“What I mean is,” Eleanor went on, “that there’s a chance here for us to make a real convert–one who will count. It’s easy enough to make girls understand our Camp Fire idea when they want to like it, and feel sure that they’re going to. The hard cases are the girls like Gladys, who have a prejudice against the Camp Fire without really knowing anything at all about it. And if the Camp Fire idea is the fine, strong, splendid thing we all believe, why, this is a good time to prove it. If it is, Gladys won’t be able to hold out against it.”
“That’s what I’ve thought from the first, Miss Eleanor,” said Bessie. “And I’m sure she will like us better presently.”
“Well, if she is willing to stay, she is to stay,” said Eleanor. “And she is to be allowed to do everything the other girls do, except, of course, she can’t actually take part in a Council Fire until she’s a member. We don’t want her to feel that she is being punished, and Miss Turner is going to try to make her girls treat her just as if nothing had happened. That’s what I want our Manasquan girls to do, too.”
“They will, then, if I’ve got anything to say,” declared Dolly, vehemently. “And I guess I’ve got more reason to be down on her than any of the others except Bessie. So if I’m willing to be nice to her, I certainly don’t see why the others should hesitate.”
“Remember this, Dolly. You’re willing to be nice to her now, but she may make it pretty hard. You’re going to have a stiff test of your self-control and your temper for the next few days. When people are in the wrong and know it, but aren’t ready to admit it and be sorry, they usually go out of their way to be nasty to those they have injured–”
“Oh, I don’t care what she says or does now,” said Dolly. “If I could talk to her to-night without getting angry, I think I’m safe. I never came so near to losing my temper without really doing it in my whole life before.”
“Well, that’s fine, Dolly. Keep it up. Remember this is pretty hard for poor Miss Turner. Here she is, just starting in as a Camp Fire Guardian, and at the very beginning she has this trouble! But if she does make Gladys come around, it will be a great victory for her, and I want you and all of our girls to do everything you can to help.”
Then with a hearty good-night she turned away, and it was plain that she was greatly relieved by what Bessie and Dolly had told her.
“Well, I don’t know what you’re going to do, Bessie,” said Dolly, “but I’m going to turn in and sleep! I’m just beginning to realize how tired I am.”
“I’m tired, too. We’ve really had enough to make us pretty tired, haven’t we?”