was a "poor relation" and knew that she
was an unpopular teacher with many of the pupils of the fine school,
though she had modified her sternness altogether in the case of Dorothy
who had saved her from the fire. But the mandate of her superior was
fresh in her mind. She had been touched by the rarely familiar "Cousin
Isobel," and determined to do her duty to the utmost. Yet here was
Dorothy already screaming into her deafest ear:

"My purse, please, Miss Greatorex! I want some money right away! Quick,
quick, please, or it'll be too late!"

The girl's voice was so highly pitched that people around began to stare
and some of them to smile. Like most afflicted persons the lady was
sensitive to the observation of others and now held up her hand in
protest against the attention they were attracting.

"Softly, Dorothy. Better write what you wish if you cannot speak more
distinctly;" and a small pad with pencil was extended.

But Dorothy did not take them. The satchel upon Miss Greatorex's lap was
open, her own and Molly's purses lay within. To snatch them both up and
rush away was her impulsive act and to scamper back across the deck,
wherever she could find a passage, took but a moment longer. But she was
none too soon.

Down below the steward was again crying:

"All aboard what's goin'! All ashore what ain't! All who hasn't got deir
tickets, please step right down to de Cap'n's office and settle."

While another loud voice ordered:

"Aft gangway for Cornwall! All ashore--all ashore! Aft gangway--all
ashore!"

Some were hurrying down the stairs to that "aft gangway," others
speeding up them in equal haste with that excitement which always marks
the infrequent traveler, and poor Alfaretta caught the same fever of
haste. Without a word of real farewell, now that she had come thus far
at so much risk to speak it, she dashed ahead, slipped on the
brass-tipped stair and plunged headlong into the space below.

For an instant there was silence even in that busy scene, people halting
in their ascent and porters turning their skids aside with angry
exclamations, lest the trunks they wheeled should fall upon her as she
seemed bent to fall upon them.

Yet only one thought now possessed the terrified girl--escape! She had
bumped her head till she was dizzy, but she mustn't stop for that.
Yonder yawned that open space in the deck-rail which they called the
"aft gangway" and toward that point she propelled herself regardle