtle art of his craft, and allowing for her youth, which meant alimited experience of human nature and the intricacies of crime, JosieO'Gorman was now considered by her father to be more expert than theaverage professional detective. While the astute secret-service agentwas more than proud of his daughter's talent, he would not allow her toundertake the investigation of crime as a profession until she wasolder and more mature. Sometimes, however, he permitted and evenencouraged her to "practise" on minor or unimportant cases of a privatenature, in which the United States government was not interested. 

Josie's talent drew Mary Louise to her magnetically. The detective'sdaughter was likewise a delightful companion. She was so well versed inall matters of national import, as well as in the foibles andpeculiarities of the human race, that even conservative, old ColonelHathaway admired the girl and enjoyed her society. Josie had visitedMary Louise more than once and was assured a warm welcome whenever shecame to Dorfield. Most of the Liberty Girls knew Josie O'Gorman, andwhen they heard she was coming they straightway insisted she be made amember of their band. 

"She'll just _have_ to be one of us, " said Mary Louise, "for I'm sobusy with our wonderful Shop that I can't entertain Josie properlyunless she takes a hand in our game, which I believe she will be gladto do. "

And Josie _was_ glad, and proclaimed herself a Liberty Girl the firsthour of her arrival, the moment she learned what the patriotic band hadalready accomplished and was determined to accomplish further. 

"It's just play, you know, and play of the right sort--loyal andhelpful to those who deserve the best we can give them, our bravesoldiers and sailors. Count me in, girls, and you'll find me at theLiberty Shop early and late, where I promise to sell anything from anold hoopskirt to a decayed piano at the highest market price. We've hadsome 'rummage sales' in Washington, you know, but nothing to comparewith this thorough and businesslike undertaking of yours. But I won'twear your uniform; I can't afford to allow the gloriousred-white-and-blue to look dowdy, as it would on my unseemly form. "

CHAPTER IXGATHERING UP THE THREADS

Josie O'Gorman had been in Dorfield several days before Mary Louiseshowed her the traitorous circulars that had been issued by someunknown obstructionist. At first she had been a little ashamed toacknowledge to her friend that a citizen of her own town could be sodisloyal, but the matter had weighed heavily on her mind and so shedecided to unload it upon Josie's shrewder intelligence. 

"I feel, dear, that the best service you can render us while here--thebest you can render the nation, too--will be to try to discover thissecret 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 folksare not too patriotic, even now, when we are facing the most terribleordeal in our history, and some are often so weak as to be influencedby what I am sure is pro-German propaganda. "

Josie studied the various circulars. She studied the handwriting on theenvelopes and the dates of the postmarks. Her attitude was tense, asthat 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 theLiberty Bond mass-meeting and her interview with him in his store, inwhich he plainly showed his antagonism to the draft and to theadministration generally. She read to Josie the shorthand notes she hadtaken and supplemented all by declaring that such a man could be guiltyof any offense. 

"You see, " she concluded, "all evidence points to Kasker as thetraitor; but Chief Farnum is stubborn and independent, and we mustobtain positive proof that Kasker issued those circulars. Then we canput an end to his mischief-making. I don't know how to undertake such ajob, Josie, but you do; I'm busy at the Liberty Shop, and we can spareyou 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 lether say all she had to say concerning this interesting matter. When herfriend paused for lack of words, Josie remarked:

"Every American's watchword should be: 'Swat the traitor!' War seems tobreed traitors, somehow. During the Civil War they were called'copperheads, ' as the most venomous term that could be applied to thebreed. We haven't yet coined an equally effective word in this war, butit will come in time. Meanwhile, every person--man or woman--who is notwhole-heartedly with President Wilson and intent on helping win thewar, is doing his country a vital injury. That's the flat truth, andI'd like to shake your Jake Kasker out of his suit of hand-me-downclothing. If he isn't a traitor, he's a fool, and sometimes fools aremore dangerous than traitors. There! All this has got me riled, and aninvestigator has no business to get riled. They must be calm andcollected. " She slapped her forehead, settled herself in her chair andcontinued in a more moderate tone: "Now, tell me what other people inDorfield have led you to suspect they are not in accord with theadministration, 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 reallygive him that shaking, " she replied. "I'll admit that such a person ismischievous and ought to be shut up, either by jailing him or putting aplaster over his mouth, but I can't believe Jake Kasker guilty of thosecirculars. "

"Why not?" in an aggrieved tone. 

"Well, in spite of his disloyal mutterings, his deeds are loyal. He'sdisgruntled 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 atartar. He hates the war--perhaps we all hate it, in a way--but he'llbuy Liberty Bonds and help win a victory. I know that sort; they're notdangerous; just at war with themselves, with folly and honestystruggling for the mastery. Let him alone and in a few months you'llfind 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! Whenyou were selling Liberty Bonds, did you meet with no objectors?"

"Well--yes; there's a wholesale grocer here, who is named SilasHerring, 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 remarksabout the bonds and accused our government of being dominated by theEnglish. He was very bitter in his remarks, but in his office were twoother 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 hearwhat, 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 becameso 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 hadpurchased any bonds until then?"

"I think not. Gran'pa Jim had himself tried to sell Mr. Herring and hadbeen 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 bepatriotic. "

"Oh, well; the rich grocer took them off his hands, perhaps. Nodisloyal 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 genuinelypatriotic--except, " as an afterthought, "little Annie Boyle, and shedoesn't count. "

"Who is little Annie Boyle?"

"No one much. Her father keeps the Mansion House, one of the hotelshere, but not one of the best. It's patronized by cheap traveling menand the better class of clerks, I'm told, and Mr. Boyle is said to do agood business. Annie knows some of our girls, and they say she hatesthe war and denounces Mr. Wilson and everybody concerned in the war. But Annie's a silly little thing, anyhow, and of course she couldn'tget out those circulars. "

Josie wrote Annie Boyle's name on her tablets--little ivory affairswhich 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 elsetalk, 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, MaryLouise. At your invitation I'll make myself scarce, and nose around. Tobe quite frank, I consider this matter serious; more serious than youperhaps suspect. And, since you've put this case in my hands, I'm sureyou and the dear colonel won't mind if I'm a bit eccentric in mymovements 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 accomplishanything, but you'd like me to try, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, indeed. That's why I've told you all this. I feel something oughtto 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, " shegravely announced. "They're keeping Daddy and all the Department ofJustice pretty busy, so I've an inkling as to their activities. Germanspies are encouraged by German propagandists, who are not always Germanbut may be Americans, or even British by birth, but are none the lessdeadly on that account. The paid spy has no nationality; he is true tono one but the devil, and he and his abettors fatten on treachery. Hisabettors are those who repeat sneering and slurring remarks about ourconduct of the war. You may set it down that whoever is notpro-American is pro-German; whoever does not favor the Allies--all ofthem, mind you--favors the Kaiser; whoever is not loyal in this hourof our country's greatest need is a traitor. "

"You're right, Josie!"

"Now, " continued Josie, reflectively, "you and I must both understandthat we're undertaking a case that is none of our business. It's thebusiness 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'sthe business of the local police. Together, they have a thousand eyes, but enemy propagandists are more numerous and scattered throughout thenation. Your chief of police doesn't want to interfere with the federalagents here, and the federal agents are instructed not to pay attentionto what is called 'spy hysteria, ' and so they're letting things slide. But you believe, and I believe, that there's more treachery underlyingthese circulars than appears on the surface, and if we can secureevidence that is important, and present it to the proper officials, weshall be doing our country a service. So I'll start out on my ownresponsibility. "

"Doesn't your secret service badge give you authority?" asked MaryLouise. 

"No, " replied Josie; "that badge is merely honorary. Daddy got it forme so that if ever I got into trouble it would help me out, but itdoesn't make me a member of the secret service or give me a bit ofauthority. But that doesn't matter; when I get evidence, I know whatauthority to give it to, and that's all that is necessary. "

"Anyhow, " said Mary Louise, with a relieved sigh, "I'm glad you aregoing to investigate the author of those awful circulars. It hasworried me a good deal to think that Dorfield is harboring a Germanspy, and I have confidence that if anyone can discover the traitor, youcan. "

"That's good of you, " returned Josie, with a grimace, "but I lack asimilar confidence in myself. Don't you remember how many times I'vefoozled?"

"But sometimes, Josie, you've won, and I hope you'll win now. "

"Thank you, " said Josie; "I hope so, myself. "

CHAPTER XTHE EXPLOSION

Day was just beginning to break when a terrible detonation shook allDorfield. Houses rocked, windows rattled, a sudden wind swept over thetown and then a glare that was not a presage of the coming sun lit thesky. 

A brief silence succeeded the shock, but immediately thereafterwhistles shrieked, fire-bells clanged, a murmur of agitated voicescrying aloud was heard on every side, and the people began pouring fromthe houses into the streets demanding the cause of the alarm. 

Colonel Hathaway, still weak and nervous, stood trembling in hisbathrobe when Mary Louise came to him. 

"It's the airplane factory, Gran'pa Jim, " she said. "I can see it frommy windows. Something must have exploded and the buildings are onfire. "

The airplane works of Dorfield had been one of the city's most uniqueinstitutions, but until we entered the World War it was not deemed ofprime importance. The government's vast airplane appropriations, however, had resulted in the Dorfield works securing contracts for themanufacture of war machines that straightway raised the enterprise toan important position. The original plant had been duplicated a dozentimes, until now, on the big field south of the city, the cluster ofbuildings required for the construction of aircraft was one of the mostimposing manufacturing plants in that part of the State. Skilledgovernment aviators had been sent to Dorfield to inspect every machineturned out. Although backed by local capital, it was, in effect, agovernment institution because it was now devoted exclusively togovernment contracts; therefore the explosion and fire filled everyloyal heart with a sinister suspicion that an enemy had caused thecalamity. 

Splendid work on the part of the fire department subdued the flamesafter but two of the huge shed-like buildings had been destroyed. Bynoon the fire was controlled; a cordon of special police surrounded theentire plant and in one of the yards a hundred and fifty workmen werecorralled under arrest until the federal officers had made aninvestigation and decided where to place the blame. 

Reassuring reports had somewhat quieted Colonel Hathaway and MaryLouise, but although they returned to their rooms, they could notsleep. Aunt Sally, realizing the situation, had an early breakfastprepared, but when she called Josie O'Gorman the girl was not in herroom or in the house. She appeared just as the others were finishingtheir meal and sat down with a sigh of content. 

"My, but the coffee smells good!" she exclaimed. "I'm worn out with theexcitement. "

"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 killedoutright, and two others seriously injured. Fortunately the night shifthad 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, allcomplete and packed ready for shipment, were blown to smithereens. Agood many others, in course of construction, were ruined. It's a prettybad mess, I can tell you, but the machines can be replaced, and thelives can't. "

"I wonder who did it, " said Mary Louise, staring at her friend withfrightened 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 andpacifists and those who from political motives are opposing theactivities of our President, but these are not dynamiters, nor do theydisplay their disloyalty except through foolish and futile protests. One who resorts to murder and arson in an attempt to block thegovernment's plans, and so retard our victory, is doubtless a hiredassassin and in close touch with the German master-spies who are knownto 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 MaryLouise. 

"That remains to be seen, " said Josie. "An investigation is alreadyunder way. All the outgoing night shift and some of the incoming dayshift have been held under suspicion, until they can be examined andcarefully questioned. I heard your Chief of Police--whom I know andknows me--assert that without doubt the bomb had been placed by one ofthe workmen. I wonder what makes him think that. Also the police arehunting for everyone seen loitering about the airplane plant during thepast twenty-four hours. They'll spend days--perhaps weeks--ininvestigating, and then the affair will quiet down and be forgotten. "

"You fear they will not be able to apprehend the criminal?" from thecolonel. 

"Not the way the police are going at it. They're virtually informingthe criminal that they're hunting for him but don't know where to findhim, and that if he isn't careful they'll get him. So he's going to becareful. It is possible, of course, that the fellow has left traces--clues that will lead to his discovery and arrest. Still, I'm notbanking much on that. Such explosions have been occurring for months, in various parts of the country, and the offenders have frequentlyescaped. The government suspects that German spies are responsible, butan indefinite suspicion is often as far as it gets. Evidence islacking. "

"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 Josieearnestly. "Sometimes our agents make a grab; sometimes the German spyremains undiscovered. It's diamond cut diamond--fifty-fifty. But whenwe get every alien enemy sequestered in zones removed from allfactories doing government work, we're going to have less trouble. Alot of these Germans and Austrians are liberty-loving Americans, loyaland true, but we must round up the innocent many, in order to squelchthe guilty few. "

The following week was one of tense excitement for Dorfield. Federalofficers poured into the city to assist in the investigation; thevictims were buried with honor and ceremony, wrapped in American flagsto show that these "soldiers of industry" had been slain by theircountry's foe; the courtrooms were filled with eager mobs hoping thatevidence would be secured against some one of the many suspects. Gradually, however, the interest decreased, as Josie had predicted itwould. A half dozen suspects were held for further examination and theothers released. New buildings were being erected at the airplaneplant, and although somewhat crippled, the business of manufacturingthese necessary engines of war was soon going on much as usual. 

CHAPTER XIA FONT OF TYPE

Mary Louise went into Josie O'Gorman's room and found the young girlbent over a table on which were spread the disloyal circulars. 

"You've been studying those things for nearly two weeks, Josie, " shesaid. "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, andonly two of them have this kind of type. "

"Oh, that's something, indeed!" cried Mary Louise. "One of the twooffices 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 theyouthful detective. "In one printing office the case that contains thistype face hasn't been used for months and months. I found all thecompartments covered with dust a quarter of an inch thick. There wasn'ta trace of the type having been disturbed. I proved this by picking outa piece of type, which scattered the dust and brought to light theshining bodies of the other type in that compartment. So the circularscould 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 isoccasionally used in job printing; but it's a small font and has onlytwenty-four small a's. I rummaged the whole shop, and found none of thetype standing, out of the case. Another thing, they had only threecapital G's, and one of those was jammed and damaged. In the lastcircular issued, no less than seven capital G's appear. In the firstone sent out I find fifty-eight small a's. All this convinces me thecirculars 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 bigmanufacturing concerns here have outfits and do their own printing--orpart of it, anyhow--and I don't mind saying I expected to find my cluein one of those places, rather than in a regular printing office. ButI've made an exhaustive search, aided by the managers, and there's notype resembling that used in the circulars in any of the private printshops. In fact, I'm up a stump!"

"But why do you attach so much importance to this matter?" queried MaryLouise. 

"It's the most direct route to the traitor. Find who printed thecirculars and you've got your hand on the man who wrote and mailedthem. But the printing baffles me, and so I've started another line ofinvestigation. "

"What line is that, Josie?"

"The circular envelopes were addressed by hand, with pen and ink. Theink is a sort in common use. The envelopes are an ordinary commercialkind. The circulars are printed on half a sheet of letter-sizetypewriting paper, sold in several stationery store in largequantities. No clue there. But the handwriting is interesting. It'sdisguised, of course, and the addressing was done by two differentpeople--that's plain. "

"You are wonderful, Josie!"

"I'm stupid as a clam, Mary Louise. See here!" she went to a closet andbrought out a large card-board box, which she placed upon the table. Itwas filled to the brim with envelopes, addressed to many business firmsin Dorfield, but all bearing the local postmark. "Now, I've been dayscollecting these envelopes, " continued the girl, "and I've studied themnight after night. I'm something of a handwriting expert, you know, forthat is one of the things that Daddy has carefully taught me. Theseenvelopes came from all sorts of people--folks making inquiries, payingbills, ordering goods, and the like. I've had an idea from the firstthat some prominent person--no ordinary man--is responsible for thecirculars. They're well worded, grammatical, and the maliciousinsinuations are cleverly contrived to disconcert the loyal but weakbrethren. However, these envelopes haven't helped me a bit. Neither ofthe two persons who addressed the envelopes of the circulars addressedany of these business envelopes. Of that I'm positive. "

"Dear me, " said Mary Louise, surprised, "I'd no idea you'd taken somuch trouble, Josie. "

"Well, I've undertaken a rather puzzling case, my dear, and it willmean more trouble than you can guess, before I've solved it. Thispro-German scoundrel is clever; he suspected that he'd be investigatedand has taken every precaution to prevent discovery. Nevertheless, thecleverest criminal always leaves some trace behind him, if one canmanage to find it, so I'm not going to despair at this stage of thegame. "

"Do you know, " said Mary Louise thoughtfully, "I've had an idea thatthere's some connection between the explosion at the airplane works andthe 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 toharass 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 bandof traitors in Dorfield. No one person is responsible for it all. Didn't I say two different people addressed the circulars in disguisedhandwriting? 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 thesame time being aware that the utmost damage to the War Department'splans would be accomplished by blowing up the airplane works. Thatargues intelligent knowledge of national and local affairs. There maybe 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 howyou're going to locate a clue that will guide you. Have you attendedthe 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. "Thefederal officers know this, and are just taking things easy and makingthe trials string out, to show they're wide awake. Also I've met twosecret service men here--Norman Addison and old Jim Crissey. I knownearly 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 thesetimes the government is forced to employ every man with any experienceat all, and Crissey and Addison are just ordinary boys, honest andhard-working, but not especially talented. Daddy would have discoveredsomething in twenty-four hours; but Daddy has been sent abroad, forsome reason, and there are many cases of espionage and sabotage fullyas important as this, in this spy-infested land. That's why poor JosieO'Gorman is trying to help the government, without assignment orauthority. 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'mpuzzled, though, just now, and feeling around blindly in the dark tograb a thread that may lead me to success. If I have luck, presentlyI'll find it. "

She put away the envelopes, as she spoke, and resuming her seat drewout her tablets and examined the notes she had made thereon. Josie usedstrange characters in her memoranda, a sort of shorthand she hadherself originated and which could be deciphered only by her father orby herself. 

"Here's a list of suspects, " she said. "Not that they're necessarilyconnected with our case, but are known to indulge in disloyalsentiments. Hal Grober, the butcher, insists on selling meat onmeatless days and won't defer to the wishes of Mr. Hoover, whom hecondemns as a born American but a naturalized Englishmen. He's anotherJake Kasker, too noisy to be guilty of clever plotting. "

"They're both un-American!" exclaimed Mary Louise. "There ought to be alaw 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 courtswill get after them. We shouldn't allow anyone to throw stones at thegovernment activities, just at this crisis. They may _think_ what theyplease, 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 ourcountry has embarked, and gradually that fact will take possession ofthose minds, which, through prejudice, obstinacy or ignorance, have notyet grasped it. I'm mighty proud of my country, Mary Louise, and Ibelieve this war is going to give us Americans a distinction that willset us up in our own opinion and in the eyes of the world. But alwaysthere is a willful objection, on the part of some, toward any good andnoble action, and we must deal charitably with these deluded ones andstrive 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 ourprisons we try to reform criminals, to make honest men of them ratherthan 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, yourtheory is correct, but the wicked sometimes refuse to reform. "

"Usually the fault of the reformers, my dear. But suppose we redeem afew of them, isn't it worth while? Now, let me see. Here's a washwomanwho says the Kaiser is a gentleman, and a street-car driver who saysit's a rich man's war. No use bothering with such people in our presentstate of blind groping. And here's the list that you, yourself, gave tome: One Silas Herring, a wholesale grocer. I'm going to see him. He's abig, successful man, and being opposed to the administration isdangerous. Herring is worth investigating, and with him is associatedProfessor John Dyer, superintendent of schools. "

"Oh, Professor Dyer is all right, " said Mary Louise hastily. "It was hewho helped bring Mr. Herring to time, and afterward he took Gran'paJim'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. Yourprofessor--who, by the way, is only a professor by courtesy and apolitician by profession--worked four days on the bond sale and didn'tturn in a single subscription. He had a lot of wealthy men on his listand approached them in such a manner that they all positively declinedto buy bonds. Dyer's activities kept these men from investing in bondswhen, had they been properly approached, they would doubtless haveresponded freely. "

"Good gracious! Are you sure, Josie?"

"I'm positive. I've got a cross opposite the name of Professor JohnDyer, and I'm going to know more about him--presently. His bosom chumis the Honorable Andrew Duncan, a man with an honest Scotch name butonly a thirty-second or so of Scotch blood in his veins. His mother wasa German and his grandmother Irish and his greatgrandmother a Spanishgipsy. "

"How did you learn all that, Josie?"

"By making inquiries. Duncan was born in Dorfield and his father wasborn in the county. He's a typical American--a product of the greatnational melting-pot--but no patriot because he has no sympathy for anyof the European nations at war, or even with the war aims of his nativeland. He's a selfish, scheming, unprincipled politician; anoffice-holder ever since he could vote; a man who would sacrifice allAmerica 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 andencourage it, in a subtle and elusive way, but he's too shrewd toperpetrate a crime himself. I wouldn't be surprised if Duncan couldname the man--or the band of traitors--we're looking for, if he choseto, but you may rest assured he has not involved his own personality inany 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 hasbeen given too much leeway heretofore, but his days, I firmly believe, are now numbered, " Josie answered. "Now, here's my excuse forinvestigating Silas Herring and his two cronies, Dyer and Duncan. Allthree of them happen to be political bosses in this section. It ispretty generally known that they are not in sympathy with PresidentWilson and the administration. They are shrewd enough to know that thepopularity of the war and the President's eloquent messages havecarried the country by storm. So they cannot come right out into theopen with their feelings. At the same time, they can feel themselveslosing control of the situation. In fact, the Herring gang is fearfulthat at the coming elections they will be swept aside and replaced without-and-out loyal supporters of the President. So they're going to tryto arouse sentiment against the administration and against the war, inorder to head off the threatened landslide. Dyer hoped to block thesale of Liberty Bonds, blinding folks to his intent by subscribing forthem himself; but you girls foiled that scheme by your enthusiastic'drive. ' What the other conspirators have done, I don't know, but Iimagine their energies will not be squelched by one small defeat. Idon't expect to land any of the three in jail, but I think they allought to be behind the bars, and if I shadow them successfully, one orthe other may lead me to their tools or confederates--the ones directlyguilty of issuing the disloyal circulars and perhaps of placing thebomb that damaged the airplane works and murdered some of itsemployes. "

Mary Louise was pale with horror when Josie finished her earnest andconvincing statement. She regarded her friend's talent with profoundadmiration. Nevertheless, the whole matter was becoming so deep, soinvolved that she could only think of it with a shudder. 

"I'm almost sorry, " said the girl, regretfully, "that I ever mixed upin this dreadful thing. "

"I'm not sorry, " returned Josie. "Chasing traitors isn't thepleasantest thing in the world, even for a regular detective, but it'sa duty I owe my country and I'm sufficiently interested to probe theaffair to the extent of my ability. If I fail, nothing is lost, and ifI win I'll have done something worth while. Here's another name on thelist of suspects you gave me--Annie Boyle, the hotel-keeper'sdaughter. "

"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'dbetter 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 toshuffle Annie Boyle into the discard until I know more about her. "

CHAPTER XIIJOSIE BUYS A DESK

The "Liberty Girls' Shop" was proving a veritable mint. Expenses werepractically nothing, so all the money received could be consideredclear profit. It was amusing to observe the people who frequented theshop, critically examining the jumble of wares displayed, wondering whohad donated this or that and meantime searching for something thatcould be secured at a "bargain. " Most of the shrewd women had an ideathat these young girls would be quite ignorant of values and might markthe articles at prices far below their worth, but the "values" of suchgoods could only be conjectural, and therefore the judgment of theolder women was no more reliable than that of the girls. They mightthink they were getting bargains, and perhaps were, but that wasproblematic. 

The one outstanding fact was that people were buying a lot of thingsthey had no use for, merely because they felt they were getting themcheaply 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, herneighbor, 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 thepopular Liberty Girls' Shop. For it was a popular shop; the "bestfamilies" patronized it; society women met there to chat and exchangegossip; it was considered a mark of distinction and highly patriotic tosay: "Oh, yes; I've given the dear girls many really valuable things tosell. 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 sitin 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-agedwidow, very handsome, wore wonderful creations in dress, was ofcharming personality, was exceedingly wealthy and much traveled. Whenshe visited New York the metropolitan journals took care to relate theinteresting fact. Mrs. Charleworth was quite at home in London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna; she was visiting friends in Dresden when theEuropean war began, and by advice of Herr Zimmerman, of the GermanForeign Office, who was in some way a relative, had come straight hometo avoid embarrassment. This much was generally known. 

It had been a matter of public information in the little town for ageneration that Dick Charleworth had met the lady in Paris, when shewas at the height of her social glory, and had won the hand of thebeautiful girl and brought her to Dorfield as his wife. But the wealthyyoung manufacturer did not long survive his marriage. On his death, hiswidow inherited his fortune and continued to reside in the handsomeresidence he had built, although, until the war disrupted Europeansociety, she passed much time abroad. 

The slight taint of German blood in Mrs. Charleworth's veins was notregarded seriously in Dorfield. Her mother had been a Russian courtbeauty; she spoke several languages fluently; she was discreet inspeech and negative in sympathy concerning the merits of the war. Thislasted, however, only while the United States preserved neutrality. Assoon as we cast our fortunes with the Allies, Mrs. Charleworthorganized the "Daughters of Helpfulness, " an organization designed toaid our national aims, but a society cult as well. Under its auspicestwo private theatrical entertainments had been given at the Opera Houseand the proceeds turned over to the Red Cross. A grand charity ball hadbeen announced for a future date. 

It may easily be understood that when Mrs. Charleworth became apatroness of the Liberty Girls' Shop, and was known to have made sundrypurchases there, the high standing of that unique enterprise wasassured. Some folks perhaps frequented the place to obtain a glimpse ofthe great Mrs. Charleworth herself, but of course these were withoutthe 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 tobe clever in making sales. The first stock soon melted away and wasreplaced by new contributions, which the girls took turns insoliciting. The best residences in Dorfield were first canvassed, thenthose of people in moderate circumstances. The merchants were notoverlooked and Mary Louise took the regular stores personally incharge. 

"Anything you have that you can't sell, we will take, " was her slogan, and most of the merchants found such articles and good-naturedlycontributed them to the Shop. 

"Sooner or later we shall come to the end of our resources, " predictedAlora Jones. "We've ransacked about every house in town forcontributions. "

"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 onour first round. Our scheme wasn't thoroughly understood at first, youknow, but now folks regard it an honor to contribute to our stock. "

"Yes, " said Jane Donovan, "I had to laugh when Mrs. Charleworth askedMrs. Dyer yesterday what she had given us, and Mrs. Dyer stammered andflushed and said that when we called on her the Dyers were only rentingthe house and furniture, which belonged to the Dudley-Markhams, who arein South America; but, Mrs. Dyer added, they have now bought theplace--old furniture and all--and perhaps she would yet find some itemsshe can spare. "

"Very good, " said Edna Barlow; "the Dyers are in my district and I'llcall upon them at once. "

"Have the Dyers really bought the Dudley-Markham place?" asked MaryLouise. 

"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 presentand had listened quietly to the conversation. 

"I-don't-know, " answered Mary Louise, and the other girls forbore toanswer more definitely. 

That evening, however, Josie approached the subject when she and MaryLouise were sitting quietly at home and the conversation moreconfidential. 

"The Dyers, " explained her friend, "were not very prosperous until theProfessor got the appointment as superintendent of schools. He was ateacher in a boys' school for years, on a small salary, and everyonewas 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 amnot well acquainted with the town's former history. But I remember tohave heard that the Herring political ring, which elected our Board ofEducation, proposed John Dyer for the position of schoolsuperintendent--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'tteach, you know. But I understand the Professor received his educationabroad--at Heidelburg--and is well versed in modern educationalmethods. Our schools seem to be conducted very well. "

Josie was thoughtful for a time, and after the colonel had resumed hisbook, she asked Mary Louise:

"Who was Mrs. Dyer, before her marriage?"

"That is ancient history, as far as I am concerned, but I heard thegirls talking about her, just the other day. Her family, it seems, wasrespectable but unimportant; yet Mrs. Dyer is very well liked. She'snot brilliant, but kindly. When we first came here, the Dyers lived ina little cottage on Juniper street, and it is only lately that theymoved to the big house they've just bought. Mrs. Dyer is now tryinghard for social recognition, but seems to meet with littleencouragement. Mrs. Charleworth speaks to her, you know, but doesn'tinvite 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, " sheannounced, "and a good half of it is from Mrs. Dyer--a lot of the oldDudley-Markham rubbish, you know. It has class to it, girls, and whenit 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 insistedthat we needed goods right now, so she finally said we could go up inthe attic, and rummage around, and take whatever we could find. My, what a lot of useless stuff there was! That attic has more smashed andbattered and broken-legged furniture in it than would furnish sixhouses--provided it was in shape. The accumulation of ages. But a lotof it is antique, girls, and worth fixing up. I've made the best haulof 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 asif she regretted her act and would like to stop us. But she didn't--wasashamed to, probably--so we lugged it off. Never having been used toantique 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'signorance?"

"Remember the Cause for which we fight!" admonished Irene, from herchair. "If the things people are not using, and do not want, canprovide comforts for our soldier boys, we ought to secure them--if wehave to take them by force. "

The attic of the old house had really turned out a number ofinteresting articles. There were tables, stands, settees, chairs, and aquaint 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 theshop. The top part was somewhat dilapidated, the cover of the deskbeing broken off and some of the "pigeonhole" compartments smashed. Butthere was an odd lot of tiny drawers, located in every conceivableplace, all pretty well preserved, and the square pedestal and the basewere in excellent condition. 

Josie open drawer after drawer and looked the old cabinet-desk overthoroughly, quite unobserved because the others in the shop wereadmiring a Chippendale chair or waiting upon their customers. PresentlyJosie 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 knowsvalues better than the rest of us. "

"If it's fixed up, it will be worth twenty dollars, " said Irene, afterwheeling 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 tickleDaddy immensely to own such an unusual article, so I want to make him apresent of it on his birthday. "

"Hand over the fifteen dollars, please, " decided Irene. 

Josie paid the money. She caught the drayman who had unloaded thefurniture and hired him to take the desk at once to the Hathawayresidence. She even rode with the man, on the truck, and saw thebattered 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 importanta 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 firstarticle from her attic which we sold has netted us that sum and Ireally believe we will get from fifty to seventy-five dollars more outof the rest of the stuff. "

Mrs. Charleworth dropped in during the afternoon and immediately becameinterested in the Dudley-Markham furniture. The family to whom it hadformerly belonged she knew had been one of the very oldest and mostimportant in Dorfield. The Dudley-Markhams had large interests inArgentine and would make their future home there, but here were thepossessions of their grandmothers and great-grandmothers, rescued fromtheir ancient dust, and Mrs. Charleworth was a person who lovedantiques and knew their sentimental and intrinsic values. 

"The Dyers were foolish to part with these things, " she asserted. "Ofcourse, Mary Dyer isn't supposed to know antiques, but the professorhas lived abroad and is well educated. "

"The professor wasn't at home, " explained Edna. "Perhaps that was luckyfor us. He is in Chicago, and we pleaded so hard that Mrs. Dyer let usgo into the attic and help ourselves. "

"Well, that proves she has a generous heart, " said the grand lady, witha peculiar, sphinx-like smile. "I will buy these two chairs, at yourprice, when you are ready to sell them. "

"We will hold them for you, " replied Edna. "They're to be revarnishedand properly 'restored, ' you know, and we've a man in our employ whoknows just how to do it. "

When Mary Louise told Colonel Hathaway, jokingly, at dinner thatevening, of Josie's extravagant purchase, her girl friend accepted thechaffing composedly and even with a twinkle in her baby-blue eyes. Shemade no comment and led Mary Louise to discourse on other subjects. 

That night Josie sat up late, locked in her own room, with only thepedestal-desk for company. First she dropped to her knees, pushed up apanel in the square base, and disclosed the fact that in thisinappropriate place were several cleverly constructed secretcompartments, two of which were well filled with papers. The paperswere 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? Howthe Kaiser would frown, if he knew what I am doing to-night; and howDaddy would laugh! But--let's see!--perhaps this is just a wedge, andI'll need a sledge-hammer to crack open the whole conspiracy. "

The reason Josie stayed up so late was because she carefully examinedevery paper and copied most of those she had found. But toward morningshe finished her self-imposed task, replaced the papers, slid thesecret panel into place and then dragged the rather heavy piece offurniture into the far end of the deep closet that opened off herbedroom. Before the desk she hung several dresses, quite masking itfrom observation. Then she went to bed and was asleep in two minutes. 

CHAPTER XIIIJOE LANGLEY, SOLDIER

Strange as it may seem, Mary Louise and her Liberty Girls were regardedwith envy by many of the earnest women of Dorfield, who were themselvesworking along different lines to promote the interests of thegovernment in the Great War. Every good woman was anxious to do herduty in this national emergency, but every good woman loves to have herefforts appreciated, and since the advent of the bevy of pretty younggirls in the ranks of female patriotism, they easily became thefavorites in public comment and appreciation. Young men and oldcheerfully backed the Liberty Girls in every activity they undertook. The Dorfield Red Cross was a branch of the wonderful nationalorganization; the "Hoover Conservation Club" was also national in itsscope; the "Navy League Knitting Knot" sent its work to Washingtonheadquarters; all were respectfully admired and financially assisted onoccasion. But the "Liberty Girls of Dorfield" were distinctly local anda 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 thepeople. Many a man, cold and unemotional heretofore in his attitudetoward the war, was won to a recognition of its menace, itsnecessities, and his personal duty to his country, by the arguments andexample 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 tobe enrolled in the organization. After consulting the others, it wasdecided to admit all desirable girls between the ages of 14 and 18, andsix companies were formed during the following weeks, each companyconsisting of twenty girls. The captains were the original six--Alora, Laura, Edna, Lucile, Jane and Mary Louise. Irene Macfarlane was madeadjutant and quartermaster, because she was unable to participateactively in the regimental drills. 

Mary Louise wanted Josie to be their general, but Josie declined. Sheeven resigned, temporarily, from membership, saying she had otherduties to attend to that would require all her time. Then the girlswanted Mary Louise to be general of the Dorfield Liberty Girls, but shewould 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 ofhonor as every other girl, so the fewer officers the better. "

About this time Joe Langley came back from France with one arm gone. Hewas Sergeant Joe Langley, now, and wore a decoration for bravery thatexcited boundless admiration and pride throughout all Dorfield. Joe haddriven a milk wagon before he left home and went to Canada to join thefirst contingent sent abroad, but no one remembered his former humbleoccupation. A hero has no past beyond his heroism. The young man'sempty 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 tolionize him, "there wasn't much credit in what I did. I'm even sorry Idid 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 chumo' mine, an' I was mad when I saw him fall--jest as the Boches wasdrivin' 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'splace. So out I goes, with my Cap'n yellin' at me to stop, an' I got toTom 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 hismen from shootin'. But he couldn't hold 'em in, so I hoisted Tom on myback an' started for our trenches. Got there, too, you know, jest as amachine-gun over to the right started spoutin'. It didn't matter mydroppin' Tom in the trench an' tumblin' after him. The boys buried himdecent 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, 'thoughGod knows I'll never forget the look in Tom's eyes as he swallered thatswig o' cool water. That's all, folks. I'm out o' the game, an' Is'pose the Gen'ral jus' pinned this thing on my coat so I wouldn't takemy 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 sightof him? Just one of "our soldier boys, " just one of the boys theLiberty Girls were trying to assist. 

"They're all alike, " said Mary Louise. "I believe every Americansoldier would be a Joe Langley if he had the chance. "

Joe took a mighty interest in the Liberty Girls. He volunteered todrill 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, theentire six companies of Liberty Girls marched with them to the train--bands playing and banners flying--and it was conceded to be one of thegreatest days Dorfield had ever known, because everyone cheered untilhoarse. 

CHAPTER XIVTHE PROFESSOR IS ANNOYED

Josie O'Gorman, after resigning from the Liberty Girls, became--so shecalmly stated--a "loafer. " She wandered around the streets of Dorfieldin a seemingly aimless manner, shopped at the stores without buying, visited the houses of all sorts of people, on all sorts of gossipyerrands, interviewed lawyers, bankers and others in an inconsequentialway that amused some and annoyed others, and conducted herself sosingularly that even Mary Louise was puzzled by her actions. 

But Josie said to Mary Louise: "My, what a lot I'm learning! There'snothing more interesting--or more startling--or, sometimes, morerepulsive--than human nature. "

"Have you learned anything about the German spy plot?" questioned MaryLouise eagerly. 

"Not yet. My quest resembles a cart-wheel. I go all around the outerrim first, and mark the spokes when I come to them. Then I follow eachspoke toward the center. They'll all converge to the hub, you know, andwhen I've reached the hub, with all my spokes of knowledge radiatingfrom 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 readyto confide in me; but please remember, Josie, how impatient I am andhow I long to bring the traitors to justice. "

"I won't forget, Mary Louise. We're partners in this case and perhaps Ishall ask your help, before long. Some of my spokes may be blinds anduntil I know something positive there's no use in worrying you withconfidences which are merely surmises. "

Soon after this conversation Mary Louise found herself, as head of theLiberty Girls, in an embarrassing position. Professor Dyer returnedfrom Chicago on an evening train and early next morning was at the Shopeven before its doors were opened, impatiently awaiting the arrival ofMary Louise. 

"There has been a mistake, " he said to her, hastily, as she smilinglygreeted him; "in my absence Mrs. Dyer has thoughtlessly given you someold 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 asmuch 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 ourgirls to go into the attic and help themselves to anything they wanted. We've done splendidly with the old furniture, and fenders, andbrassware, but I hope the two articles you prize are still unsold. Ifso, you shall not pay us for them, but we will deliver them to yourhouse immediately. "

He did not reply, for already he was searching through the accumulationof 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, richlycarved. It is made of black oak, I believe. "

"Oh, I remember that well, " said the girl. "Mrs. Charleworth bought itfrom us. "

"Mrs. Charleworth? Well, perhaps she will return it to me. I know thelady 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 thechair seemed somewhat perfunctory. "The other piece of furniture was asort of escritoire, set on a square pedestal that had a carved base oflions' feet. " His voice had grown eager now, although he strove torender 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, JosieO'Gorman, bought it and had it sent to our house, where she isvisiting. As soon as some of the girls come here to relieve me, I'lltake you home with me and have Uncle Eben carry the desk to your housein our motor car. It isn't so very big, and Uncle Eben can manage iteasily. "

The tense look on the man's face relaxed. It evident that ProfessorDyer 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 abewildered look in her blue eyes: "The old desk? Why, I sent that hometo Washington days ago!"

"You did?" Mary Louise was quite surprised. "Why, you said nothing tome about that, Josie. "

"I didn't mention it because I'd no idea you were interested. Daddyloves 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 askedUncle Eben to get me a big box, which he brought to my room. The deskfitted it nicely. I nailed on the cover myself, and Uncle Eben took itto the freight office for me. See; here's the receipt, in mypocket-book. "

She unfolded a paper and held it out to Professor Dyer, who read itwith 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 calledthe black servant to substantiate her story. 

"Yes, Miss Josie, " said Uncle Eben, "I done took de box to de freightoffice 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 boxto me, on your order?"

"I'm afraid not, " said Josie, "It's consigned to John O'Gorman, andonly 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 presentlyinquired. 

"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 thoughtperhaps 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--antiqueand--unusual. I'd like to get it back and I'll return to you the money youpaid for it, and the freight charges. If you'll write a note to therailway company, saying the box was wrongly addressed and asking thatit be delivered to my order, I think I can get it. "

Josie agreed to this at once. She wrote the note and also gaveProfessor Dyer the freight receipt. But she refused to take his money. 

"There might be some hitch, " she explained. "If you get the box, and itreaches Dorfield safely, then I'll accept the return of my money; butrailroads are unreliable affairs and have queer rules, so let's waitand see what happens. "

The Professor assured her, however, that there was no doubt of hisgetting the box, but he Would wait to pay her, if she preferred to letthe matter rest. When he had gone away--seeming far more cheerful thanwhen he came--Mary Louise said to Josie:

"This is a very unfortunate and embarrassing affair, all around. I'm sosorry we took that furniture from Mrs. Dyer before her husband camehome and gave his consent. It is very embarrassing. "

"I'm glad, for my part, " was the reply. Josie's blue eyes were shininginnocently and her smile was very sweet. Mary Louise regarded hersuspiciously. 

"What is it, Josie!" she demanded. "What has that old desk to dowith--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 provea valuable clue?"

"Why ask questions that I can't answer? See here, Mary Louise: it isn'twise, or even safe, for me to tell you anything just yet. What I knowfrightens me--even _me!_ Can't you wait and--trust me?"

"Oh, of course, " responded Mary Louise in a disappointed voice. "But Ifail to understand what Professor Dyer's old desk can possibly have todo with our quest. "

Josie laughed. 

"It used to belong to the Dudley-Markhams. "

"The Dudley-Markhams! Great heavens, But--see here--they left Dorfieldlong before this war started, and so--"

"I'm going out, " was Josie's inconsequent remark. "Do you think thoseare rain clouds, Mary Louise? I hate to drag around an umbrella if it'snot needed. "

CHAPTER XVSUSPENDERS FOR SALE

The two girls parted at the Liberty Shop. Mary Louise went in "toattend to business, " while Josie O'Gorman strolled up the street andpaused thoughtfully before the windows of Kasker's Clothing Emporium. At first she didn't notice that it was Kasker's; she looked in thewindows at the array of men's wear just so she could think quietly, without attracting attention, for she was undecided as to her nextmove. But presently, realizing this was Kasker's place, she gave alittle laugh and said to herself: "This is the fellow poor little MaryLouise suspected of being the arch traitor. I wonder if he knowsanything at all, or if I could pump it out of him if he does? GuessI'll interview old Jake, if only to satisfy myself that he's theharmless fool I take him to be. "

With this in mind she walked into the store. A clerk met her; otherclerks 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 theaisle, as directed. The office was raised a step above the main floorand was railed in, with a small swinging gate to allow entrance. Thiswas not the main business office but the proprietor's special den andhis desk was placed so he could overlook the entire establishment, withone 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 thedesk. 

"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 aclerk. "

He hesitated, laid down his pen and turned his chair toward her. Sheknew the man, by sight, but if he had ever seen the girl he did notrecall 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, "havingbeen sent here as the agent of an organization devoted to clothing ourneedy little ones. I find, since I have been soliciting subscriptionsin Dorfield and investigating the requirements of the poor, that thereare a lot of boys, especially, in this city who are in rags, and I wantto purchase for them as many outfits as my money will allow. But onaccount of the war, and its demands on people formerly charitablyinclined, I realize my subscription money is altogether too little todo what I wish. That's too bad, but it's true. Everywhere they talkwar--war---war and its hardships. The war demands money for taxes, bonds, mess funds, the Red Cross and all sorts of things, and inconsequence our poor are being sadly neglected. "

He nodded, somewhat absently, but said nothing. Josie felt her cleverbait had not been taken, as she had expected, so she resolved to bemore audacious in her remarks. 

"It seems a shame, " she said with assumed indignation, "that the poorof the country must starve and be in want, while the money is alldevoted 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!_ Wedon't let our kiddies freeze for lack of clothes, do we? See here;they're taking everything away from us merchants--our profits, ourgoods, 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'spocket without asking his consent; all wars do that. The men who makewars have no souls--no mercy. But they make wars. Wars are desperatethings 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 buthold up our hands?"

Josie was delighted; she was exultant; Jake Kasker was falling into hertrap very swiftly. 

"But the little ones, " he continued, suddenly checking himself in histirade, "must not be made to suffer like the grown-up folks. They, atleast, are innocent of it all. Young lady, I'd do more for the kidsthan 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' suitsat cost price. I'll do more; for every five suits you buy from me atcost, I'll throw an extra one in, free--Jake Kasker's owncontribution. "

This offer startled and somewhat dismayed Josie. She had not expectedthe interview to take such a turn, and Kasker's generosity seriouslyinvolved her, while, at the same time, it proved to her without a doubtthat 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, aquick step sounded on the aisle and a man brusquely entered the officeand 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! Ionly buy 'em once a year, and you come around ev'ry month or so. Idon'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 somebodyelse 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, theythink I neglect 'em. Who's this, Jake? Your daughter?"

He turned his bland smile on Josie. He was a short, thickset man with aGerman cast of countenance. He spoke with a stronger German accent thandid Kasker. Though his face persistently smiled, his eyes were halfclosed and shrewd. When he looked at her, Josie gave a little shudderand slightly drew back. 

"Ah, that's a wrong guess, " said Mr. Kauffman quickly. "I must beg yourpardon, 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 abow. 

Josie glanced at it:

"KAUFFMAN SUSPENDER COMPANY, Chicago. Abe Kauffman, President. "

"My business does not interest ladies, " he went on in a light tonemeant to be jovial. "But with the men--ah!--with the men it's a hold-upgame. Ha, ha, hee! One of our trade jokes. It's an elastic business;Kauffman's suspenders keep their wearers in suspense. Ha, ha; prettygood, 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 thesuspender 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 isa good thing, but I won't tell you why or how I profit by it; I'll onlysay war is a curse to humanity and if I had the power I'd stop ittomorrow--to-day--this very hour! And, at that, I'd lose by it. "

His voice shook with a passion almost uncontrollable. He half rose fromhis chair, with clinched fists. But, suddenly remembering himself, orreading the expression on the girl's face, he sank back again, passedhis 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 inmild, 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, " hegrowled. 

"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'shere, and I can't help it. We're in the war and we're going ahead towin 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 intoa river; he's got to swim to a landing on the other side, orelse--sink. We Americans ain't goin' to sink, Abe Kauffman; we'll swimover, 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 ithurts my heart. " (Josie was amazed that he claimed a heart. ) "But it'sfunny 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 holdit 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 thepapers--not honest, but as if someone had scared you. "

"Yes; it's the fellows like you that scare me, " retorted the clothingmerchant. "Ev'ry time you curse the war you're keeping us from winningthe war as quick as we ought to; you're tripping the soldiers, thegovernment, 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, AbeKauffman? Once I had more sense than you have, but now I got a betterway 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 lastditch. "

Kauffman turned away. 

"I guess you don't need any suspenders, " he said, and walked out of thestore. 

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. Iwant to see you again, Mr. Kasker. "

She ran down the aisle to the door, looked up and down the street andsaw the thick-set form of the suspender salesman just disappearingaround the corner to the south. Instantly she stepped out. Josie was anexpert in the art of shadowing. 

CHAPTER XVIMRS. CHARLEWORTH

When Mary Louise reached home that evening she was surprised to find anote from Josie which said:

"I've decided to change my boarding place for a week or so, although Ishall miss Aunt Sally's cooking and a lot of other comforts. But thisis business. If you meet me in the street, don't recognize me unlessI'm quite alone. We've quarrelled, if anyone asks you. Pretty soonwe'll make up again and be friends. Of course, you'll realize I'mworking 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, asshe showed the note to Gran'pa Jim. 

"Don't worry, my dear, " advised the colonel. "Josie possesses the rarefaculty of being able to take care of herself under all circumstances. Had she not been so peculiarly trained by her detective father I wouldfeel it a duty to search for her, but she is not like other girls andwouldn'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, smilingat her vexed expression. "Josie is also worthy of confidence. She mayblunder, but if so, she'll blunder cleverly. I advise you to be patientwith her. "

"Well, I'll try, Gran'pa. When we see her again she will probably knowsomething important, " said Mary Louise resignedly. 

As for little, red-headed Josie O'Gorman, she walked into the office ofthe Mansion House that afternoon, lugging a battered suit-case borrowedfrom Aunt Sally, and asked the clerk at the desk for weekly rates forroom and board. The clerk spoke to Mr. Boyle, the proprietor, whoexamined the girl critically. 

"Where are you from?" he asked. 

"New York, " answered Josie. "I'm a newspaper woman, but the war cost memy job, because the papers are all obliged to cut down their forces. SoI came here to get work. "

"The war affects Dorfield, too, and we've only two papers, " said theman. "But your business isn't my business, in any event. I suppose youcan pay in advance?"

"For a week, anyhow, " she returned; "perhaps two weeks: If the paperscan'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 hisgranddaughter, Mary Louise. We had a fight over the war. Give me aquiet 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 runher eye over the hotel register. "Forty-seven is always my luckynumber. "

"It's taken, " said the clerk. 

"Well, 43 is the next best, " asserted Josie. "I made forty-threedollars 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 smallroom 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 abellboy showed her to the tiny apartment and carried her suitcase. 

"Number 45'll be vacant in a day or two, " remarked the boy, as heunlocked her door. "Kauffman has it now, but he won't stay long. He's asuspender drummer and comes about every month--sometimes oftener--andalways has 45. When he goes, I'll let you know, so you can speak forit. 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, shereflected on the meeting in Kasker's store which had led her to makethis queer move. 

"A fool for luck, they say, " she muttered. "I wonder what intuitioninduced me to interview Jake Kasker. The clothing merchant isn't a badfellow, " she continued to herself, looking over the notes she had madeon her tablets. "He didn't make a single disloyal speech. Hates thewar, 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 makeany remark that was especially objectionable; but that man's facebetrayed more than his words, and some of his words puzzled me. Kauffman said, at two different times, that the war would make himmoney. There's only one way a man like him can make money out of thewar, and that is--by serving the Kaiser. I suppose he thought wewouldn't catch that idea, or he'd been more careful what he said. Allcriminals are reckless in little ways; that's how they betraythemselves and give us a chance to catch them. However, I haven'tcaught this fellow yet, and he's tricky enough to give me a long chaseunless I act boldly and get my evidence before he suspects I'm on histrail. That must be my programme--to act quickly and lose no time. "

Kauffman saw her when she entered the hotel dining room for dinner thatevening, and he walked straight over to her table and sat down oppositeher. 

"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 writeror advertising expert. Quit New York last week and came on here. "

"Wasn't New York good enough for you?" he asked, after ordering hisdinner of the waitress. 

"I'm too independent to suit the metropolitan journals. I couldn'tendorse their gumshoe policies. For instance, they wanted me toeulogize President Wilson and his cabinet, rave over the beauties ofthe war and denounce any congressman or private individual who daresthink 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 wasserved he busied himself eating, but between the slits of hishalf-closed eyes he regarded the girl furtively from, time to time. Histalkative mood had curiously evaporated. He was thoughtful. Only whenJosie 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 Kaskerbefore, you know. Isn't he like most of the rabble, thinking what he'stold to think and saying what he's told to say?"

She waited for a reply, but none was forthcoming. Even this clever leaddid not get a rise out of Abe Kauffman. Indeed, he seemed to suspect atrap, for when she rose and walked out of the dining room she noticedthat his smile had grown ironical. 

On reaching her room through the dimly lighted passage, Josie refrainedfrom turning on her own lights, but she threw open her one littlewindow and leaned out. The window faced a narrow, unlighted alley atthe rear of the hotel. One window of Room 45, next to her, opened on aniron fire-escape that reached to within a few feet of the ground. Josiesmiled, 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 himmoving about. A little later he went away, walking boldly down thecorridor 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 theright. 

This was one of the principal residence sections of the city. Kauffmanturned the various corners with a confidence that denoted his perfectacquaintance with the route. But presently his pace slowed and he cameto 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 tocast a glance up and down the deserted street, which was fairly welllighted. No one being in sight, he stepped from the sidewalk to thelawn, and keeping the grass under his feet, noiselessly made his waythrough the shrubbery to the south side of the residence. Here aconservatory formed a wing which jutted into the grounds. 

The German softly approached, mounted the three steps leading to aglass door, and rapped upon the sash in a peculiar manner. Almostimmediately the door was opened by a woman, who beckoned him in. Theconservatory was unlighted save by a mellow drift that filtered throughthe plants from a doorway beyond, leading to the main house. 

From behind the concealment of a thick bush Josie O'Gorman had notedthe woman's form but was unable to see her face. The girl happened toknow the house, however. It was the residence of Dorfield's socialleader, Mrs. Charleworth. 

Josie squatted behind that bush for nearly half an hour. Then the glassdoor opened and Kauffman stepped out. 

"By the way, " he said in a low voice, "it's just as well we didn't takeKasker in with us. He's a loud-mouthed fool. I've tested him and findhe 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 greatMrs. Charleworth herself. Mrs. Charleworth, in secret conference withAbe Kauffman, the suspender salesman!

Then Josie experienced another surprise. A second man stepped throughthe shadowy doorway, joining Kauffman on the steps. 

"It seems to me, " said this last person, "that there is danger innumbers. Of course, that's your affair, Kauffman, and none of mybusiness, but if I'm to help you pull it off, I'd rather there wouldn'tbe too many of us. It's a ticklish thing, at the best, and--"

"Shut up!" growled Kauffman, suspiciously peering around him into thedarkness. "The less we talk in the open, the better. "

"That is true. Good night, " said the woman, and went in, closing thedoor 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 darkestplaces. Finally they emerged upon the sidewalk, and finding the coastclear, traveled on side by side. 

At times they conversed in low tones, so low that the little red-headedgirl, dodging through the parkings in their wake, could not overhearthe words they spoke. But as they approached the more frequented partof the town, they separated, Kauffman turning into Broadway and theother continuing along a side street. 

Josie O'Gorman followed the latter person. He was tall and thin andstooped a trifle. She had been unable, so far, to see his face. Heseemed, from the turnings he made, to be skirting the business sectionrather than pass directly through it. So the girl took a chance, darteddown one street and around the corner of another, and then slipped intoa dim doorway near which hung an electric street-light. 

She listened eagerly and soon was rewarded by a sound of footsteps. Theman she was shadowing leisurely approached, passed under the light andcontinued on his way, failing to note the motionless form of the girlin 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 onyour way to Washington, and here you've mixed up with another importantjob!"

CHAPTER XVIITHE BLACK SATCHEL

When Josie reached the hotel it was nearly midnight. Half the lights inthe 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 clothesand wearing a gorgeous jewelled scarf-pin in his cravat. As he read, hesmoked a cigarette. 

"Hello, " said this brilliant individual, as Josie leaned over thecounter 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 turnyou out. He won't stand for unmarried lady guests bein' out till thishour, 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. Mykey, 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 towardsmornin' I snooze a little. Only way to pass the time, with noth'n' todo an' nobody to talk to. It's a beastly job, at the best, an' I'mgoin' 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 Iwanted to, " he asserted, glaring at her as if he challengedcontradiction. "It ain't money that stops me, but hotel keepin' is adog's life. I've made a bid for a cigar-store down the street, an' ifthey take me up, somebody can have this job. "

"I see you're ambitious, " said Josie. "Well, I hope you get thecigar-store. Good night, Mr. --"

"My name's Tom Linnet. I won't tell the ol' boy you was out so late. Solong. "

The elevator had stopped running, so Josie climbed the stairs and wentthoughtfully to her room. Kauffman had preceded her. She heard him drophis shoes heavily upon the floor as he undressed. 

She turned on the light and made some notes on her tablets, using thesame queer characters that she always employed. The last note read:"Tom Linnet, night clerk at the Mansion House. New clothes; newjewelry. Has money. Recently acquired, for no one with money would be anight clerk. Wants to quit his job and buy a cigar store. Query: Whostaked Tom? And why?"

As she crawled into bed Josie reflected: "Mary Louise would beastonished if she knew what I have learned to-night. But then, I'mastonished myself. I feel like the boy who went fishing for sunfish andcaught 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 ofpass-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 alarge suitcase lying open upon a table. She examined its contents. Oneside was filled with samples of suspenders, the other withmiscellaneous articles of male apparel. 

Josie was not satisfied. She peered under the bed, softly opened allthe drawers in the dresser and finally entered the closet. Here, on therear shelf, a newspaper was placed in such manner as to hide fromobservation anything behind it. To an ordinary person, glancing towardit, the newspaper meant nothing; to Josie's practised eye it wasplainly a shield. Being short of stature, the girl had to drag in achair in order to reach the high shelf. She removed the newspaper, tookdown a black hand-satchel--it was dreadfully heavy and she almostdropped it--and then replaced the paper as it had been before. 

Josie was jubilant. She removed the chair, again closed the closetdoor, and leaving the room practically as she had found it stole backto her own apartment, the heavy satchel concealed in the folds of herfrock. But no one saw her, the hall being vacant, and she breathed asigh 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 lockwas an unusual one. She tried all the slender keys upon her bunchwithout 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 andtried to pry the lock open. Failure. However, she was beginning tounderstand the mechanism of the lock by this time. From thatall-containing handbag which was her inseparable companion she drew outa file, and taking one of the master-keys, began to file it to fit thelock of the black satchel. 

This operation consumed more time than she was aware, so interestingwas the intricate work. She was presently startled by a sound in thecorridor. Mr. Kauffman was coming back to his room, whistling an ariafrom "Die Walkure. " Josie paused, motionless; her heart almost stoppedbeating. 

The man unlocked his door and entered, still whistling. Sometimes thewhistle was soft and low, again it was louder and more cheerful. Josielistened in suspense. As long as the whistling continued she realizedthat 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 ranto her own door and when he had passed it opened it just a crack, toenable her to gaze after him. Underneath his arm he carried a bundle ofthe sample suspenders. 

"Good!" she whispered softly, retreating to bend over the satchelagain. "Mr. Abe Kauffman will sell suspenders this morning as a blindto his more important industries, so I needn't hurry. "

Sooner than she expected the lock clicked and sprang open. Her eyes atfirst fell upon some crumpled, soiled shirts, but these she hurriedlyremoved. The remainder of the satchel contained something enclosed in agreen flannel bag. It was heavy, as she found when she tried to lift itout, and a sudden suspicion led her to handle the thing very gingerly. She put it on the table beside the satchel and cautiously untied thedrawstring at the mouth of the bag. A moment later she had uncovered around ball of polished blue steel, to which was attached a tube coveredwith woven white cotton. 

Josie fell back on a chair, fairly gasping, and stared with big eyes atthe ball. In her desire to investigate the possessions of the suspendersalesman she had scarcely expected to find anything like this. The mostshe 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 toloyal supporters of our government. There's no doubt of that. But--"The thoughts that followed so amazing an assertion were too bewilderingto be readily classified. They involved a long string of conjectures, implicating in their wide ramifications several persons of importantstanding in the community. The mere suggestion of what she haduncovered 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 herwits. "One idea at a time, Josie, my girl, or you'll go nutty and spoileverything! Now, here's a bomb--a live, death-dealing bomb--and that'sthe first and only thing to be considered at present. "

Controlling her aversion and fear, the girl turned the bomb over andover, giving it a thorough examination. She had never seen such a thingbefore, but they had often been explained to her and she had an inklingas to the general method of their construction. This one before her wasof beautiful workmanship, its surface as carefully turned and polishedas if it had been intended for public exhibition. Grooves had been cutin the outer surface and within these grooves lay the coils of the timefuse, which was marked with black ink into regular sections. The firstsection 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 bythe 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 itsgroove but harmless until the end of the fuse is reached. If the entirefuse 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 willexplode in fifteen minutes. The operator can set it to suit himself, ascircumstances require. "

The manner in which the fuse was attached to the bomb was simple. Thehole made in the bomb was exactly the size of the fuse inserted intoit. There were two little knobs, one on each side the hole. Afterpushing the fuse into the hole a fine wire was wound around it andattached to the tiny knobs, thus holding it firmly in place. 

Josie took a pair of small pincers, unwound the wire and cautiouslywithdrew the fuse from the hole. Examining the end of the fuse she sawit was filled with a powdery substance which, when ignited, wouldexplode the bomb. She had recourse to her hairpin again and carefullypicked the powder out of the fuse for the distance of the entire firstsection. This proved difficult and painstaking work, but when completednot a grain of the powder remained in the woven cotton casing for thedistance of six inches from the end. 

Having accomplished that much, Josie sat looking at the thing in aspeculative way. She could not have told you, at the moment, why herfirst act had been to render the bomb impotent in so queer a mannerwhen she could have simply destroyed the entire fuse. But, of course, no one would try to use the fiendish contrivance unless it was suppliedwith a fuse. 

After a period of thought the girl decided what to do next. She removedthe bomb, fuse, green bag--even the satchel--to the big lower drawer ofher bureau, and turned the lock. 

"No one is likely to come in but the chambermaid, and she will be toobusy to disturb anything, " Josie decided; and then she locked her roomdoor and went down stairs to breakfast. 

CHAPTER XVIIIA HINT FEOM ANNIE BOYLE

Josie was late. In the breakfast room she found but one guest besidesherself, an old lady with a putty face. But there was also a young girlseated at a near-by table who was grumbling and complaining to the maidwho waited upon her. 

"It ain't my fault, Miss Annie, " protested the maid. "The cook says youordered your breakfast half an hour ago, an' then went away. We triedto 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 merechild. "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 nearenough for conversation, so when the maid had gone to the kitchen Josiesaid sweetly:

"That Mr. Kauffman's a nice man, isn't he? I don't wonder you forgotyour 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 seemat all shy in conversing with strangers, "but Pa's soured on himlately. 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 theGerman-Americans are the back-bone of this country, and as goodcitizens 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 theGerman army, and all of 'em's been killed. That's why he's sore on thewar. Says his brothers deserved what they got for not comin' to Americaan' bein' American citizens, like Abe is. But I know he's dreadfulsorry 'bout their bein' killed just the same. German folks seem tothink a good, deal of their families, an' so jest to mention the warmakes 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, 'causehe's smart enough to use it for his own good. But he said I mustn'ttalk about that, " she added, with a sudden realization that Josie wasregarding her curiously. "Abe an' me's chums, an' what he says isbetween us. P'raps he was only jokin', 'bout gettin' rich. Abe's agreat joker, anyhow. "

That this was a rather lame retraction was apparent even to AnnieBoyle. She gave Josie a suspicious look, but Josie's face wasabsolutely expressionless. The maid was placing her order before herand she calmly began her breakfast. A moment later, the old lady roseand 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. Liveshere easy an' don't worry. If I had her dough I'd--" She stoppedsuddenly. 

"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 tookhim for night clerk when he didn't have a cent--and it wasn't so longago, 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' howhe can afford to buy Barker's cigar store. I asked Abe about it an' Abesays 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 arepeddlers an' a father who's a track-walker, an' he's got a mother whattakes in washin'. If there's an aunt, she's some relation to the restof the family, so why didn't she leave them some money, as well asTom?"

"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 herplate, and the menu card had somehow conveyed a new thought to hermind. She picked it up and examined it critically. Part of it wasprinted in a queer, open-faced type--all capitals--while the balance ofthe list of dishes had been written in with pen and ink. These printedbills would do for a good many breakfasts, for they mentioned only thestaples, while the supplementary dishes were day by day added inwriting. 

"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 anew card every day for all the three meals. He did it at night, youknow, 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 muchprintin', although that's part o' the night clerk's duty, an' Pathought it used up too much good cardboard at war-time prices. So nowwe jus' get out a new bill once a week, an' write the extry dishes onit. "

"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 towork, 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, " assertedAnnie, 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. Threedistinct facts she had gleaned from Annie Boyle's careless remarks. First, Tom Linnet had acquired sudden riches. Second, the type used onthe hotel menu cards was identically the same that the disloyalcirculars had been printed from. Third, between the hours of two andfive in the mornings, the night clerk's duties permitted him to beabsent from the hotel office. 

Josie decided that Annie Boyle had not been admitted to the innerconfidences of the conspirators, and that Tom Linnet was their tool andhad been richly paid for whatever services he had performed. She wasnow gathering "clues" so fast that it made her head swim. "That chancemeeting with Kauffman, at Kasker's, " she told herself, "led me directlyinto 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 waywith criminals; they close every loop-hole but the easiest one to peepthrough--and then imagine they're safe from discovery!"

CHAPTER XIXTHE PRINTING OFFICE

After breakfast Josie sallied out upon the street and found a hardwarestore. There, after some exploration, she purchased an asbestostable-mat. With this she returned to her room and locked herself in. 

The chambermaid had "been and gone, " but Josie's drawer was stilllocked and its precious contents intact. The girl scraped the surfaceof the table-mat with her pen-knife until she had secured enough loosefibre to serve her purpose and then she proceeded to restuff the fusewith the asbestos fibre the entire length of the section from which shehad removed the powder. Then she pushed the end of the fuse into thehole in the bomb, wired it as before, and replaced the long fuse in itsgrooves. 

"Now, " said Josie, surveying her work with satisfaction, "if they lightthat fuse, and expect it to explode the bomb in an hour or more, they'll be badly fooled. Also, I shall have prevented anothercatastrophe 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 keymanaged to relock the satchel. Watching for a time when the corridorwas vacant, she went to 45, entered the room and replaced the satchelon 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 roomwhen she heard footsteps coming down the hallway, accompanied by awhistle which she promptly recognized. 

"Caught!" she exclaimed, and gave a hurried glance around her. To hidewithin the room was impossible, but the window was open and the ironfire-escape within easy reach. In an instant she had mounted it andseizing the rounds of the iron ladder climbed upward until she hadnearly reached the next window directly above, on the third floor. Thenshe paused, clinging, to get her breath. 

Kauffman was annoyed to find the door of his room unlocked. He paused amoment in the middle of the room and looked around him. "Confound thatchambermaid!" Josie heard him mutter, and then he opened the closetdoor and looked in. Apparently reassured, he approached the openwindow, stuck out his head and looked _down_ the fire-escape. Josie'sheart gave a bound; but Kauffman didn't look upward. He drew in hishead, resumed his whistling and busied himself repacking the samplesuspenders in his suitcase. 

Josie hoped he would soon go out again, but he seemed to have nointention of doing so. So she climbed her ladder until she could lookinto the window above, which was also open. The old lady she had seenat breakfast was lying upon the bed, her eyes closed. Josie wondered ifshe was asleep. The door leading from the room to the hallway alsostood open. The weather was warm, and the old lady evidently wantedplenty of air. 

While Josie hesitated what to do a boy came up the alley, noticed heron the fire-escape and paused to look at her in astonishment. The girlcouldn't blame him for being interested, for her attitude was certainlyextraordinary. Others were likely to discover her, too, and mightsuspect her of burglary and raise a hue and cry. So she deliberatelyentered the room, tiptoed across to the hall and escaped withoutarousing the old lady. But it was a desperate chance and she breathedeasier 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 predicamentand then sat down to note her latest discoveries on her tablets. 

Josie O'Gorman was very particular in this regard. Details seemingly oftrifling moment but which may prove important are likely to escapeone's memory. Her habit was to note every point of progress in a caseand often review every point from the beginning, fitting them intotheir proper places and giving each its due importance. A digest ofsuch information enabled her to proceed to the next logical step in herinvestigation. 

"These items all dovetail very nicely, " she decided, with a satisfiednod at the quaint characters on the tablets--which all the world mightread and be no wiser. "I must, however, satisfy myself that Tom Linnetactually printed those circulars. The evidence at hand indicates thathe did, but I want positive proof. Also, I'd like to know which one ofthe gang employed him--and paid him so liberally. However, thatsuggestion opens up a new line of conjecture; I don't believe TomLinnet got all his wealth merely for printing a few circulars, helpingto address them, and keeping his mouth shut. But--what else has he beenpaid for?"

She brooded on this for a while and then determined to take one thingat a time and follow it to a conclusion. So she once more quitted herroom and descended by the elevator--openly, this time--to the office. It was now noon and the hotel office was filled with guests, and theclerks and bellboys were all busily occupied. Josie wandered carelesslyaround until she found the stairway leading to the basement. Watchingher opportunity she slipped down the stairs. 

The basement was not as barren as she expected to find it. There was anopen central space, on one side of which were rooms for the barbershop, baths, and a pool room, all more or less occupied by guests andattendants. On the opposite side, at the rear, were baggage andstorerooms. Just beside her she noted a boot-black's stand, where acolored boy listlessly waited for customers. 

"Shine, miss?" he inquired. 

"No, " said Josie in a businesslike tone; "I'm looking for the printingoffice. "

"Secon' door, miss, " indicating it with a gesture; "but dey ain'tnobody 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 sufficientlyinterested to watch her, for a man came out of the barber-shop andseated himself in the boot-black's chair. 

This sort of lock didn't phase Josie at all. At the second trial sheopened the door, walked in and closed the door behind her. 

It was a small room, dimly lighted and very disorderly. Scraps of paperwere strewn around the floor. Dust had settled on the ink-rollers ofthe foot-press. A single case of type stood on a rack and the form of abill-of-fare--partly "pied"--was on a marble slab which formed the topof a small table. On an upturned soap-box was a pile of unprinted menucards. Josie noted a few cans of ink, a bottle of benzine, and a fewprinting tools lying carelessly about, but the room contained nothingmore. 

Having "sized up" Tom Linnet's printing room with one swift glance, thegirl stooped down and began searching among the scraps that litteredthe floor. They were mostly torn bits of cardboard or crumpled paperson which trial impressions had been made. 

Josie expected momentarily to be interrupted, so she conducted hersearch as rapidly as was consistent with thoroughness. She paid noattention to the card scraps but all papers she smoothed out, one byone. Finally, with a little cry of triumph, she thrust one of theseinto her handbag. She made this discovery just back of the press, andglancing up, she noted a hook that had formerly been hidden from herview, on which were impaled a number of papers--the chef's "copy" fromwhich various bills had been printed. Running through these papers shesuddenly paused, pulled one away from the hook and tucked it into herbag. 

She was fairly satisfied, now, but still continued her search amongstthe litter. It was not easy to decipher writing or printing in that dimlight, but her eyes were good and the longer she remained in the roomthe more distinctly she saw. There was an electric globe suspended overthe press, but she dared not turn on the light for fear of attractingattention. Several scraps on which writing appeared she secured withouttrying to read them, but presently she decided she had made as thoroughan examination of the place as was necessary. 

She left the room, locked the door again and boldly mounted the stairsto the office, meeting and passing several men who scarcely noticedher. Then she took the elevator to her room and washed her grimy handsand prepared for luncheon. 

At the table she slipped another of the printed bills into her bag, touse for comparison, and afterward ate her lunch as calmly as if shewere not inwardly elated at the success of her morning's work. Josiefelt, indeed, that she had secured the proof necessary to confound thetraitors and bring them to the bar of justice. But there might be otherinteresting 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 evidencehad not yet been followed to their source. Some points of mystificationstill 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 outto the street and caught an Oak Avenue car. 

"Oh, Josie!" cried a well-known voice, and there sat Mary Louise, onher way home from the Shop. 

Josie gave her a haughty look, walked straight to the far end of thecar and sat down in a vacant seat. The car was half filled withpassengers. 

Mary Louise pushed forward and sat beside her friend. Josie staredstraight 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 alongon the case?" pleaded Mary Louise, so softly that no one else couldoverhear. 

Josie maintained silence. Her features were expressionless. 

"I know you told me, in case we met, not to recognize you, " continuedMary 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 muchconsideration. Josie. "

The car stopped at a street intersection. Josie stood up. 

"Not to-night, " she replied, and alighted from the car just as itstarted to move again. 

"Bother Mary Louise!" she muttered, "she has made me walk three wholeblocks. "

Mary Louise was human and she was provoked. There was really no needfor Josie O'Gorman to be so absurdly mysterious. Had she not known herso well, Mary Louise would have felt that Josie had deliberatelyinsulted her. As it was, she blamed her friend for inexcusableaffectation. "I'm not sure, " she reflected, "that a girl can be adetective--a regular detective--without spoiling her disposition orlosing to some an extent her maidenly modesty. Of course, Josie hasbeen brought up in an atmosphere of mystery and can't be blamed for herpeculiarities, but---I'm glad _I'm_ not a detective's daughter. "

Josie, however, wasn't worrying over any resentment her friend mightfeel at the necessary snub. She was on a keen scent and already hadforgotten her meeting with Mary Louise. Three blocks farther on sheturned into the walk leading to an old but picturesque residence, atone time a "show place" of Dorfield and the pride of theDudley-Markhams, but now overshadowed by modern and more imposingmansions. 

Josie rang the door-bell and presently the door was opened by a youngand 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 openingand she gave Josie a curious if comprehensive examination. Then:

"If you're from one of the schools, I'm sorry to tell you thatProfessor Dyer went to Washington by the early train this morning. Idon't know how soon he will be back. Professor Harrington of the HighSchool 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 streetcar, "if Dyer has really gone to Washington, he hopes to get possessionof the old desk and its hidden papers. Pretty important to him, thosepapers are, and I wouldn't blame him for chasing them up. But--has hereally gone? Mrs. Dyer thinks so; but all evidence points to the factthat she's not in her husband's confidence. Now, if Dyer is on his wayto Washington, what did last night's secret meeting mean? His absencewill complicate matters, I fear. Anyhow, I must revise my conclusions abit. "

CHAPTER XXONE GIRL'S WITS

As she entered the hotel Josie encountered Joe Langley, the one-armedsoldier back from the war. She had taken a great interest in this youngfellow and admired his simple, manly nature, having had severalinteresting conversations with him at the Liberty Girls' Shop and atthe drills. Josie felt she needed an ally at this juncture, and herewas one who could be trusted. 

"Joe, " she said earnestly, drawing him aside, "are you going to be busythis evening?"

"Yes, Miss O'Gorman, I'm busy every evening now, " he replied. "I'vetaken 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 mywar experiences, so I had to go to work. I'm night watchman at thesteel 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 isstill 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 beshipped to-morrow. "

Josie drew a long breath. This was real news and her active mind jumpedto a quick conclusion. 

"Are the shells loaded, Joe?" she inquired. 

"All ready for war, " replied the soldier. "You see, a night watchman insuch 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 andammunition business from A to Z, " asserted Joe Langley. "Mr. Coltonrepresents the government as well as the steel works. The President isMr. Jaswell, the banker, but he doesn't do anything but attend theBoard 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 ofthe government's secret service officers; I'm working on a case here inthe interests of our government, and I may want you to help me foil aGerman spy plot. "

"Count on me!" said Sergeant Joe, emphatically. And then he added: "I'dlike 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 badgeengraved "U. S. Secret Service. No. L2O1. " That was her father's numberand a complimentary badge, but Joe was satisfied. He had to glanceinside the handbag to see it, for the girl dared not exhibit it moreopenly. 

"If you want to know more about me, ask Colonel Hathaway, " continuedJosie. 

"No, " said Joe; "I believe you're on the square. But I'd never havesuspected it of you. Tell me what I'm to do. "

"Nothing, at present. But should a crisis arrive, stand by me and obeymy instructions. "

"I'll do that, " promised the man. 

When the girl had regained her room in the hotel, she sat down with abusinesslike air and wrote upon a sheet of paper, in her peculiarcypher, the story of her discoveries and the conclusions they justifiedup to the present hour. This was to fix all facts firmly in her mindand to enable her to judge their merits. The story was concise enough, and perhaps Josie was quite unaware how much she had drawn upon herimagination. 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 resentmentat conscription and to arouse antipathy for our stalwart allies, theEnglish. These circulars were written by John Dyer, superintendent ofschools, who poses as a patriot. The circulars were printed in thebasement of the Mansion House by Tom Linnet, a night clerk, who waswell paid for his work. Papers found secreted in an old desk from theattic of Dyer's house prove that Dyer is in the pay of German agents inthis country and has received fabulous sums for his 'services, ' saidservices not being specified in the documents. In addition to thesepayments, there were found in the desk notes of the Imperial GermanGovernment, for large amounts, such notes to be paid 'after the war. '

"Dyer is clearly the head of the German spy plot in Dorfield, but theperson who acts as medium between Dyer and the Master Spy is an allegedsuspender salesman calling himself Abe Kauffman. This Kauffman makesfrequent trips to Dorfield, giving orders to Dyer, and on one occasionKauffman, who stops at the Mansion House while in town, hired TomLinnet to place a bomb in the Airplane Factory, causing an explosionwhich destroyed many government airplanes and killed several employees. The sum paid Linnet for this dastardly act has made him rich and he hasbought or is about to buy a cigar store. Kauffman now has another bombin his possession, doubtless brought here to be placed, whenopportunity arrives, to do the most possible damage. Indications arethat he may attempt to blow up the steel works, where a large amount ofshells are now completed and ready for shipment to-morrow--meaning thatthe job must be done to-night, if at all. Perhaps Linnet will place thebomb; perhaps Kauffman will do it himself. Dyer has lost hisincriminating papers and notes and is on his way to Washington in anendeavor to recover them. 

"Associated with Dyer in his horrible activities is Mrs. AugustaCharleworth, occupying a high social position, but of German birth andtherefore a German sympathizer. She is clever, and her brainssupplement those of Dyer, who seems more shrewd than initiative, beingcontent to execute the orders of others. Dyer was educated atHeidelburg, in Germany, which accounts, perhaps, for his beingpro-German, although I suspect he is pro-anything that will pay himmoney. Dyer and the Hon. Andrew Duncan, while political pals, are notconnected in this spy plot, but I suspect that Peter Boyle, theproprietor of the Mansion House may be one of the gang. I've noevidence yet that implicates Boyle, but he harbors Kauffman as a guestand ought to know that his night clerk is printing traitorouspropaganda. So far, the evidence incriminates Kauffman, Mrs. Charleworth, Dyer and Tom Linnet. I believe Mrs. Dyer to be innocent ofany knowledge of her husband's crimes; otherwise, she would never haveparted with that important desk--the desk that will prove his ruin andought to cost him his life. 

"My plan is this, " concluded the notation, "to catch Kauffman or Linnetin the act of placing the bomb to-night, make the arrest, round up theother guilty ones and jail them, and then turn the case over to thefederal officers for prosecution. A telegram to Washington will secureProfessor Dyer's arrest on his arrival there. "

Josie read this through twice and nodded her red head with intensesatisfaction. 

"All clear as crystal, " she asserted gleefully. "I have proof of everystatement, and the finale can't go very wrong with such knowledge in mypossession. 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 somewhatlengthy conference with Chief Farnum, who knew her father and treatedthe girl detective with professional consideration. After this shehunted up the two government agents--old Jim Crissey and young NormanAddison--who knew her well as "John O'Gorman's clever kid, the pride ofher doting Daddy. " They listened to her with interest and genuinerespect for her talent and not only promised their assistance wheneverit might be needed but congratulated her warmly on her good work. 

This concluded Josie's afternoon labors, and it was with a sense oftriumphant elation that she returned to her hotel to rest and preparefor the expected crisis. 

CHAPTER XXISURPRISES

Josie went to dinner as soon as the dining room opened. When she cameout 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'tsee 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 the5:30, and is probably giving everyone else the same information, so hecan't be connected with the explosion, " she reflected. "Clever Mr. Kauffman! But not clever enough to realize he is near the end of hisinfamous career. "

Josie's plans, perfected during that afternoon, primarily involved theshadowing of Abe Kauffman every moment, from now on. Abe Kauffman andhis black satchel. For it grew dark early at this time of year, andalready the brief twilight was fading. So the girl hastened to her roomand exchanged her gray walking suit for a darker one that wasinconspicuous and allowed free movement. Then she slipped her littlepearl-mounted revolver--her father's gift--into her handbag and decidedshe was ready for any emergency. 

Having extinguished the light in her room, she glanced from the windowinto the alley below, where the shadows were now gathering deeply. 

"I think Kauffman will go down the fire-escape and drop into thealley, " she mused; "but he must first come to his room for the blacksatchel, in any event, and from that instant I must never lose sight ofhim. "

Suddenly she discovered a form pacing slowly up and down the otherwisedeserted alley. Fearful that other detectives were on the watch, andmight disrupt her plans, she strained her eyes to discover thisperson's identity. There was but one light to relieve the gloom, andthat 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 faceand Josie instantly recognized Tom Linnet. 

"He is waiting for someone, " she decided, "and Kauffman is still atdinner--killing time because it's yet too early to undertake hisnefarious task. Tom Linnet may be the tool he has selected, and I oughtto get in touch with the boy, somehow, before he meets the archconspirator. Kauffman is the one I prefer to land. "

With this in mind, she hurried down, passed out at the front officedoorway and turned into a narrow drive at the south of the hotel, whichled 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 baggageand supply wagons in the daytime. 

When the girl reached the corner of the alley she found herself in verydeep shadow; so she ventured to protrude her head far enough to lookafter Tom Linnet. To her surprise the party he had been waiting for hadalready joined him, for she discovered two dusky forms pacing thealley. 

It could not be Kauffman. While she hesitated whether to steal closeror maintain her position, the two advanced almost to her corner andpaused there--in the blackest spot they could find. 

"I tell you I won't do it!" said Tom, in a hard, dogged tone that wastense 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 inthe 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 norisk; you know that. "

"Risk? God, man! Can't you guess how I dream of those poor devils Isent 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, andyou know it. We didn't intend murder, but the explosion was delayed. Noone 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 wholedeal. " 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 beundone, but I'm through with you. It--it's too blamed terrible, that'swhat it is! Leave me alone an' let me turn honest. Why don't you do thejob yourself?"

"I think I will, " said the other calmly. "If you intend to turn down agood 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 histone. "But don't come to me again, Professor. I'm done with you. "

Professor! Josie felt a distinct shock. She had to flatten herselfagainst the wall, too, and remain rigid, for the man abruptly turnedthe corner and marched down the driveway. Half way to the brilliantlylighted street he dodged behind the building opposite the hotel, threading his way through narrow back yards. Josie followed, swift andsilent. Finally they reached a place where the man was forced to passbeneath 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 hisway and turned to regain the hotel. It was not quite eight o'clock, yetshe felt it important to keep an eye on Kauffman and the bomb. Thebomb, especially, for until Dyer took possession of the infernalcontrivance he could do no mischief. 

In the hotel lobby she entered a public telephone booth and called upJim Crissey; then she went straight to her room. She could hear a lowwhistling in 45, which informed her that Kauffman had not yet gone outand 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 asuspender salesman; Dyer arranges for their being placed, havingsecured information as to where an explosion will do the most damage tothe government, and Tom Linnet is used as the tool to do the actualwork. Mrs. Charleworth probably assists Dyer in getting specialinformation, and advises the gang, but doesn't take an active part inthe perpetration of the crimes. Her brains and position would naturallyplace her at the head of the conspirators in Dorfield, although I'mpretty sure Kauffman, as the agent of the Master Spy, can dictate whatthey must do. "

Kauffman slammed his door and locked it. He was going out. Josie openedher own door a crack to look after him. He was walking deliberatelydown the corridor, openly carrying in his left hand the black satchel. 

To Josie this seemed the essence of effrontery. He had no intention ofusing the fire-escape, after all. He trusted in bravado, as so manycareless criminals do. As she stealthily followed him, she observed theman stop in the office and exchange commonplaces with one or two guestswhom he knew. 

In reality, this was his safest plan. The black bag did not looksuspicious. Presently the bomb would be turned over to Dyer andKauffman's responsibility would then end. His very boldness wascalculated 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'sform and for a while enabled her to keep near to the man she wasshadowing. The only thing that puzzled Josie was the fact that Kauffmanwas proceeding in a direction exactly opposite that taken by Dyer ashort time before. Dyer went south and Kauffman was going north. 

When the business section of Dorfield was passed, the streets becamemore deserted. They were not well lighted either, which favored Josiethe more. 

Kauffman kept steadily on, and as the houses along the way thinned, Josie decided he was headed directly for the steel works. That upsether calculations a bit, for she knew he had not seen Dyer since thelatter's interview with Tom Linnet, nor had he seen Linnet; thereforehe could not know that any arrangements he had previously made withthem had fallen through. The German's present actions, however, indicated that he had decided to place the bomb himself, without theassistance of his fellow conspirators. Had he been warned of Linnet'sdefection? Had he means of communicating with Dyer unknown to Josie?Dyer was a mystery; even his wife believed he was now on his way toWashington. 

Surprises, in Josie's line of work were not uncommon, and this was notime to consider whys and wherefores. The one thing she was sure of wasthat the bomb was in the black satchel and the black satchel inKauffman's hand. No matter where the other conspirators might be or howthey were implicated in tonight's plot, as long as she kept her eye onthe bomb, she would be able to control the situation. 

CHAPTER XXIIA SLIGHT MISTAKE

From the edge of the town to the steel works the road led through acommon, overgrown with brush and weeds. There was no moon and althoughthe distance was not great it was a lonely, dark and "creepy" place. Assoon as the girl saw Kauffman take the road to the works she decided toget there before he could do so. Knowing well she could not be seen, she branched off through the brush, and finding her way by instinctrather than sight, ran swiftly in a half circle over the fields andstruck the road again considerably in advance of the more deliberateKauffman. 

She now set off at her swiftest run and on reaching the manager'soffice, in the front of the main building, perceived that it waslighted. 

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 beseen. "

Joe pulled her in, closed the outer door and locked it, and then facedher. 

"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 axestored. I want to catch him in the act, Joe, and you must hide mesomewhere. "

Joe glanced around with a puzzled look. 

"Where?" he asked helplessly. 

So Josie looked around her, too. This end of the long building waspartitioned off for offices, as it fronted the town. The centralsection was a big space containing a table, benches, etc. , while oneither side were little glass rooms with partitions between themreaching about seven feet in height, the ceiling being some twelve feetfrom the floor. The first room to the left of the entrance was marked"Manager" on its glass door; the next office "Purchasing Agent, " andthe third "Chief Engineer. " On the right hand side, the correspondingoffices were marked "Secretary, " "Examiner, " and "Superintendent. " Allthe office doors were locked except that of the Purchasing Agent, whichstood ajar. Josie sprang into that office and cast a hurried glancearound. The glass division between that and the manager's office was"frosted" with white paint, but so carelessly done that she foundplaces where she could see through into the office of the manager. Alsoshe could see into the main, or reception room, even with her doorclosed. 

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'tlet him suspect I'm here. "

Joe was not quick-witted, but on the battlefields of France he hadlearned prompt obedience to orders. Josie, as a government agent, wasnow his commander, so he merely nodded to her as he walked over tounlock the outer door. 

Kauffman stepped in, satchel in hand. 

"You're the watchman, I suppose, " he said cheerfully. "Is Mr. Coltonhere?"

"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 thatfact, "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 saidnothing more. Josie was watching Kauffman from her retreat, but as herlittle office was dark and the German sat under a bright light it wasimpossible for him to know that his every movement was underobservation. 

The minutes dragged. A big clock on the wall ticked with an ominoussound. Kauffman drew out his watch and compared it with the clock. Heappeared to grow restless. 

Josie's quick ears caught the distant sound of a motor car coming downthe road. Perhaps Kauffman heard it also. He rose from his seat andgoing to the table unlocked the black satchel, pressed the top open andlooked inside it. Still bending over the satchel he placed a cigarettein 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 hadleft unlocked; but while the German turned expectantly toward the doorthe maimed soldier, hearing Josie's whisper, approached her little roomand slightly opened her door. 

"He has lighted the fuse of the bomb, " she said to him excitedly. "Thebomb is in the satchel!"

Joe turned quickly to the table. He dived into the bag with his onegood hand, drew out the heavy ball of steel and rushed with it to thedoor 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 rushedoutside 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 afteryou had gone away, Mr. Colton. That man before you is a German spy, andI arrest him in the name of the law. Put up your hands, Abe Kauffman!"

The little revolver was in her hand, steadily covering him. Kauffmangave an amused laugh, but he slowly raised his arms, as commanded. 

"I don't quite understand, " said the puzzled manager, looking from oneto the other. 

"Well, I brought the new projectile, Colton, as I had agreed, " answeredthe German, coolly, "but your quaint watchman has thrown it away. Asfor the girl, " he added, with a broad grin, "she has fooled me. Shesaid 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, " shereplied, not quite truthfully. "I've been shadowing this man for sometime. I tell you, sir, he brought a bomb here, to destroy thisbuilding, and under pretense of lighting, a cigarette he has justlighted the time fuse. The bomb was in that satchel, but--" she addedimpressively, "as a matter of fact the thing was harmless, as I hadalready 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. "Itis lucky for us all that the thing isn't loaded, or there really wouldhave been an explosion. " He now turned to Josie, with his hands stillin the air, and explained: "It is meant to explode through impact, andordering it tossed out there was the most dangerous thing you couldhave done. "

At the manager's command Joe took an electric searchlight and went outto find the steel ball. 

"If you please, miss, " said Kauffman, "may I put down my arms? They aretired, and I assure you I will not try to escape. "

Josie lowered the revolver. Her face was red. She was beginning towonder if she had bungled the case. A second thought, however--athought of the papers she had found in the old desk--reassured her. Shemight have been wrong in some respects, but surely she was right in themain. 

"This man, " said Mr. Colton, pointing to Kauffman, "is known to me as amunition expert. He bears the endorsement of the Secretary of War andis the inventor of the most effective shells we now manufacture. Whatyou have mistaken for a bomb is his latest design of projectile for aneight-inch gun. He had arranged to bring it here and explain to me itsmechanism to-night, and also to submit a proposition giving our companythe control of its manufacture. If you are a government agent, yousurely understand that these arrangements must be conducted with greatsecrecy. If we purchase the right to make this projectile, we mustfirst induce the government to use it, by demonstrating itseffectiveness, and then secure our contracts. So your interference, atthis time, is---ahem!--annoying. "

Josie's face was a little more red than before. A second motor car drewup at the door and to her astonishment Mrs. Charleworth entered andgreeted 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 singularmisunderstanding, it seems, and our friend here has been accused ofbeing 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 sodeeply interested, has just been tossed out upon the common, but JoeLangley 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 quitelikely to occur, " said she. "I recognize this young lady as a friend ofthe Hathaway family, and I have met her at the Liberty Girls' Shop, soshe 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 topromote 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 anddeparted through the door leading to the big room in the rear. It wastime to make his regular rounds of the works, and perhaps Mr. Coltonpreferred no listeners to the conversation that might follow. 

CHAPTER XXIIITHE FLASHLIGHT

"Perhaps, " said Josie, her voice trembling a little, "I have assumedtoo much, and accused this man, " pointing to Kauffman, "unjustly. I wastrying to serve my country. But I am somewhat confused, even yet, inregard to this affair. Will you please tell me, Mrs. Charleworth, whatconnection you have with Mr. Kauffman, or with his--projectile?"

"Very gladly, " said the lady, graciously. "I am a stockholder in thissteel company--a rather important stockholder, I believe--and while Iam not a member of the board of directors, Mr. Colton represents myinterests. Two years ago we bought the Kauffman shell, and paidliberally for it, but Mr. Kauffman unfortunately invested his money ina transatlantic merchant ship which was sunk, with its entire cargo, bya German submarine. Again penniless, he began the manufacture ofsuspenders, in a small way, with money I loaned him, but was not verysuccessful. Then he conceived the idea of a new projectile, veryeffective and quite different from others. He asked our company tofinance him while he was experimenting and perfecting the newprojectile. The company couldn't undertake to do that, but I personallyfinanced Mr. Kauffman, having confidence in his ability. He has beensix months getting the invention made, tested and ready to submit togovernment experts, and up to the present it has cost a lot of money. However, it is now considered perfect and Mr. Kauffman has brought ithere to-night to exhibit and explain it to Mr. Colton. If Mr. Coltonapproves it from a manufacturing standpoint, our company will secure anoption for the sole right to manufacture it. "

"Mr. Kauffman has been in Dorfield several days, " said Josie. "Why didhe not show you the projectile before?"

"I have been out of town, " explained the manager. "I returned thisafternoon, especially for this interview, and made the appointment forthis evening. I am a busy man--these are war times, you know--and Imust 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, theschool superintendent, was at your house last night, in secretconference 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 thetwo exchanged glances and smiled. "It seems impossible, " continued theman, "to keep any little matter of business dark, these days, althoughthe war office insists on secrecy in regard to all munitions affairsand publicity would surely ruin our chances of getting the newprojectile 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 herpleasant face, "I see no objection to acquainting you with the objectof that mysterious meeting, although it involves confiding to you a bitof necessary diplomacy. Mr. Colton will tell you that the DorfieldSteel Works will under no circumstances purchase the right tomanufacture the Kauffman projectile--or any other article of munition--until it is approved and adopted by the War Department. That approvalis not easily obtained, because the officials are crowded with businessand a certain amount of red tape must be encountered. Experience hasproved that the inventor is not the proper person to secure governmentendorsement; he labors under a natural disadvantage. Neither is Mr. Colton, as the prospective manufacturer, free from suspicion of selfishinterest. Therefore it seemed best to have the matter taken up with theproper authorities and experts by someone not financially interested inthe projectile. 

"Now, Professor Dyer has a brother-in-law who is an important member ofthe munitions board, under General Crozier, and we have induced theprofessor, after much urging, to take our projectile to Washington, have it tested, and secure contracts for its manufacture. If hesucceeds, we are to pay liberally for his services. That was how hecame to be at our house last evening, when arrangements were finallymade. "

"Was such secrecy necessary?" asked Josie suspiciously. 

It was Kauffman who answered this question, speaking with apparent goodhumor but with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice: "My dear young lady, your own disposition to secrecy--a quality quite necessary in adetective--should show you the absurdity of your question. Can we betoo careful in these days of espionage? No emissary of the Kaiser mustknow the construction of this wonderful projectile; none should evenknow that it exists. Even should our government refuse to adopt it; wemust not let the Central Powers know of it. My own negotiations withMr. Colton and Mrs. Charleworth have been camouflaged by my disguise asa suspender merchant. It was equally important that Mr. Dyer'sconnection with us be wholly unsuspected. When the projectile isadopted, and these works are manufacturing it in quantities to help winthe war, still no information concerning it must be made public. Youmust 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 governmentagent. If you fail to substantiate that claim, we shall place you underarrest 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 ofJohn O'Gorman, one of the high officers of the United States SecretService, who is now in Europe in the interests of the government. Icame to Dorfield to visit my friend, Mary Louise Burrows, as Mrs. Charleworth is aware, and while here my suspicions were aroused of theexistence of a German spy plot. Therefore I set to work to bring thecriminals 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 thatwill convict two persons, at least. And I am amazed that you haveintrusted your secrets to that arch-traitor, Professor Dyer. Will youtell 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 alsothe superintendent of schools, and in that capacity seems highlyrespected. I have never heard anything against the man, until now. Hisimportant 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 truethat John Dyer was active in politics long before he was madesuperintendent of schools. However, he was an educator, as well as apolitician, 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 ouracquaintance until very recently was casual. But I have looked upon himas a man of importance in the community. On learning that he had arelative on the munitions board, I asked him to come, to my house, where I made him the proposition to take our projectile to Washingtonand secure its adoption. I offered liberal terms for such service, butat first the professor seemed not interested. I arranged a secondmeeting, last evening, at which Mr. Kauffman was present to explaintechnical details, and we soon persuaded Mr. Dyer to undertake thecommission. 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 royaltybasis, we are to take it to my house, where Mr. Dyer will receive itand obtain our final instructions. "

"One question more, if you please, " said Josie. "What connection withyour 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 Housewhere I stop. Sometimes I see him when I come in late. He's not ofspecial 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 revolvershot--came from the rear. As Colton and Kauffman sprang to their feetand Mrs. Charleworth shrank back in a fright, the girl ran to the backdoor, opened it and started to make her way through the huge, darkbuilding beyond the partition. The manager followed in her wake and ashe passed through the door he turned a switch which flooded the bigstore-room with light. 

In the center of the building were long, broad tables, used forpacking. A few shells still remained grouped here and there upon theboards. On either side the walls were lined with tiers of boxes boundwith steel bands and ready for shipment. No person was visible in thisroom, but at the farther end an outer door stood ajar and just outsideit a motionless form was outlined. 

Josie and Mr. Colton, approaching this outer door nearly at the sametime, controlled their haste and came to an abrupt halt. The uprightfigure was that of Sergeant Joe Langley and the light from the roomjust 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 scenepanting for he was too short and fat to run easily. 

Joe turned and looked at them as if waking from a trance. His stolidface took on a shamed expression. 

"Couldn't help it, sir, " he said to the manager. "I caught him in theact. It was the flashlight that saved us. When it struck him he lookedup 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 hisfoot pushed it over. It rolled slightly, unbent, and now lay at fulllength, facing them. Josie picked up the flashlight and turned it uponthe face. 

"Oh!" she cried aloud, and shivered anew, but was not surprised. 

"I guess, " said Joe slowly, "they'll have to get another schoolsuperintendent. "

"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 curiousobject 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 itwon't go off an' blow us all up. He was leanin' down an' bendin' overit, twisting that dial you see, when on a sudden I spotted him. Ididn't stop to think. My Cap'n used to say 'Act first an' thinkafterwards, ' an' that's what I did. I didn't know till now it was theschool boss, but it wouldn't have made any difference. I done my dutyas I saw it, an' I hope I did it right, Mr. Colton. "

Kauffman was already stooping over the machine, examining it with askilled 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 hishandkerchief wiped the perspiration from his face. 

"Gott!" he exclaimed, "this is no joke. We've all been too near deathto feel comfortable. "

"This is horrible!" said Mr. Colton, "I can't yet believe that Dyercould be guilty of so fiendish an act. "

"I can, " asserted Josie grimly, "and it isn't the first time he hasplanned murder, either. Dyer was responsible for the explosion at theairplane factory. "

Footsteps were heard. Out of the darkness between the group ofbuildings 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 Iwish you'd had the job, stranger. "

CHAPTER XXIVAFTER THE CRISIS

Mrs. Charleworth drove Josie, who was sobbing nervously and quitebereft of her usual self-command, to Colonel Hathaway's residence. Thewoman was unnerved, too, and had little to say on the journey. 

The old colonel had retired, but Mary Louise was still up, reading abook, and she was shocked when Josie came running in and threw herselfinto 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!" wailedJosie. 

"Wasn't there any plot, then?"

"Of course; but I g-grabbed the wrong end of it. Oh, I'm so glad Daddywasn'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 knoweverything, Josie, even at our age. Now sit down and wipe that wet offyour face and tell me all about it. "

Josie complied. She snivelled a little as she began her story, but soonbecame more calm. Indeed, in her relation she tried to place the factsin such order that she might herself find excuse for her erroneoustheories, as well as prove to Mary Louise that her suspicions of AbeKauffman and Mrs. Charleworth were well founded. 

"No girl is supposed to know the difference between a bomb and acannon-ball--or projectile--or whatever it is, " was her friend'scomment, when Josie had reached the scene in the manager's office, "andany 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 retributionthat had overtaken Professor Dyer, although Josie's story had arousedher indignation toward him and prepared her for the man's finalinfamous 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 confesseverything, 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 thepolice tried to arrest Tom Linnet the young man was not to be found. Hehad not bought the cigar store, but with what funds remained to him, hehad 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, anearnest conference was held between Mr. Colton, Colonel Hathaway, JosieO'Gorman, Mrs. Charleworth, the Chief of Police and the two secretservice agents. At this conference it was deemed inadvisable toacquaint the public with the truth about John Dyer's villainy. Thegovernment would be fully informed, of course, but it seemed best notto tell the people of Dorfield that a supposedly respectable citizenhad been in the pay of the Kaiser's agents. It would be likely to makethem suspicious of one another and have a bad influence generally. Thecriminal had paid the penalty of his crimes. The murders he hadcommitted and attempted to commit were avenged. 

So it was announced that the school superintendent had been killed byan accidental explosion at the munition works, and the newspapersstated that Mrs. Dyer did not desire a public funeral. Indeed, she wastoo overwhelmed by the tragedy to express any desire regarding thefuneral but left it all to Colonel Hathaway and Mr. Colton, whovolunteered to attend to the arrangements. The burial was veryunostentatious and the widow received much sympathy and did not sufferin the esteem of the community. Mrs. Dyer, in fact, was never told ofher husband's dishonor and so mourned him sincerely. 

Immediately following the conference referred to, Josie brought theChief of Police and the secret service men to her room and in theirpresence 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 wellthat Dyer would try to get back the desk, hoping I had not discoveredits secret, so I deceived him and gained time by proving that I hadsent 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 withone 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 Spyfull information concerning the projectile, and so reap another reward. But all his diabolical schemes were frustrated by Joe Langley'sbullet. "

"Well, here's the desk, " said Chief Farnum, "but where are thoseimportant papers, Miss O'Gorman?"

"And what do they prove?" added Crissey. 

Josie slid back the panel in the square pedestal, disclosing the twocompartments filled with papers. These she allowed the police and thedetectives to read, arid they not only proved that John Dyer was in thepay of an organized band of German spies having agents in Washington, New York and Chicago, but Crissey was confident the notes, contractsand agreements would furnish clues leading to the discovery andapprehension of the entire band. So the papers were placed in hischarge to take to Washington, and their importance was a furtherargument for secrecy concerning John Dyer's death. 

"So far as I am concerned, " Josie said afterward to Colonel Hathawayand Mary Louise, "the spy case is ended. When they arrest Tom Linnetthey will be able to prove, from the scraps of paper I found in theprinting room of the hotel, that Linnet printed the circulars from copyfurnished by Dyer, and that Dyer and Linnet together directed theenvelopes, probably in the still hours of the morning at the hoteldesk, where they were not likely to be disturbed. The circulars may notbe considered legally treasonable, but the fact that Linnet personallyplaced the bomb that destroyed the airplane works will surely send himto 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 ofthe crime. "

"It wont take much to make Linnet confess, " predicted Josie. "He isyellow all through, or he wouldn't have undertaken such dastardly workfor the sake of money. His refusal to undertake the second job was merecowardice, not repentance. I understand that sort of criminal prettywell, and I assure you he will confess as soon as he is captured. "

But, somewhat to the astonishment of the officers, Tom Linnet managedto evade capture. They found his trail once or twice, and lost itagain. 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 mercilesslypersistent. They may embrace Tom Linnet yet, but until now he hasmiraculously avoided them. 

CHAPTER XXVDECORATING

Colonel Hathaway and Mary Louise were walking down the street one daywhen they noticed that the front of Jake Kasker's Clothing Emporium wasfairly covered with American flags. Even the signs were hidden by afluttering 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 theman has forgiven me yet for suspecting his loyalty, but you've alwaysdefended him, Gran'pa Jim, so he will probably tell you why he iscelebrating. "

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--heisn't dead?"

"No, " said Kasker, wiping his eyes, "not that, thank God. A shellsplinter took out a piece of his leg--my little Jakie's leg!--and he'sin a hospital at Soissons. His letter says in a few weeks he can goback to his company. I got a letter from his captain, too. The captainsays Jakie is a good soldier and fights like wild-cats. That's what hesays of Jakie!"

"Still, " said Colonel Hathaway, with a puzzled look, "I do not quiteunderstand why you should decorate so profusely on account of so sad anevent. "

"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 hiscountry, and he can go back and spill it again, it makes great honorfor the name of Kasker. Say, once they called me pro-German, 'cause Isaid I hated the war. Don't my Jakie's blood put my name on America'shonor roll? I'm pretty proud of Jakie, " he wiped his eyes again; "I'llgive him an interest in the business, if he comes back. And if hedon'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--hisonly son. ' Seems to me, Colonel, that evens the score. America gives usGermans protection and prosperity, and we give our blood to defendAmerica'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 Kaskeraccompanied them to the door, they strove to express their sympathy andapproval. 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 standtogether 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, butJake Kasker loves his country better than his son. "

CHAPTER XXVIKEEPING BUSY

The Liberty Girls were forced to abandon their Shop when a substantialoffer was made by a business firm to rent the store they had occupied. However, they were then, near the end of their resources, with depletedstock, for they had begged about all the odds and ends people wouldconsent to part with. What goods remained to them were of inferiorworth and slow to dispose of, so they concluded their enterprise with a"grand auction, " Peter Conant acting as auctioneer, and cleaned up theentire stock "in a blaze of glory, " as Mary Louise enthusiasticallydescribed the event. 

The venture had been remarkably successful and many a soldier had causeto bless the Liberty Girls' Shop for substantial comforts provided fromits funds. 

"But what can we do now, " inquired Mary Louise anxiously as the sixcaptains met with Irene one afternoon following the closing of theshop. "We must keep busy, of course. Can't someone think of something?"

One and all had been thinking on that subject, it seemed. Variousproposals were advanced, none of which, however, seemed entirelypractical until Irene said:

"We mustn't lose our reputation for originality, you know, nor must weinterfere with those who are doing war relief work as well, if not muchbetter, than we could. I've pondered the case some, during the past fewdays, and in reading of the progress of events I find that quite themost important thing on the government programme, at present, is theconservation of foods. 'Food will win the war' is the latest slogan, and anyone who can help Mr. Hoover will be doing the utmost for ourfinal victory. "

"That's all very well, Irene, " said Alora, "but I'm sure we are all ascareful as possible to conserve food. "

"Don't ask us to eat any less, " pleaded Edna, "for my appetite rebelsas it is. "

"I don't see how we Liberty Girls can possibly help Mr. Hoover morethan everyone else is doing, " remarked Laura. 

"Well, I've an idea we can, " replied Irene. "But this is just anothercase where I can only plan, and you girls must execute. Now, listen tomy proposition. The most necessary thing to conserve, it seems, iswheat. "

"So it seems, dear. "

"People are eating large quantities of wheat flour simply because theydon't know what else to eat, " Irene continued. "Now, corn, properlyprepared, is far more delicious and equally as nourishing as wheat. Thetrouble is that people don't know how to use corn-meal and corn-flourto the best advantage. "

"That is true; and they're not likely to learn in time to apply theknowledge usefully, " commented Mary Louise. 

"Not unless you girls get busy and teach them, " admitted Irene, while asmile went round the circle. "Don't laugh, girls. You are all very faircooks, and if properly trained in the methods of preparing corn forfood, you could easily teach others, and soon all Dorfield would beeating corn and conserving wheat. That would be worth while, wouldn'tit?"

"But who's to train us, and how could we manage to train others?" askedMary Louise. 

"The proposition sounds interesting, Irene, and if carried throughwould doubtless be valuable, but is it practical?"

"Let us see, " was the reply. "Some time ago I read of the wonderfulsuccess of Mrs. Manton in preparing corn for food. She's one of themost famous professional cooks in America and her name is already ahousehold word. We use her cook-book every day. Now, Mrs. Manton hasbeen teaching classes in Cleveland, and I wrote her and asked what shewould charge to come here and teach the Liberty Girls the practicalmethods 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 fullyequipped kitchen, adjoining the lodge room, and it is not in use excepton special occasions. Gran'pa Jim is a high Mason, and so is Alora'sfather. Perhaps they could secure permission for us to use the lodgekitchen for our class in cookery. "

The colonel and Jason Jones, being consulted, promised the use of thekitchen and highly approved the plan of the Liberty Girls. Mrs. Mantonwas telegraphed to come to Dorfield and the cookery class was soonformed. Alora confessed she had no talent whatever for cooking, but allthe other five were ready to undertake the work and a selection wasmade from among the other Liberty Girls--of the rank and file--whichbrought the total number of culinary endeavorers up to fifteen--aslarge a class as Mrs. Manton was able to handle efficiently. 

While these fifteen were being trained, by means of practical dailydemonstration, in the many appetizing preparations for the table fromcorn-meal and corn-flour, Alora and one or two others daily visited thehomes of Dorfield and left samples of bread, buns, cookies, cakes, desserts and other things that had come fresh from the ovens and rangeof the cooking-school. At the same time an offer was made to teach thefamily cook--whether mistress or servant--in this patriotic branch ofculinary 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, sheleft fifteen Liberty Girls fully competent to teach others how toprepare every one of her famous corn recipes. And these fifteen, divided into "shifts" and with several large kitchens at theirdisposal, immediately found themselves besieged by applicants forinstruction. Before winter set in, all Dorfield, as predicted by Irene, was eating corn, and liking it better than wheat, and in proof of theirsuccess, the Liberty Girls received a highly complimentary letter fromMr. Hoover, thanking them for their help in the time of the nation'sgreatest need. A fee, sufficient to cover the cost of the materialused, had been exacted from all those willing and able to pay forinstruction, so no expense was involved in this work aside from thecharges of Mrs. Manton, which were cared for by voluntary subscriptionon the part of a few who were interested in the girls' patrioticproject. 

Another thing the Liberty Girls did was to start "Community Concerts"one evening each week, which were held in various churches and attendedby throngs of men, women and children who joined lustily in the singingof patriotic and popular songs. This community singing became immenselypopular and did much to promote patriotic fervor as well as toentertain those in attendance. 

And so Mary Louise's Liberty Girls, at the time this story ends, arestill active workers in the cause of liberty, justice and democracy, and will continue to support their country's welfare as long as theycan be of use. 

"We're a real part of the war, " Mary Louise has often told herco-workers, "and I'm sure that in the final day of glorious victoryour girls will be found to have played no unimportant part. "

THE END