wn to make her own defense, and Esther, who was still at work in New
York. The two Field girls, Juliet and Beatrice, completed the original
number, as they were both in Woodford for the winter attending the High
School. Rose Dyer, with Faith's hand tight in hers, appeared uneasy
and distressed. In her role of Camp Fire Guardian she was not assured
of the wisdom of their proceedings and could find no precedent for it
among other Camp Fire clubs. However, Miss McMurtry had consented to
join their meeting and, as she had been the original and was now the
head Guardian of all the clubs in Woodford, the responsibility might
honestly be shared with her.

For the first time since her accident Betty Ashton was able to attend a
gathering of the Council Fire; and although she was the center of the
greater part of the attention and affection in the room, Betty appeared
as nervous and worried as Mollie O'Neill.

To both of the girls this open discussion of one of their club member's
misdeeds was abhorrent. And that the accused should be their adored
but often misguided Polly made the situation the more tragic and
distasteful.

Although she was not yet in a position to be positive, Betty felt
reasonably convinced that Edith Norton was at the bottom of this formal
judgment of Polly. So skilfully and quietly had the older girl gone to
work that both Rose Dyer and Miss McMurtry were under the impression
that the original suggestion had come from the culprit herself.

Yet the truth was that Edith Norton had a smaller nature than any other
member of the Sunrise Hill Camp Fire Club and she and Polly had never
been real friends since the night long ago of the Indian "Maiden's
Feast," when Edith thinking to fix the guilt of a theft upon Nan
Graham, had wakened Polly to a sudden sense of her own responsibility.
And it was following a visit of condolence to Polly's sick room by
Edith that swift as a flash Polly had announced herself as willing and
ready to have her conduct considered by the club council. For it
afterwards appeared that Edith had casually mentioned that the other
girls had been talking among themselves of this question of Polly's
fitness or unfitness to continue a "Torch Bearer" in the club. So with
her usual recklessness and impulsiveness she had insisted that her
offense be openly considered and that she receive whatever punishment
might be considered just. Never had she planned denying her misdeed
nor taking re