Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-11-10

Just you stick to it. C'listy, and you'll
pull through. Girls are queer ami
mails"
and boys, too C'listy could not
help saying to herself. with u queer
feeling. composed of anger and glad
ness. 1t WAS something, at least, To
have gained one friendly word. She
would keep on.
But Belle Price succeeded perfectly
in making her miserable. She looked
upoa the dcspiscd girl rs her rival
now and her influence was all-power-
full with the others.
Then came the offer of prizes to the
girls for the best essay. C'listv knew
that She could write, and the prize
meant so much pccuniarly. SO she
set 10 work. Belle Price was also one
of the contestants and determined
rival.
The day WAS rapidly approaching,
ana Delle 5 admirers took occasion 10
state openly that their friends produc-
zion wa not to be cNcriled. The after
noon before tn" dag set for the exer-
cisc Nalista WAS about discouraged.
Of what use To strive longer?
suddenly n cry rang through the
scliuOl-fopnl.
Fire. Fire.
There was :, mad rush for the doors.
The teachers presence Of mind en-
ab!ed them 10 get out safely the occu-
| pants of the rooms; but once outside
! il was discovered tha, C'listv and
Belle were missing
For minute, rs the lines passed ont
rapidly Clistv had hcsilatetl. She
knew that Belle had slipped of secretly
to the lcei"Tr-"ooN on the frs, floor
Tor iiaal rehearsal iy herself. But
what if sh" haI' 1t WAS none of her
business. G'is;y thought. Some one
w"nji '' tni' ", al HriIa would
not trouble to save her from anything.
She bitterly thought, rs she remcm-
bcfcd tie many Sights she had en-
durcd
She had reached the foot of the
| stairway with the others when sud
denly she dartecl aside unseen, and up
| the stairs through the ball, so rapidly
| hEling with smoke from some unknown
quarter.
What are you following me here
for Belle haughtily asked, Is C'listy
entered the room.
IN fire. C'listy answered, with a
qeich cienchins of her teeth at the
tone.
Belle dropped her essay and rushed
Tor the door, but C'iisly caugh; her by
he arm, picked up the paper. aud
hurried her from the room. At the
door Belle hung bacl in terror ri the
cloud OF smoke
Come with mo. We can get down
if we hurry, Hold Your breath. Come"
Aud She fairly dragged the terrified
gir after her through the binding
smoke rolling up toward them. Get
down.. she commanded. hoars,ly.
We've got TO 90 down backward on
our hands and knees or wen choke.
Come on"
C'listv clutchcd Belle firmly and
forced her to her side on the floor.
And that's the way found en-
half way down the last ilight of stairs.'
said the fireman who had dashed into
the building when he two were
missed.
The only thing that saved them,
too, in all that smoke. getting close to
the floor; sensible thing to do for
smoke alters rises. Mighty lucky for
them the gal thought ont" said an
other.
They will come out all right. 1t is
only the fright and reaction" said the
doctor. q. he examined the half-siupe-
fled girls. who were hastily carried TO
their homes.
Bellies cssav-it's in my pocket,
mother said C'lS,y that night. send
i right TO her. She'll take the prize.
II is best, I.now ! shall not 20. XIV
essay is burned"
No. it isn't" Dave Howe exclaimed,
bursting in at the open door. "rhe
desks were only Just scorchcl and |
found ii. Here il is: and the cxcr-
clses viii go on 1T the hall. and Mr..
Price told me to give you their thanks.
and he would send for you tomorrow"
That was all, then. yet C'listy felt
that it was more than she expected.
even when she reached the hall next |
day late, and was hurriedly assigned
q seat at the end of the long row of
classmates upon the stage. Neither
could she fail to notice that, as usual,
the seat next to hers was vacant. The
girls still avoided her. she thought,
bitterly, though Emma Howe smiled
pleasantly from the seat beyond.
Belle wac not anywhere to be seen
The exercises proceeded, each speaker
being gracefully conducted to the
front by the one at her right; and |
Cli>ty felt a lump rise in her throat as
she saw there was no one to perform
that Office for her. 1t would lie so al |
ways. Her eyes filled so that she could
not see distinctly as her own name
was called: but she arose, struggling
for composnrc. some one took her |
hand and accompanied her to the |
front, where loud burst of applause
greeted her, and gave her time to re-
gain self control. Yet her voice was
pathetically tremulous to the close of
the imprisoned plea She put forth for
Recognition" and when she closed |
she found her seat amid renewed APP
plause.
Then Belle Prices name was called,
and she saw that it was Belle who now
occupied the seat next her.
Was it she who had escorted hcro
The question asked Itself again and
again as she listened to the essay in a
tumult of feeling. But she was not
prepared for what followed.