A Campfire Girl's First Council Fire / The Camp Fire Girls In the Woods

the woods to avoid meeting Maw Hoover on her way home, and as the

wait here and give it a chance to stop a little before we

ked up through the trees. The lightning was flashing. She turned back-and the glare of the burning woodshed helped her to make u

ze, would you?" said Zara, trembling. "I'd like to

ng the burning wood at me. He knows I hate that-he's done it before. I can always get out of the way. He doesn't throw them very near me, really. But two or three times the

tly, after they had remained in silence for a few mome

's brighter than ever. And listen-when it isn't thundering. D

stened

ere chopping with axes, too. I hope the fire

e shi

even if no one believes us. It was Jake Hoover who did it, and he'll be pun

from the direction of the farmhouse, but no more flames, and now, as the thunder grew more and more distant, they could hear shouting more plainly

en your father away? You know they have said things about him, and lots of people believe

re, I suppose. But, Bes

other died last year and left her alone, they took her

es flashing through her tears. "I

t of thinking. "No one could make me work harder than Maw Hoover, and they'd p

in surprise. There was a determined note in Bess

ather. And if that's so, we'd better not go right up to your house. We'd better wait until it's da

pper!" said poor Zara. "

we can drink all we want," said Bessie. "I guess we've got to look

n urged Bessie to rebel against Maw Hoover's harshness, and it had been always Bessie who had hung back and refused to do anything that might make

led the way to a spot she knew, where a farm had been allowed t

ty years ago-Paw Hoover's told me that. Some believe that they're no good now, because no one has looked after the trees, bu

he was throwing down the luscious fruit to Bessie, who gathered it in her ap

not like a real supper of meat and potatoes and things lik

hem. But then I haven't lived long enough in the country t

'll know lots of things and be able to tel

ort. When you see things every day you get so that you don't think anything about them. I used to laugh at people from the

ust have seemed

re were all sorts of things I'd never seen or thought about. I'm really only just beginn

the old moon does get up. It'll be just as bright as daylight then, and they'd be able to see us. I tell you what-we want to keep off the road. We'll

wrong, Bessie. It seems mighty mean f

ou do right, people will find it out sooner or later, even if they think at first that you're bad. Sometimes it

y mean things that you've got the blame for, that he'll have an awful lot to make up for when h

the farm. But Maw Hoover thinks Jake's all right. She'd find some excuse for him. She always does when

why he's so mean, Bess

e. Here we are! We'll cut through the fence. Careful as we go through-k

people 'round here have been mean and ug

ood to hurt them in return. If you do wrong, too, just

things, and if they've put him in prison now-"

will come out all right. If your father hasn't done anything wrong, they can't punish him. He'll get

ghtn't they lie the same afterward-at the t

means there's someone there. I hope it's your father, but

h of swampy land, came to the little garden around Zara's house, where h

t had no second floor at all, and it was a poor, cheap apology for a dwelling, all around. But, after all, it was Zara's home, the only home

ispered Bess

nothing out of the confused sounds of talk. But gradually they recognized voices, and Bessie turned pale as she heard Paw Hoover'

!" she whispered. "If

ve that's Jake Hoover's voice, to

Hoover had only opened the door to get a little air, since the night was very hot after the storm. About them the insects were making their

s," said Paw Hoover. "Got troubles enough of my own

id you hear that, Zara? It

et men to work when he needed them for the harvest every sum

afore you got rid of her, Paw! Lucky that she didn't

ody tense. They blamed her for the fire, then! H

over. "We give her a good home-but Jake here seen her

t know I was aroun' anywhere. Say, you oug

ay, Brother Weeks, I hate to think of that little Zara runnin' roun' the woods to-night. She ain't done

ne as wants a girl to work aroun' his place, like. Bind her over till she's twenty-one, and let her work for her keep. I

ation of her worst fears, put her hand quickly over her friend'

l have to look out for ourselves. Come, we

ssie judged that it was safe to return to the road, they kept on thr

o lovely. Come on, we'll walk a little further, and then we'll come to a place I know where we can sl

f I'm with you, B