y are. You
could not deceive them if you tried--Lena, Sadie, Louise Johnson--they
will all be watching you--weighing you; and if they see that, in spite
of the hard things, you are really and truly happy--that you have really
found the 'joy in service so deep that _self is forgotten_'--don't you
see how much stronger your influence over them will be--how immensely
stronger?"

Slowly, thoughtfully, Olga nodded, her eyes on the glowing embers in the
fireplace.

"So all these things that are making your life now so hard, are your
great opportunity, dear," the low voice went on. "If in spite of all,
you can hold high the torch of love and happiness, every girl in our
Camp Fire will gladly follow her Torch Bearer."

Olga looked up, and now her eyes were shining. "_You_ are the real Torch
Bearer, Miss Laura!" she cried. "You have shown me the light to-night
when I didn't think there was any."

"I've shown you how to keep your torch burning--that is all. Now you
must hold it high to light the way for others; for you know, dear, there
are others in our Camp Fire who are stumbling in dark and stony
pathways, and we--you and I--must help them too, to find the lighted
way."

"O, I'll try, Miss Laura, I will," Olga promised, and in her voice now
there was determination as well as humility.

XIX

CLEAR SHINING AFTER DARKNESS

Sonia was an adept in thinking up remarks that carried a taunt or a
sting, and she had one ready to greet her sister that night on her
return; but as she looked up, she saw in Olga's face something that held
back the provoking words trembling on her tongue. Instead she said, half
enviously, "You look as if you'd had a fine time. What you been doing?"

"Nothing but having a firelight talk with Miss Laura. That always does
me good."

"Hm!" returned Sonia. She wondered what kind of a talk it could have
been to drive away the sullen gloom that had darkened her sister's face
for days, and bring that strange shining look into her eyes. Sonia
shrugged her shoulders. At least, Olga wouldn't hound her about finding
work--not while she had that look in her eyes--and, with a mind at ease,
Sonia went off to bed.

She went out the next morning, but came back in the middle of the
afternoon in a gay mood. "I didn't find any place," she announced, "but
I had a good dinner for once. I met--an old friend."

Something in her voice and her heightened colour awakened an indefinite
suspicion in Olga's mind.