er. The
other children appeared content to follow in the ways of their
ancestors, living with and by the land. In a measure they were proud
that Vera cared for books and people who could never be their friends.
Yet perhaps Vera's character had been largely influenced by her one
singular friendship.

Now it remained to be seen what she could accomplish with her own life
uninspired by a dominating affection.

She was an unusual looking girl, and not handsome according to
Anglo-Saxon standards. She was tall and ruggedly built, with broad
shoulders and hips, indicating strength more than grace. Her heavy dark
hair, growing low over her forehead, had a unique quality of vitality.
Her nose and mouth were both a little heavy, although her mouth gave
promise of future beauty, and she had the fine Slavic eyes with the
slight slant.

Vera and Bettina afforded a marked contrast. The one girl, whatever her
brilliant father might say of his antecedents, showed only the evidences
of high breeding, both its charm and limitations. Yet, thinking more
deeply, was not after all Vera's the older ancestry since the first men
and women must have been those who lived nearest to nature?

At this moment, when the one girl finished speaking, leaning over
Bettina rested her chin in her slender hand. She had not seen Vera for
some time and was now trying to discover in her companion's face what
she knew would never be confided to her, to what extent Vera had
recovered from her sorrow over Billy Webster's death.

But instead of speaking of this, Bettina continued:

"Yes, it is extraordinary that our entire Camp Fire unit is so soon to
cross over to France. I only wish the rest of us were as well prepared
for the work as you are, Vera. You have been studying cooking and the
care of children, besides the first aid and the farm work, which you
must have known already? I was able to find time for only a short period
of intensive study. Yet fortunately I know a good deal of French. Ever
since I was a tiny child I have been speaking French and certainly I am
familiar with our Camp Fire training and ideals. I only learned recently
that, although there are organizations similar to our Camp Fire in
England, China, Japan and Australia, there is none in France. Is it not
a wonderful thing that we are to be the pioneers of the Camp Fire
movement in France? Don't you feel that if we can arouse sufficient
enthusiasm among the French girls to induce them t