ls' Shop was now open to the public, and men, women
and children crowded in to see what the girls had to offer. Sales were
so brisk during the first week that the stock became depleted and once
more they made a house to house canvass to obtain a new supply of
material.

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

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

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

"But we can talk all this over at our leisure, my dear, for I'm going
to accept one of your many pressing invitations (the _first_ one, of
course) and make you another little visit. I love Dorfield, and I love
you, and the dear Colonel, and Irene and Alora, and I long to see all
of you again. Moreover, Daddy is being sent abroad on a secret mission,
and I should be lonely without him. So expect me at any time. In my
usual erratic fashion I may follow on the heels of this letter, or I
may lag behind it for a few days, but whenever I turn up at the
Hathaway gate, I'll demand a kiss and a welcome for
"JOSIE O'GORMAN."

Now, this girl was in many ways so entirely unlike Mary Louise that one
might wonder what link of sympathy drew them together, unless it was
"the law of opposites." However, there was one quality in both their
natures that might warrant the warm friendship existing between the two
girls. Mary Louise was sweet and winning, with a charming, well-bred
manner and a ready sympathy for all who were in trouble. She was
attractive in person, particular as to dress, generous and considerate
to a fault. The girl had been carefully reared and had well repaid the
training of the gallant old colonel, her grandfather, who had