later comers: Avice the
innermost. We saw them look up to us, with white faces. To our
joy, Avice seemed to understand our signs and to try to withhold
Isa, but she was too wild with fright not to try to push on to the
end of the pew. Avice held her dress, and kept her back. Then, as
the crowd swayed, the two girls stood on the seat, and presently I
saw Avice bend down, and take from some one's arms a little child,
which she seated on the edge of the pew, holding it in her arms, and
soothing it. I don't know how long it all lasted, Horace says it
was not ten minutes before he had got men and tools to break down
the obstruction at the door, and pull out the crowded, crushed
people, but to us it seemed hours. They were getting calmer too in
the rear, for many had followed the lead through the vestry door,
and others had found out that there was no fire at all.

Wonderful to tell, no one was killed. There were some broken arms,
three I think, and some bad bruises. Many people were fainting, and
much hurt by the horrible heat and crush, but when at last the way
was free, we saw Horace come into the church, looking about in great
anxiety for the two girls, whom he had failed to find in the
trampled multitude. Then Avice came up to him, with the child in
her arms, and Isa followed, quite safe! How thankful we all were!
Avice says she remembered at once that she had been told of the
American fireman's orders to his little girl always to keep still in
such an alarm, for the crowd was a worse peril than the fire. By
the time we had come down the stairs and joined them, the child's
father had come for it in great anxiety, for its sister had been
trampled down fainting, and had just only revived enough to miss it!
I shall never forget what it was to see people sucked down in that
surging mass, and the thankful thrill of seeing our girls standing
there quietly with the child between them, its little fair head on
Avice's breast. We went home quietly and thankfully. Horace took
Avice to the hotel that he might explain all to her parents, and let
them know how well she had behaved; Isabel was shaken and tearful,
and her voice sounded weak and nervous as she bade her cousin good-
night and embraced her with much agitation. So I went to her room
to see whether she needed any doctoring, but I found Metelill
soothing her nicely, so I only kissed her (as I had not done these
two nights). "Ah, dear aunt, you forgive me!" s