The Camp Fire Girls Behind the Lines

by Margaret Vandercook

  CHAPTER XI

  The Dance

  The next day Mrs. Burton announced that having written her husband shewould await his reply before reaching an absolutely definite decision inregard to their presentation of "As You Like It." In the meantime sheinsisted that the whole question of the performance be neither thoughtof nor discussed.

  Appreciating that he had grown too old to make a valuable soldier andyet unwilling to be left out of war service, Mrs. Burton's husband,Richard Burton, had taken the necessary examinations and had received acommission in the Ordnance Department. He was now stationed at asouthern camp.

  Despite the Camp Fire guardian's request, there was a good deal ofspeculation among the girls concerning the possible outcome of theirhopes. During the following day they were too much absorbed by theprospect immediately before them to give much time to the considerationof the future.

  Having arranged a small dance and invited a number of soldiers from thenearby camp to be their guests, the girls had promised to do whateverwork was necessary for their entertainment. This included the cooking ofthe party food as well as the other arrangements. But by this time,after several summers of camping life, each girl considered that she hadbecome an artist in the preparation of one or more superior dishes.

  Ordinarily the most indolent of the girls, on occasions of especialfestivity Sally Ashton always assumed supreme command of the cooking. Itwas Sally who, with Gerry and Vera as her assistants, made both thebread and cake, articles of food of particular importance.

  In the present menu she was especially interested, as recently she hadbeen experimenting with a number of new war recipes, finding themextremely successful. Now Sally wished to repeat the recipes for alarger company than their Camp Fire group.

  Having by this time recovered from her accident, secretly Sally Ashtonfelt that she was being repaid for what she had suffered. She hadsecured a very agreeable new acquaintance, who showed the symptoms Sallyso well understood of becoming one of her many admirers. The young manwas Merton Anderson, who had been a guest at the Morris ranch and hadridden over to camp with the news of the accident.

  Since then, with Mr. Morris and Felipe Morris, he had made several callsupon Mrs. Burton and ostensibly upon her group of Camp Fire girls.However, after Merton Anderson's first visit, Sally appreciated that therest of his calls were due to her presence. No one could have explainedhow she managed, not even Sally herself, yet she had a fashion of seeingand conquering almost immediately both young men and old. No one everobserved her making an effort to attract attention. She was evenunusually demure; nevertheless the attraction was going on in a subtleand scientific fashion.

  Of Felipe Morris' attitude toward her, Gerry Williams was by no means soassured. Not since their original meeting at his home had she anopportunity of speaking to him alone, nor had she made the effort tosecure such an opportunity. For some reason Gerry felt a certain shynesstoward her new acquaintance, almost as if she were afraid of theinfluence he might be able to exert upon her.

  Certainly she had no idea of making an appointment to meet him anywherealone. Apart from the fact that Mrs. Burton would not approve, Gerry hadbeen trained in a sufficiently hard school of experience to recognizethe lack of wisdom in such a proceeding. If she wished Felipe to likeher especially, and she was by no means sure at this time that she didwish it, then she must not allow herself to become cheapened in hiseyes. Social conventions Gerry understood were of value and moreespecially to a girl in her position. However, Felipe had appeared to becourteous, although extraordinarily determined upon securing his ownway.

  In return for their kindness and also because she liked both young men,Mrs. Burton had invited Felipe Morris and Merton Anderson to their CampFire entertainment. The entertainment was to be more than an ordinarydance, since the guests had been invited to a swimming party in theafternoon, then dinner and the dance later.

  Since the girls were to spend a portion of the afternoon in swimming,most of the preparations for their party necessarily had to be madebeforehand. Mrs. Webster had promised to look after final details, andalso there was Marie, who was temperamental, but who could be reliedupon to accomplish marvels when she was in the proper mood. Since theentry of the United States into the war, Marie, who was an ardent Frenchwoman, had adopted the American soldier as her especial protege.

  Moreover, on the morning before their dance Alice Ashton and PeggyWebster had motored into town, purchasing the provisions they consideredtoo troublesome to prepare. They bought two roast hams and a roast ofbeef and half a dozen varieties of fruit. Their menu was to consist ofcold meats, baked beans, which were a Camp Fire speciality, roastpotatoes and corn, which could be cooked over the outdoor fire,cornbread, fruit salad, coffee and cake.

  In the afternoon the girls were to wear their Camp Fire bathing suits,but at night they had concluded to appear in white dresses, with theirhonor beads, almost as beautiful and as effective as jewels.

  The ceremonial Camp Fire costumes were somewhat too heavy and too warmfor dancing on a midsummer night in a semi-tropical land.

  The girls were naturally a trifle shy over the prospect of guests,nearly all of whom were complete strangers. Among them were only twowith whom they had any previous acquaintance. They were LieutenantGeoffrey Carson and Private George Ferguson, the soldiers who were aidedafter an accident in their motor car, by the Camp Fire girls duringtheir riding trip down the coast.

  Two of the soldiers were members of one of the regimental bands and hadpromised to play for the dancers, since the girls possessed only amuch-used victrola and were too far off in the country to be able toengage the services of professional musicians.

  No dance could have been less conventional, when for one thing thewhite, smooth sands of the beach below the camp were to serve as theballroom floor.

  Truly here indeed were the colors of romance, the moon and the sea,youth and a wind-swept shore!

  That night, dancing with Felipe Morris, Gerry believed that she hadnever been so happy.

  With his Southern ancestry and musical gifts, naturally Felipe was awonderful dancer, possessing an almost perfect sense of rhythm and time.

  On one occasion Gerry and Felipe discovered that they were actuallydancing alone, their companions having stopped for a moment to watchthem. Then they were only brought to a realization of what had takenplace by hearing Mrs. Burton cry: "Bravo!" and afterwards the applauseof a dozen pairs of hands.

  On One Occasion Gerry and Felipe Discovered that Theywere Actually Dancing Alone]

  A little while before Felipe had lifted their right arms and he andGerry had danced in and out in semi-circles until they formed the petalsof a flower; reaching the center they revolved slowly in a circle, untilalmost ceasing to move.

  Mrs. Burton decided that seldom had she seen a more enchantingpicture--Gerry with her delicate blonde prettiness, Felipe Morris socomplete a contrast. But then a great deal may have been due to theeffect of the outdoor scene and the moonlight!

  Before midnight, after dancing for several hours and after their longafternoon swim, the dancers must have grown weary, for they wandered offand sat down in little groups on the sand.

  This was Gerry's and Felipe's opportunity, for at once Felipe led her toa place where they were in sight of the others and yet where they couldnot be overheard.

  The rock Felipe had chosen rose above an amethyst carpet of sea verbenawhere Gerry sat enthroned while he lay down on the floral carpet.

  Felipe could adopt an attitude of careless grace with more assurancethan the usual American youth. Indeed, he looked utterly unlike any ofthe other young men who were the guests of the Camp Fire girls thisnight.

  They wore their uniforms and were bronzed and fit.

  At this time the soldiers of the National Guard were beginning slowly tofill their new military camps, as they were to be the first regimentsordered to France after the regular army had crossed. The drafted menwere not yet ready for service. During this memorable first summer,
after the entry of the United States into the war, the lists of thedrafted men were being prepared with great difficulty.

  Therefore no one of the soldier guests questioned Felipe Morris'position. It was presumed that he and Merton Anderson were in theattitude of waiting for their call to the colors.

  Among the small company only Gerry and Mrs. Burton and Merton Andersonwere aware of Felipe's attempt to claim exemption. Naturally the matterwas not one that he cared to discuss with strangers, and more especiallynot with young men near his own age, who had volunteered rather thanwait for the drafting.

  However, Felipe was at present pleasantly sure of Gerry's sympathy.

  "Fine looking soldiers, our American warriors!" he began in a lazy,good-humored tone, which nevertheless held a slight suggestion ofdisparagement. "I suppose one ought to rejoice that there are some menamong us who have the masculine passion for fighting so long as theKaiser's Huns are still abroad in the world. But personally I don't feelI should make a success as a soldier."

  Such a conversation would not have made the slightest impression uponany one of the Sunrise Hill Camp Fire girls except Gerry.

  It was obvious that Felipe preferred some one else to shoulder hisresponsibility and do his duty. Selfishness is neither original norunique!

  But Gerry was not given to deep reflection and was already more underher companion's influence than she realized.

  "When are we going to have a meeting together somewhere off toourselves?" Felipe asked. "There are so many things I want to talk toyou about; it is tantalizing to see you for only a few moments at a timenow and then. Why can't you come over and stay again at the ranch? Myfather does nothing but read war news all day and either Shakespeare orCervantes in the evening, so we would be virtually alone."

  The prospect sounded alluring to Gerry, nevertheless she slowly shookher head.

  "I should like it, of course," she answered, smiling and showing hersmall but very regular white teeth, "only, like a good many otherpleasant things in this world, it is out of the question for me. Icannot stay at your home alone with just your father and yourself.Besides, your father would never think of inviting me, and although Ishould enjoy seeing you alone at some other time, I am afraid even thatis impossible. Mrs. Burton would not----"

  Here Felipe laughed in a teasing fashion.

  "Is this the vaunted freedom of the American girl? I thought only theother evening you confided to me that you had always been forced todepend upon yourself ever since you were a little girl and that therehad been no one in your life who had ever influenced your decisions! Nowyou speak of Mrs. Burton as if you were a tiny school girl. Let meassure you--if assurance be necessary--that I intended nothing wicked oreven unconventional. I only wished you to take a walk with me someafternoon, or a sail. I have a motor boat, and there are hours when thesea is not rough. As a matter of fact, I meant to ask Mrs. Burton'spermission, in case I had your consent first. Mrs. Burton strikes me asa charming person and not one who would be too strict a chaperon.Naturally, as I have spent all my life in this neighborhood, I know theattractive parts of the country."

  Felipe's tone was not so much annoyed as it was patronizing, and Gerryaccepted it in this spirit.

  She disliked making social mistakes, and she had had so little socialtraining and experience that she was apt to regard her mistakes as ofmore importance than they actually were.

  Now she supposed that she had misunderstood Felipe from the beginningand that her own stupidity had been at fault. So she replied somewhathumbly:

  "I am sorry. If Mrs. Burton is willing, of course I shall enjoy walkingor sailing with you. But don't let me keep you away from the othergirls too long tonight. Suppose we walk over and join Mrs. Burton."

  As if she intended rising, Gerry made a slight movement. Her companiondid not stir.

  "Sit down, please, I am afraid you are angry," he returned. "I do wish Ihad my guitar with me; I should like to sing to you. Mrs. Burton askedme to bring it over tonight, but I had rather not sing before theothers."

  So Gerry stayed on and allowed Felipe to talk, while she said little inreply, only glancing now and then from the figure at her feet to thebeauty of the moonlit ocean. Vaguely she wondered why she had alwaysbeen convinced she did not care for the outdoor world. It was stupidnever to have realized its loveliness until tonight!

  But, while Gerry and Felipe were having their talk together, only ashort distance away Lieutenant Geoffrey Carson and Bettina Graham wereengaged in a very different character of conversation.

  It chanced that Lieutenant Carson, who was a Virginian, had an unclewho had been a representative in Congress for a number of years. Havingvisited his uncle, Lieutenant Carson had not only heard of Bettina'sdistinguished father, but had met him and knew of his effort to persuadehis country to take her high place among the nations in the fight for aworld-wide democracy.

  So, since Bettina Graham's father was her idol, she experienced none ofher customary shyness in talking to the young National Guard officer.She had liked him in their former meetings, not resenting his quietsense of humor, a contrast to her own seriousness.

  "Then you are in absolute sympathy with our having entered the war,Lieutenant Carson?" Bettina inquired, adding: "I think I always havebeen--and yet now and then one cannot help feeling that all war must bewrong."

  Before the young officer could reply, they heard some one approachingand glancing up Bettina discovered Billy Webster.

  The next moment, without awaiting their invitation, Billy took a seat onthe sands beside them.

  Bettina was not surprised, for few persons who knew Billy intimatelycontinued to be surprised by his unexpected actions. Indeed, they wouldhave been surprised had he behaved otherwise. Now, although Bettina wasa little annoyed at having her conversation interrupted, she made noeffort to interfere with his intention.

  The turning of Billy Webster from the accomplishment of his desirerequired a tremendous amount of energy which the result scarcely everjustified.

  So far as Lieutenant Carson was concerned, because Billy looked so muchyounger than he actually was, he regarded him merely as a presumingsmall boy.

  Moreover, at the beginning of their talk, certainly Billy behaved likeone. First he stared at Lieutenant Carson's dress uniform, with thesingle bar on his collar and sleeve and then up into the officer's firm,smooth-shaven face. Finally, leaning over close to his companion, hefastened his large visionary blue eyes upon the officer's steadfastbrown ones.

  "Why did you do it?" Billy inquired. Then, because he was accustomed tobeing compelled to explain himself, he continued: "I mean why did youvolunteer, why go through all the hard work and rigmarole to beappointed an officer in the army? You look as if you had an unusual lotof sense, so I cannot imagine that you do not understand there are finerthings to do with one's life than killing people. I should think _you_could see how much more men are called upon to conquer poverty andinjustice and the crime that comes of it, than they are called upon toconquer one another. Of course if you had been drafted that would havebeen a different matter. Most people do what other people tell them todo. That is why I believe if all the leaders of the world would preachpeace, all war would end."

  Instead of appearing to take the youthful pacifist seriously, LieutenantCarson smiled. Billy was a little offensive and misguided, neverthelessthere was something interesting about the boy; he had such an intensemanner, such an appearance of being convinced of his own point of view.And Billy's personality suggested the thinker, not the man of action.

  "Then you are under the impression we are over there in our encampmentfor the fun of it and in order to kill time which we might be spendingin better ways?" he inquired, thinking that perhaps he might answerBettina's anxious questionings and Billy's impertinence at the sametime. "Well, as a matter of fact, our encampment is not a veryattractive place up to the present. Did you think so when you made usthe visit? One job we have been tackling recently is to clear away theunderbrush from a good many thousan
ds of acres of desert which haveremained undisturbed from the year one until now. We killed ninetyrattlesnakes as a part of the first day's work. Later on we are going todrive artillery across those wastes of sand. Does not sound like play,does it?"

  "No," Billy returned patiently, wondering why people would not sometimesanswer his questions directly, without first preaching long sermonswhich seemed to have but little bearing upon them.

  "It is because I think a soldier's life is so hard and must be sodistasteful to a lot of men that I wonder why you would rather giveyour energy to fighting than to trying to make the world happier andwiser in other ways."

  Lieutenant Carson frowned. He knew the things Billy was saying werebeing said by a good many people the world over, who were older andwiser, or who should have been wiser, than Billy. But he also realizedthat these same sentiments were not easy to answer, because they had inthem so much of the germ of truth, which was to blossom and flower atsome future day.

  Moreover, unexpectedly he experienced an impulse to help the boy to seethe present world struggle in a clearer light.

  "Billy," he added, "you will agree with me, won't you, that prettynearly everybody is saying the same thing these days? We all claim thatwe wish the world to enjoy universal peace, that we long for greaterjustice and happiness and a deeper sense of brotherhood. There is onlyone point that divides you and me just at present. We all want peace,but some of us want it so much that we are willing to pay for it by thefinal last sacrifice of our youth and our blood. There are others whothink it may be obtained, and apparently you are one of them, simply bysitting still and talking the whole subject over. This is prettydifficult as things are at present. So long as the devil is such ascrapper, those of us who believe in the triumph of right have got tolearn to fight back harder and even more successfully than he canfight."

  Billy was silent for a moment, then with an egotism which was eminentlycharacteristic, he remarked: "Well, perhaps that is the way some peoplemust see the thing. Do you know I have always believed that some day Iam going to have a tremendous influence upon people just through talkingto them."

  Then, by the time Lieutenant Carson had recovered from his surprise atBilly's audacity, he had made up his mind that the hour had arrived fortheir return to camp.