For a brief instant following her spoken pledge, an eloquent silence reigned over the circle of picturesque figures seated about the brightly-blazing camp fire. Then a storm of acclamation rent the still night air, echoing and re-echoing among the giant oaks that hemmed in the company of ardent fire-worshippers. To hear Ruth Garnier repeat the desire of the Torch Bearer was indeed sufficient reason for applause on the part of her comrades of school and Camp Fire. No one of them was more honestly deserving of that honor than sunny, self-reliant Ruth. It was the highest to which she could attain as a Camp Fire Girl until the passing of years should render her eligible to the post of Guardian.
Her cheeks flaming at this unexpected tribute to herself, Ruth resumed her place in the wide circle of girls to the accompaniment of the ringing vocal cheer, “Wo-he-lo for aye!”
She was feeling strangely humble and a bit overwhelmed at the ovation. At no time vainglorious, she found it hard to conceive of why her promotion to Torch Bearer should elicit such a lively clamor of appreciation. As one in a dream, she listened to Miss Drexal, the Guardian, as the latter proceeded to dwell flatteringly upon the new Torch Bearer’s good qualities, expressing her pleasure at Ruth’s advancement in the Camp Fire Association.
It was not until the chorus of fresh young voices had begun their beautiful good-night song, “Now Our Camp Fire’s Burning Low,” that Ruth emerged sufficiently from her trance of wondering happiness to join in the singing. As she sang, a tender smile flickered about her mobile lips. She knew that among those present a sextette of loyal friends was impatiently longing for the Council Fire to end, so that they might tender their more personal congratulations.
To the group of girls known as the Hillside Camp Fire belonged not only Ruth, but her six chums, Betty Wyndham, Jane Pellew, Frances Bliss, Sarah Manning, Anne Follett and Emmeline Cerrito. Brought into intimate companionship during their first year at Miss Belaire’s Academy, the seven young women had found much in common. In “THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT HILLSIDE” the story of how they met, and one by one became interested in the Camp Fire movement, has already been told.
Later, when the longed-for summer vacation brought them together again for a month’s stay in the Catskills at a house party given by Betty Wyndham, their Camp Fire zeal received fresh impetus. It was while they were at Wanderer’s Roost, the Wyndhams’ cottage, that they came into the real meaning of the word comradeship.
Strangely enough it was the eighth member of the house party, Marian Selby, an unwelcome cousin of Ruth Garnier’s, who showed them the way. Out of a series of dark misunderstandings, which bade fair to wreck that promised month of unalloyed pleasure, rose the Equitable Eight, of whom Marian eventually became the best-loved member. A complete record of their eventful sojourn in the Catskills has been set down in “THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AT LOOKOUT PASS.”
And now their second year at Miss Belaire’s was rapidly drawing to a close. So far as the seven Hillside members of the Equitable Eight were concerned, it had been a year of concentrated endeavor, not only as students, but as Camp Fire Girls as well. Devoted followers of the great movement whose watchwords are, “Work, Health and Love,” they had labored conscientiously to forward it at the academy. The Hillside Camp Fire, to which they belonged, now boasted of its full quota of members. The overflow of converts to it had formed themselves into a second group known as the Drexal Camp Fire, named in honor of Miss Drexal, Guardian of the Hillside group, who, with Ruth, had worked unceasingly to organize this second branch.
On the balmy evening in June which marked the elevation of Ruth to Torch Bearer, the two groups had joined forces in a grand Council Fire, as a fitting wind-up to the meetings which had been regularly held during the school year. Though each Camp Fire had its own particular out-door rendezvous, the two groups had elected to hold their last Council Fire at the Hillside meeting-place. It was an ideal spot, less than half a mile from the Academy, and situated in a natural grove of magnificent oaks.
Due to a long warm fall and an especially mild winter, the Hillside group had made it a point to hold as few meetings as possible indoors by candle light. Only in the case of severe storm had they reconciled themselves to the lesser freedom of the house. To quote Ruth’s frequent sturdy assertion: “Camp Fire Girls aren’t supposed to mind a little thing like bad weather.” Her own enthusiasm in the movement always bubbling over, it was not strange that the others in her group had become gradually imbued with the same spirit. Neither was it to be wondered at that those to whom she had been an inspiration to good works were now unselfishly glad to see her thus publicly come into her own.