.

Tory also repressed the exclamation that rose to her lips.

How white and thin the other girl's face appeared! The humorous, gayly
challenging look with which she had met former trials and difficulties
had vanished. The lines of Kara's mouth were tired and old, the gray
eyes with the long dark lashes, her one claim to beauty, were dark and
rebellious.

"You have taken your own time to come to see me, Tory. I have been
here at the orphan asylum nearly a week and this is the first time you
or any member of my Girl Scout Patrol has honored me with a call. I
can't say I altogether blame you. It certainly is pleasanter at our
camp in Beechwood Forest than in this place!"

Tory's arms went around Kara's shoulders, her bright red lips touched
the other girl's brown hair.

"You know I have wanted to come to you every minute in the twenty-four
hours, dear, and every member of your Patrol has wanted to come as
well, besides Miss Mason and Miss Frean and all the rest. To-day I am
regarded as the most privileged person in the camp because I am first
to see you. Dr. McClain only consented last night to allow me to come.
I am to bring you everybody's love and to demand that you stay away
from camp only the shortest time. Otherwise we intend to call on Dr.
McClain in a body and assert our authority as Girl Scouts to bring you
home to Beechwood Forest. Anyone save a doctor would know you would
sooner grow strong again there than here."

As she talked, partly as a relief from nervousness and to hide her
consternation over Kara's changed appearance, Tory was moving about
the room arranging her gifts.

In a vase filled with water from a pitcher standing on a table she
placed a bouquet of faded wild flowers.

The room became fragrant with the scent of wild hyacinths, ragged
robins, cornflowers and daisies. By a low bowl piled with peaches and
grapes, she put two magazines and a new book.

"Uncle Richard sent you the things to read, Kara. I should like to
have brought more, but could not manage to carry them."

Still Kara made no reply. She scarcely had glanced at the offerings.

"Sorry the flowers are so faded. I think they will look better after a
time. I had not the cruelty to decline to bring them, as Edith Linder
and Teresa Peterson rose up this morning and gathered them in the dew
to send you. I have brought our camp log for the past week."

Conscious of the wall between herself and her companion, Tory was
aware that