She went shopping with her mother to several stores on Market Street one afternoon, skipping the rehearsal of "The Rose Garden" for this purpose. The Christmas crowds were greater than she had ever seen them before. But the enthusiasm for the Red Cross drive had by no means faltered in spite of the season. Ember Night had gathered nearly five thousand dollars for the cause. Laura treasured a very nicely worded letter of appreciation from the mayor's secretary, thanking the Central High girl for her suggestion, which had proved so efficacious in money-raising. Laura was not exhibiting this letter to very many people, but she was secretly proud of it. In every store she entered Laura saw a Red Cross booth, while collectors with padlocked boxes were weaving in and out among the shoppers. "Give Again! Warranted Not to Hurt You!" was the slogan. Wearing a Red Cross button did not absolve one from being solicited. And she saw that the people were giving with a smile. Centerport was still enthusiastic over the drive. Laura seriously considered what she and her Central High girl friends were trying to do for the fund. Would the play be a success? If they only gave one performance and the audience was not enthusiastic enough to warrant a second, and then a third, she would consider that they had failed. All of a sudden, while she was thinking of this very serious fact, Laura came face to face with Janet Steele. "You are just the girl I wished most to see, Janet!" cried the Central High girl. "I always want to see you, Laura Belding," declared the Red Cross girl, who was evidently off duty and homeward bound. "Thank you, dear," Laura said. "You must prove that. I want you to do me a favor." "What can I possibly do for you?" laughed Janet. "Hurry and tell me." "You may not be so willing after you hear what it is." "You doubt my willingness to prove my friendship?" demanded Janet soberly. "Not a bit of it! But, listen here." She told Janet swiftly what she desired, and from the sparkle in her eyes and the rising flush in her face it was easily seen that Laura had not asked a favor that Janet would not willingly give. "Oh, but my dear!" she cried, "I shall have to ask mother." "I presume you will," said Laura, smiling. "Shall I go along with you and see what she says?" "Can you?" "I have done all my mother's errands--look at these bundles," said Laura. "We might as well have this matter settled at once. Your mother won't mind my coming in this way, will she?" "You may come in any way you wish, and any time you wish, my dear," said Janet warmly. "Mother very much approves of you." "It is sweet of you to say so," returned the girl of Central High. "I shall be quite sure she approves of me if she lets you do what I want in this case, Janet," and she laughed again as they turned off the busy main street into a quieter one.