Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-25
The Transjent-A
Boarding School
Story
CHAPTER III,

Miss Prince will set it right"
! "Oh, it's all very well for you to
talk" retorted the eXasperated Estelle
you float round doing what you like
and tantalize us by lying under tree
while we're slaving!"
AS Gladys had taken up this posi-
ton in order to be near Estelle's seat
| in the schoolroom, and hand in glasses
of water, the injustice of the reproach
was patent. She rose and walked
quietly away. Estelle looked after her
with conjunction, but she could not
follow her She had to placate Mad
anne about the practice.
Gladys, with tears in her eyes,
walked on, not noticing that she was
encroaching on the plot of lawn re-
served for the faculty. When she sud
denly pulled herself up, on hearing
voices from Miss Princes study win.
dow, she was too dazed, to retreat at
once.
II shall be sorry to lose you, Miss
Ward Miss Princes crisp tones were
icily polite. But as long as 1t is my
school, l must do what think best!
Miss Kent and Miss Dunbar have been
with me long time, and I cannot ask
them for their designations.
II can only repeat that il they stay,
l do not" Miss Wards voice was
hard.
Poor Gladys gave little cry, half
historical laughter, half real grief.
Both ladies turned and saw her
"Glad.-.s," said Miss Prince, severe
ly, what are you doing?"
RI o0 homo ~ S0hha6 G19dvS
II want to 60 where people don't quar-
rel. Everybody quarrels here"
The two women looked at each
other, Then Miss Ward put out her
hand.
you can't send the poor things
away; l see that" She spoke as il
the idea of sending "the poor things
away were preposterous. Call that
child in,' and it was ''in" Miss Princes
arms that Gladys walled out her de.
spairing longings for place where
people liked each other"
They're going home for the holi-
days." said Gladys. They ought to
be happy. Do you suppose it's the
examinations does it,"
well, they'll all be over tomorrow"
said Miss Prince Nov 60 to bed, my
dear. wish they all loved love as you
do"
Gladys had slept for some hours
when she woke with frightener sense
of something wrong. The room was
stiflingly full of smoke, and some one
was pulling her sharply.
Come out of the room-the house
in on fire!" whispered Miss Damer.
Get your shoes and your heaviest
coat. Gomez"
Emily and Catherine we're already
attired, and clutching their pocket
books. Miss Damer led them to the
lawn, where most of the girls were
huddled, some sobbing, some staring
dumbly at the blazing dormitory wing.
Then Gladys felt herself grow stiff
and cold with fear she had never
known before A sickening terror
froze the blood in her veins. The girls
in the upper dormitory were not all
down and the flames were bursting
from the windows beneath.
The gardener, the chauffeur Of a
neighbor and the neighbor himself
were already fastening ladders to-
gether. But those faces at the upper
windows!
Gladys saw the men test the ladder
and shake their heads. A bucket line
was passing the well-filled pals stead
lily and swiftly, but the water they
dashed on the flames made seemingly
little impression.
Il can go up on that! l weigh only
a hundred and ten"
The voice was Miss Dunbar's. Be-
fore any one could stop her. she was
halfway up, and steadiyng the ladder
against the wall Once at the top, she
disappeared in the room, and handed
the girls out, one by one. They
tumbled, some of them, before they
reached the ground, but strong and
kindly hands were ready to catch
them. Miss Kent was invaluable. She
had already extinguished the parent
blaze from stove used only occasion
ally, and now she was putting rugs
and comforters on the ground, and
gently guiding to them the girls who
had forgotten to put on their shoes.
Miss Damer's help testified to the
value of athletics, but she did hardly
more than Miss Kent.
Now it seemed that every one was
safe.
NO" sobbed Estelle. clinging to
Miss Kent Hope was way, way
back. She thought we could get out
of the other window.
At that moment more men and
stronger ladders came. Silence-the
silence of terrible dread--fell over
those below as the chauffeur assembled,
for Miss Dunbar was not at the win
dow-and where was Hope?
The chauffeur disappeared. thin
line of smoke came out Of the window.
The next moment the chauffeur. with
Hopes unconscious form on his arm,
appeared Miss Dunbar was smiling,
actually smiling, at the window above;
and when she came down, every soul
rejoiced