the
reclamation districts by an increasing force of American women and
girls.

Vera's eyes followed the direction Miss Patricia's tall figure had just
taken.

"I intend to stay on indefinitely until the war is over and afterwards
if I feel I can be of more use here than anywhere else. A few days ago
Miss Patricia told me that she would be very glad to pay my expenses, as
she believed I was 'a laborer worthy of my hire.' What an extraordinary
woman she is and how much she seems to get out of life, if not for
herself, then certainly for other people! I shall never forget our first
meeting and the way in which she then took hold of the situation. I
think none of us will forget her recent devotion to Mrs. Burton. Any one
of us would have been willing to do what she did, only no one would have
had the courage or the intelligence."

Peggy nodded. "I have written mother pretty much the same thing you have
just said. Certainly no one of our family can ever pay our debt to Aunt
Patricia. Not that I should dare make the attempt!" Peggy added, smiling
and looking a little anxiously at the sock she was about to finish. "But
I wonder if I am envious of you, Vera, I mean of your planning to remain
over here so long? Mother and father have written they would like me to
come home as soon as I feel I am not especially needed and Tante has
entirely recovered. They wish her to return as well, but I am by no
means sure she will. There are moments of course when I am homesick and
feel it my duty to be with my own people, now that Billy is gone and Dan
has at last been permitted to volunteer. Then on the other hand, I
naturally want to be in France while Ralph is here fighting. Have I told
you that after Ralph's visit to us at the farm my family has consented
to our engagement. We have promised not to consider marrying until the
war is over. I am not speaking of this to any of the other Camp Fire
girls, Vera, only to you and Bettina. But I shall always think of you,
even if the future should separate us for a long time, as if you were
almost my sister. I suppose if Billy had lived you would have been my
sister."

In response Vera shook her head with its heavy mass of dark hair.

"I don't know, Peggy. I am not at all sure. I don't believe Billy's
friendship and mine were like that. Perhaps when he grew older he would
have wished to marry a prettier and more romantic girl, but always he
would have come back to me for criticism and prais