He did not add, as he might have done, that the opinion of those other
creditors had been influenced almost entirely by his own and that in
one or two instances he had been obliged practically to underwrite the
payment of Hamilton and Company's indebtedness before gaining consent.
He had talked with Mr. Howe, who in turn had called his daughter into
consultation, and Barbara's enthusiastic praise of her friend had
strengthened the favorable impression which the girl had already made
upon both gentlemen. "Do you know, I believe she may win out," observed
Mr. Howe.

"I am inclined to think she will," concurred Green.

"Of course she will!" declared Barbara hotly. "No one who ever knew her
would be silly enough to think she wouldn't."

Hence Mr. Green's underwriting expedition and the proposition to Mary as
the representative of Hamilton and Company.

Mary accepted, of course. She was very grateful and said so.

"I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Green. I can't promise anything, but
if trying hard will win, I can promise that," she said.

"That's all right, that's all right. I know you'll try, and I think
you'll succeed. Now, why don't you go up and pick out some of those
summer goods? You don't need them yet, and you needn't pay for them yet,
but now is the time to select. Give my regards to your uncles when you
see them and tell them I wish them luck. I may be motoring down the Cape
this summer and if I do I shall drop in on you and them."