The Camp Fire Girls in the Maine Woods; Or, The Winnebagos Go Camping

fternoon's experience had made her see herself in her true light and she was overwhelmed with shame at the sight. This Sahwah whom she had twitted as being a cowar

lfish devotion to her during these last days smote her with sharp remorse. In the new light she suddenly saw the vast difference between herself and these other girls. Verily, they were

son, for Sahwah had swallowed no water. She had fainted from exhaustion. Nyoda rubbed her and held s

yoda. "You're a real, wide-awake h

wildly, starting up suddenly,

ed up the hill and rolled in warm blankets and put to bed with a hot dr

ay yourself, like dat Missis Migvan did?" he asked. "She vas a hustler, now!" He talked on jovially all the while he set the bone, and Sahwah stuffed the corners of the pillow into her mouth so that no sound should escape her. "Vell, vell," he continued, "dropped a canoe on her f

oods Gladys wandered about distractedly until her anxiety regarding Sahwah drove her back to camp to face the girls and find out bow she was. Near the tent she stumbled against something on the ground, and stooping to see

oping to remain unnoticed and hear how Sahwah was getting along. Nyoda looked up as she came in, an

egan, and then

doctor had predicted was rising, and her lips were dry. Nyoda feared that

d, sitting down on th

e everything that hap

t you were out in a

cue

t happened to be the leaky one and her punishment overtook her swift as the wings of a bird. She had given up all hope when Sahwah had appeared magically from somewhere and towed her in, in spite of her broken arm. Gladys's face was crimson with shame when she told how she had

t Gladys's sins had come down on her head in a manner which would make a very deep

, Nyoda," said Gladys humbly, "but

m around her, "and you are going to succeed,

ore was running away from her, that the clouds were tumbling down on her, that a big fish had a hold of her arm. "This rock I am pushing against," she moaned, "is so heavy, I sha

has bones like iron! A weak von vould maybe haf brain fever, but not she, I don't tink!" Nor did Sahwah disappoint him. She had a constitution like a n

moon was setting over the lake, making a long golden streak across the water. Sahwah smiled happily at the peaceful scene. Then s

she said, weakl

Do you really know m

," said Sahwah.

terday, you kno

bandage, and moving her feet to make sure that they were not similarly ado

ut I made her go to bed to-night. She is here i

u go back to bed, too. I won't need anything

ing to keep my promise. You see I can be trustworthy sometimes. O Sahwah," she cried,

said Sahwah

eak you must think m

ed scenes. "Forget it. Let's sta

to give me another chanc

ll asleep soon after that and did not waken again during the night, but Gladys sat beside her until morning, watching her slightest

Hinpoha clattered around the kitchen concocting delicacies. Gladys hovered over her like a fond grandmama, brushing her hair, washing her face and plumping up the pillows, and the rest of the Winnebagos looked in every five minutes to see how she felt. Sahw

to 'Heroine's Lodge.' Quite a good idea, that," and picking up a piece of birch-bark, she painted the name on it in large letters and tacked it to the tent pole. "Now

swaying rose. Nyoda watched her with keen pleasure, but it was not her twinkling feet, nor the artistic posing of her limbs that held her attention, but the new expression on her face. The old selfish, blase' look was gone, and

in sight, neither could she hear their voices. Then all at once she heard the sound of singing, wafted up from the lake. It was "Stars of the Summer Night," sung exquisitely in three parts. Sahwah could hardly believe it was the Winnebagos, so perfect was the harmony. This was followed by "I Would That My Love," sung by Gladys and Nyoda. Sahwah drew

tent figures were passing back and forth and winding in and out in the mazes of a dance. So silently they moved they scarcely seemed flesh and blood, but rather a band of woodland nymphs performing their nightly revels. There was one figure among them who was lighter

e top of her lungs, which brought the whole troupe to the edge of the tent to bow and curtsey. Nyo

r, the horrid, lying epistle in which she had cruelly wronged kind-hearted Nyoda and all these wonderful girls. He must have it by now, and would undoubtedly send for her immediately. And furthermore, he would probably make all the others go home too. At this thought her heart almost stopped beating. There was only one thing that could prevent it, and that was for he

her swimming-could she have the heart to separate them? Her other indebtedness to Sahwah she dared not even think of. Wherever she turned her face she saw Nyoda's trusting eyes looking into hers wi

elfishness which the girls had set for her all summer had had its effect, and by morning the balance had swung over to the side of self-sacrifice, and she was fully resolved to write the letter which would make her father despise her. She rose as soon as it was lig

n be hushed and she had done the deed which was to silence it. She could not look a single girl in the face and her food choked her. But this morning all that was over. She joined in making plans for future trips with enthusiasm, for she felt that she had a right

handing her an envelope. At the sight of it Gladys stood as if rooted to the dock. It was the very letter she had w

Gladys, have you s

tood staring open-mo

that time for sure." She tore both letters into bits and then burned them and scattered the ashes to the winds. Then taking her knife she cut a letter L in the bark of the tree under which she stoo

her rescue by Sahwah, and then she went on to tell what a good time she was having and what wonderful girls the Winnebagos were. She

rm. "Isn't it blessed luck that it's my left one," she declared over and over again, "and doesn't interfere much with what I want to do?" She insisted on taking her morning dip with the rest of them, although of course she could neither swim nor dive. She waded out to

of spirit, took her under her wing immediately. Gladys struck out bravely; lost her balance and went under; came up blind and strangling; blew the water out of her nose and laughed, and then went at it again. She repeated the performance more than a dozen times and every time she went down she came up more determined than ever to master that stroke. At the end of the swimming hour she had taken six strokes in succession with Nyoda just barely suppor

is took a great deal of his time, but went across the lake

ndmama could, and she was de fastest knitter in Hamburg! If only my son Heinrich could see dose bones! You vould like to see my son Heinrich, yes?" He took down a photograph from the top of his medicine cabinet and showed it to her and Nyoda. "Dot is my son Heinrich. He now studies medicine at

is lap. They scampered all over him, up and down his arms, on top of his head, up and down his legs, while he laughed heartily at their antics. He shouted with glee when one of them darted a furry paw into h

ed and Sahwah picked out the liveliest one, which w

ed. "Dere, now, you can find him in de dark," he said, tying it round the kitten's neck. The girls were enchanted with the new pet and promptly c

would be sending me anything by express." There was a letter for her in the mail and she opened this first. It was from Gladys's father and read: "I am sending you by express a few tri

nd other Indian curios. Under the baskets was an Indian girl's costume made of doe skin, with leggings to match. The next thing that came to light was a large muff of finest black fox fur, and another package contained the neckpiece. In the bottom of the box were a se

ng revealed a birchbark canoe, big enough to paddle on the lake. Its sides were decorated with Indian craft work and in it lay two paddles. It took almost physical restraint to keep Sahwah f

covered without difficulty, and then she began to tire. Even a vaulting ambition cannot supply a powerful body on short notice. Her breath grew short and the water began to run into her throat and choke her. She struggled on valiantly for some time until Nyoda, seeing that she was going beyond her strength, reached out and p

ly. It indicated good sense. Gladys covered the last twenty-five yards by sheer grit. Every breath was a gasp, the shore line wavered dizzily before her, and it seemed that she was pushing against an immovable wall. Nyoda watched h

on the sloping beach. Gladys's feet struck solid ground and she op

id Nyoda. "Con

, like a conquering hero. Sahwah was particularly pleased at her success. "When you first came I

out in a canoe?

d Nyoda, and took her out for

ave attempted without her help, and she taught them much about expression. She took great pleasure in singing solo parts and having the girls hum the accompaniment. This last arrangement was particularly effective on the

er Night stee

e's coming, for

and last every night. The moon was in full glory at that time of the month, and the glittering lake closed in

o we have to go to bed at all? I'd like t

d dead moon," said practical Sahwah, "but there is one

aid. Nyoda, "and one wh

Hoffman's window. "We ought to sing a German one," said Sahwah, "that would please him

er toward the opposite shore. The doctor's house, which was a summer cottage, stood close to the beach, and a light on the side

icht wass so

so trau

ke out the young man had been called from his studies in the University to take up arms for his country and fell in the very first battle at the storming of Liege'. Not before he had distinguished himself for bravery, however. He received the bullet which caused his death while carr

o on living. The only consolation he had was the thought that his son had died a hero and his last act had brought honor to his family. He gripped the Iron Cross tightly and wished passionately that Heinrich

icht wass so

so trau

"dey are bringing me a serenade to please me." A tiny ray of pleasure visited his sad heart. "Tell dem," he said to his housekee