In her bitterness Nan had not hesitated to say
hard things of Betty, Esther and even of their guardian in speaking of
the injustice of their attitude toward her, and these remarks Edith felt
free to add to her own account. Not that she really meant to be cruel
or unfair, but honestly feeling it best that Nan stay no longer in their
camp she started a campaign toward that end. Perhaps because Edith was
poor and self-supporting herself, unconsciously she resented the
presence of another girl whose poverty was of so much less honorable a
kind, for it is more difficult to be fair to persons almost in our own
state of life than to those in far different ones.
Not long did Edith remain alone in her conviction, for the layer of real
faith and affection for poor little Nan in camp was so thin that the
first effort broke through it. In point of fact no one had actually
wanted her at Sunrise Camp and had only been persuaded into it by Polly
and Betty and by Miss McMurtry's approval, and really these three
persons were still the only three who continued her champions.
Betty would not hear for an instant of Nan's being sent away, threatened
to leave herself rather than be responsible for such an act of
injustice. Miss McMurtry was equally firm, although she added that Nan
was not to be condemned until further proof was secured against her.
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