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CHAPTER XIX
THE DISAPPEARANCE
The August moon had never been more radiant, indeed it flooded the
Sunrise Camp grounds with a brightness that made it appear almost like
day. And now the regular Council Fire proceedings were over and the
Indian custom of "The Maidens' Feast" about to begin.
In a circle about a cone-shaped rock, which had been brought with
infinite difficulty to its position in the camp grounds, Miss McMurtry
and the maidens were seated, each person bearing in her lap a round
wooden bowl, while from the smoldering ashes of the Council Fire arose a
delicious odor of roasting ears of corn.
But before the feast could be eaten a ceremony of as grave importance to
the Camp Fire girls as to the Indian maidens of long ago must take
place. Each girl was to take the oath of purity and honor, and then the
maidens' song would be sung and four times they would dance around the
altar.
No one of the group of Camp Fire members and no more their guardian
really knew at first whether in this plan of Eleanor's, Mollie's and
Edith's there was any deeper motive than the entertainment of their
friends and the revival of an old Indian custom seemingly appropriate
and beautiful. But as the details unfolded themselves the suspicion in
the minds of most of them grew almost into certainty.
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