Virginia blushed deeply and stood dumbly while this was done, then lit the tapers as she was told. The girls joined hands and sang the camp birthday song as they circled around Virgie and the birthday cake. “Oh, it’s perfectly lovely of you! I’ll never get over it!” Isabel pretended to support her when the box of candy was presented by Lilian, and then the girls settled down to the joys of eating and talking, both of which they seemed to be able to do at the same time.
Eloise looked a bit sober. Lilian said afterward that she thought she saw tears in her eyes, and wondered why. But she soon brightened up and took her plate over close to Diane, where she sat down. As soon as she had opportunity, she said to Diane, “You used to room with Helen, you know, and I have been waiting to get a chance to tell you that I’ll not stand in your way. _I’m_ sure that Miss Randolph can arrange something for me, and you can have your place with Helen back. I suppose we can’t do it tonight, but just as soon as it can be arranged.”
“Aren’t you a dear!” exclaimed Diane. “It is just like you, Eloise, but I wouldn’t _think_ of letting you do it. It is all arranged, my dear girl. My trunk was just brought up to Evelyn’s room tonight. She and I, with Dorothy Appleton and Jane Mills, have a suite together.”
“Dorothy Appleton and Jane Mills!” exclaimed Eloise.
“Nothing, only—I’ll tell you some time. They are fine girls—and, Diane, it is lovely of you to let me stay with Helen.”
“I wanted to surprise Helen, so I did not write to anybody except to Evelyn after Miss Randolph suggested this arrangement. I’ve known Evelyn for a long time, though we were not very chummy that first year, and we shall be as happy as can be. You see I did not know whether I could come this year or not, and did not dare make arrangements till I was sure.”
Diane told Helen and some of the other girls about Eloise’s intended sacrifice, and Cathalina happened to repeat the story to Miss Randolph in one of her talks with her; for Miss Randolph never forgot to have an occasional visit with the niece of her firm friend, Katherine Knickerbocker. Not long afterward, Miss Randolph gave her first monthly address to the girls in the chapel. She had chosen as her subject “Heroines,” and in the course of her remarks referred to a girl who was willing to give up her cherished place in one of the best suites in school for the happiness, as she thought, of two friends. “A girl who does any act, great or simple, which requires courage and unselfishness, physical or spiritual, is a heroine. We want our girls to get so into the habit of doing the brave, noble thing, and of making the higher choice, that nothing else will ever occur to them. We want to train heroines in Greycliff!”