"My," said Mary Lee, "it's like ready made plans for our committee.Let's hurry and show it to Miss James. We'll be late if we stop andtalk it over, there is so much to consider."
So the girls hurried to school with a consciousness that theopportunity for service was straight ahead of them and in definite,concrete form.
After the first period, the three girls were free and theyimmediately hastened to see Miss James.
"It is perfectly splendid, isn't it?" was her comment after readingthe letter through. "I wonder how many of the rest of the committeecan be excused so that we can go over this letter at once."
Two of the other girls could come and they did. Miss James then readthe letter aloud.
"You see, girls, they want us to plan along three different lines.First, and this is the plan that we all had--we should turn to makinguseful things which would be used by our soldiers and our allies. Yousee, they want us to be very practical about this.
"Second, they want every member of this group to help in the plantingof some vegetable garden. That is a splendid practical idea, not hardto follow and it should prove of great benefit inasmuch as the foodsupply of the country would be materially increased.
"Third, they want us to form a division whose work will be to callattention of households to the great need of eliminating luxuries, andbeing economical and frugal. That, too, is possible for us to do.
"Of course, young ladies, we by ourselves can do our share. But ithelps to know that there are to be other groups like our own formedthroughout the country--for that means we shall be a part of a verybig thing."
"Isn't it fine?" Mary Lee added with great enthusiasm. "PresidentWilson said the other day that help, such as this, is just asnecessary and useful as the service the soldier gives."
"We'll call a meeting of the group tomorrow afternoon, shall we?"asked Miss James. "This afternoon we can get a report into definiteshape."
"But, Miss James," interrupted Letty. "If we have our meeting thisafternoon, Mary Lee cannot be present. She is at Dr. Payson's; nor canshe come tomorrow afternoon, or any afternoon."
Miss James turned to Mary Lee who nodded her head in confirmation.
"You see," she remarked apologetically, "I work afternoons andSaturday mornings at Dr. Payson's office. But please," the girl added,"you have your meeting and I'll help as I can."
"Well, there's one thing we know--we want Mary Lee with us, don't wegirls?" asked Miss James.
The girls agreed with decisive unanimity.
"So we will have our meetings at seven tonight and tomorrow, if all ofyou can arrange to have an early dinner. I hope that this issatisfactory. And in the meantime, girls, think about this and aboutany ideas that are practical and feasible. Above everything else, letus prove that we are a very practical, useful group."
It was almost time for the next period and so the girls made their wayto their classrooms.
CHAPTER XII
INDIAN JIM'S LUCKY STRIKE
With the reader's permission we shall turn our attention to TomMarshall who was returning to Mexico at the time we last heard of him.He had left his Indian partner prospecting there, for both of them hadhopes in the possibilities of the mine despite its apparentfruitlessness.
There was a warm friendship between the two men who had grown to knoweach other in their solitude. It was the Indian who had urged Tom tomake his trip home and who had insisted that the latter take most oftheir small capital on hand for his expenses.
His return was at best a weary trip. He had left the train at El Paso,then had made his way westward and at a lonely point had crossed overinto Mexico. Despite the outlaw bands everywhere he had no trouble onthe way, although he had been on the road for over two weeks.
He had now quickened his pace for he was on the last lap. Hisweariness fell from him like a discarded mantle. In his heart was agreat eagerness to see his friend and still a hope that he had provedsuccessful. A rather vague hope--for the man's optimism which hadalways been strong, in the last few years had received some severejolts.
At last he could see their hut. He could make out the figure of theIndian carrying water toward it. He hastened his step.
The keen ear of the Indian must have heard him, for he suddenly stooderect and with his eyes shaded by his left hand he searched the road.Then he saw Marshall approaching. He watched him for a moment,motionless, without any semblance of feeling. Then suddenly heanswered the waving, shouting greeting of his partner with a whoop andno less swiftly and eagerly hurried forward to meet him.
"Hello, Tom, I'm glad to see you."
"No less than I am, old man. It's good to get back and I certainlymissed you."
The Indian smiled his pleasure. He had associated so long with thewhite people that he spoke, except at rare moments, after the mannerof his white brothers. Even his habits, thoughts and manners were nodifferent and to the ordinary observer it would have been impossibleto recognize him as an Indian, except for his copper-hued complexion.
"I'm sorry about your mother, Tom, but it was a blessed thing for youto have been home before she passed away."
"That is was, partner. But I had some time getting there." And he wentinto the story of how he made his way, and how sickness had overcomehim.
"I don't know what I would have done without the help of a littleangel of mercy who took me to the hospital, wrote home for me and thensaw to it that I got enough money to get home."
The Indian listened interestedly.
"Now tell me what has happened here," Tom added.
"Well, I've had some proof that there is silver here. Not much proof,but some. I have been waiting for you to come back so that we couldrig up another block and tackle and bore and go to it at a certainpoint that may show results. I think there is some chance of itsproving 'pay dirt.'"
"I shall be ready at any time," replied Tom. "It would be splendid ifwe could make a strike, wouldn't it?"
The Indian nodded his head; then as something came to his mind, headded:
"Barton is coming this way tomorrow and we can get him to bring ussome things we need from the States. He'll be back next week."
"Good," replied Marshall. "I will also give him a few letters I wantmailed."
Tom turned to the writing of his letters. One was to his cousin. Hewrote a short note to Mary Lee thanking her for her letter which hereceived at El Paso. He spoke of his partner and of the barepossibility of finding silver in plenty at the mine.
The Indian smoked his pipe while his partner was writing, watching himwith a feeling of contentment. He had been very lonesome for him. Hewas of the type that become strongly attached to people and theacquaintance of this man now so busily writing was the second of hisgreat friendships. Now his mind wandered a little back to the time,more than twelve years before, when he had had other friends.
He was brought back to the present with a start.
"Here is that little girl that did so much for me," Marshall, unawareof the flow of his friend's thoughts, interrupted, as he handed theenvelope and letter to him.
The man looked at the envelope with passing interest. But even as helooked, a strange thrill came over him. He rubbed his eyes and lookedagain. Were his eyes playing tricks with his wandering thoughts? Herubbed them again. Then he turned to his partner who was watching himcuriously.
What was this miracle that brought the past back to him? Surely it wasnaught but a trick, a coincidence!
To Tom Marshall, watching him with increasing interest, the Indianturned questioningly, and even as he turned there suddenly came tothe white man similarity of names, for his partner was named Jim Lee.Yet, surely the girl was not Indian.
Jim Lee's emotion brought his words back to the beauty of Indianphrasing.
"The Great Spirit gives strange proof of his greatness. My partner,who is very dear to me, will listen while I tell him the story of whathas been.
"Fifteen years ago and even more, I was up in Alaska. A man, astranger to me, risked his life and saved m
ine. More than that, heshared the little he had with me, through the long winter, even thoughhe went hungry often. That was brave and it was good. So I, who had nocall of bloodfolk, found my call there. Stewart and I, we did things,but it brought no returns in white man's gold. Then this man returnedto where his family was waiting and he was sorrowful that he couldbring no wealth. I went with him. Could I do more?
"A fine man was he. The Great Spirit called him about three yearslater and he answered. And even as he passed on to the Great Beyond,he turned to me and wished that I would do what I could for his lovedones.
"It was little enough I could do, but that little I did. Gentle andkind was Mrs. Stewart; and little Mary, but two years old, was a greatplaymate. The days were cheerful and even comfortable. Mrs. Stewartnamed Mary--Mary Lee--for two reasons: For me, and because it soundedas if it were Merri-ly. And a merry spirit she was.
"The little girl was eight years old when the Great Spirit calledagain and this time Mrs. Stewart made answer. A sorry time it was; butsorrier days were to come, for they who plan things decided that JimLee, because he was an Indian, was not the proper person to take careof one who was dearer than all life to him.
"They took the little girl away even as she cried and would not go.She went East and they would not tell me where. And then I decidedthat perhaps it was better so. She was young and would forget. Perhapsshe would be happier.
"And now you come and bring back--from out of the past--news of a verydear one. So blame me not, if I am moved. I shall leave you, mybrother, for an hour or so, for I would be alone."
The Indian walked out of the hut. For more than three hours TomMarshall was alone. Then Lee returned, but he offered no comment andthe white man respected his wish for silence.
"Shall I write and tell Mary Lee that you are here?" Tom Marshallinquired the next morning. "Or, perhaps you would like to write to heryourself?"
Lee made no answer for a moment and seemed to be debating thequestion.
"No, thank you, I think not. We will wait," he finally decided.
Barton came the next morning and took the mail and also promised to dothe necessary shopping for them.
The two men turned to the work in hand. It was not long before theywere ready for further drilling and before the month was up they werefairly assured of prospective success. If the vein did not "peter out"their fortune was certain.
But they made no mention of their probable success to the one or twostray Mexicans who passed. They would not be in possession very longif the news were made public.
Jim Lee had by now received all the information that Marshall couldgive him of Mary Lee. Moreover he had made Tom repeat it to him adozen times at least.
On the day when their success was no longer in doubt, Tom was paintingin glowing colors his plans and what he would do with his share of themine. The Indian, however, gave no inkling of his intentions. Tomnoticed the fact.
"What are you going to do with your share, Jim?" he asked.
"My share is for Mary Lee. It could not be otherwise."
Tom nodded understandingly. He already realized how much the Indian'sloyalty and faith were wrapped up in the girl. It was because of thedebt his partner owed to Stewart and because of his added devotion tothe girl.
"Tom," the Indian added, "now that the subject is up, I might as welltell you my wishes. If anything happens to me, you will see that myshare is turned over to her, will you?"
"Of course," was the answer. "But nothing is going to happen to you,and if there is going to be any turning over, it will be done by you."
The days that followed were eager, eventful days. Jim Lee was able tomake a safe trip over the border and make a deposit of a large supplyof the silver without anyone's being the wiser. He informed thepresident of the bank of the need of secrecy and that gentleman saw toit that no inkling of the source of the silver leaked out. Then a weekor so later Tom came over with another supply which had been stored.
In two months there was over fifty thousand dollars to their credit atthe bank.
Then rumors and actual proofs of the approach of the revolutionistscame to them. One morning Tom spoke of this and wondered how long itwould be safe for them to continue carrying the silver across theborder without being discovered.
"It seems to me," he added thoughtfully, "it might pay us to playsafe. What do you think of destroying all evidence of the fact thatthis mine exists and leaving here for a year or so? Things might besafer for us then and we would always have the mine. In the meantimewe have this money on deposit to help us along."
"I've thought of that," replied Jim Lee. "We might even be able tosell the mine to people who would be ready to take the risk or whowould wait for the safe and settled times."
"I hadn't thought of that," was Tom's comment. "We probably couldsell--it is only a question of whether we wish to."
Once they had come to a decision they immediately set to work todestroy all clues and made it appear as if the location had beenforsaken as worthless. They made good work of it. After they werethrough they felt that there was small probability of anyone's makingany investigation.
A few days later they returned to the States. They drew out what moneythey needed.
"We'll go North for a while. First we'll stop at my house, then we'llgo to the city and visit Mary Lee. Is that satisfactory, Jim?"
Jim agreed. They reached Tom Marshall's home, but stayed for a fewdays only. Tom could see how eager his friend was to see the girl andso he hastened their departure.
CHAPTER XIII
A HAPPY RED CROSS GROUP
It was not very long before the Red Cross Group at the High School wasbusily at work, following the outline suggested by the Red CrossCommittee. The group was made up of thirty girls, each of whom gavefive hours a week to sewing, knitting and in a smaller measurepreparing bandages.
Another group of about the same number had already prepared gardensfor the growth of vegetables and berries. Letty and Mary Lee hadplanned for a garden of string beans. It was Letty's suggestion thateach girl specialize in one thing and that all the vegetables were tobe brought to the school and sold when ready. With a few slightchanges this plan was adopted. Ruth had set to work to grow potatoesand corn.
Miss James had made them all understand that while their gardenswould need constant attention, the returns would be rather slow incoming and that only by constant watching would their work provesuccessful.
The third group had set to work to canvass a district which had beenassigned to the High School and in twos and threes were alreadyearnestly bringing to the attention of both the thoughtful andthoughtless the need of economizing.
"It isn't so much that we ourselves will need it. The President hastold us how much the other warring countries wasted at the beginningand that they were now suffering in consequence. It is our duty tohelp our allies as much as we can and this way will be your share andmy share."
This was Mary Lee's best argument and it usually brought promises todo what was possible and also offers of help.
On Saturday afternoon all the girls were reporting what they had done.
When they had finished, Mary Lee asked Miss James if there wasanything she wished to tell the girls.
"Only this," was the response, "What the girls are doing in the way ofgetting stockings, mittens and shirts is of great value. Thanks to theco-operation of all groups such as this, our soldiers will be fairlywell supplied. But I really believe that the girls who are visitingfamilies and making them think of economy are doing just as effectiveand valuable work. And the gardeners are going to get a lot ofsatisfaction from their work."
"Before we adjourn, I have one or two suggestions which you may thinkit worth while to follow," said Mary Lee.
"Our Red Cross Group might suggest to the Mayor that the parks bemade, at least such parts as could be used for such purposes, intosmall gardens to grow cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, squash and othervegetables. Furthermore, a little further out in the suburbs, we migh
tget the consent of the railroad companies to let families use the landthat they call their right of way, for planting of vegetables. Thiswould be in line with the work planned for us."
"What capital ideas," said Miss James while the girls applauded.
"I move," said one of the girls, "that Miss James and Mary Lee beappointed a committee to take up both these questions and that we alloffer our help should they need it."
The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
When Mary Lee reported for work the following Monday, Dr. Payson waswaiting for her.
"Didn't Dr. Anderson tell me that you have had some experience in thehandling of babies?" he inquired.
"I have had," was the girl's answer. "At the orphanage they arrangedit so that the older girls attended to the babies and at Mrs. Quinn's,because she was not well, I had to take almost complete care of thechild."
"Good," was the doctor's answer. "I will have to go to theRichardsons' home about five-thirty. I have been there once alreadythis afternoon, but will need some help when I go there again. I knowit is past your hour but I hope you can come with me. Miss Doyle, whois the nurse I called for, is on another case, so I cannot get her."
"I shall be glad to go," replied Mary Lee.
"I thought you would," Dr. Payson remarked.
At five-thirty the doctor and Mary Lee drove off. It was about fifteenminutes' ride to the Richardson home.
"The child is ailing," the doctor informed her. "It isn't teething andit isn't the ordinary children's ailments. I wanted them to get aspecialist in children's diseases, but they insist on having me. Itisn't very serious, but you will have to help me and possibly hold thechild's attention while I do a little prying."