and mind absorbed in the music? Never
had Betty given up her idea that a romance was in the making between
their first Camp Fire guardian and Esther's father. And often since
their coming to live in her house had she not seen slight but
convincing evidences? Why should Donna so often appear with a single
white rose pinned to her dress or take to playing the same tunes on the
piano that the Professor played on his violin, particularly when she
was an exceedingly poor pianist?

Nevertheless it was not awe of her teacher and guardian that kept Betty
from investigating the state of her emotions at this moment; neither
was it any fear of antagonism between them, for since Esther's
departure to study in New York, Miss McMurtry apparently felt more
affection for Betty than for any of the other Camp Fire girls. No, it
was simply because she had a very definite purpose which she wished to
accomplish without interruption or opposition.

The next instant and she had paused outside a closed door and stood
listening tensely. There were no noises inside, no voices, nor the
stir of any person moving about. Betty put her hand on the knob and
opened it silently.

Instantly there was a little cry and Betty and Polly O'Neill were in
each other's arms.

"Betty, you darling," Polly gasped, "turn on every light in this room
and let me stare and stare at you. There isn't anything in the world
the matter with you. You are as lovely as you ever were. Oh, I have
been so frightened! I have not believed what anybody told me, and it
seemed it must be a part of my punishment that you had been injured.
It is absurd of me, I suppose, but I have had a kind of feeling that
perhaps if I had been at Meg's party I should have been with you at the
time so that it couldn't have happened."

"Foolish Polly! But when was Polly anything but foolish?" the other
girl returned, taking off her cap and pushing back her hair. "You see
I am a sight, dear, but it does not matter a great deal. I am kind of
getting used to myself these last few days. So I didn't see any reason
why, since you are better and I am perfectly well, we could not be
together. Even if it does give you a kind of a shock to look at me,
you'll get over it, won't you?"

In reply Polly had one of her rather rare outbursts of affection. She
was never so demonstrative as the other girls. Her devotions had ways
of expressing themselves in an occasional compliment tendered perhaps