Q: CHAPTER XVII.

NEAR TO DEATH.

The Irishwoman had come up behind Hal so softly--she wore rubbers--that the youth did not hear her, and he was, therefore, thoroughly startled when she made the exclamation quoted at the end of the preceding chapter.

Ferris and Macklin jumped to their feet and both rushed out in the hall.

"What's the row, Mary?" cried the latter.

"Sure an' that's phot Oi want to know," replied the woman. "Oi found this fellow pakin' in the kay-hole of your dure, so Oi did."

"It's Hal Carson!" exclaimed Ferris. "So this is the way you followed me, eh?" he continued.

"Who is Hal Carson?" asked Macklin, grasping the youth by the arm.

"Old Sumner's new clerk and office boy," replied Ferris. "Don't let him get away."

Macklin gave a whistle.

"Dat's kinder serious, if he follered yer here. Wot have yer got ter say fer yerself?" he demanded, turning to Hal.

"Let go of my arm," returned Hal. "Are you the only one who lives in this building?"

"No."

"Then I presume I have a right to enter the hall-way, haven't I?"

"That won't wash, Carson!" exclaimed Ferris. "You are doing nothing but following me, and you know it."

"Just you step inside, do you hear?" commanded Macklin. "That's all right, Mary, I'll take care o' him," he added to the woman.

"Oi wondher if he was up in me apartment," she said, suspiciously. "Oi'll go up an' see if there is anything missing."

The woman departed, and Macklin tried to shove Hal into the room.

1. Hal
2. Yes.
3. She came up behind him
4. pakin' in the kay-hole of your dure
5. Ferris and Macklin
6. Ferris.
7. following him
8. Her apartment
9. See if there is anything missing.
10. Macklin tried to shove Hal
11. The room.
12. Old Sumner's new clerk and office boy,

Numbered questions:
1. Who did Mary come up on?
2. Did she surprise him?
3. How?
4. What was he doing?
5. Whose door?
6. Who knew Hal?
7. What did he think he was doing?
8. Where did Mary go?
9. To do what?
10. What happened after she left?
11. Where?
12. Who was Hal?

Q: Moscow (CNN)More than 1 million historic documents have been destroyed in a fire at one of Russia's largest public libraries, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.

The Russian emergency situations ministry says 147 firefighters struggled for 25 hours over the weekend to put out the blaze in the main library of the Institute for Research Information on Social Sciences in Moscow.

The fire, which ripped through the library Friday evening, destroyed 2,000 square meters (about 2,400 square yards) of the building and caused part of the roof to collapse, according to an official statement. The Russian emergency situations ministry said the fire was particularly hard to put out because of the high temperatures, narrow passageways and the risk of the building falling down.

Moscow's emergency ministry said the temperature inside the rubble of the library remains high and that there is still a threat that the building could collapse.

Vladimir Fortov, president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that the fire, which destroyed 15% of all the documents in the library, reminded him of the 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine.

"It's a major loss for science. This is the largest collection of its kind in the world, probably equivalent to the Library of Congress," Fortov told the agency. "It contains material that you can't find anywhere else and all the social science institutions use this library. What has happened here is reminiscent of Chernobyl."

The institute's director, Yuri Pivovarov, told Tass that he fears the building cannot be restored.

1. yes
2. 147
3. 25 hours
4. president of the Russian Academy of Sciences
5. high temperatures, narrow passageways and the risk of the building falling down
6. Chernobyl
7. 1986
8. no
9. 140000
10. Ukraine

Numbered questions:
1. Did the firefighters struggle?
2. How many were there?
3. How long did they work on putting it out?
4. Who is Vladimir Fortov?
5. Why was it so hard to extinguish?
6. What other major disaster is this event being compared to?
7. When did that happen?
8. Can the building be fixed?
9. How big was the library?
10. Where was chernobyl located?

Q: When your pet meets your infant, it might not be love at first sniff.

Baby's Best Friend

When Jennifer Merritt brought her baby, Arielle, home from the hospital, her cherished dogs had very different reactions. Her boxer, Sonya, was immediately gentle and protective. But Tiger, the Pomeranian, was less welcoming: "If any diapers or toys were on the floor, he peed on them!"says the Greenbrier, prefix = st1 /Arkansas, mom. Tiger isn't the first dog to feel jealous of a baby. In the eyes of a pet's, there's a new star in town who's stealing his spotlight. Even the most gentle animal will probably act up if he doesn't get his usual attention. These simple steps will help your pet adjust -- and keep your baby safe.

u Introduce Them with Care

Your newborn and pet's first encounter can set the tone for their relationship. To make it as smooth as possible, try this trick from Caryn Ruiz, of Raleigh, North Carolina: "Before we left the hospital, my husband took blankets home to our dog, Daisy, so she'd know our newborn Devon's smell." When you get home, have your husband carry the baby so you can greet your pet without worrying about her jumping on you. A cat will likely walk away at first, while a dog will probably want to investigate right away.

To introduce your baby, get down on your pet's level and let her have a hello sniff. Don't panic and pull your newborn away unless your pet is barking or hissing, because it'll send the message that the baby is a threat.

u Learn the Safety Basics

No matter how smoothly the introduction goes, there are certain safety rules you should follow, says Bonnie Beaver, DVM, past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Number one: Never leave your baby alone with the pet. Even the gentlest animal can react unpredictably. Your baby's crying could frighten your cat, or your dog could suddenly become territorial. Consider setting up baby gates to limit your pet's access. To keep your cat from jumping into the bassinet , try putting mosquito netting over the top. Cats hate sticky paws, so keep the crib and changing table off-limits by lining the edges with sticky strips made for furniture (available in most pet stores). You can also train your dog to sleep in a crate.

1. Arielle
2. Jennifer Merritt
3. Tiger
4. Tiger
5. yes
6. Raleigh, North Carolina
7. unknown
8. Daisy
9. Devon
10. DVM
11. sticky paws
12. Sonya

Numbered questions:
1. What is the name of the baby?
2. Who is the mother?
3. Who is less welcoming towards baby?
4. Who peed on toys?
5. Was he jealous?
6. Where is Caryn Ruiz from?
7. What did her partner do while leaving hospital?
8. what is the name of her dog?
9. What is the name of her child?
10. What is Bonnie Beaver's occupation?
11. what do cats hates?
12. what is the name of the boxer?