ot for that reason ceased to admire Miss Frean.

At this moment a breeze swept through Beechwood Forest, setting the
leaves shimmering with a fairylike enchantment.

An instant Tory was aroused from her reflections.

She was alone with no one to disturb her. Why not slip into her tent
and find her sketch book? She probably would have time for a sketch
before Kara awakened or Edith Linder returned.

Unaware of her own action, Tory shook her head.

She was too tired to sketch, and worse, felt no inspiration or desire.
Next to her grief over Kara was her disappointment in regard to her
summer's work.

Miss Mason had agreed that she might try for a Merit Badge as an
artist during their camp. Surely she had sufficient talent to have won
it. She had looked forward to having an arm filled with worth-while
sketches of her outdoor summer to show her father upon his return to
Westhaven.

Now she must face the fact that she would have not a single drawing
she would care to submit to competent judges, not even a sketch she
would be willing to have her father criticize.

Of course she would be glad to have sacrificed her summer to Kara, if
Kara had revealed a moderate amount of appreciation.

In truth Kara was not even as fond of her as she had been in the past
before she had been able to show her devotion. To do one's best and
always seem inadequate is not a condition many persons can face
cheerfully.

Inside, in the room beyond the open door, the other girl stirred, and
Tory glanced in.

On a cot by a window Kara lay asleep.

The room had changed since her coming. Formerly it had been the Girl
Scout living room. Here they had eaten their meals and held their
Scout meetings on the occasional rainy evenings when their more
splendid outdoor meeting place had been less comfortable.

This could still be managed if Kara were well enough or in the mood to
take part. But always her comfort and her wish were first.

Thrown over her at this moment was a gay woolen cover made by her own
Troop of Girl Scouts. During the past winter each of them, who had not
known how previously, had learned to knit as a part of their home
training. The suggestion had come from Teresa that each girl knit a
square of her favorite color, and thus a rainbow scarf might shed good
fortune upon Kara.

So far, Tory decided, with a sudden trembling of her lips, the promise
had not been fulfilled.

Kara was no happier in body or mind since her retu