"Of course he didn't! And pay top prices! Colonel Baxter is too good a business man for that and he has the interest of Shirley and Company too much at heart," protested Shirley.

"Oh, I didn't think of that," replied Bet. "One does have to make a profit!"

"Now here you are, Miss Fixit! Here is the bill. I backed you for it and you have two months to pay it."

"That's a debt of thirty dollars, and I've taken in one-third of that this first afternoon and got an order for maybe fifty dollars worth of photographs. When I once get started I can make a lot of money, taking pictures of children in their homes."

"Mrs. Lester would make a striking portrait, herself, Shirley," suggested Bet.

"Don't think I missed seeing a thing like that. I've already posed her in a dozen ways in my mind," answered Shirley.

"Get it on paper, kid!" laughed Kit.

"You've never seen me let any grass grow under my feet, have you?" laughed Shirley.

"No, I haven't. You don't talk much, but you do plenty."

"I'll need to do plenty, if I'm to make Shirley's Shop a success," the girl answered with a happy smile that was full of hope and enthusiasm.