It was in December that Mary's great idea began to assume form.

She wrote to the American Ambassadors in Great Britain and France for any documents which they could send her relating to the subject so close to her heart.
In due time two formidable packages arrived at the house on the hill.
Mary carried them into the den and opened them with fingers that trembled with eagerness.
Yes, it was all true....

All true....

Here it was in black and white, with photographs and statistics set down by impartial observers and printed by government.

Generally a state report is dry reading, but to Mary at least these were more exciting than any romances--more beautiful than any poem she had ever read.
At last woman had been given a chance to show what she could do.