t to explain to people. You see it is all a
question of our learning to understand each other better to end fighting
and all the rest of it. You believed in me, didn't you, Vera? Yet you
understand that I could not let the soldiers out here be killed when
they are getting ready to give their lives for ours. What is that we
read about Christ the other day, Vera?"

Vera held Billy's two hands folded closely in her own.

"Listen, dear, and remember this:

"'Christ is courage, Christ is adventure, he fights for us and with us
against death.'"

CHAPTER XIX

Plans for the Future

In a large hotel sitting-room a number of girls were grouped in various
attitudes, discussing a question which evidently interested them.

"Does any one know _why_ we are _not_ to start east tomorrow as we
planned?" Marta Clark inquired, glancing up from a city map which she
had been studying.

"Why, no, not exactly," Bettina Graham answered her. "Tante did not tell
us definitely. She merely said that something had occurred which made
her feel it would be wiser for her to remain in California a few days
longer, unless we were compelled to leave for home at once. Personally I
cannot imagine what is keeping her here, as I know she is anxious to go
home, now that our Camp Fire summer is over and Peggy and Aunt Mollie
and Dan Webster have gone. I think it was wonderfully good of her to
continue with our camping party after Billy's death, when she must have
wished to leave with the others."

"I think _I_ know why she seemed to change her mind so unexpectedly
yesterday and canceled all our reservations for berths," Sally Ashton
announced in the mysterious manner which Sally often assumed to the
annoyance of the other girls. Since her arrival in the city, Sally
temporarily had forsworn her war and Camp Fire abstinence and was at
this moment engaged in eating chocolates which had just arrived by
parcel post from Merton Anderson.

"How absurd you are, Sally! You know no more than the rest of us!" Alice
Ashton argued with sisterly frankness.

Instead of replying, sanctimoniously tightening her lips, Sally added
nothing to her original statement.

"Nevertheless, won't you _please_ tell us what you think, Sally?" Vera
Lagerloff requested, and because it was Vera who made the request Sally
agreed.

Since Billy's death the Camp Fire girls had been as unobtrusively kind
to Vera as they knew how to be. In a measure they appreciated what his