dmire the pretty, pale face, mercifully unscathed by the fire.
"I have not needed even to cut her beautiful hair."

"By some strange chance, or rather Providence, the tongue of flame that
shot out so suddenly only caught her below the waist," explained Miss
Bardsley. "The fireman had just seized her in his arms, and her head was
thrown forward over his shoulder. One second later, she might have been
burnt to death."

"How did the fire originate?" asked the doctor.

"Through carelessness in the kitchen, I am afraid; but it is difficult
to tell until we can make proper enquiries. We are leaving everything
for Miss Drummond to investigate herself."

"And this child? How was it she was left in the burning house?"

"She went to warn Mabel Farrington, a companion, who, without my
knowledge, had been sleeping in the hospital, a room on the top story.
In the darkness and confusion it was almost impossible to count all the
girls. I had not specially missed Mabel. I had already been to her
bedroom to rouse her with the others, and had not realized that she was
not there. The teacher who had ordered her removal to the hospital
fainted when the fire broke out, so of course could offer no
information. Only Aldred knew of Mabel's whereabouts, and she, without
consulting anybody, must have made her way up the tottering staircase to
save her friend. The first knowledge I had of the matter was when I
heard the crowd shout, and saw the two girls screaming at the window. We
were frantic, but powerless to help. There was no long ladder on the
premises, and all we could do was to wait for the arrival of the
Brigade. Aldred made a rope of sheets and let Mabel down in safety; but
the flames had taken such a hold of the room that there was no time for
her to follow."

"Then she has saved a life!" said the doctor. "She'll be a little
heroine among you, when she gets well."

"Ah, yes--when she gets well!" replied Miss Bardsley anxiously.

Poor Miss Drummond, called from her mother's sick-room, arrived that
evening to find the Grange half-wrecked. Fortunately, she was well
insured, and would suffer no pecuniary loss, but apart from that it was
quite a sufficient catastrophe. Her school could not reassemble until
the house was repaired and redecorated; and many treasures had been
destroyed which it would be impossible to replace.

"You must try to look on the bright side of things," said the Rector,
who was present to receive her. "The d