Then Miss McMurtry slipped
over Esther's head a string of twenty shining beads representing her new
honors, and amid much clapping of hands from their small audience the
two girls returned to their places, Esther wondering if she were not
almost as happy in Betty's companionship as in her new title. For
remember, she had never had any intimate tie in her life, no father or
mother, no sisters or brothers, and only the care and kindness of
strangers until Miss McMurtry had made of her a friend.
All this time Polly O'Neill has been vainly trying to pretend that she
is devoutly interested in what is taking place, although any one knowing
her would have understood that Polly's real attention was absorbed in
the feature of their Council Fire ceremony in which she was to play the
leading role. Now without further delay, and followed by Meg, Eleanor,
Beatrice and the faithful Sylvia, she disappeared into the Pine grove
not far from the gathering of the Council, while the remaining girls and
their guardian drew nearer to their own fire, heaping it with fresh pine
branches.
And by and by, from the edge of the trees, the same notes from the reed-
like whistle that had called Betty to her place in the ceremony of
peace, now about to take place, were repeated.
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