passable; they are
even nearer than these."

He turned and ran quickly down the passage, followed by Captain Grantly
and Mr Nash. Mr Carstairs came and stood by Vere's side, as if he
could not bear to leave her unprotected, and she looked up at him and
smiled a white little smile, as if she were glad to have him there. A
moment later the men came back, and, as father turned and closed the
heavy oak door which divided one wing from another, we knew without
asking that the other staircase was also cut off.

Madge began to sob hysterically, but father stopped her with a wave of
his hand, and said sharply, addressing us all--

"The back staircase is impracticable, but if we keep our senses, there
is no real danger to fear. I have rung the alarm bell, and the men will
soon be round with ropes and ladders. The best thing you can do is to
go back to your rooms, dress rapidly, and collect a few valuables which
can be lowered from the window. You can have five minutes--no longer.
I will ring a bell at the end of that time, and we will all meet in my
room, which is the centre position, and therefore the farthest from the
fire. Now, girls, quick! There is no time to lose!"

We ran. Some time--in a long, long time to come--we shall laugh to
think what curious costumes we made! It was just the first thing that
came to hand. I was decently clothed in two minutes, seized a dressing-
bag, put in my pearl necklace, a few odd trinkets, this diary, and the
old Bible I have had since I was ten years old, and rushed along to
mother's room to see if I could help.

She was putting on a long dark coat, and had a lace scarf tied over her
hair. Even then, in the middle of the night, she looked dignified and
beautiful, and her eyes melted in the tender way they have at great
moments as she saw me.

"Ready, daughter?" she said smiling, and then came up and took me into
her arms. "Good girl! Brave girl! We must help the others, Una. You
and I have no time to be afraid."

"Thank you, mother darling!" I said, gratefully, for I had been, oh,
terribly afraid, and it was just the best thing she could have said to
calm me and give me courage; and, while we clung together, father came
hurrying in. He hardly seemed to notice me, Babs, his pet daughter!--He
looked only at mother, and spoke to her.

"Are you warm, Carina? Are you suitably dressed? You must have no
train--nothing to make movement difficult. That's all right. Don'