Winona of the Camp Fire Part 56

Mrs. Bryan stepped forward, and threw a string of beads over her head.

She had not been in Camp till now, and so the beads had not come one by one as they generally did. She fastened the pin on Winona's breast, and stepped back, while the girls sang a tempestuous cheer.

Winona sat down on the gra.s.s, still bewildered.

"Well, how does it feel to be a Torch-bearer-the only one in Camp?"

asked Helen late that night, as the girls were undressing together.

"Wonderful-only I don't believe it, yet!" said Winona. "Think of all those honors that I never even dreamed I was getting-and to think I was having such fun getting them, too! It seems as if I ought to have worked so hard it was uncomfortable, somehow, to deserve them."

"It was dreadfully hard to keep the surprise a secret, sometimes," said Helen. "When your letters were a wee little bit lonesome, sometimes, we had hard work keeping Louise from telling. Oh, Winona, all the girls are so glad!"

"I'm glad, too," said Winona soberly. "And oh, Helen, I _am_ going to keep on carrying the torch, too-as high as ever I can!"