"How did you ever think of all these lovely things?" said Bet, looking at her father with pride and satisfaction.
"Well, when I went around to the gift shop where I left Shirley's pictures, I just kept my eyes open."
"And did you buy them right there?" asked Bet.
"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.
"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.
A tap at the door, and another visitor announced himself. He extended his hand at once Co Colonel Baxter.
"How do you do, Mr. Doran," said Colonel Baxter cordially. "Let me introduce you to Shirley Williams, the proprietor of this shop, and her three friends, Bet Baxter, Joy Evans and Kit Patten."
Charles Doran bowed with great ceremony to the young girls and then announced his business.
"I am representing a camera company and I'm anxious to have you put in a line of good cameras."
"Why Shirley, that's not a bad idea," exclaimed Bet. "Days when prints are not selling, cameras may. Who knows?"
"But I'm not sure whether we can or not, Mr. Doran. You see we are just starting and we haven't made any money yet."
"That's all right," replied Mr. Doran. "We've heard of this shop opening and we consider it an A-1 opportunity for us, and it will give us a great deal of pleasure to put in some cameras for you on very satisfactory terms."