Produced by Mary Glenn Krause and the Online Distributed
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The Bluebird Books
Mary Louise Adopts a Soldier
[Illustration]
Mary Louise
Adopts a Soldier
By
Edith Van Dyne
Author of
“Mary Louise,” “Mary Louise in the Country,” “Mary
Louise Solves a Mystery,” “Mary Louise
and the Liberty Girls.”
[Illustration]
Frontispiece by
Joseph W. Wyckoff
The Reilly & Lee Co.
Chicago
Copyright, 1919
by
The Reilly & Lee Co.
_Made in U. S. A._
_Mary Louise Adopts a Soldier_
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I MARY LOUISE CONSIDERS THE SITUATION 7
II BACK HOME 13
III DANNY DEXTER 23
IV DANNY CHANGES HIS UNIFORM 30
V DORFIELD GIRLS 39
VI A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE 47
VII A TELEGRAM 56
VIII THE ARRIVAL OF JOSIE O’GORMAN 62
IX THE MAN FROM BOSTON 71
X MARY LOUISE MAKES A DISCOVERY 79
XI THE EMPTY ROOM 87
XII DANNY DISAPPEARS 95
XIII FACE TO FACE 102
XIV THE SEARCH 111
XV A JOURNEY BEGUN 117
XVI AUNT SALLY ENTERTAINS 124
XVII THE BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST 129
XVIII THE MOTOR TRIP 136
XIX THE ESCAPE 145
XX THE DESERT BUNGALOW 150
XXI A NEST OF CONSPIRATORS 155
XXII THE CAVE 167
XXIII THE RIDE AT NIGHT 174
XXIV MARY LOUISE LOSES HER SLIPPER 181
XXV A SUCCESSFUL RUSE 187
XXVI A GOOD NIGHT’S WORK 196
XXVII ON THE BALCONY 217
Mary Louise Adopts a Soldier
CHAPTER I
MARY LOUISE CONSIDERS THE SITUATION
“Grandpa Jim,” said Mary Louise one May morning as they sat together at
the breakfast table, “I see the Dorfield Regiment is due to arrive home
to-day or to-morrow.”
“So I see,” replied the old Colonel, “if we may rightly call it the
‘Dorfield’ Regiment. The newspapers don’t mention the fact, but it
takes in the whole surrounding country, because there were not enough
Dorfield boys to fill the ranks completely and so we took all who
applied. I’m afraid you’ll find many unfamiliar faces among the ranks.”
“Still,” said the girl, “there will be some friends anyhow, and the
very fact that this is the Dorfield Regiment should arouse our loyal
enthusiasm. Why, I’ve followed them all through the war, and somehow
this practice has almost made it seem that the whole Dorfield Regiment
is a sort of personal possession.”
“I feel much the same way,” said Colonel Hathaway, composedly turning
over the Dorfield _Gazette_. “This is not a delightful country to
demobilize in--if we should judge by the Civil War, in which I was
somewhat more interested. The regiment may not be free to disorganize
for a week, or a month, according to the whim of the War Department.”
“But they’ll enjoy the recreation and the freedom from long marches
even if they’re kept here a long time,” returned Mary Louise, “and
their pay is the same as when at war. The boys who live here can visit
their homes every day, and there may be only a few who come from any
great distance. According to the papers, the Dorfield boys saw some
real fighting in France.”
“Yes, but new faces in the line are likely to be few,” prophesied the
Colonel. “Luckily, not many Dorfield boys lie buried in the French
battlefields.”
“What will become of the new men, Grandpa Jim?” asked the girl.
“Well, they will either be furnished money to take them home--second
class--or they may obtain positions in or near Dorfield. If there are
not too many, they will all get positions here. Many of the merchants I
have talked with are already grumbling because ‘help’ is scarce.”
“Let’s go down to the depot and see the trains come in,” suggested Mary
Louise. “We’ve none of our kith and kin to greet, but some we know and
can shake hands with. Besides, some of those substitutes may live far
away and don’t know where to go. They may need friends, or a home, or
may have been wounded, and have no one here to care for them. I’m sure
we can be of use in some way. We are Dorfield’s own people and must
show our appreciation of Dorfield’s own soldiers.”
The Colonel reflected for a time. “During the Civil War there wasn’t
another Hathaway in the whole army,” he mused; “yet I had my duty to
do, and did it. You know my utmost trial during the Great World War has
been my inability to take part in it in any way. A soldier is a soldier
always, and here I am on the back shelf unable to help my country in
its day of need. Beside being outside of the age limit I haven’t a
relative to take my place.” This had been the old gentleman’s grievance
for many months. He fumbled with his cane a few moments and then said,
“But get your automobile out, and we’ll go down and give the soldiers
the welcome they deserve.”
“It’s too rainy and muddy for the auto to-day,” said Mary Louise, “and
I don’t want to punish the dear little car by a mud bath. But we’ll
take our umbrellas and try to find one of those substitutes who are
stranded here, without friends or regular occupation, wondering what to
do with themselves.”
“I hope, my dear, you have no such idea as taking one of those
persons--what do you call the fellows?--‘substitutes,’ into our family,
even as a servant?”
By servant the precise old gentleman had no reference in any way to a
house-servant, as the house was fully cared for by Aunt Sally and Uncle
Eben. To introduce a stranger into their domestic affairs was indeed
preposterous. But Mary Louise understood him the moment he spoke.
“Haven’t the soldier boys all been servants of our glorious country?”
asked Mary Louise indignantly. “Yes,” he replied, “but they have come
from all classes and sections, some of them gentlemen, or scholars, our
equals in every way, while others have scarcely enough wit to bring
in an armful of wood.” “Even then,” broke in the girl, addressing
the aged but stalwart Colonel, “someone must bring in the wood, and
it’s an important matter to my mind.” She laughed in her piquant,
irresistible way. She continued: “You see, Grandpa Jim, we’ve found at
least one good reason for helping the brave soldiers who have so lately
fought for the country you fought for many years ago.” “You may be
right,” said the old gentleman, “but we are a little premature in this
argument, my dear; we only know that the Dorfield Regiment is coming
home again, and we only guess that there will be one or more extra
men to provide for. Indeed, there may be none at all, for all those
big, sturdy fellows had lives to live before they joined the colors.
Perhaps half a dozen may be left to find situations and boarding houses
for; perhaps two or three are so situated, perhaps one. When all are
mustered out and returned to the places from which they enlisted we may
have none at all to care for,--and that is a likely probability.”
“True enough, I admit,” said the girl with a little laugh, “so let us
patiently wait till the train is in and the boys are mustered out. Then
we can tell what duties are required from the loyal citizens of dear
old Dorfield. It isn’t a big city, nor did it have a very big regiment
to send to the front, nor very many soldiers to fight European battles,
so I suppose I am borrowing trouble unnecessarily. Anyhow before we
start, as the saying is, let us ring the doorbell and see if anyone is
at home.”