w could she? She was not allowed to go into the kitchen to
help there at home, for the cook would leave if she were disturbed, so she
couldn't do as some of her friends were doing and learn to cook. She
couldn't serve mother, for mother was always away at the club or doing
work about the country for the suffrage cause. There were maids to do the
mending and the sewing, so how could she serve there?

Some of the girls could serve at their church, but her teacher had never
asked her to do one thing, though she was always ready. Her teacher had
not formed a club of her girls, so of course she knew them only on
Sundays. There was no chance to serve the church. If she only knew the
minister, perhaps he would suggest a way, but he was very tall and very
dignified, so she just couldn't ask him. Whatever could she do?

It had been weeks since their guardian had told them that when they had
earned the right to their names, they could embroider the symbol on her
dress, and every day since then she had wished she knew what to do. Mary
had chosen the name "Aka--I _can_," and when she had proved that she could
break herself of using slang by using none for a whole month, she put a
tiny little white flower on the dress, for she was using pure speech.

"Frilohe" was the name Grace had chosen and it meant, "_A friend who loves
to help_." Grace's mother had been in the hospital and Grace had taken
care of the brothers and sisters all the time, so, of course, they all
agreed that she had earned the right.

And now Barbara felt that she just must think of a way. She would go to
the library and ask her friend there if she knew what she could do to
serve.

Now it chanced that from that library there were going out almost every
day girls to tell stories to groups of children about the city. Sometimes
they went to the orphan homes, sometimes to the hospitals, sometimes to
the crowded streets. Into many needy places they were sent, and already
the children were beginning to look for the gypsy-girls who were
story-tellers. As Barbara entered the library, one of the girls was just
leaving, so she stopped for a moment and told about her new work and how
much she loved it.

"Aha," said Barbara, "I believe I could do that. I have read such lots and
lots of stories, I am sure I could do that. I should love to try. But they
haven't asked me. I couldn't volunteer, for mother would think me very
bold. Oh dear, I am sure I could serve in that way."