Nora, Mollie and Ethel started in. Ethel quickly learned how to tie theknot. Then she began to study "first aid to the injured," and the girlstaught her how to adjust a bandage and how to use the plaster.
"It's a shame that ye haven't a real broken bone to work on," laughedNora.
"Well, that's a nice thing to say," replied Mollie; "suppose you go andcut yourself, Nora Casey, or break your leg."
After studying for a couple of hours the girls declared that Ethel was apromising pupil. She even learned a poem, "The Psalm of Life," byLongfellow.
CHAPTER XXVI
A LOSS AND A DINNER
"Oh! girls," exclaimed Ethel, "I must get my ring. I left it on the boxwhere I washed dishes," and she ran to the kitchen tent, but there wasno ring in sight. "I laid it down here and I emptied the water myself,"she almost sobbed. "It was a beautiful ring--a diamond cluster.Grandmamma gave it to me. It was her engagement ring."
Kate now came in and they hunted. The girls looked where the water hadbeen thrown but no sign. They swept the tent and searched thoroughly.Mollie Long went back to where Ethel stood half in tears and reportednothing doing.
"Who was with you in the tent?" she asked.
"No one but you and Nora," replied Ethel.
"You remember, Kate," said Ethel, "it was Grandmamma's engagement ring.I'd have lost anything I own rather than that."
"It's unfortunate," replied Kate, "but perhaps it may turn up."
Poor Ethel took her walk with Patty and Mollie but she was very quiet.
That noon she watched a dinner cooked in the open. Two perpendicularstakes with forked ends had been driven in the ground, while lyinghorizontally across them was another upon which to hang one or morekettles. Each kettle had an iron hook to place on the cross stake, andfrom them hung the kettles. A roaring fire had been made. The potatoeswere laid in the hot ashes and covered. In one kettle the peas were put.Ethel and Mollie had shelled until their fingers ached.
"Now, girls," said Kate, "someone time those peas. They must not cooklonger than three-quarters of an hour, and they must not be covered."
When the salad had been prepared, the bread and butter spread, and thewater pitchers filled from the brook it was time to cook the steak.
Four of the girls took forks made from tree branches, placed the steakupon them, and started in. Mollie and Nora in the meanwhile, afterdraining off nearly all of the water, had put some salt and a littlesugar in the peas, adding at the last a large piece of butter, and hadplaced them in their kettle which stood near the potatoes.
The steak when finished was laid on a large platter and coveredplentifully with butter. Then each girl took and opened her potato, andwhat a potato it was!--so unlike those cooked in an oven. The peas wereserved in saucers, and the sight of the steak covered with gravy--hotand juicy--made them hungry.
Each sat on the ground with her plate on her lap, and her saucer andglass beside her. They ate up every vestige of food.
"Goodnight!" said Nora. "Shure a dog would starve in this crowd."
After an appetizing salad dressed with a suspicion of garlic and a fineFrench dressing, came the bread pudding made by Sallie Davis. It wasfilled with raisins and each girl passed her plate twice.
"Ethel, what do you think of our Camp Fire dinner?" asked Kate.
"It is simply fine," replied the girl. "I have never tasted one half sogood."
"Poor Ethel, she is unhappy over her ring," said Edna, "and I don't blameher. Cheer up! it may be found yet," she added.
But Ethel was unhappy, not for the loss of the ring, but because it hadbelonged to old Mrs. Hollister.
"I never should have brought it," she said to Kate. "I should have leftit with Aunt Susan. I know it was right on the box when I left the tent,and it's so unpleasant," she confided to Kate. "One suspects everyone."
"Yes, that's the unfortunate part of it," replied her cousin. "Theinnocent suffer for the guilty; that is, if it has been taken by anyone,but I have an idea that it may have been thrown out with the water."
Ethel studied hard every day. She learned rapidly and one night shereceived her first bead. She had learned how to row a boat and she rowedwell. In five days she had rowed twenty miles, which entitled her toone honor. Before the next two weeks she had learned how to swim; andshe swam one mile in five days. The rule was to swim one mile in sixdays, but she went one better; so at one of the council fires shereceived her two beads. As her honors came under "health craft" herbeads were red.
Her ceremonial gown had been made for some time. She had worked on itduring rainy days, and when she had finished behold! it was perfect.
"Why, you're entitled to another honor. This comes under 'hand craft,'"said Patty.
So now she had won three--two red beads and one of green.
"That's good work," ejaculated Nora Casey. "She'll outstrip us all."
Of course each girl won daily. Some had strings nearly half a yard long.At every council fire the Guardian would distribute them to the girls,but Sallie Davis had the most beads. She was clever and won many forcooking.
About the middle of July there came another set of Camp Fires. Theyoccupied the woods about half a mile away. It seemed that theGuardian--a Miss Andrews--was a schoolmate of Kate Hollister's. Theywere called the "Columbus Camp Fires." The girls were friendly andtogether they had great sport.
CHAPTER XXVII
A DISCOVERY
One morning Patty and Ethel started for a walk. They were to climb asmall mountain. On their way they came across a pocket handkerchief. Itwas a girl's handkerchief, and on it was the initial "H."
"This isn't Cousin's Kate's I know," said Ethel. "She carried onecertain kind with a tiny 'H' worked in the corner. This looks like acheap one that might be purchased for a dime. Whose can it be? Are thereany 'H's' in the Columbus Camp Fires?"
They recalled every name--not an "H."
"Then as it isn't Kate's nor mine it must belong to Mattie Hastings."
"Yes," replied Patty. "She often walks up here alone."
"I wish I could get over my feeling of dislike for that girl," saidEthel, "but I can not. It grows on me. I shall be glad to go home toget rid of looking at her. I can never like Nora Casey either, althoughI have tried very hard. But I positively shrink from that girl. I don'ttrust her."
"I feel the same, and so do all the girls," replied Patty, "but sheseems to have gotten around Miss Hollister. She is invariably hanging onher."
"Cousin Kate is so kind and good-hearted," said Ethel. "She's alwaysready to make the best of people, but I feel like pulling MattieHastings away when I see her around here."
"Look--quick! speak of angels--that was she looking out through thosetrees," exclaimed Patty. "Now I wonder what she is doing up here andalone. My! but it's warm in the sun, isn't it?" and Patty opened theneck of her waist and removed her hat. "Let's call and see if sheanswers us."
So Patty Sands called loudly:
"Mattie Hastings--Mattie--we have seen you--don't hide!"
Someone started to run through the brush. They heard a fall and apiercing shriek.
"She's tripped," said Ethel. "Let's go and see."
Quickly they picked their way over fallen trees and dead leaves untilthey came to the prostrate body of Mattie whom they so disliked.
"What have you done?" asked Patty. "Have you hurt yourself?"
No answer.
"She's fainted!" ejaculated Ethel. "She's been walking in the sun andexposed to great heat. It's heat exhaustion. See, her face is pale andshe isn't entirely unconscious as in a sunstroke. First we must loosenher clothing and let her lie down quietly. I wonder if there is anywater about."
"Yes," said Patty, "we passed a watering trough on the road."
While Ethel unbuttoned the girl's waist, Patty ran for water.
"It's lucky I have my drinking cup with me," she called. "I have a longhead. I never take a walk without it."
Ethel made no reply. She unhooked the girl's corset. Then when Pattyr
eturned, together they lifted her to a shady place. Ethel's face waspale.
"What is the matter?" asked Patty. "You look as though you had seen aghost."
Ethel pointed to a chain on Mattie's neck. It was a small silver chain,and suspended from it were two diamond rings. One was the small clusterlost by Ethel, while the other was a solitaire. Patty gasped and caughtEthel by the arm.
"That's your ring."
Ethel nodded.
"And the other belongs to Nora Casey. She lost it a few days ago. Shedidn't want to make a fuss about it on account of you having lost yours,but I think she suspected this girl and determined to get it before sheleft camp. Isn't it awful?" and Patty shook her head. "You'd better takethe chain off before she comes to."
Ethel made no reply but lifted Mattie's head and put the drinking cup toher lips. After a moment the girl took a swallow, then another, untilshe had taken it all.
"Don't give her any more now," said Ethel. "'First Aid' says, 'sipslowly in heat prostrations and give stimulants,' but we have none."
"Take them off, Ethel," said Patty, "she might get up and run." ButEthel only looked.
Suddenly Mattie Hastings opened her eyes, gazed at the two girls, and ather shirt waist beside her; then she raised herself and put her hand toher neck. A scarlet flame surged across her face.
"You've had a sort of fainting spell," said Ethel. "You fell, and theheat and all made you unconscious for a while. Why did you run from uswhen we called?"
With her hands upon her chain the girl looked like a frightened animal.Something stirred Ethel's pity.
"Don't be frightened," she said, "just tell us all."
Whereupon Mattie Hastings burst into tears.
"First hand me my ring," said Ethel, "and then tell us everything."
The girl tried to unfasten the chain.
"Shall I?" asked Ethel.
Mattie nodded. Then Ethel took the ring.
"To whom does this belong?" she asked.
"Nora," faltered the girl. "Keep it please; I shall never go back. Ishall kill myself," she sobbed.
"That's silly," broke in practical Patty.
"Your father--Judge Sands--he will sentence me to prison," she sobbed,"and I did it for Mollie. She's my sister. Her spine is broken and thedoctor said she needed food--good nourishing food. She's only eleven,and he told father that with care she might outgrow it, especially ifshe could get in some Institution for Cripples, where she could havegood attention," and the girl threw herself on her face and sobbedbrokenly.
"Now, see here," said Ethel, sitting down beside her and lefting her up,while Patty and she supported her back.
"You tell us everything; don't keep even a tiny bit back."
"Yes," broke in Patty, "we're Camp Fire Girls and we must 'GiveService.' Perhaps we can help you if you'll confide in us."
"Before God I will; and I'll tell you all," said Mattie.
CHAPTER XXVIII
MATTIE'S STORY
"My father is a good man. He is kind, hard-working, and gives all of hiswages to Mother. Mother has an idea that I am above my associates. Sheis ambitious for me to go with the rich girls--the girls who haveposition."
Ethel's heart bounded. Was not her own mother the same?
"I worked in McAllister's store. I earned six dollars a week. Three ofit I paid Mother for board. The other three, with what Father gave me,bought my clothes; but even with that I could not dress well enough togo with the girls as she wished me to.
"Her idea was for me to go to church and Sunday School and meet themthat way. Then poor little Mollie was knocked down by an automobile andshe has never left her bed. They were a party of joy riders, and oh! Ihate to confess it, but I've promised--my mother was one of them. Shehad a cousin who was a chauffeur and he asked her to go. No one but Iknew that she was of the party, for they were so drunk they never sawthat she left them, and to this day no one knows that it was hercousin's auto that knocked Mollie down, for he escaped. Mother came homeafter Mollie had been taken to the hospital, and at that time we allthought that she had been out spending the evening. When she found thatMollie was injured for life she began to take morphine. I alone know hersecret; she never knew that she told it. For God's sake don't betray me.Every-penny that Father gave her she spent for that drug, and hethinking that Mollie had the benefit of it.
"At last I couldn't stand it. I couldn't see my little sister die forthe want of proper food, nor could I tell Father, and give my own motheraway, for outside of her ambition for me she had been a good mother.Then Father grew ill and was laid up with rheumatism. I refused to giveMother the three dollars for board, but I kept it for expenses. Whenshe demanded, I told her what I knew and threatened to expose her.
"Father grew better and was able to work again, but poor Mollie faileddaily. I laid awake night after night. I prayed--for I was a good girlonce--for a way to be shown me whereby I could make more than sixdollars a week.
"Then in Sunday School I met Miss Hollister. I had heard of these CampFire Girls and how many fine things a girl could learn, so that in timeshe could earn good money. I consulted with Father and he advised me tojoin; and Mother was delighted, for she saw visions of my being intimatewith the 'swell' girls."
Here Mattie put her hands on her breast and Ethel ran to the trough formore water.
"Before we came up here," she continued, "I found a doctor who uponseeing Mollie said that for one hundred and fifty dollars he could puther in a Home where she would have attention and treatment. She couldwear braces, and perhaps in time she might grow to be strong and well.But how was I to get it? Father and I together could hardly pay for ourfood.
"One afternoon just before the store closed a lady dropped her purse. Iput my foot over it and stood until she had gone off in her auto. Thenwhen no one was looking I picked it up, put it in my bosom, and wenthome. In the purse I found forty dollars.
"That was the beginning. After that it came so easy, and Mollie enjoyedthe fruit that I brought her. But thirty-five dollars of the money I putin the bank. I took little things from the store and sold them. Ipretended that they had been given to me.
"Then I came up here. Oh! I expected to end in prison. I knew that itcouldn't go on forever. But I took a chance. I had now nearlyseventy-five dollars. One hundred and fifty, or say two hundred, wouldsave Mollie. I kept on. I took a locket from Edith Overman. She's nevermissed it. It has a large diamond in the center. She's rich andcareless. I took that ring from Nora. I've often thought that Norasuspected me, but she's never given me away. I've taken money from eachone of you girls. The only one whom I've not robbed is Miss Kate--Godbless her. I wouldn't take a handkerchief from her, she's been so kindto me. The rest have never liked me. You remember since we came here thetime I went home and spent two days. Well, I went in town and depositedmy money and saw that Mollie had some comforts in way of food and books.Then when I came back I began taking the jewelry. I have now over ahundred dollars in the bank. I had come up here today to find a safeplace in some tree where until we went back I could put the two ringsand locket, as I feared that they might be seen on my neck. When youcalled and said, 'We've seen you; don't hide,' I thought that you haddiscovered that I was a thief and I started to run and fell over thetree trunk. I had been pretty warm while walking up the hill and I guessyou were correct,--it was the heat. That's all," she moaned wearily."You may give me up. I knew the time would come, but I had hoped to havehad Mollie in a Home before I was taken," and the girl lay back on theground shaking with sobs.
Ethel and Patty looked at each other.
"Now see here," said Patty Sands, "Ethel and I are not monsters to eatyou up, are we, Ethel?"
"No," replied the girl, "Mattie, I think we may be able to help Mollie."
Mattie sat up.
"What?" she gasped.
"Yes," replied Ethel. "You've done this for her. Now we are not going tobetray you, and we are going to help you; but first, you must give backeverything that you have taken. Do you remember
the name of the ladyfrom whom you took the purse?"
"Yes," replied Mattie. "I have the purse with her card in it."
"Very well; return that by mail. Say if you wish that you found it andregret not sending it before. You needn't sign your name. Then takeNora's ring and put it in her suitcase, after which put Edith's chain inhers. Can you remember the different amounts of money that you havetaken from us girls?"