Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls | Page 9

are termed Liberty Bonds. It has the 'liberty' to lend these billions to irresponsible or bankrupt nations of Europe, who are fighting an unprofitable war. Some of our dollars will equip an army of Amer- ican boys to fight on Europe's battle- fields. This may be good business. Our excited politicians down at Washington may think they are acting for our best good. But what becomes of the money, finally? Will our millionaire government contractors become billionaires when the money--our money--is spent? Do you think the days of graft are past and gone? Have politicians become honest now that they are handling untold sums? Let us consider these questions when we are asked to subscribe for Liberty Bonds."
"Why, this is treason!" cried Mary Louise, gasping from sheer amazement and indignation. "It's a--a--treacherous, vile, disloyal insinuation. Some German spy wrote that, and he ought to be hanged for it!"
The druggist nodded. He picked up the envelope that had contained the circular and scrutinized it closely.
"Really, it looks like foreign handwriting; doesn't it?" he agreed, handing her the envelope. "It is postmarked 'Dorfield' and was posted last evening. The whole town is buzzing about the wonderful work of the Liberty Girls yesterday. Perhaps your success is responsible for this-- this--opposition."
Mary Louise's cheeks were burning. Her eyes flashed.
"May I keep this--thing?" she asked, with a shudder of disgust as she thrust the circular into its envelope.
"Certainly, if you wish."
"And will you let an enemy attack like that influence you, Mr. McGill?"
He smiled, rather grimly.
"Yes. I'll invest five hundred in the bonds. I had already decided to put in a hundred dollars, but for a moment this veiled accusation bewildered me. You're right; it's treasonable. It will be hard for me to raise five hundred, just now, but I'll do it. I want that to be my answer to the German."
Mary Louise thanked him and hurried away. Next door was Lacey's Shoe Store, and Mr. Lacey was reading a duplicate of that identical circular when the Liberty Girl approached him.
The man bowed low to Mary Louise, a deference she felt rendered to her red-white-and-blue uniform.
"Good morning!" he said pleasantly, recognizing the girl as one of his good customers. "Glad to see you, Mary Louise, for if I give you a good fat check it may take a nasty taste out of my mouth, acquired by reading a bit of German propaganda."
"I know, Mr. Lacey," she replied earnestly. "I've seen that circular before. Do you mind my having it--and the envelope?"
"I wouldn't touch the filth, if I were you," he protested.
"I'm going to run the traitor down," she said. "No man has the right to live in Dorfield--or in America--who could be guilty of such disloyalty."
He gave her the circular and his check for Liberty Bonds, and she passed on to the next store. During the morning Mary Louise discovered several more of the traitorous circulars. Some merchants would not admit having received the warning; others, through their arguments, convinced the girl they had not only read the screed but had been influenced by it. Perhaps it did not seriously affect her sales of bonds, but she felt that it did and her indignation grew steadily. By noon she was tingling with resentment and when she joined the other Liberty Girls at luncheon, she found them all excited over the circular and demanding vengeance on the offender--whoever he might happen to be.
"Isn't it dreadful!" exclaimed Lucile Neal, "and what could the person hope to gain by it?"
"Why, he wanted to kill the Liberty Bond sale," explained Alora Jones.
"A suspicion that this money is to be misapplied, or that officials will steal part of it, is likely to prevent a lot of foolish people from investing in the bonds. All this morning I could see that men were influenced by this circular, which has been pretty generally distributed."
"Yes; one or two repeated the very words of the circular to me," said Laura Hilton; "but I just asked them if they considered the United States able to pay its bonds and they were forced to admit it was a safe investment, however the money might be used."
"I'd like to know who sent that circular," exclaimed Edna Barlow.
"I'm going to find out!" asserted Mary Louise.
"How, my dear?"
"There must be ways of tracing such a bunch of circulars as were mailed last evening. I'm going to see the Chief of Police and put him on the trail."
"Do you know," said Edna, a thoughtful and rather quiet girl, "I already have a suspicion who the traitor is."
"Who?" an eager chorus.
"I'm not sure I ought to speak his name, for it's only a suspicion and I may be wrong. It would be an awful thing to accuse one unjustly of such a dastardly act, wouldn't it? But--think, girls!--who is known to